Fotop

Career SB numbers for Uribe: 29 SB in 45 attempts. 16 CS, not including the one that just happened, so he's now 29 for 46. 63% success rate. That's not good.

Uribe should NEVER steal. His success rate is downright awful for his career. I don't know it off of the top of my head, but he is AWFUL at stealing bags.

Quick question, was Duque walking the lefties in the lineup early in the game (1st couple innings)? A friend of mine is a Yankee season ticket holder and after watching Duque for so many years he knew that if Duque starts walking the lefties early, you're in for a wild ride. If not, he's dominant. Just food for thought.

Wow was that Catalanatto NOT getting a hit w/RISP. I'm shocked right now, that was the easiest Frank Catalanatto out I have ever seen.

Harvey has looked like s*** against off-speed stuff today...makes sense to leave Shingo in IF he throws strikes.

ROWAND! 1 Dead!

Sweeney on deck.... uh oh.

Ugh Iguchi has looked awful today. No matter. Shut 'em down, Sox!

good call Pena, bring in the pitcher that hasn't pitched above A ball... Woooo 2-1 Sox!

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ May 5, 2005 -> 02:46 PM) I completely disagree. Disagree all you want, Castillo already gunned our best basestealer today and grienke has been holding runners well. No way Ozuna makes it unless he gets lucky and zack throws a curve. It's not worth giving them the first out of the inning.

If Ozzie sends Ozuna, I'm gonna flip out. No way you try to steal here...

Well you can't expect to win games without scoring runs...let's go offense get on the damn board!

Big game today if we're going to win the series. Tommorow = Greinke v. Contreras...don't really like the odds there. So let's get the series win by taking tonight's game! Go get 'em Garcia!

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Apr 30, 2005 -> 02:24 AM) Dick Bremer's was the best...something along the lines of... 'Thomas hits it deep, and this one will stay fair, and the White Sox win' Best part of it was that you couldn't hear him saying and the White Sox win. His voice had just faded into the noise of the crowd. That was probably my favorite game from that season. Konerko, hitting like .180, pinch hits, and hits a game-tying homer. Just incredible. Easily my favorite Sox game of all time for a couple of reasons: 1) I was in attendance, in my family's usual seats. 2) I hate doing this because people usually don't buy this type of story after the fact, but I'll say it anyways. As soon as Guardado came into the game I called for PK to PH even though the entire section called me crazy. Said "You watch, they PH PK and he hits a HR, he KILLS Guardado." Of course we all know what happened, and as we're driving home after the game some guy called in to ESPN 1000 about this "genius" kid in his section that called for PK to PH and called the HR. It was hilarious. 3) Sweetest Ending of all time w/Frank crushing one foul...then a couple pitches later crushing one fair for the walk-off win. Ever since that day, my brother is always like "s***, we need to get you someone who will take in game proposition bets all game, because you'd make a KILLING." Man, what a game, what a night.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ May 2, 2005 -> 05:45 PM) I can't say what I would do at the break right now, but I would definitely be looking for 1B for the future. Jason Stokes is blocked by Delgado Adrian Gonzalez is blocked by Teixeira Ryan Howard is blocked by Thome I would say Count + $ + prospect could get you gonzalez. Holy hell do we think alike, I've been saying this since the start of the season. I really think it wouldn't take all that much for any of these guys, and i'd be more than happy to toss something like diaz + contreras and cash for gonzalez. Left handed bat, cheap, young, great replacement for Paul "I'm going to cost you guys way too much" Konerko. My pipedream though is Todd Helton. It'd take a lot but maybe, just maybe getting Helton and moving Konerko could make this offense a monster. If the rockies wouldn't want something like Konerko, Sweeney, Diaz, + prospect then I say move Konerko for the prospects they do want, and toss those prospects + Major Leaguer for Helton. Just think of the OBP w/ Helton and Frank in the lineup hitting 3/4. Ridiculous. I know Helton gets paid like 12.6 million but he's worth it. He's a career .337/.431/.612 hitter, with his three year road stats avg being: .310/.422/.517. Sick. But with the likes of the Yankees and Boston probably going after him, we'd be hard-pressed to see Helton in a white sox uniform anytime soon. But a guy can dream, can't he?

And to think the Browns traded UP to get this guy. :headshake

I don't really have time for any long winded posts anymore, got finals this week. Anyways, I think I'm going to have to agree to disagree with you on this one. My analysis was based upon the old v. the new, in terms of bowl payouts it's right...the 14m in that equation is assuming they retain the old contract. Strictly based upon that there's a clear shift in where the lion's share of BCS money is going. And with all of this other peripheral stuff, tv contracts, where new BCS bids go, etc, time will tell. Personally, I think 9 wins = BCS under either system. Not 9 wins = no BCS, basically. If ND would sneak in a BCS it'd be bulls***, and we'd get reamed in the media, but of course accept the bid. Either way, I stick by what I originally said, because I find it hard to believe ND had any leverage in this negotiation where that had a decisive advantage. That's why I'm hesitant to say it's a great deal, in fact, a good deal at all. Anyways, there's way too much s*** here now to sort through to continue this discussion...and frankly, I don't have the time. Either way, good show.

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ May 1, 2005 -> 10:07 PM) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7659924/ http://www.azcentral.com/sports/colleges/a...sirish0428.html You're missing the biggest changes that GREATLY benefit the Irish. 1) The removal of the AP (media poll) from the BCS 2) The much greater emphasis on strength of conference 3) Only the Irish earn an automatic bid for a top 8 ranking. 4) Irish are being treated as a separate conference (basis of the $1M guaranteed, $4.5M max payout) 1) goes w/out saying. The writers poll has always weighed against the Irish. The replacement poll should be an improvement for them. 2) This is the biggest gain for the Irish. The Irish's 4 yr avg of SOS will represent their SOC value. 3) This only applies to the Irish. All others will be based on a conference's top team's BCS rankings over a 4 yr period. A conference has to have at least 1 team rank in the top 25 in the BCS each of the 4 yrs to have a chance at an automatic bid. That doesn't apply to the Irish. They can miss the top 25 3 of the 4 yrs & as long as they finish in the top 8 any given yr they earn an automatic berth. There is no conference that is guaranteed automatic bid qualification like the Irish. Under the new format, Weiberg said a nine-win Notre Dame would automatically qualify if it ranks in the top 8 and would be eligible if it finished in the top 12. Weiberg: "I think with these expanded at-large spots and this new structure, there's a feeling that if Notre Dame is available, they're going to be very popular to these bowls for possible selection." Fiesta Bowl President John Junker: "Obviously, they're (ND) the top recognized brand name nationally. Other teams are loved and followed. But in all parts of the country, Notre Dame sets the standard." 4) With the addition of a 5th BCS bowl (NC the week following the 4 BCS games), no one believes the max payout will approach $13M. Many believe it will fall to $10-11M. Money: ND made $13M over the last 7 yr of the BCS with 1 berth. ND would make $10.5M over the next 7 yrs of the BCS if it only earned 1 berth. It will make $14M if it earns 2 berths. The $13M is history for all schools. So realistically that $10.5M is what they would likely earn the next 7 yrs with just 1 appearance. It really was a no-brainer for them to agree to this deal. The max payout for the top BCS team in a conference is expected to fall to $10-11M. The max payout for the 2nd best BCS team in a conference is expected at $4.5M. It's pretty clear with ND being the ONLY school having automatic berth eligibility every year that their odds have increased in getting a BCS bid. Ok, I'm really not going to say much more on this because my stance has been laid out pretty clearly. But let's run down your four points you say "greatly" favors the Irish: 1) extremely subjective as to how this GREATLY helps the irish. The irish have just as many shills in the AP as they do haters. Really, there's no histirocial evidence as to how this will either benefit or hurt the irish, so in terms of whether or not the irish would think this is a "good" deal before signing on the dotted line, I find it hard to believe this would be really important in their decision. 2) The Irish have already announced that they're going to soften schedule in the near future (i think the season after next). Therefore, their SOS average wouldn't really benefit them all that greatly once that kicks in. However, I think it will be someone significant and they aren't dependent on any conference for this factor, so that in itself is a strength. 3) Frankly this is irrelevant in discussing this deal and the old deal, because it's effectively the same under both deals. I've said this multiple times and I stand by it, and if your problem is with the irish being written in the auto-bid policy then your problem runs all the way to the beginning of the existence of the BCS, not the new deal. 4) The irish have already been treated as a seperate conference. This was like this in the old contract, but the new contract has the $1million guaranteed and the 4.5million payout. I've already discussed this extensively, and in respect to the old contract you can see how this doesn't favor the irish at all. (5 bowls is part of the new contract, currently the payout is 14million for the 4 bowls.) Also, what you fail to mention is that when the Irish do reach the BCS, the major conferences get the share of the rest of the money the Irish don't get. In essence, the major conferences are getting paid every year as well, because when they don't make it, certainly the Irish will, except in an extremely odd year. Money: look at the earlier post, the 13-14million didn't have to be history, the new bowl is part of the new deal as a whole, so its something that has to be considered about the new deal. The new deal has nothing to do with retoractively comparing the old and new when trying to decide whether to sign off on this contract or not. About the odds increasing for getting an auto-bid, I maintain that the increase ND gains by two extra spots in the BCS is marginal when considering auto-bids are open to all conferences now. About the TV contract, they're going to get more money if they do well regardless of the BCS. Really, this argument is peripheral because ND isn't going to accept being average and will be compesated for raising their program. BCS bowl, no BCS bowl, 9 and 10 win seasons are 9 and 10 win seasons, no one can deny that...and neither will the ratings. So I don't really see how gaining a BCS bowl will significantly alter their contract, because without it and the same record they'd probably receive the same compensation. Ultimately time will tell about this deal, but I certainly think it's far from a no-brainer or a slam-dunk for ND.

Juggs, take a look at the numbers again...the risk-reward doesn't add up. Also, I fail to see how this is a good deal by what you're saying. Ok, first let's be honest with ourselves here, ND gets guarenteed income every year right now. The lowest bowl they've been invited to was the insight bowl and that payout was just under a mil. So I don't see how "guaranteed income" every year outweighs the losses the potentially incur if they make a BCS (4.5 million instead of 14 million). Also, the bar is practically the same for them to get into a BCS under the new rules in comparison to the old. ALL conferences can possibly make an auto-bid under the new contract, ND had to be adjusted accordingly to be fair. Like I said earlier as well, under any scenario in which ND was 8th in the BCS in the past, they'd probably find a way to get in a BCS bowl anyways with media favor/strength of schedule/potential income they could generate for the BCS. 8th "auto-bid" as well as the top 12 "possible" bid is basically what they get right now, especially considering the pool for auto-bids is larger now. The final part of your argument really isn't that potent when you realize it's just as difficult for ND to get a BCS bid. ND needs 9 wins to make a BCS still, no doubt about it. Under the new system I find it hard to believe that they can lose three games and still make a BCS unless they lose to three powerhouse teams (8-3). BCS bids don't mean as much as ratings do to networks like NBC. Just having Weis at ND will increase those ratings because people want to see the new team. Until they prove they're top 10 caliber again, all of these potential suitors you think exist won't be lining up unless the ratings say otherwise. It's just bad business. With that being said, it's intuitive to believe that networks would pay more for higher ratings, with higher ratings being generated here in direct correlation to the product on the field. So new BCS contract or no new BCS contract ND would get more money from their network contract if they play better and garner more interest. Pretty much making the discussion of network contracts irrelevant to whether or not this is a "good" deal or not. They would get the extra cash if they played better under any circumstances, plain and simple. Therefore, I'll stand by my stance of that this contract is worse than the old contract in terms of financial benefit for ND. The numbers really aren't lying, at least to me, and the points you have created here don't really have much of an effect or are important to the bottom line.

so about today's lineup not being able to score any runs....

New month, hopefully the same Garland. Keep it up Jon, don't rest on your April laurels. With that being said, I like our chances tommorow. Let's get back on track by winning this series.

Heh, I'll just miss you then Capn, I think i'm going for the 4th of July. It'll probably be unbelieveably busy, but my brother is pretty gung-ho about it. Plus two trips in my first legal year isn't too shabby, I'll catch up to you in no time.

Agreed, the BCS is whacked. Frankly, I hate it, and really wish they could figure out a better way to determine a champion. I agree with you about the polls, especially since most are private. No one is really responsible if something gets messed up because you can't find the source. In theory, the concept of a BCS "system" is feasible. However, we have learned over the past few years that it doesn't work in practice. Frankly, I don't know what they could do to fix it, and at this point I wouldn't be all that opposed to a playoff system which culminates in the major bowls hosting the semis/finals of the playoffs Btw, thanks for the reduced hatred for ND...now if only I could get to more people on this...

QUOTE(Capn12 @ Apr 28, 2005 -> 06:32 PM) there is a happy medium that COULD be reached involving Bowl games AND a playoff...but its not gonna happen. As for the Notre Dame part, While I certainly appreciate the analytical look that was given, the thing that doesn't sit well with me is the whole "We deserve to be rewarded for turning our nose up at joining a conference" outlook. While it is definately not acceptable for the BCS to try and nudge Notre Dame into joining a conference, I also don't think they should be rewarded for staying independent either. Does Central Florida get a cut of the BCS pie no matter what kind of season they have? Does Louisiana Tech? Thats the part that bothers me. And if someone says they deserve it because of their "Football tradition and history" I'm gonna :puke Financial benefit for a 2005 college football season shouldn't be gained because back in 1990 the same program won a National Championship. With that being said, the whole financial reward for conferences with winning teams is f***ed. Hell, what isnt f***ed up with the BCS? But this is what our major conferences voted to put in place, and for right now we have to sit and accept it. The thing is, what you consider financial "benefit" is in essence a a financial loss for ND. They're not being rewarded here, so I don't see how they're turning their nose up at anyone, nor are they being rewarded for remaining independent. That's why I brought the numbers up, because sure on the face of this it looks like a sweet deal but when you crunch the numbers up it really isn't. With that being said "football tradition and history" doesn't make them necessarily deserving of the money, however it gives them leverage in bargaining favorable deals. It gives them leverage to be able to remain independent and be in the BCS, and as much as anyone hates ND they still have to realize that they are a big part of college football because of "football tradition and history." Sure, they haven't won a national title since 1988 (you could argue they should have won in 93, but that's a different story all together), but they have their own tv contract (all games are televised nationally), and one of the largest followings/dedicated fan bases in all of college football. All of that was built on "football tradition and history" and today it means one thing: $$$$. Really, what it comes down to is that on the surface this concept of being rewarded here seems vaild. However, when you look at it financially there's one reward here, and that is ND is being marginally covered for continuing to be an average team. The problem with this is, is the fact that ND will not just sit back and say "hey let's be average and take our free money." ND will have a top football program again, and when they do, they won't get what the used to get as a reward. Therefore, there's really no scenario in which this contract will allow ND to run laughing all the way to the bank because they don't put up with mediocre results, and when they do achieve their reward is not nearly as lucrative as it used to be. Ultimately, the analytical look provided pretty much proves ND isn't turing their nose up at anyone...in fact they're putting their tail between their legs as they rebuild their program.

I only used five years because I figured that's how long this incarnation of the BCS would last. Since it doesn't go into effect until the season after next, ND will be beginning to turn it's program around. With that being said, the sechedule is also getting tweaked in the near future with less powerhouse teams being put on the schedule, but no schools like Western Michigan or Troy either. ND is looking to schedule quality name, big conference schools that they expect to beat yearly. This will help the SOS part, and ultimately it's highly concivable to think they'll make at least one BCS in the five year time frame predicted (2006-2011).