he gone.

I'm getting closer to not being level headed ... left that game in the 6th last night. Ugly. Now, Sale isn't going to go 30-0. I understand that. Same with Q. That's why I was hoping to get even further ahead during this stretch, because they're going to come back down to life. If I'm looking for a silver lining there was that one inning where Melky, Abreu, and Lawrie laced balls back to back to back. I am just hoping Abreu starts seeing the light. He's chasing outside and getting jammed inside. We all remember how good this team can be when he goes through those stretches where he hits like 10 homers in a month. We desperately need him to snap out of this funk and put the team on his shoulders. Other than that? I just look at what Trayce Thompson is doing and dream. I wish we could have included a Danish or Adams in that trade -- not that those guys won't be great -- they might be... but stick Trayce in Center or Left and Melky at DH? Man. We'd have a guy who may only hit .250, but would steal 15 bases, play great defense, and hit 15 dingers and add even more speed to the lineup. He's the exact type of player I actually want the Sox to acquire via trade. Which leads me to my next point. I know Hahn was talking to teams earlier -- and I'm sure he's trying like hell, but with so much parody I'm sure the people he is targeting may be on teams that think they're still in the race and don't want to give their fan base a reason to quit on the team this early. Because looking at it, theres only a handful of teams - Twins, Braves, Brewers, etc that are probably out of it this early for sure. Just sucks we have to wait and see this team let everybody back in the race when I truly believe we are one bat from being the clear favorite in the division. Letting CLE stick around is going to come back and haunt us -- especially when Carrasco and Brantley come back. (sarcasm) -- but we should have just signed Uribe - that guy is always on playoff teams. He's magic. Since 2005. 05 Sox - We know the result 06 Sox - We were a damn good team throughout the season 07 Sox - Not so hot -- doesn't fit my theory 08 Sox - Playoffs 09 Giants - Won 88 games, just missed playoffs 10 Giants - Playoffs - was this the WS team? 11 Dodgers - Just above .500 12 Dodgers - Just missed playoffs by 2 games 13 Dodgers - playoffs 14 Dodgers - Playoffs 15 Dodgers/Mets - Playoffs 16 Indians - ?? In the end obviously its not him - but he is always on winning teams. People love him in the clubhouse. I miss the guy. He's been on ONE losing team since 2005

QUOTE (Special K @ May 24, 2016 -> 01:33 PM) Why couldn't you be as good at hitting as you are at identifying the problem with Sox 2016 offensive line up as currently constructed? I can't tell if that's sarcasm or not without green text! So I am going to half defend my stance? haha. It's a bunch of "nice" pieces between SS, C, DH, 2B, CF -- however there is a reason all were available for the contracts or trades we received them for/in. It was awesome when they were all doing their jobs terrifically on offense/defense/timely hitting. It's just unrealistic to expect that all year. Now we aren't going to go 1-23 w/ RISP like we did against the Royals either. So sky is not falling. This is a good team. not great. Frazier, Abreu (although struggling), Melky, Eaton can carry this team as long as 2-3 of those other 5 positions are doing their job at any given time. I'd like to shore up ONE. ONE total position. And if I am being choosy it's DH -- reasoning being its the lowest we'd have to return assets in for a trade. You can find a guy who can hit and not play D for a reasonable price. Lawrie is acceptable. Jax is acceptable in CF for his D/avg. bat. Catchers are not easy to come by. SS is alright if you value D (saladino) or leadership (rollins) or can have 2nd half pop/offense (Anderson) ... so I'm okay there too. DH with Sands, Shuck, Garcia, etc is brutal. It feels like the Mark Kotsay years....

the Sox have known about the opt out clause the whole time with Loney. Highly doubt they see him as an upgrade. I'm not thrilled with any of the guys: Shuck, Sands, Davidson, Sanchez, etc. for the role we currently have. I'm not the guy who is going to overreact, but clearly we outplayed our actual team value early, now were playing worse. This team cant survive all season as currently constructed. When you have Garcia/Sands, Lawrie, SS, C, and Jackson youre bound to have more than a few on really cold streaks and the team can't withstand that. We need a bat. and we need one soon. It's not Loney. Should be looking to a bigger name.

he's on his way to AAA. Just happened

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ May 19, 2016 -> 06:04 PM) I'd take a 31 year old Junior Guerra at this very moment over a 26 year old Erik Johnson or a 25 year old Anthony Ranuado. Age only means so much. I have a feeling you were the same guy who was saying lock up Latos after 3 starts. Guerra is a nobody with a few good games.

James Shields actually isn't a bad name. I like it. I like a guy who can get a job done, maybe not great, but can get it done and not cost us a lot of talent. I'll pay money. Not talent. Laroche is off your books. Danks next year. However my theory is if you believe in Rodon - and I do. I don't want to go out and spend a ton on a great pitcher. When you get to the playoffs it'd be Sale, Q, Rodon, Sale, Q for the first round. You may have to throw in one more guy in that rotation - but he'd be on a short, short leash. Bullpens are critical in the playoffs too. They pull guys quickly when in trouble. So I'd want to trade for a #3 if we are going to do it big. Also trade for a bullpen guy that is worthy if we're going to do it big. (Not really in favor of this) One team I think you look at is the Rays. I love the makeup of that team, but if they are willing to sell on a few of their guys?? They have so much pitching depth, also have some nice pieces in the OF. Smyly, Moore, Cobb, Odorizzi, Archer, Erasmo Ramirez, Alex Colome, Andriese, Snell I mean, looking at that list they have 9 viable starting pitchers. I'd take all except Colome (as a starter) over Latos IMO. I'd target someone like Ramirez who is set to be a FA and Colome. That gives you a #4 and a set-up guy who has experience as a starter too. Would make this team a ton better. And not sure it'd cost a whole ton.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 19, 2016 -> 01:39 AM) Look. It's obvious we have a problem at catcher. Avila is horrible; Navarro is OK as a backup. So fix the problem now. We have a pretty decent team, but obviously it can win nothing without better catching. So trade a nobody for AJP. Release Avila and let AJ and Navarro catch/hit. If you don't want AJP, then target another team's backup, somebody who can hit .240 for gawdsakes and catch a halfway decent game. At the very least, quit playing Avila and catch Navarro til he runs out of gas. He should be catching 6 of 7 games a week. Catcher must improve or Sox are going nowhere. Have Coop work work work with Rodon. He must turn into a stellar No. 3. Have Coop work work work with Latos! He must be an average No. 4. Get rid of that current guy who is at No. 5 starter. Give Johnson one more start. Have a revolving door at 5; do something. Start playing Saladino way more than Rollins. If Saladino sucks, fine. Rollins is done, finished, kaput. If Anderson is ready, bring him up to split time with Saladino. But get rid of Rollins now. Finally, find room for Matt Davidson, even at DH splitting time with Avi there. Davidson is ready folks. Seven homers, 24 RBI, hitting .250. Comments?? As Aaron Rodgers said a few years back. R-E-L-A-X Long season. AJP adds nothing to this team. His arm is nothing. His bat has declined. Rollins isn't great, but offers a league average SS with some good clubhouse presence (and I hate saying that stupid phrase) Latos is what he is. He wasn't going to be what he was his first 4 starts. He isn't going to have the lack of control he has over the past few. Long season. Bullpen wasn't going to throw only zeros. We've had the lead in a lot of these last 7 games. Ball isn't bouncing our way -- no big deal. We aren't a 100 win team. We aren't a 80 win team. Somewhere in between. Yes, another arm would be nice. Latos is a 5. When ultimately Anderson is called up hopefully he'll add some speed and pop to the team. (August/September). I'd like to add an OF, and an arm -- but to be honest, don't want to give up a ton. I'm comfortable with this team. Don't worry wins will come. 8 games left on the homestand. Lets go 5-3.

This thread alone is almost making me want to stop reading this message board ...... haha. This isn't PlayStation or Xbox. This is Major League Baseball. These thoughts are so one sided it's scary at times. The Angels didn't just trade for a controllable Simmons to trade away Calhoun? And this is blind, but who are their MiLB OF prospects? Do they have any? Do you think they're just going to trade away into a huge hole? They still have a top 5 player in MLB in Trout. They have what they believe is still an asset in Pujols for a few more years -- they aren't trading us Kalhoun!! Focus on teams that are in small markets. Focus on teams that have excess talent in the minors. Focus on teams that have excess OF's or whatever position you are proposing. The Rays. The A's. Etc. Reddick actually might be a possibility, I just hope the Sox don't do it. I don't want a rental player where you have to give up that much. ewafjweoijafwejiofawojiefwoeifjawoejfawoiefjwef is how I feel sometimes. I get this message board is for fun - but let's keep our wishes in the realm of reality.

Calhoun ain't happening. A team like the Angels in that market don't make those type of trades. You have to look to the A's, Reds, Marlins, Braves, Padres, Twins, Brewers, etc. for a trading partner. Preston Tucker might be worth a flier, but is he any better than Shuck or Sands? Maybe a little. I still think Billy Hamilton could be a good fit. Reds may be willing to sell or listen. You take him and make him your CF or LF and all of a sudden you have a deadly OF. No ball is getting down. That leaves Melky to DH. The speed and defense could really change this team into an elite contender. Even having Garcia and Melky playing and Hamilton on the bench? You can all of a sudden at anytime have a pinch runner in a game to steal a base or two. And then keep him in the last 2-3 innings to play defense. Not sure how much he'd cost. Cincy has been souring on him cause he doesn't hit about .235. But somene like that might be actually attainable over a Calhoun

You don't need a big name player in a trade. Look for our weaknesses, what can improve those, and what can do so while not spending the farm. Bats: We could use a LHB with a bit of pop. Preferably this guy can play 1B and some OF. I wouldn't mind a SS, however Saladino brings defense IMO, so even if not Rollins, think we are okay there. Glove: We could use an OF glove to play a bit for Melky out there - this would allow him to DH and sit Garcia (don't get caught up in a few weeks, Garcia most likely hasn't put "it" together) Bench: If we truly are going to make a playoff run it would be nice to have a guy who can steal some bases. Some elite speed. Pitching: Like every other team could use another pen guy. But with Fulmer I think we can make do. He may not be ready, but he can be ready to throw an inning here and there at the majors level. We could also use a 4/5 type. Again, who couldn't. I'd rather not spend big on this and wait. If come July 30 we look like we have a good chance of making the playoffs then spending on a #4 seems a bit dumb. You only use 3 in a rotation mostly come playoffs. So all that being said, and then looking at the teams willing to trade? One guy comes to mind for me ... not saying he's available, but a team may be willing to sell low/young/controllable guy if we give the right package .... which is Billy Hamilton.... He gives you the elite speed. The elite defense. Can shift Austin Jackson to LF or Billy to LF. He's only 25. Can't hit really. Strikes out a lot. Doesn't walk. But that OF defense would be epic. He's young enough that he still will probably cost a lot. And the Reds might not be willing to give up yet, but agin, they may want to sell before they cant.

This is worse than attendance threads ...

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ May 12, 2016 -> 12:57 PM) We must have lost a game or something and once again it's time to get rid of players Truth. Message boards can be brutal.

I'm not giving up on Sanchez in my mind. I'd rather see him in AAA though getting AB's. The guy is still young.. like 23 or 24. He does well at AAA everytime he's down there. In reality his ceiling might be a very good bench player. Top out at a Chris Getz career. 2-3 years starting, then backup for 2-3 more years. Shuck has been playing 1b in the minors I believe. By the time we play Houston at home next week I think he'll be up.

QUOTE (ronkark @ May 11, 2016 -> 03:27 PM) Honeymoon is over, folks. Pen has been train wreck. D spotty. Two relays left in pockets Friday. Rollins error then bloop fly drop. AJax drop. Eaton missing cut off. Teams stealing at will against Latos. No throws on 2/4 today. 2 in a row with two days to marinate on it. We need two starting pitchers, not one. Latos is cooked. Thanks for your 5 wins now move along. So fickle. He wasn't going to be Cy Latos. He's a 4era guy. He's going to leave some up in a small park in the summer at the Cell too. Still a decent #5 and fringe #4 pitcher. Relax on this team. We could still win today. Should have won last night too. Even if we lose 2 in a row we go to a struggling Yankees team with Q and Sale. Long season. No reason to get upset over an inning or two of Jennings or Carroll. Yeesh.

Texas bullpen isn't very elite. Have a feeling we'll get some chances to drive in a few and get back on top. Just have to take advantage of those opportunities.

QUOTE (TheTruth05 @ May 11, 2016 -> 03:09 PM) Darvish is gonna dominate again right away, Hamilton become a 40 HR guy again, and Gallo stops striking out all while the bullpen becomes elite? Sure. That's what I said ....... Darvish will have no problem bouncing back. Hamilton will be a very good 4OF and backup DH (we have Jerry Sands right now -- or Avi, but let's fast forward to when we all hate him again in a month) ... Gallo is a top prospect. That's just the truth. That's like saying Javy Baez was a bust 2 years ago. If you believe in Tim Anderson then you should believe in Gallo too. I just said I don't want to play this team again. Would love to stay clear of them. Give me the Mariners. Give me the BoSox. Give me the Orioles. Just don't want to see the Rays, Rangers or Indians. And that is my opinion. Free to have your own.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ May 11, 2016 -> 03:05 PM) We have no idea how effective Darvish will be after all that time off. And Hamilton sucks. The guy had 277 strikeouts ........... Do you know how many that is. Sale had what last year? IF Sale were ever to get hurt I don't think we'd discount it. And Hamilton might be nothing anymore, but it's not like he's dead. Gallo is still a top prospect that can mash at any given time.

QUOTE (TheTruth05 @ May 11, 2016 -> 02:50 PM) I honestly hope we see this Texas squad in October. Sale,Q, and a hopefully better Rodon will sweep these guys Yah, about that ..... They'll have Yu Darvish, Sin-shoo-Choo, Hamilton, Gallo .... prospects to trade .... so probably a better bullpen ... I want nothing to do with Texas.

QUOTE (BrianAnderson @ May 11, 2016 -> 12:53 PM) His K:BB is right in line with Keuchel thus far. Still striking out 1 per inning. It's also better than Latos (though not surprising seeing as that's not what Latos is known for) However, just saying, I don't think this is a good matchup for us today. If I were to step back -- I'm calling: Rangers 7 Sox 2 Hamels goes 7 innings. Strikes out 8, Walks 2. 2ER Latos goes 6, 5ER And I'm pretty good at stepping back and being smart on this - so i'll eat crow if im wrong - but I'm like 90% betting on the Sox this year (yesterday being one of my few losses --- wasn't fun waking up thinking I had won $$ and actually lost money....) Hey, that's why we play the game. Go Go Sox, keep beating up on Hamels!

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ May 11, 2016 -> 12:55 PM) Implying that this is a good thing. I'm not saying the pitching matchup favors us or anything, but Hamels shouldn't scare us that much either, especially if he continues to pitch the way he has and the offense continues to be as patient as it has. I know being on a message board everybody deals in sample sizes with a short memory. We're all Avi fans now. Before he was garbage. Keuchel and Hamels are Top 30 pitchers in the league. Latos signed a 1 yr 3mm deal. We have batters who historically strike out a decent amount and don't take a ton of walks. So yes, just using a step back approach - this is not good on paper. That being said this year hasn't really gone according to script. I'm just saying you give me $1,000 and tell me I have to bet on this game? I'm taking Texas -1.5. Also I'd take Hamels over everybody in our rotation save Q and Sale.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ May 11, 2016 -> 10:30 AM) Among qualified starting pitchers, he's eighth in walk rate at 11.3%, that's pretty bad. His K:BB is right in line with Keuchel thus far. Still striking out 1 per inning. It's also better than Latos (though not surprising seeing as that's not what Latos is known for) However, just saying, I don't think this is a good matchup for us today. If I were to step back -- I'm calling: Rangers 7 Sox 2 Hamels goes 7 innings. Strikes out 8, Walks 2. 2ER Latos goes 6, 5ER And I'm pretty good at stepping back and being smart on this - so i'll eat crow if im wrong - but I'm like 90% betting on the Sox this year (yesterday being one of my few losses --- wasn't fun waking up thinking I had won $$ and actually lost money....)

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ May 11, 2016 -> 10:01 AM) Hamels has had s*** control this year and our offense has been taking a ton of walks the last few weeks. The Rangers have won like 20 of 21 starts when Hamels pitches .... so ..... And his control isn't that bad. 4 walks one game. 3 in a few. So not great - but he's also striking out like 7 a game.

The guy on the North Side moves people around like a game of Twister and they're doing fine. I never bought into all of these things like oh, well he moved from CF to RF so it's been messing with his bat. It's always an excuse when thigns are going bad. If someone moved my office to down the hall I'd still produce. Lawrie and Rollins are having a tough go over the past week - give a day off here and there. Nothing is hurting a formula. There is no formula. You give formula to babies. These are grown ass men. The team didn't collapse around Drake and it wont collapse around Danks and certainly won't collapse by playing Sanchez or Saladino 2 times a week.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2016 -> 09:09 AM) I don't know why anyone would want to mess with a formula that has worked to 23-10. Things change. A couple of weeks ago, Avi in Charlotte seemed like a grand idea. Now, not so much. Until Saladino shows he deserves more time than Rollins, or Rollins struggles and the Sox start losing just keep doing what they are doing. There is no such thing as a winning formula ... grrrrr... do you really think that Rollins or Lawrie getting a few days off will change anything at all?? Oh no, Lawrie won't be able to breathe heavily with his big mouthguard and clap loudly from the bench .... oh no, Jimmy Rollins won't go 0-4 and play average defense .... Robin yesterday did everything he could to ruin the winning formula and we still won. DRob should have been pulled right away. He never had it last night. But he goes by the book. You sink with the closer. Once he's in he's in.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 10, 2016 -> 07:40 AM) You can't start talking about Rollins losing his "starting" spot until the White Sox suffer their first "rough patch" AND only if Rollins is still struggling offensively to turn things around (especially against RHP)... Obviously, we really can't know what's going on in the clubhouse 100%, but it seems Ventura and the rest of the team really benefits from his veteran leadership. He keeps Lawrie from getting too hyper out there. Sure, Saladino is a better defender at this stage, but, in the big picture, he's not a long-term answer at that position, either. I think sometimes people believe baseball is so magical mixture of clubhouse presence, managerial decisions, etc. Rollins playing 4 times a week and Saladino 3 isn't going to change ANYTHING! It's like people believe the players will see Rollins on the bench a few days a week and their morale is going to fall apart and we lose? Its the newspaper theory in my opinion. It's something to chat about. Not real. Saladino should definitely be getting more reps. Sanchez should be getting a few days at 2b with Lawrie struggling over the past week, etc. Also wait and see, but Shuck will be up for Sands by the home stand.