YASNY

Head to head, I think we'll get the best of them. But their schedule is against the dregs of the AL. We are going to have to play some good baseball against some very good teams to hold off the Twins.

I'll say. Maggs is the most important position player on the team.

I can't believe he'll be around next year if the World Series doesn't open on the south side of Chicago this year.

What do you know, HSC?

I'm with Bmr ... The Twins are the team that concerns me the most.

Miguel will be just fine. I am confidant that he can hold down that starting catcher's position for several years. I like his game.

This schedule is not going to be easy to get through, but I think we can do it. The key games, of course, are against KC and Minnesota. But, we are going to have to look to win every series from here on out. No more road excuses (are you listening, Frank?).

I wouldn't hold my breath, but I'd love to see us go after that Japanese shortstop named Matsui.

This was in the Sun Times this morning:

From Barry Rozner in the Daily Herald:

My sentiments, exactly.

I doubt that they sign Big Cat, as Angelo as said that they aren't interested in going that route. Also, BRob could possibly be suspended by the NFL, so that adds to the depth concerns.

You keep forgetting (or ignoring) the fact that as the season went on, he did, in fact, drastically reduce his walks.

There would have to be some serious retooling. Konerko, Thomas, Lee or Maggs - one of them, at least - would have to go. We are way too right handed oriented in our line up. A good right handed pitcher gives us fits, and that is what we will see in the playoffs, if we get that far. We need better defense in CF than we get from Everett, or more offense than we got from Rowand early. I believe we can place Rowand out there next year and be just fine. If we keep Robbie, then 2b is ok. Jose has had a very good year defensively, but I think his usefullness has about come to an end. Basically, I'm saying a LH RBI producing bat, and better up the middle defense. Then we'd have to address the bullpen. That has been an area of major disappointment.

As long as Rocky's in the other league, I hope he continues to have success. I always liked him when he was here. I thought he was a gutsy pitcher.

You know? ... This Thomas-Konerko-Daubach debate has been going on all season long. Has anybody changed their mind after months and months of discussion and argument? Just curious.

All last winter and the first two months of this season, I heard nothing but Carlos bashing. Everyone wanted to give him away. Well, excepting Heather, of course. Gradually, those "Dumbass Caballo" and yard-gnome remarks have strangely become very rare. Carlos has proved he is a quality all-around major league ballplayer this year.

I'd say you could count on 120,000 under those circumstances. Probably 3 sell outs.

You've got to give Rauch another year to prove himself. It takes time to fully recover from these surguries. I've seen it time and time again. Note that the Yankees signed Jon Leiber to a two year deal when they knew he wouldn't be healthy enough to pitch at all till right about now. They know the history.... out one year, one year of marginal effectiveness, then back to normal. In leiber's case, it will be almost two full years since the surgery by the time spring training rolls around, so he should be back to his normal, high quality pitching self by then.

That's pretty decent for a number 4 starter. Look around baseball and see what other number guys are doing. I'm sure he comes in as "above average".

Finally seeing the Sox in a World Series would be worth the risk of whatever could happen (except losing to the Cubs... no way, no how). Yes, I'd be very happy with an AL pennant, even if we lost the Series. But, with home filed advantage, you know we'd win that too.

The Cubs? Who cares? :fthecubs

And we finish the day 1 game back. Them damn Twinkies keep hanging around. I guess the Sox will just have to put the thump on the Twins themselves.

Damn. I took a chance and picked Crede as my PTC.

Glad you clarified that before we lost one. I would have hated to have lost faith in you.