LDF

QUOTE (Reddy @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 04:51 PM) Well. More that his underlying metrics don't look all that great. Statistics is hard. i don't know, i can't think right now, its is monday and i am slam. but i think you just flip and flop in this thread... maybe it is me. sorry. i can't think now.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 04:43 PM) There's not a world in which Carlos Sanchez should ever be considered " solid" and you could see in the future. uh.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 04:42 PM) What!? So you're not ashamed that a PED user was a part of our championship squad? compared to what???? there is a lot more horrible thing out there. using PED pales to a rapist, a child abuser..... get the ridiculousness of what you are stating. wake up and change the subject, this accomplish nothing.

one will not get or field a team that is going to be top 2 or 3 in the league. a team needs a comfortable mix of statical players that can get along and jells together. no matter what, this team needs to be healthy in all aspects.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 01:56 PM) Pablo Ozuna's steroid suspension renders the post imperfect. but at the time, did anyone know of it?? we can not look at it after the fact.

baseball, can anyone claim to know for an exact percentage of who will make the playoff let alone win it?? anything can happen in the course of a season. it is the coaches and FO to minimize those percentages in a positive way.

QUOTE (ewokpelts @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 02:55 PM) and it'll cost BILLIONS to build. The reason why it hasn't been developed after the USPS left is because the cost to convert the site to ANY use is extremely expensive. The demolition costs alone are more than a top flight pitcher on the free agent market. i agree, do i think that it was going to happen, the sox buying it, no, i am just stating the fact of the design and idea.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 01:18 PM) I have no problem supporting this team. I believe that Melky is most likely clean now, but if he's not and gets caught, he'll face the consequences. My take on this is, we all know that there are many more guys out there who were juicing at one time or another before the MLB really cracked down. The guys who were caught are the ones we know about. I'd be willing to bet that there were a few on the 2005 team that were juicing. No proof, I realize, but there was speculation about at least Rowand and Everett. This team looks so much better than last year. Significant improvement have been made to the starting rotation, DH, LF, and the bullpen. I'm excited to see this team play, and I can't wait until April. perfect post.

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 04:14 AM) Without their second and third picks, it's critical that they hit with their first round pick. exactly, the sox still need to address the farm. this draft, according to the experts is weak, so the sox need to be spot on in their pick.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 06:25 AM) Haha sooooo much pearl clutching going on. That high horse, balta. How DO you feel about the 2005 White Sox and their roider-infused roster? at that time, no - one knew who were using. Balta has an opinion, so what, many has opinions why is he different.

QUOTE (Lemon_44 @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 01:02 PM) Trayce Thompson is about the top level prospect I would trade for Castro. I wouldn't even discuss Hawkins for him. I really don't get the infatuation with Castro. I know he's a catcher and that improves his value but, at the plate, he's been worse the Viciedo, the guy everybody is itching to see in another uniform. i agree with you the most in this thread.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 07:40 AM) Is it April yet? yeah , i feel the same freaking way.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 05:59 AM) 1.) Bullpen has to be at least average, realistically it has to be above average with today's penchant for yanking starters after six innings on many occasions (it would be GREAT if Sale, Shark and Q could go 7 or 7 1/3 on most nights). 2.) Defense has to be at least average. 3.) The offense must not be offensive. Abreu needs to have the same numbers as last year. I realize it doesn't take 9 guys to all hit the cover off the ball, but we need to hit. Look at our infield, it's Gillaspie, Lexi, Micah and Abreu. Is that a Central division winning foursome? Not if Lexi has an off year, Gillaspie sucks and Micah hits .225. Outfield looks good with Melky, Eaton and Garcia. We probably can count on all of them. LaRoche should be a good DH you would think. Flowers is not an average hitter. I'd take last year's numbers, though. GO SOX! Conclusion: If we have good starting pitching, good bullpen and reasonable defense, we should be fine. Sox should be division favorites right now because of 3 starting pitching studs, excellent closer, reasonable set up guys. nice write up.... i would have added, no major injury to the major core of players the sox are depending on.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 08:17 AM) I heavily disagree with this. 1. We need to keep him down a few weeks so that we can push his free agency back a year. 2. You're not going to get anything for Danks anyway, so why not let him cover those 50 innings you won't get from Rodon? Otherwise it's going to be like Chris Beck 3. What happens if Rodon isn't ready? You either rush him to his detriment or get even more worse innings from Chris Beck/Parker Frazier (?) or some other random. Look, I was ALL about dumping Danks for nothing before Hahn went on his balls out spending spree -- but now we need depth more than ever. Danks is bought and paid for, and there's nothing we can do about that. If he's our best 5 man, let's just use him. the sox tried to trade him, it didn't happen. as Eminor stated, when Hahn w/ JR blessing wanted to go all in, well Danks becomes a important piece in the rotation. whether most hate to admit. he is a pitcher who threw how many innings, and is going to be another yr in his recovery and strengthening. he will become a important piece in the rotation. unless the sox goes and picks up another FA pitcher or trade for another good pitcher, he is the pitcher that is going to be pencil in.

QUOTE (spiderman @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 06:13 AM) At most, you can see another starter added, but it would have to be a guy coming off a bad season or injury; competition for the #5 spot, assuming Danks is the #4 starter and Noesi is given competition for that spot. Making a move like this would help Rodon's development. No need to rush him if there's veteran options at the MLB level. Offensively, still would like to see another option a 3B, but realizing that there may not be one available. Outside of that, I'm ok with the young players battling out 2B and Flowers behind the plate. ummm Brett Anderson, Chad Billingsley, anyone.

Melky signing does several thing for the sox. 1. he is going to man the final outfield spot and do it well. 2. he will hit at the #2 spot of the lineup with avg. 3. is a switch hitter. 4. comes at the market value for 3 yrs. the only negative i can think of. 1. spring training is several months away.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 10:48 PM) You know what has me thinking, I don't know if its all that important, but I noticed that none of these deals are long enough that could hamper Sale and Quintana's next extensions in 5 years. Maybe besides Samardzija, pending an extension. So I think this is a great off season with moves that help us win now, but not alter the real key pieces of this team. you got a very good point, but it is not hampering the team core, but forcing the the team to continue to improve thru natural attrition. not letting the team to get old but to constantly improve it self. it all depends on how the farm system develops what young FA stars becomes eligible. a constant influx of talent to keep the team fresh and hungry.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 04:46 PM) Gotta build interest in the team and create some excitement around here. This is a nice step towards that. Look at the attendance figures during Konerko's era. The fanbase can be jumpstarted. Right or wrong, people around here got really down on guys like Dunn and Rios. In the case of Rios I think it was more the image he put out there than production (as he had some really good stretches with us). Maybe the new guys become a repeat of that, but you have to try and hope this bunch becomes an era the fanbase rallies around. Seems like so long ago when this team had a core group that the fans invented reasons to find lovable. Hell AJ was lovable here. i like this, nice read. way to go.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 04:43 PM) Their popularity isn't slipping at all. you are prob the kind of guy that tell kids at xmas there is no Santa

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 04:36 PM) The Cubs have had a very good offseason too, I'm sure they couldn't care less what the Sox are doing. they are seeing their popularity slipping. it has to affect them.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 04:30 PM) You'd probably have a majority willing to give up Anderson, Montas and Hawkins for Josh Donaldson at this point. Seems like the plan of action from the beginning was to pull all his moves off without losing any key future pieces. Still a bit in disbelief. Not a huge Cabrera fan but it's almost impossible not to feel positive about the overall direction of the franchise compared to a year ago. Robin Ventura. Your turn. no only RV turn but that whole Sox advertising department. go 100 % full court press on the advertising and funny commercials. start off with Jose A getting the news of the improvements and waiting in the sox dougout while it is snowing.

i can imagine all the negative side effects this is doing to some of the teams gm at breakfast this morning. the sCrubs, they are seeing their control of chi just keeping slipping Dodgers, prob thought they had the sox over the barrel, enjoy eating more salary. and yous guys can add more. this will be great for that Hilter snippet of getting pissed.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 02:56 PM) I'd take '14 Melky over Cespedes personally, but I won't argue at all with those who'd take Cespedes. (especially if they value his defense more than Melky's bat) At least it's a hell of alot closer than the Viciedo argument. i really like Cespedes and i have posted many times of the sox getting him. but what i like about Melky, is his bat, being a switch hitter, batting #2 and lastly 3 yrs at a total of 42 mil. that lineup in the top 7-8 is a knockout.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 03:55 PM) I honestly didn't think it was possible to have a winter like this. It is almost incredible how many things came together in a month and a half. in my silliness i was thinking of starting a post of someone should send Hahn should go and negotiate ### Hahn is the man.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 03:58 PM) With the Expressway running underneath, it is hard to envision a baseball stadium being built on top. that will be one architectural greats. i can imagine the fans coming just for the shear wonderment of experiencing it.