Yossarian

QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 1, 2005 -> 06:31 AM) I just read the announcement and saw the banner I've been asking for a long time why we cannot have Cub fans here. Now that Boston won a world series, I want one for Chicago. If it means the Cubs, I'll cheer just as loud. Go Chicago!! I just praised you on another thread. You were kidding weren't you?? Just like the song says, root for the White Sox and whoever plays the Cubs.

Spring training ERAs are notoriously unreliable. Nevertheless Texsox is right. There are so many question marks on this team. Just let me finish by saying that I have little faith in Contreras.

For all I know almost everyone here has me on ignore. If Crede can hit somewhere in the vicinity on .271 with a little power, then I'll definitely take it.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Mar 29, 2005 -> 04:38 PM) Apparently, the Mets have claimed Wilson Valdez off waivers. This was mentioned during the game. It looks like Pablo Ozuna is a lock for the utility infielder job. He earned it. Hopefully he'll continue to do well once the season starts. What a surprising spring training for this guy. I hope Joe Crede is paying attention.

QUOTE(studes @ Mar 28, 2005 -> 06:25 PM) Thanks a lot for all the great comments about my article. I appreciate it, and wanted to respond to a couple of them: - I totally missed that Uribe batted well in September. I should have researched that more thoroughly! - Regarding this comment: "I think the players that we had have a large part in our HR numbers, not just the park. We have had a tremendous amount of right handed power hitters in our lineup during this homerun binge. It could be a skewed number." It's true that the Sox have had a lot of righthanded power hitters, but that doesn't impact the RHB park factor. Park factors are calculated independently of who is on the team. - And regarding this comment: "I think it was weak in building a case for the Lee trade." I didn't try to build a case for the Lee trade. I tried to explain the possible thinking behind it. There's a difference. I also didn't say that getting guys in RISP was more important than getting guys who hit well in RISP. I did say that the former was a clear weakness of the Sox. I wouldn't have made the trade myself, though I don't have to worry about the team's budget. Wow, I didn't realize you had logged on here. I'd be interested in reading more of your work. It was a pleasure to read something of this caliber. Of course many of your individual points are open to debate, but you really did your homework, unlike so many in the field today. I salute you!

QUOTE(ptatc @ Mar 28, 2005 -> 04:52 PM) Don't forget to factor in what Vizcaino and Hernandez do. The trade included the reliever and the money saved allowed us to get another starter. Don't judge this trade on offensivee stats alone(it's obvious that CLee is a better hitter), factor in the upgrade in LF defense and the two pitcher's stats. I was livid when Lee was traded and I'm not high on Posednik, but I took the attitude you have, and to me that is the fairest most objective way to look at this move.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Mar 27, 2005 -> 11:59 PM) http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/...cago-white-sox/ Solid F'n preview.... I frequently complain about the state of sports journalism today. This article is solid and thorough. In fact I'm jealous. I wish I'd posted something like this here.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Mar 25, 2005 -> 06:22 PM) To play devil's advocate here -- Any sports writer who isn't egregiously wrong at least a few times in his career is guaranteed to produce the most boring columns on the planet. (Phil Rogers once said that Sammy was more likely than Bonds to pass Aaron. How's that looking?) Having to produce something interesting hundreds of times every year means you have to go out on a limb and be provocative. I'm sure a lot of these guys, if they were giving you their true beliefs, would admit a lot of uncertainty. (Heck, the stats people may even give you confidence intervals.) But of course that doesn't sell. Or get people so worked up that they go berserk on a message board. Just take it with a grain of salt. I think this board is generally too sanguine about our chances, but I still found this a little out there. Mostly for the reasons already mentioned. In a worst case scenario, I guess I can see the Sox having a season like this. But projecting it as a most-likely scenario -- that's hard to fathom. Good post. For the most part I agree. Still many sports analysts today smugly shoot from the hip and are guilty of a lot of sloppy research. Like the guy linked in another thread who said the Sox had "Sconeweis" in the pen.

That's just what I mean. Today's sports journalists are so full of themselves, and most of them don't know s***. If one of them makes a whopper of a mistake like calling Ichiro a "glorified AAA hitter" you never find them owning up to it.

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Mar 25, 2005 -> 03:19 PM) Wille represents the best speed off the bench. He might make it for that reason. The way they are using Burke tells me they are looking at him as both a 3rd C & corner IF. I think he makes it as well. Sure bets: Timo, Gload, Ozuna 4 men 3 spots: Davis, Harris, Burke, Ozuna If Davis is not traded then Harris (speed) vs Burke (contact) Tough call. I'd go with the contact hitter. Good assessment Jug. I love the Friendly quote from Demolition Man too.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 25, 2005 -> 01:24 PM) I think I just read the most absurd comment of my entire life. 1) Buehrle get's paid like an ace? 2) Buehrle is a mid rotation starter Joe Sheehan you are a f***ing dips*** moron. I started reading the sports page in 1957, so I guess that makes me a fossil. The quality of all forms of journalism is not what it once was. The quality of sports journalism has fallen off of a cliff. I have a nickname that applies to the modern sportscaster/journalist. Blow dried assholes. Great suits and hairstyles, nothing much between the ears. Welcome to the club Joe Sheehan.

QUOTE(tonyho7476 @ Mar 24, 2005 -> 08:19 AM) So far I am scared about this guy. I hope this pans out. Contreras is the guy that scares me. If El Duque is healthy he'll do fine. I wish that Garland had his drive and determination.

Why is it always "if" this and "if" that for Frank. If he had played on the north side, ..... oh what the hell why bother? Frank hasn't helped himself at times with the media, but honestly he never gets the benefit of anything with them.

I don't spend a lot of time on this part of the board, but after reading the above I was primed to make a very long post. Then I figured who the hell's gonna care? So I'll keep it reasonably short and sweet. Academia does tilt far to the left, at least as far as most disciplines that would fall under the heading "liberal arts" are concerned. If you try to crack their little monopoly while attempting a past 40 career change then good luck unless you are in lock step. I found that out the hard way. Concerning evolution, just let me say I love science. That's why I reject this theory as it's taught. I'm not particularly religious and I don't think the world is 6 or 7 thousand years old either. I've seen California law school professor Phillip Johnson make mince meat out of evolutionary scientists in public forums. Johnson is not a member of the religious right. When Galileo first positied his theory centuries ago politics in the form of church authorities moved to censor him. The politicization of science continues to this day. In the 70's and 80's we were told that a New Ice Age was imminent. Today the same authorities preach that we're all going to get roasted in the coming hot house caused by "global warming." I guess I have too much time on my hands. I actually check these things out. In time, real science will win out and I suspect it will lead to much hand wringing and lamenting among the scientific and political elites. They're joined at the hip.

QUOTE(JimH @ Mar 23, 2005 -> 09:57 AM) Crede at .179 and that swing still looks long to me. Harris at .194 - here is a guy who needed to have a good spring and it's not happening. For guys like this who are under the microscope, spring training results are more important than for, say, Paul Konerko. Crede and Harris are both under pressure. If these results are indicative of how they perform under pressure, that's a problem. No one should overreact to spring training stats or results but neither of these guys look good to me at this point. Nor to me either. They both look like they are about to washout. Hope they find their "A" games once the season starts.

QUOTE(TheBlackSox8 @ Mar 21, 2005 -> 02:17 PM) i would like to know his response.... I haven't received on as yet and don't expect to get one.

I sent him a scathing email. In my work, I have virtually no margin for error. There's no excuse for this kind of sloppy reporting. I can say in all honesty that the quality of journalism in general has fallen off a cliff in my lifetime. Sports journalism is probably the worst.

I don't count Contreras as a legitimate starter, although he is welcome to change my mind.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Mar 21, 2005 -> 10:40 AM) I would like to nominate this for the worst thread of the year. I second that.

This sounds serious and I don't care if it's June or July, give MB all the time he needs. With a tender foot you can alter your throwing motion and then wreck your arm, like what happened to Dizzy Dean a long time ago. This news sucks and that's the only way to put it. I don't expect young B Mac to come in and be Rookie of the Year, although it would be nice if he could. He probably needs another year or so in the minors. Lights out in spring training isn't the same as lights out when the games really count. This is very discouraging. I'd say if I had to pick one player the Sox could least afford to lose it would be Mark Buerhle.

QUOTE(Steff @ Mar 20, 2005 -> 01:14 AM) And he also said at the hearings and today that he made a mistake. Regardless.. I think he's right... that they are here to stay unless something drastic is done. Truth hurts I guess.. I agree that they are here to stay unless something is done. The quote I listed was mild compared to some others I could have lifted from his "book". Self serving and superficial would best describe it, great literature it ain't. I firmly believe that Jose spoke his truth, and now he backpedals because it is the expedient thing to do. He almost makes Barry Bonds look like a gentleman. That's what I would tell him if we ever met.

QUOTE(Steff @ Mar 19, 2005 -> 07:48 PM) I went to get my book signed by Jose today in Naperville... Told him I thought he did great on Thursday and he even entertained me when I asked a few questions. He was very nice to everyone that was there (300+ people), and awesome with the kids (don't do drugs in a very serious manner, not proud of himself, etc..). I’m tired of hearing such short-sighted crap from people who have no idea what they’re talking about. Steroids are here to stay. That’s a fact. I guarantee it. Steroids are the future. By the time my eight-year-old daughter, Josie, has graduated from high school, a majority of all professional athletes — in all sports — will be taking steroids. And believe it or not, that’s good news. The above is direct from Jose in his book.So glad to see he was nice to you and all the kiddies at the book signing.

What about Minnie and the HOF? He at the very least deserves more consideration than he's gotten to date. The Veterans Committee has shafted him. They've completely ignored Billy Pierce. If Pierce had pitched for the Yanks folks would say Whitey who? If Minnie had started his ML career at 22 or 23 instead of 28 he'd have made the HOF a long time ago. There's no crying in baseball, but just like life itself it isn't always fair.

The Sox are a very iffy team. They could be a division winner or they could finish in 3rd like this "expert" prognosticator wrote. Crede, Dye, Posednik, El Duque, Conteras, Iguchi are all counted on to produce. I'm not sure every one of them will. The way I see it, we have two solid starters and three question marks. The bullpen should be solid. Lots of maybes in the starting lineup. Ozzie got the team revamped the way he wanted it. Now we'll just have to see how it all turns out.

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Mar 18, 2005 -> 11:46 AM) Who on here? I was unaware. "Here" being the operative word. You know kind of like Clinton with the word "is". Actually I meant "here" in a much more general sense as in "here" in the good old USA, not necessarily "here" at good old Soxtalk.