Mid-Season Moves?

[Eric-T]

As we head into mid-summer, two things are apparent to me. First of all, the Tigers are our primary competitors, not the Indians. Secondly, the lineup that Ozzie is running out every night won't get it done. Here are some of my thoughts.

1) I'd like to see Brent Lillibridge get a full-time shot at left field. After another idiotic Juan Pierre late-inning defensive gaffe tonight, I really don't want to see much more of him this season. Lillibridge would give us another consistent outfield glove, and he'll give us much more offensive production than Pierre.

2) There are way too many holes in this lineup. With Alexei Ramirez, Carlos Quentin, and Paul Konerko being the only reliable bats every night, it may be time to find a spot in the lineup for Dayan Viciedo. We can't just wait and hope that Dunn and Rios will come back to life, and we can't afford to waste any more quality starts from our rotation.

3) Phil Humber looks to be our new #1. He was, after all, the third overall pick in the 2004 draft and was expected to be a #1 starter. Maybe Coop has found a "fix" in him technically, and he's now reaching the potential that was expected of him.

4) As bad as this team has been so far, we're still well within striking distance of the Division lead. The Indians are quickly coming back to earth where they belong, and other than Cabrera and Verlander and maybe Scherzer, nothing on that Detroit squad is that impressive. If our starting pitching continues to be solid, we can still lay claim to this division, but the right moves need to be made NOW!!

Thoughts anyone?

[RickD]

With all of Ozzie's whining, you would think the team is worse than it really is. I think, like the Yankees currently, pitching is in need of a boost.

[WingsOfSteel]

Anything to get more consistent offense. We don't currently have any real liabilities but when Nate McLouth comes back we will and Dan Uggla is playing like one.

[Old Sweater]

I don't think the main problem of the White Sox is Pierre's defense. He was second in AL Defensive WAR with 1.8 last year. What gets me is that Pierre was 68-18 in stolen bases last year and is just 10-9 this year<?

[wcs71401]

John Danks needs to get his act together and Peavy needs to stay healthy.

Danks won 15 games last year and has only won one so far. His ERA isn't good but it isn't the worst either. He needs to get on track and start winning some games.

No real need to discuss Peavy's health because we all already know about it.

Dunn hasn't worked out at all up to this point. Having said that and what I am about to say several times, baseball has a way of evening out in the end. Dunn will get to his season averages by the end of the season.

[DieHard]

So Aramis Rameriz, I am sure a lot of people would like to see go like Derrek Lee went- before the end of the season on the last year of his contract. Rameriz said he will exercise his no-trade clause though and honor his contract with the Cubs till the end of the season.

This worries me only because the Cubs do not have a solid 3rd baseman lined up. I am hoping the make some move to acquire one instead of waiting till spring training or the winter meetings

[JoshRedcay]

I wouldn't count out the Indians just yet. Asdrubal Cabrera looks like he is here to stay with this new found power. They are 34-26 with their best hitter from last year, Shin-Soo Choo, in a horrible slump that he hasn't gotten out of yet. If he is able to turn things around and become the normal Choo, the Indians should continue to improve.

I know there they will most likely fade in July and August, but I still wouldn't count them out as non-competitors.

[RickD]

Well with a stat line like this:

.175 with seven homers, 29 RBIs and a whopping 91 strikeouts in 217 at-bats.

Adam Dunn looks to be a "pig in a poke" for the White Sox.

[Mudge]

Dunn does have 41 BB, which gives him a modestly respectable OBP of .314 (though well of his usual performance in that area).

You might remember that David Ortiz had numbers like Dunn's -- worse, even, at the beginning of 2009:

Through May 31, 2009 Ortiz was batting a similarly paltry .185 with 1 HR, 18 RBI, 48 K in 178 AB. He managed, however, to pick it up in June, but even by the end of June, he had only produced 8 total HR and 36 RBI in 253 AB.

So there is hope for Dunn (maybe). And he is only 31 -- Ortiz was two years older when he temporarily lost his stroke.