CWSGuy406

I'll bet Clement signs with the Indians, I can't see the Blue Jays being able to beat a three year, eight million per year offer. Damn, if Clement is healthy, I really don't like the prospect of seeing him and Sabathia on back-to-back days...

Serious? Hotel and passes and s***, alltogether, just around 50 a person? Sweet deal! How was the Wake game? I imagine it was loud as f*** inside Assembly Hall, huh? You guys got in, correct?

I'm 16 (if you see me, you'll think I'm barely in high school ). Yeah, I want to put a face on some of these posters, it'll be cool to meet up with a lot of you guys...

Yeah, me and my brother (who's one year older than you). Speaking of which, Brian, if you're reading this -- the money that it shows in that article is different (I think) than the amount you showed me (but I could be wrong on that, the price they show for the weekend might be for two tickets). I know we'll talk again before January 14th, but I just want to make sure we have the money thing correct...

Soxfest Info Link I'm dissappointed in not seeing Buehrle on that list, but oh well -- I'm not so much into autographs anyways. I'm looking forward to attending the Q&A with Kenny this year, as it will be my first year at Soxfest. Damn -- if Kenny doesn't make a move by Soxfest, he's gonna get absolutely roasted during that time... LaRussa on Saturday should be pretty fun. January 14 - 16... That weekend can't get here soon enough...

Well, Oak Forest beats TF South, 62-40. Bengals jumped out to a 15-0 lead to start the game, not allowing a point for the first five minutes of the game. Didn't look back after that... I got in at the end, it's always cool to just get in the game. Didn't scratch the box score, but oh well, we meet Reavis next, who lost to TF South by 20, so, hopefully we can really take 'em early.

One good reason why we should have fourteen million dollars locked up in a man who, by most accounts, has a degenerative knee and most likely won't play at the same level he once did ever again??? As for Vizquel, the Giants blew it on him, not Kenny. They'll regret that third year, hell, probably even the second year...

OK, but the fact remains he hasn't ever been consistantly as good as Tejada. Only twice has he put up an OPS over .800. Don't take this as me not liking Renteria. I like Edgar at eight million per, but, IMHO, ten million is too much for him...

Hey - since you go to HF, were you there when your school absolutely killed my team's school, Oak Forest? Regionals last year? Anyways, tonight, we (Oak Forest) take on TF South. We're 2-1 (From the Thanksgiving Tourney), and tonight we should get the victory over the boys from da' South. Anyways -- next week (Friday), probably the biggest game of the year for us -- Oak Forest vs. Hillcrest.

Then wouldn't that put Renteria on the wrong side of your argument? By your argument, a player should hit better when he is in a lineup that has a lot of other good hitters. Well, unless Renteria stays in St. Louis, he isn't going to go to any team with a better lineup. So -- using your argument -- his numbers, should in fact, worsen, because he won't have the protection of Walker, Pujols, Rolen, and Edmonds... BTW - can you clarify Tejada's dropoff in numbers, because like I said, five straight seasons with an OPS of .800+ is damn good, even in a pitchers park at Oakland, with an OK (talking '00-'03 Athletics) lineup...

I'll admit, the same thing just might happen to Renteria. However, the difference between Tejada last year @ twelve million and Renteria this year @ ten million is that Tejada had four straight years of an OPS above .800, while Renteria has been up and down. Renteria COULD do that, I'm just saying that I like giving a player ten million when I KNOW he can do that...

I'm questioning it because he hasn't been able to put it all together for a whole season. Case in point: 2003 - Obviously, an awesome season, but his OPS is always jumping around. It's been from the mid-600s, to the high 870's (only once). Usually, it's right in between there, 700's or so, but he's never really been consistent. Again, I'm not saying that I'd hate this signing, but, for ten million dollars (about one/seventh of our payroll), don't you want a guy who you KNOW is going to give you a .300+ Average, .850 (at least) OPS, right around there? And as for your Jared Wright comment, I've stated that two years is the most I'd give him, with six million per year being my highest offer. Considering that Benson got over seven million per year (basically setting the standard, this offseason for pitchers), I'd call that a bargain. Anything more than three years, six million (unless the third year is an option year), I'd move on to another pitcher.

Jackie, I agree with your whole argument, and everything you've posted. You can't really term a guy a winner. I mean, I'd consider Mark Buehrle a winner, yet what has he won besides the 2000 Central Title? Just because some guys on this team haven't won, doesn't make them 'losers', IMHO... And Beck, I wanted to ask -- why all of the pokes, or why such a willingness to trade Carlos Lee (maybe I worded the question incorrectly, but I sense a hint of dislike for him). IMHO, Carlos is the most complete player on this team, and I'm going out on a limb here, but I really believe he is so close from having an absolutely awesome year. He's shown us that he can get better at every aspect of his game -- power, contact, OBP, defense, stealing bases -- he's everything you can want in a player, IMO. You say that Ozzie and Kenny have said that he doesn't have "it" ("it" being that mental makeup, or winners mentality), yet I'm gonna call BS on that. He's improved his defense to the point where, he's one of the best LFers in the game (defensively). Last thing -- it hasn't been mentioned yet, but is anyone else besides me skeptical of giving Renteria 10+ million? I'd be real happy if we can get him for four years at eight million per, but going above ten is too much. He's just a little too inconsistent for my liking. I'll say this -- if we do sign him at ten million for multiple years, it won't be terrible, but I might question it a little bit...

Lovie has said that his defense needs three above average defensive ends for this defense to be successful, and I agree with that. Having three ends, all three who are very capable of creating a lot of pressure, is a nice luxury for this team...

Hovan is sooo overrated, it's not even funny. I'd definitely stay away from him, he sure can talk a lot, but he does little to back it up. IIRC, last season he had a little over two tackles per game, something like that. He's definitely not a differencemaker... Great job Angelo. Very, very nice extension, and well deserved for, IMHO, the lineman who's played best thus far...

Garland + Konerko + Prospect (Munoz, lower level guy) for Vazquez + Gordon...? Probably not, just brining up an idea for discussion.

Cheat, you have to remember -- stats have no bearing on how good or bad a player is..

Jason, I'm confused. In the title it says that ESPN reports he'll be a D-Back next week, yet in the post, you hint (or you say that ESPN hints) that he'll be in Yankee pinstripes. Which one is it?

So, you take a HUGE hit on the defensive side of the ball, a huge hit in power, a huge hit in RBI's, only to upgrade about .030 percentage points higher (AVG & OBP)??? Remember, this is December of 2003 (I assume you're incapable of doing this, but just try anyways). Juan Uribe has barely had one good season in his life, there's no WAY you can rely on him to be your starter; he's not even a very good emergency option. You don't KNOW what Valentin will hit next season, too...

Lots of rumors. Gammons reporting Sox were close to a two year deal (mutual/player/team third year option) for around ten million (in the area). Then, Seattle reporting today to have made a three year offer (guaranteed third year) for fifteen million. Question obviously being, do we want to give him that third year and that extra million per year? I'd have to say no, just on the fact that we cannot take that big of a chance on a guy that has never thrown over 200+ innings in his career (albeit a short one).

IIRC, wasn't that the 'eephus' pitch? Was that the name? I could be totally wrong...

No one ever said that move was a good move. I didn't like the move, but again -- it's easy for me to judge a move in hindsight. Looking back on it, there were really no other options. Uribe was way too unproven to be given the spot, and I don't recall many SS's available (remember -- Kenny had to decrease payroll last season). What would you have done? Realistic too, because I doubt Vladdy wanted to come here, and Colon obviously didn't want to (would've been the highest paid pitcher in Sox history, IIRC) be here. And, when I ask what you would have done, I'm talking shortstop-wise.

Wait, so Kenny let Machado get away (even though he didn't, as Steff pointed out, it was Pre-Williams era), and didn't get him. But he overpays for useless talent? Is it me, or is something wrong with this picture. BTW - Uribe @ League Minimum, or whatever he makes (can't be any more than two million, I assume) is much, much >>>>>>>>>>>>>> than Cabrera at six (he's more likely to get eight because some dumb team will overpay for his ass).

Awesome! Another ballplayer on board Soxtalk! Soxtalk rules!

Don't not post. That's stupid. Look what you've done -- eleven f***ing pages within less than an hour. That's f***in' awesome. Plus, there was some pretty damn good baseball talk that went on (Betsy, to name one ), it was good, IMHO, that you let all of us know what happened. It would be helluva lot more boring around here if you didn't post this. Making stuff up is one thing, and you clearly didn't do that. I for one, am glad you posted it, whether or not the deal went down.