CanOfCorn

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 20, 2009 -> 12:52 PM) Memphis should not be in the discussion for a major league team. I'd put about 10 metro areas ahead of it. Memphis is a basketball town and can't even support their NBA team, its one of the poorest large cities in the country, high crime, rainy weather, and a fan base already very attached to one team (Cards). You want a team in Tennessee / Mid-South, the clear choice is Nashville - same size city but much better in pretty much every respect for a predictor of MLB success. In any case, I think expansion is a bad idea - too much dilution already. And the cities that I think deserve the most consideration for a team (moved or expanded) outside of Florida, in order, would be: Charlotte / Carolinas San Juan, PR San Antonio / Austin Albuquerque / Santa Fe Portland Nashville Fixed. Austin is the largest market without a major pro sports team, plus if you place a stadium between those two cities, either in New Braunfels or San Marcos, you'd have a HUGE market to draw from. Plus, I just don't think the Texsox clan can support a team.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 20, 2009 -> 01:09 PM) In terms of stuff on the staff i'd say: Floyd (for the Curve), Danks, Buehrle, Colon, Contreras. Floyd's issue has always been confidence, it's an incredible testament to Ozzie and Coop that they managed to instill it into this kid. Really? If Contreras' forkball is on...he's devastating. Colon should be last on that list. He's not a stuff guy anymore.

QUOTE (FedEx227 @ Apr 17, 2009 -> 07:37 PM) That's my point, you had an expansion team that was largely horse s*** for the first 10 years of their existence. They don't have a very solid fan base. It'll grow with sustained success, but it's not going to be a 1-year type thing. Look, my point is...the Tampa fans should be excited at the beginning of the year. But, it looks like the hangover has already started. That's the part that pisses me off. If, by June, the Trop is empty, I wouldn't be surprised. But, we are 10 games into the year...it should be at least 3/4 full of Rays fans as carryover from a World Series bid. Apples and orange comparisons only work on year long attendance numbers. I'm not saying they are going to be #1 in attendance at the end of the year. I'm not throwing stones as a Sox fan (and our attendance numbers which has been discussed ad nauseum, literally, on this site)...I was surprised, amazed and incredibly disappointed that a team coming off of a World Series appearance with an exciting, young team, can't draw a near full house in the first few games of the following season. If that's the case...this team is in trouble.

QUOTE (FedEx227 @ Apr 17, 2009 -> 12:41 PM) Well it's a ton of reasons. The Rays stadium is awful first off, it's in a so-so neighborhood away from where the bulk of the general Tampa population lives. Ditto for the Marlins, their stadium is essentially in a suburb. While that no doubt works for football, it doesn't work for an 82-game baseball schedule. Add in the fact that their unpredictable weathers leads to tons of rain outs and delays... and the fact it's a god awful stadium with no personality. Also you have to remember despite the bits of success as a whole the franchises have not been very good. You don't have any 2nd or 3rd generation Rays/Marlins fans. Yes, they went to the WS last year but over the past decade they were one of the worst teams in the league, ever year... great talent or not. So long term success in a good ballpark will build up a fan base. You still have to remember these are very new franchises in a very new market, so it'll take time. If you would have read my first post...my point was that the Rays have a young and very exciting team AND they are the AL Champs. They just came off a WS appearance! That should put butts in seats by itself. I'm not necessarily talking sellout, but at least 3/4 of the stadium filled (with Rays fans, not half being opposing fans). I bet that the first week at home for the White Sox in 2006 were close to sellouts. Bad weather or not. And fine, move the Rays OR the Marlins. Or both.

Pitcher: A latter day Dick Tidrow. Hitter: Mike Squires

Actually, it was a night game here...but I was there and it was coooold. Not Tampa, FL in a dome cold...but cooooold.

Went to Burlington and it was fun. The town is great, and like someone said, Vermont is so small, you can get anywhere you want pretty quickly. We had a rental house on South Hero Island and just kinda hung around. It's also a pretty quick drive up to Montreal, if that's something that interests you...but remember to bring your passport cuz you are going to need it to cross the border, now. We also took side trips to Waterbury (Ben and Jerry's) and Montpelier, which has to be the most quaint capital city in the country. PLUS, the New England Culinary School is there and the restaurant attached is pretty damn awesome. AND they have Friendly's...so's ya know. Maine...I've only been to Ogunquit for the day...and the beaches were gorgeous.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 16, 2009 -> 08:22 PM) I gotta tell you. I really don't like him all that much, because I think that he's been on the wrong side of some pretty important issues down here. With that said, he is a true fiscal conservative, and that alone makes him better then most. He was b****ing about GWB and the money before even Obama came into office. You also have to remember that most of the Democrats down here would be considered Republican in Illinois and the northeast US. They are all pretty conservative overall... of course there are some exceptions to that. Lloyd Doggett...hello.

So, after I put my son to bed last night, I come downstairs and flip on the Hawks game. At a break in the action, I flip to the Sox game on CSNa...and see... A half empty stadium! Now, I understand there's a recession. And I understand that this is Florida and besides for college football and Dolphins games, they aren't the most attentive fans, but COME ON! This is a young, exciting team that JUST WENT TO THE WORLD SERIES! Sure, that stadium sucks, but so what? People fill crappy stadiums all the time (see: Wrigley)! The title of this thread is the first thought that came to mind. (Second...beat the piss out of this team)

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 16, 2009 -> 02:21 PM) Juan Cruz, I'd rather sign him and give up the first round pick which will save you more than $1 million right there. As far as Crisp, just because the Royals traded a reliever for Crisp doesn't mean they wouldn't have gone for something else. The White Sox overestimated Wise and Owens. Orlando Hudson was going to where the money was. If the White Sox offered him a higher guarantee than LA with the same incentives, I don't think there's any question he would be willing to play CF. In fact, Steve Stone said more than a couple teams were looking at Hudson as a CF. We will never know the exact circumstances, but if the White Sox organization doesn't have the pieces to pick up players that will help them fill holes and doesn't have the money to sign players who can help them fill holes when they are signing for pennies on the dollar, then there is an organizational problem that needs to be fixed. Only one team can sign a player, does that mean the other 31 teams have organizational problems too? Everyone has a price in their head that they won't go over (except the Yankees), sooooo...you and all the others can try to figure out the organizational problems for 95% of the league.

QUOTE (NIUSox @ Apr 16, 2009 -> 12:38 PM) My buddies and I alway try and think of obscure Sox jersies we could get. Some of the better ones we could come up with were Dan Pasqua, Mike Caruso, and Mike Lavalierre (which I actually saw one time). That website is pretty cool. I laughed when I saw the Craig Grebeck Blue Jays jersey. Sad how many people don't know "The Little Hurt." Pasqua is not obscure, my man. He was the White Sox version of Chuck Norris. Dan Pasqua doesn't strike out...he hits homers in another dimension. Obscure would be a McKay Christiansen or Julio Ramirez jersey...speaking of which, either of those guys available for CF?

You're durn tootin' I curse. Friggin' curse all the durn time, gall-darnit!

Texas pretty much HAD to join the union as they were in deep financially. (Thank you Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum) They are also the only state that can fly it's flag at the same height as the American flag...because they were once a sovereign Republic.

Well, for those of you who knew him in the mid-late '80's...this is a sad day. He certainly isn't what he used to be, but when all ya'll are 73 years old, you better hope you can do a job you love like he did. So, suck it, clowns...this is a sad day.

No...no...aaaaaaaand (wait for it)...no. He's expensive...he's older...he's not the answer. Oh, and he's expensive.

I don't think we, as Sox fans should be complaining about that stadium...if it weren't for former Governor Big Jim Thompson...it would be OUR stadium. Ick. Oh...and GO SOX AND HAWKS!!!

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 11:30 AM) We're going with an outfield of Owens, Anderson and Pods. Just for the grinderificness of it all. I heard Erstad's playing first base on loan from the Astros. Damn you sqwert!

Dine and ditch.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 12:32 PM) I got a reply back from Brooks today. To paraphrase what he said, they have looked into it before, and royalties are the biggest problem. If that could ever be fixed, they would have an account ASAP. If you don't have rights to the music, YouTube takes them down. Speaking of...video taken down. On the Sox site???

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 03:44 PM) I'm not a big fan of this line of thinking. What if they play baseball for another 500 or 2000 years? A hitter first reached 300 career HR 84 years ago and 300 in a career hasn't become prevalent until relatively recently so it didn't take very long for a feat such as this to take place. If Major League Baseball exists for even another 500 years then baseball history as we know it will be a mere drop in the bucket. Thanks for crapping on another parade, Kalapse!

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 01:51 PM) I recall Edmonds not approving a trade here several years ago when he thought he would be better off elsewhere, but I don't see how that rules him "out" for 2009 when he is still unemployed. Things change, e.g., Bartolo Colon. As much as Kenny likes to say he'll do anything to win...he won't. I don't think he's forgotten...or forgiven.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 09:43 PM) 2010 Selig is going to make every road team wear a road Brooklyn #42 jersey and every home team will have the home version on. And all white players will have to be in blackface...y'know, like Ted Danson.

What the f is the matter with you people? This signing is because Wise is hurt. This isn't a long term deal, it's short term insurance. Wise failed and is hurt. Owens failed and failed and failed. Anderson is getting his shot. Soooo...what's the big deal with signing an experiences OF that can be called up if needed? Is he done as a full-time starter? I'm not going to say I know for sure, but if he was cut loose, then I would guess yes. And to say Edmonds is better is irrelevant. Remember people, HE DIDN'T WANT TO COME HERE! So, he's out. Who's left? Lofton? Gonzalez? Are they better? I would say no. Everyone in off the ledge and pray Anderson can hit a lick, then we won't have to worry about this.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Apr 10, 2009 -> 04:02 PM) This makes me want to party hard tonight. Please just...just...ugh.