Balta1701

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Apr 16, 2015 -> 01:25 PM) No, probably not all. I'm sure you can find one or two that didn't. Why did people have to change plans anyway. What about the Obamacare bill required certain kinds of existing private plans to go away??? The PPACA got rid of many of the "faux" insurance plans or whatever you want to call them. There were plenty - people got extremely crappy coverage and didn't realize how bad their coverage was until they actually needed it for something. That meant some people were going to lose plans that they liked and were happy with - but they were commonly happy with it because they didn't need to use it for anything that wasn't covered.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Apr 16, 2015 -> 01:12 PM) You're not as stupid guy, look it up. You gave 4 examples and I showed you that 3 of the 4 were profoundly Democrat-leaning. If you are worried that the 4th one spent enough to out do the other 3, you would be mistaken. Why do you have such a hard time believing that reporters are mostly Democrats? Does that simple fact challenge some fairness view you think you have of the media? Would admitting that the 'other side' is correct on anything just eat at your soul so much that you have to find some way to parse it into being false? I'd love to be able to but that information is not public. Perhaps you'd like to support a bill that would require such things to be disclosed?

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 05:39 PM) Both those are wikipedia. I'll give you Newscorp, but then again, I didn't say all. As for Disney, handy guide at opensecrets showing they donate waaaay more to D than R. Want to try again? http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/totals.php...&cycle=2014 And what amounts do they give through super-PACs?

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 10:03 PM) The Hawkins decision alone should have gotten people fired. The organization had a string of toolsy outfielders and didn't come close to developing one. Every prospect that comes up looks unprepared to hit fastballs Who was drafted shortly after Hawkins that looks much better than him?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 07:29 PM) I misread it. They were up 50% after the first week they were available. Season tickets are up. It might not be 30k a gsmr, but I would bet it is over 25k Just to show how big of a jump 25k would be for this franchise...from 2004-2005 they increased ticket sales by 5000/game. Getting over 25k from 20,381 last year would require the same type of ticket sales boost that the White Sox saw during their world series year. I'm aware season ticket sales were up...but I think they're counting on this team being competitive for that salary boost to hold. And an extra 5000/game is a huge jump for that franchise.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 07:17 PM) They made $31 million last year. Ticket sales are up 50%. Money will not be an object. They're on pace for 30,000/game? Holy moly where did you hear that?!?!?!?!?!

QUOTE (raBBit @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 07:08 PM) So if I asked you before the season which team would have a better chance at a Championship the 2015 or 2016 White Sox you would say 2015? Without even seeing the team I can say the latter. The Sox improved all they did by moving Semien and some meh players and cutting a few checks. Obviously LaRoche, Cabrera and Ramirez are getting older but Cabrera is the only one under contract in '17. The payroll is pretty tidy and very efficient away from Danks. You're also assuming Samardzija is gone and the Sox have no money to spend. The Sox seem to think they can sign him so there is money for that type of signing (for sake of argument say 100 million) whether it is Samardzija or not. There is plenty of RHSP depth on the FA market so even if they can't sign Samardzija there will be a surplus of RHSP out there. Samardzija, as an asset, holds potential in more than one way even if the Sox are out of it by July. They can trade him, take compensation or make him a part of their longterm foundation. You're really ignoring these mitigations in the acquisition. It's not as do or die as you're implying. I'm assuming that...if they don't at least come close to the playoffs again this year, they're not going to see enough revenue growth to support the current payroll, or maybe even wind up with another year of revenue erosion, and hence there will have to be a step backwards next year. Getting off to a sad, sloppy start that looks disturbingly like the previous rebuilding years is not what I'd guess they were hoping for in terms of revenue growth. Edit: Also Yes, I'd have said 2015. Same reason - this franchise doesn't seem able to sustain $115 million payrolls unless they're winning.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 06:26 PM) I think for the most part, the guys making the mistakes are the guys you would expect to make the mistakes. The one exception is Eaton. He has made a couple of blunders on the bases and in the field, but I wonder if any of it is him trying to justify his contract. I think once he gets going, assuming no major injuries, the offense takes off, which may take some pressure off the defense, and the routine plays become routine again. Gillaspie has been awful with the glove. The baserunning is well documented. They worked on that pretty hard. I think the decision making will improve, but I think people thought Vince Coleman making all the difference in the world was beyond wishful thinking. Eaton stole 15 last year. Vince has been with a few organizations as a baserunning instructor. I think if he routinely made 15 SB guys 40-50 SB guys, he would have been unavailable. It takes time to change. Do you think that this team is a team that is not talented enough to compete for the division this year?

QUOTE (raBBit @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 06:47 PM) They spent all of the money this offseason to better position themselves to compete yearly. Sure, they would like to go to playoffs this year, and the Sarmarzija trade shows they put themselves out there to do just that, but this offseason was a risk-averting step in the right direction. This team could compete, but there are holes or deficiencies that could keep them home in October. This last week of baseball doesn't change anything. This offseason the front office cracked the window of contention open, next year they should be considered something close to a division favorite with team they field. Without money to spend, yes they'll be adding Rodon to the rotation but as a rookie and with Samardzija gone? With guys like LaRoche, Cabrera, Ramirez another year older? Maybe even having traded away Ramirez to play a rookie? I still don't see how this team gets better next year unless they suddenly "play less sloppy".

QUOTE (raBBit @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 06:28 PM) The effect a manager has on the game is overstated so much in Chicago. The South Side thinks the team isn't a playoff team because of Ventura, the North Side thinks their team is a championship contender based on Maddon. Both assumptions are equally dubious. They spent $50 million+ this offseason betting that they were a playoff team. That's a bet someone will lose if they're not.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 06:24 PM) Well hey, if Danks could pitch more than 5 innings without running out of gas then we wouldn't be having this conversation would we. What ifs are always fun Throwing a ball to his SS on a caught stealing without it going into LF would help as well.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 06:10 PM) No. Look up his White Sox resignation. For the White Sox resignation it doesn't sound like they worked that hard to keep him. They kept other coaches and let him Walk.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 06:10 PM) No. Look up his White Sox resignation. And why did you delete your post? Because I decided it wasn't appropriate and decided to change what I'd said.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 06:03 PM) I quess the truth is something you ignore when it makes you wrong. You're right, both of Greg Walker's removals were resignations before he was going to be fired.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 05:58 PM) You may want to look that one up. He left on his own. Sounds like an even better plan and I support it.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 05:53 PM) He lives in Georgia, the Braves job was the only one he would take after he left the White Sox and the White Sox didn't want him to leave. It is easy to say no one would hire him, but when that was said before, one of the better organizations in baesball hired him, so that assumption was wrong, and you offer nothing to say it is now correct. So yeah, OK. I don't want you to leave either, but I'm sorry you're fired, you can't come back here either. I'm nice like that.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 04:26 PM) So far, this season has been the worst in terms of sloppiness. Even in the 3 games they've won, they played sloppy in those (especially in the last two wins). Disagree on the grounds that I watched 2013.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 04:24 PM) Sorry if it was posted, how many years left does robin have on his contract? IMO, the sox will never fire him but I could see them not renewing his contract when it's up IIRC we were never told. We knew he originally had a 3 year deal but then we were told after year 2 he signed a "contract extension" but the length was never given.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 04:22 PM) Today was the first game that I really think his poor choices made an impact on the outcome. With that said, if this team keeps executing as poorly as they have, I'm sure he'll be let go after the season. Again to note...the bolded continues to be the short definition of the last 3 years of the Robin Ventura era.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 11:55 AM) Do you dispute that the media in this country is heavily Democrats? I know you can google donation histories. If I am watching the evening news or a 24-7 network...am I getting the opinion of that reporter, or am I getting a story selected for reporting by higher ups who report to Disney, Comcast, Viacom, or Newscorp, or is it a mix of both?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 04:16 PM) Retired. A guy resigns so that he won't be fired, no one else will hire him, and you call that retired. Ok.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 04:08 PM) To say those guys wouldn't be hired is just saying it. Greg Walker got a job in about 5 minutes after resigning from the White Sox. He, according to this board would never get a job. Where's he at today?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 04:10 PM) I remember one time Ozzie made somebody bunt with 2 strikes and the same thing happened and all the outrage. I remember thinking at the time that it was to prove a point to the front office or something. That they got him players who should be able to bunt who can't even f***ing bunt. The best one by far was the time he had Alexei bunt and Alexei bunted into a triple play.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 02:41 PM) After seeing how contentious his draft signing was, I see no good reason to believe that. Again, after we've won 4 world series in a row we'll easily be ready to spend $280 million to hold onto Rodon.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Apr 15, 2015 -> 02:33 PM) Unless the pitchers have access to a revolutionary new PED that can't be detected through normal testing, I can't see how they can help Well not throwing the ball into LF as happened today would help.