whitesoxfan101

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 10, 2008 -> 10:58 AM) In terms of Ellis Burks's numbers, I can sum up in 1 word why I feel that is a poor comparison: Colorado. Dude spent 5 or so of his prime years hitting for the Rockies. That alone can be expected to totally throw off one's career numbers. Jim Rice was a career .277/.330/.459/.789 away from Fenway and .320/.374/.546/.920 at Fenway. Burks for his career in general was .279/.352/.480/.832 away from home and .304/.375/.542/.917 at home. They both benefitted playing in some good parks to hit, but keep in mind Rice spent his ENTIRE career at Fenway, perhaps the best park ever built for right handed power hitters, although Burks was in Colorado and Boston most of his until having some nice years later on in Cleveland. The similarities never end with those two.

I remember NIU recruiting him somewhat out of high school, but backed off him when we got a verbal from Cyrus Tate. Problem is, Tate didn't qualify, went JUCO, and ended up at Iowa. Anyways, I hope that kid continues to improve, you know he'll get a shot in the NBA just with that size, but the problem is he can't run right now.

QUOTE(WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Jan 9, 2008 -> 07:52 PM) Rice won't get in next year. The only reason his vote total was so high was that there was not clear cut hall of famer. Next year that won't be the case. Rickey is the only clear cut next year though I believe. As for the Ellis Burks/Jim Rice comparision I made, to be fair, I'll back it up with career stats: average/on base/slugging/ops: Burks: .291/.363/.510/.873 Rice: .298/.352/.502/.854 home runs: Burks: 352 Rice: 382 doubles: Burks: 402 Rice: 373 triples: Burks: 63 Rice: 79 stolen bases: Burks: 181 Rice: 58 hits: Burks: 2107 Rice: 2452 runs: Burks: 1253 Rice: 1249 OPS+ Burks: 126 Rice: 128 30+ home runs seasons: both had 4, and both had 1 season of 40+ Even for fans of defense!! range factor: Burks: 2.08 Rice: 2.10 fielding percentage: Burks: .983 Rice: .980 putouts: Burks: 3,436 Rice: 3,103 assists: Burks: 83 Rice: 137 (maybe his one huge edge) Burks had one gold glove and Rice had none. Also keep in mind looking at some of the cumulative stats, Rice had ONE THOUSAND more at bats (well 993, but close enough) than Burks. Burks also played in 2,000 games to Rice's 2,089. Despite that, Rice finished his career with 83 more strikeouts and 123 less walks. They both retired as OF/DH their whole career (and Rice spent 224 more games at DH). The one big advantage Rice has is about 450 more total bases, but hey almost 1,000 extra trips to the box will do that for you. Anybody that can look at those numbers and say Rice is a hall of famer must: 1. Think Ellis Burks is a Hall of Famer. 2. Not know the difference between "Hall of Fame" and "Hall of really good" They were both 6'2 and 205 pounds btw, which is interesting, although I never saw Burks as a juicer, so I'm not sure how that would factor here. I just hope Rice doesn't get in, some of the people already in are bad enough, but he'd be right up there on the all time list. I hate the Boston/east coast media, they are the only reason this is even an issue, while Tim Raines can't even get 30 percent of the vote.

The fact that Jim Rice and his Ellis Burks-esque numbers will probably get in next year makes me sad, he shouldn't be allowed into Cooperstown without a ticket. And Tim Raines BETTER get in, it's sad his vote total was so low this year.

Never thought I'd see the day where Illinois State is the best team in the land of Lincoln by far, Illinois would suck again in basketball, and Drake is leading the pack in the Valley....

If you fire Bruce and make whoever the new coach is keep Jerrance Howard, none of the verbals (including the Crandall Head one coming Sunday) are lost IMO. He'll never get fired with Guenther outgoing and those classes coming in soon, but damn there is no reason not to. Bruce should give Jerrance half his salary, he's saving his job right now. Without those verbals, he'd be in deep doo doo.

UCLA will be on probation before they can ever compete with USC. Neuheisel is a great coach but he's also scum, he makes Kelvin Sampson look like a choir boy. And as long as Carroll is at USC, you can't compete with them, they are literally like an NFL team.

QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 12:36 PM) (and slaton didn't even play!) Well that wasn't a factor, Noel Devine is the TRUTH and already better than Slaton.

The one reason I think this is worth the risk, other than Swisher being really good, is that I'm always willing to risk giving up 2 pitchers when they are both 5'11/6 feet even in height. I know that might be silly logic, but any starter at that height is an inherent injury risk.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 01:49 PM) Which does what for us exactly? Nothing, however at least we'll be a little more fun to watch. Baby steps with this general manager my friend, baby steps.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 01:44 PM) I think you'll see Swish bat 2nd with OCab leading off, at least to start the season, something like: Cabrera Swish Thome PK Dye AJ Fields Quentin Richar I got to admit that lineup looks much better than last years, the rotation still is just ugly at this point. Last year=Pitching and hitting sucked. This year=Pitching sucks. We still aren't a team that's going to the playoffs, but at least we are improved to the point where we can go around .500 and finish in 3rd. The problem just remains we have no farm system, that is KW's undoing.

QUOTE(GoSox05 @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 01:42 PM) I have a feeling Nick Swisher will fit in with the Sox south side fans. Yeah, he's going to be a beloved figure on this team by the fans, especially if his numbers are where they should be playing 81 games in our park. The dude is a freaking nut case, he's like a much more talented version of A.J.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 01:36 PM) Just because they are 3 of our top prospects, that doesn't mean they are good... what are you people talking about!?!? Everyone here had given up on Ryan Sweeney, now he's a prospect that it hurts to trade? DLS is a bullpen bound player who won't arrive for 3 seasons, and Gio we all knew was trade-bait. Swisher will be a monster in the Cell. I can't believe I'm saying this, but agreed 100 percent on all counts.

This is going to shock you guys, but I LOVE this deal. Swisher is exactly what we need (and all things consider, I'd MUCH MUCH rather have him than Rowand or Hunter or even Andruw Jones right now). Giving up Sweeney, whatever I don't care. Giving up DLS and Gio obviously kills whatever was left of our farm system, and they are nice prospects, but neither of them is a sure thing. Gio isn't getting any taller and has spent 2 straight years in double A, and DLS is still a few years away. Plus we have Swish under control for a few more years (through 2011 or 2012 right?) and on the cheap IIRC. I got to give Kenny credit, I didn't see this one coming but it's pretty good. Oh, and what is with Oakland and our farm system, they LOVE our young guys.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 11:32 AM) Let me put this another way, as a Sox fan. If the Sox clinch the division on Sept 20, I'm setting up my rotation to give me the best chance of winning the playoffs and the WS. I'm resting resting players who need rest and playing those guys who have been riding the pine that may need a few at bats to regain their sharpness. I don't give a rats ass who we are playing and how it effects some other teams playoff possibilities. I am looking to win it all and to hell with everybody else and their fans. And did I say f*** Cleveland? Yeah. And that's exactly what we did the last series against Cleveland in 2005. And we STILL swept them 3 in a row and knocked them out of the playoffs with our backups and minor league players who weren't even on the playoff roster. Cleveland=Pathetic Personified.

Question for those smarter than me on politics (everybody who has posted in this thread, in other words): Just how important is the Iowa Caucus? I know it's the first one and happens here at the start of the year of the election, but what happens tonight matter as much as the media is making it seem like? Thanks in advance for any help you can give to a novice here.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 10:54 AM) If you have nothing to gain by winning, you keep your best players on the bench once you feel they've gotten enough playing time to keep them sharp. As for the time out, if you lose a 2nd stringer, that could cost you a playoff game if your starter gets injured in a playoff game. I don't blame the Colts one damn bit. And as a Sox fan, let me add this: f*** Cleveland. Exactly. The NFL roster only has 53 players, so you can't just bench key special teams guys. I'm not sure what his name is, but I'm sure Indy has a special teams star like Brendon Ayanbadejo is for the Bears. Let's say the Colts call timeout there, and that guy obviously is out there on the punt, and he gets injured. The odds of that are low, but all of us who have watched sports a long time know it's possible. THAT is why you clinch that first round bye as early as possible like the Colts, so that risk isn't necessary. If Cleveland wanted to be in the playoffs, they should have beat that awful Cincinnati team in week 16. Simple as that.

Last night's random thoughts: Drake is awfully good. SIU is playing a lot better right now despite this loss and the Butler ending, but Drake is awfully good. Justin Johnson is a madman, but IU should still be happy. Big 10 road wins are more valuable than free gasoline. Michael Thompson on Northwestern is a hell of a player. With the way NU continues to improve recruiting, they could be respectable by the time "Juice" is an upperclassmen. This may sound blasphemous, but as a college team, I think this UNC team might be better than the one who beat Illinois in the title game. Oh, and Jimbo: Illinois State is THE best team in Illinois right now. Jank is doing a hell of a job there, and although he's a terrible head coach, Judson is a nice guy and I'm glad to see him doing well as an assistant down there.

QUOTE(WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 12:04 AM) care to explain? It was bulls*** what he did. I could care less if he rests his players, but try to win the f***in game and don't bend over like a little b****. Give me a break!! If Cleveland wanted to be in the playoffs, they should not have lost to a HORRIBLE Cincinnati team in week 16. Indianapolis earned that #2 seed and first round bye, and thus earned the right to do whatever the hell they wanted to on Sunday night.

This is the second straight year Oklahoma cost me a legit shot at winning the bowl pool I'm in AND made me look like a complete retard, so f*** you Bob Stoops!! Seriously, you get back to back BCS trips AND get to face a non BCS school and then a team coming off their most crushing loss in school history AND just lost their coach, and you lose both games? When you combine that with that 40 point loss they had to USC in the title game a few years ago as well, Bob Stoops is starting to look like a horrific bowl game coach. I'm done with picking OU in the postseason. Now you would THINK tonight's game will finally be our first competitive BCS game, but who the hell knows anymore.

QUOTE(palehose23 @ Jan 2, 2008 -> 12:10 AM) Stop whining because the poll didn't go your way!!! People were ask for their opinion and given 4 choices and they responded- where does intelligence come into to play here? I am sure that most (like me) would have wanted another option such as KW is on the hot seat- and I am pissed but he deserves a chance. Maybe you were under the impression that Sox fans are smarter than any other fandom but the realization is finally hitting you and its a bitter pill to swallow. Hope you have a Happy New Year and let the season play out before you make your judgments on this 08 season. Whining? I'm just sad that our fans aren't all that bright, and yes it's a bitter pill to swallow when I see the majority of our fans are wrong. I hope you have a good excuse after we finish in 4th again this year though.

Nothing says class like calling the most accurate kicker in NFL history who made a ton of big kicks for your team a "drunken idiot" on national television.

The USC front 7 is as good as I've EVER seen at the college level, but their secondary was atrocious. Taylor Mays is really just an OLB playing safety, and the rest of their rotation was very mediocre. Receivers were open all night, Illinois should have thrown the ball way more, although admittedly it's hard to because their front 7 gets to the QB so fast. I'd say they have 5 future NFL pro bowlers in their front 7, just ridiculous. And you just can't see me on Joe McKnight being this scary Reggie Bush type with what Vontae did to him, and he was held on check other than the fluke lateral play. The biggest problem yesterday was the Illinois LB's and safties are just too slow to cover a team with lots of fast personnel like USC, which is why I appreciate guys like J Leman and Mitchell and Harrison and Sanders and Steele et al, but they'll be replaced by guys with much better speed and that's a good sign. Basically, the Illinois offense wasn't out of it's league (it's offensive coordinator just was in the 1st half), but the Illinois defense was WAY out of it's league. Oh, and on a random note, OU might beat West Virginia tonight in a beating equal to the first 2 BCS games.

Ehh the spread that predicted USC is 2 touchdowns better was about right.....problem is, 3 drives where the ball is inside the USC 20 that led to 0 points. That turns what probably should have been a 49-34 ish type game where both defenses were torched into a blowout. Illinois was obviously overwhelemed, hopefully they live and learn because they'll be back. After the INEXCUSEABLE 15 play script of Locks ran out, the offense I thought was fine in terms of moving the ball, just the damn turnovers (If Willis doesn't fumble, the game might go totally different). Ah well, Illinois is still a couple years away and stuff like today happens, at least they know what it's like to play in a game like that now. The defense simply was overmatched, I appreciate the seniors contributions to the program, but their lack of speed/talent will not be missed when guys like Martez and Donsay and so on are starting next year. Congrats to USC, oh and I apologize to Michigan and their fans, and great job today by you guys. To beat Florida in Florida with a -4 turnover difference is incredible. And wow, people think Illinois was overmatched......I don't think I've EVER seen a QB take a beating as bad as Brennan did tonight. Maybe the Boise State anomoly/fluke of last year will now be forgotten, these non BCS schools just aren't good enough unless they get to play a team with no QB (Oklahoma) or are like Utah and get to play the worst team to ever play in a BCS game, 2004 Pittsburgh. And enjoy the NFL Rashard, you earned it all season and today as well.

Many said the Chick-Fil-A Bowl would be the best non-BCS game and they were right, what a great matchup, Auburn beats Clemson in OT as the Tigers suffer yet another heartbreaking loss. Auburn went for it on 4th and inches at the 15 instead of taking the tie, made it, and won it 3 plays later. Good stuff. Oh, and the Big 10 would like to thank Indiana for getting their ass kicked and embarassed by a 6-6 team who was blown out by Troy earlier this year.