RockRaines

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 10:48 PM) In terms of excitement i'd say i'm: 1) Slayer 2) Danks 2 3) Viciedo 4) Allen There's just so much offensive potential for this team especially, if Fields can get it going again. I echo those rankings. I really like Danks2 a bunch and I think Slayer outhits almost every reserve player on the Sox right now.

Anyone hear anything on the radio?

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 01:02 PM) You probably will not find a larger proponent for Marijuana legalization than myself, but I just dont think its a good argument to get into "What adverse health effects are." I think that Marijuana probably has some negative impact on certain people, and I think if you try and focus on "Marijuana doesnt have any adverse effects" that eventually they will find some one who developed something bad, and use it as the proof to keep Marijuana illegal. I think that the argument should be based on Cigarettes and Alcohol cause death, etc. Anything that is less harmful than those 2, which has more benefit than those 2, should be legal. To me its a really simple equation. Thats a good point. And they tried to study long term effects to link it to lung cancer like cigarettes at one point, then the scientist discovered there was no correlation at all which totally derailed that movement.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 01:02 PM) Alexei in the #2 spot = ~750 PA Alexei in the #6 spot = ~680 PA Alexei in the #9 spot = ~620 PA Is it really worth limiting his PAs like this because he got hot for 100 PA in the 9th spot last season? Are you really going to move Konerko to put Alexei there? Alexei is an option in the 2hole or the 8th and the 9th as I see it. Although he is a good contact hitter (which is gold at the bottom of the order as he works pitchers out), his OBP still doesnt warrant him moving ahead of the boppers unless its in the 2 spot.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:56 PM) You cannot bat Alexei Ramirez 9th. Sorry, just not happening. Why exactly? He hit .379 .408 .537 in the 9th spot last season in 30 games. He spent most of the season in the 7,8.9 spot if you remember with his best results coming in the 9 hole and second best out of the 8th spot. His OPS in the 9th spot was .945 which compares to the 8th: .882 7th: .697 He gets the benefit of having people on base in front of him and also adding some speed to the lineup as it turns over. He is a power/speed/RBI threat at the bottom of the order which is perfect IMO.

I personally think Abreu could hit 3 and Q 4. 1. Someone 2. Getz 3. Abreu 4. Q 5 Thome 6. Konerko 7. AJP 8 Fields 9 Alexei-this is where he has performed the best

Man I dont think Ive ever been up for one.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:41 PM) I understand that the market has changed for OF's quite a bit, but with Manny refusing to sign for anything anyone is going to offer, signing Abreu and moving Dye for a young pitcher has made sense for this team as constructed since it was first proposed. Even if we have to chip in a couple million. Another advantage of a move like this...let's say Abreu's on a 1 year, $8 million deal. Unless he gets hurt, you'd be happy to offer him arbitration next offseason, because if he accepted, you have him back for 1 more cheap year. If he's remotely healthy, you can therefore turn him in to a pair of additional draft picks. Which means you'd be taking JD, who might walk as a FA next season if we don't pick up his option and turning him in to a young pitcher and 2 additional draft picks. Long term, that's a hell of a move. I think Kenny is starting to see the benefit of the addional draft picks due to a FA leaving. Even though OC probably wont give us an additional pick, its not a bad philosophy.

sorry for ruining the thread with my posts, its obvious myself, fathom and a few others could have a 100 page thread debating lineups.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:11 PM) I agree with this. I'm not suggesting that the Sox need to field a track team out there, but they need to do a better job of manufacturing runs that they have over the past few years. Right now, there is NOBODY on this team who can steal bases and hit with a high enough OBP to lead off. Look at how many runs Lofton and Vizquel scored for the '90s Indians teams... with Manny, Thome, Belle, etc. hitting behind them. Speed at the top of the lineup is INCREDIBLY helpful. I honestly dont even care if they steal bases. I just see the scenario of a hitter getting on base in front of Q. Q singles and the runner is only at 2nd base, and all of a sudden you have eliminated a sac fly op for Thome or Konerko who both have the ability to hit fly balls on demand. Instead you get a K and a ground out. I just HATE the station to station bulls*** and the lack of being able to take the extra base when needed. You can look at a small sample size of the 05 team in the World Series and the ALCS and you can see us constantly looking to take the extra base, even though we hit a ton of homers, we scored several times just being able to get to second on a throw or go from first to third with one out.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:10 PM) Im not talking anabolic steroids, the type of stuff Bonds etc are taking are not going to cause death etc, the side effects are limited. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/growth-hormone/HA00030 That case is going to be a joke. How can they prove that in that picture it was actually Marijuana and the location? Just because he admitted to using Marijuana does not mean that picture is actually him using Marijuana. Just another case of a govt official trying to become famous on crap. Those are some pretty serious side effects IMO. Do they have any long term studies on the effect of HGH? Im just saying Marijuana doesnt really have any adverse health effect other than maybe some weight gain. And also, possession of weed under an ounce is basically a fine and a slap on the wrist.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:08 PM) My personal opinion is that our best lineup would be Thome leading off with Alexei batting 2nd, if that gives you some insight into how I'd manage at the Cell. I completely agree we need to break up the 3/4/5/6, especially if AJP is batting 2nd or 7th. Fath you are a true 3 run homer guy, im the opposite. I like singles, sac flys and scoring from 2nd. Abreu Just wanted to keep it on topic.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:54 AM) Link. Ha good luck. It was a tobacco water pipe, now what? Its the same reason they can sell that stuff in regular stores, you cant PROVE that it was weed.

QUOTE (Fotop @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:06 PM) Read elsewhere that XM radio is reporting this as a done deal. Kind of a third hand confirmation, but if true that was a quick sign. mlbtr.com?

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:01 PM) For most teams, I'd say speed is important at the top of the order. For the Sox, I think it's extremely overrated with the current middle of our order. If we start shaking it up and replace people like Thome and Konerko, then I would change my opinion. The last thing we all need to see is bunting in the first inning because Ozzie has one of his speedy guys on base. I would say the complete opposite, that you arent taking into account the type of power hitters we have. Thome is a strike out machine and Konerko is a DP machine. This team needs runners off of first base and in scoring position as often as possible, and with high avg hitters like Q, Konerko (maybe) and Dye behind them, they need to be able to move from first to third and score from second on a hit. Speed in front of these sluggers is very important. If you put Thome at the lead off position and he was station to station, would you think it wouldnt matter if someone with speed was in that spot? Speed isnt always stealing bases or bunting like you seem to picture. Its being able to move up a base on a wild pitch or a bobble. Its being able to move into sac fly position with 1 out, going from 1st to 3rd on a bloop and being able to take dp's out. THATS the kind of speed we need.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:57 AM) All speed does in front of a bunch of power hitters is equate to fewer base runners after they get caught stealing. Or more runs scored due to their ability to score on an extra base hit before a hitter who is prone to hitting into double plays or striking out comes to the plate.

QUOTE (jphat007 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:57 AM) You just said you didn't think there would be any kind of shakeup. Now you're saying its a done deal? Color me confused. (Abreu added despite anything else happening would be a pretty big shakeup of some kind) My Opinion vs what I heard.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:53 AM) "dunn deal" or with regards to Abreu? I think that ship has sailed in regards to Dunn

Its the offseason and the Bears still suck.

Anyone remember when KW said at Soxfest that he was evisioning a "non-traditional" lead off hitter. Ozzie then comes out and says he wants someone who gets on base at the top of the order.... Just sayin. And I heard that this may be a done deal though that could be posturing.

In the last few days: Dodgers make offer to Manny, refused, say they are moving on Dunn gets offer from Nats-sitting on it Mets say they arent after Manny or Abreu Sox make offer to Abreu And a quick note for me: Abreu's OBP in front of Q may be more valuable than Dye's production behind him.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 01:32 PM) lol I doubt that the Anti-drug squad is as vocal in this thread as in other ones. The idea that marijuana should be legalized is much more main-stream than HGH and other performance enhancing drugs should be legal. One of the main reasons is the long term damage that those drugs have been proven to do to humans vs Pot which has mostly medicinal and relaxation effects.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 11:44 AM) I guess I dont think its a huge stretch to figure that some one who attends a school notorious for drug use (Michigan), who is a millionaire and who listens to Lil Wayne, may have tried marijuana. Conversely if he attended some Ivy league school, listened to Mozart and lived a life dedicated to poverty, Id probably be less likely to figure he was into weed. Then again, I think you could just look at him and see that hes a little bit faded. The 3 last presidents and most of the first many confirmed smoking pot. Alot of those folks are educated driven leaders and still wanted to take a break sometimes.

QUOTE (flavum @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:29 AM) I don't think Figgins is in the picture at all. If you have Quentin and Abreu in the corners, you can't have Figgins in CF. Owens is already suspect out there. Figgins is not a good CF. Also Figgins won't be going to 3B unless they trade Fields, and I think they really like Fields and want him to play a full season in Chicago before giving up on him. If Dye gets traded, it'll be for pitching. I could see that Bailey trade happening if Abreu signs with the Sox. Great points. The sox have been collecting young pitching talent, we have a "hole" in our rotation, and our GM and Manager have come out and said that they believe in developing young arms.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:23 AM) We got Pedroia? I heard he bought Q dinner thanking him for getting injured.