What I Would Do

[Marty34]

Actually, Rodriguez is probably an excellent comparison for how little the Sox should actually expect back for Peavy. Bunch of guys who have contributed little to not at all, and maybe 1 guy who could turn into something useful but who needs a lot of time to develop.

 

Maybe. However, they aren't going to win anything with Peavy.

 

[southsider2k5]

Right now? nobody. It's bleeping May 11th.

 

Let the record show, I am with Balta.

[flavum]

Rios, Peavy, Thornton, and Crain will be traded by the deadline.

 

Mark it down.

[caulfield12]

Let the record show that we can't blow anything up because there's nothing in the minor leagues that's going to be any better.

 

I'm actually starting to feel sorry for Ventura. With guys like DeAza and Rios and their lackadaisical play this year...we don't have any viable options in the minors who are deserving or meriting full-time play. Although, let the record also show that DISCIPLINARIAN is not the first word that comes to mind with Ventura (it wasn't with Ozzie, either).

 

And this isn't like the Pierre/Viciedo and Lillibridge/Dunn (2011) debates...it's Jordan Danks and D. Wise. Neither of those guys are part of the future of this organization.

 

They're the final player on the roster of a very good team, but not both of them...one would be in the minors or released...or expendable, like Conor Gillaspie.

[caulfield12]

I've noticed you're only positive in your comments about the Sox if you're arguing with marty

 

 

 

Well...I can't be quite as reasonable and level-headed as you normally are...but when you see a majority of the moderators getting frustrated with Ventura or already talking about next year, you know things are pretty bad.

[Jake]

I would link my latest column about what a great move it was not to sign Buehrle, but I don't think a soul on this forum would disagree with it. You'd be shocked how many angry emails I've gotten though

[Chicago White Sox]

I would trade Alexei and give Beckham a shot at SS the rest of the year. Sox have some promising 2B in the system, and Beckham's value to the organization increases mightily if he can play a decent SS.

I actually love this idea. I really like Alexei, but we need to add more OBP and a couple left-handed bats to the lineup. If we keep on struggling, here's what I do between now and 2014.

 

Deadline deals (all for prospects):

Ramirez

Konerko (if a team wants him)

Thornton

Crain

Lindstrom

 

Move Beckham to SS, play Keppinger at 2B, play Dunn at 1B, call up some AAA arms to replace the relievers traded (I'd like to see Simon Castro be one of them).

 

Offseason:

Sign McCann ($15m/per), Utley ($12/per), & Morales ($8/per) and a couple cheap veteran relievers. Money wise I think it's doable (with Alexei's contract off the books), whether you can sign them all is another story.

 

Run with the following offense:

1) De Aza, CF

2) Utley, 2B

3) Rios, RF

4) McCann, C

5) Morales, 1B

6) Viciedo, RF

7) Gillespie, 3B

8) Dunn, DH

9) Beckham, SS

 

Still have a rotation of Sale, Peavy, Danks, Quintana, & Santiago.

 

Seems to me this would be a pretty good team and would allow our system to keep developing.

 

 

 

 

[Jake]

I would only trade Alexei for good, young MLB player(s). You would fill one of your positions of need with the return on an Alexei trade, if you were to do that.

Edited May 11, 2013 by Jake

[southsider2k5]

I would link my latest column about what a great move it was not to sign Buehrle, but I don't think a soul on this forum would disagree with it. You'd be shocked how many angry emails I've gotten though

 

You'd be an idiot to disagree with that, especially in hindsight.

[The Ginger Kid]

I don't think you have to be so drastic to make an impact (yes, I said that).

 

I would start by releasing Adam Dunn today, not because I think he's a dick like Navarro or other Sox players I've despised in the past. Hell, I like the guy. It's because there is time to cut your losses and give some other players a shot at DH and 1B.

 

Power numbers aside, Adam's OBP has dropped off so much in the last 3 years...even last year with 41 HR's he had the lowest OBP of his career (if you throw out the abysmal 2011 season). I'm not smart enough to diagnose what happened. Maybe it's the change in leagues, maybe he got paid and stopped trying as hard, maybe he just got old fast -- I don't care. Someone will pick him up and assume the rest of his contract. And I'd wish him all the best. Maybe he can go down to Texas and get it going again, I'd love to see that.

 

But right now I'd rather see Andy Wilkins, Viciedo and Konerko sharing time at 1B. Even Seth Loman. I'm a fan and I'm just so tired of watching this sluggish middle of the lineup. I now look forward to watching Gillaspie and Viciedo bat more than Dunn or Konerko.

 

 

And I agree that it's WAY too early to make any drastic moves with regards to younger talent like Viciedo and Flowers, although I would love to see Phegley. Kind of bummed that Kevan Smith hasn't developed more.

[Marty34]

I actually love this idea. I really like Alexei, but we need to add more OBP and a couple left-handed bats to the lineup. If we keep on struggling, here's what I do between now and 2014.

 

Deadline deals (all for prospects):

Ramirez

Konerko (if a team wants him)

Thornton

Crain

Lindstrom

 

Move Beckham to SS, play Keppinger at 2B, play Dunn at 1B, call up some AAA arms to replace the relievers traded (I'd like to see Simon Castro be one of them).

 

Offseason:

Sign McCann ($15m/per), Utley ($12/per), & Morales ($8/per) and a couple cheap veteran relievers. Money wise I think it's doable (with Alexei's contract off the books), whether you can sign them all is another story.

 

Run with the following offense:

1) De Aza, CF

2) Utley, 2B

3) Rios, RF

4) McCann, C

5) Morales, 1B

6) Viciedo, RF

7) Gillespie, 3B

8) Dunn, DH

9) Beckham, SS

 

Still have a rotation of Sale, Peavy, Danks, Quintana, & Santiago.

 

Seems to me this would be a pretty good team and would allow our system to keep developing.

 

Too much money on injury prone players on the wrong side of 30. Anyway, Sox would have to outbid teams for their services and that isn't going to happen.

 

[Dick Allen]

What I would do...

 

Keep Chris Sale and Hector Santiago

 

Since they aren't going to compete in 2013 or 2014, try to make good deals with the rest of the roster--not necessarily trading all of them, but listen on anyone else on the roster, and try to build a winner for 2015--but also have an organization in place that's better suited to compete every year.

 

Hopefully over the next couple years, some of the players the Sox drafted come along, Erik Johnson, Scott Snodgress, Chris Bassitt, Chris Beck, Micah Johnson, of course Courtney Hawkins, Trayce Thompson, Keenyn Walker....and then further along some of the international signings they made last year get in the system and produce some fruit.

 

In my opinion, it's time for the Sox to take their medicine for a couple years (not five). Keep in mind this will be five years without the postseason, and the Sox are a coin flip away from not making the postseason since 2005. So whatever they've been doing hasn't worked.

 

As far as the front office, I'm not down on Hahn yet. It's an incomplete grade at this point. I wish Kenny Williams would leave the organization, so there's a clear decision maker in Hahn.

 

And of course Ventura will be out after 2013 or 2014. I'm hoping he steps aside after this season.

I do agree KW needs to go for Hahn's sake. If you want him to be the GM, let him be the GM. KW may not be interfering in anyway, however, his presence and veto power, even if he would never use it, has to affect Hahn in some way.

[Dick Allen]

Let the record show that we can't blow anything up because there's nothing in the minor leagues that's going to be any better.

 

I'm actually starting to feel sorry for Ventura. With guys like DeAza and Rios and their lackadaisical play this year...we don't have any viable options in the minors who are deserving or meriting full-time play. Although, let the record also show that DISCIPLINARIAN is not the first word that comes to mind with Ventura (it wasn't with Ozzie, either).

 

And this isn't like the Pierre/Viciedo and Lillibridge/Dunn (2011) debates...it's Jordan Danks and D. Wise. Neither of those guys are part of the future of this organization.

 

They're the final player on the roster of a very good team, but not both of them...one would be in the minors or released...or expendable, like Conor Gillaspie.

How do you know how Robin deals with players? I love how everyone thinks if a guy isn't ranting and raving he doesn't care and has no control. There are all different kimds of leaders. Robin by all accounts from people who actually know, happens to be one.

[Dick Allen]

I don't understand why Marty wants to get rid of Ramirez's contract. Doesn't Chairman Reinsdorf make enough money?

[Balta1701]

How do you know how Robin deals with players? I love how everyone thinks if a guy isn't ranting and raving he doesn't care and has no control. There are all different kimds of leaders. Robin by all accounts from people who actually know, happens to be one.

The fact that the players are continuing to struggle with basic fundamentals, seemingly nothing happens in response...and the team itself continues making mistakes that should have been fixed in February...is at the very least disconcerting regarding his current leadership techniques.

[Dick Allen]

The fact that the players are continuing to struggle with basic fundamentals, seemingly nothing happens in response...and the team itself continues making mistakes that should have been fixed in February...is at the very least disconcerting regarding his current leadership techniques.

BS.

They take more infield and outfield and do more drills than any other team. Guys don't drop balls, or boot balls, or overthrow the cutoff man or forget to cover home on a passed ball, or try to backhand a pitch 2 feet to their left because of the manager. This is a systemic problem. As Ozzie used to point out, players should know how to play when they get to the major leagues. White Sox prospects for years have looked like they just took up the game a few weeks prior to their call up.

 

I do agree with Marty on Buddy Bell. He IMO, is the most overrated baseball man in the game. He was a really good player, but has nothing to show for the genius he is credited for being since. When he managed, his teams were terrible. Not necessarily his fault, but they all were better the year before he took over, and the year after he left. He has been a big shot with the Sox minor league system. I don't think he would win any awards for that. He talks up all of these prospects,a nd they all seem to fall on their faces.

[fathom]

The fact that the players are continuing to struggle with basic fundamentals, seemingly nothing happens in response...and the team itself continues making mistakes that should have been fixed in February...is at the very least disconcerting regarding his current leadership techniques.

 

I'd love to see Ventura shake things up a bit. I understand not making moves in order to show poise and not trying to panic, but with the collapse last year continuing into this season, why not have fun and try something like this lineup:

 

Gillaspie

Rios

De Aza

Konerko

Viciedo

Dunn

Ramirez

Keppinger

Flowers

 

If De Aza is going to act like a power hitter at the plate, why not try to get him up to bat with people on base? Who knows, maybe he'll turn into a 25 home run a year player.

[The Ginger Kid]

The fact that the players are continuing to struggle with basic fundamentals, seemingly nothing happens in response...and the team itself continues making mistakes that should have been fixed in February...is at the very least disconcerting regarding his current leadership techniques.

I'm curious what this would look/sound like...would it be an Ozzie Guillen throw-his-players-under-the-bus moment, or some other public display? Because it's hard to gauge what it would be otherwise if it's not something made public.

 

The Sox continue to be one of the few (if not only) teams that performs infield practice every week, even on the road.

[Dick Allen]

I'm curious what this would look/sound like...would it be an Ozzie Guillen throw-his-players-under-the-bus moment, or some other public display? Because it's hard to gauge what it would be otherwise if it's not something made public.

 

The Sox continue to be one of the few (if not only) teams that performs infield practice every week, even on the road.

This is what I don't understand. First off, no one here knows what Robin and his staff say to these players, and secondly since when does yelling, making scenes and publicly calling out players work? We had that, and the same problems. If the White Sox don't get better players, any manager the could ever have would be seeing the same things.

[Marty34]

I don't understand why Marty wants to get rid of Ramirez's contract. Doesn't Chairman Reinsdorf make enough money?

 

I only want changes IF they improve the team, Dick Allen.

[SoxAce]

Any Trouts or Strasburgs in next years draft?

 

FWIW, next years draft is suppose to be pretty deep top end.

[Balta1701]

BS.

They take more infield and outfield and do more drills than any other team. Guys don't drop balls, or boot balls, or overthrow the cutoff man or forget to cover home on a passed ball, or try to backhand a pitch 2 feet to their left because of the manager. This is a systemic problem. As Ozzie used to point out, players should know how to play when they get to the major leagues. White Sox prospects for years have looked like they just took up the game a few weeks prior to their call up.

Whatever it was that changed...these same exact players were doing exactly what they should be doing for 5 months of last year. It's the only reason the team came out and stayed in first place so long; they didn't shoot themselves in the foot every game. The players repeatedly gave credit to their extra fielding and fundamentals work in ST for that and I think they're right.

 

Those same players this year look like they have the baseball IQ of 14 year olds. The same person I gave all the credit last year for getting those guys into shape is getting my blame.

[Dick Allen]

I only want changes IF they improve the team, Dick Allen.

How does losing Ramirez on a waiver claim improve the team?

[Dick Allen]

The White Sox trying to win still left them in position to draft Sale, and they could have drafted Trout. The Cubs tank and it looks like Appel is going to be their pick. Who would you rather have?

Edited May 11, 2013 by Dick Allen

[caulfield12]

I only want changes IF they improve the team, Dick Allen.

 

That's like saying, I'm only going to agree to produce a movie script if it's profitable.

 

C'mon. Adam Dunn made a lot of sense. Josh Hamilton or Zach Greinke might have improved the team...and you would have been in favor of the Sox making a splash and signing either of those two players.

 

 

How do you feel Keppinger at SS or Danks in CF would possibly be an improvement? Peavy traded and replaced by Axelrod/John Danks? You've just added another 8-10 losses to this year's total record.