CaliSoxFanViaSWside

Dewayne Wise will be back.

The Disco Demolition game with dad and bro. One game we went to (1973) and saw an ad in the game program for family day with my dad and 2 of my brothers photo in it. A game a few years ago while visiting Chicago that I attended with a few friends from college (UICC at the time UIC now), my dad, my older brother, and my kids. Contreras got shelled. A game in Dodger stadium also a few years ago first time my dad and kids attended a game together. Sox won but a-hole Dodger fans throwing peanuts and us and pissing me off. One game at old Comiskey when I was a kid in left field bleachers where we stood up for some exciting play and I thought it would be funny to lift my dad's seat since I was sitting behind him. He went to sit back down and smacked his back into the seat and boy was he mad. Not a bright move in hindsight .

Don't forget the Sox were rumored to be in the Yuneisky Maya sweepstakes.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 3, 2010 -> 09:25 AM) Being realistic does not equal being overcritical. Konerko had a decent season last year, nothing earth shattering, and nothing to hang your head about. However, as has been stated multiple times, when you put Konerkos numbers up against every other 1B in the majors, he is at the bottom in most categories. After the season I thought "Konerko had a good season" as well, but when Kalapse showed me the numbers, it wasnt even close. And he is paid like an upper tier 1B, which is also a big problem. And my comment towards Elrockin wasnt necessarily only regarding Konerko. So a more knowledgeable fan ruined your enjoyment of Konerko's season . Ignorance is bliss I suppose. It would make for a good debate weather it's better for the human soul to be ignorantly blissful or knowledgeably miserable.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Jan 3, 2010 -> 09:24 AM) In general I agree with this.....but when tons and tons of fans fail to keep a critical eye, you start getting what has happened to the Cubs. The diehards are still there but there's this mass culture of people who just like their lovable cubbies coming back year in year out. They kept Grace and Dunston way past their viability just b/c they were popular. What the fans support does have an impact on what the team does. Though I think Sox fans in general are smarter than that. And it's not like elrockinMT is supporting a totally finished guy in Konerko. PK is average at his position right now, no more no less. I was thinking about the Cubs too. It's hard to imagine any teams ownership and high ranking officials saying we make money who cares about the product. Of course it's best to be realisitic as far as GM's go but my imput has no direct influence on the franchise winning or losing. You're saying fan influence en masse wholeheartedly supporting a team win or lose makes for a losing franchise. I thank my lucky stars the Cubs have sucked for so many years . The Sox would have been in Florida years ago had they not. There's a lot to be said both negative and positive for going to a ball game just to have a good time as there is for being a knowledgeable fan. In the end I don't think it's a good thing to see yourself as a better fan because you know more about them. That could easily be construed as arrogance. The paying customer , bottom line , is what any franchise needs to survive and thrive.

He's already made plenty of moves. Now he's just playing the waiting game to see the best player he can pick up for the cheapest.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 3, 2010 -> 09:00 AM) Im sorry elrockinMT, what we see with you is that you far overvalue our own players to the point of ignoring diminishing results and injuries. This street goes both ways man Some see the glass half empty and some half full. Might as well enjoy your favorite team and not lose sleep over it. You'll live longer . Being overly critical is no way to go through life as you'll have few friends and make those around you miserable.

QUOTE (stretchstretch @ Dec 24, 2009 -> 09:33 PM) I was at games 1 and 2. Game 1, once JD hit that HR to right field, there was no doubt. Game 2, I took my father to for this 60th BDay, cost me 4Gs for two tix 10th row 3rd base line.... sitting in the 45F cold and rain was brutal, when PK hit that GS I didn't think it possible to feel that high, when Jenks gave up the tie, I didn't think it possible to feel that low. I have 3 kids who I love more than anything in the world, but when Pods hit that walkoff and the park exploded in a way that you had to be there to comprehend, I can say in total honesty, the feeling was better than becoming a father, and that's really saying something... I'm fourth generation die hard Sox fan, and losing that game in the ninth or extras, for something I planned so hard and spent so much to make happen, as a once in a lifetime experience for me and my old man, would have been pretty hard to bear. I can still remember jumping around like a lunatic, hugging every stranger within 15 yds in the rain when Pods ball went out. In retrospect, that night was easily worth 2-3X what it cost for the euphoria and memory that can never be taken away. My father always talked about the decades and decades where his father would sit in front of the radio night after night listening to the Sox, after 82 yrs of being a fan, died 6 months before the world series, never to see them win it in his lifetime, to this day I firmly believe he was there that night making sure my dad and I got to see a win togehter.... Great post ! 4G wow . I wanted to check out signing up for this years fantasy camp , the first at Camelback and it was like 4-5 G and I thought screw that ! And I know that's a reasonable price for what they're offering.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Dec 17, 2009 -> 11:57 PM) Nick Johnson is signing a 1 year deal for 5.5M with the yankees pending a physical. How do we let him and Matsui, prime Lefty DH candidates go to other teams for so little. Neither the yanks no angels are overpaying for either of the two. Why cant the sox get those guys for a similar price, they are exactly what we need. Makes no sense. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/yank...ck-johnson.html If the Sox spend that much on a DH I'd be very surprised. Thome or Cust maybe for 2.5-3 mill is about all I expect. If they go crazy maybe Laroche. He fits in well with the doubles/HR hitter we're after.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 18, 2009 -> 02:07 PM) So is he not in pitching shape Cubano or has his velocity dropped since the Cuban leagues? Not that I know but no pitcher is in what you'd call midseason form right now. At 27 I doubt he's lost much off his fastball . If Cubano says 94-97 I'd expect low 90's consisitently once in game shape.

Juan Pierre will be hated here. I have no doubt about that. When the Sox make the same mistake Jim Hendry made a few years back you know trouble is brewing.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 15, 2009 -> 01:23 PM) I've got to be honest, I think we are looking at a trade, and I honestly think we are giving up an impact player. I really think KW is shopping Quentin. This will solve all problems. Quentin, Jenks, Linebrink, Konerko,Hudson, Ramirez, Teahan , Flowers and Clevelan Santeliz to the Rockies for Brad Hawpe, Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitski, Ian Stewart. Huston Street and Taylor Bucholz. Depending on what Q and Jenks get in arbitration its pretty close salary-wise and we get more left handed with Hawpe and Helton and get 2 decent bullpen arms . I love me some blockbuster action. 9 for 6 player trade 3 spects thrown in since we get more starting talent.

This will solve all problems. Quentin, Jenks, Linebrink, Konerko,Hudson and Clevelan Santeliz to the Rockies for Brad Hawpe, Todd Helton, Huston Street and Taylor Bucholz. Depending on what Q and Jenks get in arbitration its pretty close salary-wise and we get more left handed with Hawpe and Helton and get 2 decent bullpen arms I love blockbusters.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 13, 2009 -> 12:34 PM) Is that the CF Josh Anderson who played for ATL, DET, and KC? It is.

The full list of non-tendered players if you want to add them to the free agent list : Alfredo Amezaga, Brian Anderson, Josh Anderson, Jose Arredondo, Garrett Atkins, Brian Bass, Lance Broadway, Matthew Brown, John Buck, Matt Capps, D.J. Carrasco, Raul Chavez, Ryan Church, Clay Condrey, Jack Cust, Mark DeFelice, Phil Dumatrait, Ryan Garko, Jonny Gomes, Gabe Gross, Kelly Johnson, Ryan Langerhans, Mike MacDougal, Seth McClung, Adam Miller, Dustin Moseley, Scott Olsen, Jackson Quezada, Jon Michael Redding, Jeremy Reed, Anthony Reyes, Shawn Riggans, Mike Rivera, Cory Sullivan, Jose Veras, Chien-Ming Wang, Josh Whitesell, and Mark Worrell.

Good luck DJ. You're right , if all goes well, the Sox have no need for you. Gotta love a guy who makes the most of his talent.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 11, 2009 -> 10:45 AM) Was Putz hurt last year? Post #4 He underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur in his right elbow on June 9 and missed the remainder of the season.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 26, 2009 -> 12:25 PM) Surprisingly, last year, that OPS would be the 6th highest DH OPS in the AL. Problem is, Sox got an .809 OPS out of the DH spot last year. IF he had played enough. Which fat guys who don't give a damn usually don't do. Hey he's cheap if he makes it out of spring training I say he's gone by the All-star break.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Nov 26, 2009 -> 12:09 PM) "Right now he's just a bad DH." 17HR/43RBI/.782OPS in 82 games is not a bad DH. We didn't sign him to be a DH but that more or less is what he is. Fat and uninspired, who when he make's contact can hit a HR . Not exactly versatile which I thought we liked for the bench. Numbers as usual don't tell the whole story.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Nov 25, 2009 -> 01:32 PM) When was the last time we signed a Bora$ client? Ben Broussard last year.

If I had to pick one word to describe this move it would underwhelmed. Pop off the bench is great but doesn't Nix provide the same thing even more so than Jones against lefthanders ? I'm never for guys who at a relative young age can't stay in shape. Not exactly the role model type. I probably would have been happier to see Crisp/Cameron signed for a bench role but maybe they think they still can start somewhere and would cost more. If Jones comes to camp at around 220 I'll be a little more optimistic that he can still play some defense. Just seems like he'll replace Bartolo as the butt of fat jokes at this point. As a pitcher you can get away with being overweight but as an outfielder it's just pitiful. That's why he only played 17 games in the OF last year. Right now he's just a bad DH.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 24, 2009 -> 04:04 PM) Frankly, I still think Thome replaces Thome. If you also go deeper than that, Teahen is replacing Getz, but also Beckham is replacing Beckham for 1/2 the season and Fields for 1/2 the season. Rios and Crisp would be replacing Dye and Pods and Anderson and our Dewayne Wise leadoff experiment. There were a fair number of at bats that guys got last year for development that they failed to do anything with. And Peavy replacing Contreras/Colon/Richard means the DH role doesn't having to be as strong with the improved defense and starting pitching and bench . We'd open the year in much better shape than last year IF we can add that one big OF bat that plays decent D or can rid ourselves of some money and add a big bat somewhere else. Vizquel, Crisp , Kotsay sure seems better than Betemit, Anderson, Lillibridge for reserves . Removing the D of Pods and Dye and almost anything you throw out is an improvement at least defensively.

Seems to me a pattern is emerging if the Sox do indeed sign Crisp. While it wouldn't excite anyone and there'd be some backlash it seems obvious to me it would be for a backup role. If it happens, what KW is doing is solidifying his bench. Both Vizquel and Crisp switch hit, both are above average defensively. Both will be cheap and short term purchases. KW wants defense , speed and versatility in his reserves after watching Betemit play crap D and Nix playing out of position too often. Both can bunt too if I'm not mistaken ( I know Vizquel can) and that's another area we sucked at last year. Early in the off season make the bench solid then use the rest of the off season to do anything major. Since the starting infield D and bullpen are questionable another big bat and Quentin returning to form would be changes that solidify the offense and the team as a whole in a big way .

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 21, 2009 -> 08:57 PM) The only problem with that: if he's sent out to pinch hit, the other team knows to expect a bunt, because they know that he can't hit. You act like the guy can't even swing a bat just cuz he'll be 43. The guy was hitting .299 in August last year. Even had 2 triples in 177 AB . Rios had 2 in 582 AB and Alexei 2 in 542 AB. Yes he is a very good bunter but that's not the only thing he can do. 10 of his 47 hits were for extra bases or 1 every 4.7 hits. Alexei had 30 XBH with 150 hits or 1 every 5 hits.

QUOTE (JorgeFabregas @ Nov 21, 2009 -> 02:28 PM) I read in the preview that Javelinas pitchers led the AFL in strikeouts, but were last in ERA. Just goes to show that K's wether in pitching or hitting aren't the end all be all stat.