fathom

QUOTE(ScottyDo @ Mar 22, 2007 -> 04:06 PM) Because he's better than Jason Marquis, yet somehow cheaper. No, he's not cheaper. Right now, I believe we are the 4th most talented team in the division overall.

At least Jenks has been consistent this spring.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Mar 21, 2007 -> 04:57 AM) Man I loved that AJ move, I remember getting into my car on the way to work (probably 3:40pm or so) and hearing George Offman report that AJ had been released by the Giants. I jumped up out of my old Imperial and yelling to my brother on the other side of the front lawn "WILLIAMS BETTER f***ING BRING HIM IN!". Williams bringing AJ in for an interview to see if he was "White Sox material" was just too perfect, of course AJ aced that exam. That was the one move before '05 (Dye right behind that) which I absolutely LOVED at the time and I first started getting optimistic about the 2005 season after that. I still remember the disappointment on the night when tenders had to be given towards your arbitration players, and we signed Ben Davis for a million dollars right around midnight. At that time, we all thought that AJP would be going elsewhere.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Mar 21, 2007 -> 03:39 AM) Aberration Anomaly It doesn't matter what you call it, you're never seeing that type of production from Darin Erstad ever again and I don't get why it's even mentioned, Hawk has mentioned 2000 during every Erstad AB this Spring even during games that weren't on TV. I remember last year that there were quite a few people suggesting that Erstad's career year was due to steroids. It's funny how now that he's on the Sox, I haven't seen one mention of that.

From what I can recall, most people were thrilled we got El Duque, as we thought that would be the end to the 5th start massacre from the year before.

Mackowiak for Brady Clark rumor in tomorrow's Tribune. It makes a ton of sense.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 21, 2007 -> 04:31 AM) I can promise you everyone else on this board is as well(Except Fathom, what an asshole.) I look forward to asking for Eduardo Perez every game we face a lefty.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 11:01 PM) Fathom, I'm curious for your opinion on this; who is the bigger waste of a roster space; Pods or Erstad? With how I think they'll handle playing a season with their injuries of recent years, I'd say Pods is more likely to contribute less. At least Erstad gives you solid fundamentals and aggressive defense if he's in LF. Everyone is so excited to hear that Pods is bunting more....but last I checked, he's been an atrocious bunter for the last year and a half. I'm probably more optimistic about Erstad than most are on here, and that's probably cause at least I know he'll hustle (and he broke all of my high school coach's records at Nebraska).

QUOTE(jphat007 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 10:26 PM) Oh yah. I'm not saying it's a great number of people. Probably only a couple here and there. But that isn't just about Pods necessarily. Just an attitude in general. Tough game on Sunday....you think Singletary is back? QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 10:37 PM) I did a double take on the bolded statement. Have to disagree there. I think this bullpen looks like it will be significantly better than last year. I am assuming that based on it being Jenks-Thornton-MMac-Logan-Masset-Haeger (if Aardvark is there, I'm a little less excited). The stuff in the bullpen might have improved, but you state Logan, Masset, and Haeger as a reason why it's improved. Those guys are far from proven, and it's just as likely that they're back in Charlotte after two weeks as it is that they're solid MLB relievers.

QUOTE(jphat007 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 10:12 PM) And that's why I don't mind (not that it really matters either way) when you get on Pods case. I get the feeling that some people root for him to fail, just so they can be right, despite the fact that it could help the team. I don't even get a small hint of that from you. I'll take a shot in the dark and state that you were referring to me, among others. I've frequently stated that I don't care if Osama Bin Laden was on the Sox, I'd root for him to do good and help the Sox win. The Sox are more important to me than any single player. With that in mind, when there's a player on the Sox who isn't helping them win, that's when I'll get upset with them.

Who would have ever thought after last year that we'd be starting 2007 with Pods in LF, Erstad in CF, and a clusterf*** in the 5th starter spot, while our bullpen isn't improved?

Perez could help us a hell of a lot more vs LHP than Terrero could, but I'm sure Ozzie wouldn't use him right anyways. Like some others have mentioned, Pods is such a waste of a roster spot.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 09:12 PM) Just a plain disagreement on both sides. I would rather have a man on 3rd with 1 out than a man on second with 1 out or 1st and second with 0 outs. Heres why: Thome can score that run in many different ways because of the shift, he also can hit a fly ball VERY easy. 1-0 Thome k's around 160 times a year. PK is a DP threat all the time. Man on second 1 out, thome walks, PK DP. 1st and second 1 out, PK dp. During the first inning of every game I would like to avoid those dp's and give our pitching staff, especially this year, a 1-0 lead every time. I'm arguing that I'd rather have Thome up with 1st and 2nd, no outs. If there's one out, then I'd rather the runner be at 3rd, of course. With our pitching staff, it's hard to tell if it will mean much being up 1-0. In 2005, a 1 run lead seemed comfortable. Last year, a 1 run lead felt like a 2 run deficit a lot of the time.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 08:49 PM) I would rather have Thome bat with a man on 3rd with 1 out than no outs and a man on first and second. He is capable of scoring that run from 3rd in so many ways, hit into the shift and it scores, fly ball and it scores, get a hit and it scores, hit a bomb and it scores. I'll take my chances with none out and 2 on every time with someone like Thome. Thome doesn't hit into a ton of double plays (unlike PK, of course). In the first inning of the game with an offense like ours, I just hate giving up that first out of the game via the bunt. Now, if Thome, PK, and Dye are all injured, that's a different story.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 08:33 PM) I think Haeger has fallen behind every single hitter so far. Oakland and their patience is a terrible match-up for Haeger.

I especially hate the idea of bunting before Thome in the 3 spot. Thome is good at a lot of things, but he's not exactly proficient at hitting sac flies. With him, you're just as likely to get a 2 run homer as you are a deep fly ball.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 09:54 PM) 5K's in 2IP. Looks like those late inning comebacks against the Royals won't be a guaranteed anymore. About 75 pct of those late inning comebacks by the Sox over the last two years were due to Sisco. Did him and Dmitri Young get World Series rings in 2005?

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 06:51 PM) Patton will probably take some of Bruce's mid major recruits, so it does matter. Your right about his last year there, but he had just lost 8 seniors, including 4 or 5 (i forget which it was) starters and went into his last year as a lame duck coach. I can see why things might not have gone too well regardless of what kind of coach he is. As for him underperforming compared to talent....I'm not sure what Colorado program YOU have been following, but I'm almost more interested to see how he recruits than how he coaches. He had some quality players on his roster last year, but they played no defense at all. Roby is a big-time talent who seems to have regressed. There were some very skilled players like Chris Copeland who never put it all together on the court. As you said thought, anything is better than Judson. When I was there a few years ago, his players absolutely hated him.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 07:03 AM) His resume, outside of the very end at Colorado, really says that your full of s*** on this one. I'm normally pessimistic about NIU since i'm on campus and see all the bad (lol), but everybody loved the Judson hiring (and Patton is 5 times better than Judson even if your right about Patton) and we saw how that went. Phillips last hire for basketball here has worked out really well on the women's side, so I'll wait and see. If he can get the people out of the public league we should be getting (a la Kevin Johnson and Tim Flowers from Simeon), he'll be fine. Things got horrible for Ricardo at Colorado. His teams are very poorly coached, as his teams always underperformed compared to the talent he has.

He's a horrific coach.....terrible hire.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines See ya Brian. Considering Ozzie said he'd only make the roster if he's a full-time starter, I hope Anderson is looking for an apartment in Charlotte.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 03:36 AM) Interesting. As you said though, no one can leave this program that would really set it back in any way...pretty sad. It would seem pointless for Randle to transfer since he has already sat one year and only has one year of eligibility left. I actually think that there's some members of the team that would be an addition by subtraction if they were to leave.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 03:29 AM) Is that what they said or did they say who it was? They didn't state who it was, but from previous conversations, they mean it's not Jackson (who everyone thought it would be), Smith, or Carlwell. The source was vague with the rumor, but made it sound like people would be surprised. My view, as an outsider, is that it doesn't really matter who leaves. There's no one on that team that is irreplaceable. QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 03:29 AM) Any hinting at who it is, clues, or anything? Frazier or Randle were the names most often brought up, but that is in no way confirmed.

One of the main Illini sources with legit information said that someone will likely leave the program that will be a surprise. Yes, Frazier's dad has been diagnosed with cancer, and hopefully things go well. I know you don't like to believe a lot of these rumors B>W, so I guess we'll have to wait and see. Most of the rumors that have been speculated on a certain board seem to come true.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 01:49 AM) Im not sure they got better, the tribes pen is still utterly terrible. Also the twins pitching should be a little worse as well. I love the additions they made to their already stellar offense. The only chance we have to win the division this year is if we can win at least 33 percent of the games we face against the top lefty pitchers in our division (Santana, C.C., Rogers). Last year, we didn't beat any of these starters more than once, and that's just too many games to give up to your division rivals. FREE EDUARDO PEREZ!