Wedge

What position did he make the 2000 All-Star game at?

I actually don't have a problem with the hand peeing. It's sort of gross, but it's a natural performance enhancement technique (so they say). If he's that dedicated to his game, so be it.

Are you Moises Alou?

Damn you bumpers! I read this and almost started crying.

I only care if he can start. Or get Billy Koch out of town.

I heard that Friday on my ride home and that drew a WTF from me. I don't understand. Zero should be allowed to close until he shows he can't. Especially now that he has his first save. What does Contreras do? Has he ever been a closer/reliever? I can only remember him starting. I wouldn't mind seeing him with Marte as set-up men, but for the love of God, please leave Zero at closer.

The Expos would face contraction in Japan...

Frank the Tank does everything you want out of a 3 hitter; I'm not sure you can always say the same for Maggs. You don't want to move Uribe or Harris since they're so damn solid right now.

The Twins play the Expos and then Milwaukee. By my calculations, Sheets pitches against the Twins. I wonder if that's something the management is waiting on: to see how he handles our biggest competition. It'd be nice to see him pitch a good game against them and then to acquire him the next day...

You can definitely make a case of EL. Who are the other AL rookies making a splash? If Shingo has a great second half, like we all think we can (around 20 saves or so), he can definitely get ROY.

My girlfriend is a Cleveland fan and yet I voted for another option (KC before I really thought it through, I'd rather have it be Cubs). Is this a bad sign?

Thanks guys. Billy Beane seems to be applying to baseball what Jack Welch applied to GE. Moneyball sounds like the Six Sigma of MLB. Anybody have any idea what I just said? In terms of reading, if you like humor and science fiction, give the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy a shot. It's pretty funny (in the British sort of way). My Avatar is from the cover art. You can pick up the entire 5 book trilogy in a single volume at Barnes and Noble for like $15. MJ's book isn't bad, either. It's this little smallish one, "I can't accept not trying" or something like that was the title. Payton's book is good, too, "Never Die Easy."

Just curious if anybody here has read Moneyball. Is it good reading?

Errr... I mean, Scho' been shakey lately and it doesn't look good against the hard hitting Braves!

aren't they successful with an $85 million budget?

Dust in the wind my friend. All we are is Dust in the wind.

He's been a little shakey lately, though. I hope he rights himself against the Braves. The way they hit, they're certainly the right team for him to be facing right now.

They've struggled hitting... Randy's perfect game came against them, as did Sheet's 18 K game. As long as the bats show up this weekend, the pitchers should be able to handle their line-up.

I will.

Winning the World Series is not irrelevant to me. Note that the Angels won in 2002, and the Marlins won it last year. They aren't from the AL Central, to be sure, but they have done it without an $85 million payroll. The team that spends the most does not always win. The prospect of losing Magglio sucks, but we have to face the reality that the White Sox are not a team with an $85 million payroll. Maybe when that reality changes (if the current ownership block sells, or if attendance spikes), we'll have a Boston, NYY, or Cubs sized budget. The White Sox are lucky they aren't in a division that needs that much to compete, to be sure. They can win the division without the huge payroll. Once you're in the playoffs, it's anyone's game.

A good team playing for the division in June!

Minnesota wins this division without $85 million.

more importantly, look at the end of our schedule: our last 11 games are against KC and Det (8 against KC [which should be a AAA by then] and 3 against Det). The 9 games before that are 6 against the Twins (home and away) and 3 more against Det. That's when we have to play big and when the division will be won... or lost.