Comments on: Who Needs Orlando Hudson?

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:53:28 +0000

Jeff,
Frustrating to see the twins raise payroll, but it’s not as if the sox aren’t reinvesting their profits into the product on the field–we just did the bulk of our shopping midseason. The acquisitions of Peavy and Rios hardly constitute discount shopping. The White Sox simply chose to make moves before an off-season filled with uncertainty took place. The team was not going to engage in talks with the top free agents this off-season (the sox have a brutal track record with marquee free agents, compounded by the contentious relationship between super agent Scott Boras and our gutsy GM). The White Sox added a legitimate ace and acquired an outfielder in his prime with vast potential in Rios (the Sox have had some success in playing the “buy low sell high” game, albeit with some failures). Kenny has always been aggressive and creative, making him a bit of an enigma in the baseball community. However, the White Sox maintain one of the higher payrolls in baseball-higher than the Twins, so spending more could not be the answer as you suggest. The White Sox have had their share of failed free agent signings, but Kenny has had a better track record than most; just look to the north side of chicago where the team is hamstrung by bloated contracts and equally bad players. Every team operates within a budget, and on paper it seems that Kenny may have misplayed his hand this off-season, but hindsight is 20-20 and baseball isn’t won on paper. The scrappy Twins proved this time after time. Relax.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:30:02 +0000

Hey Mike I’m glad you respect how Pauley likes the clubhouse, too bad he won’t be here much longer.

Andrew, I think you are getting at my major concern of a shortage of power. That is exactly why an O-Dog, or a Damon, or even a Branyan are viable options. My anger mostly stems from the continued blame of ownership to its fanbase, us. Jerry’s got plenty of money from the Chisox, from the Bulls, and from other sources of revenue. It pains me to see how quickley the Twins can increase their payroll while at the same time Kenny bashes Sox fans about their Dodger absenses. While other teams go out and sign valuable pieces like Holiday and Figgins, Jerry and Kenny are left with shoulder shrugs and us the fans suffer.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:05:49 +0000

Great stuff!! You forget one other point:

Orland Hudson likes to talk… a lot.

We all saw how that worked out for Dirty 30 Swagger Boy, FNS. Hey, Paul Konerko likes his clubhouse quieter than a Harold Baines press conference, and O-Dog would have disrupted chemistry immensely with all of his chatting, laughing and joke-playing.

By: joneser

joneser — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:38:16 +0000

o-dog could’ve helped a lot, and minny’s lineup is looking really good now. but if beckham’s move to third was any indication he’s gonna be alright at second as well. and twins pitching is looking pretty bad……not to get my hopes up, but this season might not be over yet.

By: Andrew Reilly

Andrew Reilly — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:42:37 +0000

Cushing: I already hate them for what they did down the stretch in ’10.

Jeff: Not sure where you live, but the CTA is kind of a big deal for Sox fans in these parts. Thanks for the tip.

Jeff II: Also, I count at least three, as many as six Sox players who can (and in some cases will) hit over .282 this year. But batting average is not really the source of their impending offensive misery.

bc: Interesting trivia: Fullmer, coming off an injury-plagued 2004 with the Rangers, signed a minor-league deal with none other than the Chicago White Sox in 2005. He retired as a Charlotte Knight later that year.

By: bc

bc — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:17:30 +0000

Jeff, you ever heard of Brad Fullmer? 03 Marlins is more like what they’re after.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:43:24 +0000

I’m just hoping for another fascinating and detail oriented look into the CTA or perhaps Amtrak. Hey, whatever happened to Greyhound?

Hey Andrew Reilly, How about taking a tip from me and get back to writing on point? How about writing about how fans aren’t going to come to a park that showcases a DH rotation of 40-somethings? How about writing about how the management will inevitably be complaining about how no one shows up to the “prime seating” events and then use that as another excuse for their stinginess? I don’t mind Mark Teahan experiment and it will happen this year for better or for worse.

Here’s what I don’t get…..Flawed reasoning:
Do Kenny and Ozzie really think the Chisox can replicate the 2002 Anaheim Angels? Surely, a rotation of Peavy, Buerhle, Danks, Floyd and sweaty Freddi can compare to the likes of the 2002 Angels of Sele, Ortiz, Washburn, Appier, & Lackey/Schwoeneweis? But that bullpen was lights out not to mention their hitting.

Hitting Line: 1. 2002 Anaheim Angels
Team R HR SB OBP SLG AVG
851 152 117 .341 .433 .282

Well, that’s not so hard. Everything except the .282 average not to mention the on base of .341. O-Dog would have been perfect! Will the White Sox even have more than 1 or 2 players to bat over .282? Downward trends would say probably not. Mark Kotsay is definitely the answer!

We are forgetting the most important part of 2002 and 2005 for that matter….you have to be tremendously lucky and everything has to go right. Well the Twins don’t care for this thing called luck. They acquire solid free agents, draft intelligent well-rounded players, and manage the hell out them all to give their major league club the best chance to compete and win championships. A far cry from my White Sox and their “wing and prayer” ideology.

By: Ev

Ev — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:19:44 +0000

Teahenacious D time!

By: CushingLee

CushingLee — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:20:48 +0000

The Twins are not just hard-working grinders. They are a well-run organization that can take players teams can’t use (or don’t want to use) and put together a lineup that wins. As much as it pains me, you have to make them the favorites in the Central this year.