CanOfCorn

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Dec 1, 2006 -> 10:54 AM) I still think best record in baseball should decide it, but this is the next best alternative (way better than it used to be with it rotating). And I must agree, it definately makes the ASG more interesting and the last couple ASG's have been pretty damn good. I'm not a big fan of it, but it HAS made the game more interesting. How about this idea, though...best head-to-head record? AL vs. NL. Real games, not a mid-season classic. Selig is a pretty good commish overall, but I hope the next one isn't from baseball itself. No owners...player reps, anything like that. Get someone who can look at both sides objectively.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Nov 30, 2006 -> 11:34 AM) sure, but if anyone says anything about tucker carlson, you're dead Jon Stewart said it for me:

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 30, 2006 -> 12:19 PM) This is why i hate chicago. In the summer, its the best city in the world, in the winter, its bottom 25. Im about ready to move somewhere warm I live somewhere warm, and let me tell you, you need to decide if you are a cold weather or warm weather person before you move. I'm a cold weather person and the weeks of upper-90's lower-100's we get in Austin in the summer SUCK!!! It's 36 degrees today and I'm in heaven, but native Texans are up in arms. Spring and Fall are awesome here, but summer sucks. Plus, you don't get any seasons here...it's hot, then it's not so hot.

QUOTE(Hatchetman @ Nov 29, 2006 -> 08:25 AM) i don't see pods being much worse than figgins. phil rogers suggested figgins in CF and pods in LF. how stupid is that? and he's the local baseball "expert." If you do this, then you can drop Iguchi into a rbi spot in the lineup. Lots of speed at the top of the order. Of course, I don't know what happens with 3B, unless it's Fields, who I don't think is ready for the majors.

QUOTE(shawnhillegas @ Nov 29, 2006 -> 01:21 PM) Its not about the White Sox as a team, its about other teams. Did the Tigers overperform last year? Yes. But they are going to be a very good team next year. They added Sheffield, and their bullpen and SPing is extraordinarily deep. That doesnt include other teams like the Angels and Red Sox who figure to be upgraded as well. And saying that the hitting was sporadic is misleading. We suffered no serious injuries last year and had career years from a number of our hitters. Our ability to produce runs might (and better) improve next year, but do we know that Thome, Dye or Crede (and his back) dont regress just a little? There were a lot of career years out there, only Pods, Anderson and Uribe really struggled and no one is expecting a huge jump in the production of any of those three. Ozzie doesn't want to give up the home run hitting power, but he also wants this team to be able to produce when the middle of the order isn't hitting home runs. That's why I think Figgins would be a good pickup, because, outside of last year, he's a .350 OBP guy but you know what he can do that no one else on the Sox can do? BUNT! If he's given the chance to play every day, in one position, as the leadoff guy, I could see him being much better than Pods.

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Nov 29, 2006 -> 11:46 AM) I feel more recruiting is done by the head coach in basketball, but it can vary. I know that Davis' initial job at IU was basically to be Knight's recruiting assistant at IU. I just wasn't sure since it's pretty obvious that Weber is the better coach and Self is the better recruiter, if it made sense to get someone in who can recruit. Or if that is even a position? Plus, they'd probably have to pay someone some fat cash.

QUOTE(TheBigHurt @ Nov 29, 2006 -> 11:06 AM) True, but imagine how better it will be if a few names you didn't mention stay with the organization. Another division title could be a lock, possibly even a World Series. My dream WS is the Cards vs. the Sox. Hell, I'd almost be a bit concerned if the Cubs somehow got Jason Schmidt. So, who would you root for? Can't root for both, y'know!

I've got a question for the board...if anyone read Greg Couch's article in the Sun-Times today, and if you haven't, it basically has Bruce Weber saying you need a team of good players with one or two big recruits to get you to the Final Four, I was wondering, does recruiting in basketball work like football at all? In other words, in football, there are recruiting specialists...someone who may coach a position, but who's job it is to recruit the big names. Sometimes, like in Illinois' football case, that is the head coach, but not always. Obviously, each coach has in-roads at certain places, for instance, Wayne McClain and Peoria and Jimmy Collins with the CPS. I guess my question is, since Weber doesn't seem to have the recruiting bone like Bill Self has, would it make sense to hire an assistant that does? Does that happen?

Maybe Yuniesky Betancourt? Possibly Rafael Soriano? Other than that...maybe Jurassic or Borch? QUOTE(beautox @ Nov 29, 2006 -> 10:13 AM) Garcia + Podsednik + Thornton for Ichiro. Riiiiiiight. They are going to want TWO former Mariners. They pretty much dumped Thornton. NOt a chance they take that. If that happens I'll eat my hat.

QUOTE(Chet Lemon @ Nov 28, 2006 -> 01:34 PM) Where does Vazquez fall in your idea? Probably on his head.

According to ESPN.com, I'm not going to post the link, but it's on the front page. O's to sign Williamson to 1 year contract and Chad Bradford to a 3 year contract. Someone needs to wrest that franchise away from Angelos...NOW!

QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Nov 27, 2006 -> 11:43 AM) You have to trade McCarthy to get a guy like Crawford. Tampa knows that if they want to contend in the East in the next couple of years they need to build a solid young pitching staff. They realize that they cant win without pitching and their GM has said during the end of the 2006 season that he would be willing to trade Crawford if he can get an MLB ready young starter. Tampa wants to build a young rotation like Oakland had a fews years back when they had the Zito-Mulder-Hudson trio. I truly believe that we can win it all next year with Buerhle, Garland, Contreras, Garcia and Vazquez as our starting 5. I understand if you are all worried about what will happen after 2007 since both Garcia and Buerhle will be free agents. However, I think if we win it all (and having Crawford would help in doing so) Buerhle will re-sign. And the only one to leave via free agency would be Garcia. So for you post 2007 worry warts your rotation can be this: Buerhle, Garland, Contreras, Vazquez, Broadway For now im worrying about 2007. And if KW can aqcuire Crawford, it will give us one hell of a lead-off hitter, he can steal 60 plus, play one hell of a defense and patch up our black hole out in LF. But what about our bullpen?!? I think KW will trade Pods and Fields at the Winter Meetings to help bolster our bullpen. Your 2007 Chicago White Sox: Crawford LF Gooch 2B Dye RF Thome DH Konerko 1B Crede 3B Pierzynski C Uribe SS Anderson CF Rotation: Same as 2006 Bullpen: To be shored up at the Winter meetings Your 2008 Chicago White Sox: Crawford LF Gooch 2B (will be re-signed) Thome DH Konerko 1B Crede 3B Pierzynski C Anderson CF Sweeney RF (replace Dye who will leave via free agency) Uribe SS (will be re-signed) Your 2008 rotation: Buerhle, Garland, Contreras, Vazquez, Broadway (replace Garcia who will leave via free agency) Not bad at all. Thoughts?? Im sure i missed out on some ending contracts or what not, but it can be pretty similar to this. A 2008 OF of Crawford, Anderson and Sweeney can be dominate defensivley for many years. Crawford's a great player and all, but he isn't a leadoff hitter. No. 2 yes, but I think you waste his talents as a leadoff hitter. Baldelli is the better bet, but that's just my opinion.

Freel plays REAL hard...which is great, but he also tends to get hurt, not necessarily DL hurt, but little minor things. He reminds me of Darin Erstad. Great hard-nosed player but nagging injuries will always keep them down. Good idea, but no thanks.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Nov 25, 2006 -> 02:35 PM) I know we've discussed this before in another thread, but I don't believe this. What if the dust doesn't finally settle until February? Are we realistically going to hold off until then; a month away from spring training? It's best to have options available when the largest pool of teams remain. Last season was the opportunity, after Vazquez was acquired, to offer starters to the highest bidder. It was essentially the perfect situation. If he didn't appreciate the return value of his starters, then they were merely inserted into the rotation. We currently don't have that luxury. I believe we can't rely on a desperate team overpaying. What it if never occurs? I know I continually hope for it, but if we're a month away from now --and all five starters remain-- I have to wonder whether we've lost all leverage. Whether or not Texas and New York have found their SP's, and what we're left with is Cincinnati. Or another ballclub offering little options which appeal to us. We're not in a good position because it's evident through McCarthy's bullpen struggles, and several impending free agents after 2007, a starter will depart. That gives another ballclub reason to believe they can persue FA pitchers, and if that avenue doesn't work, merely wait for the price of our starters to drop. Way I figure, if the proposals were generous for any of our starters we'd already have traded them. Look what happened with New York and Sheffield. Cashman didn't hesitate one second. Oh Flash, you cannot compare our starting pitching to Gary Sheffield. Sheffield is old, angry and in the last couple of years of his career. Except for Contreras, all of our starters are in the prime and could pitch lights out again. And every year, someone gets hurt or someone doesn't pan out in Spring Training and a team goes searching for more pitching. Happens every year. I agree that we need to dump one of our starters, but Kenny will never make it seem like we are desperate. Hey, if we have to go into the season with the same 5 and trade someone at the July 31st trading deadline, just so we can get market value, that's fine with me too. Relax...enjoy the holidays. We'll get what we need and we'll have the same 50-50 arguments that we always do here on Soxtalk!

QUOTE(Kid Gleason @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 12:51 PM) I believe the answer is "yes"...somewhat. I think it was Marco, the guitarist with maybe another member. From what I can tell, the history of The Ants is kind of all over the place, kind of like their music. They were so "hit or miss". But you are right, there is a connection between the two bands. From Wikipedia:

QUOTE(Middle Buffalo @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 01:57 PM) As far as sports memories go, Flutie throwing the hail mary to Phelan to beat Miami is one of the greatest sports plays I've ever watched live. I really can't even think of anything that ranks with it (Sox WS victory aside). I guess the '80 Olympic win over the Soviets would be greater, but that wasn't live. Every once in a while you can see this game on ESPN classic, and it's a great one to watch. 22 years ago. Man, I'm getting old. The game in '94 between Colorado and Michigan and the Hail Mary from Kordell Stewart to Michael Westbrook. The Miracle at Michigan. That was awesome...but on TV. But for me, that I saw live, was 4 roof shots in one weekend. Kittle and Luzinski for the Sox, Ruppert Jones for the Tigers...wait, that's only 3, you say? Well, there was a Team USA exhibition before the first game and a certain Mark McGwire smacked one over the roof.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Nov 19, 2006 -> 11:25 PM) Jose Guillen...Jose Guillen...Jose Guillen. Although I wouldn't mind Shannon Stewart. I think Guillen will slip through the cracks though and sign a 1yr deal with an option or some incentives. He's a good player while healthy (a near all star, imo). ANd he could play CF if I recall. Probably a little older now and he's had some injuries so I don't know if that would be a good idea, but its not an awful backup plan. Plus he destroys Lefties IIRC (at least I remember him rocking them with the Angels). If we get him, who leads off? Just curious as to what you think. I do think he would be an excellent pickup for the 6 spot in the order.

QUOTE(jasonxctf @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 02:21 PM) i'm caught in the middle here with the whole free agent issue. this is a marketplace where the price of quality free agents is more and more each and every year. konerko was approx $10mil per year last year. the marketplace would probably place him at $15-16 mil per year this year, and probably $18mil next year if he was a free agent during those periods. so you're caught between a rock and a hard place. we all may think that matthews, pierre, soriano, etc are overpriced this year, but their contracts may seem like bargains (ala Konerko) in 2 years when the marketplace is $15 million/yr for an average outfielder or starting pitcher. so do you bite the bullet now, lock guys in at what seems to be high rates to hedge against the future increases, or do you roll the dice and hope that the marketplace settles back down in a few years? Not true, the market fluctuates. Last year, Kong got a pretty decent deal considering what other free agents were signing for. All it takes is for one GM/owner to go crazy (Hendry w/ Soriano, Colletti w/ Pierre) and it sets the market for the rest. For instance, what if Zito signs for 5/$50 mil? Not saying it WILL happen, but if he did, then that's the market value and all other contracts are signed according to that. Remember the Ramirez, A-Rod and I forget the third player...they all signed ridiculous contracts and then after that, it simmered. And that's what always happens, it's cyclical.

QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 01:27 PM) Yup, i guess the Illini are a much better team without Dee Brown and James Augustine. I would have loved to have seen how did they last year without both of them. Perhaps they could have made another final four appearance. Probably would have been a lock - if only Weber benched both of them last year! Two things: 1. The scheduling of patsies for the first four games is genius. This is a young team, one that needs to gel, one that needs to find who they are with the departure of Dee and James. And what better way to do that and build confidence than by scheduling the Savannah States of the world? 2. The Illini don't have as much talent as they did last year with Dee and Augustine, but they may have the better team. The losses of Randle, Smith and McBride may help this team in the long run. It forced the team to learn to play without them and hopefully helped the maturity level of Meacham, Brock, Carlwell, Semrau, etc.

That's WAAAY too much money for a 31 yo player that had a breakout season. Actually, it's not really the money, it's the years. 5 years? What the...? Alright Kenny: Yer on. Go get us some talent!

Obviously, we are all thankful for our family and friends, but what else are you thankful for? Personally, I'm thankful for the extra two days off, Salma Hayek, and the 2005 World Champion White Sox. You? And Happy Thanksgiving!

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 01:01 AM) I shall eschew the pedantic turkey this thanksgiving in lieu of more exotic fare. Say hello to Vegan Sloppy Joes! I'm going to have carnifu this year. It's tofu shaped, tofu texture, but made out of the purest form of meat...tube steak. Seriously, though, I haven't had fried turkey, but am dying to try it. And since this is in the turkey thread... Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Nov 22, 2006 -> 12:40 AM) One more before bed: 1. Yoko Ono - It's Gonna Rain (Living On Tiptoe) 2. Lou Reed - Wagon Wheel 3. Marvin Gaye - Gonna Give Her All The Lovin I Got 4. Mocean Worker - Move 5. Pat Boone - Smoke on the Water 6. Peaches - Get It 7. The Streets - Two Nations 8. Suicide - 96 Tears 9. Basement Jaxx - U R On My Mind 10. Gnarls Barkley - The Boogie Monster The Bakers Tenth: Def Leppard - Photograph In a Metal Mood. Best...album...ever! 1. Black Girl Pain - Talib Kweli 2. Aurora - Foo Fighters 3. Buenaventura - Paul Van Dyk 4. St. Elsewhere - Gnarls Barkley 5. Fuel My Fire - The Prodigy 6. Star Guitar - The Chemical Brothers 7. Hate to Say I told You So - The Hives 8. Get Me - Dinosaur Jr. 9. Eat My Dust You Insensitive F**k - The Catherine Wheel 10. The Brain - Eat Static

I can't imagine Jerry will sign Mark for over 4 years...unless there are some option years in there. I think we need to see how he bounces back this year. If he can go back to the Buehrle of old, then yes, break the bank for an left handed innings eater that plays to the defense. If he has another year like '06, then offer him a contract a bit better than Garland and Contreras, but for 3 years. If he has a worse year...offer him the same contract as Garland and Contreras. Maybe tack on some incentives. I think '07 is going to go a LOOONG way in what we do with Mark.

QUOTE(VAfan @ Nov 21, 2006 -> 03:53 PM) I have no trouble adding power pitchers to the pen, but I can't see trading one of our starting 5 for pitching prospects. Isn't that what teams out of the race do at midseason? How can you expect to get better pitching back?? It just doesn't compute in my mind. If someone can provide some examples where that has worked, let me know. What I could see is trading one of our starters -- and I'm convinced it has to be Javier Vazquez, both because with a longer contract he should have more value and because I think the trade for him really weakened this team last year -- for a young outfielder with significant potential. Of course, we gave up a young outfielder with significant potential to get Vazquez last year -- Chris Young. Wouldn't it be nice to have him back?? He could be in the mix for CF or LF in 2007, and he could soften the blow when we lose Jermaine Dye in 2008. I'm still not sold on Brian Anderson or Ryan Sweeney (or Josh Fields) as above average outfielders of the future, much less superstars. If we could get someone with significant potential for our outfield -- Lastings Milledge? -- for Vazquez, I would make that kind of deal. But I'm still not seeing GREAT choices out there. I'd almost rather roll the dice again with what we have. I would agree if we weren't dealing out of a position of strength. But we are. We have 6 pitchers who have or could start at the major league level and maybe 7 if the Sox want to take a chance with Haeger or Phillips. So, take one of those pitchers and get two or three younger ones to bolster the farm. That's how you sustain success.