Advice for KW Part Deux

[gosox41]

KW-

 

You didn't listen to me and other rational fans last season and that's fine. But maybe after this latest debacle, you'll swallow some pride instead of trying to show how much you think you know.

 

1. If you want to save on air line tickets, here's an idea. Instead of looking in a players eyes before a big game, just read their quotes. You have a wuss in Carlos Lee---I mean Javy Vazquez. He's more concerned about retiring then winning the biggest start of a distcintly disappointing career. He's a .500 pitcher for a reason. He only seems to pitch well when the stakes are low.

 

While you're at it look at PK, treating this just like another series is a joke. A 2.5 game lead with 7 to paly and you're facing the second place team and your capitan comes out and says it's no big deal if they lose this series? That's worrisome.

 

Last, ask the clubhouse attendant after the games which players had dirty pants because they crapped themselves in a big situation. Or better yet, look at the stats.

 

2. This is not football. It's not an issue of an oppenent walking out of the locker room and seeing all these huge linemen lining up. There's no need to have the beefieist, strongest, or biggest name team (no matter how many years those players are past their prime). The beauty of baseball is that it's not all about strength and power. Go back to football if you want that.

 

I've heard people say, that given 2 teams with equal pitching staffs, they'd take the team who has the more balanced scoring attack and can play the game of baseball. Not the team that lives and dies by one dimension.

 

The fact is (and I'm willing to put money on teh Sox not making the playofs this year even though we're tied in the loss column) that since your tenure as GM, 87.5% of the time the team that actually played baseball had a better record and made more playoff appearances then the high budget power hitting fantasy team that had a lot of 200 homer seasons.

 

And before I here the standard "How many rings do the Twins have" comment, I'll respond to it this way. 2005 was awesome and will never be forgotten. But it was also 3 years ago, and as Ditka used to say, living in the past is for losers. I'll always remember 2005, and may even flip on the CDs if I can swallow the painful end to the Sox season to avoid watching the other Chicatgo team stampede through the pathetially weak NL. But in no way does that get you a free ride. Great memories and an incredible experience?? Absolutely. But 2005 doesn't make this year any easier to swallow.

 

3. So what to do for 2009? Offensively let Cabrera and Crede walk. Move Ramirez to third. Keep QUentin, Dye, and AJ. Dump either PK, Thome or Swisher. Odds are it'll be Swish as he's younger, cheaper, more versatile, and doesn't have a no trade clause.

 

Now comes the tricky part. Getting speed. Sign Orlando Hudson and trade for Willy Tavarez and Chone Figgins. Thati s assuming you have anything left in this pathetic farm system to trade. The goal should be to shoot for a team that is more balanced, say 175 HR's and 125 SB's. The Twins outscored the Sox this year while having a tone less power.

 

And before I here the old OPS argument (which there is some truth too) keep this in mind. A speedster who hits 25 doubles and steals second base 40 times essentially hit 65 doubles. Add this back into the OPS. It does raise it. Also keep in mind the value a speedster has in screwing up defenses and distracting the pitcher. Or better yet, look at the last 3 games and see what a real baseball team does while our pathetic power line up averages less then 4 runs per game. We saw it with Pods in 2005. We saw it so much, fans made him an All Star because we saw the value added by a speedster who can change the complexion of a game without hitting a home run. It's a valuable weapon that shouldn't be underestimated. and it adds more value when this speedster can take an extra base more often then not instead of this station to station garbage we watched this year.

 

So, KW, hopefully you'll learn something here. Ozzie has been asking for lightning for 4 years now and you keep giving him more thunder. Stop it. More often then not it fails. It's like buying a penny stock. 97% of them are going out of business, but you may make a lot of money on the other 3%. The question is does that 3% make you profitbale when you consider all the money you lost.

 

I'm not even going to get into the bullpen in this post, but may later. But there is not excuse to get swept in Minnesota. 2 of the games were 1 run games and the true grinders won out.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Dear Kenny,

 

As a fan I expect more than positive attitudes out of the players I root for. I also expect something more than a media circus out of the manager running the show. Please give us some players who can play and a manager who can manage. If necessary, make Guillen watch tape of the men he supposedly idolizes in Gardenhire and Cox so that way in the future he'll understand why he's supposed to idolize them. Balance the attack and don't be afraid to put players capable of playing defense on the field.

 

Thank you.

[gosox41]

Dear Kenny,

 

As a fan I expect more than positive attitudes out of the players I root for. I also expect something more than a media circus out of the manager running the show. Please give us some players who can play and a manager who can manage. If necessary, make Guillen watch tape of the men he supposedly idolizes in Gardenhire and Cox so that way in the future he'll understand why he's supposed to idolize them. Balance the attack and don't be afraid to put players capable of playing defense on the field.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

I don't think Ozzie is that bad a manager. Not great, but he has repeatedly asked for a speedsters and instead gets more old power hitters. Not much you can do but play station to station and wait for the 3 run home run.

[fathom]

I don't think Ozzie is that bad a manager. Not great, but he has repeatedly asked for a speedsters and instead gets more old power hitters. Not much you can do but play station to station and wait for the 3 run home run.

 

Ozzie's the one who chose to play Griffey in Minnesota over Anderson.

[gosox41]

Ozzie's the one who chose to play Griffey in Minnesota over Anderson.

 

 

He did. And I posted before the series that I thought BA should start and I think Ozzie made a mistake. But Ozzie had a logic (though flawed) behind it and it had nothing to do with being obligated to play Griffey because he owes it to him. It was the wrong decision imho, but I've seen a lot worse from other managers.

[Dick Allen]

My advice to KW would be to fix the bullpen. Again. Dotel and Linebrink was a good start. Thornton could go either way next year. Jenks at the end. Make sure everyone else can throw a strike whenever they want. Its really getting ridiculous watching relievers try to pitch.

[kwolf68]

My advice to KW would be to fix the bullpen.

 

 

That's it? ahh, ok....yea, great idea.

 

 

[kwolf68]

 

Advice? Tear down that wall Mr. Gorbachev. The White Sox are like the old Soviet Union...old, warn out, out-dated, well past their usefulness, etc...

 

a s***ty, crappy team.

[nitetrain8601]

Ozzie's the one who chose to play Griffey in Minnesota over Anderson.

 

Playing Griffey over Anderson wasn't the problem. Playing everyone else in the OF over Anderson was, however.

[greg775]

Dotel may be the most overpaid player in baseball history.

[jenksycat]

Dear KW,

 

Please don't ever do this to us again. Don't put together a team that competes for 160 games near or in first place. It was obviously your fault that Swisher and his worst career year and that Thome and PK slumped for 5 months. All you need to do is sign a bunch of fast guys, trade Macdougal and Wasserman for Chone Figgins, it shouldn't be too difficult, I did it in MLB 2k8 no problem. Trade Bobby Jenks for someone like Carlos Gomez, we have enough depth in the bullpen to cover for him. Enroll in medical school so you can heal our best hitter, bullpen arm, all-star 3rd baseman and starter. And whatever you do, don't acquire any more MVP's or ROY candidates. Invest in fast guys who hit .220, that's where the division championships are made. Follow the lead of those "pesky piranhas" and build a team that scratches its way to playoffs and gets swept every year.

 

Signed,

 

Clueless fan base overreacting to losing.

 

 

Apparently people took this seriously? WTF?

Edited September 27, 2008 by Jenksy Cat

[Dick Allen]

Dotel may be the most overpaid player in baseball history.

Yeah. He makes it look like Barry Zito plays for the minimum. Even though Jaime Navarro got more than Dotel, he was worth probably triple what Dotel is getting. Mike Hampton, Carl Pavano are a couple more that have been bargains compared to Dotel. I'm sure Seattle wouldn't trade Carlos Silva straight up for Dotel unless the Sox ate most of Dotel's money. Richie Sexson getting $13 million to sit at home is a far better deal than Dotel's. Do I really need to go on?

[caulfield12]

Dear KW,

 

Please don't ever do this to us again. Don't put together a team that competes for 160 games near or in first place. It was obviously your fault that Swisher and his worst career year and that Thome and PK slumped for 5 months. All you need to do is sign a bunch of fast guys, trade Macdougal and Wasserman for Chone Figgins, it shouldn't be too difficult, I did it in MLB 2k8 no problem. Trade Bobby Jenks for someone like Carlos Gomez, we have enough depth in the bullpen to cover for him. Enroll in medical school so you can heal our best hitter, bullpen arm, all-star 3rd baseman and starter. And whatever you do, don't acquire any more MVP's or ROY candidates. Invest in fast guys who hit .220, that's where the division championships are made. Follow the lead of those "pesky piranhas" and build a team that scratches its way to playoffs and gets swept every year.

 

Signed,

 

Clueless fan base overreacting to losing.

 

 

Agree with some of what you say, except for the part about Thome. We got/get about exactly what we expected, and he's actually hitting much better this season with runners on base than in 06 and 07. I don't think Thome is the core of any problem on this team, although he's a convenient target, because we traded fan favorite Aaron We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting for Rowand.

 

If you can get someone like Carlos Gomez and a really intriguing prospect for the infield (3B/SS/2B), you have to give it serious consideration. At his age, Jenks is the best he will ever get...and that's about 85-90% of what he was 3 seasons ago. Unless you're an absolute great closer (like Rivera five years ago, Trevor Hoffman five years ago, Gagne on HGH, Nathan before last month, K-Rod in 2002), then there's diminishing reason to pay $10-15 million per season.

 

The White Sox went through Roberto Hernandez, Bobby Howry, Keith Foulke, Takatsu, Hermanson and Jenks within roughly a decade. None of those players were high-salaried, with the exception of Hernandez. History has shown that teams overpay for closer, unless they are virtual guarantees of an 85% success rate each and every year. With Jenks in 2009, I don't feel that...I think he's due for a difficult season, just a hunch. Same with Thornton, who's best good every other year. History has also shown with bullpen arms that it's best to sell high and buy low...and that consistent performance is difficult to find and overpaid a majority of the time.

 

If you don't at least consider trading Thornton or Jenks, you have to trade Swisher/Konerko/Dye/Vazquez or Fields/Poreda to get anything decent in return. No matter what KW does, there are certainly no easy options or logical moves...before, we had the luxury of an extra starter...now we're down a starter, and 2001-2004 aren't that far removed from memory (Danny Wright, Porzio, Munoz, Felix Diaz, etc.)

 

 

[Princess Dye]

Instead of looking in a players eyes before a big game, just read their quotes. You have a wuss in Carlos Lee---I mean Javy Vazquez. He's more concerned about retiring then winning the biggest start of a distcintly disappointing career.

 

usually i dont try to overanalyze single quotes from athletes, but this one regarding the retirement plans was one of the few that made me really stop and hang my head.

 

 

Cant really get upset with KW here. The pieces that we've sent to Oakland would be helpful right about now, but too many other things went right last offseason. MVP and ROY candidates came here from off the map.

 

We're looking at next year as being a mix of veteran and young talent, with enough improving talent in the starting staff to raise some optimism for a decent staff becoming better. With the bullpen, like '05, we just need to get a new mix of younger relief-level guys and hope something works. Guys like Cotts and Politte didnt cost a ton, like so many winning teams we just have to be lucky enough to find some of those guys.

 

That and a bounce back year from Linebrink, Dotel.... Contreras coming back midseason with a fresh arm... things could be good.

 

 

 

 

 

Since everyone's mentioning Orlando Hudson, here's an article about his impending free agency from earlier in the month. Apologies if it was posted here back then. http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbac...pt-dbxmain.html

Edited September 27, 2008 by Princess Dye

[almagest]

Dear KW,

 

Please don't ever do this to us again. Don't put together a team that competes for 160 games near or in first place. It was obviously your fault that Swisher and his worst career year and that Thome and PK slumped for 5 months. All you need to do is sign a bunch of fast guys, trade Macdougal and Wasserman for Chone Figgins, it shouldn't be too difficult, I did it in MLB 2k8 no problem. Trade Bobby Jenks for someone like Carlos Gomez, we have enough depth in the bullpen to cover for him. Enroll in medical school so you can heal our best hitter, bullpen arm, all-star 3rd baseman and starter. And whatever you do, don't acquire any more MVP's or ROY candidates. Invest in fast guys who hit .220, that's where the division championships are made. Follow the lead of those "pesky piranhas" and build a team that scratches its way to playoffs and gets swept every year.

 

Signed,

 

Clueless fan base overreacting to losing.

We can't do that. Trading one-dimensional power for one-dimensional speed only works in that cement dome. It won't work in USCF.

[YonderLaroche]

Regardless of making playoffs I hope to see a new team out there.. Here's my idea:

 

C: AJ

1B: Swisher

2B: C Getz/Orlando Hudson

SS: Alexai

3B: OPEN

RF: OPEN

CF: OPEN

LF: Quentin

DH: Thome

 

Trade PK, Dye, Jerry Owens.. Dont resign Uribe, though his defense is solid hit bat needs to strikeout elsewhere

 

SP: Sabathia/Sheets/Burnett ( We need to sign an ace who can WIN BIG GAMES, NO MATTER HOW MUCH SOX SPEND)

SP: Buehrle

SP: Danks

SP: Floyd

SP: A. Poreda (Sign Mike Hampton, Freddie Garcia, B Colon as backup plan)

 

CL: Jenks

SU: Linebrink

RP: M Thorton

RP: Octavio

RP: Adam Russell

RP: Sign Scott Eyre

RP: DJ Carrassco

 

Trade for anything:

Javy Vasquez, Wasserman, Logan, Macdougal - These guys have no business on 09 Sox, they don't need another shot.

 

Trading PK, DYE, Vasquez would free up about 35 million and hopefully get a couple prospects. The gives Sox money to sign an ace,

[sf_soxfan]

Agreed on the PK quote. that was horrible and foreboding BS

[nitetrain8601]

Regardless of making playoffs I hope to see a new team out there.. Here's my idea:

 

C: AJ

1B: Swisher

2B: C Getz/Orlando Hudson

SS: Alexai

3B: OPEN

RF: OPEN

CF: OPEN

LF: Quentin

DH: Thome

 

Trade PK, Dye, Jerry Owens.. Dont resign Uribe, though his defense is solid hit bat needs to strikeout elsewhere

 

SP: Sabathia/Sheets/Burnett ( We need to sign an ace who can WIN BIG GAMES, NO MATTER HOW MUCH SOX SPEND)

SP: Buehrle

SP: Danks

SP: Floyd

SP: A. Poreda (Sign Mike Hampton, Freddie Garcia, B Colon as backup plan)

 

CL: Jenks

SU: Linebrink

RP: M Thorton

RP: Octavio

RP: Adam Russell

RP: Sign Scott Eyre

RP: DJ Carrassco

 

Trade for anything:

Javy Vasquez, Wasserman, Logan, Macdougal - These guys have no business on 09 Sox, they don't need another shot.

 

Trading PK, DYE, Vasquez would free up about 35 million and hopefully get a couple prospects. The gives Sox money to sign an ace,

 

Aaron has one pitch right now. No way in hell is he ready to be a starter. Maybe, just maybe a reliever, but he's far from being a starter. I do agree, the Sox need a frontline starter like a Sabathia, but the thing is, he's going to want to go for more than 3 years and the Sox typically won't do that.

[scenario]

Aaron has one pitch right now. No way in hell is he ready to be a starter. Maybe, just maybe a reliever, but he's far from being a starter. I do agree, the Sox need a frontline starter like a Sabathia, but the thing is, he's going to want to go for more than 3 years and the Sox typically won't do that.

 

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...p;#entry1757682

(From the FutureSox Forum; thread on the Carolina League Top 20 Prospects)

 

Aaron Poreda, lhp, Winston-Salem (White Sox)

B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-6 Wt.: 240 Age: 21 Drafted: White Sox '07 (1)

Poreda stuck around Winston-Salem for just 12 starts but made a lasting impression. He pitched off a 94-96 mph fastball that induces groundballs because of its movement. "His stuff is nasty and will only get better," one talent evaluator said.

 

Poreda also began to show a feel for his changeup and defined his breaking pitch.

 

Poreda threw a curveball in college before adding a slider after turning pro, and he found himself caught in between the two pitches at the outset of the season. The White Sox have pushed him to focus on his hard slider, which dives at righthanded hitters' feet.

 

Pitching from a three-quarter arm slot makes it a challenge for Poreda to stay on top of his slider, and he also struggles to repeat his delivery at times. That could lead to a future as a reliever, and once scout said Poreda is ready to pitch out of a big league bullpen now.

 

Edit: Aaron made 15 starts for Birmingham after getting promoted to AA at midseason and his stats were very similar to those he put up at W-S.

Edited September 27, 2008 by scenario

[nitetrain8601]

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...p;#entry1757682

(From the FutureSox Forum; thread on the Carolina League Top 20 Prospects)

 

Aaron Poreda, lhp, Winston-Salem (White Sox)

B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-6 Wt.: 240 Age: 21 Drafted: White Sox '07 (1)

Poreda stuck around Winston-Salem for just 12 starts but made a lasting impression. He pitched off a 94-96 mph fastball that induces groundballs because of its movement. "His stuff is nasty and will only get better," one talent evaluator said.

 

Poreda also began to show a feel for his changeup and defined his breaking pitch.

 

Poreda threw a curveball in college before adding a slider after turning pro, and he found himself caught in between the two pitches at the outset of the season. The White Sox have pushed him to focus on his hard slider, which dives at righthanded hitters' feet.

 

Pitching from a three-quarter arm slot makes it a challenge for Poreda to stay on top of his slider, and he also struggles to repeat his delivery at times. That could lead to a future as a reliever, and once scout said Poreda is ready to pitch out of a big league bullpen now.

 

Again a reliever and probably not a long reliever either because I see him getting smashed a second time around when facing hitters. He has a fastball. I didn't say he isn't trying to work on other pitches, but he is far from being able to get big league hitters out with them.

 

[greg775]

The team is certainly headed for an overhaul this winter, no matter where they finish, as Cabrera and Joe Crede are out the free-agent door, and Williams will look to trade the likes of Paul Konerko, Mike MacDougal, Josh Fields, Brian Anderson and who knows, possibly Swisher, if the right opportunity presents itself.

 

The emphasis -- especially after a nice reminder by the Piranhas of what the Sox lack -- once again will be on speed.

 

''Who wouldn't want speed?'' Williams said Friday. ''It's a rare commodity. But you put that team [the current Twins roster] in this ballpark, and you're going to have tough times. So I think you're always striving for a blend. And that's not going to change.''

 

Neither are the Sox.

 

That was good stuff at the end of Cowley's column. Who is the hell would offer anything for Mike MacDougal? I certainly hope Griffey isn't in the plans. He's got to go as well. How long can AJP stay healthy? It'd be nice to have an actual alternative to share some catching duties instead of our current backup who hasn't done squat. It's sad to be discussing next year when the playoffs were so attainable.

Edited September 27, 2008 by greg775

[scenario]

Again a reliever and probably not a long reliever either because I see him getting smashed a second time around when facing hitters. He has a fastball. I didn't say he isn't trying to work on other pitches, but he is far from being able to get big league hitters out with them.

 

What are you basing this on? He threw a very effective slider all year.

 

[nitetrain8601]

What are you basing this on? He threw a very effective slider all year.

 

Double A and the majors are very different. Gio has an arsenal of pitches which he can get away with in AAA, but is not developed for the major league level.

 

As far as their being a shakeup, I don't think KW will shake up the team too much. I hope he does trade PK though. I just doubt it because last offseason, he needed more of a major overhaul, shot for the stars and landed back on the ground.

[sircaffey]

Yaaawwn. 1 for 8.

[jenksycat]

We can't do that. Trading one-dimensional power for one-dimensional speed only works in that cement dome. It won't work in USCF.

 

saaaaarrrrrrrcaaaaaasssssssmmmmmmmmmm

 

 

So geniuses here want to trade Jenks and or Thorton hmmm? Sounds like a swell idea, our bullpen definitely has the depth to not need either of those 2 guys.