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So on SSS they mentioned that Carl Crawford had TJS in August 2012 and was back by opening day 2013. Good news for Saladino, but gonna be tough to make roster if he's only recovering during ST.

That game was misery to watch.

Meh, has there been a Brian Cole surgery that we've ended up saying "Whoa, he healed so fast!"

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 11:48 PM) If I had to guess, Hahn probably hoped to really improve the catcher position. T-Flow modestly outperformed expectations last year, but it was just last offseason that he made a run at McCann. I'm sure he wishes he could have brought in somebody better. 2B and 3B are also up in the air a bit, but I think catcher is where we have the least upside. If Sanchez can play a remarkable 2B, I'm fine with crap production.

QUOTE (woods of ypres @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 12:05 AM) I've heard rumour that people from Chicago don't like Chicago style Pizza; and its mostly tourists, and out-of-towners (like ME!) that eat it. It's just not something you can have all the time. If I got a deep dish every time I ordered pizza I'd be 300 pounds. And the thin crust those joints like giordanos etc make are usually garbage. I usually go after Pete's on Western, and have Dante's across the street. Armitage Pizzeria is also great pizza.

Chicago pizza, blech. I did go to Pequods though, which, next to Pizanos, is the only one I actively look forward to.

QUOTE (mmmmmbeeer @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 11:54 PM) Agreed.... I think Melky is likely clean, now. The past is the past and I'm, personally, going to give him the benefit of the doubt. With me, if a player takes PEDs and goes on to just dominate, like a Bonds, Sosa, or Clemens, I'm more disgusted than I am when a guy like Cabrera, Ozuna, or a Jhonny Peralta gets caught....cheating is cheating but the PEDs didn't have a drastic impact on the game when looking at those lesser-known players, likely due to using PEDs for a different reason (faster recovery times vs. straight performance) I frankly just feel it's different now that a testing system is in place with punishments. Before, when those guys were destroying every record and winking at the camera they were the same as everyone else it sucked. I don't like them still. But after you have a system in place, the field is even. Some guys will use, some will get caught and they will be punished. But IMO he did it, lost half a years pay, fought his way back and whatever. I wish he hadn't roided. But it really is just not something I will hold against a player forever. Some will get caught actively trying to juice, others will probably get screwed by being lazy. But if they pay their time, whatever I'm fine with them being white sox.

QUOTE (mmmmmbeeer @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 11:39 PM) I read a lot of concern on here about Avisail....I don't get it. I'm a huge proponent of his and think he's going to be an excellent bat. With that said, we all have different ideas of what needs to go right for us to succeed or is making us doubt any chance of succeeding...What are your 3 keys to this season? Here's my 3: 1. Robin Ventura needs to show that he can manage an ML team with talent. He had an excuse last year with the roster being what it was but I think it was more than obvious that he was making many poor in-game decisions that had nothing to do with a lack of talent. He needs to step up this year or folks are going to be calling for his head early and it will disrupt the clubhouse. 2. Tyler Flowers showed flashes of the offense he achieved in the minors last season. Our stats gurus on here were quick to point out his absurd BABIP during his streaks, but from the eye test he was making more consistent contact and seeing the ball well during those stretches....no surprise that more contact leads to a better offensive contributor. We really need Tyler to feel comfortable most of the season if the Sox are going to make some noise. 3. Carlos Rodon and how management decides to manage his innings. The kid has the ability to be dominant and make an immediate impact on our club leading to easier victories out of the 4th spot in the rotation. I was a fan of bringing him along in the pen out of ST and ease him into a starting role....we know that isn't happening now. My next hope is that we milk those 130-140IP during the regular season being, outside of a possible BP role, we don't need him in the playoffs with our top 3 starters. We need every win we can get and I don't want to see him handled with kid gloves...give him a job and an innings limit and let him do his thing. I think those 3 are luxuries. I don't think Robin needs a particularly good year. Frankly, a great bullpen can make anyone a good manager, so if he gets career years in there he'll look so smart. For me, these are the real keys if sox are to jump from a realistic 8-9 win jump to a full 15 win jump to a possible wild card at 88 win: 1. Be remarkably healthy - this team has pretty much zero positions that an injury can occur and the team have an acceptable backup. On this end, and maybe this is greedy to include here, but one of the biggest things that could help this year is Erik Johnson and Beck making huge jumps in Triple A so that we can have that additional depth to bring up if we need burn from a long man in bullpen. 2. Stars need to be stars - Jose Abreu needs a year as big as last year. Sale needs a year as big as last year with more innings. Samardjiza/Q, again, need no dropoff here. We just do not have a deep team to overcome lack of starpower. 3. Bullpen - Robertson needs to be shutdown, Duke needs to be last year Zach Duke, and Putnam/Petricka need to be their June/July selves. Frankly, this I am hopeful for. We killed our bullpen with innings in april-may last year, and throughout the year, with some of our crap starters. Putnam/Petricka were overused, Belli was overused, and then they'd explode. But one thing I've been thinking about is how crucial this year is for our minor leagues. Will 2017 be another 2013? We need to see Anderson, Hawkins, Trey, May, Thompson, etc either be good or turn it around. If Davidson turns around, it would be crucial to future of sox moves. If they don't, we need a bunch of the arms to hit so that we can trade them off.

QUOTE (Andy the Clown @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 10:38 PM) For those of you who were around for it, did you criticize our signing of Albert Belle? Because he was basically a violent, homicidal maniac... Belle was most hated player in MLB when Sox signed him. No doubt a lot would have not liked it. I still loved his 98 season though.

Gillaspie keeps getting autocorrected, apologies to Conor. I don't want him moping at me.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 10:23 PM) As an aside,let me say that competitive balance picks are so bogus. Agreed.

QUOTE (Rooftop Shots @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 08:35 PM) Can you imagine puttiung Scherzer on top of all of this? I Know its a bad move to tie up all that money, but obviously the front office IS getting agressive like they said they would at the beginning of the off season. Can't even imagine what a friggin dogfight the central would be if he came on board. My brother and I were joking about this. But really, just for fun: Sale Scherzer Q Samardjiza Rodon (for maximal dream sake) That's is a starting five of 2 aces, two top twos and a future #2. That would be filthy. Playoffs you could throw Rodon in pen.

I said its at least average in AL. There's still a lot of room for error on this lineup. Gillespie 2 years in is still hard to project. 2b will be below average. Flowers very well could end up like June Flowers year round. And possible regressions from Ramirez/LaRoche/Cabrera all at or over 30. Beyond them we have no one exciting ready to come up. So, we need a lot to break right. But hell, we ought to be due for some luck.

It was on his non throwing elbow right? Is recovery same as a pitcher? How many batters have had this?

Brett Myers is a completely different level than any roider. Ultimately Melky served his punishment and was reinstated. There's a system in place now, Sox followed it. Frankly it's just a different time than when I was proud that the players helped put a testing system in place. I don't want to ban every player who ever did steroids from being a white sox. Doesn't mean I want to pump them full of drugs either. Just, as far as player issues go, this is way below DUI and Certainly below domestic violence.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 07:39 PM) The part of the steroid red flag you haven't acknowledged is the guys who have their production fall off a lot once they're off the steroids. Okay, but the suspension happened in 2012. Last year should have cleared those concerns

QUOTE (venom4789 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 04:59 PM) so pick 7 game plans go on sale tuesday for non season ticket holders, gonna have to pick one up, will probaly get rid of a crosstown ticket if i get one, to much douchbaggery goes on at those games. My exact same plan. If like to do a pick14 but frankly I'd rather go to a bunch of June/July /August games. Not much for May/April.

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 04:38 PM) -3.5 UZR and -4 DRS in LF this year. Career -3.9 UZR/150 in LF, so below average but not terrible. Much worse in CF, so hopefully Adam stays healthy and Melky in CF never needs to be an option. Sigh, was really hoping he'd rate out as average.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 04:34 PM) normally, I disagree with just about everything you type. However, you are correct here. These appease almost everyone. The Sox made the team competitive without giving up the precious suspects that most people on the board covet. Even if the don't make the playoffs, they will have a competitive team until the young players are supposed to arrive. The only part of the team that is not set for awhile is the starting pitching. If JS leaves after just one year the Sox will need another starter. Even if Rodon is ready in 2016, they will need one more back of the rotation starter. The team as a whole is fairly young. One of the best moves that could happen imo is EJ miraculously finds his form. Would provide huge insurance and talent to the the rotation.

So what kind of defender is Melky?

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 05:20 PM) Fyi- Cooper doesn't really work with minor league guys. He says this in interviews repeatedly. Yeah but Sox have done great jobs with reclamation projects like this in the past (in minors)

Missouri DC Dave Steckelleft for an HC position at Missouri State. Great guy, wish him the best. I hope we hire Kuligowski as next coach.

QUOTE (Brian @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 12:43 PM) Don't like the comment that it knee is because of wear and tear already. I also have no confidence Bulls doctors did a good job.

His 12k/9 was pretty enticing. Just needs control, which is obviously easiest thing to teach a pitcher. /green

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 03:55 PM) I honestly didn't think it was possible to have a winter like this. It is almost incredible how many things came together in a month and a half.