SoxAce

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 06:09 PM) We've done this for the last 4 or 5 years, no (save 2007)? Up and down all year until a strong push the last month. I really don't care about winning 45 games when we're a lock to get bounced in the first round by any of the conferences elites. Which is why 2010 class is so vital to this team's future success. I was hoping we would at least not suck this year to help make a case for the FA to come here, to help justify this franchise. (and not just the whole large market ordeal) This rarely, at all, happens in the NBA as far as legit superstars potentially moving in one offseason. (not those Elton Brand, Baron Davis, etc.. type players) Those earlier teams overachieved under Scott Skyles, which kind of spoiled us to a degree IMO.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 05:51 PM) I have no problem with those that want VDN gone. But it bothers me very much that it seems to be popular opinion that this would be a much better team with a different coach. There's no coach, past or present, that would take this particular team past the first round. Orlando, Cleveland, Boston and Atlanta. We're miles behind any of those 4 teams regardless of who's the coach. The one guy that should really be on the hotseat is John Paxson. But Jerry Reinsdorf is loyal to a fault. Paxson would have to quite before Jerry let him go. If the playoffs started today, we wouldn't even be in the playoffs, which is regressing from last season. I didn't expect this team to be a top team, even with the hot start we had against top teams early, but I didn't expect this team to be this bad either. Hell I thought we were a 6th or 7th type seed (progressing from last season) because of the horrid Eastern Conference. We can't even match the 8th spot as of right now and I know we are still a game back or something like that.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 05:24 PM) I was exaggerating a little. But I'm sure it's always in the back of his mind. I have to disagree with you about Beckham. He was a pretty safe bet from day 1. I thought the same thing about BA.. Two homers off King Felix, and I was hyping his ass to everyone.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 05:15 PM) He's probably forever spooked by all those 'can't-miss' guys we had at that time and looks to trade prospects the second they reach peak value. I don't think that he's "spooked" more or less that he knows who is worthy of the hype and who isn't. I'd probably believe you if he didn't keep Beckham as far as top spects go and guys like Richard, McCarthy, etc.. were pretty good for us at one time..

QUOTE (WCSox @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 04:58 PM) Excluding the strike year, I consider the '84 Sox to be the most disappointing in my lifetime. We had almost all of the same tools in place plus Tom Seaver, but Greg Luzinski was done, Britt Burns was nearing the end of his career with that degenerative hip, LaMarr Hoyt's drug problem had caught up with him, Julio Cruz was no longer a prolific base-stealer, and Floyd Bannister had a below-average year. Not that we would've beaten the Tigers in the ALCS, but it would've been fun to watch them try. The '97 season was also massively disappointing on multiple levels, but Jamie Navarro, Danny Darwin, Doug Drabek, and Robin Ventura's injury tempered my expectations going into April. Hmmm... showing your age alittle bit WC?

QUOTE (juddling @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 04:24 AM) I guess the Miss Gibraltar pagaent pulled someone from the audience to fill out the Final 6 this year Well...5 out of 6 ain't bad..... I was browsing the first few to be picky on what you meant by 5/6, then I saw the last woman and actually yelled "eeeek" real loud waking up my dogs..

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 02:06 AM) Ya, whatever, nobody cares if you misspell someones name. Maybe I should wish he was dead, to see eye-to-eye with Steve on this one.

One of my favorite posters and a very good friend here. Many things we've been through on this board, the chat, etc.. over the years. They grow up so fast... . Happy B-Day Mike. :cheers

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 12:20 AM) Unless Thome comes back. Well if I can stomach Konerko's constant GIDP in most rallies and station to station running (though he is at least a productive hitter) than I can gladly take Thome back too. A.J. gets a pass since he has a terrific baseball I.Q. and can surprise at times on the speed, cause of his terrific reads as a baserunner.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 12:16 AM) LOL at "Rob Drake" Ah my bad.. "Rob Blake" geez Steve give me a break. And actually it was Dan Boyle who said that.

It'll also feel good to have pretty much everyone in the lineup that can go from 1st to 3rd, or 2nd to home now. I like what we did eliminating the "station to station."

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 12:05 AM) 47 shots to 14. Nabokov, have a night. No doubt that was a goalie win. Hell when Rob Drake, of the Sharks, says his own team got outplayed, (though they got the win) that is saying something.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 22, 2009 -> 11:50 PM) Teahen's known as the best baserunner in all of baseball. He is indeed outstanding.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 22, 2009 -> 11:52 PM) Ugly weather over the next few days. The ugly part reminds me of your face. Looooooooove youuuuuuuuuu.

I guess now I'll just be watching how Rose progresses and how many monster games on the boards Noah has. Really good to see the battle he and David Lee were in all game, from the ex college teammates. And for those wondering who are "true" leader is.. Joakim Noah answered that (on and off the court) weeks ago. I'm also glad to hear that Rose is finally healthy, which is showing in his game. Luol Deng injured again? (though playing through it, though part of me thinks if Kobe wasn't play through his broken finger, we wouldn't be seeing Deng) I for one am shocked..

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Dec 22, 2009 -> 10:13 PM) Career year at age 25 after going 16-6 w/ 3.21 ERA the season before? I don't know why you would think that. Lester is filthy and an absolute stud. Pretty much sums it up. In fact... at times I think he is UNDERrated as a pitcher. Lots of common fans still don't really know how good he is, even as a Red Sox with all that media coverage. Other than his fight with cancer, I never hear his name being brought up as much as "Big game" Beckett, "Mr. Crafty" Wakefield, Dice-K (even the struggles) now Lackey, etc.. and he is probably their best pitcher. If it wasn't an emotional attachment, the fan base, money issues, etc. I would trade him straight up for Buehrle (Boston wouldn't go for it, I know) and not think twice.

Happy B-Day fellas. :cheers I Chimpy.

Meh, he'll be beneficial to them getting the best record by August, then the Yankees can either just sit him down in Sept and bullpen him in October, or pitch him till the end of the season as there is less pressure for them to win if they clinch the division that early. See it makes sense.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Dec 22, 2009 -> 12:52 AM) Thats just what I was thinking. I didn't know Gage was also batman. He's Batman in a "Gage" way. Meaning he's the type of guy who will confront you, but slip and fall on his ass trying to reach for a pair of bat-cuffs.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 21, 2009 -> 10:45 PM) I'm not an attorney, I just stayed in a Holiday Inn Express. I abandoned that silly profession to sell megawatts in Las Vegas. Doesn't that tell you how crazy I am? Well then... you have found a home in soxtalk galore then.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 21, 2009 -> 10:01 PM) You guys are all a bunch of crazy motherf***ers Your an attorney. You and soxbadger are the craziest bastards I've seen post on this site because of it.

QUOTE (Ranger @ Dec 21, 2009 -> 06:51 PM) The outfield defense has already improved and it wasn't even really the problem last year anyway (the real defensive issues last year were on the infield). Uh.. what? I believe it was Kalapse who had a statistic saying we were, defensively, the worst defensive OF in the entire league or something to that extent. Our defensive OF was a definite problem. And as far as the infield, other than Josh Fields, our infield defense was not nearly as bad as the OF defense. (Getz was serviceable, Alexei besides the ADD, has alot of range and had a good UZR, and Konerko is Konerko) The sox team last year had alot of problems entirely. I will agree that KW has address that well with Pierre in LF (despite the arm) Quentin moving back to his natural position in RF, Rios (defensive stud) in CF, Alexei taking another step at SS and we will see how Teahan and Beckham do in a full year at their positions. QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 21, 2009 -> 07:10 PM) I would consider Dye in RF and Podsednik in CF last year as a pretty brutal defensive OF last year. Defensive inferiority is often less noticeable unless you have a Soriano or Carlos Lee to admire, but the defense needed to be much improved in OF and infield. I'll wait and see if Teahan can be that upgrade, but Alexei and Beckham need to show some strength early on for me to call it an upgrade. Agreed, and your not even counting Wise (despite "the catch") Kotsay (some games) Lillibridge, etc.. we ran out there. Dye is one of the worst defensive RFs in the game. We even had Pods in RF in some games which was pretty embarrassing to watch. No doubt, our defensive OF has greatly improved from last year. We'll see how the defensive IF (mainly Teahan and Beckham) do.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Dec 21, 2009 -> 06:37 PM) Sirotka was my favorite all-time Sox pitcher (granted i only go back til the late 80s). Not sure why, other than the fact that he was pretty much the ace for awhile. I always thought he would be Mark Buehrle before Mark Buehrle in terms of numbers.. sad to see that injury ruined what could had been a promising career.

My god... what an embarrassing loss. Please fire VDN, and I usually don't say fire coaches as fast as some here on this board... my lord that was horrible.

QUOTE (Ranger @ Dec 21, 2009 -> 05:20 PM) What would have been a better, realistic option for them? I am also not entirely enamored with Pierre but I don't think picking up Austin Kearns and hoping he isn't bad is a better option than Pierre. I do. And really.. I don't like (or see) the comparison of a LF and a RF (as Kearns is a RF, even if they both play the OF) but I stated that as well on the Pierre thread to you with what Ozzie Ball was saying.. In his horrid, injury plagued years, Kearns was still a defensive stud in RF. I think if you take him out of a really bad franchise of losing like Washington and put somewhere that the emphasis of that said team is winning, then I believe he will have a nice bounce back year. Hell even as a minor league option, wouldn't do any harm. And BTW, like I said before, I agree with you on Teahan. I really believe the guy will also have a nice year as he is set in one position, is going to a team who wants to win, and is hitting half his games at a hitter's park. (though he won't be facing Mark Buehrle anymore) If he is still average, hey I was wrong and he is, what he is.