Kalapse

QUOTE(farmteam @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 01:08 PM) Yeah, that one is never called, and it happens all the time. It's easy to tell people don't know the balk rules -- just listen to the crowd anytime the pitcher makes a move to second. They think it's a balk. There's 3 things that crowds as a whole do that piss me off the most. 1.) The Wave 2.) Leaping in excitement for high popouts that barely make it out of the infield 3.) Hootin' and hollerin' over a pitcher stepping off the damn mound/fake 3rd throw to 1st. So annoying.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 12:57 PM) Very, very few people know the balk rules at all, and that is including the seasoned baseball fans. I would bet if you 100 baseball fans to list the ways you can balk, less than 5 would be right. The #1 that people forget about (including umps) is the comming set rule. You must come completely set for 1 full second which is something you see a lot and you hardly ever see it called. Roy Oswalt does it constantly and I've only seen it called on him once.

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 12:50 PM) Winning in the playoffs is all about momentum. The reason so many WC teams had won the WS is because they had a lot of momentum going into the playoffs since they had to fight through a tight race to get there. If that is what happens to us, then I'd be fine with it. Exactly, there is validity to the WC/WS s***. You get a team going into the playoffs on a roll like most wild card winners are and they can fly through the playoffs. The Sox got white hot at the end of the regular season last year and look what they did once they hit the playoffs, 11-1.

My underrated player would be Chris Capuano oh how I love him so. I truely believe if you get this guy out of Milwaukee he'll be even better than he already is, anyone who can put up a 132:31 K:BB has a place in my rotation.

QUOTE(TitoMB345 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 11:02 AM) No, What I meant was I am tired of people saying "WIN THE WILD CARD CAUSE THE WILD CARD ALWAYS WINS THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!111" That's what is annoying, not actually winning the Wild Card. What the hell is so annoying about it anyway? The point is, the Wild Card team has as good a chance as any to win the World Series as evident by the amazing playoff success the WC winning team has had in recent years.

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.