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QUOTE(scenario @ Feb 28, 2007 -> 05:40 PM) So.... we won 90 games last year with the same questionable outfield, the same shortstop having a miserable year, and when almost our entire starting pitching staff had career worst years... But we're going to only going to win 72 this year.... because why... because we got rid of Freddy Garcia??? Since Freddy is gone obviously nobody will play any better. So you take 90 wins minus Freddy's 17 and subtract another for the horrible McCarthy trade and you get 72 wins. It makes perfect sense to me.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Feb 28, 2007 -> 02:48 PM) One question would be is how Buerhle's velocity progresses this spring. Last year he was in the low to mid 80s. 2 years ago he was 88-90 for the most part. That little bit of velocity is huge for Buerhle. If he sits at 83-85 he better have pinpoint control. He did, he found nearly every bat. It may be bad baseball but it's better than no baseball!!!!!!!

QUOTE(ScottyDo @ Feb 28, 2007 -> 02:43 PM) anybody know what kind of pitches buehrle was throwing? Meatballs

QUOTE(SoxAce @ Feb 28, 2007 -> 02:13 PM) Eh... with the way teams are overpaying for average pitchers these days, Buehrle is still going to be pretty wealthy if he isn't with us. Don't you mena when?

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Feb 27, 2007 -> 04:54 PM) Don't forget Gio in that deal. He's the more valuable commodity out of the 2. Thank You for stating this. So many people are getting caught up in the hatred of the deal to realize that Floyd was the throw in. Gio is the one KW really wanted. In order to get someone like Gio, KW had to tkae a lesser player if they had MLB experience. I'm still not as down on Floyd as most people here. My friends who saw him pitch said his stuff improved towards the end of the year and in the AFL and I think he will be a decent starter.

QUOTE(maggsmaggs @ Feb 24, 2007 -> 08:32 PM) Frank has not always been nice to the media, but I have never once heard that he was a bad teammate. I love the man and always will, he will always be my favorite player in a White Sox uni and favorite baseball player ever. Can't wait till he is enshrined in Cooperstown. I'm a big Frank supporter also but this isn't true. There were always reports of Ozzie or Robin or KW or someone complaining about his "stats first attitude" How he wouoldn't sacrifice his stats to move someone over. I don't think anyone thought he was a bad guy but definitely a "my stats first guy."

QUOTE(fathom @ Feb 26, 2007 -> 05:34 PM) Or someone can just be making a general comment about a pitcher after some of the recent things being said about him in the press. It would be amazing if Floyd can be a better than average 5th starter. However, I don't think he has a great chance of succeeding if he starts off in the majors right away. If he is trying to become a sinker pitcher, then I would like to see him master it in the majors before throwing him right into the fire. The best news to come out of today is that Uribe is back and playing. Hopefully that situation is in the past. Here's a question I have: why are the Sox so scared to give Fields the chance to win the LF position? With Crede in the plans for this year, and with other players who could fill in at 3rd base if needed, why not see if Fields can adapt quickly to the position? Let's see you don't want a pitcher in the majors who hasn't proved anything however you want a hitter who isn't proven in the majors to play a position he has never played before in professional baseball? You must rank defense lower than you do speed on the hierarchy of baseball skills. I know you really dislike Floyd but to start a guy in a position he hasn't played before and expect anything good is just silly. Remeber the early years of Lee in LF?

Over-stridng will decrease his follow through and as someone said earlier tend to leave the ball up more. Righetti has a valid concern also. If you don't complete the follow through, throwing the curve with the big break is much more difficult. He may compensate and lower the arm angle and completely change his best pitch. My guess is he was starting to have some shoulder discomfort. This type of of biomechanics will take stress off the proximal structure (shoulder) and transfer it down the chain to the next point (elbow). It will be interesting to watch. I haven't seen or broken down video yet. When I see it I'll run it through the computer and and check the stresses.

QUOTE(shoota @ Feb 15, 2007 -> 05:20 PM) Incorrect, perhaps your confusion is born from thinking the All-Star game evenly divides the halves of a season. Through the first 80 games of the season, Mark Buehrle had an ERA of 3.22. It wasn't until the 81st game of the season against the Cubs that Buehrle's season began to fall apart. Which yes, is the last day of the first half, but would be obtuse to ignore his 3.22 ERA entering the last game of the first half. So I'll say it again: Mark Buehrle had a spectacular first half of 2006. Why do so many people look at a season and insists on arbitrarily dividing it up? The last time I checked it is the team that has the most wins for the SEASON that get to go to the playoffs. Who cares if the first half or 3rd 8th or 12/16th of the season was good bad or spectuacular. You take the season as a whole and the team with the most wins moves on. I'm not saying it's good or bad but I think too many people get caught up in the details. it's a simple game you hit the ball you throw the you catch the ball. You lally gag to first you lolly gag to the outfield, what does that make you LOLLYGAGGERS. I love that movie. I watch it every year before spring training. Forgive the ramblings of a man stuck grading to many exams. I've got to give fewer exams during a trimester.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Feb 11, 2007 -> 03:50 PM) What if it does work? I'm not one to complain about Reinsdorf or our payroll, but that's utterly ridiculous if we're unwilling to sign extended contracts with pitchers AND positional players. Especially if mild success continues and the turnstyles produce at a reasonable pace. They may not have signed many significant, long term deals; but they've never had a payroll comparable to now. I'd really like to know who the hell are we bringing to our ballclub in future seasons? "Under the radar" can only go so far. Our minor league system is full of mid-lower tier talent , scouting doesn't exist south of Mexico, we're never in a position for good draft picks --so, how are we supposed to sustain success? I suppose the idea is trade current veterans for prospects. Fine, if the prospects you trade for are atleast equal to departing players. Personally, I like this theory, but it could work even further with certain FA signings. Not spending money to spend money, but bringing in signifcant talent such as Cabrera. Don't know about any of you, but I'm not going to accept this "OMG, teh market" if we're competitive with a 100+ million dollar payroll. Williams has assembled possible alternatives for our pitchers. Few are available for positional players -- especially infielders. I took this as a possibility that money would be spent if it were deemed necessary. From your comments, Steff, I guess not. We'll have to see. It's not the price or the payroll. We have a top 5-10 payroll and probably will for awhile if attendance is high. It's the length of the pitchers contract. Pitchers break down and miss time for inuries for more often than hitters. The Sox won't go for thelong term 5-8 year contracts that some pitchers are getting. I personally think this is good policy and agree with this practice.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Feb 9, 2007 -> 09:25 PM) I did say Iguchi must be signed. However, at some point you have to separate homerism and sensibility and make the right decision, and in the case of both Dye and Crede, it's just not smart to keep them long-term - though Dye is easily a better and smarter choice than Crede. Iguchi is almost a necessity to keep though, and, from a PR standpoint, Buehrle is too (and if they can't resign Buehrle, they'll antagonize him. It sucks, but true). There is no way the Sox are going to re-sign MB. Pitchers his age are getting 5-7 year deals. The Sox won't do that and I don't blame them. This is why they stockpiled young near ready arms. The FA market will come back down again when the owners realize long term pitcher contracts don't work ala Hampton, Brown. It all cyclical.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Feb 7, 2007 -> 07:48 PM) http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view...amp;format=text It's a great look at Boras and baseball from the business point of view. I urge you all to read it. I love the quote about "I'm not in the business to help the team. There is no doubt that the guy is sharp and knows what he is doing. After reading this, I believe even more that he uses all of the computers and talk to convince players what he thinks is the best for them they should think is the best for them. You can't argue with the contracts. From the reports he may be getting A-Rod another raise!!!

QUOTE(shoota @ Feb 7, 2007 -> 05:55 PM) So you're saying the impact pun is straight? It's ok. But together with the other two??? Yeeesh

QUOTE(shoota @ Feb 7, 2007 -> 05:38 PM) I'm still hoping KW signs a veteran. I haven't heard much interest in Cory Lidle, so maybe KW can work under the radar. He could be the impact player to pilot us to the playoffs. That might be because he is no longer among the living. And is playing catch with Jesus But puns with radar and pilot. It's just wrong.

QUOTE(Damen @ Feb 7, 2007 -> 12:29 PM) Not necessarily true. A lot of players have bonuses structured into their contracts regarding making the playoffs/playoff performance. I'm sure the organization still makes quite a bit (on increased merch alone), but its not pure profit. I'm not sure but I believe those are paid the following year. Even so, all of the bonuses would most likely equal less than 1 million dollars.

QUOTE(Jenks Heat @ Feb 7, 2007 -> 09:28 AM) With Spring training right around the corner I believe it is safe to assume the 40 man roster is set and we are going into the fight with what we have. The thing that ticks me off more than anything though is that the payroll is flat. 3M people came through the turnstyles and there is not a better product as a result of it. Other teams are spending and although maybe there is not value in the amount given, it still has to be given. If we are not going to pay and it appears we are not with Buerhle, Crede, Dye(?), who is going to play for this team. If Fields replaces Crede, Sweeney replaces Dye and Danks replaces Buerhle, our payroll is going to drop by $20M. Can these guys do the job? We will not know until a year is almost gone. By that time my money is gone and the 3M fans could jump ship if they fail. I see the money point but we can not take our wallet and go home that is the stae of affairs of the MLB today. When you look at the budget you need to remember how revenue is generated. Yes, attandance increased but the windfall from the playoffs from the previous year was not there. The clubs make a great deal of money from the playoffs. The players are paid during the regular season. Playoff money is pure profit. So while the actual budget didn't change, the increased attendance allowed it to stay flat without the playoff windfall. The club did use the money from attendance to do this so it should not tick you off.

QUOTE(Beltin @ Feb 3, 2007 -> 08:08 PM) You said it. Those few nights off a year and the Thursday getaway day game always leave a void that has me pacing. I know I spend too much time following the games and neglecting my family but I can't give it up. I know exactly what you mean. I'm the same way. People ask my wife how she puts up with it and she says" I always know where he is and what he's doing. He's either with us or his baseball."

Here is a free seminar. Dr. Bailes is an outstanding resource and dealing with the Steelers over the years has made him a practical expert and well as theoretical. H.L. Richards High School is hosting a Steroids Sports Education Conference on Saturday, February 17th 1:00-2:30pm. The guest speakers are Dr. Michael Ankin (Chicago Bears Team Physician) & Dr. Julian Bailes (Former Pittsburgh Steelers Team Physician and co-author of "When Winning Costs Too Much: Steroids, Supplements and Scandals in Today's Sports") The conference is FREE and open to all. Athletes, parents, coaches, athletic trainers, physicians and administrators are encouraged to attend. No CEUs offered. H.L. Richards is located at 10601 S. Central Ave, Oak Lawn, 60453 Parking available in the south lot, enter the building at S8 or S12.

QUOTE(striker62704 @ Feb 2, 2007 -> 09:47 AM) My first Sox game was the season of the strike, I believe '94. I lived in Seattle at the time and the Sox came out for a four game series. My dad bought me two tickets to each game. The highlights of the series: 1. Sox swept 2. McDowell out dueled Johnson for a 2-1 victory. Sox won on an Officer Karkovice solo homer. 3. Buhner threw a foul ball up from the on deck circle into the crowd. I reached in front of a group of kids (who didn't have tickets for the seats they were in) to snag the ball. I later gave the ball to one of the kids because he gave me a pouty look the rest of the game. That ball meant nothing to me. 4. The best highlight was the last game where I had tickets right behind the Mariners dugout. Marty the Moose was dancing on the dugout between innings. He came over to me, wearing a Sox hat, took my hat off me, turned it inside out and put it back on my head. The crowd was all cheering and it was on the big screen. I was at that game also. While I was on vacation. Both pitchers were on that game.

First one I remember was in 1975 when the White Sox played the Brewers and I got to meet Hank Aaron. The Sox won the game but I don't remember the score.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jan 31, 2007 -> 04:23 PM) Actually, a right handed hitting outfielder who can play LF is very important. Some might consider Ozuna passable in LF....I don't. I love his hustle and what he brings to the team on offense, but his defense is mediocre. Just like having a strong back-up righty catcher, it's very important in our division to have someone we can play in LF against the likes of C.C., Johan, etc. We need all the help we can get on offense vs tough LHP. I love how people like to say it's minute details, but it's those tiny details which really hurt us last year (lack of back-up CF, terrible back-up catcher, no long relief). I continue to disagree. We were hurt by poor pitching. If MB and the rest of the pitchers all have don't have subpar years, we win. The same thing applies this year. The only reason those handful of games we lost last year due to poor right handed back ups make a difference is because the pitchers blew so many other games. If the pitching does well we win, if the pitching dalters all of the good right handed backups won't do us any good. I know we continue to disagree on this and have different philosophies on how to win but that's the way it goes.

Anyone getting up and leaving a row in the middle of an at bat shall be tarred and feathered with a Cub Logo

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jan 29, 2007 -> 11:14 PM) Once again, not ALL steroids are for increasing of strength. There are several different kinds. Its not a white bottle that is marked "steroids" and you take it for everything. There are substances that you take that can increase your fast twitch muscle fiber, there are steroids for strength and building muscle, there are even steroids that help you cut your body into leaner muscle. IMO Koch was on the juice, he may not have been looking for strength gains, he could have been looking for rebuilding substances that help him throw harder each game because his recovery time is ridiculous, it could be the fast twitch muscle substances that helped him snap the ball quicker in his delivery. Whatever the case, I believe that he took them, and I think its clear that he may have. Its my opinion, it wont get anyone on the site in trouble, im not mentioning sources or anything. I am saying, to me, it looks like he was one of the more obvious juicers that had come through our clubhouse. Your exactly righton how steriods are used and that is my point. Pitchers do not take steriods for strength as a whole. They take it for endurance and recuperation. As far as the fast twitch muscles, the muscles which specifically control the shoulder are the rotator cuff muscles. These muscles are unipennate muscles composed of more type IIa fibers or the fast twitch fibers with higher glycolytic and vascular properities like slow twitch muscles. They are not effected by steriods as much as the bigger muscles with larger cross sections. As I said before however muscle strength does not correlate to pitch speed. Koch may very well have been on steriods. That was the rumor but I didn't know him. The idea that a sudden drop in pitch speed has no bearing on determining if someone was on steriods. Recovery time, injuriesand body composition all would be a better determination than pitch speed. That is my point.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jan 29, 2007 -> 06:45 PM) Can I see the stats on the term "most." Koch was a juicer. 100 MPH one day, 92 mph the next. The guy is out of baseball like that. Im sorry if you love him or whatever, but the guy was a one and done bust in the midst of the steroid era. The "most" is just from my experience with the pitchers as they are not admitting to the public they did steroids. Unless you have stats on all of the admitted steriods users. As I said before strength is not correlated to speed of the pitch. A drop in pitch speed would not be linked to strength. An injury, change in mechanics or drop in weight could be linked more easily. I'm not saying they can't be linked it's just that from people I've talked to they seem to think that it's more of an endurance recuperation issue not strength. Which makes sense in light of the lack of evidence which correlates strength and pitch speed.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jan 29, 2007 -> 04:39 PM) I tend to agree with it. I tihnk from a relievers perspective (based on what I've read and heard via quotes in the media) is that it enables you to recover quicker and be able to throw in more games with your A stuff. That said I could see roids being able to help a bit with velocity but I don't know how much so (I think it would depend on the pitcher). For example....say Jamie Moyer decided to juice....I can't see roids giving him another 5 MPH on his fastball. Now say someone thats 6'5, 170 that throws 92-94 (maybe even hits 95 on rare ocassions) well I could see roids and a proper workout regime upping his velocity to where he consistently throws 94 and ocassionally hits 96. It's possible to add the speed. Remember velocity implies a direction which many of them don't have However many times the speed increase has more to do with mass more than strength. If your 170 lbs pitcher became a 190 lbs pitcher the ball may go faster just due to the mass propelling it. Bigger guys on average throw harder than little guys. There are always exceptions (Wagner). There are other factors as well, including length of lever arms and such. If the muscles are stronger and better conditioned it's more likely the endurance is increased and the rate of injury is decreased.