RockRaines

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 11:59 AM) So has anybody gotten a PM with any good trade info that they can pass along to me??? Not me

QUOTE (VAfan @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 11:45 AM) Really? Ozzie Guillen managed the White Sox to their only World Series win in yours or my lifetime. For that alone, he has earned my eternal respect, even if some of the things he did as a manager drove me crazy. /argument

QUOTE (PorkChopExpress @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 11:20 AM) Exactly. That doesnt mean I am saying spend 25 million on that guy. It's not necessary.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 27, 2014 -> 10:16 PM) It'd take a lot for me to go back to see a Sandler movie after Grownups. Oh boy, that was a snoozer. You'd have had to pay me a minimum of 100 bucks to go see Grownups II. I liked the first one, I will watch the second one if its the only thing on. Then again, I smoke a lot of weed.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 11:14 AM) If Q is your #3, that means you have a really good rotation. Incredibly good. If you slot a RHP after Sale and before Q it means he could essentially be an Ace. And right there you have a contender.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 11:12 AM) [/b] I noticed you said last year, and not this year. Does that mean they improved this year in your opinion? I know they have in mine. We are seeing fewer base running issues, crisper throw execution, and a generally baseball smarter team (with a couple of individual exceptions). Even a guy like Alexei who had one of the worst baseball IQ's I have ever seen for most of his tenure here, isn't really making noticeable mistakes anymore. Thats the players making improvements of course, nothing to do with the manager. An average manager has this team leading the wildcard.

Looks like he's describing his stomach after dinner in greektown.

QUOTE (VAfan @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 10:49 AM) Still waiting for someone defending Robin to argue that he's helped the Sox win more games than they would have with an average manager. You can take whatever you want into account. Who are the "average managers" to compare him against?

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 10:27 AM) Did PECOTA even have Sale where he is right now? Here is ZIPS player projections http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2014-zips-p...cago-white-sox/

QUOTE (LDF @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 10:23 AM) to get that ONE player whether it is a pitcher or positional player to put the team over the top, then yes. that is IF he can help to get the sox there. I was a major advocate of defending JR since this site started and before. I believe then and as I do now, JR will spend the money on good to great investment to an equally great rtn (playoff, world series and a great player). he did it with Jose A, he will not spend b/c fans expect him to. I dont think you need to pay a pitcher that much since we have legit #1 and #2 already in the fold. You dont pay a #3 pitcher that much money.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 30, 2014 -> 10:10 AM) It's pretty complex to try and take apart in any meaningful way, but I doubt PECOTA had Abreu where he is right now. Or the injuries etc. Fact is that was what they thought the talent of the Sox would do. And they are in the hunt for the WC at least a year too early. I think thats pretty damn good.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jul 29, 2014 -> 03:58 PM) How many games has Robin won with his managing? Don't worry about the "oh, any manager would make that move late in a game." Just how many games has he won? By most projections even with really horrible injury luck, this team is outperforming what it was expected to do. PECOTA had them projected to win 75 games. I think they finish quite a bit better than that, so either you think the players are really awesome or the manager is awesome or you finally realize that there is no way to attribute wins and losses to one person.

QUOTE (VAfan @ Jul 29, 2014 -> 01:40 PM) I have a question: Does anyone on this thread who is defending Robin Ventura think that he is a GOOD manager, i.e., one who helps the Sox win more games than they would with an AVERAGE manager? I'm firmly in the camp that he's a BAD manager, by which I mean he costs the team games. Aside from the game in question, I've seen multiple games where I think his strategic decisions have cost games, and I don't actually see that many Sox games living in Virginia. I think the only reason Robin seemed to do well his first season was that he was the anti-Ozzie. The team was done with Ozzie's antics, and the veteran team we had then responded well to a little peace and quiet. Going forward, I can't see the Sox winning under Robin. I believe he does a very bad job managing the bullpen, even given the fact that our bullpen is not good. And that, to me, it probably the most important tactical day-to-day job for a manager. He is also often caught not thinking ahead, as is evidenced by the game analysis in this thread. Plus, he comes off as having ZERO energy. This was okay in the year after Ozzie, but since then he comes off as indifferent, sleeping, lethargic, uninterested, etc. The problem is that he's a Sox ICON, which means he's going to be given far too long to manage. Lastly, this week the Hall of Fame recognized two iconic managers -- Tony LaRussa and Bobby Cox. Anyone here see any of their managing qualities in Robin Ventura? I didn't think so. How many games?

Caleb is the dumbest player ive seen in BB. All he says is "beast mode cowboy" and "at the end of the day". Cant wait to see him get backdoored next week.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jul 28, 2014 -> 11:06 PM) Glen Eagles is a full course with two 18's and they have $20 twilight after 5. Pace of play is pretty strong there. George W. Dunn in Oak Forrest is a great course, pro qualifier I believe, over 7K yards. It's one of my favorite courses to play at but the pace of play can be horrible. Otherwise it's outstanding, well manicured and everything else. Hit the nail on the head with Dunne. Great track but they pile groups on every 6 min.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jul 28, 2014 -> 05:17 PM) ??? Typo "I'd guess"

I guess he hurt his knee on that last play

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jul 28, 2014 -> 03:56 PM) Dude, I'm talking about obvious noob stuff like running out of pitchers, "forgetting" to PR for Jose and then PR for him when he's on 2B, bringing on a LHP for the platoon matchup and then having the opposing manager make the obvious move to then bring on a righty PH and batting Gordon Beckham and Ramirez 2nd while the guy with the highest OBP on the team can't get out of the bottom 1/3 (Conor). And to answer your question, maybe 1 or 2 games at most. As I've said so many freaking times: managers don't really mean s*** in baseball but that sure as heck you don't try and get the best you can. I watched this and nobody "forgot" anything. That obvious noob stuff is once again based on outcomes that would have been different had the players actually come through. But hey, 1-2 games per manager, who really cares then.

Once I joined a private course my public course rounds have gone way down so I assume those are all in good shape this year.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 28, 2014 -> 03:27 PM) You guys have any other western suburbs courses to recommend? I was thinking about playing Ruffled Feathers or Waters Edge. There's too many private courses out where I live. Damn rich people. Orchard Valley, Settler's Hill, Willow Crest, Ruffled, Cog 2, Bowes Creek, Bollingbrook, Prairie Landing are all solid courses. Settlers is one of my favorite western courses because its usually fast and affordable. I grew up playing Cog 1 and 3 and 2 when possible. If you are in the city one of the closest good courses is Lost Marsh right next to the horseshoe casino.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jul 28, 2014 -> 03:29 PM) Robin is one of the worst in game tacticians I've seen, that's for sure. He routinely gets late game subs completely wrong and everything from his lineups to when to use the platoon splits to make decsiions --are often head scratchily naive, like decisions you'd expect from a 1st year manager with no experience. Except that was 3 years ago. One thing Robin won't ever do is make waves off the field or throw a player under the bus unfairly. Now, those are points in his favor but I don't think there is any way it's enough to keep him around much after this year. Managers have a shelf life and pretty much any manager will get tuned out after awhile no matter how player friendly they are. Robin isn't seen as much of a hardass / discipline type so I can see the clubhouse getting away from him and then you're left with nothing really to defend him on. So the players dont perform? And its the managers fault. Please continue the analysis. How many games better should the Sox be without Ventura?

Golfnow is THE way to book public courses.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 28, 2014 -> 03:08 PM) I think that course is where I tried out for my hs team...either that or it was where I played one of my first junior tournaments... back in the day it was a solid course, had a lot of players on it. Over time they have overbooked and undermaintained it.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 28, 2014 -> 03:00 PM) Carriage Greens in Darien. Reserved through GolfNow the morning I was going to play for a noon tee-time. Is it still in horrific shape? I know the owner and he was hurting last year for some maintenance.