Marty34

QUOTE (Knackattack @ May 7, 2011 -> 11:58 AM) Why Those will be his 32 & 33 year old seasons and he's owed $19.5M combined. I think it's likely he'll be in decline those years.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 7, 2011 -> 10:55 AM) Will Ohman will get dumped fairly easily if anyone pays attention to the fact that lefties have a .654 OPS against him. Basically we just need Ozzie to stop having him pitch to righties or have antoher GM look at the numbers. Why Does Alexei need to get better? Viciedo is not owed $3.25 million next year. I think there's a good chance the last 2 years of Ramirez deal will be bad for the Sox.

Viciedo is owed $3.25M next year. I don't think that's great for a guy who has 104 MLB AB's. Paying Ohman $2.5M to be a LOOGY on a team that will likely be going nowhere isn't great either. As far as Ramirez goes, he's not getting any better.

Building around Humber was tongue-in-cheek, but man there is BAD money all over the place. Is anyone comfortable owing Ramirez $31M through 2015? Viciedo $3.25M and Ohman $2.5M next year?

$127M payroll and not one team-friendly contract or player to build around for the next 3-5 years. Take a look at this payroll mess. http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tK7...amp;output=html

A positive for me about this start is that one of the most arrogant front offices in pro sports is largely quiet. Kenny offering only hugs. If the record were reversed you know damn well he would be wondering aloud about the attendance from everywhere he could be heard. Kenny, you were a better GM when you spent $0.50 instead of $1.00. Classic case of careful what you wish for.

Benching Pierre is the easiest move to improving the team which is why it's so disheartening to see him day in, day out.

They've got to be at a short-term bottom. 5-4

I think Kenny going would potentially be a bigger positive for the organization - depending on who replaces him - (Hahn gets a pass in this mess by all, but he's the contract guru) than Ozzie being let go. Anyway fire them both if need be.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ May 1, 2011 -> 06:13 PM) That is the key. I will gladly watch a s***ty team as long as I know they're following a strategy to improve going forward. We have a lot of people questioning others' fandom on this site, but I wonder how serious of a fan someone is when they vehemently argue against ever attempting a rebuild. It's as though they only care about competing at that very moment and wouldn't follow the team during the rebuilding process. Right. I mean every team not named the Yankees or Red Sox has to rebuild at some point. There's nothing wrong with it. What if the front office spent $4M this offseason on the best available scouts instead of on one month of Manny Ramirez.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ May 1, 2011 -> 06:09 PM) Nobody is held accountable for their their actions on this team. Nobody in the organization is held accountable since 2005. Hell, you have to be BROUGHT UP ON FEDERAL CHARGES to lose your job with this outfit.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 1, 2011 -> 05:52 PM) Ditto on the bolded. And I feel awful for season ticket holders. They can't give away tickets. Speaking as a season ticket holder there are a lot worse ways to spend a day or night than at Sox Park even when they are bad. I buy season tickets not based on how many games I think their going to win, but whether or not they make every effort to win. JR does that even though I vehemently disagreed with their strategy this offseason.

QUOTE (sin city sox fan @ May 1, 2011 -> 05:22 PM) Getting back to the point of this thread, than do your part to energize the team and get out to support them. Empty seats are not motivation to turn it around and if you really think that now is "do or die" time, do your part to help jump start them. Filled seats apparently isn't motivation either as the Twins are tied with us for last.

QUOTE (sin city sox fan @ May 1, 2011 -> 05:04 PM) I wasn't because I live almost 2000 miles away. However, I will be in Seattle Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for all 3 games and proudly supporting my team despite their struggles thus far. You only go to games when they're in Seattle and it's convenient for you. That's not good enough.

Message has to be sent, Walker has to go. May have seen this, but in the last 43 years only the '87 Tigers won their division after being as many as 9 out after April.

QUOTE (sin city sox fan @ May 1, 2011 -> 04:54 PM) To the fan base. To the organization. To the players. To everyone. If you can't support our team except when they are winning at a 75% clip, Jerry might as well knock the payroll down to $25 million per season, average about 12,000 fans per game, and make a nice profit off TV revenues. Were you there today?

QUOTE (sin city sox fan @ May 1, 2011 -> 04:42 PM) Anything less than 35,000 for these games would be embarrassing. Sox fans need to be true fans....not fair weather fans. Embarrassing to who?

Beckham's a mess mechanically. He needs to get back to his basic stance when he first came up which is slight knee bend, no leg kick and adjust off that if need be.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 30, 2011 -> 10:54 PM) You do realize that Lillibridge has very little experience at 3B, and that he's been mostly a SS and 2B his entire career with the Braves? You do also realize that the team started to get hot when we inserted Vizquel in 2010 and Uribe at the end of 2008....both players who are solid defensively. Teahen's not going to help our "seive-ish" or porous defense get any better. And with the offense not scoring any runs, we'll need to prevent as many runs from scoring as possible. Teahen's defense so far has warranted him getting another chance at third. As far as Vizquel goes, I'd use him as a defensive replacement/spot starter at third. His starts would come mostly when Buehrle pitches. There is no perfect solution.

Yes, it's panic time. No sure-fire options, but here's what I'd do. Pena (dl), Sale & Morel sent down. Kinney, Infante, and De Aza up. Lineup v. R. 8 Rios 7 De Aza 9 Quentin DH Dunn 3 Konerko 5 Teahan 6 Ramirez 2 AJ 4 Beckham Lineup v. L 8 Rios 5 Lillibridge 9 Quentin 3 Konerko DH Dunn 6 Ramirez 2 Castro 7 Pierre 4 Beckham Bullpen Closer: Santos, Setup Thornton, Crain, Middle: Infante, Ohman, Gray, Long: Kinney. Start Sale in minors.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Apr 30, 2011 -> 08:59 PM) What happened to tonight's game thread? It just disappeared. Closed on account of negativity.

Season is over, but Rios will tun it around.

I think Rios will turn it around soon.

If it were someone other than Showalter in the other dugout I think they'd fire walker tomorrow.

Clown act on 35th continues. Hugs all around!