Balta1701

QUOTE (raBBit @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 06:15 PM) We aren't getting any stars unless the Sox stray from their conservative nature and take on a potentially horrible contract. Jose Dariel Abreu?

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 05:58 PM) Offensively or defensively? I think he's a better offensive player right now than Davidson, and at one of the MI positions where offense is more scarce. I think he's probably a better offensive player than Alexei right now, though obviously not defensively. Offensively, he might be a better offensive "prospect" than Davidson but I can't come to any reasonable argument by which he's a more fully developed offensive player. I'm similarly not sure he's a better offensive player in the big leagues than Alexei right now. His numbers in AAA were worse than Davidson's in a cup of coffee there, his numbers in the big leagues were worse than Davidson's when they both were up in September. Davidson's had a full year at AAA already. Semien's had most of a year at AA. Semien might well keep tearing it up this year and by midseason tell everyone "I'm going to destroy the big leagues", but he's not there yet.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 05:21 PM) So Semien should be starting at shortstop? If you could convince me that was best for player development (I don't think you can, that'd be rushing him a lot).

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 09:39 AM) I would certainly think a fine is forthcoming. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if he also received a one game suspension. The NBA seems to hand out suspensions as often, if not more, than any other sport and I don't think they'll be too happy about a player pointing at each official and yelling f*** you one by one. I agree with Jo though. The officiating was horrendous last night, and really has been all year. $15k fine.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 03:46 PM) We'll know when we see them in action this season. Sadly, we might not actually even know then. If Davidson came out an hit .220 this season would anyone write him off? I wouldn't.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 03:06 PM) According to BA, here are the penalties for going over your budget this season: • 0-5 percent over pool: 75 percent tax on the pool overage. • 5-10 percent over pool: 75 percent tax on the pool overage. Team won’t be allowed to sign a player for more than $500,000 during the 2014-15 signing period. • 10-15 percent over pool: 100 percent tax on the pool overage. Team won’t be allowed to sign a player for more than $500,000 during the 2014-15 signing period. • 15 percent or more over pool: 100 percent tax on the pool overage. Team won’t be allowed to sign a player for more than $250,000 during the 2014-15 signing period The Sox should have about $3.5M this year to spend while the Yanks should have about $1.6M. From the article sounds like they are going to double that on one player, so it will be interesting to see how MLB reacts. MLB built this system so that there was that loophole, with a huge luxury tax and a major limit on what the teams could do the next year. If a team like the Yankees wants to go all-in on several guys this year, they can legally do it but they pay 2x the cost and they effectively sign no one internationally the next year. How would we like it if we sat out an entire year internationally? That doesn't sound too useful.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 02:51 PM) If Semien, A. Garcia, Eaton, Davidson and Viciedo all have good (or stronger than expected seasons), it's still possible we could lose 90 and it would be a satisfactory season, as long as there's not a major injury to the pitching staff. That would also likely mean Ramirez, Beckham, Dunn, DeAza and the catcher's spot are disappointing (along with Danks and the closer's role), which isn't completely out of the realm of possibility, either. I can't see any scenario where those guys would all have "stronger than expected" seasons and the Sox wouldn't win 70 games other than injuries involving Sale. I just can't see it. Ramirez isn't there for his bat and we know what we'll get out of his defense. Beckham and Dunn didn't contribute much if anything at all last year. The Catcher's spot didn't contribute anything at all last year. De Aza is the only guy on that list who contributed with the bats last year, and his defense was pretty spotty. Solid contributions from those guys and a lack of injuries in the rotation makes that a 70+ win team easily, maybe more.

Just to be clear what that says...it doesn't say there will be 2 million fewer jobs, it says that people will drop out of the labor force. The number of total jobs will not be effected. This is something you could quite easily predict...for example, it's safe to say that there are a number of people who otherwise could not afford to buy insurance on their own who are being locked into jobs because they need the health benefits. If those people are able to get insurance elsewhere, some fraction of them will drop out of the labor force. In order to draw them back in, things like "increased wages" would be useful.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 02:30 PM) In hindsight no because the "All In" strategy was silly because they stopped spending after that (and Konerko) when they needed a lot more help. As is 100%, exactly, to the letter the case right now.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 02:05 PM) Yes it was an extreme example, but the point is that there will come a time in the season where player development trumps trying to win. This season...that day should happen...Feb. 18th (or whenever people start reporting).

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 02:19 PM) How is ~$40M today roughly the same as $56M? in 2010? If Adam Dunn's contract was 4/$40, would it have been a good deal in your eyes?

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 08:59 AM) Jo lost his s*** last night. Between Boozer complaining about minutes and Noah losing it, wonder if the stress is starting to get to this team.

QUOTE (SCCWS @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 01:04 PM) Red Sox have 6 starters and may need an outfielder. How about we trade A. Garcia for Peavy ................... I'm actually not sure they'd really be in the mood to add and OF, they probably want to play the rookie out there, but if they were in the mood for one, De Aza could actually be a non-terrible fit (depending on what happens with their DH spot as well)

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 12:58 PM) Only that Red Sox anomaly, which can be partly attributed to the horrible decision to hire Valentine for one year... It's not just "only" the Red Sox, I'm certain the Rays did something like that as well. We've even had an "all worst to first" world series before, the 1991 Twins and Braves coming off years where both finished in last.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 11:30 AM) If this core shows they aren't good enough at what point does dealing Sale become an option? I say All Star break 2015 because this core was assembled in part because it is supposed to be major league ready. 2018.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Feb 4, 2014 -> 08:39 AM) Honestly, unless there is some miracle that puts this team in contention, win total really isn't even that important. I'd take 63 wins if it comes with decent development by young players, a marked improvement by some out of Ramirez/Beckham/DeAza/Viciedo, and a decent return on a Dunn deadline trade, as opposed to 75 wins but none or very few of the other things. The only way those things happen and the White Sox wind up with 63 wins is if Sale and perhaps other starters get hurt.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Feb 3, 2014 -> 03:19 PM) Even taking your best case scenario of having 5 pitchers as good as Jimenez, how does his addition hurt the Sox rebuild? Because then you will spend the next 3 years insisting the Sox need to get rid of him just like you're doing now with Adam Dunn. This will make anyone who reads it so sick of the White Sox that they wind up converting to Cubs/Cardinals fans, seriously undermining the White Sox's fanbase and ticket sales. The White Sox will then have to further cut payroll by reducing FA and draft spending, seriously hampering their ability to rebuild.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 3, 2014 -> 02:38 PM) Regardless of any of this, Paulino is the far, far better investment. You should ad "for a team coming off a 99 loss season" to that. If we were coming off an 89 win season, I could definitely see Jiminez being an investment teams would target for rotation depth

Link

QUOTE (Joxer_Daly @ Feb 3, 2014 -> 09:18 AM) What's the regulation of PEDs like in the NFL? Testing for PED's but no approved testing for HGH. Testing program weaker than MLB's in general but has probably caught as many or more people. If Braun/ARoid can get around MLB's testing program then it's not going to be tough at all to beat the current NFL program, so the fact that people are getting caught suggests a lot of use to me.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Feb 3, 2014 -> 08:59 AM) Good, I would think. I can argue myself the other way too, with the fact that Scherzer is a FA and he has to be a priority target...I end up with "I'm not sure but it's plausible".

QUOTE (Knuckles @ Feb 2, 2014 -> 11:01 PM) I didn't really know which thread to put this in but here it goes... Out of town Sox fans, MLB.TV or Extra Innings? Where do you usually wind up sitting @ during White Sox games? I.e. you're in Texas, will you be watching most of the games at home, or do you sit on a computer/in an office late at night like some of us? Do you already stream a ton of content anyway? What quality of TV are you putting it on. Personally I prefer the Extra Innings setup, better quality picture, easier to use overall if you're already paying for TV service. But if you stream a ton of stuff anyway or you're close to cutting the pay TV cord, or if you spend a whole lot of time away from your TV where you'd watch stuff in an office regularly, that would push the other way.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Feb 3, 2014 -> 03:32 AM) Congrats to JPN! Top 5 defense in NFL history easily. I don't look at that roster and think "This reminds me of the Ravens/Bucs" in terms of NFL legends, but maybe in 10 years we'll look back on it and think exactly that. They flat out earned it.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Feb 3, 2014 -> 08:11 AM) Was thinking the same thing. If the health prognosis is good, I'd be all over it. If he has a solid season, chances the Tigers offer him a QO?

I don't know that there's a Bears fan anywhere in the country who would say "we gave it all we had" after that season.