Balta1701

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 8, 2014 -> 12:26 AM) Greg, how can you explain why there's statistically very very few murders/homicides here in China? If 90%+ of people don't believe in God, there must be something else at play. Most don't even follow the "Golden Rule" simply because of the fact that there's so much competition for space/jobs/resources/time waiting in lines or getting onto subways before others can even try to get off... So, if you want less violence: 1) Fewer guns (guns are illegal in China except for police or military) 2) More government authority/control (as someone pointed out, nobody has the political will to occupy inner cities with the National Guard to quell the violence, and, as Balta pointed out, there's not enough outrage that blocs of voters are organizing in a way to take their frustration out on politicians in any concerted way) 3) There's no culture of personal shame/responsibility. Once again, in China, the shame you bring on your family for doing something terrible like murdering another person...heck, it's nearly impossible for a single woman to have a child without being married here because of the strong social stigma against it. In most inner cities, there's the feeling there is nothing to lose joining a gang/dealing drugs, etc., because who would want to work at McDonald's or Taco Bell and be stuck with a minimum wage job when you can't even support yourself, let alone a family, on that pay? No history of 80 years of leaded gasoline.

I think we should sign him. That way, once he was terrible for a couple months we could stop having people suggest we sign him every year.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 09:19 PM) Anyone want to take a crack at this? In order of worst OPS from the DH spot in the league: Seattle .552 Yankees .619 KC Royals .640 Cleveland .648 Oakland .705 The next batch of teams above them are all uncompetitive.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 08:46 PM) Who do we want to give those Dunn at-bats to? Wilkins? Mitchell (haha)? Semien? Michael Taylor? I'd like to see Davidson up if he has a decent July. I don't care that he's a lefty. I know robin would, but I wouldn't.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 08:36 PM) The Cubs aren't going to make up 10,000 seats a night, in one year. That is just absurd. Well, they could reach the world series. That'd do it.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 08:28 PM) Unless Russell goes all Jose Iglesias on them and never gets past his hamstring problems. They put themselves in a position where they have to take risks like that.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 04:31 PM) I think his argument is that if the s***ty neighborhoods in Chicago that account for 95% (guesstimate) of the violent crime had some sort of culture or community of good, e.g. a church community, maybe the violence wouldn't be as bad as it is. I somewhat agree with him. The idea being that these neighborhoods are just lawless places with morally bankrupt people. Religion specifically isn't the answer, but some kind of community of people with some morals sure would help. I remember a CPD buddy of mine telling me that in these neighborhoods the kids know nothing of the real world. It's all about the street. They have no morals or ethics. They have nothing to live for. They're all certain they'll be dead before they are 25. And they live that way. He had one kid tell him once that he'd kill all the cops in Chicago if he could get away with it, but he knew he couldn't, so he doesn't try. How f***ed up do you have to be to TELL someone that? I don't think Greg's argument is as sensible as that, at least not based on the words he actually wrote. He doesn't like the fact that not everyone believes in the same god he does and feels that it's too ok to "mock" religion. That's bad and violence is bad. Therefore, if people "mocked" religion less, there'd be less violence. It even gets the "there's too much violence in the media" thrown in. Your point of view is one I'd agree with, there's definitely an element of a lack of community to the violence, but that's only one small part, and it's not occurring because there are too many violent movies being put out.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 04:00 PM) You've got the stats. You are armed with them. Let me ask you a simple question: Does Chicago have a serious, severe problem with violence in neighborhoods right now? Yes. Now let me ask you a simple question...what does religion have to do with that?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 03:53 PM) You are not horrified by last weekend? You are not horrified by a woman being killed sitting on her porch? I prefer not to talk about numbers and stats after a weekend like that. I am purely horrified. I'm saying our entire culture is now negative and violent. Anything positive is mocked. Nothing is as cut and dried as you just state. But I expect a response like that after a post about religion. I get it!! Religious people are a joke. Religious people are mocked. I get it. I'm used to it. Don't need to remind me. I want SOLUTIONS to all this violence. Anybody who is not appalled by last weekend in Chicago baffles me. You complain about anything positive being "mocked" and then scoff at a 50% decrease in the murder rate. Most would consider that positive. You complain about our culture "now" being violent and negative and ignore the fact that the violence situation was vastly worse 20 years ago. A basic bit of thought would suggest that either your idea is wrong or that somehow we've become vastly less violent as a people in the last 20 years.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 03:48 PM) My point is everything that is inherently bad is embraced in our modern world. Everything that is good is mocked. The results? Chicago is not a safe place any more. Chicago's murder rate is still less than 1/2 of what it was in the early 90's. 20 years ago there were >900 murders per year in Chicago. Now there are around 450-500. This has been pointed out to you before.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 03:44 PM) No, Alphonso Soriano was a very expensive mistake, and Carl Crawford, A-Rod, Pujols is certainly going to be. Keppinger's total contract over 3 years was $12 million. Not $120 million. I still don't see them giving back the 2009 world series trophy.

Religious people aren't violent.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 03:25 PM) No one will pay that if they think he's a bust. I think that would be a fair return, actually. Nieto and our AA catcher are getting a little interesting. I wish I had a sense of their defense, however. Hope to see Nieto in a little more action the 2nd half. Kevan Smith at most recent viewing did not impress defensively. Significant work to do.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 01:41 PM) I would lean toward keeping Danks and try to move him next year, barring some nice offer. A lot of money is coming off of the books this year anyway, and with his spot in the rotation, we won't have to rush a player, reach on a Free Agent, etc. I don't know what happened with Rios last year - we certainly got underpaid for him. We might have asked for too much in July, and then just settled in August just to get him off the team. I really would solicit offers for Alexei. I still completely disagree.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 12:48 PM) I don't want to say it is the case, but it's pretty incredible how similar his career trajectory compares with Brandon Wood right now. Russell?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 12:20 PM) I think the Sox were hoping for a quicker turnaround at least from the initial info I got. But it looks like a who will blink first contest. All signs point to something getting done. That's fine, they thought that the "pitch in the pen this year" might work, I get that, but once that passed (and with people already worrying about Rodon's innings in college that should have been iffy anyway), the end result would be him signing sometime while I'm moving at the end of July.

Seriously guys, no one should be surprised at this pushing towards the deadline. No one.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 7, 2014 -> 11:39 AM) Hoyer's been everywhere since the trade telling fans they're going to be spending money this offseason. IMO they'd be crazy not to go after one of the big pitchers this offseason. It looks like they're going to be drafting in the top 10 so that pick will be protected one last time, but that might not be the case in the next draft if their kids are anywhere as good as advertised. They clearly need pitching, they clearly have money to spend, and there are 2 top of the line starters (Scherzer and Lester) available to them.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 08:01 PM) and by next yr, a good argument can be made to non tender. Which is why you think about making a trade early, to avoid getting to that point.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 07:52 PM) however I have no problem putting DV at dh and let him hit. with the numbers he's putting up this year?

QUOTE (LDF @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 07:48 PM) and if the sox goes arb on him, I am going to find it hard that the sox will lose. That's not how this works and you know that. He's going to get something near $5 million next offseason if he's offered.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 07:44 PM) baseball is a business, I understand that, baseball has to show a profit and I too understand that, but sometimes do a salary dump can hurt. there may be dynamics at play we do not know of. loyalty to the Cubans. That's one reason why I'm hesitant to say "yes we absolutely need to move him". But just ask yourself this question. What are we likely to get better production out of next year, Micah Johnson/carlos Sanchez at 2b and a >$10 million FA signing or Viciedo + Beckham? As of right now, I'd say the former, and that means if I can get something for those guys and save another $1-2 million this year...it's at least worth serious consideration.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 6, 2014 -> 07:41 PM) We're not already wasting $4-5 million on Beckham and DeAza??? C'mon. If you throw in Keppinger, Downs (another similar contract) and Paulino, that's a lot of payroll waste in terms of resource allocation. As someone said, if you subtract Dunn and Viciedo (and maybe Ramirez), who in God's name is going to provide power next year? Matt Davidson, who has already struck out 100 times in Charlotte? Beckham = exact same boat after last season. If he's not traded this year he's a non-tender candidate as well. He's doing even worse on defense this year and he's still barely putting up a .700 OPS. There's no reason to keep him as a 3rd year arb candidate next year.