SoxFan562004

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 17, 2009 -> 12:44 AM) I read earlier today that Strikeforce wants to do at least 20 shows in 2010 and match whatever the UFC does, including hitting PPV. LOL, they don't have the roster for that, not anything close to that. They may have a few top fighters, but nobody's going to buy their PPV's. They're planning on giving away Henderson-Shields on CBS and that's a fight they should try to sell since there are only so many top guys they can put together. IMO it's looking like Coker isn't some great businessman, rather he's more of a middle man between Strikeforce ownership (the arena people), CBS, Showtime, M-1, and Dream. It appears that *right now* he's able to satisfy these other interests, but everyone is going to want his piece of the pie at some point. Strikeforce has been pretty tight-lipped about details from what I can tell, but you know CBS and Showtime have got to have some massive power over the company, and who knows what M-1 is demanding for their "promotional services?" The Dream thing I understand though. But still, 20+ shows including PPV plans? There's probably going to be some pushing and shoving behind the scenes because Strikeforce doesn't have that many main events to satisfy everyone, and IIRC, Fedor only has like 2 fights left on his deal. I agree, trying to go toe-to-toe with the UFC at this point is a bad idea. The UFC just has so much more name value with casual fans and being on Showtime in so few homes means to the casual fans Strikeforce ran a show in November and then another one in April. This is all without the UFC having a network deal too! It's being hinted that with Comcast buying NBC and Comcast owning Vs. and being familiar with Zuffa that that is where the UFC will eventually land.

FAs who hit the market are often there because they are looking for the biggest contract and the Sox usually make a business decision to cut down the years, if they went the extra years I'm sure big FAs would come here. Didn't we go through this with Peavy the first time around? He used his NTC that he and his agent negotiated to explore his options, eventually he came decided to come here, to me that's like a major FA signing with the White Sox. If the Sox would have offered Matsui more money he would be here, if the LAA didn't give Hunter more money he would be here. It comes down to $$$ for 99% of the FAs. Did people start wondering if players wanted to go to Boston when Giles turned down a trade there? They got Cameron and Lackey because they offered the most money. Why wouldn't Halladay OK a trade to an NL team that made the WS the last 2 years and won one of them until he negotiated an extension??? Money!!! (which is A-OK by me, if you have a unique talent that people will pay for you have the option to maximize that earning potential or take a little less to stay where you're comfortable, both happen and I understand both)

Looks like Mir vs. Carwin in March for the interim title while Brock's health situation is sorted out. Also, Spike will air at least 10 prelim shows next year, so that's really awesome.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Dec 15, 2009 -> 11:19 PM) One thing I disagree with seemingly most the board... I for one believe Andruw was signed to have a serious role here. I think if this is the final roster, not saying it is but if it ends up being, I think he will have to

would be cool to bring in another middle of the order hitter. Kind of neutral on the Pierre thing, only due to the 10.5m that's coming with him, I think with 81 games in the Cell the Sox need 1 more power hitter

it's one of those things where I imagine the Cards have to have a lot in place before Pujols even seriously talks extension with them.

If Brock comes back and fights for business purposes it would make sense to have Brock/Mir III. The two personalities involved would make it a top 5 PPV buy for the UFC

entertaining card last night, the Guida/Florian fight looked like a slasher movie and the flying knee/flying punch sequence from the Struve/Buentello match was simply awesome.

Heard on ESPN 1000 today that despite all the Bradley rumors at the winter meetings the Cubs weren't really close to trading him and, surprise surprise, they're having a difficult time!

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Dec 10, 2009 -> 03:00 PM) If you go by attendance, the White Sox should actually be a middle of the road salary team, not top 5 or so like we are. yes, but the Sox own 25% of a cable network and even though their the 2nd team in Chicago, they're still in the 3rd largest media market in the U.S., which is why they are consistently above the middle of the pack in payroll

Levine said the Cubs are considering Pods for CF... good luck with that. I know Wrigley is an easy CF, but they do play 81 other games on the road and he's not a very good fielder.

Cubs have to move Bradley and not take an equally bad contract back before they can really do anything

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 10:16 AM) Also, and this unrelated, but the UFC keeps on getting hit hard. Carlos Condit is out of his fight vs. Semtex. That completely blows for both entertainment reasons and also for business reasons, because everyone knows Semtex's ground game is suspect, and if the UFC has to resort to a late replacement, they'll be chancing an upset that could remove Daley from the title picture. The Condit fight was great because it was not only a nice match-up, but it was relevant too. Ugh. yeah, it's one of those cyclical things because they had a run for about 2-3 years where they had basically NO injuries. Hopefully the fighters will come back full strength in the spring and we'll see some great match-ups, but I won't stop getting cards, often times guys know they have a chance to impress and put on shows.

LOVE O'Shea's, great atmosphere and cheaper tables. Trump, I believe, is a little down past Wynn and Encore, so you may have to walk/cab to some things. Really enjoy Pure, went there last year after a good winning day and VIP'd it up, tons of fun!! Have fun, Vegas is a blast!!

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 02:59 PM) I long for the day that we're not forced to have to settle for reclamation projects or once productive vets coming off some kinda injury (I.E. being able to draft and develop our own talent), therefore making them cheap gets. Crisp doesn't do much for me. Being a better defender and base runner than Pods is nothing to get excited about. I tend to agree with you, but when he played Matsui posted a good OPS+ which helps take out some of the new stadium factors. I guess it would depend on the money, they need some more pop IMO and a LF, but trader Kenny will at least be beating the bushes to get something done!

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 02:49 PM) Matsui would be your main DH and play the OF for a couple days a week and Pods could play DH as needed also. FWIW, and it seems to change week to week, Terry Boers who has had decent Sox sources before says at this point the Sox have zero interest in bringing Pods back, obviously subject to change if he changes his demands, but last week he said Sox don't plan on having him back

I believe I've said this earlier in the thread, but I would be fine with Matsui as a full time DH, although the White Sox would still have a gaping hole in LF or RF depending on where CQ plays

QUOTE (MHizzle85 @ Dec 9, 2009 -> 12:49 AM) So I was reading an interview with Mousasi asking him about fight Henderson. He'd said he'd do it. Although the most interesting part of the interview was where he says in his contract that he can only fight when Fedor fights...the f***? Who signs a contract like that? he's a M-1 fighter, those contracts are really odd, it's why people speculate if there's any shot Fedor comes to the UFC it will have to be in 2 more fights when his M-1 contract is up and all the insanity about 50/50 splits on gates etc. can be put aside.

Henderson signed with Strikeforce, Love Hendo, but wanted him to stay in the UFC, there's better fights for him there in the long run. Oh well, there's a few good fights for him in Strikeforce and with the current UFC business model (and Hendo never broke through as a big draw) this is going to happen with fighters once in awhile. For the record I have zero interest in a Fedor/Hendo fight, I am big fans of both, but the size difference is to great, I am only interested in seeing Fedor fight HWs

Jones "loss" is one that won't have an effect on his career. Dana and Joe Silva saw him dominate that fight and I'm sure in their mind it's a win

QUOTE (The Critic @ Dec 3, 2009 -> 04:25 PM) The ease with which Schaub bucked off that giant Marcus Jones makes me think he'd be able to do the same to Roy the Tub. That McSweeney guy thought he could go in there and snarl and somehow Nelson would just fall down for him. He didn't even put up his free arm to defend the punches. Marcus' did not have a great base, if you listen to his corner they keep yelling at him about maintaining a base, Roy does a fantastic job of doing it.

Looks like Dos Santos vs. Yvel at 108

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 2, 2009 -> 08:30 AM) wow, Jones is done. He had such a great career, but his legacy might get a bit tarnished cause of the losses he has piled up in the past few years. There goes the big payday he was looking for to fight Hopkins, although he was reportedly paid $10 million to go down to Sydney to fight Green. ESPN is reporting that Mayweather accepted terms for a Pacquiao fight. March 13 is the proposed date, which was up in the air cause of the Jones/Hopkins fight, but thats probably not happening anymore. Cowboys Stadium & the Superdome are vying for the fight, although I would think it ends up in Vegas somewhere. http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/ne...tory?id=4705330 RJJ was one of those fighters who was too good in his prime, nobody had a prayer of beating him and he wasn't the flashy type of fighter like a Tyson or such. His handspeed was amazing.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 3, 2009 -> 12:06 PM) I find it funny that the guy Dana wants to win the least(Roy Nelson) has a pretty good shot at winning it all. some of that was hype, I kind of had the feeling he was going to the finals when Dana did those few "not impressed" cut ins about him, but even with that said, Roy is what he is and UFC is doing what they can to promote him.

I know I've only seen a limited amount of Jake Fox in the majors, but I would be hesitant to pencil him in for 25-30 HRs, 85-90 RBIs and a .350 OBP