CWSGuy406

Call the TO right now, Savvy. Come on, fellas. Redeem your poor PP night with a goal here.

This is amazing. The Hawks have had about three times the scoring chances that Detroit has had. Havlat had a good look on the 2-on-1, and Sharp set up Ruutu perfectly. And now we're down a man here, and if Deh-twah scores, it could be game.

Ugh. Bad start to the third period. Two PPs, and very few chances, if any at all. Ruutu had another golden chance, and again Hasek came up with a big save. Yuck...

Golden opportunity there for Keith on a great feed from Ruutu. Christ... they've had SO many good scoring opportunities tonight. Gotta bury more than one...

Bondra made that play happen. Vandermeer looks good tonight. Really, the only defender who's been noticeably bad is Seabrook, other than Wisniewski's one semi gaff on the PP.

The Ruutu/Smoke/Havlat line has already had three-four good chances even strength. They're getting some good looks, gotta bury one past Hasek though. Hawks totally outplayed Detroit that period. Shame that they're the ones up 1-0, though...

For those out of the market, you can watch it here. WOOH!!!! http://www.comcast.net/sports/nhl/hockeylive/

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 10:50 PM) Needless to say, I would be happy if we got him. I can't believe we still haven't secured a 4th outfielder after this debacle we saw last season. Like it or not, he might already be here.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 10:08 PM) Juan was still flying open off the ball with his leg kick within a few weeks of adopting it as a technique. Greg Walker had the right idea with Uribe last year, it just didn't work. The leg kick is a bandaid on a gaping wound - it's trying to fix the poor design of Uribe's swing in 2005. Last year, Walker had Uribe spread his legs apart to shoot for better balance and better ability to see the ball, which is the right technique. It didn't work with Uribe, because he still kept his batting stance too closed and kept the tendency to pull off the ball, and because it sure seems like he is very, very stubborn about wanting to swing at everything. The point is, with Hrniak and Thomas mentoring Uribe, he was sitting back on the ball much much more than he had ever done in any point in his career. It was amazing... he actually would take sliders down in the dirt for balls, rather than flail helplessly at them. There was quite a difference in September 2005 Uribe than 2006 Uribe.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 09:20 PM) If he can repeat his stellar defense, that's completely acceptable. Still, I'd rather a guy that could get on base at two of the three positions I mentioned considering outside of Konerko, Thome, Dye, and Iguchi, nobody else does. Wouldn't you agree? I'd be perfectly fine if we got a LFer worth a damn. You're seriously discounting the need for good defense on this team. The only pitcher who consistently can get hitters out by himself is Vazquez, and even he's an extreme flyball pitcher who BA helps. With McCarthy coming, there's another guy who will be helped by BA. Our defense as a whole slipped last year from 2005. I'd say the two spots where we could reasonably improve is CF (just by playing Anderson six days a week, not Sideshow Rob) and LF.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 09:10 PM) I'm not recommending Alex Cora, as I mentioned in the other thread, he's most desirable in the bench role and isn't good enough to be a starter. I am however recommending that in left, in center, and at short you get players to compliment the three aforementioned players instead of these all or nothing players, and in Brian Anderson's case just nothing. But they're not all-or-nothing players. While they may have streaks of 'bad' at the plate, they're saving their pitchers runs in the field by getting to most every ball that's hit anywhere near either of them. How does Anderson not compliment Dye nicely? Dye puts up ridiculous offensive numbers, but his range in RF isn't too stellar at this point. Ditto Tad Iguchi, has nice hands and can turn the DP really well, but has pretty poor range himself. And again, you're still discounting the fact that Anderson has put up good minor league numbers and can hit, despite his 2005 season. I'm not saying he's going to battle for a batting title, but he's capable of .250/.315/.420 next year which, considering his defense, would be perfectly acceptable.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 08:57 PM) At this point in time, do I realistically see the White Sox winning the World Series? Well, I'd never say never, but with major holes in center field, left field, and short stop among others, at this point I feel as if it's unlikely. Major holes? Heh. The best defensive SS in the AL who, despite the absurdly low OBP, still slugged .441, and is still right in the middle of his prime years, is a "major hole"? Should the Sox perhaps swing a deal for the incredible Alex Cora? Would that plug the hole? An above-average-to-great defensive centerfielder who has a solid minor league track record is a "major hole"? Oh, right, he struggled in 365 ABs, so that means his career is over. I'll concede LF, but the winter ain't over yet.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 08:34 PM) Uribe is the weak link because he had a down year defensively No he didn't.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 07:26 PM) Right now I just sub Bondra for Zues and call it even, or a little bit of a loss. I wonder who we would deal for Prospal if it happens. If they were willing to take Cullimore instead of Vandy, I'd throw Sharp their way. I know that would complicate the problems of not having enough centers, but we'd be gaining a #2 center and losing a #3 center. Ark and Holmqvist can center the other two lines, with guys like LaPointe taking a share of the faceoffs, as, IIRC, he's been pretty competent in that area this season. I'm pumped. Haven't been this excited in a while. Hawks can take a small step forward by playing well tonight.

Apparently Borque is back tonight, too. Things starting to fall in place (as well as they could, at least -- a damn shame Zues is out for the year). Hopefully that trade will go through with Tampa (Vandy straight up?), and we'll roll out two pretty solid lines.

If you have some time, here's a baseball "gameshow"-like video with both Iguchi and Matsuzaka. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DttSBsQbmB0

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 08:03 AM) He's a bench player, knew his role, did it well, end of story. Well, not really, but if that's good for your psyche, then good for you! Yes, because apparently young players in their first year of full-time major league action don't improve, and shortstops who play truely superb defense and slug .441 are bad baseball players. Riiight... Really? Can you show me all these other people? Are they from the MLB.com message boards? The boys from SoSH, perhaps? Because I know the Red Sox fans at BTF, who are much more rational than you could ever dream of being, and I don't know a single one of them who thought Cora was "incredible". But that's cool. Just make sure those Red sunglasses don't get too bright, mmkay pal?

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 07:17 AM) In my opinion, if you can play superb defensively all over the infield while being able to do all the little things as he did, you can be an excellent bench player, and thats the definition of Alex Cora. Superb? Uhh, no. Above average, yes, but superb is reserved for guys like Adam Everett. How do I know that Cora isn't a great defender? Your own fanbase said so. That's funny. You calling Cora "incredible" came in the same paragraph as your bashing of Cintron, despite the fact that Cintron is and will be the better bench player going forward. That's okay though. Keep trying to rationalize how a player with a .298 SLG% is "incredible". "He did the little things"... haha, sounds like freakin' Timo.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 07:07 AM) Cora sucks? Oh, of course.. I forgot Alex Cintron and Pablo Ozuna were gods gifts to the world. That's obsurd. He was incredible off the bench last season, as he always has been with the Sox as he's known his role and played it to near perfection. You know what? I agree with you. Cora and his .298 SLG% last season were quite incredible. Just not in the way you meant it.

QUOTE(103 mph screwball @ Dec 13, 2006 -> 05:51 AM) Any predictions of how much he would sign for? I don't know how much he'll end up signing for, but the Sox should be willing to match (within reasonable terms here) just about anyone elses offer. The last time the Sox had more than one decent hitting catcher was the 2000 team that had the Charles Johnson, Mark Johnson, and Josh Paul trio. And that was more fluke than anything, as Josh Paul somehow managed a pretty okay 88 OPS+ (for a backup catcher) in 70+ ABs. Honestly, it wouldn't hurt me one bit to see the Sox overpay by a million bucks to bring Hall in there. I'd have to figure that a one year, $3.5 million dollar contract would get the job done, as he'd get paid a pretty good amount for a backup, but he'd also get a good deal of playing time considering all the lefties in the Central.

QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 05:19 AM) If it's the 5th, all i gotta say is, you must really like nashville Heh, yeah, I just noticed that. We buy five games from one of my friends' ticket package, and my brother was able to get half off on the $40 tickets. The package games were picked at the beginning of the year, and my friends dad was nice enough to center it around when I'll be home for break. I'm not complaining. I always enjoy watching Sullivan play, although that Jordan Tootoo better get an ass beating...

QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 04:52 AM) See ya at the UC BTW, I think I have the Preds game on the 20th. I'll double-check on Friday, but I'm 90% sure that's the one I have for December. I'm also going to the game on either the 5th or the 7th of January.

QUOTE(G&T @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 02:07 AM) Wait, is it the guy with the long beard? I had a Russian orthodox professor for Theo 1 at Marquette and he was one of the best profs I've ever had. He didn't have a bad accent though... No beard for my guy. Orlov is his name.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 01:57 AM) The break away vs. Buffalo was my favorite. I hope he puts on a show for the third of the crowd that will be Detroit fans tomorrow. Anyone going to that game? Damn theology final on Friday or else I'd so be there.

Watch this video and try not to smile. Go ahead. Try it. http://www.hockey-humor.com/movie.wmv Havlat mancrush >>> Grossman + Crede mancrushes combined.