KevHead0881

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Dec 6, 2006 -> 10:18 AM) Really? Where did you hear that from? That is insane. From the article I just read they are looking for a veteran starting pitcher for Baldelli. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...ts/16174647.htm I am trying to figure out if what you say is fact or speculation. Could it also be that he ws 21 in 03 and 22 in 04 and that he is getting better as he gains more experience? The guy has a ton of talent with a ton of potential and very high ceiling. Well, if Tampa wants a veteran starter, it would have to be Vazquez or Garland, as I doubt Tampa has little use for pitchers with expiring contracts (i.e. Buehrle or Garcia). With that being said, I still think they are looking for young and cheap pitching.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 6, 2006 -> 09:48 AM) Tampa's asking price is insane for Rocco. From the sounds of it, they'd want two top prospects like Fields and Broadway. From Rotoworld... McCarthy might be on their list if they are indeed talking to us.

QUOTE(jphat007 @ Dec 6, 2006 -> 07:48 AM) It think Ozzie was obviously trying to sabatoge the team and season. That and he wanted to play his best bud.........Robby Mack? Yeah, nevermind that Anderson started 66 more games than Mackowiak, or that many of those games that Anderson started he looked absolutely clueless at the plate. I'm glad to hear that Ozzie doesn't want Mackowiak in center next year. Either all Anderson, or someone else, if you ask me. But to think that this was personal or that Ozzie had a bias against Anderson is just speculation, and more than likely B.S. Ozzie has always worked hard to get his bench players plenty of playing time. He did this all the time in 2005 (I'm sure you all remember Timo), and it appeared to work to some degree. It didn't work so well in 2006. It was a mistake to have Mackowiak as our backup CF, and apparently Ozzie is starting to recognize it. But if it was indeed out of bias, you'd think Ozzie would stand by his bias.

Myspace. Dane Cook. Charlotte Bobcats. Idaho. Other peoples kids. Easter.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 4, 2006 -> 12:20 PM) I think Aaron Rowand has become the White Sox fan's version of cocaine. Yeah, getting rid of him brought a guy who hit 40+ home runs and should hit 500 next year, yeah he spent half last year on the DL, and yeah, his offensive numbers simply aren't good, but PEOPLE JUST CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT HIM AND WILL GIVE UP ANYTHING TO GET MORE OF HIM. Actually, now that some of the championship hangover has worn off, I think most rational Sox fans aren't crazy about bringing Rowand back. Of course, people were having convulsions when we traded him, but then again, some were upset when we let Geoff Blum go. There were plenty of Sox fans who would have preferred that the Sox entered 2006 with the entire 2005 team intact.

F*ck tha Police - N.W.A. Portland Trail Blazers

QUOTE(Dan @ Dec 1, 2006 -> 05:16 PM) The Office Blasphemy!

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Nov 28, 2006 -> 10:06 PM) If I said "Pillow Pants" would anyone know what I was talking about? Vagina troll? Just watched that movie this past weekend. Quite amusing. Nothing special, but funny enough to keep me entertained. Has anybody here seen Stranger than Fiction? If so, did they enjoy it as much as I did?

QUOTE(Hatchetman @ Nov 28, 2006 -> 08:00 AM) i can't stand that we're crying poverty again just like it was 1987. we can't sign dye. we can't sign crede. we have to trade one of our starters. we can't sign any free agents. for crissakes i thought those days were gone after last year. I don't believe we're "crying poverty". The Sox have the money to shell out a monster contract for Crede or make a large bid on a free agent. They aren't doing so because none of these players are worth anywhere near the asking price. We could spend our money stupidly to make our team slightly better, or we can explore options that won't strap us financially for years to come, and still improve the team.

QUOTE(fathom @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 11:24 PM) The market does absolutely suck, but it doesn't mean other AL teams aren't improving themselves. We have a very short window to legitimately compete for the world championship, and so many of the moves that are being proposed make us significantly worse for this upcoming season. I basically agree with you. I just assume we stay away from the free agent market though. Teams are improving themselves, but not by much. I really can't say I'm that much more concerned about Detroit, Minnesota, Anaheim, New York, Boston, etc. then I was last year. The reason that its a s***ty market isn't entirely because of the amounts of money being thrown around. It has a lot to do with the lack of players that will take your team to the next level. The biggest moves in the AL this offseason, at least in terms of dollars are Gary Matthews Jr., J.D. Drew and Matsawhatever. The one who could have had the biggest impact has never pitched in the big leagues. It seriously doesn't bother me that we wouldn't even make a bid on these players. I'm all for throwing a ton of money at a player that we need to have, but those guys simply weren't available through free agency, or at the very least, anywhere near a reasonable price. The trade route is the way to go, and if there was a way to trade a Joe Crede that would make us better, then I'm all for it. But unfortunately, as you said, many of the proposed deals out there are far from enticing. Kenny sarcastically asks for suggestions in this article, and I wish I had some. As you say, there is a window of opportunity here, and I just assume we keep our core guys during that window. But if the right deal came along, at the risk of losing Joe for nothing, you'd have to listen to it. Here's hoping that Kenny doesn't think this particular one is the right deal.

QUOTE(fathom @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 11:15 PM) KW doesn't seem thrilled with how things are shaping up right now. Yah. Its not a great market for GMs who don't want to hand out s***ty contracts. I don't blame him one bit. And as much as I love Joe Crede, if the market stays the same, I certainly wouldn't give him the contract that he would most likely be looking for. He may be with us through 2007, but I certainly don't see him being our 3B in 2008.

Well, I'm guessing this article will eventually have its own thread, but KW all but nixes this deal in the article, so I thought I'd post it here...

QUOTE(The Critic @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 03:02 PM) I'll always trade an OF prospect for a decent ML veteran arm. Pitching is always harder to find than outfielders. I still believe Vazquez can help the Sox, either in the rotation or as trade bait. It's hard to say which starter I'd prefer the Sox to trade, but I'd be more than fine with having Vaz in the rotation this season. If the Sox didn't have six viable rotation candidates, I wouldn't want Vazquez to even be considered for trade, but they do, so someone probably has to go. Bingo. When the deal happened, I was more worried about whether we got enough in return than I was about the loss of Young. But as much as I was frustrated with Vazquez last year, he is a decent major league pitcher who stays healthy and has quality stuff. I'm sure there are quite a few teams that wouldn't mind taking him off our hands.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 01:28 PM) "yay"? He's a whiney douche bag who said he wanted to see "anybody but the White Sox in the playoffs." They'll be wearing parkas in hell before I root for that tool. I can't argue the "whiney douche bag" part, but in regards to the "anybody but the White Sox in the playoffs" quote, I believe that was out of respect, IIRC. As in, the White Sox are a dangerous team, and we we don't want to have to face them in the playoffs. Maybe I'm wrong, but thats what I remember getting out of that. Either way, I actually thought it should have been Jeter, as it was the first season that he didn't deserve the overrated tag and actually produced MVP-type numbers. But I certainly wasn't rooting for him, so whatever.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 12:02 AM) Where did all that Creed footage come from? I don't remember seeing half those bits. A lot of it comes from the deleted scenes. You can find some of them on the Office website, but most of it, I believe, is from the DVD's. By the way, anybody else know where the hell that Devin character came from? He pops up in that one episode where Michael has to fire someone. Never seen before that episode, and never seen after.

From ESPN's Keith Law... Cubs pay dearly for Soriano Monday, November 20, 2006 | Print Entry So, let me get this straight: The team that finished last in the National League in OBP in 2006 (and, not coincidentally, second-to-last in runs scored) with a .319 team mark just signed a left fielder with a .320 career OBP and a .337 OBP in 2006 (both figures exclude intentional walks) to replace a guy with a .365 OBP in 2006. And they're paying $17 million per year for the privilege -- until the new player turns 38. I'm sure this will work out swimmingly. As good a year as Alfonso Soriano just had, there are several problems with this deal for the Cubs: 1. He doesn't address the major reason the Cubs couldn't score runs in 2006: their complete inability to put men on base. 2. Soriano is coming off a career year that was well out of line with his performance in the prior two years, so any expectation that he's going to improve is misguided; the salary he's earning presumes that he'll at least hold his level. 3. If Soriano is going to play center, the Cubs are asking him to play somewhere he's never played as a professional, and they block their top prospect, Felix Pie. If he's going to play left, which he played quite well in 2006, the Cubs push that guy with the .365 OBP, Matt Murton, to the bench. Center field carries risk; left field takes a lineup that doesn't create base runners and exacerbates the problem. Soriano will help the Cubs; even if he slips back to his 2004-05 level of performance (28 HR, 77 R, 91 RBI, 18 SB), he's worth about a win over Murton on offense. But no matter what else happens this winter, it's hard to see the value of a marginal win reaching $17 million, and by trading one of their few patient hitters for a notoriously free-swinging one, the Cubs are still going to struggle to put runs on the board. The only difference now is that they'll see all these big, expensive hitters and wonder why. This signing is fantastic news for Carlos Lee and J.D. Drew, who now stand as the only impact hitters remaining on this market, with a good number of potential suitors for the services of at least one of those players (including the Astros, Red Sox, Angels and Rangers). It's also potentially good news for any club that has a big bat to trade. If Soriano does in fact play left field for the Cubs, I'd expect teams to come banging on Jim Hendry's door for Murton; he's 25 years old, has two years left before he's ready for arbitration, is a good defensive player in either outfield corner and has already shown that he can be a capable offensive player for those positions. He has above-average plate discipline with average power; he's had some swing issues, and his back side collapses at times, leading him to work up through the ball and limiting his ability to drive the ball. But for $400,000, he's a major asset.

QUOTE(AssHatSoxFan @ Nov 20, 2006 -> 10:40 AM) I don't see much of a rivalry there, it will be interesting to see how the other transfers fit in and what comedic roles they may add definitely need more classic Creed lines; he seems to shine in his few moments which seems to work best Yah, I don't see a Ryan and Jim rivalry develop. All Ryan did was take his desk. Plus, based on previous episodes, Pam doesn't seem to think too highly of Ryan and the way he is with Kelly. Boy, this does feel like I'm talking about a soap opera. And here is some classic Creed for ya...

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Nov 20, 2006 -> 12:50 AM) I don't want to speak for other people, but I think why alot of see this as a bad deal is not only the years and $$, but what the needs are for the Cubs. This is exactly the problem with the move. The move makes the Cubs better. Anybody who denies that is kidding themselves. How much better, is up for debate. And looking at their current staff, you can argue that it might give them a good shot a 3rd place. Granted, they are still shopping for pitching, but if this deal means that the Cubs have to settle for the Gil Meche's of the world, then I think they took a completely misguided approach to improving their team...when there are starters out there that would make a much bigger difference. The eight years is rediculous, but as somebody has pointed out, Hendry and the Trib most likely wont be around for half of that, so why would they care? In the end, the stupidity of this deal comes in the amount of money spent on a guy whose impact, in the minds of many around here including myself, will be minimal. Their pitching and defense are essentially the same at the moment, and unless they find some guys who will be a significant upgrade in those departments, they'll only be a marginally better team then last year.

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 02:48 PM) Can't wait to see what extra cool nickname Cubs fans have for him. The Fonz? Sori? The Trib marketing department has a lot of thinking and sleepless nights now. Oh, so close.

QUOTE(Jordan4life_2006 @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 03:24 PM) I agree with all of this. I'm just looking at it from Hendry's point of view. I don't think the guy is an idiot. He realizes that he overpaid, especially in years. But like I said, they need to win right now. The Red Sox, White Sox, and Cardinals winning the last 3 years makes him even more desperate. I think he will gladly take his lumps that will come with this ridiculous contract in exchange for a World Series title. And I will agree with you on all of this. And the mere fact that Hendry made the move should silence some of those who have criticized their motives. I'm just saying, that he could have used this money and done more with it to put his team in a better position to win it all. Yes, it was a move to win. Just a misguided one.

QUOTE(G&T @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 03:17 PM) BTW, I looked over at NSBB about this, and they say WGN is reporting this as 5 yrs/$90 with 3 option years The Trib's own website is saying that its 8 years. They also say that he'll be batting leadoff and playing center. Trib Article

QUOTE(Chisox_10 @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 03:18 PM) Prior can end up coming back strong. Wade Miller could be good Wood makes a strong bullpen even stronger. And if Hendry relies on this scenario again, he should be fired. Prior and Wood shouldn't even be part of the conversation at the moment.

QUOTE(Jordan4life_2006 @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 03:12 PM) I'm as big a Cubs hater as anyone (well, except for cuckthefubs), but Hendry did what he had to do. Is it a horrible contract? You better believe it. Will they regret this horrid contract somewhere down the line? Indeed. But the Cubs have to win NOW! Now as in yesterday. And Soriano, atleast for next year, makes them a considerably better team. Their lineup looks pretty scary all of a sudden. Yes, I realize they have glaring holes in their rotation. That's gonna be Hendry's biggest challenge. Rounding out a really bad rotation. If he can somehow get a couple of decent [no way they're going after Zito or Schmidt now] pitchers, they'll be in pretty good shape in what is no doubt the sorriest division in all of baseball. I agree that Hendry needs to win now, and this move just proves the urgency of his position. Nonetheless, its a stupid move. If you are going to throw money around like this, why don't you just give it to a Zito and/or Schmidt? The cost for those two would be ridiculous, but then again, either one by themselves would make more sense in regards to winning. Not to mention, you wouldn't have to give them 8 year contracts.

Rotoworld brings up the possibility of moving Murton and putting Soriano in left. I'm guessing its just speculation. Would make some sense to me, because you could get away with hiding Soriano in left. Him playing center, on the other hand, could be a disaster. Soriano and Murton together in the same outfield could be comedy at the highest levels.

While I think this move will certainly help them, we are still talking about a team that was the worst in a terrible NL last year...and they still have a ton of work to do on the pitching standpoint. They have two legitimate starters and no closer. No doubt, they will address some of this, and maybe they will by year 8 of Soriano's contract. But either way, its hard to imagine Soriano making enough difference to merit that kind of contract.