SoxAce

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Feb 14, 2010 -> 03:29 PM) Verlander has got to be one of the more overrated players in the AL, imo. Soon to be 27 year old pitcher who (besides one season) has been putting up 3 eras and finally figured out how to destroy people last season (+10.1 K/9 IP) with filthy stuff and a power arm? I'll take him if you don't want him. He'd probably be the ace (maybe #2 if Peavy is really good in the AL) on our staff. Now Scherzer... he is way more overhyped.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Feb 14, 2010 -> 02:20 AM) Off topic: What comic does your avatar come from Ranger? I know it's by Skanberg, but I can't seem to find it... Knight would probably know the answer to that since he had it up (and put it in the avatar) for Ranger.

Since this is the off-season thread as well....

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Feb 13, 2010 -> 10:37 PM) The Dunk Contest was really lame but everything else was a whole lot of fun tonight. This is one of the my favorite sports nights of the year. Just plain fun. I have to agree with this. Though I was mad my boy Stephen Curry didn't win the three point contest. I hope Dwight, LeBron, etc.. save the dunk contest next year. DeRosan just gave Nate Robinson the title.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Feb 13, 2010 -> 02:43 PM) Rose will not defend his Skills challenge title. Just got a text from the Bulls saying it. Deron Williams is happy.

QUOTE (Sonik22 @ Feb 13, 2010 -> 02:14 AM) Seriously I'm going on 20 straight years of being single on valentines day, w t f. I need to find a girl, soon. This is my 3rd year. (broke up with my ex a couple years ago, 3 days before Valentines day) The first two were good (when you single, you get alot of love from da ladies ) but this year is really gonna suck.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 08:05 PM) I don't think anyone would be shocked if the Twins had Kubel in LF, Span in CF, Cuddyer in RF with Thome as the fulltime DH by the time it all ended. I hope they do for our case.. That would be a brutal OF defensively. Rock and shakes are right in this instance.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 03:56 PM) I never realized that sex with Jiminy Cricket would cover almost all sexual fetishes. Just let your conscience be your guide!

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 03:25 PM) But at his age that so called off year will tend to look more like the norm. (See: Jermaine Dye) If thats the case, JD has been off defensively for about 6-7 years now.. It's good either way for Damon as he would DH most of the time anyway, but he can still play LF if needed and be serviceable. (Juan Pierre is our LF) That's all I'm saying.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 12:39 PM) What makes you so sure the Lakers are coming out of the west? My money is on the Nuggets. I like their team, but it depends if Kobe is healthy come playoff time. If he's still nicked up, The Lakers will have a much tougher road in the playoffs. If he's healthy, I can't see any team stopping them. (same as Odom getting healthy and Bynum is still banged up a bit) Carmelo and Billips have been damn good all season so the Nuggets can surprise. If theres any team who I like alot that can upset the Lakers, it is the Nuggets (who always play LA tough) or... OKC with their youth and athleticism. (though they still might be a year or two away)

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 03:20 PM) Actually, according to UZR, Damon's range in LF cost the Yankees 3.7 runs last year compared to the average LF as well. Not just his arm. Yea and the last two years before that he saved 7 and 9 runs respectively not to mention his total UZR over the last three years in LF is a +5 from his "off year" defensively. You have to remember larger sample sizes are needed when evaluating defense. Every player can have an off year on defense just like any hitter can have an off year with the bat.

Check those teams again doc. I believe the Mariners are going with Griffey, Milton and I believe I'm missing someone else. Royals are talking Guillen, Pods and I'm missing someone. God if I have to do research on all those teams again to make a point (or find the thread that has the teams doing it which might take a while) I'm going to be very upset.

QUOTE (smalls2598 @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 03:06 PM) Per Rotoworld: According to Chuck Garifen of Chicago's Comcast SportsNet, free agent outifelder Jermaine Dye told Frank Thomas he's considering retirement. "That's what he told me and I told him he's crazy," Thomas said Friday. Dye has drawn very little interest on the open market this winter and is obviously frustrated. The 35-year-old hit 27 homers in 2009 and posted a .302/.375/.567 batting line over the first half of the 2009 season, but he stumbled to a .179/.293/.297 line over his final 212 at-bats. Feb. 12 - 2:47 pm et Didn't Damon say the same thing at one time?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 03:02 PM) Johnny Damon is not underrated in LF. The very fact that anyone would say that means he's still overrated. He is Balta. I don't think I've ever heard Damon as a good to average OF from anyone. Any average fan would actually say he blows donkey balls with his girly arm. Read back a page or two and I explain why.

Which is why I said Damon makes the most sense shake. He can hit, underrated in LF (minus the arm), and can score from 2nd to home or go from 1st to 3rd and can steal you a bag if needed. (12/12 last year in SB, and I think he's good for 10-15.. perhaps 20 if Ozzie wants to run him alittle more with his efficiency of not getting caught SB) IMO he is the perfect candidate currently on the market for the sox. Someone on fangraphs said this is basically the Bobby Abreu steal all over again comparing both of them. Sox have already done their shoring up on defense, baserunning (smarter I.Q. out there) XBH problem which was last in the league, etc.. etc.. except that gaping hole at DH filling it with two guys KW stated would be bench players earlier in the season.

Nick Leddy... 1st round prospect (16th overall) in 2009 draft huh... and an American?! Very nice though I'm sure someone here can give a scouting report. Kim Johnsson and Hammer can pair up (the Sweeds connection) though I think it'll be him and Sopel. Johnsson is a UFA at season's end as well so this helps the cap next year and to get a prospect back for Barks.

Well I announced this around 2 am on the Frank retired thread, but I deleted it cuz I wanted it to be a surprise and for Steve to finally make a thread noone hasn't done already..

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 02:16 PM) I love the rotating DH..........as long as the options are viable hitters. Jones may be but Vizquel, Kotsay and Nix are not. Pretty much sums it up. I love the rotating DH idea (most teams are now doing it) but you got to have the talent to do the rotating. I'm sure if we had Jason Kubel on the team I doubt anyone here would be complaining about him rotating despite his s***ty defense, because the man can hit. If the rotator in the DH spot can play great D, thats a bonus, but give me the bat and bad defense than great defense and the s*** bat anyday.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 02:22 AM) Well according to UZR, Damon had a -9.2 in LF, while Quentin had a -15. Also, Damon's UZR/150 was -12.1, while Quentin's was a staggering -25.4. Damon also had a better RngR as well. I think they are both pretty bad in the OF. Now it seems the question is do the want to superior arm in RF while risking more injury to your best power hitter who has struggled with a foot problem all last season? I suspect Ozzie will throw Q in RF and just cross his fingers he does not hurt himself. I'll speak for wite since his black ass isn't around right now. (ya I used a Cartman reference) Damon is a decent defender, minus the arm (pretty much why I said underrated). It’s true that his 2009 UZR is not good, but his total UZR over the last three years in LF is a +5. You have to remember larger sample sizes are needed when evaluating defense. Every player can have an off year on defense just like any hitter can have an off year with the bat. As far as Quentin, he was a RF defensive standout (also with the bat too of course) at Stanford and throughout the minors, not to mention his short time (though 966 innings played in RF) with the D-Backs. RF is his natural position, so I expect a good defensive year for Quentin as he has said it'll be like riding a bike again in ST to get his instincts back in RF. (hopefully he'll be good at crashing into walls to rob hits again, post shoulder injury) I don't know if Quentin can be the +12.3 overall in RF like he once was a couple years back, (before the shoulder, wrist [though thats fine now] and foot) but I expect a + defensive rating for him.

QUOTE (Jimbo's Drinker @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 02:02 AM) The hottest women of the 2010 olympics http://statestreetsports.wordpress.com/201...-2010-olympics/ All I got to say is.. USA!! USA!! (though Canada and Germany/Norway girls ain't bad either )

QUOTE (chw42 @ Feb 12, 2010 -> 01:34 AM) Not really. If we somehow do get Damon, which is a stretch, he'd split time at DH, LF, and RF. I will personally put Ozzie on death watch if I see Damon in CF, yet alone RF for us. Same goes for Pierre, though I can stomach him playing CF for a few games this season if our LF/RF outfielders (who are playing that day) are solid. (I'm sure Ozzie will do that) Pierre can be the LF/CF/some DH and Damon can be the DH/LF. Rios can play anywhere in the OF he wants (though I'm sure it'll be CF/RF/some DH) and Quentin can do RF/DH. (Quentin and Damon can rotate the most at the DH spot and Pierre and Rios can play the OF the most) Kotsay can handle 1B/DH/some OF and we'll see how Andruw and/or Nix do depending on ST and position Ozzie sees fit (either could be gone or in Andruw's case, release outright for all we know). I better not ever see Vizquel at the DH spot as he should always play the field with his defense. (though I'm sure he'll be at the DH spot knowing Ozzie, just hope our overall D and O that day are good) Damon is actually very underrated as a LF though. (minus the arm) Alright let me stop my rambling since we don't have this guy. (yet)

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 11:39 PM) Have you learned to avoid the ones with Adam's apples? :lolhitting Boy I gotta tell you Jim.. I might have to PM you a funny/crazy story that nearly happen to me about 3 years ago on that subject.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 11:01 PM) I wasn't talking to you. I quoted your post, because you were contributing to this ridiculous notion. And oh, I know, you're not looking for advice here, you're here to try and be the man to a bunch of 22 year olds by telling them how to treat women like s***. Not speaking for Chaos, but to each his own as far as advice. Hell I'm going to be 24 this year and I got 28-29 year old friends asking me for advice on women. (gfs, or not since I've had alot of experience) Unless its marriage (god help me), I probably will never need any advice on women.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Feb 11, 2010 -> 11:09 PM) Thome already signed with the Twins. And the #1 reason Dye isn't drawing much interest from teams is because he was an abomination of a fielder, if he were even mediocre out there he'd have a job right now. Unfortunately for him teams are starting to value defense and the word is out on JD. Well not only that, but JD has long said he does not want to DH. IMO, he would have been signed with someone a long time ago if he didn't care about DH'ing. I would think he and his agent have told teams only sign him, if your giving him a position.

We'll see in the next couple of years if Kent, Bagwell, Piazza, etc.. are on the report (as there have been rumors about them... though I still think Kent's clean, even though he's a complete douche.)