Dick Allen

Go to the WSI ticket exchange. There are or at least were several tickets available for face.

QUOTE(fathom @ May 22, 2006 -> 04:04 PM) Here's the thing...it was vitally important that this team get off to a good start this season. We definitely have done that, and that should assure that we're drawing 30k fan for almost all of our home games this season. Even if the Sox don't make the playoffs this year, I think we'll be competitive enough that the fans will come this season, as well as next year. There's already advertisements for the 2007 season ticket waiting list. I'm fairly confident that our payroll will be over 90 million next season. The problem is the number of full season ticketholders that purchased a full plan for a shot at WS tickets last season. If , for some reason the Sox fall out of contention or don't make the playoffs, a lot of these people are gone IMO. Hopefully the Sox will be more like the Bulls when they don't make the playoffs and still continue to draw. I hope it doesn't turn into Cleveland who sold out 5 1/2 years straight, then go bad and now after a 93 win season, only draw 17,000 in a home game against the world champion division rivals. This year they are fine, but if a lot of those full plans don't renew, Garland and Garcia being off the books after 2007 may be exactly what the White Sox want.

It all may be a mute point anyway if a Sox starter blows out his arm this year. I also think the rest of this season is huge for this team. If for some reason the Sox don't make the playoffs, the rate of seasonticket renewals will play a huge role in the make-up of the roster.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ May 22, 2006 -> 03:48 PM) If any starting pitcher from the rotation is traded, it's Garcia. Regardless of his relationship with Guillen. Garcia has one year remaining on his contract, and will likely finish this season with totals approaching last season. He'll have a higher ERA, lower K's, but his win totals will exceed 14; and for that, some team will consider him a worthy gamble. Just rape an organization for the next Liriano and I'll be happy. From my perspective, trading Garland would certaintly be more appropriate--but you couldn't expect much in return. Does anyone believe the White Sox would pay for a sizable amount of Garland's contract to send him out of town? Does that sound like an option they've regularily persued? Eating a contract is the only way we'd receive halfway decent prospects. I doubt they venture down that road, considering recent trades we've had other clubs pay a large portion of salaries. Most teams are desperate for starting pitching. Garland's 2005 could act as a nice tease for some team. Considering what guys like Pavano and Burnett were paid, really with not much results-wise more than Garland, maybe even less, some team might think Garland for $22 million and 2 years is a good gamble to take. What they would be willing to give up is another matter.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ May 22, 2006 -> 03:30 PM) From a baseball perspective, keeping a good 27 year old starter who is just now figuring himself out, is better than re-signing an aging pitcher, who is only going to lose more MPH off of his fastball, no matter who he is close to. It makes more sense to keep Garland, bar none. A good starter if he pitches like he did in 2005. A mediocre starter if he pitches like he has at any other point in his career. If he turns it around this year, then I see your point. At least up until now, it seems everything he supposedly figured out last season, he's forgotten. If his numbers are pretty much in line with his pre-2005 numbers, then I would bet anything he would be very available. Having Freddy pitching in his walk year is not that bad of a thing.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ May 22, 2006 -> 03:16 PM) Yes, im sure when KW is making business decisions for trying to improve his team, and keep it good for years to come, the personal relationship between a player and the manager would kill all reasons to get rid of a player. Please. Your blatant Garland hatred has blurred your vision. Freddy's 7-1, and Ozzie and Freddy are very close. I'm sure if the Sox trade one of their starters, Ozzie will have a say in who it is. While I think its possible Freddy could go, it probably would take an unbelievable package for Ozzie to give his endorsement. Garland, on the other hand, may be more attractive to deal to get out of the $22 million total obligation for 2007-8. The White Sox tried to deal Ordonez when backloaded contract went to the payoff year. Garland, unless he really turns it around, will be overpriced next season, and ridiculously priced in 2008. I really think the Sox have no intention of paying that contract, at least the final $12 million.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ May 22, 2006 -> 03:11 PM) I wanted to deal Jon after 05......right now, we can't afford to put BMac in the rotation after this year if we still haven't gotten solid BP help. KW basically said one way or another McCarthy will be in the rotation in 2007. I'm quite sure KW will pay a lot more attention to the bullpen the rest of this season and next off season, than he did last off season.

Macha could piss a lot of people off and keep Frank's butt on the bench tonight, but I think he matches up well with Garland.

Is Frank definitely playing tonight?

Lidge, IMO, if he's 100% healthy, would make AL hitters look silly. Jenks would be a set-up guy, and get an occassional chance at a save. It would make the bullpen very strong, very quickly. I just don't think the Sox have great enough prospects to get him, if Houston would even trade him.

If Shields ever became available.......he's such a rubber arm I can't see the Angels ever dealing him, especially since they aren't going into rebuilding mode any time soon. I still think Lidge may become available especially if Clemens comes back to the Astros. They may look for some salary relief, but Lidge probably would cost more than the Sox have to offer, at least prospects wise.

QUOTE(fathom @ May 22, 2006 -> 01:56 PM) You don't trade Josh Fields for a middle reliever, plain and simple. It depends on who it is. Most of the teams willing to trade guys have bad teams because their players suck. It obviously would have to be a pretty good pitcher you would get back to trade Fields, although I'm not sold on Fields being a good major league player.

QUOTE(bogie @ May 22, 2006 -> 01:37 PM) Trust me, the Sox brass is far from thinking Nelson is an option. That's saying something especially if they think Montero or Logan were/are major league pitchers. The bullpen needs help. Rogo, Owens, Gload, everyone on Charlotte's pitching staff, maybe even Fields depending on how interested Crede would be in signing a reasonable extension, should be used as bait. Its obviously not the most attractive bait, but if the Sox are willing to take on some money, its possible they may land a good reliever.

I'll tell you one thing about Jacque Jones, he may have set a record in quickness of a home run trot yesterday. I bet he got around the bases faster than a few guys who hit inside-the-park homers did.

QUOTE(rudylaw @ May 22, 2006 -> 09:56 AM) Just coming off of the DL does not matter. He had two side sessions during his stint on the DL. The last one he had last Tuesday he threw 98 pitches. Mark had 105 pitches and Freddy had 107 in the past 2 games so yes Ozzie does let his guys go over 100. He does a lot. And I don't think that things were getting rough out there for Jose. An infield single and a bloop hit to right. That is not exactly being roughed up. Side sessions and games aren't equal. I'm sure Contreras could have continued, but Ozzie decided not to push it. Cotts was fresh, Walker is up, and he gets a DP ball. Inning should be over. The defense was not stellar yesterday.

Cotts wasn't good, but he did get Walker to hit into a DP until Uribe threw it away. That would have given the Sox at least a 2 run lead going into the ninth. I can't fault Ozzie for bring in Cotts. Contreras hadn't pitched in a while, and while the 2 hits he gave up in the 8th weren't exactly rockets, there's no telling what was coming. Ozzie should have put BA in though as Mack probably wasn't going to bat again, especially if the Sox didn't hit in the 9th. I still have doubts whether BA would have caught Barrett's triple. Maybe if he took the perfect route and got a great jump, but even Willie Mays didn't do that every single time. Its tough catching a ball slicing away from you running full speed.

I think its BS because isn't the league office which from where these suspensions are handed down closed on the weekends? Why would they have suspensions for 1 team figured out, but not both?

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 22, 2006 -> 07:52 AM) Just one observation, and I don't know if anyone else thinks this or not... But if Brian Anderson is in CF, he makes that catch slowing down, and we get out of the inning... Mack took a Carl Everett route to the ball. He is awful in CF. I was at the game, and was wondering if it would have made a difference. It seemed like maybe BA might have been able to make a play, but it was pretty hard to tell. Every swing Barrett took before the triple he seemed overmatched.

I have no idea if the info on the first post is true, but if it is I wouldn't be surprised. With teams always looking for bullpen help, if it was a pretty sure thing Nelson could be an effective reliever he probably wouldn't have been broadcasting in Seattle.

Another difference between Frank and Thome was that Frank was booed when he played here. I'll be there tomorrow and will clap respectfully, like a golf tournament clap, if they have a ceremony and before his first at bat. After that I will be silent. Some of his parting comments touched a nerve with me, and frankly at this point I see him as a selfish egotistical washed up jerk.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ May 21, 2006 -> 10:04 AM) What does it matter if Boone Logan or Augustin Montero get suspended? They are useless as relievers, might as well use them for something. And they both throw hard enough to cause damage. As much as I would like to see a little retaliation, I hope they take the high road and do nothing, unless of course Zambrano does something stupid today. Let the Cubs and their fans continue to be the longest running joke of professional sports.

The kid pitches like a pussy, and obviously is one. If I'm Hendry reading his pussy quotes, I'm sending him to Iowa. He doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to pitch at the major league level. If the catcher is blocking the plate on what should be a close play even with the puss arm of Murton, he's going to get hit. The baseline belongs to the runner.

OK, A.J., I'll tell you. You're an instigator, an agitator, a troublemaker, a wise guy. The above quote is from Mariotti's article. I really believe Mariotti is jealous of AJ. Mariotti wants to be the world's, or at least this town's, instigator, agitator, troublemaker and wise guy. If his column had any truth in it, he could surely understand why Hawk or JR would walk up behind him, grab him, turn him around and punch him in the face. The bottom line is Mariotti's trying to cause trouble with his writings again, and he's become so insignificant, it won't work. If there is no retribution today, he will be the most disappointed person in this city. He probably already has tomorrow's column written with blanks to fill in names.

The picture on the front of chicagotribune.com suggests AJ needs to work on his jowls.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 20, 2006 -> 06:24 PM) Comlimenting the opponent and burying your teammate are two different things. I think both Dusty and Barrett want the league to know he feels remorse and knows he was wrong so his suspension won't be as long.