elrockinMT

How about TADPOLE!?

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 21, 2005 -> 04:26 PM) ... with a 35 oz ball bat! Maybe swung by our #35 himself? That will be the next baseball wizard insight: "Frank might not return and will he be the same Big Hurt as before?" Foot injuries are the end of course.

I have never seen this Japanese fellow play even one inning at the MLB level. Has anyone? I think we may be a tad too quick to assume he is a major upgrade on Harris. He might be a good addition to the team and then agin maybe not. Reading about his exploits in Japanese baseball is one thing, but assuming he will do the same thing in the USA is another. Plus I am believing that this talk of him being in Chicago is idle speculation. If we were to sign him I can only hope the Sox manageemnt has really done their homework on this guy because that's all we are going to have as assurance he is the real deal. I for one can't accept the Sox are real serious about going after T.I. because KW says Willie is set at 2B.

The author of the article diuspalys a great insight into the game of baseball. "It's got to catch up with him sometime." OK! When is sometime Mr Baseball Wizard? 25 years from now? The statement only deserves derision and then the author needs a good smack up alongside his heae.

1950's Nellie Fox 1960's Joel Horlen and Gary Peters and Tommie Agee 1970's Dick Allen and Wilbur Wood 1980's Lamar Hoyt and Jack McDowell and Carlton Fisk 1990's Frank Thomas 2000's Mark Buerhle and Jose Valentin and the Hurt NOW Paul Konerko

Howdy! Always good to talk with a Sox fan. I think we are the creme de la creme of baseball fans!

I see that Roberto appears to have signed on with the D-Rays. Not much more info, but maybe KW can trade for him a third time?

I think the real question here is, "Why would anyone not think that the Big Hurt is busting his hump getting ready to play in 2005?" Frank Thomas is a professional with a burning desire to win. I think he felt we were going to do it last year, but with injuries to himself and Magglio coupled with the meltdown of our closer and #5 starters it was just too much to overcome. Frank wants that ring and will be busting his hump to get ready. I hope he can prove the naysayers wrong and be in the lineup at opening day.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jan 15, 2005 -> 04:22 AM) The sox still have enough power and I'm not getting back to the willie harris argument that has been worn out. Good response ROW! I too am getting tired of this constant rehash. KW said long ago that Willie would be the 2B. I think he will follow his own plan whether that be Plan A or ZZZ. It is interesting to consider the Japanese possibility though.

QUOTE(TLAK @ Jan 14, 2005 -> 01:41 AM) Davis is a switch. 5 of his HR did come right handed. OK. Thanks for that info. I just remember seeing him bat lefty most of the time, but since Burke is a better hitter and right handed maybe that's why we don't see Davis hitting right handed more.

I have heard a lot about the satellite radio. What is he name of the one that broadcasts MLB and can you pick the Sox or is like a game or so a day only?

QUOTE(winninguglyin83 @ Jan 13, 2005 -> 03:25 PM) They could finally give us Jeff Berry or Barry or whichever one Kenny Williams thought he was getting the last time he made a trade with the Dodgers. Maybe this idea of trading Bendavis makes sense. Davis is a LH batter correct? Pearskiwhacker is a LH batter Balance would seem to lean towards bringing a righty batter in as the backup. Maybe Burke again and Benny is traded. But, then again we have Carlos Lee right?

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 13, 2005 -> 04:40 PM) Cleveland can have him. Why do people think the Sox are in desperate and dire straits? I think Willie can handle 2B just fine. Defensively he is a good ball player and has the skills to improve as a base stealer and a hitter. He has shown some good talent. Every free agent out there that signs with a club is lamented as being the next Babe Ruth for the Sox. We don't need this guy.

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Jan 11, 2005 -> 11:10 PM) Why didn't the Sox do this? A minor league deal and also he'll probably be a good DH for them. I agree, he probably can't play defense anymore, but I think Juan Gone can still hit. Frank Thomas is our DH that's why. Why would you sign someone who is a risk physically and you don't have a spot for anyway? Juan may have signed a minor leagure contract, but he won't spend any time in the minor leagues. That is just a formality and my guess these types of signings don't count against your 40 man roster.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 10, 2005 -> 10:23 PM) I was on the fence with this trade and this makes me begin to think we are behind out of the gate. I always liked Lee and I believe his upside is higher. In basketball it always seems whomever received the best player won. In this case, and if that holds true, this may not have been a good trade. Of course this always hinges on how the players perform the following seasons. I too did not like the Carlos Lee trade. Hinton doesn't make me feel any better about it. I keep thinking of the big trades made in past years that just didn't pan out: Ritchie, Colon, Koch... But, what is done is done and the points made that we wouldn't have some free agent signings are probably correct. You just have to play the waiting game. I just want the season to start and am willing to settle for Spring Training to start.

With all these articles on the Sox being: interested in (insert name of player), inquring about (insert name player), could possibly use (insert name of player) it should be obvious that these stories are just a lot of speculation and analysis of writers who have no clue about what KW is doing. The very obvious question is why would we trade for Byrne when we have a loaded OF now? Rowand has come into his own now and the idea we need to "unload him" is crazy. We have Dye signed for LF or RF, we have Everett supposedly healthy and ready to play one of the corner spots or DH if needed. Byrne for IB? Has he ever played IB on a regular basis? Timo Perez and Joe B will be the rest of the OF. I could see Everett being traded, but it sure seems that KW loves ther guy since he traded for him twice. The idea floated around that maybe KW was looking at Ray Durham probably makes mores sense than any rumor I have heard lately. The question there though is what cost in players and salary and is it worth it?

Why is it that we jump on these rumors like this. It seems that every MLB team wityh a 2Bman is now trying to trade that player to the Sox. It is all rumors started by some columnist who wants to tell his readers what HE thinks might happen and not much of it has any real truth. I don't know what Jimmy Rollins is making this year, but I am certain it is much more than Willie Harris. I don't think the Sox have any more money to spend or use to pick up salary. KW has said that Willie plays 2B in '05 for the Sox. I think the line up is set as is. We have made several moves to plug what were called holes. I think we gave up too much with Carlos Lee being traded, but I kind of like the other moves. Let's get a grip on ourselves with these trade rumors and possible moves, etc. Who would we have to trade anyway? Strip our farm system again? We need to keep our prospects beasue if we don't win in '05 I can see a number of established players gone and we will be in a youth movement.

QUOTE(toasty @ Jan 5, 2005 -> 03:34 AM) I suspect that the sox, even if they sign ajp or iguchi, they will try to keep it under wraps until soxfest... you know how they like to open things with a bang to make the peeps happy! ... just hope they continue the tradition This is pure speculation. Please do not do that to us of the faint of heart! Thanks!

Tex, that was a very ambitious project you undertook. Interesting read. I will have to ponder this for awhile.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Jan 4, 2005 -> 06:10 PM) Wow. Typical Sox practices. Maybe it was just my interpretation. And Justifiably so Rex. I am not sure I would have a melt down on not getting either on of these guys, but if we can work a deal I hope the Sox at least go their half way. I think AJ might be an upgrade over who we are penciling in at catcher right now

QUOTE (Texsox @ Jan 1, 2005 -> 08:35 PM) Whenever Hawk talks about GM issues, I just remember what a great GM he was Stay in the broadcast booth big guy. I don't know if even broadcasting is the right career move for the Hawk, but I do know that being GM wasn't

Roberto has been prone to injuries and also doesn't have the same bat speed as before. It is better that we passed on him and besides I don't think he wanted to be second fiddle at second base. He would have been as I think Willie will start. But, who knows we might get someone else now for the infield.

The Chisox are not players in the Vazquez trade talks.

I don't think he or Clements are worth the kind of money they were/are demanding. Clements has a record under .500 and Perez hasn't shown consistency either as far as winning. The money these guys are getting is just not realistic. Plus do you really think KW is going to be after any more starting pitchers? I would guess we might be looking at other needs now.

There have been more than one horrible contract this year. The money spent on some of thesemedoicre, or even some good but not great, players in simply unreal. I look at the Dodger signing of JD Drew and good ballplayer for sure, but $11M a year for 5 years for a guy who was injured lots and had only one real good season? And that season was last year. A history of being able to play a full season for more than one year is something I think a team should look at. Milton's contract sucks and so does some of the others. I am glad we don't overpay for mediocrity. But, I will say I wish we would pay for some of the better ones out there.