Balta1701

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 03:39 PM) Just like any other "drug" there are many ways to mask them during tests. It's like talking down on someone who got a ticket for speeding. Even if you haven't received a ticket for it, we are all guilty of doing it. Just because players don't get caught, doesn't mean they haven't done something like this. It's best to simply leave your personal feelings out of it or not watch professional sports, period. Isn't the entire point of watching professional sports that you have a personal connection to it? I watch because I happen to have a favorite team determined almost entirely by the random location in the country where I was born. It's certainly not logical in the least, I could absolutely find more rational and productive things to do with my time. It's almost entirely a silly, emotion-driven choice and I'm ok with that. My personal reactions and feelings are pretty much the only thing I care about with sports and the only motivation I'd have to watch them. So if my gut reaction is negative...that's a hard thing to deal with.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 03:20 PM) It's not personal, take a deep breath. Everything that was glaringly wrong with the 2014 team has been adequately (in some cases more than adequately) filled in one offseason and the Sox still have Montas, Danish and Anderson in the minors. That's a feat. To then say you struggle to support the entire team because they signed one guy it's just... a dumb thing to say. A dumb thing to subscribe to. Unless you wanted to just see everyone develop and keep Semien, Bassitt and the payroll flexibility to make a run in 2016, then I'd at least understand it. But if you liked the Shark trade and all the other moves that built the Sox into an overnight contender you have to be able to see the forest through the trees and get what the Sox are doing. Just be a fan and enjoy it as a whole instead of picking the parts you don't like then using that as jusjustification to hate on the whole thing. Saying "anyone who agrees is similarly stupid" is pretty much the definition of making it personal, and you continue to do it here. "It's not personal you're dumb" does not work.

QUOTE (shipps @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 02:44 PM) This doesn't make you a better fan or person than anyone else. Every one is free to support however they want. I always felt as if people who didn't like certain players for whatever reason felt as if every person should agree and do the same. It's just not the case. QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 03:05 PM) If you cannot find it in yourself to support this team with the guys they already had and the commitments they made to try and win you're just being a petulant little whiner. I'm not a big fan of Melky Cabrera but whatever, it's one move out of the 6 major moves they've made this offseason. He's better than Viciedo, I'm at least pretty sure of that. The idea that anyone could struggle to support the 2015 White Sox is stupid. Anyone who agrees is similarly stupid. You don't even have to expect them to win, but not supporting the haste under which the Sox have been rebuilt is pretty indefensible. Shipps, it took me a while to figure out why your post was bothering me, but this post cleared it up. You're right, everyone is free to support who they want, but I see your post replying to me saying why I take into account both the front and back of the jersey...and then I see this kind of post calling everyone who has a negative response to signing a guy like this "Stupid petulant little whiners' and I wonder why the people who don't like a player like Cabrera are the ones who get the "everyone should support who they want" response. Getting called "stupid" "Petulant little whiners" cleared that up for me, and that's not the only post in this thread espousing that.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 03:00 PM) So if they release him and another team signs him, what is the salary? The negotiated deal or some portion of the 4.4 million? They haven't negotiated a deal yet, I'm guessing the penalty they're talking about relates to a guy who goes through the full arbitration process and is released rather than signs an actual extension. As of right now, the $4.4 million is an estimate produced by Baseball-Reference's calculator.

QUOTE (MAX @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 02:51 PM) He played in like 3 games of the playoffs I bet. Its different when its a full time starter and major piece of the team. I also wonder if the time he started was not "the beginning of the 2006 season". Take a look at his numbers.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 02:29 PM) I cheer for the name on the front of the jersey. I cheer for both. Applauded Frank when he was with other teams, laughed when Garland gave up 2 home runs to him, cheered for him against any other team. Still like watching Buehrle pitch. Hated watching Konerko playing as a shell of his former self because of what the player had once been. Definitely did not enjoy watching guys like ManRoid, Brett Myers put on our uniform. Will figure out how to cheer for name on front, but doesn't mean I ignore the name on the back.

I should be able to get to the 2 games they play in Pittsburgh next June.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 02:00 PM) To the pro-Saladino crowd, I like him as much as the next guy and I was hoping he gets called up last September before he got hurt. But if we are penciling in a guy who's coming off TJS and never played in the majors before as our primary backup infielder, we are digging a big hole for ourselves. "Primary backup infielder" wouldn't be a problem role for Saladino, even if he hit poorly, defense and flexibility would be tolerable. The problem is that we still have those couple guys with major platoon splits - LaRoche and Gillaspie, where you'd want the guy on the bench to be more than a backup.

Yes. Still will probably figure out a way to but currently don't want to.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 01:42 PM) Okay, but the suspension happened in 2012. Last year should have cleared those concerns Yeah, but then the "WTF was his 2013 season" worry hits, where he put up a .682 OPS right after the suspension and didn't last a full season. With how his career has gone, I could easily convince myself that was the year he was clean & that last year he went back on something to try to get another contract. But anyway, still a move they had to make.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 01:38 PM) melky's past is just a red flag in the same way other players have red flags. if he's suspended then our LF goes back to being equal to what Viciedo's WAR was going to be. 0. So we just bank on it not happening as we would any other injury flare up. That's where we're at. It's a red flag of no larger importance than another. The part of the steroid red flag you haven't acknowledged is the guys who have their production fall off a lot once they're off the steroids.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 09:19 AM) In related news, Balta's offseason from hell continues. wink. Yeah, I'm not even going to bother making a steroid joke, but if you're making the last 2 moves you have to make this one.

QUOTE (Knuckles @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 10:57 AM) There has been very little talked about the catcher they picked up from Marlins. What happens to Nieto, after spending a full year with the major league team they send him down to minors? Does he have to clear waivers? Nieto should have options remaining and therefore should be able to be sent down without clearing waivers

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 06:42 PM) beside tired arms, i would really like a backup pitcher in case of injury. By my count...that's Carlos Rodon. And I will not be mad in the least if Rodon has to take a rotation slot early because of injury. Put these 5 out and if someone gets hurt, Rodon comes up early. That's about as good of a 6th starter as I've ever imagined...as long as we're not dumb enough to put him in the bullpen where his arm isn't stretched out. I mean, imagine when Danks went down in 2011 that we had a stretched out Chris Sale ready to replace him. We were far enough back that it wouldn't have saved the season...but that's exactly what you want! A guy goes down and a guy who makes Joe Mauer say "WTF just happened" takes his spot!

QUOTE (Brian @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 06:33 PM) Egg nog has never been my bag. I'm having my traditional egg nog made of bourbon and ice cubes.

Don't want to take him without his supplier though.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 06:28 PM) PLATOON ..... and here i am thinking you are talking about getting Melky. jezze. yeah i am with you on 2 platoon players. as sick as I am at the concept of a juicer in RF, if I have to face him in RF versus "trading for a pitcher we're about to lose and then going with Viciedo in RF to make sure we lose him", fine give me the juicer and I'll start booing him.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 06:19 PM) i still have concerns of the tired arms of the pitchers come next playoff. see i am very sure they will be in the playoff. Bah, if this team gets to the playoffs I actually have pretty much ever confidence that tired arms will not be an issue. THere's always extra rest time during the playoffs unless you push the #1 starter to 265 innings because he's doing that incredible...and if Chris Sale just decides to win a world series on his own a-la I'm probably ok with that. I can buy this team being a team you don't want to face in the playoffs. I can't buy this team getting to the playoffs with things like "Viciedo on the roster" and "No platoon partners for Gillaspie or LaRoche".

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 06:23 PM) The Sox are not changing several players. Who do you suggest are the several that they should change? I'm ok with weaknesses at catcher and 3b and 2b if we fix the gaping hole in RF, but that doesn't mean those positions aren't weak. People have been trying to tell us how we should go for Castro or Headley all offseason to replace those guys, while I keep replying that upgrading to an average player in RF is a much bigger improvement than upgrading 3b or C to an all star. And we absolutely need 2 platoon partners that we currently don't have for these guys.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 06:05 PM) i would like to acquire a pitcher who may be a yr or 2 from FA, they will be a perfect short fix then QD and then get a pick. I think they're in real good shape with their rotation. I can name a solid 1-6 and maybe even a 1-7. If 1-3 go down long term there's no way in hades we're replacing them, but there's nothing you can do about that. I more worry about the lineup and the bench.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 06:05 PM) Sox put themselves in a position to be competitive. That's all. They didn't mortgage the future, nor should we, and I certainly hope we don't. There's no reason to. You can't snap your fingers on a 73 win team, make a bunch of moves and say "We're winning the world series this year." At least not this 73 win team which was a legitimate 73 win team or thereabouts (maybe could have won 78 had without the short term injuries that it had). It's not like anyone had an inexplicable off year who is likely to bounce back. Sure they signed a 1 year player; I wouldn't have done it, but they also didn't give up any key pieces for today or tomorrow to do so. And if this team really did go all in for 1 year, that's exactly what it would be...it would be back to sub 80 wins in 2016. If they don't win the series fine, but they went all-in on being a playoff team on Tuesday of this week. If they lose 81+ games this year and another 1000 tickets/game disappear, do you think they'll have the money to sign Shark to 5/$105? If not, if Samardzija walks as a FA or even is traded at the deadline, where are we in 2016? Rodon present but still early in his career, less money available, still no depth, huge money spent on positions like closer? We absolutely need to go into April with a roster that makes most people say "this is a competitive team this year right now" and we're not there right now. Our bench is very weak, we have several lineup weaknesses and one complete gaping hole that we've spend $4 million on for some reason. This is a riddle we have to solve.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 03:51 PM) You're acting like we traded our whole farm and have tied up our entire future payroll with this offseason. Yes we're going for it in '15 but if we don't make the playoffs it's not like we've blown the whole rebuild. We've traded away maybe one guy that was on the famous "3 year board" as a starter in Semien. Bassitt was going to be a future reliever here, Phegley is nothing and Ravelo is completely blocked in our organization. And the future money we added this offseason was money we were going to have to spend to be a competitive team from '16 going forward anyways. All this offseason has done is make us more competitive in 2015, it hasn't killed 2016 and beyond at all. No, it hasn't killed us, I'm not trying to say that.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 03:38 PM) you got a good point. but let me ask, are you going with the idea of JS not resigning? now would trading Anderson in a package for an RF be the way to go?? If its an all star caliber RF, I would say that move is consistent with the trade for Samardzija. OTOH, that's not necessarily the only way to find one. I'm not sure JS will not resign...but I feel pretty sure if he does resign it's going to be a 9 figure deal with very little discount. We're going to have to pay his going rate. To be able to afford his going rate...we need a playoff run this year to turn the attendance and ratings decay around. Sell some season tickets next year, get some excitement in this franchise again. Trading for him and then losing another 750 tickets sold per game this year and winning 78 games while also spending big money on a closer...that would be quite a disaster.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 03:31 PM) you are killing me, the sox have to endure with what they have, if it DV, then it is DV. the team can not fix everything in 1 offseason. he still had 20 hrs and is still young. in the worst case deal with hm and continue to look to improve. They committed themselves to fixing enough to make this team competitive when they traded for a guy who is a free agent next offseason. This team doesn't have a choice, they can't stick people out there in the hopes that they turn their failing careers around. They could do that last year, but they decided they're not in that mode again this year.

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 03:23 PM) a 2 by 4 to the side of the head. but being serious, getting some power from him and platoon him with another player. then deal with that. wait for an opportunity for future moves. He doesn't have strong platoon splits. He's bad against both righties and lefties.