Chisoxfn

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 9, 2005 -> 10:44 AM) I think you're completely right in that assessment. Take a look at the Yankees. They have added a huge amount of bats. A ridiculous amount of power. But what sort of attitude does that team have? ARod, Sheff, etc...all of these guys seem incredibly focused on their own numbers. That team was built based on hiring the guys with the biggest numbers and not caring if they worked together. And what has it gotten them? An offense that worked exactly like ours did last year - they hammer some terrible pitchers, but if a pitcher holds them in check, they don't sacrifice themselves in order to help the team. And then they can't beat the Devil Rays. The Yankees can do this and still win some games because they have so much money, but the Tigers will never challenge the Yankees in spending. The Tigers can add another bat or another pitcher, but they will never be able to hire enough guys that if their team doesn't mesh and work together, they won't be able to keep up. Exactly...Maggs said the exact truth and maybe that will get their asses in gear.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 9, 2005 -> 10:54 AM) Is the end of the steroid era starting to reflect in the stat page? In the AL there are only 8 guys hitting over .300, total. No one is hitting over .330 at all. The NL only has 12 guys hitting over .300, with the leader at .343. For a comparision sake in 2004 the NL alone has 19 guys over .300. I also think part of it has to do with a higher quality of pitchers coming in. It all seems to go in cycles and right now you can definatley see a lot more young pitchers coming up than young hitters (although Pujols and Cabrerra are awesome young hitters). But you got a lot more Jake Peavy's, Jon Garland's, Dontrell Willis, Carlos Zambrono's, etc.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Sep 8, 2005 -> 07:45 PM) I'm thinking Kotsay will come away with the GG. This is gonna be Rowand's first. Hunter is down and Kotsay isn't as good as Aaron, imo. Aaron has gotten some late coverage from ESPN (including the labor day broadcast in Boston where they raved about his defense) and I think that, along with the Sox playing well this year will get him the award). Chavez will win it for 3rd. Crede is near =, but Chavez can hit and until Crede develops his offensive game a little more he won't win the award. AJ nowhere close (can't throw out a runner) and its Bengie Molinas award to lose, imo. Garland/Buehrle are both outstanding fielding pitchers, but I don't know if they'll get it. Garland is the better of the two, imo.

Hey stocking, I'll move this over to PHT. I'm sure someone over there will be able to help ya. But I swear the fan deck is the thing in CF that you kind of take some stairs up and there is a patio up there or something.

Actually this is one of the best things Maggs has ever said. He said all the right things imo and has to be hoping the team gets fired up, plays well down the stretch, and can add another piece or two. Detroit isn't that far off, imo. They do have some quality pitchers.

Umm, from what I've seen it is a new arm angle that has been the difference for Jose. He's throwing 3/4's a whole lot more and its really working. He's also working a bit quicker and has obviously been limiting the walks. Even more impressive was his last outing where he was able to shutout the opponents despite giving up quite a bit of baserunners early on (which are usually the curse to Jose). I've always said, get a leadoff single or man aboard on Jose and you have a very good shoot at scoring runs. He just stinks with runners on, but seems to be making strides in that category. I also think some of it has to do with confidence and his confidence has to be growing.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 9, 2005 -> 09:14 AM) Next year we are going to make sure to get a softball game together during the summer too. We had a lot of people interested, but most were away at school. The other option is to see if WSI wants to play against us, that way we only need half the people. As long as you guys tell me the date and its in summer I'll be for sure there. I plan on a little longer trip out there as my break from the CPA studying I'll be doing before I start up with my firm at the beginning of September. I guess that means we'll be able to see what Shawron Dunston (you) will be able to do at SS (ie you)

Sounds like you guys and gals had fun. I'm going do my best to make sure I'm out in Chicago next year when this event takes place.

Everything will solely be sold via internet and phone.

If the fan deck is the same as a patio party than you get free food and drinks and its out in CF.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Sep 8, 2005 -> 09:40 PM) Posada does it too. It is supposedly a "latino" thing...not to be racist or anything, but I almost recall exactly those being words from the horses mouth. Oh ya...loved the story. I've always like Posada, and always thought he never got the recognition he deserves. Even on the Yankees, I still feel he is one of the most underrated hitters in the league. I'm with you on the whole Posada thing. I typically hate Yankee players, but I've never found a way to hate Posada. He always plays the game hard and really has a great attitude. I remember he got his head lopped off on a throw last year when the Angels were turning a dp. Posada was standing up trying to break up the DP (with a very very late hard slide) and the Angels SS just gunned the throw right at him (like your taught to) and the ball just smashed Jorge in the face. I think a lot of players would of gotten up and said some words to the Angels SS. Posada the next day said it was the way the game was played. He made the hard late slide and the Angels SS did exactly what your taught to do. Posada has also turned himself into a pretty decent defensive catcher and the guy can definately hit (even though I think he's having a down year). He's been one Yankee I've always kind of wanted on the Sox. This story is only going to make me like the guy even more, which I hate to say for a Yank.

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Sep 8, 2005 -> 07:22 PM) I hope it's solely for like an opening day type series. I'm sorry, but I don't think we need any of our big leagues to expand outside of the continent. That just seems like that'd be insanely rough on a schedule. The only way you could do something like that would be to create like an international division where there were enough teams in Europe or some other place that when you traveled you could stay over for a while and play other teams. If there is one team in Europe, it would be a nightmare for traveling. But I am pretty sure they are talking about having like a series or two out there and I think that would be pretty cool. I'd of course use the Drays and maybe get a team like the Yanks or someone of that magnitude (in fan distinction) to go out there and watch the game. Drays would probably profit quite a bit from it so I'm sure they'd be up for it.

If the Sox and Angels match up in the playoffs I will be happy. I got my tix ready for those games

You guys are missing the thing. If the Indians win than the Sox would probably play the winner of the AL West (I'm guessing they'll have the worse record of the division winners) and not Cleveland in the 1st round. And I'd rather take my chances with the Wild Card winner than Anaheim. Although personally speaking I don't care who the Sox play. If they play theire game (pitching, defense, timely hitting) they'll take out anyone.

QUOTE(EvilMonkey @ Sep 8, 2005 -> 01:59 PM) getting the talk back to Arnold and CA, didn't the voters there pass the referendum defining marraige as a man and a woman? If that is the case, then the state lawmakers are going against the very wishes of their constituants by trying to get a law passed that goes against the voters. Is the majority right? Who knows. However, the lawmakers were sent there to represent the people of the state, and the people voted for marraige to mean a man and a woman. Why do these reps think they know better than their voters? Leave it to Dems to think that they know what the people want and need, even when the very people tell them otherwise. Arnold is just following the lead of the voters in California by vetoing this bill. I agree with you on that. Arnold is telling the dem's to screw off. The people voted for something and he is going to ensure it happens. There are a lot of political issues in California and while I don't exactly love Arnold, he's at least agressive in his approach and isn't afraid to tell some of the politicians to shove it. I'm not saying its right or wrong. I'm for civil unions or something along those lines that gives homosexuals equal rights. I don't know if I'm for it being called a marriage, it really wouldn't hurt me, but at the same time I don't know if it should be considered necessarily the exact same thing (heck if I know the right answer).

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Sep 8, 2005 -> 08:21 AM) I would be very interested to see any evidence of said persons engaging in debate arguing a generally accepted conservative viewpoint. I dunno, this board is actually pretty well split between republicans and democrats. I'm a staunch republican although I vary on certain social issues, but econimically I'm a big believer in the republican way of handling things. I just stay out of any religious debate or anything that really ties to religion. Its not something I argue about, mainly because I don't go to church, and also becaues quite frankly I don't care what other people practice, I simply respect it. I actually think religion is a good thing (no matter what religion) because they all teach values. Its just with every religion you have people that are way radical nad frustrate me. I will say this, I've never figured out why christians are the people who are always out trying to convert others. I've never been approached by a jewish person or a muslim person or a buddhist to join their religion, but I'm always handed stuff from christians telling me to join. Personally I'm agnostic but I don't let that stand in my way of others. Whats best for them is best for them and I have no problem with it. As long as they don't tell me they are right and I am wrong. I think religion is just a personal choice and one I respect regardless (as long as they aren't hurting someone).

QUOTE(Kid Gleason @ Sep 8, 2005 -> 04:56 AM) Eeesh, somebody needs to get him a good script before he decides to go onto the White House. I guess I just REALLY don't get why people oppose it. I just really don't get it. My life will NOT change if a same sex marriage happens. My life will be effected in no way shape or form, and I probably will be oblivious to 99.99999% of the gay marriages that happen. This just baffles me soooo damn much. Why? Why is it an issue for non-gay people? Two people get to be happy, what is the big f***ing deal??? I'm kind of the same way you are. Hell I really don't have a problem if they call it marriage or a civil union, just make sure two men or two women that love each other and are going to live with each other can get the same benefits (health coverage wise, legally, etc) that a married couple does. If a marriage is something people want between a man and a women, fine by me, but I think gay people deserve the same rights a straight couple has. A few years ago I'd of said the opposite, but than in college you bump into people that are gay and realize they are no different than you or me, they just happen to like the same sex. They can still be baseball fans, football fans, anything else. This and abortion are two areas I probably lean more left on than a typical republican. On abortion, I'd never tell my gf or any girl I knocked up to have one, but I'm also not one to go and tell someone else what to do. I don't believe in them, but I understand they are there and I'm not going to force a person to have a child even though I believe there are other options than just going for an abortion. However, I'm not going to vote one way or another for a president thats going to get rid of gay marriages, allow gay marriages, or ban abortion. It is an issue I'm indifferent on in a sense. I look more towards economic/social policy and other things when I vote.

QUOTE(farmteam @ Sep 8, 2005 -> 03:30 PM) The article did say "Major teams and conferences" I believe, which makes me think you won't find the smaller teams (a la Illinois State) in the game. But then they'll have the Big 10 (there was a screenshot of Michigan I think), Pac 10, SEC, Big 12, etc. I'm sure ISU will be there because Wichita State is a quality baseball program and they are in that conference. I'm really looking forward to this game, maybe more so than any game in a long time. I'm not buying madden this year (just love College football) and maybe I'll opt for this game over a mlb game. I'll definately be picking this up though. I love how you can actually work on the dyansty feature. One thing about baseball games is its always hard to really work in the dynasty because the seasons are so long (unless you just want to sim almost every game).

I'm in

I've been tempted to take Oakland in the upset, but there defense is so horrid.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Sep 7, 2005 -> 08:35 PM) *Sigh* 7 game winning streak, highest mark we've been over .500 this year, best record in baseball again and all this crap starts again. Actually, I don't mind it, the Sox seem to strive when this stuff is being talked about. Its almost like controversy about something other than their play gets a monkey off their back and lets them roll.

This has had a great response so far.

Wow, talk about a game. Way to go Kanny

Sounds cool.

QUOTE(DePloderer @ Sep 6, 2005 -> 07:36 AM) Here's a slightly re worked version. Any better? I like that one a lot better. Great stuff as always