Kalapse

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 11:33 AM)

QUOTE(YASNY @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 11:27 AM) When Maddux signed, wasn't he supposed to be the final piece to the puzzle after the Bartman collapse of the Cubs? He was supposed to be their ticket to the Series. Does that not qualify as a big time signing? Hell, as a supposed number 5 starter, he won 15 games for them that year. He pulled his weight. The rest of the team failed. He was brought in as a number 5 starter and was only persued by a few teams with the Cubs way overpaying to bring him back. The front office may have hyped it as a big move but at the time of the signing, it was no more of an impact move than the Sox bringing in Pierzynski 2 offseasons ago.

It wouldn't make sense anyway, why would they guy be wearing half an elbow brace on his right arm? And I'm pretty sure it his arm would just stop so abruptly, look at the shape of the arm where it was airbrushed out, that doesn't even look right.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 11:16 AM) oh man, kalapse, you did say sandy alomar is a possible future HOF... regardless of what you meant, for shame! for shame! It was more toungue in cheek than anything else. And when I say "big name" I make the assumption that people understand that would be the top tier guys, the best free agents not has-beens, otherwise it defeats the whole purpose of what I'm saying. Every year a few big name washed up players are signed in free agency, they may be popular players and recognizable names but they're hardly a factor in free agency that's why the phrase "big name" is generally used to describe the best players on the free agent market such as the 2003 offseason when Vlad Guerrero, Miguel Tejada, Bartolo Colon, Andy Pettitte, Javy Lopez and even Jose Guillen were available, they would be considered the "big names" not a 38 year old Maddux.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 11:13 AM) Sandy's a possible future HOF? I think not. The point is, a big name means nothing if he's not any good. I'm talking about the big name free agents as in the best available players, not just popular names.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 11:06 AM) I didn't call him a top tier free agent. I called him a big name free agent. Well then the Sox signing Sandy Alomar (a possible future HOF) that same offseason could be considered it's equal, could it not?

QUOTE(YASNY @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 11:02 AM) The last big name free agent signed by the Sox: Albert Belle The last big name free agent signed by the Cubs: Greg Maddux Greg Maddux was not exactly a hot commodity on the Free Agent market that year, it was basically the Cubs bidding against themselves. I really wouldn't call a 38 year old Greg Maddux a "top tier" free agent.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 10:56 AM) Who was the last big name free agent the White Sox signed? Iguchi, Pierzynski are the biggest names, and at the time of their signing it wasn't huge... (unless you count a Freddy Garcia extension, which I don't.) Colon, Garcia, Vazquez, Thome, all acquired in trade.... Paul Konerko... does that count? He was already our boy, so we had the leg up there. The Sox have never had the same financial flexibility that the Cubs have basically always had so I'm not really sure how you can compare the 2 teams. Albert Belle in Novemeber of '96, so it would be the 10 year anniversary this year.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 10:48 AM) You are correct, Ramirez can opt out of his contract. Personally, I think Felix Pie winds up replacing Pierre if he's not resigned. It is worth noting though that with Wood's contract finally up, and Pierre's up, and Ramirez opting out, and Maddux gone, the Cubs will have some money to spend this offseason. And they'll spend another offseason flirting with the big names in free agency only to come up short in the end, signing a few 2nd tier guys rather than actually shelling out the cash that they have available. It seems they do it every year, they'll negotiate with the big names to get the fans excited but in the end say the price was just too steep and sign a few of the lesser names instead. Who was the last BIG name free agent the Cubs signed?

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 09:57 AM) Soriano would want a no trade clause with a 4 or 5 year deal and that's a huge risk. And yes he's had a great season, but IIRC, his OBP is still worse than Podsednik's this season. Actually Soriano's OBP this year is 31 points higher than Podsednik's and his OPS is 256 points higher.

QUOTE(Brian @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 10:08 AM) While watching the highlights on ESPN, I noticed that Berman was doing the game. Anyone who had to watch it on ESPN, did Berman show any blantant biasness a la Division series? Well, if he were to show any biases wouldn't it be pro-White Sox? The guy is a huge Red Sox fan you'd figure he'd be cheering for them to lose.

QUOTE(stretchstretch @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 09:44 AM) I love JT, but the fact is he is the last guy on the entire team I want up wit RISP in late innings........ground outs or whiffs seems automatic Someday I'll finally understand why this perception of him is so strong amoungst Sox fans when it's really not true.

Verlander Vs the Sox this season: 2 GS (0-2) 8.2 IP, 14 H, 11 ER, 4 HR, 3 BB, 4 K | 11.42 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, .368 BAA Contreras Vs the Tigers this season: 3 GS (2-1) 22 IP, 19 H, 5 ER, 2 HR, 6 BB, 7 K | 2.05 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, .232 BAA The matchup is too damn perfect, this scares the piss out of me.

QUOTE(SoxAce @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 01:42 AM) I wouldn't mind at all seeing us swing a deal to get the hitter we just saw hitting 9th in the Yankee line-up Melky Cabrera he's young, has good developing power, speed, has a great eye, can work the count, and can be steller in D especially playing left field. If we can somehow pray him away from the Yankees, I'd be estatic. They will not be trading Milky anytime soon.

QUOTE(beautox @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 01:28 AM) right right, well Kalapse, who would you suggest? seeing how i've only read up to page 4 of this thread, (that is reasonable). At this point I'd take Brady Clark over anything we have right now. In the offseason I'd say Crawford or bust, go all out to get him in here. Garcia and Podsednik can both be moved for prospects, with Garcia bringing back something of real value and Podsednik bringing back C talent, you can package these spects along with whatever else in the system outside of Sweeney I guess and go for Crawford. Outside of him, I do like the idea of going after Delucci in free agency, I've long been a fan of his.

QUOTE(beautox @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 01:19 AM) How would everyone feel about getting Juan Pierre next year to play LF? i understad he has a pie arm, but he definatly plays better defense than Podsednik. Scott is a year older, and Pierre has 10 more SB compared to Scott, both have been caught 13 times this year . I hope Kenny is shooting a little higher than a ~.325 OBP for his leadoff hitter, plus I need a real arm and defender in LF next year and Juan Pierre provides neither. I see Pierre as being more of a lateral move especially considering how much cash Pierre is going to command on the FA market.

Wow, that was intense.

The Sox game is being aired on ESPN so we'll have to wait until around 1 o'clock or so just to see the damned thing.

QUOTE(MarlinFan84 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 10:58 PM) Well, I am a Marlins fan remember. But anyway, I saw Wright listed as the 3rd best hitter in baseball...he's not even the best hitter in the NL East, but he's the best hitter in baseball. ESPN is a shrine to him. I think Wright will make a few all star teams. But, in terms of skill and potential, Ryan Zimmerman looks to be the exact same player. Except Zimmerman plays good defense, something Wright does not. He gets protection from a great lineup. But still, any day of the week, there are more than a few 3B I'd take over David Wright. As of right now, Wright isn't even the best hitter on his own team. I was a HUGE fan of Wright's up until the All-Star Game, Fox/MLB went way overboard in hyping him, hell they spent an entire inning interviewing his dad. I now can not stand him.

Dennis Reynolds is very Seinfeldesque. Lead characters that are incredibly vain/self centered are often times my favorites.

QUOTE(Winning Ugly @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 02:50 PM) Man I was thinking about this last night as I watched Thome ground out. I listed the exact four on the list, and man it's almost too close to call really. Tadahito has had some HUGE clutch abs in games this year, as has Paulie and JD, but Crede stands out more. Thome hasn't been clutch for us at all this season. in fact, I don't think he has many RBIs this year that occurred after the 6th inning. Close and Late situations: Jim Thome: 3 HR, 7 RBI, 3 2B, 13 BB Paul Konerko: 3 HR, 3 RBI, 2 2B, 8 BB Jim Thome >> Paul Konerko

QUOTE(TitoMB345 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 11:40 AM) So there is basically no chance then? Even if we unload Freddy? Once the Sox deal Garcia, that will be $9M from this year off the books right there but at the same time you then have to go out and find a new leftfielder/leadoffman, hopefully a 4th OF and probably 2 bullpen arms, s*** adds up.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 11:00 AM) For the record (since I was at the game), the game was actually scoreless in the 6th on April 21st when Thome hit a 2 run blast off Johan in the bottom of the 6th to put us up 2-0. Buehrle gave up a homer to Lew Ford in the 7th to make it 2-1, and the Sox won 7-1 when Johan came out after 7 and the Twins bullpen collapsed and gave up 5 runs. That was still a clutch homer though, both pitchers were unhittable that night and that homer turned out to have been enough to win the game. I corrected myself already.

QUOTE(BobDylan @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 03:21 AM) Speaking of Rescue Me...what a disappointing season it has been. Hush up. I've Tivo'd every f***ing episode this season but havn't watched any of them yet. It's one of those shows that when it's sitting in my "Now Playing" all ready for me to watch it, I really don't want to. I almost have to gear myself up to watch the show but when I do watch one episode, I tend to then rattle off about 5-6 in a row because of how great the show actually is. So, yeah I really don't want to watch any of the 7 episodes but when I do eventually get up the courage to watch it, I'll likely watch several in one sitting.

Jim Thome