greg775

I'm off this week: Should I go to Ted or Spiderman? Or Savages? All three are playing.

QUOTE (flippedoutpunk @ Jul 10, 2012 -> 04:40 AM) Greg i just want you to know im a big fan and if youre ever at a sox game that im at, ill buy you an ice cold o'douls I think you are joking cause O'Douls is non alcoholic. I'll be at Friday's Sox-KC game tho. QUOTE (Reddy @ Jul 10, 2012 -> 05:21 AM) Greg what's the one common denominator between last years under-performing Sox team and this years under-performing Marlins team? You're gonna tell us that it's PURELY coincidence? Yes it is coincidence. Have you taken a look at Oz's overall body of work in Chicago? It's a winning culture under Oz. Rotten last 2 seasons but even then decent records. QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jul 10, 2012 -> 05:46 AM) Obviously Mark Buehrle getting the f*** out of town was the best thing to ever happen to the White Sox. I love Mark Buehrle. Blasphemy.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 11:45 PM) How many articles has Greg posted in here? I this last bout I kinda agree with Greg. Somewhere in MLB the word "professional" has to set in for players. These players want the big checks and get pampered. They are very fortunate people. In the real world people can do a great job and still get fired. Players usually don't need motivation around contract time. Isn't the whole point of the Miami Marlins thread just to get a rise out of Greg. The people of Florida are not interest in the Marlins. Why should we? You can't find me bringing up Ozzie in any thread. I respond to those who attack him.

I don't know about that. He doesn't seem like the type of guy to do the steroid thing.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 09:10 PM) That statement right there is why people think about you the way they do. That's a manager's job, to get players to perform as best as they can, because that usually means they will win. Just win, baby. The millionaire players win games; the manager is a genius. The millionaire players lose games, the manager is a bum. Been that way forever; will be that way forever.

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 04:42 AM) Wow, those prices are completely absurd. $12,500.00 isn't justifiable even if it came with open bar and an AB during the actual game. What happens if nobody buys that guy's tickets? How does stubhub work? He's not going to sell them for 12,000 bucks apiece, so what will happen to the tix? The guy needs to come down to about $1,000 to have a chance. BTW it is finally raining here in KC area; first rain in weeks.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 06:37 PM) It truly is a story I've read many a time, normally while wondering why the White Sox were under-performing. You can't blame Ozzie for Heath Bell turning into a disaster. You can't blame Ozzie for a player punching a fan. Times are tough in Miami. But I'm sure there's enough blame to go around without blaming it on the manager solely. The owner prolly should have kept McKeon a few years. But Ozzie will win there if his players ever produce consistently.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 01:58 PM) Our system is f***ed for the reason you point out - the same groups of people are putting the same types of people into positions of power who only work for their own self-interest. We should have term limits, we should have better campaign finance rules, and we should do everything we can to have more than two major political powers. Yes, I agree in the end the voter holds all the power. But i'm convinced that 80% of this country is full of morons. The "OMG Obama is gonna pay for my gas! or OMG the gays have brought upon this drought!" crowd care more about who wins American Idol than they do who is President. The two major parties know it, they've fabricated this bulls*** "us against them" mentality because they know that even if they lose THIS election, the next one is right around the corner and it's always a 50/50 game. Great great post. QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 07:48 PM) Here's an example of why our system sucks: Obama wants to extend the Bush tax cuts for people making less than $250k. A good compromise in that it (1) keeps taxes low for the people that need them to be low, but (2) keeps taxes for those that can most afford it in a time when tax revenues are in demand. So, you'd think a wonderful democratic system would help him achieve that good compromise, but nope! Not even his own party will go along with that. They want to extend the cut threshold to A MILLION DOLLARS. Because people that make ONE MILLION DOLLARS ...INDIVIDUALLY.... PER YEAR are really in need of not having to pay some additional taxes. They are starving in the bread lines with the rest of us. And you think, well this is silly. Surely if these congressmen REPRESENT their constituents they would think the other way, because the vast majority of individuals within their districts would not fall anywhere near the ONE MILLION DOLLAR....INDIVIDUALLY....PER YEAR threshold. Ah, but who pays to get those people into office? THE PEOPLE IN THE MILLION DOLLAR f***ING THRESHOLD, so of course they - Republican or Democrat - will completely and utterly f*** this up so that at the end of the day the middle class will get f***ed again. Sigh. Excellent post. What a country.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 06:41 PM) What in the world is wrong with Mizzou fans booing Bill Self? It's the biggest rivalry in the area. I'm sure a Mizzou coach would be booed by some Kansas fans too. And an NFL quarterback that makes big money and sucks will get booed in any town. Why they would boo Sweeney I have no idea. You had to be there. It was a shake your head, what the f*** is going on here atmosphere. They booed Self unmercifully each time at bat. It was stupid and out of place at an event like that. And the booing of Cassel was sickening. Again, just the mention of "Kansas City" should have brought out polite cheers. I blame it on the Internet age. Everybody hates everybody. It was ridiculous booing of the local people involved in the game. And booing Sweeney? WTF? These people are f***ing insane out here. They hate everybody.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 05:40 AM) http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/09/2887...ppointment.html No All-Stars with Stanton out. Hanley punched a fan and needed 2 stitches. Guillen called him immature. White Sox can't win at home or draw fans. Boo! Did he punch a Miami fan?

I see David Glass walked out on a 610 radio interview yesterday after the questions turned to him possibly selling the team and asking him about spending money. The natives are really getting restless here. People think of the Midwest as friendly. Tonight the 40,000 at Kauffman Stadium booed Matt Cassel in the celebrity softball game heavily; the Missouri fans there rained boos on Bill Self and even former Royal Mike Sweeney got booed. I mean that is acting like Red Sox fans. Wow! Tonight at the Home Run Derby, Cano will be booed and jeered heavily for not picking Butler to compete. KC is the laughingstock of baseball the past 20 years and people here are really pissed. I mean booing Self and Cassel was embarrassing. And booing Sweeney? My god. What did he ever do???

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 8, 2012 -> 10:00 AM) Who would u cheer for if the Royals played the Marlins? Nobody; I wouldn't go to that game. What if Buehrle was pitching for the Royals against Ozzie? Would never happen; KC is too cheap to pick up a high paid pitcher. Kauffman is a great stadium, tho. looked great today at the Futures game.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 9, 2012 -> 03:14 AM) Greg- Here is the thing. Kap says it is about "what's in it for me", Balta says it actually works because we disagree and the system allows for that, and you say it doesn't work at all. You are all correct. Here, to me, is the biggest (but not only) variable in this equation that throws the whole thing out of whacK; The wolf in the hen house. The system we have is the best there is, in my view, in the world, probably ever. The checks and balances in place are just artistically brilliant. They are not, however, perfect. The biggest chink in that armor, where poison can leak in, is when any branch of government is responsible for holding itself accountable in a way that is self-detrimental by nature. Campaign Finance. The way people are elected to Congress and the Presidency (and how SCOTUS is filled by method), as it stands, creates a situation where corruption and self-interest have enough power over the officials that it often overwhelms the greater good. And the only body that can change these rules is Congress itself. This is the nuts running the asylum. Now, the thing that SHOULD be the main check against that, is YOU. The voter. The less involved and less informed the voting public is, and the few people who bother to get involved or even just vote... the further entrenched their self-interest can become. Basically, its your fault. Peace. -NSS72 Nice post, but my point is, we elect a person and it's like his/her campaign meant nothing. He/she gets elected and suddenly he/she joins the partisan game. If a Democratic president comes up with a good solution, ah, the republican politician doesn't like that. Of course the Republican can't support something of Obamas. Ditto if a Republication president comes up with a good plan. The other side has to blast it. I don't see it changing. NOTHING IS GETTING DONE in government. You say it's my fault. It's not because whomever we elect turns into a moron once in office. Nobody wants to lead; they want their own parties to succeed and that's it. I say the public needs to call them on this. Give us some solutions. Nobody has any money. Years are flying by.

QUOTE (High Mileage @ Jul 8, 2012 -> 08:55 AM) I do not have tickets to the ASG but I will be in attendance for tomorrow's Futures Game. Things use to be that way, but now they actually extend guys to get at least 2-3 more years. Greinke, Gordon, Butler, Soria, Perez, and Escobar were all extended by Dayton Moore. They were even worse for even longer. They both annually had higher picks than the Royals. Well the bullpen thing must've recently changed. It may have been early last week but I heard it numerous times on our Fox Sports broadcasts. Escobar has the highest average among AL shortstops. He's third in OBP, second in SLG, second in OPS. Third in total hits, tied for first in doubles. I guess I shouldn't have been so vague. I'll be at the futures game too. And I got my tix for friday night's sox-royals.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 07:59 PM) Yes. The American economy will eventually pull out of this stagnant period. That is the normal end result of economic slowdowns...eventually they turn around as items need to be replaced and as people retire/as things are invented. I sure hope so. This downturn is lasting so long that my fear is companies are learning to make-do with fewer staff and will never re-hire people to the former levels or close to them. That companies will continue to have pay freezes and treat the employees like s*** with the mantra, "At least you have a job," the overriding rallying cry of management to employees. At one of our meetings where pay was frozen for a year, some peon moron had the nerve to say, "At least we all have jobs," out loud, to audible groans. I hope you are correct, but the downturn has lasted so long, it seems like our country's businesses are making do with less and will never re-hire a significant amount of people they laid off. QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 08:09 PM) Get with what? His preferred policies and programs. This and all of the other 'Centrist' pleas for political congeniality are really just pleas to follow that person's policy preferences. I disagree. I think the guy was sincere about telling Americans we can do better. Your statement also backs up my concern about America today. You said that all pleas for political congeniality are bulls***. Well, sir, how in the hell is our country EVER going to rebound economically if this is the attitude?? I think we are past the point of ever having a leader who can get anything DONE. Why? Because the minute a leader comes up with a proposal like health care reform it is BATTERED by the other side. Americans IMO are now incapable of letting somebody come up with real solutions, cause the opposing side politically considers it a major defeat. True it has always been this way to a certain extent, but cmon people, who cares if a Democrat or Republican comes up with solutions ... WE NEED SOLUTIONS!!! But if there's a foreign attack on our soil or some evil leader in some other country doing something stupid ... oh we'll have a consensus there. That's one thing that will bring Americans together. Stopping the evil assholes in other countrys. Well ... fine. But we need to fix problems here. Can all of you say with CERTAINTY we in 20 years will remain the best country in the world??? The economic leaders of the world?

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 11:06 PM) Not end his season but probably give him like a 2 start break at some point. That should be OK, then. Giving him a week off or week and a half shouldn't decide the division.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 11:13 PM) He has a $12 or $13 million team option for 2013....or a $1 million buyout. No signing or re-signing argument, the numbers are already clear. Yeah, there's no way the Sox will pay him that.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 11:28 PM) I'm a huge fan of Viciedo but I think the Sox should trade him to AZ for Justin Upton. AZ is willing to trade Upton and would be great to see the Sox get him. Upton, DeAza and Rios would give us a lot of great defense in the OF. Upton will also add speed, great OBP and power to our lineup. My ideal lineup would be 1 DeAza CF 2 Youk 3B 3 Rios RF 4 Konerko 1B 5 DunnDH 6 Upton LF 7 AJ C 8 Alexei SS 9 Beckham Doesn't Upton make a gazillion dollars? Sox are not in the mood to pay players big bucks right now it seems.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 08:04 PM) Good post, Greg, and I really think the mgr's contribution to success or failure is less than most people want to believe. However, IMO, ONE of the positives of our manager's style that seems to be rubbing off on some of the players, is actually giving a damn. Ozzie was phoning it in for years. Maybe. That's possible. I don't agree that Ozzie was phoning it in, though. I don't see any evidence of that. I haven't read any articles accusing him of that. I remember watching the games we won last year and they'd show those dugout shots of Ozzie pumping his fist and getting all excited when we got a big hit, etc. I am puzzled why you would say he was phoning it in. What does that mean anyway? Ozzie could be accused of sticking with the high paid guys who were not producing: Rios and Dunn. s***, I'd have done the same thing. Kenny acquired those guys and the Sox pay them huge money and on paper they were way better than anything else the Sox had, except maybe Tank. He was loyal to a fault to Rios/Dunn and they just didn't hit. And in Rios' case he didn't field either. The bullpen also was blah to s***ty. Is that Oz phoning it in ? I don't see how benching Dunn/Rios was possible considering their salaries, yet a lot of people on this board use that as evidence of Oz phoning it in. I'd have played the high playing underachievers (last year) like Oz did. QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 08:23 PM) This thread should be called "Bring out the worst in Greg". That made me smile as well. Good line. The thread should be retitled: "Let's ride Ozzie's ass for quitting on the White Sox and having good for nothing kids."

QUOTE (soxmaniac! @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 01:29 AM) your use of question marks makes you come off as a condescending douche. just saying. This post made me smile; it was kind of funny.

QUOTE (High Mileage @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 09:42 PM) I've been a Royals fan all my life. I'm 26 years old, I was born in 1985 when the Royals won the World Series. It's been a rough ride, but no matter how s***ty they are or have been, they are still my team. This year we were pretty much told we should be competitive in a weak AL Central, but probably wouldn't be able to keep up with the Tigers. We were told the rotation was legit with Hochevar, Bruce Chen, Danny Duffy, and Jonathan Sanchez with Everett Teaford, Nate Adcock, Felipe Paulino, Vin Mazzaro, and Luis Mendoza competing for the 5th spot. The front office didn't do anything like go after Oswalt, Lose, Edwin Jackson, Paul Maholm, Gio Gonzalez, or any other halfway decent starter. Jonathan Broxton was brought in to be a set-up man. Jose Mijares was brought in as a quality lefty reliever. We were told that should be plenty. We needed a utility fielder, so they brought back Yuniesky Betancourt. I don't understand that one. We dumped Mike Aviles to the Red Sox for Yamaico Navarro, the flipped Navaro after 6 games to the Pirates for two mid level, marginal prospects. Lorenzo Cain was suppose to step in and be a big defensive upgrade over Melky Cabrera, while still bringing a decent bat. Then he got hurt. Salvador Perez shoe flashes of greatness last year behind the plate and with the bat, but he got hurt before the season and just returned last week. Joakim Soria got hurt and got TJ surgery for the second time. Then Lorenzo Cain got hurt, he's on his rehab assignment still. Meanwhile Melky is an All-Star starter for the Giants and a serious MVP Candidate. He's shown that his huge year last season with the Royals was no fluke. Jarrod Dyson has been our primary centerfielder. Reliever Blake Wood got hurt, TJ surgery for him. The FO went out and traded two different mid level, marginal prospects to the Astros for catcher Humberto Quintero and former White Sox great, outfielder Jason Bourgeois(sp?). Brayan Pena and Quintero have been pretty s***ty with the bat, Perez, has been hitting since he's been back. Quintero has been released. Danny Duffy went down, TJ for him too. Felipe Paulino. Injured. TJ surgery as well. Eric Hosmer still isn't hitting much. Mike Moustakas has been a huge surprise offensively and defensively. He has expressed his desire to sign long-term. Billy Butler is a well deserving All-Star. He's finally show ability to hit homers on a regular basis. Alcides Escobar has been spectacular defensively and offensively. They said when we got him that he wouldn't hit much. He's arguably the best hitting shortstop in the AL and was All-Star worthy. Alex Gordon started off really slow but has cone around and he's been pretty good offensively and he's made some huge plays in left this year, do.t be surprised if he wins his 2nd consecutive Gold Glove. Jeff Francoeur has regressed. He's pretty much blocking top prospect Wil Myers. Our GM Dayton Moore has had a hard on for Jeff Francoeur since he scouted him in high school while Moore was with the Braves. They are close friends. Moore won't be pulling the plug on Frenchy anytime soon no matter how bad it gets. Frenchy is under contract for another season after this one for $6.75M. Chris Getz has been good when he's been on the field, but he's been on the DL three times already. He's on rehab in Omaha, and hitting well. Johnny Giavotella can't hit or field, his window may be closed. Betancourt has seen a lot of playing time at 2nd, he's awful. They need to go out and get somebody. The bullpen has been rock solid all season. They been the best in the league, and have pitched more than any bullpen in the league due to our starters being so s***ty. TIM Collins had All-Star numbers. Broxton has been shaky each outing but also was a worthy All-Star. Aaron acrow and Greg Holland have been solid as well. Mijares too. Ned Upstate has done some really, really stupid things this season. Like sitting our best hitter (Billy Butler) for three consecutive games against an NL opponent at their park, so we could have better defense at 1st (Hosmer). Francoeur has been our primary clean up hitter. I don't think this team can be taken seriously until something is done with the rotation. Jonathan Sanchez needs to go, dude is worthless. I am going t be upset this off-season when the Royals don't even attempt to sign Greinke or Kansas City native Shawn Marcum. Top prospect Jake Odorizzi was the key piece in the Greinke to Milwaukee trade, and he appears to be ready. He along with Wil Myers will be playing in the Futures Game. This years' 5th overall pick, starting pitcher Kyle Zimmer is suppose to be quick to the big leagues. This team also seems incapable of winning more than four in a row. I've got to say they are out of it as of now despite having 15 games left with the White Sox. If they make a run and make a real move or two that could change, but I'm not holding my breath. Bottomline is that money needs to be spent in the free agency to fill in the gaps. Our farm system has produced well and there are more guts coming, but it hasn't produced much starting pitching. The FO has been relying too heavily on the farm and scrap heap finds. Our $61M payroll says it all. It's 4th lowest in baseball. Attendance is up over 5,000 fans per game. They got the All-Star Game this year, money needs to be spent. You got tickets to the all-star game? This current Sox hot streak coupled with a s***ty road trip by KC has the Royals 9.5 out. That really sucks for KC because KC was hanging within five games in the loss column for a long long time. The Royals excuse this year is injuries. There's always something. If Hosmer gets hot the second half to go with Sox-killer Butler, KC could beat the Sox 10 out of 15 though and pick up five games that way. KC seems to do very well against Sox last few seasons. However, the Sox hitters may finally lick their chops against KC. The Royals' rotation is miserable right now. Rany or somebody was saying recently KC should have its starters go five innings max and just bring in the brigade of power relievers. Had we not picked up Youk, I'd say KC would own the Sox second half. Youk seems to be adding a tone of legitimacy to our team right now. I think I'll go see some Sox-KC games in Kauffman this year.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 11:03 PM) He just got his first hit since the trade. Has he made a lot of outs or not played much? I'd think the Boston fans will boo him out of Beantown if he hits .100ish.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 10:45 PM) If they really plan to shutdown SALE, and Danks is out for the year, I see no other option. Are they just going to end Sale's season at a certain point? That will be a strange day, especially if the Sox are a playoff team. It's amazing how starting pitchers have to be coddled in the modern era.

I may have to go to some Sox-Royals games at Kauffman this year. The team looks like a contender at this time. Maybe Youk can help reverse the post all-star game hex on the team the last few seasons.

How's Lilly doing in Boston? I haven't checked the boxes. How did Bill James approve this trade? Is he still advising for Boston? Youk has been amazing. He's totally reversed our team's fortunes in the Cell.