Tigers Sign Damon - 1 yr, 8 mil; NTC

[ThunderBolt]

No, I mean the guy that led the league in getting thrown off the team. I love how your Sox DH rotation never includes Konerko, Quentin, Nix or AJ. It really builds your case.

Yes, silly me for not having our starting Catcher, 1B, and RF as our DH. Also, it's a damn shame that our 3rd best defender (Nix, behind Vizquel and Rios), a guy who isn't going to make the team if we get another player on the roster is not included in my concept of a DH.

[macsandz]

Designated Hitter. It’s in the damn name. It’s not a position reserved for people who can’t hit. It’s not shallow by definition.

 

The DH position is "the most effective hitter".

 

On the 2010 Sox it's designed to exploit matchups. That could mean move a runner over, sac fly, take a walk or lay down a bunt.

 

Why is this so hard for people to grasp?!

Edited February 12, 2010 by bucket-of-suck

[whitesoxfan101]

AJ will never DH for ozzie, not if he only has 1 backup catcher.

 

Nix shouldn't be DHing either unless he becomes a totally new hitter this year.

 

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Nix has a better offensive year than Vizquel and Andruw Jones, so I wouldn't mind him DHing under the current circumstances.

[macsandz]

Yes, silly me for not having our starting Catcher, 1B, and RF as our DH. Also, it's a damn shame that our 3rd best defender (Nix, behind Vizquel and Rios), a guy who isn't going to make the team if we get another player on the roster is not included in my concept of a DH.

 

Not silly. Just uninformed. The Sox have said for months those guys are in that rotation.

[dyuen]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Nix has a better offensive year than Vizquel and Andruw Jones, so I wouldn't mind him DHing under the current circumstances.

 

I wouldn't be suprised either but that's more a statement on Vizquel and Jones that it is Nix.

[dyuen]

Not silly. Just uninformed. The Sox have said for months those guys are in that rotation.

 

I think what he is trying to say is you can't include these guys as the starting DH. They would be occasional DH. If you count them in the rotation then you are putting a bad hitter at C (castro), 1b (kotsay) or RF (whoever the 4th OF is). None of those guys you would want to be your regular DH. So if you include the starting C, 1b or RF as your DH you are really counting them twice in the lineup.

[ptatc]

We have a glarding hole in our offense that Stevie Wonder could see. This is unacceptable to have a "maybe" in the most important offensive position on the team.

 

I know you don't like the concept but sooner or later you're going to have to realize that the Sox are not going to have a single designated hitter this year. The Sox like the idea of resting some of the older or injury prone position players by playing them at DH. When Quentin, or Konerko need a break Jones and Kotsay will play the field in those respective positions. These replacements will improve the defense during these times. So, unless you can find a guy who can play first as part of the rotation, Kotsay will stay. Ozzie likes his bat against RHP. This player will also need to be ok with playing part time I'm not sure you can find that player

 

[ptatc]

I think what he is trying to say is you can't include these guys as the starting DH. They would be occasional DH. If you count them in the rotation then you are putting a bad hitter at C (castro), 1b (kotsay) or RF (whoever the 4th OF is). None of those guys you would want to be your regular DH. So if you include the starting C, 1b or RF as your DH you are really counting them twice in the lineup.

 

This is correct, however where are you going to find a really good hitter who wants part time play?

[macsandz]

Huh? Who are you talking about? Quentin put up 21 HR's in 99 games but didn't put an .842 OPS in any split. Neither Jones nor Kotsay put up those numbers in any of their splits either.

 

I'm talking about Konerko.

[macsandz]

AJ will never DH for ozzie, not if he only has 1 backup catcher.

 

Nix shouldn't be DHing either unless he becomes a totally new hitter this year.

 

AJ DH'd last season.

[Kalapse]

AJ DH'd last season.

1 game in mid September when we had 3 catchers on the roster. Yeah, that doesn't count.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

AJ DH'd last season.

 

No he didn't.

[Rowand44]

No, I mean the guy that led the league in getting thrown off the team. I love how your Sox DH rotation never includes Konerko, Quentin, Nix or AJ. It really builds your case.

Because if one of those guys dh's that means one of the bench players is still in the lineup, so no they don't count.

 

We have a potential real special starting rotation, yet we have one glaring weakness on this team that could have been settled for at most about 5 million and for as little as 2 million if we just re-signed Thome. I'm one of the biggest KW fans around but this rotation dh crap is f***in stupid when we could have fixed it for so little money.

[dyuen]

This is correct, however where are you going to find a really good hitter who wants part time play?

 

This is the problem with the current rotation plan. Let's use a really good hitter to play full time instead of use the DH "position" as a spot to rest your tired players. It should be used as spot to have one of your most productive hitters.

[MattZakrowski]

The DH position is "the most effective hitter".

 

On the 2010 Sox it's designed to exploit matchups. That could mean move a runner over, sac fly, take a walk or lay down a bunt.

Why is this so hard for people to grasp?!

 

Because it's stupid, and doesn't help the Sox win.

[SI1020]

No he didn't.

Yes he did. He's only done it twice in his career. Once in 01 for Minn and last year one time for us. Edited February 12, 2010 by SI1020

[ThunderBolt]

Also, laying down a bunt is not exploiting a matchup. If anything it avoids it.

[fathom]

Because it's stupid, and doesn't help the Sox win.

 

It's amazing to me that some people are actually buying into the rotating DH philosophy.

[ptatc]

Also, laying down a bunt is not exploiting a matchup. If anything it avoids it.

 

This is something I'm very interested in watching.

 

Most people who have done weightlifting has heard of the research where you do 3 sets of 10 repetitions 2-3 times per week to increase strength This was the standard The problem with this is the research was done on the Olympics weightlifters in the 70's What was prevalent at the time? The first steriod boom. All of that research has been invalidated by new research. Olympic weightlifters now lift each body part now more than 2 sets of a max of 8 reps 1 time per week.

 

All of the research by Bill James showing that bunting and stealing bases hurts your offense because the percentage that an extra base hit can score the player more effectively was also done during the steriod era of baseball. I'll be interested to see if this changes over the next few years with the possibility of hits and extra base hits decreasing Bill James research may also be invalidated. As stated before it looks like some teams including the white sox think so.

 

Another thing just popped into my conspiracy oriented mind. I recall that during the last Owners/GM meetings wasn't there talk of getting rid of the DH? I wonder if JR and some of the other owners know that this is on the way and are building their teams to get ready for it?

Edited February 12, 2010 by ptatc

[shakes]

I know you don't like the concept but sooner or later you're going to have to realize that the Sox are not going to have a single designated hitter this year. The Sox like the idea of resting some of the older or injury prone position players by playing them at DH. When Quentin, or Konerko need a break Jones and Kotsay will play the field in those respective positions. These replacements will improve the defense during these times. So, unless you can find a guy who can play first as part of the rotation, Kotsay will stay. Ozzie likes his bat against RHP. This player will also need to be ok with playing part time I'm not sure you can find that player

 

Some just can't let go of the idea that a DH should be lumbering power hitter that can't play the field anymore. Fact is, most teams are going away from this, as players without PED's struggle once they hit their mid 30's, and the game as a whole without PED's is heading back towards speed and defense. There were very few full time DH's last year, and the ones that were weren't all that great, or were winding down their careers. The Red Sox would get rid of Ortiz in a minute if they could, same with Burrell in TB, in fact they have said they may cut him(Ortiz) this year if he struggles out of the gate like last year. Thome and Griffey are going to be in reduced roles, maybe very reduced. Vlad is a big question mark, and Nick Johnson should be the full time DH in NY. He hasn't stayed healthy for a full season in some time. Other than that, everyone is going with a sort of DH by comittee.

 

If people are angry about the Sox DH situation, it should be about how the offense is built in general.

 

I some how have the feeling if the Sox came out and said that Quentin and Konerko were going to get most of the DH at bats, and Jones/Kotsay/Vizqul/Nix/Teahen would be rotating filling out the lineup, not many would be nearly up in arms. When in fact, this is very well what may end up happening.

[ThunderBolt]

It's amazing to me that some people are actually buying into the rotating DH philosophy.

The thing is: rotating a DH could work. Earl Weaver (the best manager in the history of the game in my estimation) used to platoon the DH all the time, but he had the proper players to do it with. You exploit matchups by rotating consistent, proven hitters. You don’t gamble on people who moved past their prime in the mid 2000’s.

[ptatc]

It's amazing to me that some people are actually buying into the rotating DH philosophy.

 

One could say that it's amazing that some people are stuck into the old-fashioned antiquated concept of the DH only player and are to closed minded to try something new.

 

If you look at the Red Sox, they know no one will outhit the Yankees. No one has the kind of money to do that so they went the way of pitching and defense.

 

Without PEDs and greenies older players will need more rest The sox have a right fielder who is always hurt. It makes sense to try to rest these players more.

 

I don't know if this will work But I also realize that these lifetime baseball guys may have an idea that will work so I'm willing to give it a shot. While I started in professional baseball about the same time as KW, I certainly don't think I know more about the game and scouting then him. Also, my job certainly isn't riding on trying this, so it will be interesting to watch.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Yes he did. He's only done it twice in his career. Once in 01 for Minn and last year one time for us.

 

espn.com's player stats say otherwise.

 

But regardless, using the fact he DH'ed 1 time last year as a reason why he can DH this year is absurd. (I'm aware you weren't the one to bring that up)

[Kalapse]

espn.com's player stats say otherwise.

 

But regardless, using the fact he DH'ed 1 time last year as a reason why he can DH this year is absurd. (I'm aware you weren't the one to bring that up)

You really should use baseballreference.com for thing like this, or for most anything for that matter.

[Harry Chappas]

The thing is: rotating a DH could work. Earl Weaver (the best manager in the history of the game in my estimation) used to platoon the DH all the time, but he had the proper players to do it with. You exploit matchups by rotating consistent, proven hitters. You don’t gamble on people who moved past their prime in the mid 2000’s.

 

I love the rotating DH..........as long as the options are viable hitters. Jones may be but Vizquel, Kotsay and Nix are not.