BrandoFan

I didn't post the numbers for those two, but here's an example of what I was talking about, circa early 2002: "The White Sox have drafted heavily for pitching in recent years, resulting in an astonishing arsenal of power arms throughout the system. Nobody runs it up there as fast as Kane, though, who was regularly hitting 99 mph during a dominating Arizona Fall League stint. Kane took little longer to grow into his big frame and gain command on his fastball, but a strong spring could propel him toward destiny as the White Sox' closer of the future." :puke

Bonds seems to be doing ok with JT Snow.....

Good stuff, Rex, good stuff. Of course I realized those scouting reports and "rumors" were lies as soon as I saw those pitchers pitch in person or on TV. Some things, including mechanics and arm speed, can't be faked. But believe me the numbers I listed, as unlikely as they may seem now, ARE exactly what was flying around circa 1999-2001. From BA Top 10 to Hawk Harrelson to Chicago newspaper articles to message board hype. His doctors said Barcelo could top a 100 within a few years of his TJ. Joe Valentin was the "hardest thrower" in the organizaton that reached upper 90's. Ditto for Kyle Kane.....And on and on the BS rolled. I didn't mention this, but the hype doesn't extend just to the fast-ball/four-seamer. Breaking ball, too. They always make it sound quicker and sharper-breaking that it really is. And it's just as annoying. You bring excellent points re: professional workload, laziness and/or mechanical changes (sometimes injury-, sometimes control-related) negatively affecting velocity. For example, when he used his four-seamer in 2000, Garland was routinely 93-94 when I saw him in the bigs, and since scout guns are usually faster and Jon would have been more rested pitching once a week, especially pre-surgery, I could see how they could come up with the "threw 94-96 in high-school" in the report. But there is no question that Cubs prospects are less hyped in terms of velocity. There is supringly small deviation from the scouting reports from what I've seen. Anyway, what's the gun reading on Bajenaru, B-Mac, Yofu, Pacheco and Munoz? Thanks.

f***in'-A. Sox are fighting for their very survival. A Cubs World Series is an inevitability. We must win it first. 2002-2003-esque failure is not an option, dogamnit. I have no idea what others expect from players, but for me, underachieving scmucks like Lee, Konerko, Crede, Valentin, Politte, Buerhle, Loaiza, Garland and even Magglio need to play at a very high level to justify their salaries and/or hype. Similarly, Diaz needs to start producing right away. 2 more chances.

Schwanglucher Poppy speaks the troof.

That's the White Sox way, sah! Incompetent managers, minor league instructors, washed up veterans. Manipulative GM protecting his ego. Owner lying through his teeth....Just another day in Soxland. Come to think of it, Sox fans and Sox organization make a beautiful pair.

I'll give him 2 more chances. But knowing this loser franchise, I am sure it will be more. :headshake

More.

Olsen Twin + Cameron Diaz + Nikki Hilton = Qwerty avatar. She is 16? Old enough.

Mulder jus began his prime, has actually stepped up in every playoffs series and makes 10 Mill less than Count Moonfacelio. 10 Mill could get you Delgado around June. Delgado + Mulder > Maggs.

Speaking of Sandy.... He doesn't walk. He doesn't bunt He doesn't run. He hits into DP. He doesn't throw. As soon as his OPS dips below 750....he GAWN!

I say the next two games better be in the bag. I hereby Bless this thread.

Honel was supposed to be 92-94 with a potential to throw 94-96 as he "filled up". Big f***ing liars all of them. :headshake And Wing better have more than just a slider. He needs a superb control with his heater and at least another out pitch. He also need to be healthy. Until then, I say forget about him.

What is he WITH heat? He got tagged again BIG-time. Nice investment, Angels.

Almost 8 mill per? Sox could never pay that, esp the way Vidro's been playing this year. I wonder what Cabrera and Renteria will be asking for now....

As has been said many, many times before.....Twins are winners and Sox are losers, no way around it. Jones and Santana could be out for the season tomorrow and STILL are gonna kick our ass. Ozzie was absolutely pathetic today. Was he too busy working on another pointless, class-free "I am the Manager and you're not!" diatribe? Willie Harris was on base with no outs, and he doesn't send him. But he does send a slower Rowand on Blanco's arm in the 9th. Has Valentin bunt against a RHP in the 1st, but allows him to swing away against a tough LHP in the 7th. Thomas substitution debacle. Then you have the Alomar Buntgate. My God. Timo is fast, Alomar is slow. Timo hits from the left side, Almar - from the right. Timo is a better bunter. There is a good chance his bunt is a hit, whereas best case scenario with Sandy is a sac bunt OUT........That's the kind of situation that makes or breaks a manager. Common sense + instinct = not Ozzie. This game counts as two, so Ozzie lost 2 games today. :puke How many times can Marte choke? Last year he had 7 blown slaves in 1st half alone. So far this season he has 4 BS and 2 losses. He pads his ERA in easier situation, but when push comes the shove......He had Menkevic and Jones at 1-2 and his hand literally trembled as he missed the strike zone by a foot. Mental f***. Lee, Konerko and Joe Slowbat blown away by thigh-high 91 mph fastballs away. Greg Walker's head should roll -- watching Twins punch the ball to opposite field with great Sox success all night long only reinforces this. This team, as it is now, has NO chance in the playoffs. Pedro, Shill, Brown and Co are gonna make Sox hitters look SO helpless with border-line pitcher's pitches, they're gonna wish they forfeited. How f***ing stupid was it to expect a team that relies on miraculous comebacks in every other game against the likes of TB, Toronto, O's, Tribe and KC to improve their play and intensity on a dime and beat a team with heart and brains like the Twins? Positives: Willie's defense and his 10-pitch atbat, which ended with him out-thinking himself and taking a 90mph fastball right there. Thomas - 3 walks and just missed a HR in another at bat. Rowand - HR. Valentin - good bunt, a hard line-out, a double and nice D. Schoenweiss of course. Shingo. Polllitttte. Outside of the reliably brutal Guzman, Twins played very good D. Stewart and JonesCojones in particular. In games like this, D often is the deciding factor. Has been since 2001. Mercy!

Fri GoG: Smah Poppa Willie

Kurt Hidenlick? Uribe is an All-Star right now and Thomas would be if he could be even half-way decent on the road. Shingo if they let him pitch a lot. Maybe Schoenweiss. At the end, Magglio would probably get hot and be our lone representative.

so far. Cotts - 0-1 record Marte - 1-1 record, 2 saves and 3 blown saves Shingo - 2-0 record, 2 holds All 3 have a very good 2.40 ERA, but Shingo's WHIP and o-ba are better.

There is desperate measures and then there's a "conspiracy" with a ridiculously out of whack risk/reward ratio. In the Information Age, EVERYTHING is eventually leaked. This admin had nothing to gain to "order" or "stage" this dude's murder and everything to lose. This war is no more popular than it was a week ago.

Muslims and Arabs weren't exactly sweet lambs of God in the Middleages, either. Only the Jews come off relatively "clean" in that time period, but that's probably due to their small number and partide assimilation.

Yawn. I could tell you that Valentin, with all his typical April errors (had 8 in April 2003), still has ZoneRating higher than Uribe (920+), which means he fielded a higher % of balls than most SS. His RangeFactor is pretty high too. I could tell you that Uribe has settled down after initial struggles and is playing excellent 2B and 3B, so Sox could keep them both in the line-up. In fact, with Rowand sucking, it's possible to keep Harris playing as well. Imagine that. I could tell you that batting from the left side, Jose has an 860 OPS as a member of the White Sox. I could tell you that his OPS with RISP in those 4+ years is well over 900. I could tell you that Strike-Outs are a near-meaningless stat -- he hasn't grounded into more than 10 DP's in many years, despite having hamtring-related loss of speed. I could tell you that neither Harris or Uribe have ANY track record of success, and therefore cannot be counted on in the long run. Jose blew them both away in Spring Training, including defensively. Thrre are a lot of things I could tell you, but what would be the point? We all know he isn't worth the 5 Mill. How about we all collectively get over it?

You missed the point completely: the market is not on the upswing; teams are no longer willing to grossely ovepay as they did in the 2001 offseason, so Jose would be stupid to ask for "5+ mill" after this season. He won't even ask for 4. Or 3. Thank for playing.

Tennis is an awesome game. Doubles are pretty gay, but singles? Just great. Combination of skill and athleticism and individuality that's probably unmatched. Federer-Agassi duking it out in YEC? When I hear about baseball players in their prime having to be "rested", I am like try playing 3 hour matches on consecutive days -- now that's fatigue!

You DO realize that Jose signed the 5 Mill a year deal back in 2001 when A-Rod got 25 Mill and Jeter - nearly 20? That era of over-valuation is over....for now.