Chisoxfn

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 09:24 AM) Byrd won't be leaving Anaheim as long as the Angels offer is close to what the other suitors are offering

QUOTE(timotime @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 05:43 PM) yes, exactly Agreed

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 10:21 AM) Just to add, I think to make the Kong deal even better, is the fact that Kenny can now go into the winter meetings and not have that on his mind at all, and focus his attention to other things. Ya, thats the big thing and we will see another move by the end of the meetings.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Dec 1, 2005 -> 10:10 AM) I would love if Garland agreed to a 3 year, $21 million contract but if he repeats on his 2005 season, he could make that contract look like chump change via free agency. I think that deal would have to be nearer to 24 million with a 4th year option at like 9 or 10 million a year. Start the 1st year at 7 or 7.5 and slowly escalate it up. Than he would have a buyout that would ensure that he would at the very least average 8 million a year for 3 years and if he stuck around he'd get a little more. This isn't done, the Sox made an initial attempt and I'm guessing they will now turn to AJP and focus on the winter meetings coming up. Once those are over they will get back into business. I could even see them agreeing to a 1yr deal sometime quickly (to avoid arbitration) only to have told each other they would come back and look at a multi year deal later in the off-season.

Iowa pulls off another win against a top 25 opponent. Thus far they are 2-1 against ranked teams and there only loss was to the #2 team in the country (a game they led for a lot of the way, until they faded due to foul trouble). The thing that impresses me the most about Iowa is that they have grinded out these wins and usually haven't had all 3 of there big 3 rolling in any one game (Haluska, Brunner, Horner). Horner is really pressing and Brunner was really shut down by Simmons for most of the game. In the end Brunner had some really key buckets as did Horner and Haluska. Iowa was able to grind it out in what was a rather ugly game by both teams. You could tell NCState tried to slow things down, but it was looking like a blowout in the early minutes of the game and than NC State shut things down and Iowa couldn't buy a bucket (and when they had a nice look in the paint, Simmons would find a way to block it). I'm impressed with the Hawkeyes thus far and I really think this tough non-conference schedule will help them, especially late in the season. I'm hoping the comittee will only be looking at there resume to decide just how high Iowa will be seeded. Iowa, IU, MSU, and Illinois are the 4 teams I see battling it out for the Big 10 title. I got to say that the team thats most impressed me is IU and what they have down without DJ White. Its a really strong year in the Big 10 (at least near the top of the Big 10) and I could see 1 or 2 big 10 teams making the final four and quite frankly all 4 of these teams in the Sweet Sixteen. Lots can happen between now and than and I'm gonna have to remind myself how Alfords teams tend to suck early in the big 10 schedule. Hopefully they can stay strong and tough though and continue to improve because defensively they are strong and offensively they have some weapons. They aren't incredibly deep though.

QUOTE(AnthraxFan93 @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 08:55 PM) To Quote hawk.. Where is he going to play? Just where he is. If Owens is going to replace anyone it would be Pods, not Dye. Owens isn't capable of being even an average Cfer, imo. He's a good athlete and very quick and he has an oustanding work ethic, but Anderson is going to be playing CF until Chris Young replaces him. The only reason I think Young will take over CF is because Anderson has the arm of a RFer and Young is really good defensively in CF (so is Anderson) but doesn't have as good of an arm. I'm not going to pencil in or not pick up an incredibly affordable option on Dye unless Dye is totally hurt or not producing at all. Otherwise it would be foolish to not bring him back, imo. Plus, Chris Young is who will be getting groomed in 07 as far as I'm concerned. First we got to play this year though.

Paulie/Thome isn't the best 1-2 punch in baseball until Thome proves he's completely healthy. I think there is a good shot Paulie will put up similar numbers to last year, although I'd expect his RBI total to rise. If Thome is healthy and productive I could see each hitting 40 plus HR's and each knocking in 125 plus. If thats done it is obviously one of the best 1-2 punches in the game, but I still need to see Thome healthy. I think Manny/Ortiz or Vladdy/Manny is much more of a sure thing.

QUOTE(The Critic @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 05:25 PM) Good point, but the Sox would be down to Cotts if Marte was dealt. I'm not a minor-league guru, so I have no idea if any lefty relievers ( or starters like Cotts was ) are ready to contribute soon. Any lefty arms growin' on the farm? We have some, but none are ready to contribute at the major league level next year. If they were to deal Marte, they would need to sign a lefty or trade for a lefty reliever.

Ignore what I posted. I was wrong. I noticed he played a lot more games in CF this year than prior years. I don't watch much any Nat games so I can't say anything about his defense.

I like Wilkerson. I think he's a good player. How good is he defensively in CF. I'm assuming thats what your thinking? I don't see why he'd be a really good #2 hitter though. Its not like he's a great average hitter (although maybe he handles the bat better). He is a good OBP guy. However, while he has a great eye, he also will strike out 150 times, plus I don't think the Sox want to go that way defensively. They would be much better off defensiely with Pods in left and Anderson in CF.

Take a look now. Goldy made this AMAZING wallpaper. He joins Myself, Showtime (whose done 99% of them), Murcie, and Greasy as the only people to ever make wallpapers for Soxtalk.com Oh and mine were not wallpapers, they were garbage from the original days.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 02:41 PM) Dude, the Knicks are terrible. These teams are pretty f***ing far from even. Of course that doesn't mean the Knicks won't be motivated (especially Jamal and Eddy). I'm guessing Eddy is still out? So is tonights game on WGN or something?

QUOTE(qwerty @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 02:41 PM) Cubs have a bigger board than the bulls specificly do. I don't know if the bears have a specific board or not but i do know a couple off message boards ( that cover the entire nfl) are surrounded with bears fans for whatever reason. www.nflfans.com/bearstalk is a Bears message board. Not a ton of traffic though, but its been around a long time.

You want loud...check out a home Cal State Fullerton basketball game. Wowzers, every once in a great while, you'll hear something. But the loudest sports event I was ever at was Angels/Yanks (the game they eliminated the Yanks) the year they won the World Series. It was basically the beginning of the thunder sticks and you couldn't hear a thing. 2nd loudest was the Pads/Yanks (1st Pads home game of the series). The place was really rocking, well until Brosius sealed it with a big HR.

Not much for the Cubs. There are a few Bears boards. I've long wondered if there would be interest in opening up other boards specific to the Bears and Bulls.

QUOTE(chitownsportsfan @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 12:42 PM) Yea, lost in this is the fact that Konerko was offered more money by both the Angels and the Orioles, yet decided to stay with the Sox for less. A great guy, I only wish him the best. Konerko did a lot of talking after the WS about how he loved Chicago and could never picture himself leaving, but as we've all experienced, oftentimes this is just talk. Well, Kong walked the walk. Did anyone know for sure that the Angels actually offered 65. I still think he got pretty much the same deal from both and in the end he stuck with the Sox (which is what I always thought would happen).

QUOTE(SnB @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 12:00 PM) we won the big 10 and if we didn't f*** it up in the big 10 tourney, we would have made the nccaa tourney as well. Just saying, we're not an awful baseball school. Amateurs...now if Fullerton wasn't in the game (and they are) than there would be reason to be upset

Plus I think the Sox will resign AJP and Garland to extensions.

QUOTE(chitownsportsfan @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 12:16 PM) Yea, he could hit 20 homers, but I'm hoping he does that in the 2 hole, and just stops bunting pods and uribe over so damn much, and stops giving away outs. Especially when the Sox are behind by more than 2 runs. Umm...those are some of the reasons why we won it all. The ability to execute and score against the tough pitchers. Obviously power was still there and the pitching was awesome, but Ozzie ball helped.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 09:11 AM) I'm like so three years ago, but I finally got off my ass and bought a playstation2. So what's the best games to get? My gosh there's so many. And I have the online dealie... so give me a couple of days to get up to speed... and then who'd like to get their ass kicked at what? Lol, I just sold mine on Ebay, had I known I'd have hooked ya up.

QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 09:50 AM) His wife is from Arizona i'm pretty sure. And he is from LA. The dodgers drafted him right out of his high school in LA. And since LA is near Arizona and there ST facility is in AZ, the Angels have an advantage in that aspect. He is from AZ, IIRC. Well he played his high school ball there and he was born in the Mass area.

QUOTE(Iwritecode @ Nov 30, 2005 -> 10:19 AM) Do you know how many tickets are sold for each day? I thought I had heard somewhere around 3,000. I'd say there was at least half that in line/in the room for the opening ceremonies last year. Maybe more... I think they sell a lot more than 3000 per day, but I'm not positive.

Great move...now if they want to find a CF go for it. Otherwise I'm quite happy with this team. The only thing I could see is moving El Duque and picking up a different reliever (just due to the salary of Duque). This way the Sox could have some flexibility around the trade deadline. I knew Paulie would come back and 5/60 is more than fair for both sides.

Old Sox??? Oh, I remember, there was that poster who slammed every prospect deal the Sox made. I think it was Jim Fainter (well Jim changed his name and it was some other name).

Best estimate, by Mid January, but we could have it done sooner than that. I'd like to gather up and start work on it over everyones Xmas breaks (so right after the new year basically).