YASNY

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Feb 11, 2005 -> 08:26 AM) It's called covering your ass when the loot isn't really there. How do you figure. Schuler had the same owner. Hemond had Veeck for an owner and cash was a mirage with Wild Bill. I think the guy is just more open than his predecessors. As an after thought, I'm not sure about the Hemond-Veeck duo.

I guess we all agree that Shingo is a one inning pitcher. Someone email Ozzie and make sure he gets the word.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Feb 11, 2005 -> 08:07 AM) I like to see this. I remember when KW first got the job, all of the complaints about how he treated people. I think with him dealing face to face with these guys, it will help to make this team more cohesive, and if people leave it will tend to be on better terms. Yes, but we all remember KW and Ordonez sitting together at the ballpark after the injury.

QUOTE(mreye @ Feb 11, 2005 -> 07:58 AM) I don't care that he calls him Dumsfeld. But, he wanted to start this thread as a serious dicussion about Iraq. He's contradicting himself. That's all. He seems to be the only one enjoying this thread.

QUOTE(upnorthsox @ Feb 11, 2005 -> 05:01 AM) All the pitching staffs have ?????, I know it's stating the obvious but it needed to be said. However, with El Duque as our #3 and the ???? about his durability there's no way we should be considered a top 5 staff, I mean where would you rate us if Gar is our #3? That's what we'll have if El Duque can't go. Btw, I can't believe the no love that Radke is getting here, if we had signed him away from the Twinks that would've been the coup of the whole off-season and I'd now be driving Sox ALC Champions train. Radke's solid. Not great, but solid. As far as El Duque is concerned, I really don't think he'll have any health problems. He's a full two years removed from the surgery and should be 100% healthy. I know I'm going out on a limb here, but just hand me the saw and if he goes on an extended DL stay, I'll cut the limb myself.

Two thoughts. 1. This lady wanted some and By God she was gonna get some. 2. The guy never should have said, "I'd give my left nut if you'd just go away."

I liked Carlos Lee as much as anybody other than Heather However, he was traded for a reason, or a multitude of reasons. Again, Juggs, you assuming the other GM would agree to take who you'd rather give them, instead of who they got. I reiterate that you cannot make that assumption, no matter what kind of logic you choose to back your statement up with. It just doesn't fly. Whether those reasons are because Ozzie soured on him, the BrewCrew GM insisted on Lee or KW felt that Lee wasn't the direction he wanted to continue, the deal was made because both GM's believed it would improve their club in the short or long haul. You also have to consider that maybe KW believed Konerko was the one he valued more out of the two. He certainly has more information on Konerko and Lee than we do. Hell, it's possible the Brewers asked for PK and KW refused to part with him. We can't, and don't, know these things. Nor do we know all the details of the organizational discussions to determine assets, strengths, weaknesses or whatever. There are simply too many unknown variables to say 1. We should have sent Konerko. and 2. Milwaukee would have accepted Konerko.

QUOTE(thomsonmi @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 05:27 PM) There are studies out there which show that the #9 hitter leads off innings the second most often (behind #1). I believe it is for this reason that many American League teams view the #9 spot as a second leadoff spot. There is a reason why #9 gets so many lead off opportunities. Most AL teams put their worst hitter at number 8 so they can use the #9 guy as the second leadoff hitter. It's kind of a cause and effect thing. As for the comment made about the worst hitter batting 9th, that is true in both leagues ... National and Little ... and in the NL it is partially to keep the current pitcher in the game as long as possible. Notice, I said partially. Double switches are used to accomplish the same thing.

Ross Gload did a very good job last year. We couldn't have asked anything more from the guy. However, Carl Everett is a very solid, proven, major league ballplayer. The only way Gload will replace Everett is if he just makes it impossible for Ozzie not to give it to him. For example, like Rowand did last year. Ozzie could not keep the guy on the bench because he consistantly outproduced every other option for CF Ozzie had at his disposal. Gload won't win the job in ST. And to do so during the season will take a helluva lot.

I really enjoyed reading that piece, Tlak. Thank you.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 12:07 PM) Thats not actually true. Canseco's statement was: I injected Mark. Either he did or he did not. If he did, then there is no slander, defamation, etc because truth is a defense. You can not be truthful and be slanderous. If he did not, then there is no possible way to say that he did not make the statement with out knowing it was false, or with out a reckless disregard for the truth. By injecting himself into the statement, he has helped and hurt himself. He has first destroyed one of the arguments that he could have made in defending a defamation case, that eventhough it may be false it was not done with malice, but at the same time made it substantially harder for potential plaintiff because the burden is on them, and they will have to prove that Canseco did not do the things that he claims to have done, or seen what he claims to have seen. Also the burden of proof in a Civil case is a lower standard, perponderance of the evidence, but that means that any plaintiff will have to bring evidence to negate Canseco's statements. This is what will prove to be very hard. As unless they can bring in eye witnesses who can account for almost every action that was taken in the clubhouses etc, it will still come down to: Does the jury believe Canseco, or do they believe the plaintiff? Also, since Mark is going to be trying to prove he did not use steriods, the defense will be able to bring other evidence to prove that he did use steriods. Since the trial is public, will Mark and other players really want to go down that road. My feeling is that they will not. SB Interesting choice of words there.

QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 09:24 PM) Wow, his name really is going to come out... I bet the Cubs thought they would ditch a lot of these issues when they dumped Sosa, now it's going to be a circus at ST for them Don't gloat too damn much. We don't know who else is mentioned in that book.

QUOTE(Heather Lee @ Feb 11, 2005 -> 01:20 AM) In the early stages of last season, nobody was able to figure out Shingo. But, as the season progressed and players were seeing him the second, third, and fourth times around, it didn't seem Shingo had the same "command" that he had in the first half of the season. No knock on Shingo's season last year; he had a great year. But he clearly had a better opening than closing half, which leads to my question. Now that hitters have had an entire season of facing him, will he decline in effectiveness, or will he still baffle hitters? First of all, I think the key to Shingo having success in '05 is how Ozzie uses him. He should be used for 1 inning or less every time out. Also, if the Sox have a 3 run lead, Ozzie should let one of the other guys get the save and rest Shingo, unless it's a game they absolutely have to win. For example, one to break a losing streak or a game vs. the Twins. Ozzie will have to protect Shingo or he'll be worn down by year's end.

QUOTE(Heather Lee @ Feb 11, 2005 -> 01:12 AM) Don't forget they lost Mulder to the Cards, which immediately drops the overall quality of their rotation. I know Zito's damn good, and Harden's pretty solid. But, outside of those two, there's no starter there that scares me when thinking of our hitters. I wouldn't be surprised if we actually win the season series from Oakland this year. I'm not forgetting about Mulder, or Hudson for that matter. I'm looking at what they do have, and I think those guys are pretty good. They have the chance to be damn good.

One thing I like about KW is that he is more open about how he does his job. This being an example. I've learned more about how a GM thinks and what he does to attempt to accomplish his goals by reading about KW than any other GM the Sox have had through the years.

I predict this thread will soon be pinned.

Someone can open up the predictions thread whenever. I'm not predicting till close to the end of March.

I'll say this much about Oakland's staff. It certainly has the potential to better than ours. In fact, it can easily be much better. But again, that's potential.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 09:27 AM) You're 100 years too late, well at least for us (that's what the Aboriginals would say). Better late than never. heh heh heh

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 09:20 AM) And don't forget the Aussies and the British while you're at it. That's right. They need democracy too. Send in the troops!

QUOTE(Steff @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 09:19 AM) Maybe it's just me.. but I have no doubt there's a LOT of fire under that smoke. I believe what Jose's saying a lot more than I doubt it. Ditto. And as far as "creditability" is concerned, how many John Gotti's would have been convicted if they couldn't use the testimony of other mobsters.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 08:50 AM) Some more gems here from the man himself; Wow! A professional athlete complaining "It's all about the money". How ironic is that?

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Feb 10, 2005 -> 09:11 AM) How long until we have another Iraq situation possibly? Just as soon as we finish with Iran.