WCSox

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 05:33 PM) What's the end game though? We make the playoffs and get mounted by the Yankees or Red Sox? Even if we make the playoffs, we're not doing anything. Says who? Did the 2006 Cardinals look like world-beaters during the regular season? How about the 2003 Marlins? When you get to the playoffs, everyone's 0-0 again. What happened earlier in the year doesn't matter anymore. Any team can reverse its trajectory at that point. We have Buehrle, Danks, Floyd, and Peavy in our rotation. That's a strong rotation and more than good enough to compete in the playoffs. Pitching is the key to winning in the playoffs and we have plenty of that. The 2005 team had a horrible overall OBP, yet still managed to win a championship. Hell, look at the Giants offense last year. Once Dunn and Rios begin to hit closer to their career averages, this team will begin to score more runs. If you're going to give up while three games out in late July, then what in the heck is the point of even trying? If the Sox give up now, they're telling their fan base that they're not serious about winning. Remember all of the empty seats at the Cell in 1998 and 1999? Good luck competing in 2013 and 2014 with no gate revenue after White Flag II.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 05:11 PM) I'm fine with the White Sox rebuilding. I'm not. Not with the Sox 3.5 games out in a weak division. If Kenny wants to rebuild, that's fine. But wait until November.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 02:59 PM) Paulie and Buehrle are locks to be retired and statued. Agreed

What we need is another bat. Right now, Quentin comprises one half of the productive hitters in our lineup. Trading him for anything other than an above-average veteran bat would be a step backward.

QUOTE (Real @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 11:40 AM) probably already been posted, it's not a brand new tweet... just been skimming the beatwriters/bloggers twitter accounts http://twitter.com/#!/BNightengale/sta...386194459459584 "The trouble with trading Quentin is that it would signify they're giving up" He thinks that if we trade CQ, it's a give up/rebuild trade.. Well, it would be. Dude's an All-Star and is currently sporting an .863 OPS. Sox are also only 3.5 games out in a very weak division. Given that this team is more talented than the '97 squad and is facing lesser divisional talent, dealing CQ may be interpreted as White Flag II.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 09:47 AM) Overcoaching happens in our system. And LaRussa can be a punk and a douche big time, so I'm not shocked at all that he would go to the media because he doesn't like Rasmus. Although it's not a great indicator that Rasmus is a good character, it doesn't solidify it either. I agree that LaRussa can be a massive jerk at times and can alienate players. Scott Rolen is a good example. The bottom line, though, is that LaRussa knows how to win. At the very least, he knows a hell of a lot more about winning than Rasmus and his daddy. If I were Rasmus, I'd buy into LaRussa's system because it has a long track record of working.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 09:13 AM) Actually, that would probably be a positive thing for hitters in our organization. Buddy Bell has said numberous times that they tend to overcoach kids, and it backfires big time. Players will have their own routine, and if that means they have a private hitting coach, then fine. I wouldn't get too upset over that, nor would I take it personally. That said, Rasmus will have to own up to his results if they are less than average while working with this coach, and it would be the manager's job to make sure that Rasmus has every resource he needs, but not to blast him in the media for getting outside help. Right, but the player still needs to listen to his employer's coaches. If things have gotten to the point where LaRussa is airing dirty laundry to the public, you have to wonder about Rasmus' character. If LaRussa is over-coaching his players, it isn't having much of a negative impact on his team. Dave Duncan's over-coaching of Jeff Weaver and Anthony Reyes worked out pretty well.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 08:06 AM) Why? LaRussa said worse in the media. You think JR if he talks to TL couldn't ask about the personality of this kid and also see what is going on in Jackson's head. Yeah, when LaRussa publicly states that Rasmus doesn't listen to coaches, that tells JR all he needs to know.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 08:54 AM) Terrible standard for this. By that logic the only retired numbers would be from the 2005 team. Ventura had 8 great years here, was a great hitter, and an even better defender. He was really the heart and soul of this team for his time here. +1 For all of the well-deserved love that Crede gets here, Robin was better. I don't think that Ventura deserves a statue or anything, but he was probably the best 3B in franchise history.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 01:53 PM) I dont think the Sox traded Jackson for way less than hes worth. Meh, I don't know about that. A quality starting pitcher is worth a lot more than an aging middle reliever and a wildcard pitching prospect in my book. Agreed that © has value, but I would've rather just used Humber in that role. Getting rid of Jackson means that the Sox are relying heavily on Peavy to (1) stay healthy for the remainder of the season and (2) be semi-consistently effective. I have little confidence in his ability to do either. I think that the Sox are throwing in the towel and are trying to disguise their actions. Even if the Sox have supreme confidence in Peavy/Humber, you don't trade Jackson for anything less than an impact player if you're trying to compete down the stretch. I can understand why the Sox wouldn't want Rasmus, but I'd take two months of him over two months of Pierre any day. If Rasmus had a bad attitude in Chicago, Kenny could've dealt him this winter.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 01:46 PM) As others have speculated i think that the Sox passed on Rasmus, Thats why last night this trade made no sense for the Blue Jays, but now that its all finalized it seems that the Sox could have had Rasmus, but didnt want him. They then probably went to other teams trying to get a third party whod take Rasmus. That makes sense to me. But trading Edwin Jackson for WAY less than he's worth on the market doesn't. The only aspect of this trade that makes any sense for the Sox is that it allowed them to bundle Teahen into the deal and maximize the amount of salary that they were able to dump. And if that's their mentality right now, the next two seasons are going to be painful to watch.

QUOTE (JoshPR @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 01:16 PM) LOL so basicly we get frasor for teabag and Jackson when we could have had Rasmus? Ohhh Kenny LOL! Wonder what the moron says now. Frasor ain't bad but Kenny went with the first trade, we could have held Jackson a lil longer and teams would have gotten desperate and gotten more.... Ohh the life of a sox fan.... This move likely came from upstairs. The powers-that-be are obviously more interested in shedding payroll than competing in the foreseeable future. I imagine that a lot more guys are going to be dealt over the next 12 months.

I have no real loyalty to Chicago (I'm never moving back), but the Sox moving to another city would still piss me off. I suppose that I would probably be a much more casual baseball fan and might follow my second-favorite team (the Cardinals) a little more.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 9, 2011 -> 01:30 PM) Have you looked at M-56's numbers for this season before saying that? A 101 ERA+ and a 1.37 WHIP isn't going to get you to 300 wins. Especially on a team that can't score runs. What's Danks, like 0-5 now? Incredible...

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 9, 2011 -> 12:26 PM) I don't think he gets to 500. Even if he did, I don't think that it's a magic number that will automatically get him in. There's still a good chance that he'd be in Jeff Bagwell territory at the end of his career.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 9, 2011 -> 07:31 AM) Was he ever a top 5 vote getter for MVP? Good point, and this is why PK isn't HOF material. Career numbers are nice, but you need to be truly dominant at your position for a number of years to be a serious HOF candidate. PK has never done that.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ May 4, 2011 -> 01:39 PM) He has been here for a decade and what's continually the weakest division in the AL, we have two playoff appearances. Even with our WS, that was five years ago -- the results just haven't been there. It's time for him to go. That's a very simplistic way to look at it. He's put competitive teams on the field for much of his 10+ years as GM, and that's his job. The on-field TALENT is clearly there. In the past two years, he's added Dunn, Jackson, Peavy, and Rios (not to mention Danks, Floyd, Quentin, and Alexei prior to that). So it's difficult to argue that he's not giving the coaching staff enough to work with. If anything, Kenny's problem is that he hasn't fired the coaching staff. But I don't know how much control he has over that, especially with JR being so loyal to Ozzie.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 4, 2011 -> 12:12 PM) Pierre is also clearly past his prime, especially with all that wear and tear on his body from the stolen bases and clearly has lost 2-3 steps in a decade. Dunn's also on the downside of his prime seasons, although still relatively young. Dunn is only 31. He should still be mega-productive at that age. Quentin and Rios are in their late 20's, so no excuses there either. Four of our 5 starters are also under the age of 30. This team's problem isn't age. It's production.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ May 4, 2011 -> 11:56 AM) How about when proven talent turns 35? Only PK and Castro are that old. AJP is 34. The vast majority of our lineup and rotation are in the prime of their careers.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 4, 2011 -> 10:42 AM) For anyone old enough it has to be 1984. That team just collapsed out of no where. Absolutely. Seaver was supposed to get us over the hump. Nobody foresaw Britt Burns flaming out or our reigning Cy Young winner developing a coke habit.

I have a difficult time blaming the GM for proven talent not getting it done on the field.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to go. But you will have a great time there. Saw the Sox play the M's in '07 and really enjoyed my experience. I think that we stayed at a cheap La Quinta or something up by the Space Needle and I was pleasantly surprised that the cruddy hotel offered free shuttle service to and from the game. Also, do make some time to check out the city. It'll still be a little cool in May, but a trip to Pike Place Market and dinner at Ivar's in highly recommended.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2011 -> 01:13 PM) Opening Day 2003 or 2004 was mine. It was the game where it rained for like two hours before the game got started, and it was about 35 degrees out. I think that was Opening Day 2003, and that was probably the worst baseball experience I've ever had. My wife and I left about an hour into the rain delay, when the rain began to fall harder. As we were walking down the upper deck ramps, the wind picked up and it began thundering and lightning. By the time we got to the car, it took me about 15 seconds to open the door because I could barely move my fingers. After then getting stuck in rush hour, we finally made it up to the north side and watched the game with friends up at Goose Island.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 18, 2011 -> 12:40 PM) I like it the way it is. I'm not against retractable roofs, but even when they're open, it still feels like you're inside--I'm speaking of Miller Park. I don't know how it is in the other retractable roof stadiums. Safeco Field is nice, but still doesn't feel like an old-time ballpark. Minute Maid Park is kind of "meh," but Houston is unbearable outdoors in the summer, so I'll take the roof and the A/C. Retractable roofs are useful and sometimes necessary in bad climates (Texas, Florida, Minnesota), but I'm not quite sure that Chicago falls into that category. I'd rather be slightly uncomfortable and outdoors.

No, the mistake that we made was being cheap. JR and the rest of the Board could've built Camden Yards at 35th and Shields, but didn't want to pay for anything out-of-pocket.