LDF

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 05:30 PM) If LaRoche could hit 20 HRs and hit .260/.320 against RHP that would be such a needed pick me up. let me ask this question. i am looking for the worst case. even if he hit like last yr, and say with a hr range from 15-20, i still think he will help, don't you??

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 05:27 PM) Yeah, 90 wins means we hit our ZiPs projections AND some. And those are about as rosy as they are going to get. and that is barring any injury or bad luck. however that can be said about any team. right? either way, a nice start for the week.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 06:10 PM) So how about that Desmond guy? Could cut the tension w a knife in here. i am going to stick my neck out here. i am happy with saladino..... as long as the sox use the resources to get an of'er.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 06:02 PM) Couldn't agree more. I was one of those fans that liked every move the FO made last year with the exception of the Samardzija trade and that was only because he was a one year rental. I've gotten over it, moved on and consider that trade as one of those things that just didn't work out. Such is life. As others have said, LaRoche can't possibly get any worse than he was last year so any improvements from him will help. I believe Melky will be a more consistent player and consider his first half of '15 as more of an outlier. Overall, the IF is improved on defense and especially on offense with the addition of Frazier and to a lesser extent Lawrie. As of right now, the team is much more of a power threat than it was just one year ago. Hopefully Hahn adds another OF bat so that Avi can platoon with LaRoche and maybe begin playing some LF against LHP when LaRoche is on the bench and hopefully Melky is in the DH spot. Who knows, maybe Avi is better suited for LF. It's just beyond me how anyone can complain when looking at the players the Sox have added and subtracted. Imo, the subtractions are equally as important as the additions and could very well make a huge difference in the brand of baseball we see on the South side this year in comparison to last year. I'm seriously excited to see what the Sox do this year. Hopefully, Hahn will be able to add another bat and preferably an outfielder. excellent, excellent post.... and i agree. yeah i can some complaints, esp with laroche, but i can also see Avi as a platoon, esp in the beginning of the season, where laroche has started off slow .... during his career. the sox got extremely lucky in latos, attitude aside, the fix at 2 and 3 baseball..... fantastic. . the 2 catchers... great move. now for me, pls get the team an of'er????

going back to the mets, i wonder if the sox can unload some of their surplus RP to the mets for players of some quality.

QUOTE (aryzner @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 04:54 PM) I'll have some of what they're smoking. Also, the NL as a whole is terrible. good call, that NL West doesn't seem right.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 04:51 PM) I've only listened a couple times but that was all I needed with the Catbird Speaks podcast. On the other hand, the SSS podcast is outstanding. Great guests. Good analysis. Professional sound to it. Josh and Jim do a very good job. oh c'mon now, those guys were a head of their times to be doing this as a fan base ...... i love it.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 04:48 PM) WE ARE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!! http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2...otals/80389576/ wow..... i love it. i hope it is true.

QUOTE (BrianAnderson @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 04:43 PM) I don't think we're a terrible fan base. I think that we've been burned. Whether, before really my time of following, threatened to move team. To one of the most unappealing (to the eye) stadiums (functionality aside). To never really being a player in the FA market. Abreu at $68mm is our top signing ... I mean ... You take those things into consideration and I call us a fan base that gives back what is given to us. You expect me to buy 14 or 28 game plan?? I think not. a) I went on this morning to explore it -- and they are telling me the best seats available start at Section 147 on the 3B side. I know very well that there are a ton of seats from dugout to dugout. I've had season tickets before, they keep them blocked off for possible FULL season buyers. Plus, 6% or 12% discounts on prices when you buy 28 games? Screw that. You know where else I can get that discount? Scalping, when they offer the Ballpark Pass again and I just sneak down to the lower concourse ..., from company tickets for free, from discount codes for every game, etc. There is absolutely no incentive to buy partial or full season tickets to this team. Again, I've done it in the past for 3-4 seasons - and been burned money wise each year. Open up good seats for me, with incentive and I'd buy. But when your best incentive is opportunity to buy Playoff tix? First you have to make the playoffs ..... and then everybody knows, if doing well, the Sox will allow you to buy in July/August and still get that incentive. Dumb. Marketing folks are terrible. I'm a diehard, but I'm also smart. No reason to piss money on this product. I'll walk up and scalp or buy tix last minute via stubhub or craigslist. Rant over. you make a lot of good points, but the fan base for the sox will always take 2nd place. i am saying, do not compete, just make that product on the field better. this org had the opportunity to take over chi, in the 90's and even after the WS. but well, there will always be a differing of opinion why the sox failed. i will leave it at that.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 04:39 PM) Are you honestly trying to say that even after the Sox won the WS the fans didn't come to the park? That is just flat out wrong. The Sox had the third highest attendance in the AL in '06 and were outdrawn by the Cubs by just 1900 fans a game. if i remember correctly, some other poster showed the season attendance of the sox and that team from the north. the 2005 was ok. the 2006 the sox attendance was in the neighborhook of close to 2.8 mil. i think. but that team brought in over 3.0 mil. now that is what i am saying, if i am proven wrong, they i will not run away to avoid that mistake, i will admit it. but someone needs to provide the link. i am at work.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 05:16 PM) I am sorry, but coming from you, this is ridiculous. You complain about one topic and you're known on this site for what has become a shtick. If you don't think the Sox have a fickle fan base I don't know what to tell you. Certainly there's a lot of great fans of this team, but as a whole, the fanbase is weak. with all due respect, i like your counter but i need to reply or add something. the fan base is weak and will always be weak in chi. esp with the success of the northside. team. look at the WS yr and the yr after, the fan base, the fans in the seat of the team, the sox still came in second. the success of the northside, notwithstanding, the sox needs to invest to get that white, pink, what ever color elephant out of the picture. then can not let that team gain anymore media attention while producing negative attention of being frugal, being inept, or being out class. the sox has a mountain to climb, to fix this team and the infrastructure.....

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 05:15 PM) This time last year, most fans were excited about the upcoming season and praising Hahn for the moves he made. One year later, many are b****ing about those very moves because a few players under-performed and its now the front offices fault for signing/trading for players that, on paper, many agreed were pretty good moves at the time. Sometimes things do not go according to plan, that's life. I guess it's a matter of perception where one can choose to live in the past or focus on what has been done in the present to hopefully change the future. I'm excited about the moves the Sox have made so far and still believe they will add before opening day. The roster looks alot different now than it did last year. I think Hahn has done well so far and hopefully the results are better this time around. I see no reason not to be optimistic. a really good counter. for me, i was praising the moves, and i will still hold my head high for that praise, even thou i didn't like the laroche move. but i like the idea of fixing this team. 1 yrs later, i still like the move, the luck of the draw screwed up with laroche. it was still a good move. all i would like to say, do not let laroche contract of 13 mil +/- hold back this team to continue to rebuild or get the final piece in my opinion.

QUOTE (BrianAnderson @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 05:04 PM) If I'm one of these players I am telling my agent I want to wait until June. These are millionaires, they don't really care if they don't have a few months of income. Plus waiting may allow them to get a 4/44mm deal for someone like Fowler rather than like 2/24 or something. However if I am an agent I am pushing for them being signed, doesn't look good if you can't get your job done. These are my preferences: Fowler 2-3 years Jackson 1-2 years Desmond 1-2 years Anything over those years and I want to trade for my OF. excellent point, some team already did that and gave a prorated contract for the first yr, if i remember correctly.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 04:00 PM) There are several players with QO that have found teams. At least 2 of these guys will be on teams before opening day, if not all 3. strategically i think many Fa's got bad advice and did not accept the QO's. the market is flooded with fa's and that is not good. look at those who accepted the QO's, they are taking a chance and gambling on themselves. ballsy more.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:56 PM) LOL! Oh, for goodness sakes, SS2K5. You complain as much as anyone else around here. There are topics you cling to and complain about for whatever reason, such as your thoughts about the imaginary "fickle fan base". You've complained a storm up about that over the course of time! and even when an admin admits that the number of forbes are incorrect, those numbers mean sooo much more than reasoning. i am done for now on this regurgitation of the so call profit and margins numbers.

QUOTE (Tony @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 04:54 PM) This is from the site itself: Q. Are your news stories real? A. No. Our stories are purely fictional. However they are meant to address real-world issues through satire and often refer and link to real events happening in the world Q. Recent media articles have accused The Daily Currant of purposely fooling its readers, and making no attempt to make them laugh. Is this true? No. These allegations derive from an uninformed media narrative and are not supported by the facts. The Daily Currant makes millions of people laugh, and the strong majority of its traffic comes from readers who understand it to be satire. good catch. as i have said, where i live, i have breakfast with a group of NA indians-apache's. we just went on a war path, so to speak and i got worked up. thanks for correcting it.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:53 PM) No, the way to fix it is to spend money on better players. exactly, esp when the team has been screwed up by the front office. anyway, fans has a right to question, and this idea that all fans needs to be sooooo positives on everything the org does, is silly. so if i do not have the same opinion, then i am wrong for having a different one.

QUOTE (Tony @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 04:50 PM) No, I am right. The site clearly states that. There is no rhetorical question needed. The site makes up stories for amusement. It's entertainment, not news. The quote is made up for humor. many thanks for that, i guess i stand corrected on the validity of the article.

QUOTE (Tony @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:40 PM) The Daily Currant is a satirical website. you may be right, but the main question, rhetorically is, did she say anything like that????

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:36 PM) Hahn has said they will continue to look for additions to the team through the end of SP and yet, some talk as though this is it and they are done. Base on the off season moves so far, at this point I see no reason to doubt Hahn in what he says. The Sox took out alot of trash this winter and brought in some pretty nice additions to fill some holes so lets see what Hahn does between now ( February 15) and opening day (April 4). This means the Sox have 1.5 months to finalize the roster for opening day so there's plenty time. The lack of patience and abundance of dissention is really old and worn out. Call the whambulance... good point, just like last yr, my ranting against will stop at opening season, then i will cheer as my life depends on it. i want another WS ......

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:33 PM) The White Sox are never going to say they have a bunch of money to work with. The thing is, there is no reason to freak out over this season yet. Wait at least until the season starts. There has been a ton of speculation over the years about the Cubs popularity vs. the White Sox. Harry Caray, WGN, being owned by the Tribune,....those are all nice theories, but the fact isthe White Sox were doing better than the Cubs until 1984 happened. In 1982. 1983, and 1984, despite Haary being their announcer and the Cubs being on WGN, the White Sox outdrew the Cubs. Then th Cuns won a division and it created the monster they are now. During that year, they traded for their lead off hitter and 3rd place hitter the last week of spring training. They also acquired their ace during the season. I am not for waiting until the season starts to improve the team. From what Hahn repeatedly said at Soxfest, neither is he. He did mention opening day as a deadline. Why don't you see what the team looks like then before determining what they are doing not worthy of fans support? I blasted JR one time for payroll. That was 2009 when they held season ticket holder 2008 playoff money, increased ticket prices, and reduced opening day payroll. I found that to be BS. When you have a full season, those unused WS tickets add up. Now, I believe they have altered how they hold the money. The payroll is fine, and is just about a lock to be higher by opening day. excellent counter. but i will say, the window of opportunity is now, keep fixing this team. there is too much to loose and all to gain.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:31 PM) IIRC, Heather is Chisoxfanatic on WSI and still posts there. Just look for posts about Canada, winter or hockey. wow, but i got banned from that site back in 2002. i kinda of wish some of the old posters will drop in and say hi. that was a great group as there is..... and the beauty is, it keeps getting better.

QUOTE (LDF @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:26 PM) and that is a major crux that no posters seems to understand, the sox have many fronts to improve and it all comes to $$$$$ how can anyone say that the sox as an org made this money or is in this % of the profits or expenditures, when no one really know the really money, let alone all the sub companies tied to the sox org. forbe??? even a an admin who works in the minor league team or something even said, i may embellish this, that when the forbe numbers came out, they all laugh, b/c of the inaccuracy of those rpt numbers.

QUOTE (SCCWS @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:51 PM) I agree with all you say. But I wonder how much the "Cubs" will affect the final decisions made on the roster. The White Sox need to find a way to gather attention in a market that will be all over the Cubs this year. They need to stay in the race for a playoff spot. So maybe the final decisions on guys like Desmond or Fowler may not be as much on value as perception and a chance to stay in contention. and that is a major crux that no posters seems to understand, the sox have many fronts to improve and it all comes to $$$$$

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Feb 15, 2016 -> 03:28 PM) Oh, you're correct. They do have some guys signed for less than they are worth including Sale, Quintana, Eaton, and Abreu. And some of the other guys could end up being bargains, too. My point was that the 2-3 bad contracts are tying up a good chunk of the $120 million that is being talked about. If the Sox do have a number they won't go over (and there probably is one, but it's not $120 million or even a little more than that), those bad contracts would hinder their ability to spend on the guys they need. The discussion (argument) has been that the Sox won't spend because they are stuck on a number...$120 million. That's not true. They haven't signed Fowler, Desmond, etc. yet because there's not a match. The Sox are willing to the right amount of money on the right guy. They were willing to spend a certain amount for Cespedes or Gordon, but they are willing to spend less on these other guys. Some of that reasoning is driven by what they have allocated so far, but not all of it. excellent point, i wish i could have thought of that counter.