greg775

QUOTE (Black_Jack29 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 08:56 PM) It would be interesting, but I don't think that they deal Q and go the scorched-earth route. Too much money to lose at both the gate and negotiating table when the TV contract is up. I think they will go the scorched earth route. But let's say they don't do that. Today's trade would give the Sox a great infield of Frazier, Anderson, Moncada and Abreu. I guess they could sign two journeyman starting pitchers in free agency and still have a chance of contending. Fat chance, however. The scorched earth scenario is coming. I don't think they care that the team will lose 100 games 2-3 seasons in a row. They want the Cub-like rebuild.

I feel horrible. Less than overwhelming return. Loss of an ace. Horrible feeling.

I'm totally against becoming a perennial last place team and with this trade, we are a last place AL Central team, for what could be a long time to come.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 08:46 PM) I understand the reasoning behind the trade, and it had to be done. The franchise simply can't take being "mediocre" (at best) anymore but it's also a sickening feeling having to trade the best pitcher in the league, a generational talent because the front office wasn't smart enough or ownership wasn't willing to spend the money needed to make the team a real contender. What can you do? On paper it sounds like they got a nice return for Chris...but they need a lot more so start dealing guys and get back as much talent as you can. Go for a full rebuild and hope these guys pan out. Mark Exactly, Mark. Perfect take. Now that Sale is gone and we're a last-place team ASSURED in the Central, do as you said, "start dealing guys." There is absolutely no reason to keep any everyday player except Anderson and dealing Q and Robertson should be coming soon. Get what you can for everybody and hope it someday assembles into a winner.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 08:06 PM) I know you're going to tempted to argue that Moncada and Collins injected into the line-up makes you competitive the second half of 2017. Or that Burdi is ready to be a big league closer. BUT...No. It doesn't. We have no real CFer, DH or ace any longer. Do the prudent thing and let Moncada, Collins, Burdi, Kopech and Basabe develop. Be patient, for once. It's extremely important to determine if Collins can stick as a catcher...rather than rushing his bat as a DH/1B and trying to preserve his health. The premium value comes from his being able to catch decently AND be a plus hitter at that position. Then you have 3 solutions up the middle, and a possible 4th in Basabe for CF in 2019. Look to trade Eaton, Q, Nate Jones and Melky at their peak respective values with the White Sox if the right deals come along. Don't accept anything less than fair deals, obviously. Hold Abreu and see the chemistry with him and Moncada until at least July. He seems to be a good mentor, from all we know about him. Jose, if he has another first half like he ended 2016, becomes a much more coveted piece. His value is still down, now. It's also easier to imagine him sticking around, on the other hand. Frazier and Robertson, hold and wait on a rebound...look to trade in July, decide if Frazier might be a long-term stabilizing force to keep in the fold, do you get more back immediately from a trade or go through the QO process? Extend? Depends on what pieces are left from Q/Eaton. Does Trey M. make any progress? But Robertson goes with the first/best offer. Fulmer is the obvious choice for the rotation spot at the moment. Do not rush Burdi. Give him at least one full season in the minors starting. Same with Kopech, and Hansen, for that matter. If someone blows you away with an offer for Gonzalez, great. If not, he is a rotation place holder. Same with Shields, who's seemingly a sunk cost at this point but might have some value yet. Let Tilson, Lawrie/Garcia (DH) play and see what you can get out of those latter two or move on. Right now, Saladino's going to have 2-3 months of regular at-bats at second until Moncada's deemed ready. Now that they made the Sale trade, Caulfield, there's no reason to keep anybody. We're not a contender, even one of those "if everybody has a career year" type teams. Trade Melky, Avi, Frazier, Lawrie, Abreu, Robertson, Q as soon as you can. Try to actually win some of the trades. Sale is gone, which makes the Sox a last place team in the Central. It's time to clean house totally and hope the prospects work out.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 08:01 PM) looking at some old youtube vids, Moncada looks like a butcher at 2B/3B. should be interesting. Interesting post in this thread. A butcher? Hmmm. Teams don't win pennants with defensive butchers.

QUOTE (2005thxfrthmmrs @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 08:03 PM) Apparently our targets were Betts and Benintendi + in July, that's why no deal. Buster Olney ✔ @Buster_ESPN White Sox get a big haul from BOS -- and it's a step down for what they asked for in July, which included Betts and Benintendi. LOL. A step down from what they asked for in July. Typical White Sox. Usually get less than what they could have gotten. Not judging the trade. I really don't care. The Sox are in the "prove something" stage with me. They've sucked for so long, I'll just wait and see now.

QUOTE (Ro Da Don @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 08:21 AM) We already have been lousy for 10 years almost dude. But you're suggesting we keep doing the same thing and refuse to try new methods to build a club? Yeah because Robin was that bad of a manager. This is a unique situation. We have a star in Abreu, good combo at 2B in Saladino/Lawrie, great SS and great 3B. We have average to above average hitter in LF, good player in center and total stiff in right. We have nothing at catcher. We have EXCELLENT rotation and a good closer. s***ty set up guys. No DH right now. So you spend 50 million more and get some replacements and fricking get in the playoffs. Instead a total rebuild when we have HORRIBLE scouts. Not smart. QUOTE (soxforlife05 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 08:31 AM) Spending big on quality free agents would be one new method. Not sure why JR is such a nit with this team he's going to die and he's not going to take any of the money with him. I approve this post. QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 6, 2016 -> 08:41 AM) It almost feels like we're going more in the direction of the Expos/Marlins under Loria after overspending for a decade (compared to results/WAR/incoming revenues). Between being penned in by the Cubs and needing to be terrible for a couple of seasons to accumulate 2 more Top 5 draft picks, it's a logical enough direction just to slash payroll to 2005 levels and hope to ride out the storm to where you can put out a decent product on the field in 2019 and then legitimately compete for a playoff spot in 2020 (Of course, that would be 12 seasons in between playoff appearances, while the Cubs are expected to be in Year 4/5 of their run.) That means someone like Robles (just as an example) would be arriving anywhere from mid 2018 to the beginning of the 2019 season. So we're going to win 65 games a year max during the Cub dynasty. Hmmm ... I'm not sure we'll have a fanbase after that. You know, when you have a pathetic baseball team, there are other things to do in the summer. A family might go to one Sox game for old times sake, but there is minor league baseball, movies, trips to the lake, etc. I don't think the White Sox will be able to afford a rebuild unless attendance truly means nothing and it's all about TV money and parking/concessions/ticket sales mean little to nothing. Let's say we do get good again at some point ... we'll need a star like Abreu; we'll need a No. 1 like Sale and we'll need a closer like David. This is not a way to win, folks.

It's the holiday season and I just read a scathing review of "It's a Wonderful Life." Said it was depressing and George Bailey was not a good man in that he yelled at his wife and kids and hired incompetent people like Uncle Billy, blah blah. I always thought that was a good Xmas movie. When the city has his back and fixes the problem with the bank bankruptcy that's pretty touching I feel. Anyhow ... I wondered if any of you agreed with the reviewer that that movie blows and/or is overrated? List your top 3 Xmas movies. Mine are. ... 1.) It's a Wondy Life. 2.) Scrooge with Alastair Sim. 3.) Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase. I think there are some other good ones. But for my money Jimmy Stewart gives a knockout performance in that old old movie and I think the reviewer was harsh. I feel there was good acting in It's a Wonderful Life.

I don't get it. Jerry is getting old. We have some great ballplayers on our team who were poorly managed by Robin. Now instead of giving it a chance with Renteria (albeit he is no Joe Madden, Terry Francona or Gardy) and buying some actual good players/reliever to go with what we have, we're going to gamble on a total rebuild? And why the hell should we trust our scouts, who can't scout an AL Central team to save their lives, to get the right players for that rebuild? We could be a lousy ballclub for 10-15 years. Jerry is no spring chicken. Why in the hell would he approve a total rebuild when it's going to be painful?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 5, 2016 -> 04:42 AM) https://www.yahoo.com/tv/why-alec-baldwin-t...-204007831.html Trump exhibits many of the classic indicating signs of dictators like Mussolini and Berlusconi from the more modern media age Yeah but we have checks and balances. Good luck to him trying to do anything dastardly.

Lot of talk about Puig. Why do we want to trade Abreu so bad and deal FOR Puig? I thought we only wanted minor league prospects in rebuilding. Puig is 25 and a big leaguer. Abreu is only 29. Why not keep them both?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 5, 2016 -> 05:05 AM) What are the odds that Sale lowers his value (pitching in an impossible situation where wins and losses don't matter) or, even worse, gets injured? How can we calculate the cost to have guys like Eaton and Sale knowing they have no chance at a playoff spot...and how that will affect other players (mood/attitude/chemistry/clubhouse environment) we might be bringing in? Not to mention Renteria wanting to put his own imprint on the young players from the very beginning. Hard to calculate, but that's a real thing as well. I think a good GM could have dealt some of these guys to contenders before the trade deadline and got way more than they're going to get now. No excuse for not trading Robertson, Melky, Avi, Frazier, our catchers, Nate Jones, Duke last season. Hope we can get a bundle of can't miss prospects for Sale this winter.

With all the tweets and gotcha moments in the campaign, isn't it obvious the public is fighting back against PC? We just elected a person who offended almost everybody imaginable on social media. People are sick of the PC stuff. Again, Trump offended everybody and the country elected him president yet we're just waiting for the next 'gotcha' tweet posting.

The Sox deserve all the mocking. If they don't acquire the right young players, this rebuild may be mocked as well. I can't believe the Sox don't a.) hire the best proven manager possible and b.) go the free agent route to fill holes with GOOD players. If we had an excellent manager and just a few more good players, we'd be a perennial playoff team. Now we have to have this manager 3-4 years during the rebuild. My hope is someday we hire a difference maker manager like Maddon or Francona.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 28, 2016 -> 04:49 PM) She IS challenging them publicly by being involved in the recount process. Just because she is lying to the people about it, doesn't make it true. Great post. The Clintons need to go away the problem is so does Trump.

I love Obama the Sox fan. Does he have enough money to be any kind of White Sox owner?? He's not rolling in cash is he? I don't think so anyway.

So if you are Kubiak do you try a 62 yard field goal, knowing if he misses it KC will very likely win the game? I think if he doesn't try the field goal he gets reamed on talk radio and social media and fans rip him a new one. However ... a 62-yard field goal?? I guess he was able to go for it and not take any heat because of the altitude in Denver and fact the kicker has a realistic shot at making it if he properly boots the ball. I know why he tried the game-winning field goal, but in second-guessing retrospect, it cost him the game. Should be interesting to see how his team bounces back after a disappointing loss like that.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Nov 27, 2016 -> 07:26 AM) Yes. This can't happen. Doesn't matter which side you are on or lean towards. If this recount determines HRC should be president lock your doors. There will be blood in the streets, lone wolf attacks in DC and state capital cities- people will die. All faith in government and the democratic system will be severely challenged or lost. Am i crazy? Too bad there isn't a way to just let Obama serve two more years, blame the Russians for interfering. Then tell both parties to get their act together and find some real candidates. Both sides picked horrific candidates in 2016.

Would anybody really be surprised if Hillary is deemed winner of the states where voting was so close? https://www.yahoo.com/news/jill-stein-raise...-170320584.html

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 25, 2016 -> 09:39 PM) ok now you are just moving the goalposts. You first started by saying that top 20 teams would lose more often than not to non conference opponents on the road, now you are talking about a blue blood winning at home by 40(against who? non conference? conference?) and then contrasting it with road CONFERENCE teams which is an entirely different beast. Look greg, i know you know college bball, im not stupid. You know just as well as anyone that Kansas may have problems beating WSU at Wichita year to year. But you arent saying that. You are basically saying that Kansas will more often than not lose to any non-conference team they play on the road and that is just categorically untrue. Cream(talent) rises to the top, top 20 teams usually have a lot of it. Fair enough. I know in the Big 12 Kansas under Self has won a ton of road games and could probably go in many gyms and win. Almost every other team, however, has a pathetic road record the past 14 years. But your point is well taken.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 25, 2016 -> 04:05 PM) Come on, this is ridiculous. Would they get beat? Yea, sometimes. But more often than they would win? Hell no Teams can't win on the road. It's the age old problem for teams. Oft times a blue blood will win by 40 at home and be lucky to win by 2-3 in the road conference rematch.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 25, 2016 -> 04:42 PM) You are amazed that corrupt politicians try and corrupt elections in order to keep their jobs? I'm amazed we can't have fair elections in the USA.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 25, 2016 -> 06:29 AM) It's more likely you were always a Republican and were led to believe that Obama would bring change or a "breath of fresh air" into politics. Whether they're called Reagan Democrats or the forgotten/overlooked Rust Belt voters of 2016, it amounts to the Democrats failing to present a compelling narrative or story to counter what Trump was selling. No new jobs are coming back. Those were replaced MOSTLY by automation and advanced technology, and secondarily by lower labor rates in 2nd and 3rd world developing economies. It remains to be seen if he's willing to provoke a trade war with China or Mexico. So far, the stock market and value of the dollar have skyrocketed, but that's mostly benefiting the Top 10% of Americans that have significant incomes from investments. There is unlikely to be another Great Depression...just more hollowing out of the Middle Class. Maybe it's a good thing with education costs skyrocketing that families are forced to re-evaluate BA/BS degrees in terms of return on investment, and what other avenues to making livable wages without a degree are actually out there (obviously, starting or spurring more small businesses, but that takes loans/capital/collateral.) The Wall is a mistake, except in the sense that it will spur SOME economic growth if Americans are building it. But it's not going to be effective, it's more symbolic. People will continue to tunnel under, and go around via the Pacific or Gulf of Mexico. It sends the wrong message, that America isn't a country of immigrants, it's a country of "the right kind of immigrants," and everyone else who's not white or highly-educated should stay out. Except for Chinese and Indian workers in STEM subjects who are willing to work for 25-33% of what Americans would expect to earn in those same low and mid-level tech jobs, just to get their foot in the door. Nice post Caulfield. Thought provoking.

QUOTE (juddling @ Nov 25, 2016 -> 07:46 AM) R.I.P Mrs. Brady----Florence Henderson From everything I've read she was a wonderful lady and had a wonderful life. Rest in peace. From all indications the world should be thankful for her years on it. Did she die on Thanksgiving? Pretty fitting. She also was not sick, just suddenly had heart failure or something and left quickly. Again, Ms. Brady. Rest in Peace.