YASNY

Zambrano being a Sox fan is almost as bad as Obama being a Sox fan. Well, not really almost, but you get my drift.

Here's the way I think things happened with Brian Anderson from the get go through now. He had minor league success generally every step of the way. He made his ML debut in '05 for the eventual World Champs. That off season, KW traded Rowand, which gave Anderson a few of months of time for his head to swell even more, as in "I'm going to be starting CF for the defending World Champs!" So he comes into camp all cocky and thinking his s*** don't stink. The season starts, he struggles but assumes his talent will eventually show itself, therefore he would not listen to Walker or attempt to make any adjustments. I think his attitude is the reason they threw him under the bus after a few weeks of major suckage. Heading into '07, I believe KW, Ozzie, Walk and whoever else had input decided Anderson needed to go down to AAA with the message "Grow the f*** up!" tattoed on him. BA, Mr. Attitude, went down there and pouted for a few months instead. Sometime before the '08 season, something got through that thick head and he realized that he was blowing his shot. He came into camp with a different attitude, and Ozzie said okay, let's see if this is for real. I really believe '08 was Ozzie's way of making Anderson prove that he now had a professional approach to the game. Brian accepted his role, did what was asked of him and never, as far as I know, complained about not starting, lack of playing time or whatever. I don't know if Anderson will begin '09 as a starter, but I do believe Ozzie will give him enough playing to prove whether or not he is capable. In other words, Ozzie will give him the chance to earn the position. I also believe that if given that chance, he will succeed.

Here's the way I think things happened with Brian Anderson from the get go through now. He had minor league success generally every step of the way. He made his ML debut in '05 for the eventual World Champs. That off season, KW traded Rowand, which gave Anderson a few of months of time for his head to swell even more, as in "I'm going to be starting CF for the defending World Champs!" So he comes into camp all cocky and thinking his s*** don't stink. The season starts, he struggles but assumes his talent will eventually show itself, therefore he would not listen to Walker or attempt to make any adjustments. I think his attitude is the reason they threw him under the bus after a few weeks of major suckage. Heading into '07, I believe KW, Ozzie, Walk and whoever else had input decided Anderson needed to go down to AAA with the message "Grow the f*** up!" tattoed on him. BA, Mr. Attitude, went down there and pouted for a few months instead. Sometime before the '08 season, something got through that thick head and he realized that he was blowing his shot. He came into camp with a different attitude, and Ozzie said okay, let's see if this is for real. I really believe '08 was Ozzie's way of making Anderson prove that he now had a professional approach to the game. Brian accepted his role, did what was asked of him and never, as far as I know, complained about not starting, lack of playing time or whatever. I don't know if Anderson will begin '09 as a starter, but I do believe Ozzie will give him enough playing to prove whether or not he is capable. In other words, Ozzie will give him the chance to earn the position. I also believe that if given that chance, he will succeed.

Great read. That's exactly the way I see the organization, in general, and KW in particular. He misses at timesbut when you make as many moves as he does that'll happen.

Ozzie seems to think he can play shortstop. I think he might have some inkling of what it takes to be a ML shortstop.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Mar 4, 2009 -> 11:25 PM) What happened to us? You are finally getting smarter!

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Mar 4, 2009 -> 05:40 PM) I think Ozzie will make the right choice this year and start Anderson in CF. I think Getz will get the 2B job, and Lillibridge and Betemit will be on the bench. Basically, I agree with you. However, Nix may beat out Getz for the 2B job. Too early to call.

Guillen won't play Dayan in RF because of a guy named Jermaine Dye. He won't get to play in LF because of Carlos Quentin. Cubano, you add a lot to this board but saying that it makes you mad because Ozzie won't give him a shot in RF really proves your obvious pro-Cuban player bias.

The guy that I compare Owens to is Lance Johnson. Slap hitter, good speed, weak arm. There's only one difference. Johnson was good.

To answer the original question posted in the thread title ... Nope!

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ Mar 1, 2009 -> 12:13 AM) haven't seen this posted, it's an interview with bill melton, regarding the battle at 3B between fields and viciedo also, have you noticed how many sports media columnists, beat writers, etc. mispronounce his name? most if not all of us know how to say his name, and have since the beginning (Vee-See-A-Doe), yet all of these "Professionals" can't seem to get it right. it's fascinating Thanks for posting that. Beltin' Bill has always been one my favorite Sox players.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Feb 25, 2009 -> 03:10 PM) Wow, a little bit of love from Oz to BA. That just feels weird. I've believed, and have said so, that Ozzie made BA pay his dues last year. Brian needed to grow up and Ozzie made that happen. I don't think Ozzie has anything against BA.

Hair of the Dog by Nazareth "Now you're messin' with a son of a b****"

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ Feb 21, 2009 -> 04:51 PM) this is probably the most excited i've been following the sox, for a spring training ever Not to challenge you in any way, but I'd like to hear you elaborate on that as to why you're so excited. It could lead to some good conversation here too.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Feb 21, 2009 -> 10:41 AM) I'd say third, behind Perry and Ventura. Also, I think your statement speaks more to the quality of our 3B's. Sorry, but Perry, while he was good for a short period of time with Sox, doesn't match up to either Ventura or Crede when it comes to quality, long term performance at 3B. I'll tip my hat to Perry, but he doesn't rate near as high in my opinion as the other two.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Feb 21, 2009 -> 09:37 AM) I fail to see how helping someone whos tens of thousands of dollars backwards on their mortgage from going in default before they actually do go in default is bad for the industry. Even if the value of the home goes down to where they are backwards, they should be able to pay their mortgage. If they can't they either had some very unfortunate circumstances happen or they shouldn't have signed the note to begin with. I'd guess that the latter applies to the majority of those in default.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Feb 21, 2009 -> 09:03 AM) I watch the game too, and in about 30+ years of watching, he's the second best 3b we've had. Agreed. Only Robin Ventura was better.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Feb 21, 2009 -> 08:40 AM) Joe Crede made a reputation on this site for being one of the best players on the team in the span of half of a year (September 2005 through the break of 2006). Other than that time frame, he was never anything more than mediocre. I watched the games, too. I just know this much. I'm 51 years old and have been a Sox fan as long as I can remember. I have seen the Sox in the World Series exactly one time, and Joe F'n Crede was a big reason that happened. He will always have my respect unless he does something stupid like PED's or something to that effect. I don't put him on a pedestal (sp?) and I know he's never been more than a solid MLB player when healthy, and his ability to stay healthy is iffy at best, but Joe Crede will always be near the top of my list as favorite players to wear the Sox uniform.

As far as I'm concerned, Joe Crede was the Sox MVP for the '05 stretch run and post season. If that doesn't define clutch, I don't know what does. And don't go pull up some stats that shows someone else hit better through that stretch as Crede, in addition to some HUGE clutch hits, also made quite a few HUGE clutch defensive plays. I think sometimes people forget the fact that though we swept the Astros, we only outscored them by a combined 6 runs in the 4 games. Great pitching, I know, but Joe Crede was nails at 3B.

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Feb 19, 2009 -> 11:38 PM) Lol, how come I gotta clarify everything I say? If a player wasn't a defensive liability on the field, like Thome was when he tried playing 1st base in interleague games, then they wouldn't be relegated to only being used as a DH, now would they? I would guess that you are having to clarify everything you say, because most in here disagree with what you are saying and your reasoning behind it. Therefore, they want to make sure they understand you correctly. Personally, I vehemently disagree with you. Guys that hit 30 dingers and drive in 90 runs aren't real easy to find, whereas utility type players are a lot more prevelent. As valuable as Juan Uribe was to the Sox last year, and he was, there is no way that I'd trade Thome for him.

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Feb 19, 2009 -> 11:05 PM) Lol, I'm sorry, but I'll be honest, it takes more than just monster home run jacks to impress me. I like baseball players that can contribute defensively on the field as well as offensively. It's funny, but I also don't like how the NL has pitchers batting, so I'm at a big personal impasse between how the NL has pitchers batting and how most AL teams utilize slow defensive liabilites as DH's. How can a DH be a defensive liability?

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Feb 19, 2009 -> 07:52 AM) LOL, thats what they want you to think. Keep tuning in, see if they change. Last time I checked, ESPN1000 isnt very chicago focused aside from 3 time slots. Everything else is syndicated "national" radio. ESPN Chicago is probably going to have a 5-15 minute slot for Chicago news and everything else will be what we see on ESPN regularly It's a website, not a ESPN Chicago TV channel.

QUOTE (gbuk @ Feb 19, 2009 -> 01:23 AM) But seriously, even if I took the personal insult back the post still sucks terribly. Life's a b****.

QUOTE (gbuk @ Feb 19, 2009 -> 01:14 AM) Oh nice, you guys take boarding seriously here huh? Epic post right here. Keep talking dude.

QUOTE (gbuk @ Feb 18, 2009 -> 11:24 PM) Yeah man, it's ALL about the cash. You f***ing retard. I was going to delete this post and replace it with this ... This post has been edited by the Soxtalk staff to remove objectionable material. Soxtalk encourages a free discussion between its members, but does not allow personal attacks, threats, graphic sexual material, nudity, or any other materials judged offensive by the Administrators and Moderators. Thank you. ... but since, it's already been quoted in a later post, I'll leave it here as an example of what IS NOT ACCEPTABLE at Soxtalk.com. Personal attacks are not tolerated here. Cease and desist or your time here will be coming to a quick end.