Reinsdorf tid-bits

[Dick Allen]

/waits on the arrival of one Dick Allen... hell I'll make the post...

 

 

 

Sound about right?

No, the company line would be there is no money available. JR and KW have some brainwashed they always spend every penny they ever get. Damon makes the White Sox a lot better. I think he would be perfect. The only problem I see is Boras which presents a couple of problems. He drags things out, like JR said, and the Sox win bidding wars about as often as the Cubs win the WS, if there even is one here, and Boras also reps Jones. The White Sox acquiring Damon probably cuts into Jones potential playing time.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Dick Allen

[Thad Bosley]

For some reason, based on the way the offseason has been playing out to date, I keep thinking that Johnny Damon is Plan A for us at the DH spot, with perhaps Jim Thome representing Plan B. Damon meets the new criteria the Sox have set for the designated hitter, meaning that while he's not great defensively, you can still run him out to the field periodically, which would be consistent with all of this rotating DH business we keep hearing about. He's also a left-handed hitter, which we sort of need to balance the line-up out a bit. And he's a guy who gets on base a lot, which if you'll recall was something both Ozzie and Kenny were clamoring for at the end of last season. I think the absence of any known interest in the likes of Guerrero and Matsui, along with not just signing Thome yet when he's obviously very available, makes me think the Sox are waiting to see how the whole Damon/Yankees thing plays out, and whether his price tag possibly drops into a range we can afford.

 

As for Damon himself, I think a return to the Yankees is still Plan A for him, but with each passing day it seems like he's getting closer and closer to having to turn to a Plan B, or possibly a Plan C. And this is where I just get the sneaky suspicion we might just be hiding in the weeds waiting for a resolution on that situation, and when that happens, perhaps there will be an opportunity for us to swoop in and bring him on board. Don't forget - Kenny did try to acquire Damon once before, meaning he's one of those guys whom Williams covets and eventually gets. And if this scenario doesn't come to fruition, then it's quite simple to turn to Mr. Thome who, for the most part, appears to have no other option but to sit and wait for all of this to get sorted out. Anyway, that is what's been cookin' in my noggin'. Hope it comes true! = D

[southsider2k5]

No, the company line would be there is no money available. JR and KW have some brainwashed they always spend every penny they ever get. Damon makes the White Sox a lot better. I think he would be perfect. The only problem I see is Boras which presents a couple of problems. He drags things out, like JR said, and the Sox win bidding wars about as often as the Cubs win the WS, if there even is one here, and Boras also reps Jones. The White Sox acquiring Damon probably cuts into Jones potential playing time.

As opposed to those who despite all of the evidence otherwise, still swear that they don't?

[Jerksticks]

The team is more like the 2005 team but with better pitching all around. Everyone except Pierre and AJ can easily hit 20-30 HR.

 

Pierre: 1 HR

Beckham: 25 HR

Quentin: 40 HR

Konerko: 30 HR

AJ: 15 HR

Rios: 25 HR

Missile: 20 HR

Teahen: 20 HR

Bench: 30 HR

 

Is this not realistic? Around 200 HRs of the balanced variety. 20 From Jones and another 10 between Nix, Kotsay and Castro. Maybe we could use another player but I'm ok with this. I still wish we had another good outfielder.

 

The only difference from 2005 is that this pitching staff only has to pitch up to its ability, not out their asses like 2005.

[RockRaines]

Johnny Damon is a hell of a lot better than what we have penciled into the DH slot, so if there's any way to bring him on I'd be favor of that.

 

Edit: Although I don't think Johnny Damon is the kind of player JR is talking about here.

The Damon train has come and left. They spoke with his agent awhile ago and thats that. I wouldnt expect them to add another OF'er like him at this point.

[NorthSideSox72]

The team is more like the 2005 team but with better pitching all around. Everyone except Pierre and AJ can easily hit 20-30 HR.

 

Pierre: 1 HR

Beckham: 25 HR

Quentin: 40 HR

Konerko: 30 HR

AJ: 15 HR

Rios: 25 HR

Missile: 20 HR

Teahen: 20 HR

Bench: 30 HR

 

Is this not realistic? Around 200 HRs of the balanced variety. 20 From Jones and another 10 between Nix, Kotsay and Castro. Maybe we could use another player but I'm ok with this. I still wish we had another good outfielder.

 

The only difference from 2005 is that this pitching staff only has to pitch up to its ability, not out their asses like 2005.

I like the 2010 pitching staff, but to say this team has "better pitching all around" is a huge stretch. If they all pitch up to career averages, they still won't be as good as the 2005 team.

 

[southsider2k5]

I like the 2010 pitching staff, but to say this team has "better pitching all around" is a huge stretch. If they all pitch up to career averages, they still won't be as good as the 2005 team.

 

That's just it, the 2005 team didn't pitch to their averages either. They pitched way better than them.

[NorthSideSox72]

That's just it, the 2005 team didn't pitch to their averages either. They pitched way better than them.

Yeah, that's why I'm saying, its a huge stretch to say the 2010 staff is better than what 2005 produced. Its possible, but not likely.

 

[Balta1701]

I like the 2010 pitching staff, but to say this team has "better pitching all around" is a huge stretch. If they all pitch up to career averages, they still won't be as good as the 2005 team.

Actually, I'd say if they all pitch to their career averages (with some lee-way considering how young 2 of the guys are)...we could easily have starting pitching that is better and deeper than the 2005 staff, but a bullpen that is much weaker. In 05 we had 1 guys with an ERA in the low 3's (3.12, MB), 3 other guys with ERA's between 3.5 and 4, and then a 5th starter around 5 with time split. If everyone just pitches to their averages since their rookie struggles for Danks and Floyd, we're already right there.

[JorgeFabregas]

The team is more like the 2005 team but with better pitching all around. Everyone except Pierre and AJ can easily hit 20-30 HR.

 

Pierre: 1 HR

Beckham: 25 HR

Quentin: 40 HR

Konerko: 30 HR

AJ: 15 HR

Rios: 25 HR

Missile: 20 HR

Teahen: 20 HR

Bench: 30 HR

 

Is this not realistic? Around 200 HRs of the balanced variety. 20 From Jones and another 10 between Nix, Kotsay and Castro. Maybe we could use another player but I'm ok with this. I still wish we had another good outfielder.

 

The only difference from 2005 is that this pitching staff only has to pitch up to its ability, not out their asses like 2005.

Mark Teahen has never hit 20 HR in a single season. Alex Rios has never hit 25 HR in a single season. Carlos Quentin has never hit 40 HR in a single season. I don't see Kotsay, Jones, and Castro combining for 30 HR unless one of them starts for most of season (is Nix going to be on the team?). So no. Not very realistic. You are talking about the high end in terms of HRs for most of those players.

Edited January 13, 2010 by JorgeFabregas

[MattZakrowski]

The team is more like the 2005 team but with better pitching all around. Everyone except Pierre and AJ can easily hit 20-30 HR.

 

Pierre: 1 HR

Beckham: 25 HR

Quentin: 40 HR

Konerko: 30 HR

AJ: 15 HR

Rios: 25 HR

Missile: 20 HR

Teahen: 20 HR

Bench: 30 HR

 

Is this not realistic? Around 200 HRs of the balanced variety. 20 From Jones and another 10 between Nix, Kotsay and Castro. Maybe we could use another player but I'm ok with this. I still wish we had another good outfielder.

 

The only difference from 2005 is that this pitching staff only has to pitch up to its ability, not out their asses like 2005.

 

The problem is that this is a best case scenerio. Worst case...

 

Pierre: 1 HR

Beckham: 20 HR

Quentin: 15 HR, hurt on and off all year

Konerko: 18 HR

AJ: 12 HR

Rios: 16 HR

Missile: 14 HR

Teahen: 12 HR

Jones: 15 HR

Assorted Bench Guys: 10-15 HR

 

The truth lies somewhere between these two most likely, but adding a cheap great hitter to a position where all that is required is hitting is always going to yield better results then rotating mediocre hitters under the guise of "a flexible, dynamic bench"

[Y2HH]

The problem is that this is a best case scenerio. Worst case...

 

Pierre: 1 HR

Beckham: 20 HR

Quentin: 15 HR, hurt on and off all year

Konerko: 18 HR

AJ: 12 HR

Rios: 16 HR

Missile: 14 HR

Teahen: 12 HR

Jones: 15 HR

Assorted Bench Guys: 10-15 HR

 

The truth lies somewhere between these two most likely, but adding a cheap great hitter to a position where all that is required is hitting is always going to yield better results then rotating mediocre hitters under the guise of "a flexible, dynamic bench"

 

If Andruw Jones plays a lot, he will hit more than 15HR at the cell in his worst year ever.

[MattZakrowski]

If Andruw Jones plays a lot, he will hit more than 15HR at the cell in his worst year ever.

 

In 2007 he hit 26 HR's in 659 PAs (he's not getting that many here)

In 2008 he hit 3 HR's in 238 PAs

 

I'd say 15 is at the lower end of what I would expect from Jones with a good amount of playing time, but how many PAs do you really expect him to get.

[Y2HH]

In 2007 he hit 26 HR's in 659 PAs (he's not getting that many here)

In 2008 he hit 3 HR's in 238 PAs

 

I'd say 15 is at the lower end of what I would expect from Jones with a good amount of playing time, but how many PAs do you really expect him to get.

 

I actually expect him to be our starting CF not long after the season starts. He's in a contract year, so he's going to play hard and show up in better shape. Besides, who else do we have?

 

Quentin needs to be DH, period.

 

Pierre in LF.

 

Jones in CF.

 

Rios in RF.

 

I'd make that our standard starting lineup -- subbing Quentin from time to time to rest Pierre/Rios, shifting Rios to CF when Jones rests.

 

Keeping Jones on the bench, IMO, is just dumb. He's better than his numbers have shown the last few years.

[chunk23]

I actually expect him to be our starting CF not long after the season starts. He's in a contract year, so he's going to play hard and show up in better shape. Besides, who else do we have?

 

Quentin needs to be DH, period.

 

Pierre in LF.

 

Jones in CF.

 

Rios in RF.

 

I'd make that our standard starting lineup -- subbing Quentin from time to time to rest Pierre/Rios, shifting Rios to CF when Jones rests.

 

Keeping Jones on the bench, IMO, is just dumb. He's better than his numbers have shown the last few years.

 

How many contract years has Jones had that people said that about? And how many did he turn it around in? What would make this year any different? To expect anything from a player who took 500k just for a chance is a huge mistake. You want the Sox to start a guy who last year was a DH, and over the past two seasons only played about 150 games total?

[MattZakrowski]

I actually expect him to be our starting CF not long after the season starts. He's in a contract year, so he's going to play hard and show up in better shape. Besides, who else do we have?

 

Quentin needs to be DH, period.

 

Pierre in LF.

 

Jones in CF.

 

Rios in RF.

 

I'd make that our standard starting lineup -- subbing Quentin from time to time to rest Pierre/Rios, shifting Rios to CF when Jones rests.

 

Keeping Jones on the bench, IMO, is just dumb. He's better than his numbers have shown the last few years.

 

Do you really think Jones can play CF well anymore? I'm unconvinced.

[ThunderBolt]

I'm not slavish towards these projections, but i'm inclined to agree with us landing around where Bill James has us projected for next year. Which is 184 home runs.

AJ-14, Konerko-29, Beckham-21, Teahen-13, Ramirez-18, Q-30, Rios-16, Pierre-1, Jones-22(adjusted from 11 for a full-time position)-

Bench:

Nix-8, Kotsay-3, Castro-8, Visquel-1

Interesting note: We hit 184 home runs last year too. Looks like we're on the right track.

[Y2HH]

Do you really think Jones can play CF well anymore? I'm unconvinced.

 

I do.

[Y2HH]

How many contract years has Jones had that people said that about? And how many did he turn it around in? What would make this year any different? To expect anything from a player who took 500k just for a chance is a huge mistake. You want the Sox to start a guy who last year was a DH, and over the past two seasons only played about 150 games total?

 

I've always liked Jones, and when he cares, he's REALLY good. Bobby Cox had to ride this guy to keep him going, the last few years he didn't have that, look at his numbers after leaving Atlanta, straight down hill. I think Ozzie is the type of manager he needs now to light a fire under him, to call him out and not cater to his laziness.

 

We will see.

[southsider2k5]

I do.

 

He played 17 games in the OF last year, and not a single inning in CF. It doesn't look good.

[Dick Allen]

As opposed to those who despite all of the evidence otherwise, still swear that they don't?

All the evidence otherwise? The only evidence is KW spewing the $.50 thing. All evidence indicates JR and his partners do OK. JR's quote that he would never lose money to win games. Forbes calling the White Sox one of the most profitable teams in baseball ,estimating their profits between 10-25 million per season the last 5 or 6 years. Even JR spokesman Hawk saying Bud Selig is great because everybody is making money. Match the quote about not being willing to lose money to win games with the quote in this article and it tells you he pulls a profit. They aren't up against the magical break even budget number they speak of.

 

Show me one neutral source, like Forbes, who says the White Sox break even before you talk about all the evidence that supports that claim. The White Sox have nothing to gain letting the public know they make a lot of money. Its a business, that's what businesses try to do. I don't blame them for making money. I just don't like the crying about it all the time. Saying they break even placates everyone.

[ScottyDo]

Is anybody else irritated that everyone talks about our pitching staff as though we have a reliable 5th starter?

[fathom]

Keeping Jones on the bench, IMO, is just dumb. He's better than his numbers have shown the last few years.

 

Do you know about the club hiring Manny Alexander or something to say this?

[southsider2k5]

All the evidence otherwise? The only evidence is KW spewing the $.50 thing. All evidence indicates JR and his partners do OK. JR's quote that he would never lose money to win games. Forbes calling the White Sox one of the most profitable teams in baseball ,estimating their profits between 10-25 million per season the last 5 or 6 years. Even JR spokesman Hawk saying Bud Selig is great because everybody is making money. Match the quote about not being willing to lose money to win games with the quote in this article and it tells you he pulls a profit. They aren't up against the magical break even budget number they speak of.

 

Show me one neutral source, like Forbes, who says the White Sox break even before you talk about all the evidence that supports that claim. The White Sox have nothing to gain letting the public know they make a lot of money. Its a business, that's what businesses try to do. I don't blame them for making money. I just don't like the crying about it all the time. Saying they break even placates everyone.

 

Because logic says that one of your two assertions is completely wrong. If you believe that the Sox do not put their profits back into the team annually, that means the money goes back to the partners/shareholders as profit. If this is the case, that also means that there isn't any "extra" money around from year to year, because that money is gone out of the organization. If they do reinvest the profits and do have money available when they say they don't, then your assertion that they have made all of this money over the years, asserted by you to be all of the years single profit totals added up together, isn't really true because it would skew by the total of the money added back into the system. For example, starting with what I will call year one, say the Sox make $20 million, which seems to be pretty typical. If they don't pay out that money, and they do reinvest it into the team in the form of a cash infusion, it goes back on to the ledger as cash. If they make $25 million in year two, they actually only made $5 million in actual profit this year, because they still have the first $20 million in cash from year one, and so on down the line.

 

So you tell me, which of your assertions is wrong?

[ThunderBolt]

Is anybody else irritated that everyone talks about our pitching staff as though we have a reliable 5th starter?

I feel a heck of a lot more comfortable knowing we have a guy like Hudson as our "just in case."