Balta1701

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 8, 2014 -> 01:27 PM) Agreed. The Boss would have done it, without thinking twice. But Hank is no George But it sure looks like the court cases ended a few years ago and they're not getting rid of that contract really at all.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 8, 2014 -> 12:56 PM) wow, Pacers locked up Vogel http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11664029...-indiana-pacers I thought they would take a cautious route with him seeing how that team swan dived in the second half last season Can they really fire him based on 2014-2015 if they didn't fire him after 2013-2014? They've lost George. There's literally nothing he can do to keep them from having a worse record. At least sign the thing now and see what they can build in 2015-2016.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Oct 8, 2014 -> 01:13 PM) I'm all for giving Robin a chance to manage a good team before anything is to be determined. Its not Robin's fault for the injuries, the failed reclamation projects, the down years a few players had or the fact the Sox are in a rebuild. Robin can only manage what he's given. It must have been very difficult going to the pen and not know which inept schlep to chose. I say give Robin 1-2 more years of learning while the Sox finish putting together a contender. After that, no excuses. Depends on how much they spend this offseason. They go out and spend $40 million+ on free agents, which they could do, and miss the playoffs next year, that manager's job better darn well be on the line.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 8, 2014 -> 10:19 AM) Which, sadly, was stopped because of their own owner. The 1994 Expos/1994 White Sox could have been a world series for the ages. Hell, the Expos might still write articles saying "If there hadn't been a strike we could still have a team".

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 8, 2014 -> 09:52 AM) I think Schueler just ended up staying in place while the MLB GM game passed him by. He was very into homegrown talent and not trading assets, which was the way things were done when he started. But he never really adapted to the way the game changed, until(ironically) the White Flag trade. After looking through the article...one thing that stood out to me is that the steroid era is not discussed. That's a big part of this too. Roger Clemens in 1997 was a guy in his mid 30s coming off 2 of the worst seasons of his career who relied heavily on his fastball that was probably starting to betray him. There are plenty of ways that signing him could have gone badly had you not predicted that he'd find a guy to stick needles in his ass. That article also focuses heavily on "lineup protection" when there have been convincing arguments here that its more important just because you drive in the guy who is on base, not in the lineup protection part. And this is a totally different article if the Sox make a playoff run in 1994.

If every state's border was drawn so that it had the same number of baseball players from it:

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 04:22 PM) If I am the Sox and I had to pick between a FA with a CO attached to him or keeping a second round pick, I am keeping the draft pick. Is there some pun attached to what a "CO" is that I'm missing or doesn't it depend on the player and the contract? I mean if you got Scherzer for less than detroit offered him last year wouldn't you quite happily part with the pick?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 03:59 PM) As I've mentioned previously, signing one QO free agent decreases the opportunity cost required to sign the next one. Say Melky Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and David Robertson all receive QOs. Signing just one of them requires you give up a 2nd round pick, which is a lot to give up. But if you sign all 3, you can logically say the Sox are only giving up a 3rd round pick for Cabrera/Martinez and a 4th round pick for Robertson. Suddenly, the cost/benefit is technically worth doing so, and the Sox potentially have a team that can win the division next year. The other thing to note, if it matters, is that by virtue of where we finished, with only a couple teams between us and a non-protected pick, the draft pick cost to signing a FA with a qualifying offer will likely not be lower any time soon.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 03:58 PM) With the talent we have on offense this year, and with a defense that could become better as the season progresses, I think you're nuts to say they couldn't go on a run and win the whole thing. Likely? No. But some are offering absolutes... Only a Sith deals in absolutes... And of course, for that to happen, the #1 guy who has to step up his level of play is... Well. You know.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 03:51 PM) I would be fine with that. The Sox have the money to spend and are not going to "contend" as they have said without spending some money on free agents and I'm not talking about cheap reclamation projects. The Sox farm system is not strong enough yet to fill all he holes via trades. They will have to speak money, period. I'm generally not going to be as angry at the concept of signing a FA who has a qualifying offer this year as I was last year...but I'm generally unimpressed by the guys available, including M. Cabrera. Decent season last year but when you count both the suspension and what he did in 2013, paying a whole lot of money for him does not seem like a very smart risk to me.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 03:07 PM) except, you know, Marshall running the wrong route. How is it that other QBs are sometimes able to go hundreds of pass attempts without an INT when they have to deal with such things?

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 11:24 AM) He's not going to have 35 turnovers. Are you kidding me? I don't care what you added. It's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen here and I've seen some pretty ridiculous s*** posted here. Which should tell you that Cutler is losing the ball at a ridiculous rate.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 11:20 AM) Haha not a chance for 35. He's at like 11/6 right now? I think 35/17 is realistic. All I did was add INTs plus Fumbles from the "projected 16 game" line at that link to come up to 35.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 11:09 AM) Who would have thought Bears fans would be trying to get rid of a QB that is going to throw for 4,000 yards and 35 TDs this year. And also 35 turnovers.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 10:42 AM) There's plenty of reason to have a rookie QB sit on the bench for 2 years. Work on mechanics, learn and understand the offense, and learn to read the defense. As a Bills fan, you saw what happens when you throw a raw rookie QB into the fire and now EJ has been benched 14 starts into his career. Ironically, he was replaced by Kyle Orton who, in his rookie year, was forced into starting action, was absolutely terrible (but kept the Bears in the game), and then went back to the bench when Grossman was healthy. Orton got to sit, watch, and learn the remainder of 2005, all of 2006, and most of 2007; in 2008, he came back, and he was a perfectly average QB and was then a part of the package to bring Jay Cutler to Chicago. I'd be willing to let a 3rd round pick (Orton) sit on the bench for 2 years, but not a first round pick, not even a late first rounder if the Bears somehow wound up in that boat. Just too much demand for those guys to play, too many requirements of a first rounder.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 12:42 AM) They are protesting at Busch Stadium tonight. Some fans were yelling at the protestors. I'm all for free speech but I think they should not be protesting at a ballgame. You're just asking to piss people off. I mean, if you have to show up, fine, but don't do a lot of chanting and marching around the stadium. Again, it's just asking for trouble IMO. No big deal, but I think it's the wrong time for a protest. Most baseball fans have nothing to do with this and can't really do much about it. Baseball fans can't vote?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 10:14 AM) I'm not a Bears fan by any means, but I think they let this year play out and if Cutler proves he can't hang, they start looking into QBs of the future. Next year they might look to find a Cutler replacement if they're still struggling along, this year just doesn't fit with his contract. No reason to bench a rookie QB for 2 years. Maybe if you pick one up in rounds 3/4.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Oct 7, 2014 -> 04:17 AM) Ew, no thanks on that front. If Q is going to the Marlins, give me 3B Colin Moran, SP Anthony DeSclafani, C J.T. Realmuto, and C/2B/3B Austin Barnes. Q was a top 10 WAR pitcher this season, and signed to a very nice, long deal. His value should be huge, and those are 4 potential top 10 players in the Marlins system. Just to stress again...if we make a move like this, there is absolutely no reason to sign any big time FA this year. You're restocking the system great, but none of those guys is likely to be a major contributor to a division championship run next year - 2 of them had September cups of coffee, one of them is in the middle of the minors, none of them will step in and be likely all stars next year.

QUOTE (daggins @ Oct 6, 2014 -> 10:14 PM) Except that Lee was about to get very expensive and the org didn't want to pay him. Meanwhile Quintana is paid like a scrub for the next 3 years. You don't trade one of the best contracts in baseball, that's bad management. Trading Alexei makes some sense but not Q. There's the difference. Almost impossible to "save money" by trading any of those guys since we're not going to find a more affordable, high-quality replacement. Carlos Sanchez and Tyler Saladino are not, as of now, starting shortstops on a championship team, and Tim Anderson has barely scratched AA. Any of those guys you're putting at SS...I have no idea why you're spending money on other FAs at the same time. Replacing Quintana with James Shields or something like that stands a good chance of being a downgrade and there goes the ability to spend money on any other FAs, so that deal would somehow have to solve most of your lineup problems.

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ Oct 6, 2014 -> 08:49 PM) For the first time in a very long time, the Sox have A LOT of room financially to make a significant splash in free agency. Not only that, the Sox will keep their 8th overall pick in next years draft. I am super excited to get this offseason rolling. Obviously a lefty hitter, righty starting pitcher and the bullpen will be the focus. My only wonder is if will Hahn make any shocking trades that can change the landscape of this roster next year? Will he go bold and deal someone like Ramirez or Quintana?? I don't know why you'd deal Ramirez or Quintana and spend money on the FA market. Exact opposite directions.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Oct 6, 2014 -> 05:53 PM) We need a good middle of the order hitter, 2 good relievers, and a good right handed starter if we want to contend. 2 hitters. Someone to cover DH and someone to cover a corner OF slot. And even then, that leaves a whole lot of risky holes.

Embedding won't work. Fine. Here's a great 6 seconds of your time.

QUOTE (Brian @ Oct 6, 2014 -> 05:15 PM) Already tired of these jokes. More tired of the injuries.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 6, 2014 -> 05:13 PM) Kevin Durant's eyes just turned to dollar signs. He still gets hit by the "Max level" though.