fathom

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 18, 2007 -> 10:13 PM) Mack has been awesome this spring. Triple for Rob. I It's just too bad he can't be our starting LF.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 18, 2007 -> 09:44 PM) I really have very little use for Floyd at this point. He has shown me NOTHING to think he is ready to contribute anything to the Chicago White Sox. Welcome to my world. This 5th starter spot is a disaster.

Is this game only on mlb.com?

I like the idea of only worrying about having 4 starters the first few weeks of the season. This way, Perez can make the opening roster, and we can get him in the lineup to face some of the tough lefties we'll face in the first few weeks (assuming he's healthy). I still demand that Floyd start the year in AAA and actually show he can get professional hitters out at a good rate.

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 18, 2007 -> 04:19 AM) One small point, but Collins was a silent verbal to Illinois, so yes there was interest. Some say it was a mysterious visit from Bill Self to his mother that changed his beliefs, but I doubt it. I don't think Bill is dirty past the fact that he hires people close to recruits. Weber just lost him somehow. I don't mean to turn this into another Bill vs. Bruce pissing match like every Illini thread seems to turn into so I will just leave my final thoughts. It just bothers me about Illinois fans that Bruce is not even allowed to have a 23 win season and 4th place finish. Could they have been better this season? Yeah, probably. But it wasn't too horrible regarding all they went though. I definitely don't think Weber should be fired right now. However, the program is in serious trouble when it comes to public relations. Nothing that has happened recently will make recruiting easier for him, and he was having enough difficulty before that. Weber might as well lose all of his assistants, as they've really been a disappointment. I just read that there might be some surprise transfers this offseason, and that might not be that bad. The one thing I'd suggest is that they don't sign Angel Santiago. Weber needs to make sure that the guys he's bringing in can be trusted on/off the court. Angel's past doesn't exactly make me confident he can do that.

I don't think that this is true at all. Weber might be a bad recruiter, but he's not that idiotic (even though that story on why he didn't invite Sherron Collins to Midnight Madness is comical). However, this is bad press, as this type of thing will be used against him even when recruiting out of the city. You don't have to believe me if you don't want to.....I've been saying this story for 2 years now, so it's not like I'm making this up to fit this new story.

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 17, 2007 -> 01:34 PM) So you're telling me that Dee Brown told Julian Wright to go play at Kansas instead of with Dee at Illinois? Nice try. He told Wright that he'd enjoy his stay more at Kansas. It didn't matter in the long run, as Wright thought Weber was a dork and that his in-home visit was comical. If Self never left Illinois, Wright would have been a 100 pct lock to go there. Why's it so hard to believe when there's a quote in the media how Dee might have done a similar thing with Sherron Collins?

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 16, 2007 -> 07:27 PM) Nice to see fathom again trying to get in a subtle dig in at Illinois on a situation he knows nothing about. Considering we all know what player I'm referring to, and that some of us are from the south suburbs, maybe I might just know this person's coach and best friend? http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10064832 Some more positive vibes for the program. I know there's a lot of good people who are Illini fans on here, but there needs to be some changes made with this athletic dept.

QUOTE(G&T @ Mar 16, 2007 -> 10:59 PM) Bobby suddenly looks fat. He looks huge, and has little flexibility.

I guess I'm the only one concerned about Jenks.

I'm eager to see if Jenks will regain his 98 mph fastball this year, or he'll be in the 93-95 mph range.

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Mar 16, 2007 -> 08:53 PM) i think BA will make the club. probably be a utility guy to start season but i could be wrong KW/Ozzie said he'll only make it if he's a full-time starter.

QUOTE(winninguglyin83 @ Mar 16, 2007 -> 08:50 PM) Was it just me, or do anybody else come away from the interview with Kenny Williams and Ozzie in the second inning thinking Brian Anderson is going to Charlotte? Sure didn't hear his name mentioned and it sounded like they expect Erstad to get a lot of at bats. considering what Ozzie has already said about Anderson needing to go to the minors if he isn't the everyday CF, he's a dead man. If you've been paying attention to everything being said in the media, you would see that Anderson has no chance to make the big league club.

Cubs outfield defense = not so good

QUOTE(southsida86 @ Mar 16, 2007 -> 08:26 PM) Pods looked SLOOOOOOW on that steal. Pods looked slow all last season. I'm convinced guys like Mackowiak are faster than he is. There's a reason Pods is the first no tool starting outfielder in baseball.

He's not the only Kansas player who Dee told to go there over Illinois.

QUOTE(Grindersrule @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 11:15 PM) Pods "triumphant" in return! Woo Hoo http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/artic...sp&c_id=cws Good for Pods. Since he's going to be playing no matter what, we need him to do well.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 11:02 PM) Well, Gonzalez looks like crap. Duh

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 09:01 PM) Oh I can buy that, for sure. I think the Sox had there eye on Dave Roberts, but didn't want to go the 3 years, and I don't really blame them. Same goes for Pierre. I don't know how much interest was actually there, but giving Juan a 5 year deal would have been awful. I just remember having the feeling that Podsednik coming back wasn't really possible. Just seemed like such a miserable season, they were sure to move on. Guess not. The Sox thought they'd have Pierre signed within the first week of the FA period. What worries me about Pods is the fact that he took so long last year to get anywhere close to game ready after his shoulder issue. Now, he has a more serious injury, and he's just starting to play on March 14th? Keep him on the DL until late April, and then see if he can beat Joe Crede in a running race.

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 09:00 PM) At this point, the better debate might not be whether AAAnderson makes the big club, but whether Erstad or Pods will lead off if Pods if not it stealing mode by opening day or not hitting the ball well. 100 pct guarantee that Pods will lead off.

QUOTE(GoSox05 @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 08:57 PM) I think some people on here won't be happy until Erstad and Pods completely fail. We have them both signed for better or worse. Deal with it. I'll root for both if they contribute to the Sox winning. I have no problem with Erstad....but he should be playing in LF. At least he'll give 100 pct and run through the base....unlike Pods.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 08:54 PM) I just distinctly remember having a conversation with one of my buddies in late November, talking about Pods, and me saying "There is just no way you can bring this guy back, not after the 2006 he had. You just can't do it" Sure enough, he is being penciled in as our Opening Day Leadoff hitter. I've heard this from numerous sources within/surronding the Sox organization, but they had absolutely no intention of bringing him back after last year. Then, they started getting paranoid about some of the big deals that teams were giving to guys, and they figured they'd lock him up in case they couldn't find anything better. In some ways, that Cubs/Soriano deal has really messed up our organization.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 08:50 PM) That quote last night really set me off. You're 100% right, unless something happens to Pods or Erstad in next two weeks, Anderson will start the season in AAA, I really don't have any doubt in my mind. Too be honest, I guess I would rather see him do that than get 3 AB's a week with the big club. Just an awful situation this OF has become. It just stinks because there's no doubt in my mind we'd be a better team without Pods on the roster, and letting Erstad/Ozuna platoon in LF, with the occasionally start for Mackowiak, and then letting Anderson/Erstad handle CF. This way, we could keep Perez on the bench (assuming he's not crippled now).

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 14, 2007 -> 08:44 PM) AAAnderson grounds out to 2nd. Great nickname. Like you said in the other thread, that article today really makes it look like he has no chance to make the big league club. Assuming Pods is on the roster, we already know that Ozzie said Erstad will get starting time as well. Considering we have Dye in RF, that would make one believe that Erstad would be in CF. Thus, Anderson isn't the full-time starter.....and Ozzie said the only way Anderson will be on the MLB roster is if he's full-time.

Let's hope Perez didn't re-injure his achilles. Like I've been saying all along, I fully anticipate he'd be our most dangerous hitter vs LHP. Why can't Pods just be on the 162 game DL, and solve all these problems?