Kenny's First Comments On Off-Season...

[Madvora]

Originally Posted by hawkjt

I hardly think that Kenny is obsessed on having a rotation with 4 leftys.
I just think it is the way it probably will work out.
Should he dump Sale and Danks?
Should he trade Quintana?...or Santiago?

I think it might just be that 4 of the best 5 starters in the organization happen to be leftys.

I'm just referring to the quote Lip put up in the original post.

"One of the biggest questions moving into this off season will be how many left handers can you have in your rotation..."-- Kenny Williams

I guess that can be taken two ways, "how many is too many" or "what can we do to get as many lefties as possible?"

[hawkjt]

Originally Posted by Madvora

I'm just referring to the quote Lip put up in the original post.

"One of the biggest questions moving into this off season will be how many left handers can you have in your rotation..."-- Kenny Williams

I guess that can be taken two ways, "how many is too many" or "what can we do to get as many lefties as possible?"

I believe he is questioning whether a team can actually succeed with as many as 4 lefties in the rotation.

[wilburaga]

Reminiscent of the awful 1979 squad that featured 4 lefty starters (Kravec, Baumgarten, Wortham, and Trout). Southpaws made 116 of our 160 starts.

The team went 73-87, but as I recall the lefty starters were not the problem. It was a roster packed with Ralph Garrs, Claudell Washingtons, Milt Mays, Alan Bannisters, Kevin Bells and Jim Morrisons. And these guys were starters.

[Moses_Scurry]

A guy on the Scott Van Pelt show yesterday suggested the Sox as a possible landing spot for Josh Hamilton. He was just talking out of his ass, but does anybody here think that could happen? Sign Hamilton, release Peavy, Floyd, and Liriano, and trade One of Viciedo, De Aza, or Rios for the best possible return, preferably one that includes a starting pitcher and/or 3B.

I guess it would largely depend on how low his price tag dips due to his checkered past.

[TheVulture]

Originally Posted by hawkjt

I believe he is questioning whether a team can actually succeed with as many as 4 lefties in the rotation.

I don't see what difference it makes with the rotation. Left or right, the starter is expected to go through the lineup numerous times. It's not like the bullpen where you want to set them up for different matchups.

[Golden Sox]

I would take Hamilton on the White Sox in a minute. If we can move Dunn for something decent, and then sign Hamilton it would be a tremendous upgrade for 2013.

[Frater Perdurabo]

The Sox would provide a low-pressure environment in which Hamilton could have a minimum of scrutiny, and he might be willing to sign for a relatively low dollar, one-year deal in the hope that he rebounds and then cashes in with a multi year deal in 2014. If that unlikely scenario unfolded, the Sox could trade Rios to save salary and upgrade elsewhere.

[shingo10]

Originally Posted by Frater Perdurabo

The Sox would provide a low-pressure environment in which Hamilton could have a minimum of scrutiny, and he might be willing to sign for a relatively low dollar, one-year deal in the hope that he rebounds and then cashes in with a multi year deal in 2014. If that unlikely scenario unfolded, the Sox could trade Rios to save salary and upgrade elsewhere.

I don't necessarily think he'd have a minimum of scrutiny here...Chicago is a pretty huge sports market. I guess he'd be playing in front of less people though.

[A. Cavatica]

Originally Posted by wilburaga

Reminiscent of the awful 1979 squad that featured 4 lefty starters (Kravec, Baumgarten, Wortham, and Trout). Southpaws made 116 of our 160 starts.

The team went 73-87, but as I recall the lefty starters were not the problem. It was a roster packed with Ralph Garrs, Claudell Washingtons, Milt Mays, Alan Bannisters, Kevin Bells and Jim Morrisons. And these guys were starters.

That was the worst lineup I've ever seen.

Britt Burns, who came up in 1980, was the best of the lefty pitchers.

Edit: 111 starts by lefties in 1980, too, with those 5 all getting at least 10 and Guy Hoffman getting one.

[Frater Perdurabo]

Originally Posted by shingo10

I don't necessarily think he'd have a minimum of scrutiny here...Chicago is a pretty huge sports market. I guess he'd be playing in front of less people though.

And the fact that the Cubs, Bears and Bulls get more media attention than the Sox.

[Tragg]

Originally Posted by Zisk77

3b:

Plan A re-sign Youkilis

I just don't think that you can resign Youk and say with a straight face that we have 3B covered. He wore down. You can sign him as 3B, 1B, DH rotation, but we have 2 of those types already in Dunn and Konerko.

As for people wanting to dump De Aza - he gave us a .349 OBP and .750 OPS out of the leadoff spot. Compare that to Podsednik's .700 OPS in 2005. Who are we going to leadoff with? Wise and his .295 OBP in 2012, when he played "excellent" (and certainly a career year for him). Excellent maybe to Ozzie (he called his .301 spring OBP "Tremendous" so I suppose .295 would be excellent).

[russ99]

Originally Posted by Tragg

I just don't think that you can resign Youk and say with a straight face that we have 3B covered. He wore down. You can sign him as 3B, 1B, DH rotation, but we have 2 of those types already in Dunn and Konerko.

As for people wanting to dump De Aza - he gave us a .349 OBP and .750 OPS out of the leadoff spot. Compare that to Podsednik's .700 OPS in 2005. Who are we going to leadoff with? Wise and his .295 OBP in 2012, when he played "excellent" (and certainly a career year for him). Excellent maybe to Ozzie (he called his .301 spring OBP "Tremendous" so I suppose .295 would be excellent).

Again...

2005 Podsednik - .290 AVG, .351 OBP, 59 steals

De Aza - .281 AVG, .349 OBP, 26 steals: and he was a much less effective hitter and baserunner after the all-star break.

Just because of those 9 homers inflating his OPS, you'll never convince me that De Aza is a better leadoff hitter than Pods was.

Not saying I want to dump DeAza in the least, but he's an above average leadoff hitter, and IMO would be a better option in the #2 spot had we a prototypical leadoff guy and a top stolen base threat.

[Zisk77]

Originally Posted by Tragg

I just don't think that you can resign Youk and say with a straight face that we have 3B covered. He wore down. You can sign him as 3B, 1B, DH rotation, but we have 2 of those types already in Dunn and Konerko.

As for people wanting to dump De Aza - he gave us a .349 OBP and .750 OPS out of the leadoff spot. Compare that to Podsednik's .700 OPS in 2005. Who are we going to leadoff with? Wise and his .295 OBP in 2012, when he played "excellent" (and certainly a career year for him). Excellent maybe to Ozzie (he called his .301 spring OBP "Tremendous" so I suppose .295 would be excellent).

I didn't say anything about 3b being covered. I looked at possible FA's and what we have in the organization. I doubt we have David Wright money (and he'll prolly stay a met) so I would say Youk is option A...Izturis B Morel C.

I agree, if it is youk he will be spelled at 3b some. My face isn't straight, it sports a crooked (yet handsome) grin.

[WLL1855]

First question (and I say this with a straight face): Does anyone really expect us to contend for the division next year?

If yes, then go for broke. Sign Hamilton. Go get a starting catcher not named Flowers. Get a starting third-baseman not named Morel. Go get Greinke or Marcum or Dempster or whoever to round out the rotation. (Note: I'm not in any way endorsing this course of action.)

If no, gut the team. Do it and get it over with. Everything must go. Begin the PR war early and blame everything on the fan base not supporting the team.

Of course we will probably just shrug our shoulders and try to do both and end up where we were this year.

I think I've reached the point of complete indifference. I'll likely go to the same number of games as I did this past season so it really doesn't matter what strategy the club decides on to me.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by WLL1855

First question (and I say this with a straight face): Does anyone really expect us to contend for the division next year?

If yes, then go for broke. Sign Hamilton. Go get a starting catcher not named Flowers. Get a starting third-baseman not named Morel. Go get Greinke or Marcum or Dempster or whoever to round out the rotation. (Note: I'm not in any way endorsing this course of action.)

If no, gut the team. Do it and get it over with. Everything must go. Begin the PR war early and blame everything on the fan base not supporting the team.

Of course we will probably just shrug our shoulders and try to do both and end up where we were this year.

I think I've reached the point of complete indifference. I'll likely go to the same number of games as I did this past season so it really doesn't matter what strategy the club decides on to me.

Why?