BrandoFan

--His insistence on not being called 'Maggs' --The lack of facial hair. --Low-key, vampire-like existence. --That magnificent kung-fu drop-kick he threw at Fick's head in the 2000 brawl. --These bizarre 15-mill-a-year rumors. --Pretending not to speak English despite the fact that he is supposedly one of the better English-speakers. --Just a vibe I get

Ok, but current market is an OWNER's market, and Maggs is coming off a pretty average year, especially his declined defense and baserunning. He is 30 and his days of becoming a TRUE superstar are looking more and more like a pipe dream. He is also one of the least marketable "stars" in the game. Ok, 8 mill a year may be low-balling it (though Edmonds, Sexton and Giles of the last 2 years would disagree with you), but for Sox to be paying him 10+ mill a year well into his mid-30s, they need to see at least one 1000 OPS season as some sort of re-assurence. Maggs is trying to get out.

Yeah, what was up that that? Even I think they pretty much gave Jose 2 mill too much and I am arguably his biggest fan. Back to Maggs....15 Mill is about 5-6 Mill more than he is worth based on 2003 season and recent salary trends. Am I the only one who sees through Maggs' veil and thinks he is a bit on the creepy side?

Before 2003 began, I said Mark Prior was a future HOF'er. You guys roasted me over the Foreman grill...LMAO. Kerry Wood, Clement, Cruz and Zambrano on the other hand? Overhyped.

They didn't! It was a fluke, God love them. They were literally a couple of 2-out strikes away from getting eliminated by the Giants in NLDS; Alou should have gone with Shmidt in Game 4. They were also two beautiful defensive stops by Alex Gonzalez in Game 1 away from getting swept by the Cubs. SWEPT! Finally, at least 3 of their 4 wins against the Yankees couldn't been any closer (while both of the Yankee wins were lopsided), certainly very lose-able. Let's face it: if the 2003 playoffs were replayed 10 times, 8 times Marlins don't even make it to WS let alone win it..... Very much comparable to 2002-2003 Anaheim Mighty Ducks' improbable, OT win-ridden playoff run, which they wouldn't duplicate in a million years. Florida's wonderful pitching? If you recall, just prior to Game 5 of NLCS, Marlin people were literally freaking out: one by one Penny, Redman, Beckett and Willis ALL BOMBED , which is why they had to resort to using Pavano who was mediocre in the regular season. In any case, Florida was clearly the exception, like the 2000 Sox. Why don't you look at other smaller-payroll teams instead: Montreal, Pittburgh, Cincinnati, Milwakee, KC, San Diego, Anaheim, Minnesota, Toronto. Even Oakland for that matter. THAT's what most likely awaits the Sox if they are not at least proactive near deadlines, beefing up their rotation.

In case you're wondering, that funny grunt-ey sound is that of FarWestChicago repeatedly violating himself.

I really'd like to know who said that Maggs is looking for 4 year/60 mill-type deal after 2004. I mean I could understand if he was 25 and just entering his prime, or was coming off a couple of 1000 OPS seasons....He had 99 RBI in 2003 playing full season, people! Since these numbers are so outrageous, in a post-CBA environment especially, I guess there is only one explanation for it: Maggs wants out so bad he is willing to bluff.

Like it or not, Sox would still need to get Kevin Brown-type impact maker around waver deadline if they want to do any damage in the post-season. I like Loaiza as #2 and I am sort of ambivalent about Beurhle as #3- hell, I guess he IS passable. Perez and Garland will be in a mop-up duty. ALDS rotation: Brown - Pedro Loaiza - Lowe Burhle - ???

Mike Cameron is a lock for 860-890 OPS if you let him play 81 games at USCF instead of Safeco. Unlike Erstad who is only above average defensively, Mike Cameron's only peers in CF are Andruw and Toriiiiiiiiiii. Maybe Edmonds and Griffey on a good day. In a less spacious CF in our park, he figures to be even better. As far as combination of speed and insincts on the basepaths go, Cameron is one of the best. And *knock on wood* Cameron doesn't have much in a way of injury history. Please don't mention them in the same sentence.

At 2 Mill- yes. At 5 he wants? No, thanks.

You mean the one about her playing Melena on Average Tailgate Joe. I think you already told it once before, PA.

God bless you, Dan Bernstein. Bill O'Really? Makes Michale Moore seem like a paragon of journalistic integrity, wordly sophistication and virtuous character.

The point was that the 2004 Sox need to be tailored for MAXIMUM playoff success ala Yankees and Marlins. I could live with winning the division by "only" 5-6 games (in fact I prefer Sox to go into playoffs battle-tested and not complacent) as long as we at the very least reach ALCS. Since we can only afford less than 60 Mill for payroll, the solution: get A LOT of extra talent before July 31st/August 31st deadlines for FRACTION of their cost. Example: getting Giles-type and Shilling-type or whatever other stud is willing to play for a winner SPECIFICALLY for playoff success ......and only paying them a THIRD/FOURTH of what they would normally cost. That means the team would need to be in the first place by 5-7 games after the ASB, with some attendance momentum for JR to reluctantly approve extra costs.

With all this talking about trades and economics and production projections and all that stuff, we need to remember that it's NOT going to be enough to simply reach postseason and go 3-and-out. Not after 86 years of futility. The team will be dismantled if they don't make postseason noise and make some serious money in a renovated park. So we need to have the BIG FOUR and all-field hitters who won't over-swing nor will s*** their pants under tremendous pressure in October. And sound defense. The 2004 White Sox team should be more about making it to AT LEAST ALCS and less about winning the pathetic ALCentral by 20 games. So far I don't trust Buerhle to pitch the second game of ALDS and I sure as hell don't think Garland is playoff material. We need a #2 and a #4 (10-12 Mill right there), making Garland a long man ala Pavano and Penny.

As someone mentioned before, STAY AWAY from overrated, to-be-injured Ponson. Soriano and Weaver for Maggs? Yankees are gonna have much more marketable Sheffiled or Guerrero for the same price next year AND will retain both Weaver and Soriano. Case closed. Vina for 1-2 mill? What are the options? Robbie? Don't say Castillo because he will cost 3-4 times what Vina will and might not duplicate his 2003 production. Pavano and Alvarez for VERY cheap make sense. I don't trust Kenny to get them as far as I can throw him, though. This 55-60 mill ceiling is making me sick and it's only November.

For me? Yes.

Seeing Steinbrenner's facial expressions and gestures during games 5 and 6 of the WS was nothing short of priceless. Not that I need any reasons to root for the Marlins, mind you. Afterall, I am forever grateful for what they did in Games 5, 6 and 7 of the NLCS. (Normally, I would do a wicked 'ROTFLMAO' at this point, but I am afraid I used them all up during said NLCS games...har-har) Go Fish!!

Wasn't there a wave of hack-attacks about a year or 2 ago when Soxtalk/net was in its infancy? Rio was b****ing about it on the old ESPN boards meremembers. Just sayin'

That's all I wanted to say. I never suggested Frank Thomas and Magglio be replaced with Augie Ojeda or Mike Caruso or, worse, be forced to bunt; you still need your power guns in the 3-5 spots-- hell, even "small-ball" Florida had Pudge-Cabrera-Lowell-Conine-Lee-Gonzalez to drive in runs. After watching Sox force-outs and double plays all season long, I don't see how anyone in his right mind wouldn't want to see more situational base-stealing and hit-and-runs. More speed period. Cause I tell you, IT CAN'T GET MUCH WORSE THAN LOSING THE AL f***ING CENTRAL the way we did in 2003!

That's what happens when nerds hijack a sport. The funniest part is, Oakland lost Game 5 in the bottom of the 9th when they sacrifized the runners over to 2nd/3rd with one out, down by a run. Melhuse and Long proceeded to royally choke. I bet this little episode will serve as inspiration for a five-tome, autobiographical opus extolling the many virtues of being Billy Beane.

SIXTY MILLION OVER 4 YEARS, IN A POST-CBA MARKET NO LESS???!!! That's Sammy Sosa (circa 1998-2001) money, for crying out loud! And at least Sammy is one of the most recognizeable and beloved figures in baseball/sports, both in US and internationally, and as such "gives back" his salary even if he doesn't produce. Meanwhile the slightly creepy Maggs has NO appeal. None. He is a a career 890 OPS hitter coming off a 99 RBI season! He didn't even hussle all that much in 2003! Every day something new with this cursed franchize. Put us out of our misery already.

Art Carney died today. In his bio they mentioned he partook in D-Day and had a humogous piece of his leg blown off by shrapnel. Gotta love and respect what these brave men and women do/did if ONLY because I can't imagine myself doing it. Big military HOLLA! Oh, and raise their fuking pension and benefits, fer christ's sake!!

HAHAHAHA....You crack up my s***.

They have a GT 4 now? I remember playing GT and GT2 on the original PlayStation. Those were the days.

Why? Pedro was a better pitcher in all respects, much lower ERA. Faced Toronto and NY, league leaders in runs scored, a whole bunch of times too. The only reason Pedro didn't win another CYA was because he missed a few starts.