Conor Gillaspie is not a good player

[Ross]

I'm still scarred from Morel's time in the majors.

 

Obviously going hitless in June for Gillaspie sucks, but I like what I saw in the first two months. But thinking about benching him or replacing him in favor of Morel, instead of giving him more ABs, is definitely...not smart.

[Balta1701]

It's f***ing stupid. It's a dumb f***ing post. Morel is a terrible ballplayer and not an option for the White Sox, and Beckham has proven time and again to be completely useless with the bat.

 

Hey, if Adam Dunn can just go 4-for-4 every night, our DH situation is set too!

But hey, it's totally not f***ing stupid to decide that Conor Gillaspie is "not a good player" when he's in the middle of a slump.

 

Morel's going to be back in the big leagues at some point with some team if he keeps hitting like he has been since the start of May.

[Balta1701]

I'm still scarred from Morel's time in the majors.

 

Obviously going hitless in June for Gillaspie sucks, but I like what I saw in the first two months. But thinking about benching him or replacing him in favor of Morel, instead of giving him more ABs, is definitely...not smart.

I certainly wouldn't bench him, but this might well be a situation where a platoon or two really would work well for the Sox.

[Jake]

I certainly wouldn't bench him, but this might well be a situation where a platoon or two really would work well for the Sox.

 

There already is one. Keppinger's been one of our best hitters over the past few weeks.

[Steve9347]

Can someone change my thread title back to "Conor Gillaspie sucks"?

[Eminor3rd]

Can someone change my thread title back to "Conor Gillaspie sucks"?

 

No, we get it.

[caulfield12]

By Kevin Kauffman, part of a chicagonow.com article

 

The other sort of optimistic, or at least fantasy thinking tact some White Sox fans have been taking is that the White Sox should have a fire sale and start over. There is a couple things wrong with this thinking. First, which players are attractive to other teams? Alex Rios might get some interest, but he has a bit of a burdensome contract so maybe not. I can’t imagine anyone taking on Adam Dunn and I highly doubt he will move on waivers either. And don’t expect the White Sox to outright release him. I don’t think Reinsdorf is cheap, but I also don’t think he will be willing to eat the remaining two years of Dunn’s contract. I’ve seen a few comments that Alexei Ramirez might be moved, but his one home run and downturn on defense isn’t going to get much in return. A few pitchers could be attractive, but that would thin the already skimpy staff. Before the injury, Peavy was mentioned, but missing up to six weeks really seems to hurt his “help right now” appeal. The overall strategy of “trade the underachievers for prospects” doesn’t seem that plausible. Actually calling the White Sox players underachievers is being kind; they simply aren’t very good. Getting much in return for bad players doesn’t usually happen.

 

So what are the White Sox to do? I think exploring the trade market isn’t a bad idea, knowing full well there won’t be much coming back. Next, and here is where it gets complicated, the White Sox need to give up the strategy that Kenny Williams espoused during his tenure; the rebuild on the fly while trying to compete model. It can be successful (2005!) but it doesn’t build a sustained success. The next time the White Sox make back to back post seasons will be the first time (yes, 1994 they finished first, but no playoffs that year, thanks Bud!) The White Sox need to rebuild and I think it needs to go beyond just players. Honestly, thus far the Rick Hahn regime hasn’t shown much. Hiring Buddy Bell inspires no confidence in me. A long baseball pedigree with a lot of bad teams doesn’t seem to be evidence that he knows how to rebuild a farm system, let alone create a championship at the top level.

[caulfield12]

 

 

Morse and Napoli are ideas, we have to put SOMEONE there with some offensive ability next year.

 

Adam Lind or Carlos Pena would be a couple of more options, stacked up behind Morales.

 

 

As for any type of outfield alignment with Jordan Danks getting regular playing time, PASS.

There has to be a better solution, SOMEWHERE/SOMEHOW.

[Steve9347]

This is the type of s*** that should happen 5 years after a championship. Not 8. We should be well into the next wave, instead this team f***ing blows dicks and hasn't done a damn thing to improve.

[The Ginger Kid]

By Kevin Kauffman, part of a chicagonow.com article

 

Hiring Buddy Bell inspires no confidence in me. A long baseball pedigree with a lot of bad teams doesn’t seem to be evidence that he knows how to rebuild a farm system, let alone create a championship at the top level.

 

But Buddy was the one who told us how good Mitchell was going to be this year, and look how well he's done.

[Eminor3rd]

Why does everyone think it's still 2009? Alex Rios does NOT have a burdensome contract AT ALL anymore. He's under contract for one more season at $12.5m, with a TEAM OPTION for 2015 at the same price. It's a GOOD contract at this point.

 

The f***ing media is just so lazy and bad, it blows my mind.

[The Ultimate Champion]

IIRC Keith Law said Mitchell may have been the best athlete in the draft when we took him. Who gives a s*** if he liked him at any point? Maybe Bell's remarks were a way of challenging him. I'm not sure it's Bell's fault he's a bust. The biggest knock on Bell I can think of is probably the ridiculous Teahen trade & immediate extension. Yes Kenny made that move, but like the Molina deal with the Paddy recommendation, I think that was probably Bell pushing it. You don't trade for a non-tender candidate & then extend him under normal circumstances.

 

I admittedly don't have any real reason to back Bell or demand he stay, but I don't have any reason to want him gone either. What has he done so wrong that someone else wouldn't have done? What kind of results have you guys been expecting? IMO it's very unfair to judge anyone re: our farm for a few years, since the new CBA & recommitment to LA is going to make more of a difference in the long run than any personnel hire. I mean it's not like Buddy Bell was setting budgets or trying to keep the Sox out of LA.

[caulfield12]

And this is where our current state of purgatory is putting us in a difficult position.

 

Were the draft to be held in 2014, based on today's standings:

 

1) Miami

2) Houston

 

Then a huge drop-off

 

3) Mets

4) Cubs

5) Milwaukee

6) LA Angels

7) Toronto/Dodgers

9) Seattle

10) Minnesota

11) WHITE SOX

 

So we're basically close to terrible, and yet not even in a Top 10 draft position. Let's say we were winning at roughly a .400 clip (where the Mets are), would it make any difference to be at 23-35 right now versus 28-34 (but most likely a team 4-10 games under .500 without any changes, taking into consideration the more difficult 2nd half schedule) for our attendance/revenue over the remainder of the season?

 

Or if we had the Cubs' 25-36 record? Yet they're probably going to end up with another Top 5 draft pick.

 

With Peavy out, is there anyone who realistically thinks this Sox team has a chance to compete with DET?

 

 

 

 

[Flash Tizzle]

And this is where our current state of purgatory is putting us in a difficult position.

 

Were the draft to be held in 2014, based on today's standings:

 

1) Miami

2) Houston

 

Then a huge drop-off

 

3) Mets

4) Cubs

5) Milwaukee

6) LA Angels

7) Toronto/Dodgers

9) Seattle

10) Minnesota

11) WHITE SOX

 

So we're basically close to terrible, and yet not even in a Top 10 draft position. Let's say we were winning at roughly a .400 clip (where the Mets are), would it make any difference to be at 23-35 right now versus 28-34 (but most likely a team 4-10 games under .500 without any changes, taking into consideration the more difficult 2nd half schedule) for our attendance/revenue over the remainder of the season?

 

Or if we had the Cubs' 25-36 record? Yet they're probably going to end up with another Top 5 draft pick.

 

With Peavy out, is there anyone who realistically thinks this Sox team has a chance to compete with DET?

 

YES. This is exactly the problem with baseball hell. Now, I'm sure you may receive a rebuttal of "you cannot guarantee success of a high draft pick" but as you've highlighted is there any real difference between losing 5-6 more games with regards to attendance? Why not help give ourselves more options?

 

We wouldn't have competed with Detroit even with Peavy. Without him, atleast Hahn should be resigned to our fate.

[Buehrle>Wood]

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