Balta1701

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 03:44 PM) Meh. I actually like a Gillaspie / Bonafacio platoon. I realize that it is more likely to be Beckham, but really the SOX could do much worse. Connor has been very solid against RHP. I honestly wish the SOX would have employed more platoons over the years...they've generally avoided them. I am ok with it as well but now I'm especially worried because this is one of those injuries that can just drag on and destroy a guy for weeks/months.

QUOTE (bmags @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 03:28 PM) I just want to get out of round 1. I keep dreaming bulls suddenly start playing like in December, with beautiful passing and shooting, knocking out western conference teams left and right. We'll see. If Rose was back to where he was in January they'd be better than they were at any point in the year with Noah's gradually improving health and Mirotic getting better and better.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 03:25 PM) To each his own. If I'm a frequent business traveler, I'd prefer to avoid those pilots. If you're a frequent business traveler you probably already have had a pilot with that issue. As well as met them in hundreds of other positions on your trips.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 03:28 PM) I am book marking the post for ideas. I know we won't get down into NC because we are going to Bristol VA/TN to visit family after Gatlinburg, but a lot of the other stuff sounds pretty awesome. I do want to get onto the AT for sure. We have always done hiking stuff with the kids, so they are in pretty good shape. We have a few trails in the Dunes we do, and we pretty much did every trail at Turkey Run last year except the ladders. That drive into NC and back to Gatlinburg is do-able in 1 day and if you can get down to the river (chatahoochee? sp?) it'd be worth it with the kids. It's in NC but it's a 1 day voyage that covers the heart of the park.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 03:10 PM) And to contrast that, no matter what Carlos Rodon states to the press, I see no scenario that keeps him in Chicago past his initial trip to free agency. 3 world series wins in a row, huge revenue boost, sold out stadium every night, then TV contract comes up in 2019.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 16, 2015 -> 09:54 AM) We have a cabin there for three days. I like the nature stuff best, but I am sure we will do some of the other with the kids. Was traveling when you wrote that reply. I did ~3 days in the park before I got ok with it the first time, but one of those days was a long hike. If you're up for a full day, get up in the morning, hit one of the pancake houses, and then head east into the park. The Parkway converts directly to the main road through the park and you'll hit the visitor's center first. Really nice place, even some tiny hikes-to-waterfalls right around it that could be done with youngins. From there, drive up. 441 takes you up across the peak of the range. There are many pullouts on the way, just pick a couple. Stop at the Appalachian Trail overlook/NC/TN boundary, that's also the site Roosevelt inaugurated the park and you can have the kids take a few steps along the AT, which even Ithought was neat. Stop at Clingman's dome next. It's a turnout/1 mile drive. It's a 10-15 minute hike up a slope that will give old folks a workout but it's all paved (full street basically) and there's a visitor's center and the highest peak in the park with a lookout tower designed for tourists. If kids need a break there are benches on the side. From there you head down into NC. There are some gorgeous stops overlooking the ridges on 441 after you get past the peak, probably my favorite ones of the drive. If you've packed a lunch you might be hitting lunchtime somewhere on this drive and some of the bigger pullouts might have a table. Heading further down the slope after a few stops you enter a valley where you follow a river until there's a large open area with a giant visitor's center. Stop there and plan on > 1 hour. Visitor's center, "historic buildings", some actual animals still there including pigs/chickens, you can head in and walk along the river a bit as well. If you're here towards the end of the day you might catch some of the moose in the area but I'm not sure how seasonal they are. You're now right next to Cherokee, NC. If you'd like to stop by and visit any tacky Native American style facilities for shopping, moccasins/beads/all that stereotypical crap it's right down the road. You're also right by the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway. You're also very close to a casino if your family does any of the buffet-dinner things (did that several times, not bad.) If you try heading back through the park, it's great to catch the view from those lookouts on the NC side of the line at around sunset, but 441 gets jam-packed right at the end of the day, esp if its a weekend. You might get caught in 30+ minutes of traffic (weekdays better?). Alternative; you can take I-40 and do an hour-long drive around the park thorugh the mountains to the north that gets you back as well. Other day: Pigeon Forge, dollywood is there if that would be your thing (Maybe not open yet?). Pretty much every chain restaurant you could ask for along with lots of other tourist traps, imagine every tourist trap you could think of it's probably there, including my list from earlier. In a couple weeks the Tennessee Smokies season starts, they're right there, depends on how late your SB is? You'll have to drive through there to get to Gatlinburg anyway, so just kinda keep your eyes open for stuff or look through a Pigeon Forge tourist booklet, there are tons.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 03:03 PM) So you're cool with your pilot battling depression or mental problems? Yes.

QUOTE (bmags @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 03:01 PM) He was injured really early on. Thanks, additional useful detail.

SAE president says they first learned the chant on a national leadership cruise organized by the fraternity's national organization.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 02:55 PM) The question was answered, but I forgot, it isn't Beckham, so no shots are allowed. 2 singles 4 strikeouts, 14 AB, 2 errors. Thanks.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 02:46 PM) Atlanta's beatable in the playoffs. I'd rather wait till the ECF to play any team with LeBron on it. How long are the Bulls likely to stay healthy? If they manage to get Rose and everyone back for round 1, are you confident they could last through round 3 without a serious injury?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 02:51 PM) Struck out a few times, booted a ball, threw one away I believe. But don't knock him, he has upside, other than the fact he can't hit, run, or field. He hit 20 homers last season and his HR rate was probably 6th or 7th on the team. So in other words this was a useless post to bash him? You couldn't actually answer the question with anything productive? Has he hit well or poorly in ST?

Has Davidson done anything noteworthy in ST?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 01:24 PM) Even when/if he gets back here, you aren't going to see "Nate Jones" until 2016. The first year back is almost always a step below the career norms. Is that as regularly true for relievers as it is for starters?

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 01:55 PM) Chris Sale called today's simulated game "a real confidence booster." Threw 5 sets of 15 pitches to hitters. https://twitter.com/ChiTribKane/status/581511877814984704 Coop's encouraged by Chris Sale's 75-pitch simulated game. Next time, Weds could be a minor league game. And, 4/12 continues to look good. https://twitter.com/CSNHayes/status/581506598914297856 The last time Chris Sale pitched a minor league game IIRC one batter did not strike out. The rest did.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 10:08 AM) Lubitz had past bouts with depression and was currently trying to hide an "illness" from his employers. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32087203 Just to stress since lots of the garbage media is ignoring this; most people with depression, even most pilots with depression, do not crash planes into mountains. Most people do not have to inform their employers about personal issues or illnesses or even mental problems.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 09:42 AM) If President Pissypants's foreign policy objectives are to show the world that our allies can't trust us, then he is doing a good job. If our allies want to declare that apartheid is their official policy in order to win elections then they shouldn't be our allies.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 12:08 AM) How do you get doubled up in the Sweet 16? Jesus Christ. They also shot half as well as Kentucky (24% vs. 48%). QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 27, 2015 -> 12:12 AM) Poked the bear for no reason. Yeah, when you're playing a loaded team you don't brag until you actually knock them out.

QUOTE (LDF @ Mar 26, 2015 -> 08:08 PM) let me say it this way, either way, the stats in which the Forbes uses, will still show an improvement in fan attendance regardless of the win-lost record. Possibly because the Sox could be signing advertising contracts for the season during the offseason based on interest levels.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Mar 26, 2015 -> 07:26 PM) If you are the White Sox, do you take your chances and draft Aiken in the first after agreeing to a well below slot signing and than from there have cushion to be a little extra aggressive in the later rounds (nabbing some guys who fell). I guess the question is how much less would Aiken take and what are the Sox view of his recovery / med's and overall upside. If we were picking later in the 1st round, I'd say it was an easier decision. I also am not sure if fact we don't have 2nd / 3rd round picks makes situation better or worse. Yes.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 26, 2015 -> 07:41 PM) Wasn't the rfra specifically in response to a court ruling on the use of peyote in religious ceremonies? ok gays we can legally hate you and force you out of the state and your homes but you get legal pot. Deal?

QUOTE (LDF @ Mar 26, 2015 -> 07:22 PM) nice work, but i would like to disagree, only b/c look at the season tickets being sold last yr and all the new season ticket this yr, let alone more fans buying tickets. the other thing i would like to mention, and i know this sounds or may sound lame, stupid, but if this team, with the addition of the new players, the team may actually have that special something that fan want to go and see them. That's kind of the point. Now they need to *not* go out and wind up doing 2013.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Mar 26, 2015 -> 07:34 PM) Carroll is terrible. Penny appears to be likewise. Pick the best pitcher rather than worry about a long man. Guerra and either Cleto or Albers Youre worrying about a pitcher being terrible and then suggested Cleto?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 26, 2015 -> 06:05 PM) Or that Leury Garcia was abysmal at the plate last season. That wasn't luck. Paul Konerko came back so Leury couldn't get time in AAA where he could actually work. Paul Konerko might have handed Beckham $2 mil this year .

I'll take the under on HR, over on the others.