maggsmaggs

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 29, 2013 -> 08:39 AM) Well, that and the cost of signing IFA's before last year was astronomical. Sano signed for like $3 million, didn't he? You can't make a signing like that and be wrong. Well prior to the new CBA, that was risk you took. If the Twins could afford that risk money-wise, the Sox should have, too.

There is no doubt that our drafting in the last three years has gotten much better the last three years. But we have been hurt by our inability to sign non-Cuban foreign free agents. Whereas most teams have those types of player littered throughout their system, we don't really have any top prospects of such. But we are most definitely pointed in the right direction drafting wise. The jury is still out on the foreign free agents as we won't know probably for 2-3 years whether or not we are doing good in that regard. That DR scandal really really really hurt us in incredible ways. Such a shame.

I never really pay to much attention to anything said at these things. It's always positive and that player X is definitely gonna rebound; player Y is fully healthy now and that's why he struggled last year; and player Z has looked great in the cage or the field. We all know that Hahn is just spewing stuff to make the fans happy and to give positive encouragement to the players. Honestly, I am not sure it's worth to even read Hahn's comments as they will tell you nothing.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 23, 2013 -> 02:25 PM) I don't think anyone questions his raw power, but game power is a massively different thing from A to the majors. His biggest flaw is his plate discipline, and his weakest tool is his hit tool, and those together can limit his game power. Think Delmon Young. Right, but Delmon Young as a prospect had 35+ HR power, if not 40+. He didn't reach it because of his mechanical flaws, but potential is based on what happens if all goes right for player A. Not what is likely or what will happen if his mechanical flaws persist.

25-home run potential for Hawkins? He had eight in 229 at-bats, which extrapolates to 21 HR over a full season. Mind you that was with a wood bat for the first time. Because it's potential and obviously no guarantee he would ever reach that, that seems awfully conservative.

Also shouldn't dismiss the possibility that Lindstrom is our closer. As much as I like Reed, he didn't prove last year he was a sure-fire closer. That 9th inning spot is most definitely up for grabs this year. While it's probably in the team's best interest for the future that Reed takes the next step this year and become a great closer, it is by no means a sure thing.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 19, 2013 -> 06:48 PM) Lindstrom is good for 50 innings, so he and Crain should split the RH set up duties. The pen could use a long man to protect against usage because Danks, Quintana, and Sale all should be pulled quickly when it's apparent that they don't have it. His name is the loser of the 5th starter audition. It will almost assuredly be Quintana or Santiago.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jan 19, 2013 -> 03:46 PM) According to PFF, the source Emery quotes frequently, had Webb as our best overall OL Unfortunately though it's the tallest midget problem. He was the best of an awful group. Hopefully on the right side, he can be an average tackle.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 19, 2013 -> 02:17 PM) My worry continues to be the cap space...in this sense. Long is, IMO, likely to get close to $10 million a year. Maybe more, just off of how much people will pay for O-line help. If that's the case, the Bears will not have the room to sign both him and Melton (along with the cap holds). So, are you willing to let Melton walk in order to sign long? Create a D-line weakness to shore up the O-Line? I think you have to at this point. Hopefully the Bears can get Peppers to re-work his deal to free up some cap space to keep Melton in addition to allowing the Bears some free agent wiggle room. But let's say it is one or the other, I think Long is the bigger need. Paea and Collins both proved to be good DTs, not great, but at least the D-line would still be solid. The O-line needs fixing in the worst way.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sports/f...ld-be-a-/nT2Z5/ If Long leaves as a free agent, he has to be priority No.1 for the Bears right? I know he regressed a little this year, but he is 27 years old and a legit above-average, if not, top 5 left tackle. I would pay top dollar for him because of the dire need we have there. Not only would we have a legit LT, but also you could live with a lesser LG because of it. Figure Lance Louis comes back as one of the guards. And you draft one in the top two rounds. Then pray that Webb can be a decent RT. Regardless, I think an impact FA like Long would go a long way toward turning this team around.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jan 18, 2013 -> 06:46 PM) Gordon wins the MVP next year hitting .413 with 35 HR, and 178 RBIs with an OPS of .800 QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jan 18, 2013 -> 07:25 PM) Batting .413 with 35 homers and only having an ops of .800 would be quite impressive. Beckham would literally have to have 0 walks and 0 doubles/triples to accomplish that OPS with the average/HRs. Actually, a .413 average over the course of a 600 at-bat season with 35 HRs would equal a slugging % of .646. So his OPS would be 1.059.

QUOTE (kev211 @ Jan 19, 2013 -> 12:18 AM) You guys are ridiculous. I cannot comment in this thread anymore. There's no evidence what so ever Teo was involved. None after 48 hours. And there's tons of people and stories coming up saying he was duped. It's because the story is so ludicrous that a guy could be duped in this way for so long.

This ESPN report is crap. Schaap as much of a respected reporter is just spewing out the Te'o agenda. They should have insisted on a camera or no interview. What p**** s*** is this?

http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/0...o-have-met-her/ DA FUQ???

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jan 16, 2013 -> 08:28 AM) The most talented O-line coach in history couldn't make some of the players on the Bears better. They need at least 3 new o-line. Maybe 4. There is no doubt they are gonna draft one, if not, two OLinemen. And probably sign a couple in FA. The line has to, and will, be revamped.

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Jan 16, 2013 -> 08:25 AM) Since Kromer became the Saints OL coach they have ranked 4th, 5th, 2nd, 3rd in sacks allowed. Drools. Couldn't get that No. 1 ranking? Failure.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 16, 2013 -> 08:03 AM) I adore this hire immediately. Yep. Guy has a great track record of developing OLinemen and putting points on the board. Saints have been one of the league's best offensives over the past years and really haven't had elite skill position guys drafted high, they had to develop them. Graham. Coslton. Etc.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Jan 16, 2013 -> 07:52 AM) Say goodbye to Urlacher then. According to Pro Football Focus, Urlacher had a -11.2 rating this year, second worst among Bears free agents. He won't return because he is not a very good NFL player anymore.

My biggest worry about Trestman even though I like the risk taken by Emery is how he will adjust to the NFL game. Hasn't been in the NFL since the 2004 season. Hasn't coached American football since 2006. That's a lot of time away and the NFL game has changed a ton since then in almost every facet of the game. But given Emery's attention to detail, Trestman must have convinced him that it is not an issue.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 15, 2013 -> 10:30 AM) I'm starting to warm up to Trestman. However, it is a huge risk going from Lovie to someone like Trestman. Ballsy to go outside the norm. Yeah, but I would rather gamble on a guy like Trestman than live with just missing the playoffs like we mostly did with Lovie. On the aggregate, a 9-7 season looks good for a career record, but if 9-7 continually misses the playoffs what good it to be two games above .500 each year? The goal is the playoffs each and every year to give yourself a shot at making a run at the SB. Lovie just didn't get in enough. And if we keep Marinelli, we have essentially kept the one area/scheme where Lovie excelled while getting rid of the area/scheme he sucked at: offense.

Paul Konerko's top WAR seasons (using ESPN.com): 4.3, 3.7, 2.7, 2.6 Frank Thomas's top WAR seasons:7.0, 6.8, 6.7, 6.2 NOT. EVEN. CLOSE. Frank's prime was one of the ten best offensive primes probably ever in baseball.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Jan 13, 2013 -> 11:45 AM) Says he would have him in the top 10 but says injury concerns prevents that. I guess that is fair, since in the excerpt it says "To be clear: This is a ranking of how I would order these players if I were starting a franchise and would have them for the next several years, not just 2013." Sale, without his injury risks, is probably one of the top three pitchers you would want to start a franchise with, but alas, he has these issues. Same with Strasburg. Could become a stud or become Kerry Wood. That's the risk.

I don't have Insider, so I am curious if Keith Law decided to snub one of baseball's best pitchers in his 25 under 25. Nevermind that Sale is one of the best 25 players in baseball regardless of age, I want to see if Law snubbed our Ace in his 25 players under 25 years of age. Anyone care to post where or if Sale is on the list?

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 12, 2013 -> 01:24 PM) https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/290121495768870912 Very interesting. Not surprising though. Emery is as meticulous as it comes.

Could also be a coach. The initials "PD" are on the side of the ring underneath the 2005 record, could that be a the person's initials or something else?