Fotop

Stern, M&H, or Mike and Mike. Whichever is the most interesting/not at commercial.

Man, that list is awful. Granted, pretty much anytime someone does something like this, they open themselves up to criticism but this looked really slapped together. A very subjective process, indeed, but they certainly could have done at least some due diligence.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 02:20 PM) It's best not to speculate on this type of stuff. I would think that if the prospects you mention were coveted by SD they would have made a trade with Atlanta and not the Sox. Ours sytem is pretty thin at the major league ready level plus those top prospects and a regualr or two from the Sox would be a real high price to pay for a pitcher from SD. A few things: 1) It's best not to speculate on this type of stuff? This is a message board, correct? Hate to be so blunt/flippant, but what else would there be to talk about this time of year? 2) We have no idea what happened between ATL/SD. For all we know they were a player off or something and some of the guys we got from ATL were mentioned at some point in discussions. 3) I should have clarified, if we were to get Peavy it'd be a grab bag of the prospects we got from the yanks, atlanta, and some of our own most likely. 4) A couple guys potentially involved (marquez, fields, lillibridge, poreda, etc) are major league ready. It's not like they're going to get 4 ML ready players for Peavy...Santana only commanded one, why is Peavy different?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 12:30 PM) If the Yankees could have packaged Marquez and Hughes/Kennedy for Peavy, don't you think they would have done it already? Especially in light of the very high likelihood that Lowe and Sabathia go elsewhere and they're left with AJ Burnett aka Future Pavano. If the Yanks wouldn't move Hughes for Santana, who's to say he was ever on the table for Peavy? I think they're going to let Hughes run his course in pinstripes because they're afraid they'd never hear the end of it if he was dealt and turns into a star. Kennedy's star is considerably tarnished. SD likely doesn't want Melky Cabrera so who else could the Yanks move w/Marquez? The point of all of this, at least for me, is that the Sox have more bullets in the gun to swing a deal like this than they did before dealing Swish and Vazquez. It remains to be seen whether there's enough talent to nab someone like Peavy but you can't deny they're in a better position to deal now with a team looking to rebuild than they were two trades ago.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 10:22 AM) PEAVY WOULD NEVER ACCEPT A TRADE TO THE WHITE SOX! He's already declined a potential trade to an AL team in a small ballpark. Who? Boston? I think it had something to do with playing in the Northeast. If it's a weather issue, then obviously the midwest isn't much better. Regardless, if SD is dead-set on trading him, and have exhausted their current options, it's not out of the realm of possibility. Clearly it's not probable, but I don't think it's something that shouldn't be discussed.

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 09:20 AM) Oakland is another team that comes to mind. Tons of pitching... hurting at SS and 3B. Oakland doesn't necessarily thrill me as much. Who would we get? Duchscher? Hardcore White Sox fan's loverboy, Gio Gonzalez? I really don't think they have anyone of note that's ready to have a huge, guaranteed impact for us.

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 09:17 AM) I like the idea (flipping position players/prospects for pitching)... just not sure that Peavy would be the guy coming back. I could imagine KW looking for a similar deal with another club that is pitching rich and position poor. Remember the fairly serious rumors a month ago about Delmon Young to the Giants for Jonathan Cain? The Giants are hurting for position talent and power... and have reasonable young pitching depth. I'm sure Kenny has a couple things like that on his radar. Matt Cain is another good idea, and he's a bit younger and more cost-controlled...yes? Sanchez wouldn't be a bad idea either. I could see the Giants having interest in Fields. It looks like they matchup well with us.

QUOTE (R.J. @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 09:12 AM) The Braves were the primary suitors for Peavy using these same prospects. I don't understand your reasoning. I don't think our Fields or Poreda added to guys San Diego already decided weren't enough is going to swing that pendulum. I do think that we're looking to trade for a pitcher, just probably not one with so many obstacles (no trade clause, etc.) like Peavy. Not saying all of the pieces would be braves related. Also don't believe the Padres didn't have interest in at least some of these guys. My point is the Sox could sweeten the pot with some talent of their own and are much more willing to trade top prospects than the Braves previously were. Agree that there are obstacles, but if SD is as desperate to move him as previously indicated you could see things like no trade clauses being resolved.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 08:59 AM) I think there are a couple of major concerns. 1) Peavy REALLY REALLY wants to stay in the NL. Pretty wise on his part. 2) JR and our history with pitchers with huge contracts (which isn't very long at all)...it's pretty much non-existent. I think there would be interest in 2009, but there has to be a reluctance for the Sox to commit to $48 million over the following three years in an uncertain economy. Then again, we were committed to Vazquez for $23 million over two years and he's not nearly the same caliber of starter as Jake Peavy. But I will believe it when I see it out of KW and JR. They definitely will not be bidding on Sabathia, Lowe or Burnett, that's for sure...and doubt they would consider Sheets, either. Peavy, 27, will make $8 million in 2009, $15 million in 2010, $16 million in 2011 and $17 million in 2012, and he has a 2013 option for $22 million, with a $4 million buyout. That is monster cash to be committing, I agree. On a per year average though, it's only, roughly, $2 million more per year than we were paying Javy. That 2013 option is hefty, though. Even if you factor in picking up that option (which I doubt you would, but for conversation sake) he's still averaging around 15.5 mil per year which is about $4mil more than Javy. That's significantly less than Santana, who makes nearly 23 million per year and likely significantly less than what Sabathia will get. Looking at it that way, this seems reasonable. If anyone is worth this kind of money, it's a guy like Peavy who's in his prime at only 27 years old. On the whole I agree with the "no long term deals for pitchers" philosophy, but opportunities like this don't come too often.

Call me crazy, but could the Javy deal be the launching point paving the way for Peavy to come to the White Sox? I'm sure there's no trade clauses and such to be sorted, but I for one would welcome this idea. I'm sure we'd have to relinquish some of our guys as well (Fields? Poreda? the standard speculation) but if you can turn this into a Vasquez + prospects for Peavy deal (essentially), I say you do it. A right handed, legitimate power pitcher, would profile nicely in our rotation. Peavy/Buerhle/Floyd/Danks/5th is solid. Furthermore, SD is in a bind...the payroll restrictions are tying up everything they need to get done. They have said they need to move Peavy, so why not us? Thoughts? Am I nuts? Has this already been talked about extensively and I missed it?

Sign me up for anything that involves Yunel Escobar. If we're concerned about a ramirez/escobar dp combo blocking beckham...they can always move alexei to cf when the moment arrives. I think Escobar is a hell of a ballplayer though and the type of guy we need to target if we're actually going to move dye.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Nov 25, 2008 -> 01:22 PM) I disagree. I'd much rather Wade Davis. Jackson peripherals indicate he wouldn't be a success at the Cell, and he'd probably give up too many HR's. I highly doubt TB would move Wade Davis. Much more likely to deal Sonnenstine or Jackson, so if Williams were able to swing Davis he'd continue to prove his awesomeness. Davis > Bailey > Jackson, IMO. In general, I don't think the Reds matchup well because outside of Bailey and the untouchables (Votto, Bruce, Volquez, and Cueto) they don't really have many attractive trading chips. Also, just say no to Ryan Freel. He's old, can't stay healthy or run anymore, and is a utility player at best on a good team.

Well, since everyone is taking a s*** on Wise I'll go out on a limb at make him my Pick to Click. This team has made us all eat crow already, why not some more tasty crow? Let's go Wise. Let's go Javy. Let's go Sox!

According to MLB Gameday, White Sox lineup is as follows: 1) Cabrera SS 2) Wise LF 3) Dye RF 4) Thome DH 5) Konerko 1B 6) Griffey, Jr. CF 7) Ramirez 2B 8) Pierzynski C 9) Uribe 3B No surprises. Same as Tuesday. RLRLRLRLR.

Just got back from the game....stadium gun had 96, 97, 97 for his first three pitches I believe. Didn't bother looking at it for the rest of the time since everyone was so jazzed. Sounds like the TBS gun was jacked up a bit.

QUOTE (The Critic @ Aug 22, 2008 -> 10:16 AM) Yeah, I expect the actual playing to be bad, but I thought after the Trash Can SoundTM of the drums on St. Anger, that MAYBE they'd have tried a little harder to get a decent sound from the drums this time. It's a distracting sound and it just serves to again draw attention to the sub-par drumming. Agreed. The sounding like sh** part doesn't help hide the fact that he's awful. And this is coming from a kid who claimed Metallica as his favorite band for a very long time, it's just the more I learned how to play drums the more I realized Lars is the worst. Prime example of the sound problem, to me, is that it sounds like they put the snare drum in the middle of the grand canyon and recorded someone hitting it as loud as possible, paying keen attention to all the echo. It's really, really dumb.

QUOTE (The Critic @ Aug 22, 2008 -> 01:37 AM) I'm glad you liked it. I don't like it at all. The drums still sound like s***, very annoying sound to them. And James' warbling, of course, I can't stand. The ending is kind of good, but it takes almost 5 minutes of bad to get to 2 minutes of kind of good. To me, it's a lot like the new Motley Crue - trying to recapture an old sound and "feel" and falling short. The drums sounding like s*** doesn't surprise me. Lars is a terrible drummer.

Understood it's at historical lows, and given this is long term play that makes sense. Seems like a bit of a change of investment though. Hasn't the Middle East/Asia been mostly investing in US financials (Merrill, Citi, etc)? Theme parks is quite the different game, no?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 13, 2008 -> 09:23 AM) I am guessing because they think the dollar is cheap and is going to rebound pretty well, along with the economy. Isn't the dollar at 6 month highs right now though? Also think there's probably easier ways to put that view on outside of acquiring some theme parks... Granted, I think it's a solid play if they're trying to get their foot in the door in terms of having businesses in North America (specifically the US) but I just don't get why they'd want to do that in the first place. It seems to me their resources have been focused on making their home a tourist destination, why stray from that plan? Diversification would be the main reason, I suppose, but it's counter-intiuitive to their nationalistic strategy.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 12, 2008 -> 06:50 AM) If Dubai is interested in it, there is no one out there with deeper pockets. Just don't understand why Dubai would want it in the first place though. They're building their own supermega theme park in Dubai already. From a business perspective, I guess it would make sense if they got it on the cheap but it seems like there's plenty of bidders to drive the price out of the "undervalued" range. They do have the deepest pockets though, that's for sure.

This is like fourth hand information, ESPN deadline chat is saying Jason Bay is headed to the Rays for Reid Brignac and Jeff Niemann. Interesting, if true.

In. Can't predict the outcome of the playoffs, but I'll call the division win. Regardless, we shouldn't let two days of carpet-ball in that excuse of a stadium have us shaking in our boots. Especially when one of those games involved a kid making his 2nd start ever in the MLB. The Twins are good a fundamentally sound team that takes full advantage of their homefield. Yes, we're in for a fight, but when has winning the division ever come easy? Hopefully this thread helps us regain perspective instead of spiraling into the ZOMG WE R SCROOD realm.

My gamertag is Fotop if someone is going to set a dynasty up. Figure we should decide on a conference though...assuming most here would want to do big ten? (Being an ND fan, I could careless which conf. we play so don't worry about me)

Been playing NCAA 2009 for a week now, really enjoy it. Only a couple of issues so far: 1) The roster bug. Apparently EA is going to fix it, but right now if you have named rosters and edit them in any way you can corrupt the game. Not cool. Have heard there's online dynasty bugs as well, but don't really know the specifics. 2) Punt/Kick Returns. Way too easy to house these, even on Heisman. Armando Allen is not this good, heh. Outside of that the game's been pretty good. I really like the new quickcall feature in recruiting...saves a ton of time. Also love the fact that linebackers don't jump 4 feet in the air now and pick everything off. Game seems pretty balanced, and I have been having some competitive games against the CPU on Heisman so that's cool as well Overall, think it's a quality game and helps fill the time before actual football begins.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 07:02 AM) I read today that now they did, and they're interested in him. This is one of those "I"ll believe it when I see it" kind of things, but if they signed Jones (doubt it'd take much) that'd take some of the weight off Forte's shoulders... plus, injuries aside, he's better than Benson would've been, and the Bears would be pretty legit at RB with a proven (albeit risky) option. Then they'd just have to hope that my boy Mark Bradley miraculously breaks out, Booker is resurgent, Hester actually lives up to all that potential, and/or one of the rookies comes on quickly... cross your fingers Angelo. Heard this morning on the Score that Kevin Jones was either going to sign with the Bears or the Steelers today, according to his agent. Wouldn't make much sense for him to go to Pittsburgh, as they already have Willie Parker and Mendenhall so it looks like he'll be a bear? I'll believe it when I see it, but if true, that's a decent signing...still doesn't get them even close to out of the woods yet though.