CWSGuy406

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 07:19 PM) The "f***ing a" part seemed to point out that you expected at on out of the Hawks and that that loss was going to destroy their season. That's normally how "f***ing a" comes off. Not really. It was an expression. It would've been all the same if I said something else like "f***ing bulls***, damnit, s***", whatever curse/swear you could think of. Again -- stop reading into something that isn't there. If you've read any of the NHL stuff I've posted here over the summer or even at the start of the season, you'd know my stance has been (and has remained) "cautious optimism", ie if everything went well, a 6-8 seed in the West wasn't out of the question, but what we'd most likely we'd be looking at is a 8-11 spot with (hopefully) improvement from the kids throughout the year. It's perfectly reasonably to hold those expectations and expect them to beat a bad hockey team at home. For anyone to read "f***ing a" as meaning it's a loss that's going to destroy a season is idiotic. Gosh damn if that ain't reading into something that isn't there...

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 08:58 PM) I really think this is the end of DET in the A-Rod game, especially with the money now involved, and their payroll for what is still a small market team. Detroit isn't a small market team with Illitch as the owner. He's shown with the Red Wings that he'll pay $$$ for star players, he's also shown that with a willingness to go WELL over slot with draft picks (Porcello, Miller). Obviously A-Rod is a bit of a different beast, but if Illitch sets his sights on A-Rod, there won't be a whole lot to stop the Tigers from submitting a very likeable offer.

Hmm... didn't realize Hernandez was so highly regarded. That debunks part of my last post. Still, I don't think Furcal is worth anywhere near as much as Renteria is. Renteria is coming off of a much better season and is signed for two more seasons, not just one. He also costs less (in 2008) than Furcal does. What are the Dodgers going to be looking for, though? They've got prospects at just about every spot on the diamond (or so it seems).

QUOTE(fathom @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 08:47 PM) If we're going to get Furcal, it's going to have to be for Garland. After this trade? I doubt it. What bargaining power do the Dodgers have? Furcal is well overpaid at $13 million per season and is coming off of his worst season since 2001. Everybody also knows that they have Hu ready to go. I think Contreras, cash (moreso cash for the second year) and a prospect should be able to get it done.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 06:31 PM) OR we could try to be smart about it and realize they actually do have talent and not jump off ship if the Hawks happen to struggle a bit this year (not you, Krush, but others). Who the f*** is jumping ship, other than you throwing those whack-ass assumptions out there? Do you read at all? I had this to say a page back: So you're way, WAAAY late to the party in the 'patience' regard. The Thrashers are playing without their starting goaltender. They were off to a horrible start and outside of one player -- Hossa has been unhappy this whole season in Atlanta and as a result has three points to show for it in the ealy going -- they're a below average (I'd say well below average) hockey team. The Hawks were at home and, at this moment in time, I see the Hawks in a higher light than I do the Thrashers. That's why it was a bad loss. Saying that doesn't mean I'm jumping ship on the season. Saying that doesn't mean I have Cup expectations. It's just calling a spade a spade, a bad f***ing loss a bad f***ing loss. Stop reading into everything when there's nothing there.

QUOTE(max power @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 06:06 PM) I'd maybe agree with SLG, HR total and RBI total but I don't see josh putting up a higher OBP than joe next year, let alone for the rest of joe's career. Why not? Crede's career OBP is only .305 and for about a year-and-a-half at Charlotte, Fields showed the ability to draw more walks than he did at the major league level. Fields' "bad" OBP last season was actually higher than Crede's career OBP, so I don't see that as unrealistic at all.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 04:21 PM) 3. Linebrink may well be set up for a good bounceback year. Why? There are no guarantees with relievers, especially ones with not-great K-rates and who were saved by pitching in a gigantic ballpark. There's also the move from the NL to the AL along with moving from PETCO/Miller to US Cellular. I'd rather watch Oneli Perez give up homers for the minimum than watch an overpaid veteran do it. That's what our new bullpen coach is for.

QUOTE(rockren @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 04:29 AM) Crede was our best all around player most of that year. I can't believe there are actually people who think this. Then again, I log onto Soxtalk and see it right before my eyes. Apparently Crede's defense and "clutchness" were enough to overcome the ~175 point difference in OPS betwee he and Jermaine Dye. Silly me, I guess I thought JD's season -- I'd venture to say one of the top ten indivual season's in White Sox history, although I can't prove that at the moment -- was 'most valuable' to the 2006 club.

For those who either own or have played MLB Power Pros, how do you advance only the lead runner? I've hurt myself out of many runs because I can't tag up with a guy on third because the guy who is on first or second will also try and advance.

QUOTE(fathom @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 01:47 AM) No, Lester is much more highly regarded than those guys as a lefty and a starter. No chance we were getting him or Ellsbury in a trade. Even at the trade deadline I wasn't even thinking about Ellsbury. It amazed me at the general ignorance of some people at the trade deadline about certain players' value. When the report of Dye for WMP + Delcarmen (or Masterson) being very close was talked about that morning, there were actually people who thought we weren't getting enough. "WMP strikes out too much and Delcarmen is a reliever. Buccholz and Ellsbury with Beckett thrown in or no deal!"

Was Lester ever included in those talks for Dye? Even getting Lester + WMP for Dye at the deadline would've been a coup. I think Lester was a little less highly regarded (that's just my take, I certainly could be wrong) than Masterson and even Manny Delcarmen. Yep -- I'm still thinking about that trade/deal that couldn't be reached/finalized

Fantasy people with Tom Brady -- like me -- have to love how New England continues to pound teams in the second half, even after the opposing team is holding up a white flag. The league I'm in, QB touchdowns/yards aren't worth as much as RB or WR touchdowns/yards, and Brady is still one of the highest point players in the league. This week he even helps by getting into the endzone twice on his feet, three times through the air and throwing for 300.

QUOTE(Vance Law @ Oct 28, 2007 -> 04:45 PM) With the bat, he's above average. His career OPS+ of 92 says otherwise. He's also a liability on the basepaths. I'd say the total package of a healthy Joe Crede is an average player. That has it's uses, no doubt, but considering everything -- his complete package as a player, his creaky back and the fact that he turns 30 next April -- he's not someone I'd look at extending, unless it's two or three years at no more than $7-8 million.

How can you not like running play action on second down there... I'm sure that PA fake had the Lions safeties coming three steps in before they realized it wasn't a run. What a complete and utter joke. How many points has the offense scored on the Lions this year that wasn't Devin Hester assisted? It can't be more than ten, right?

Show a sack and go for it. Can Griese's headset magically 'go out' at halftime?

QUOTE(fathom @ Oct 28, 2007 -> 05:53 PM) He's having one of the poorest games possible. And I don't care what the ref said...that PI was his fault. Manning definitely interfered, but what the f*** was Archuleta doing? On the play he ran right at Roy Williams and tried to hit him. He made NO effort whatsoever to make a play on the ball. They should only put Archuleta in on guaranteed run downs as I've never seen anyone so useless against the pass. Can Azumah come out of retirement?

Since I'm not in the Chicago area and can't listen to sports radio or read the papers, are people calling for Turner's head yet? This is a joke. Every offensive coordinator would salivate at the field position the Bears get on just about every drive, and week after week we can't even consistently get in position for f***ing FIELD GOALS.

Thank you greatly.

Anyone know where I can find a regional coverage map to see what game I will be getting at noon on Fox today?

f***ing brutal loss. Can't lose to the worst team in hockey AT HOME. It sounded like the Hawks completely outplayed Atlanta, too. Still gotta find a way to beat that team. And the .500-or-better record is gone just like that. f***ing a.

I've played about 15 minutes of that MLB Power Pros game for the Wii, it's awesome. The hitting system is similar to the hitting system used in Ken Griffey Jr's Slugfest. The pitching is similar, too -- you can move the pitch's location all throughout the windup and a little bit after it. I've only played the exhibition mode, but fingering through the instruction booklet, the game looks incredibly deep, too. I saw there's free agency, trades, AAA call-ups/demotions and even a June draft. The Sox roster includes guys like Nick Masset, Ryan Sweeney, Boone Logan and THE Gustavo Molina. Very fun game, best $40 I've spent in a while.

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Oct 26, 2007 -> 07:51 PM) I'm liking Memphis this year. Derrick Rose is perfect for them, and he'll be winning FotY. Won't OJ Mayo be competing for that award as well? Speaking of which, how's USC looking besides Mayo? I hate to say it, but I'm kind of ignorant to the Pac 10 and their going-ons.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Oct 26, 2007 -> 01:48 PM) Last night's game just further cemented the fact that fighting in hockey is just dumb. He got his ass kicked by Zdeno Chara big time. I'm so over fighting in hockey. Not really. Koci had a cut above his nose that Chara just cut open. It was a good shot, no doubt, but by no means was it an ass kicking. And fighting is fine in hockey. I have yet to see a convincing argument why it should be taken out. You take it out and you're going to have more bulls*** stickwork and plays like the Bertuzzi suckerpunch.

So you mean to tell me the Hawks weren't going to go undefeated after their 5-3 start? Unfortunately for those who are kind-of sort-of jumping on the Hawks bandwagon (and I'm not pointing any fingers, mind you, I'm just saying 'in general'), the Hawks still have a ways to go. Yes, Toews and Kane are phenomenal and so is Havlat when he's healthy, but this is a team that still has some major holes, some of which (defense) were exposed tonight. I mean, Phil Kessel is a great offensive player, as good or better than the two kids we have, but man -- MagJo got beat like a rag-doll on his (second?) goal. I also thought that Khabibulin has now turned in two pretty weak performances -- that third goal he let in tonight was, IMO, pretty weak, although that's probably debatable and most likely a mute point as you're not going to win games scoring all of one goal. There's also the (continuing) issue of the Hawks having only one line that can do anything offensively. Nobody besides the RTK line (and Lang) is scoring. I'm looking at guys like Samsonov, Williams and Borque -- they're not on the team to do what Adam Burish or Kevin Adams do (forecheck well, play the 'grinder' role) -- they're here to score. Mind you I'm not asking the three of them to score 30 goals a piece, but between the three they have what, two goals? I'm not calling for huge changes yet, but things need to pick up with some of these guys. If by Christmas it's more of the same with the RTK line dominating play and nobody else doing s***, I'd really look at bringing up a handfull of Bickell/Blunden/Skille/Brouwer/Bolland to try and make something happen on offense. I also saw something last night that I hadn't seen all season -- Boston was extremely physical with the RTK line. Guys were getting in their shots on both Kane and Toews. That's fine, I'm sure they can handle it, but it will be interesting to see if this continues.

Is it a requirement for NESN announcers to be absolutely insufferable? Sigh... Phil Kessel's good. Real good.