Vance Law

Why in the universe would they pick up Morales instead of Dunn?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 24, 2014 -> 06:03 PM) 7 games ago he was hitting .251 with a less than .300 OBP. I don't recall anyone saying the Sox just had to see what he can do at the major league level. Plenty of people (including me) would have said 'if he can simply keep hitting how he has for the past month and a half, he could be brought up when Dunn leaves.' Well he's obviously done way better than that. Even if he "cools off" back to his June level of hitting .300 with power he's worth the call up. I think he may be a more valuable baseball player than Viciedo right now and in 2015 and on. Being left-handed matters. A lot.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 24, 2014 -> 08:36 AM) Wilkins has had an unreal week. But it is just a week. No. He was leading the team in home runs before this week. He was on pace for 25 or so for the season. He had an excellent June (.877 OPS), an unbelievable July (1.456 OPS) and one of the best weeks for any player anywhere in recent memory. He's batting .447 in July. He's batting .368 since June 1. It's bizarre how hard you're trying to diminish that performance as just one lucky week.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Jul 23, 2014 -> 01:33 PM) Konerko's farewell tour is why. It's not remotely why, and I assume you know that. Wilkins would not be brought up to get 1 or 2 starts a week as Konerko is getting. What would be the point? You can't platoon Dunn and Wilkins who are both left handed. Andy Wilkins is not going to take any starts away from Jose Abreu. Wilkins will be up when (if) Dunn is traded or at very latest in September. I think Dunn is gone in the next week.

Hawk for commish.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 18, 2014 -> 06:02 PM) On the other hand, Aiken's camp not even responding to a $5M offer is pretty insane too. I kind of thought the whole time the Astros were trying to game the system. Scare him into thinking he would only get $3 million or have to go to college when he was already counting the money, then use that as leverage to low-ball him on some number below the original offer. "He should be happy to get $5 mil, he was only gonna get $3.1" It appears that's what they did. Seems to have blown up in there face, which is nice.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 16, 2014 -> 11:27 AM) I agree, not at all. I'd rather see Semien up for good in Beckham's place. Would like to see them do everything they can to get Sanchez to stick at SS. They had Saladino at short for most of the season with Sanchez at second. Should we assume Saladino is the better defensive shortstop?

Curious, what do people think is the issue with the huge drop off in stolen bases this year?

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jul 14, 2014 -> 07:14 PM) What would you expect his BABIP to settle at in the long-run? How about this, in 646 career PAs against right-handed pitching he's got a .322 BABIP, .294 Batting average, .813 OPS with 17 homers. That's a valuable player to have considering he can get 500+ PAs against righties per year.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jul 14, 2014 -> 06:16 PM) Whether on our team or elsewhere, he would be well-served to learn how to play 2B and LF I'd think left field is a better bet than 2nd base for him. I don't imagine any team would give up anything of superior value for him because he wasn't a super-highly touted prospect, and he's only proven himself for half a season. I also don't know why, in a rebuild, we'd want to give up someone this productive and cheap under team control. I suppose if someone offered us a very good young catcher or right handed starter, but I don't see it happening. Even if Davidson does actually pan out an win the job from Gillaspie, platooning Conor at DH and having him back up at 3rd, 1st, and perhaps LF makes too much sense for our right-handed heavy lineup.

QUOTE (Timmy U @ Jul 12, 2014 -> 07:38 PM) Odd thing is Saladino is the DH. Has a minor forearm issue

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jul 10, 2014 -> 02:23 AM) With the OBPs on that team, they would have finished in the bottom 5 in offense without the homers. With different hitters, they would have had higher OBPs.

You've got to admit Ventura was a genius to tell Belisario to get Napoli out instead of letting him get a hit.

Robin for Manager of the Year for pinch hitting with Gillaspie and making him hit that home run.

QUOTE (oldsox @ Jul 9, 2014 -> 10:25 PM) After tonight's debacle, I will now call our Manager "Ace Ventura". What are you calling Jake Petricka and Javy Guerra?

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jul 9, 2014 -> 06:44 PM) The 2005 Sox hit 200 HRs, which was 5th in all of baseball. I know that. And you didn't read my post.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 9, 2014 -> 05:55 PM) Trade who? What power hitters under 30 are available, exactly, on the FA market? Colby Rasmus? There aren't many, that's for sure. You are right. Why do they need to be under 30? What is the point of next year's team? Is it to be set up to compete 3 years from now? Chris Sale is dominant now. Is it a good gamble to assume he won't have had a serious injury in the next 3 years? Nevermind your opinions on his particular frailty, look at every pitcher ever. With no payroll obligations, I think Hahn will be more aggressive about fielding a potentially competitive team next year. If there is power hitting to be had, fine, but best available players is more important.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 9, 2014 -> 05:57 PM) Not a coincidence that our best teams in recent years (2000, 2003, 2005-2006, 2008, 2010, 2012) put up a ton of homers. Those teams were already constructed with power hitters. If the team did not hit well, it was because the power hitters (having few other worthwhile skills) failed to hit for power due to injury or other. The 2005 team did not win the World Series because of power hitting. They had a slightly subpar offense. 9th out of 14 AL teams. They scored 741 runs. You can get to that mediocre number a million different ways, hitting a lot of home runs is not a requirement. They won the World Series because of their pitching.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 9, 2014 -> 04:59 PM) Players who will project to hit 15 or more homers next season: Abreu maybe Garcia How is that going to play at USCF? What is your assumption that the intention of next season's team is? To win the most games? To hit the most home runs? To set the team up to be competitive in 2017? If someone is a crappy overall player but hits a few more home runs than a better overall player, the crappy player won't be the difference between a competitive and non-competitive team. That crappy player won't make the team better, he'll make it crappier.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 9, 2014 -> 04:59 PM) Players who will project to hit 15 or more homers next season: Abreu maybe Garcia How is that going to play at USCF? Our payroll next year is basically $4. We should be buying some proven power in FA or in trade.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 08:59 PM) Saladino is the most deserving in Charlotte, although Davidson's heating up....you'd prefer to give him at least another month to prove that his improvements are sticking. Semien is struggling still and Micah Johnson just doesn't have enough experience yet at that level. Plus, we've already watched one guy struggle with a quick promotion to Chicago. I'd like to see Saladino brought up if Beckham gets traded. He's been our best minor league player (non-pitcher). I'd say Danks should come up if Dunn is traded. Let Tank do more DHing. If Davidson ever actually puts a decent month together give him a September call up. Sanchez too, maybe Micah.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 08:19 PM) Anyone want to take a crack at this? Yankees and Mariners among teams seemingly with a chance at the playoffs.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 06:58 PM) This has to be some kind of joke. It's why I take all the defensive metrics with a grain of salt until they figure out a way to improve them. De Aza is a fast guy who can run to the ball and catch it. He made an inordinate number of errors and boneheaded plays last year. Have you seen the same this year? I have not. There's nothing remotely surprising about him being the 7th (according to Fangraphs) best LF this season. Especially because many teams routinely stick bad defenders out there (like Viciedo).

QUOTE (LDF @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 06:47 PM) keppinger was a very expensive mistake. (on a side note, why is he still on the IR in the minors) No, Alphonso Soriano was a very expensive mistake, and Carl Crawford, A-Rod, Pujols is certainly going to be. Keppinger's total contract over 3 years was $12 million. Not $120 million.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 01:56 PM) The guy has 12 home runs; Paulie has five. Guess what? Paulie would have 12 home runs if he had as many plate appearances as Dunn. I stand by my comment. Dunn is done. Any contender that acquires him has made a huge mistake IMO. Geez, you are satisfied with Dunn's performance? Why? 12 home runs? If Hahn can get anybody useful for Dunn, bless Hahn. I can't imagine a contender wanting to mess with him. Do you know what an .830 OPS against righties is? Do you understand why that's a good thing? Are you aware that most pitchers in baseball are right-handed?