Chisoxfn

Wouldn't Paul Lo Duca be a pretty good compliment to Pyrzinski. I realize he's a former roider whose past his prime, but he stastically hits lefties well (despite a not so good season last year). Over the past three years he's hitting lefties to a .323 clip with an 800+ OPS. I realize those numbers are inflated due to him being a lesser player in 08 and probably again in 09 but he might not be a bad option (and should come relatively cheap). Pudge is a better candiate because he's a better defensive catcher and was still pretty productive vs. lefties last year, but he might insist on a bit more playing time. Regardless I think either of these guys would be upgrades over Hall (albeit Hall's attitude fit in really well).

Umm....I'd trade dye for Balentein straight up, but I doubt the M's would.

There is a decent chance that Quentin would move to RF and Abreu would slide to LF (If Dye was traded). However, I can't see the Sox doing anything until one of these guys were moved.

Think about this: Figgins Abreu Quentin Thome Konerko That is a pretty damn solid 1 through 5. The question's obviously get a bit bigger as you move down in the lineup but the Sox still have AJ to hit behind Paulie and than Ramirez/Fields/Getz

A top of the order with Figgins/Abreu when healthy would be pretty damn fantastic. I too would think the Sox could get a bit more for Dye than Figgins but I'd be content given the make-up of the Sox club and some of the money the Sox would save. I still think there would be better options. I also question the source because the New York papers have typically been way off on Sox rumors.

QUOTE (Steff @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 11:54 AM) And Thome didn't make it a previous year because of a family wedding. Is that BS, too? They devote 8 months of their lives a year to the fans. Some do more, some don't. AJ was there on crutches when he likely should have been home on the couch. I know, I know... "what have you don't for me lately...." Ya, I was going to say, people forget the amount of time these players put in over the baseball season. A lot of these guys sign balls and take time out of there schedules before each and every game. We as fans might not think thats enough but most players do a pretty damn good job, imo. I know as a fan I'd say I'd do things one way but no matter what these guys do, it'll never be enough, imo. I for one think the sox have some pretty good, fan friendly players based upon my prior Soxfest experiences, but thats just my 2 cents and I won't scream or blame any player for not attending this event.

QUOTE (shipps @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 08:27 AM) I know it might be tempting for you but dont steal a plant from the lobby of your office building. Damn...that is a great idea. I might just use that line.

This is a good thread. If someone has any nice deals, please let me know cause it would make my flower purchase for the lady much easier. Although I'm actually debating on whether I'll get flowers or not (I might go more with a potted type of plant because she seems to prefer something that would last as opposed to a think of roses that will ultimately just die).

Brian...all I've ever heard is that the arm is going forward. Never anything about this head rule. Warners arm was clearly moving forward (his hand was still back) and until i see something in the rule book about this head stuff I'm going to assume that the refs made the wrong call.

What is the exact ruling on that because it looked like his hand was moving forward.

I thought Kenny's contract was extended and he just keeps the terms of those deals quiet so the media isn't really sure what his contract situation was.

You coming? I've sent you guys all kinds of flight deals.

Awesome...I've ripped Josh more than a lot of people. I think he has a lot of natural ability and tools but I think his swing has a decent size hole in it that will prevent him from ever hitting for much of an average. However, I could see him being a player similar to Troy Glaus (ie, big power, albeit Glaus had a lot more massive power in his prime not a great average).

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Jan 23, 2009 -> 11:14 AM) You could argue the same thing about the NBA and about soccer. Except the NBA is much different in the sense that the extended season (ie, tournaments) won't impact there future days unless they are battling an injury. Where as in baseball, pitchers are a very unique position which couldn't handle a ton of additional work. It would be like there being an international football tournament after months of rest. You just couldn't do it and have it be that great (this is besides the fact that football is pretty much US only). Plus it's much easier to have a team of 10-13 guys travel and practice together since basketball players don't have the extended off-seasons that baseball players due (due to the grueling nature of the baseball season).

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Jan 22, 2009 -> 08:07 PM) Why does it have to follow the World Series? What makes the United States the king of the baseball world and have to make it go according to their schedule? Sure, they have the biggest and most competitive domestic league, but that's exactly what the WBC is supposed to do. What makes it king....the fact that 98% of the best players in the world all play in that domestic league. Thats what makes it king.

Anchorman and Your MOMMA

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Jan 22, 2009 -> 02:34 PM) Which is the point Jason is trying to make. The US just has too much depth, the team would in fact be head and shoulders over anyone other country over a full season. I really like the WBC. There are few changes I would make, but overall, I like it. People take the event way too seriously, and want to make more of it than it really is. While it's a "World Tournament", it's a bunch of exhibition games broken up by countries. Thats it. It's like when the NHL used to do the All-Star game between North America and the World. What it comes down to is what entertains me. I'm a baseball fan, then a White Sox fan. I love the game, and want to be enjoy watching baseball. The WBC is held in March. During that time, I could either watch Sox vs. Padres, or USA vs. Dominican Republic. As a baseball fan, I want to watch a bunch of all stars play each other instead of watching a two AA teams battle it out for 5 innings. It's an nice alternative for two weeks or whatever. Nothing more, nothing less. I should point out that i actually watched most of the WBC and will watch it again. I enjoy it and think its a fun format, but it ain't even close to the best baseball in the world. Not when the vast majority of the talented players in it aren't even close to being in mid-season form or able to really pitch to there full capabilities (due to them being limited because of there need to be ready for the real round robin...the MLB season).

QUOTE (SleepyWhiteSox @ Jan 22, 2009 -> 02:25 PM) You really think they'd destroy other teams over a full season based on depth? Yep, the US and Dominican team would absolutely run away with things. Could you imagine a pen consisting of Putz/Pableboner/Jenks. The US would also have a much better rotation which is why I'd give them the nod. The Domincan team would have a ridiculously good 9 man lineup, one that you could argue is just as good, if not better than the US's.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Jan 22, 2009 -> 01:58 PM) So, essentially, because the WBC is new and has no tradition, it makes it ok to keep all domestic leagues in much higher priority than international competition and throw athletic/international pride (when it comes to baseball) out the window? And US basketball has only been dominant since they allowed professionals to play, in which case I agree, since then, the US has been pretty dominant, though it isn't as big of a gap as it seems. What you're proving, however, is the double standard I'm talking about. In basketball, where the competition isn't quite as good, it's cool to have the best players. But in the WBC, where things are a lot closer and the US isn't guaranteed to be awesome, it's stupid if the best players compete. No, I clearly bleieve that the US has the best in baseball and basketball. In basketball there is clearly a large GAP because it takes fewer players to put together an NBA team (and the US has the 2 best players in the world, if not far more than that...but no one can debate Kobe and Lebron as the best two players in the world and than I'd at least have Chris Paul next). Arod is the best baseball player in the world and whether or not he's US is beyond me. We don't have the best pitcher in the world either (Santana) but the US has the best talent pool in the world by far. Oh and I put far greater pride on NBA titles than US basketball titles. And again a tournament where you aren't practicing for an extended period of time is pretty ridiculous (ie, WBC). The US team doesn't do anything aside from a short WBC sprint where as World Cup you have tons of competitive tourney's as a national team, same for the US basketball team even. That and baseball is a far more historic sport than basketball and there is absolutely nothing more storied or greater than the World Series.

Why should our priority be an international tournament? It isn't, but if it was, I have no doubt that the US would dominant the tourney in the history just like they've done with basketball (even that short-lived recent run of dissapoints considered, US basketball has been pretty darn dominant). Look at World Cup, US soccer fans care more about world cup than they do some stupid league, why because the history of the World Cup is there and while we aren't as good as many of the countries it doesn't matter, it's a big deal to a US soccer fan because an MLS championship means jack.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Jan 22, 2009 -> 01:39 PM) Get off your high horse. Great, you can field a 25 man roster and it's deep. But the 9 guys on the field is what matters. No, not when your talking about an actual season. The US would destroy other teams. Give me a break, there are a few other countries that could even come close. I'm sorry that US WBC baseball is an after-thought to the actual past-time which is the World Series. That means more to an American baseball fan than the WBC and it also means more to an American player than the WBC. Speaking as someone who grew up admiring baseball and playing it, I dreamed nothing more than to be up with the bases loaded with the chance to win a world series. Thats what its about, not some stupid baseball tournament that happens before players are even in mid-season form.

There is no way any other country could field the quality of depth a team that the United States could. If your talking about a full 25 man roster over the course of a full season. None. There would be a few teams that come close, but that is all.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 22, 2009 -> 08:52 AM) That would actually be a really interesting study. Take a few given years, and look at where the Top 100 prospects ended up, versus all the rest. See which ones succeeded, by some basic measures (games played, years in majors, basic offensive/defensive/pitching stats). I'd bet that if you look at which players, for example, managed to play full time in the majors for at least a few years, that you'd have just as many outside the top 100 as inside of it. But I do not have this data, so its just a guess. Also, I am certainly not saying that the CHANCES of any given player in the top 100 are less or the same as those below. The chances are higher. But its not some on-and-off thing, is what I am trying to say. Player A who is #50 on that list in a given year may have a 70% chance, and some player that would be around #150 may have a 30% chance. And since there are so many players outside the top 100, versus in it, if you add up the partials, the total for the below group might be higher. There will be a lot of busts in the top 100, but most MLB stars and all stars ranked in the top 100 prospects at some point in there career which gives a lot of value to having high upside prospects and its why those type of prospects should be heavily valued in a farm system ranking.

Love that idea Steve.

Its going to be interesting to see what my Titans can do.