Chisoxfn

I call BS on Linnecum. I'd still rather have Andrew Miller (mainly because I'm more a tools guy and Linnecum's build and delivery scares the s*** out of me). However, of those guys you listed these are the ones I see with the ability to be front of the rotation guys: Miller Linnecum Joba Chamberlain Kershaw Kennedy/Scherzwer will have a couple good seasons, but will both be pretty solid pitchers (mid rotation guys) as long as they stay healthy. Kershaw is the biggest if, as he's still so damn young.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Aug 18, 2007 -> 01:32 PM) DH: Thome 1B: Konerko 2B: Richar SS: ? 3B: Crede playing for a contract LF: Fields CF: ? RF: Dye That doesn't make my eyes bleed at least, but we still have 2 glaring holes we need to figure something out about. Better than I thought we'd be at this point looking towards 2008 though, I like our pitching still. I don't mind this extension either, 2 years for JD at 11 million is worth it if he can be a 30 homer guy the next 2 years and hit .270, and I think he can. And what Rowand said about eating his words about not trading Dye, I echo those sentiments. Exactly...thats my thoughts. Either sign a guy like Willie for CF or find a prospect you like and get him (s***, Matt Kemp can play CF and I still say the Dodgers would move him for a guy like Garland). Could Kemp/Hu be at SS/CF. I realize you'd be counting on some youngsters atop the order, but you'd still have Konerko/THome/Dye/AJP/Crede/Fields so that gives you some relatively stable bats in the middle. You'd also have a lot more speed with Kemp/Hu/Fields/Richar all being able to move a bit and all 4 of those guys would be long term solutions as well. The problem is there is no doubt you'd be opening up a massive hole in your rotation (knowing that Buerhle/Vaz are your two aces and that after that you would have issues), unless of course you can move Contreras for something valuable. Or the Sox, could keep Garland and use guys like Sisco/Broadway, etc to trade for a younger CF and use another prospect or two to find yourself a younger SS that they like.

QUOTE(WCSox @ Aug 18, 2007 -> 01:33 PM) Given that he would cost about $5 million next year and that nobody knows how his back will hold up, I don't think that it would be stupid at all. If he passes his physical and is healthy, there is no way you'd get anyone near as good as Crede at 5M. If you don't bring back Crede, than it means you need to sign 2 FA outfielders (or trade for 2). Rowand costs 10M and gets at least 3/4 years and than who is the other guy I don't know (probably whichever vet sticks around and would take a 1/2 year deal). That costs a lot more than the $5M Crede costs and the one FA/Trade that you need to fill the outfield (with Fields filling in at LF). Plus doing this you are still leaving an opening in case you have a young outfielder develop who would than swing to LF or CF with Fields moving to 3rd when Crede leaves as a FA the following year).

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Aug 18, 2007 -> 01:30 PM) While you can't go by everything Williams and Ozzie says, there words have been pretty strong abut the Fields/Crede situation, and they seem pretty content with Josh playing 3rd. It's not like the Sox are trotting out an All-Star in LF every game, if Fields was in the plans for LF next season, I would have to think he would at least be getting sporadic starts over the last month or so, and that hasn't be the case. I'm just not sold on Fields being the automatic LF for next season. It really doesn't seem the Sox are counting on much for Joe... IT is more that they are not going to play him at LF right now because they don't know whether Crede can play, plus they are going to want as much leverage as they can. Plus, moving to left isn't going to be that difficult. A full spring training, plus some off-season drills and he'll be serviceable in little time (He's a good enough athlete). However, if Fields makes defensive strides as the remainder of the season progresses they could decide they are better off going after a FA outfielder (or trading for one). The problem is if they do that than they really have two pickups left because I don't think they have any other ML starting outfielders on the current roster (that is if Fields is at 3rd). If you stick with Crede, than all you got to do is find a CFer (and I realize that isn't easy) and than swap someone at SS for Uribe. The more I see it the more I see the pen staying pretty much the same (give or take an in-house swap) with Contreras probably on his way out (and possibly Garland).

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 18, 2007 -> 01:20 PM) Z made the right move. He signs in the AL this offseason and hears cries of bust for the next 6 years. Stay in the weakest division in baseball, get overpaid, and the fans dont watch the game. Its a players dream. Haha...thats seriously laughable. The move from the NL to AL wouldn't have a major impact on a guy like Z (not with his stuff). I realize his control problems would get him into a bit more trouble as he wouldn't have the pitchers spot to bail him out, but the guy has one of the best arms in all of baseball.

The best thing that's happened to baseball in the last 50 years was the invention of the Wild Card. It has meant more teams have a chance and when that happens it means you still have tons of teams competing meaning fans all over baseball are excited about there clubs shot. Plus, while ocassionally you have some mediocre teams getting in, you still only have 8 total teams making the playoffs (which is very few). God, I'd throw up if they went back to 4 playoff teams only. It would make things so much less exciting. However, I could see going to two divisions and having two wild card winners as it would mean that you are trying to prevent the mediocre team from getting in yet still having 4 playoff spots.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Aug 18, 2007 -> 01:23 PM) And a CF,LF, another bullpen piece..... The LF is already on this team...Josh Fields. Now that may only be for a year, but if Crede is healthy it would be stupid to non-tender him. Not with the defense he provides, plus moving Fields to left would stabilize the outfield offense (with Dye/Fields the d may not be great, but no one is going to tell me Fields couldn't be a serviceable left fielder and Dye, while declining is still at least mediocre in right). However it does mean you need a CF that has some good range and I think Willie could be that guy, obviously Rowand could be as well (but that costs a lot). Of course the Sox could also add Rowand for CF and non-tender Crede going with Fields at 3rd (but financially that will cost the Sox a lot more money).

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Aug 18, 2007 -> 11:52 AM) So going back year by year, how many guys put up the numbers that Vazquez does annually? Quite a few...prior to this year Vaz has been league average at best ever since he left Montreal. Not saying he never had the tools (I've always said he does) but there are boatloads of pitchers in baseball who have been better than Vaz over the last 3-4 years (albeit he's amongst the league leaders in strikeouts and innings during that span).

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Aug 13, 2007 -> 07:49 AM) I doubt it. They'll have about a 60/40 edge though. There were 25 thousand NIU fans my freshman year when we were at Northwestern, had them greatly outnumbered at their own place, but people seem to underestimate the amount of NIU fans there are so to each his own. Although I am sure the Iowa fans will be coming from all over Wrigleyville in their Cub hats, Cub fans and Iowa fans really do go hand in hand often times, and I'll just leave it at they are about similar in intelligence usually. Are you seriously comparing Northwestern Fans to Iowa football fans.... I'm not commenting on the fans on this forum, but Iowa's fans will travel and travel strong.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Aug 18, 2007 -> 11:34 AM) Unless Petco has absolutely killed Greene, I don't his .276 OBP anywhere near the top of the order.... I could see that, but I seriously think Khalil is the type of guy whose numbers drastically improve as soon as he gets out of Petco.

QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Aug 13, 2007 -> 08:52 AM) This is a damned important last six weeks. They have all kinds of starter candidates and need to get a sense of who they can rely on for 2008. It is possible those decisions have already been made. Then again, you have question marks after Buehrle, Vazquez, and Garland. With those three you basically know what you'll get, factoring in some inevitable ups and downs. Then you have guys like Contreras, Danks, Floyd, Masset, Sisco, Broadway, even Haegar, and possibly guys like McCullough, Egbert, Gonzalez and maybe a few more. The last three you don't really worry about for 2008 as they likely aren't ready yet. As for Contreras, Danks, Floyd, Masset, Sisco they have to do the best they can to figure out if these guys will contribute and be consistent in 2008. How they do that is a big question. But I hope they're not relying on Tucson to answer pitching questions. It is notoriously easy to misjudge pitching in that environment. From what I've heard...the org is incredibly high on Egbert and he's more ready than a lot of those guys on that list based on whats been going on down in the minors. I do think you are spot on with Gio, based on what a couple of us at FS have heard, Gio is likely spending another year in AAA (of course anything can happen...Danks was originally going to do the same but he pitched himself onto the roster last spring).

By the way, I still say that the Sox could also go with Fields/Dye in the corners and just sign someone like Willie Harris (which I think would be a smart move as he could be your top of the order guy, steal bases, and play a semi-decent d in center, plus he won't cost near as much as Rowand). You move Uribe and a prospect or two and find a shortstop (maybe Khalil Greene) than maybe move a pitcher to free up some payroll and get some other young prospects or whatever it may be (Mainly because I think at one point or another at least one starter is going to have to get moved for financial reasons more than anything else). Would you guys mind a lineup of: Harris - CF Greene - SS Thome - DH (I'd trade him but I still don't think it would happen) Konerko - 1B Dye - RF AJP - C Fields - LF Crede - 3B Richar - 2B

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 08:04 AM) Somewhere near Mark's contract...? Not even close. Mark dropped trow and reached for his ankles with the Sox deal. He deserved more than he signed for. Mark would have gotten around Zambrano money on the open market with Zambrano getting a bit more (but he definitely signed for very close to market value on this deal or at least a boatload closer than Mark did). Plus as much as I love Mark...in terms of pitchers I'll take Z every day of the week over Buehrle.

This is a great signing. The guy still produces (we've seen him raking since the all star break). However, I would like to see the Sox move him to left field. I'm still curious how the hell they are going to find a way to build a competitive team without finding some good young talent that can step in (because financially I just don't know how they are going to do it since the payroll is pretty high right now). Still, really glad to have Dye inked because it means the offense should be decent next year (despite its woes this year....add Crede, stick with Fields, than you have Dye/Paulie/Thome and thats not bad). Of course I'd still move Thome for your young talent but thats just me.

i have a boner Ie, McLovin is my new hero. Superbad = PURE GOLD

QUOTE(knightni @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 11:26 AM) Your movies is too smart fer me. Thats why I'm going to see Superbad tonight.

QUOTE(ZoomSlowik @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 12:19 PM) The Angels didn't have a first round pick this year, which affects things quite a bit. Considering what they gave Weaver recently, I would say they'd be closer to the top if they had one, and I wouldn't have put it past them to draft/sign Porcello. I damn near guarantee over the past 3 years the Angels are the #1 spending team on the draft. The one thing that could throw that out is the ocassional top top draft picks that get some major bonuses and you have to realize that when you pick lower in the first round you typically won't have any major contracts and thus the results are skewed (as top 10 picks can significantly make more). You also have some teams that have numerous compensation picks and the like. I think your better off (if you want to evaluate whether a franchise is notoriously cheap) by averaging it out over a 5-10 year draft window (as that will even out things such as numerous compensation picks one year or one major signing bonus given to a player one season).

FSC has quite a few of the games on live every week (and replays of a lot of them too). If your like me, who stays off of any soccer website its pretty easy to just watch your replays (cause I don't know the outcome of the games yet when I see them).

Redding gets the tie. Don't ask me how, but they did.

Can someone explain to me how the promotion stuff works. If you finish out of the top half that means you get demoted, yet you still play the same teams (but are you like unable to compete for the championship or something)? On a sidenote, Man U is f***ing dominating yet its still 0-0. Redding seems like they've had the ball for maybe 5 minutes (and the game is in the 82nd minute).

QUOTE(beck72 @ Aug 12, 2007 -> 08:08 AM) From the sox side, a 2 yr deal with the 3rd year a team option makes sense. Dye probably wants a 3 yr deal. With Thome probably retiring after 2009, the sox could use Dye at DH in 2010 that 3rd year. Dye could get 4 on the open market (no problem at all). I think the Sox will go 3 years.

QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Aug 12, 2007 -> 09:33 AM) How exactly do they do that? I'm assuming he means dump him just to dump his salary (but again, the question is whether a team is willing to do that). There is no doubt Kenny is going to want to move at least Jose just to free up payroll (as I think he's concerned he has too much money tied into his starting rotation) especially when he has major holes in the outfield and middle infield.

QUOTE(juddling @ Aug 9, 2007 -> 09:33 PM) One of the funniest shows on TV That was hillarious...what is it?

QUOTE(Cali @ Aug 7, 2007 -> 11:07 AM) f***ing Orange County... Haha....I was just saying that when I was in LA this past weekend (except my version went...f***ing LA).

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Aug 6, 2007 -> 07:22 AM) Isnt there park regarded as one of the best when it comes to food? It makes you wonder about those hot dogs and polish sausages....... The funny thing was the day before that article came up, I was on the Angels ticket site listing a couple of my season seats for sale (I sell a good number of games throughout the year and than just go to like 20-25 games) and I see a big article saying Angels food rated #1 in MLB. Next day I get an email from a buddy (we were giong to the Red Sox game that night) going, we picking up food somewhere else for tonight's game (with a link about the food code issues). Either way I probably actually eat at the stadium 2-3 times a year (you are allowed to bring your own food in, so I typically just stop at this center across from the stadium) but I hope they clean that crap up (its about the first bad PR to come out of Anaheim in a long while).