Balta1701

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 08:41 PM) What would it take to make Shin Soo Choo our RF next year? Would Quentin and Viciedo get it done? Depends on whether the South Korean military would take Morel.

In other totally unsurprising news, Manuel and Minaya are gone.

One of the buildings overlooking Target Field is readying a giant billboard for the TWolves that will be ready for the playoffs.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 05:27 PM) If you put Teahen in RF and Quentin at DH, then where will the actual offensive upgrades come from? Not a lot of spots in the lineup still open. Well...if you got the 2008 Quentin, you've done it. If you got the 2nd half of 2006 Teahen...ditto. The thing to note though...if we've got $10-$15 million to play with...the only positions we can't start the offseason thinking "I have a guy I can put there next year" is 2 bullpen spots; Putz and Closer. We could stick Flowers at Catcher and probably get similar production to what AJ gave us this year. Quentin to DH, Viciedo to 1b, Morel to 3b, Teahen to RF at least gives us a lineup. It would take a set of miracles for that lineup to win the Central...but it's a better starting point than I feared a few months back.

The flash crash report is finally out. Why it's a friday document dump I can only guess. Maybe because they decided to include zero recommendations about how to prevent another one.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 03:45 PM) I feel bad for you then. I wouldn't be able to watch baseball if I assumed everyone were still on steroids, or that every single big, freak of nature season were due to PEDs. FanGraphs had an article about Bautista today and they mention that he is hitting breaking balls better this year (along with his continual murdering of fastballs). Personally, I like to believe that a talented player can make a mechanical adjustment and be able to judge breaking balls better and have that contribute to his success rather than immediately pointing towards steroids. I want to believe it. I really do. It's just damn hard. I mean, I don't want to, but my head immediately came up with "yeah, but we've heard multiple reports of how HGH abuse combined with steroid abuse can produce increases in visual acuity that might allow a player to pick up the spin on a ball earlier and thus recognize a breaking pitch sooner." I don't want to think that way, but damnit I can't stop myself.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 05:17 PM) Further proof Konerko is gone: Viciedo play first base again tonight, and Konerko isn't playing. If the Sox do intend on playing Viciedo at 1b next season, I really hope they move Quentin to DH and then go after a lefty hitter for RF. Teahen? You may laugh now. Anyway...if PK14 departs and Viciedo takes that role...we're going to both have a lot of money to spend and need some serious help producing runs.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 04:02 PM) That cleared up nothing about the investigation. Except for the fact that it actually came from Chambliss's office and anyone who doubted that wound up being wrong.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 03:52 PM) Really? Cuz their outfield of Gardner-Granderson-Swisher is already pretty good. I am thinking more along the lines of Angels, Red Sox, or perhaps even a different sleeper team. I'm not sure I really see the Yankees interested. Of course, if they did sign him and then subsequently made Brett Gardner available, the Sox should be on the phone with Cashman immediately. One article alone doesn't prove anything...but the talk has been out there for so long...you can google if you really want more. The Yankees are going to make him a big money offer. Whether he takes it or not is going to be up to him.

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 22, 2010 -> 01:09 AM) no way, i don't believe that. QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Sep 22, 2010 -> 02:23 AM) I just want to know how they got this down to a neighborhood or physical address. I mean that is some straight up pimp best buy geek squad skillz that they have going for them. Odd though, when I looked at the IP its part of a /16 allocation for the senate in general. And the router announcing that network is in DC, and not Atlanta. But then again I didn't google geoip and use some random website as part of my investigation so it must be wrong. QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 22, 2010 -> 09:47 AM) I wouldn't be surprised if that is a frame job. It is way to convenient, with a ton of info that really isn't public. Link and end of this story.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 03:28 PM) I don't think he'll go to the Twins either, unless Morneau has to retire. I wasn't saying he'd go to the Twins, just that Konerko was unhappy with the personnel decisionis/clubhouse this season cause he lost his two closest friends from the previous season. At least in this sense...the fact that Morneau is now taking BP is a huge help to us, because it makes it seem much more likely that he'll be available to start the year next year.

QUOTE (Tex @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 02:01 PM) I little too much hyperbole. I agree, you little too much hyperbole.

Curses on you and your misspelled semi-profane repetition!

As with us.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 01:09 PM) I don't think it has anything to do with steroids. I think he just genuinely made a correction in his swing mechanics and he's been hitting the ball with a ton of power. On top of that, his confidence is through the roof, and that has to help his psyche at the plate. I'd like to be the one responding the way you are...but my brain just can't be convinced that completely unexpected 50 HR seasons are clean yet.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 11:32 AM) Trading for a soon to be FA in June is different than signing a guy in the offseason. Not that many contenders were even looking for catching help at the time either. It's not just that though. Whether he fits with the Sox or not...he has a, frankly deserved reputation as a guy who can be trouble. He fits in this spot somewhat...but even the Sox have had their issues with him, in terms of trying to rest him or trying to develop Flowers alongside him.

One other thing worth noting...we've heard a ton of conflict from the Sox organization from day 1 of this year, from the Thome stuff through all of Ozzie's issues, through the losing to start the year, KW's family issues, Ozzie's family issues, Ozzie's job issues...Ozzie's rant about hispanic players... The Twins have flat out been calmer and more professional this season.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 08:53 AM) Yep, if they trade Loney and Kemp, non-tender Theriot, like what's been discussed, they'd be on their way to clearing out payroll. The Dodgers mediation between the owners will be done by then as well, I believe. The mediation will be done but the ownership situation will be far, far, far from settled. Even if the arbitration case is over...they're still going to be finding moneys to pay each other, possibly even to the point that the team will have to be sold. ANd trading Loney and Kemp is not exactly the set of moves I'd make if I wanted to field a competitive team next year to show an aging 1b he should come there over other places.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 08:42 AM) Did they show any of the 03 NLCS or at least mention the Marlins winning it all? I didn't watch that far. They went through the BoSox 03 failure, followed it up with almost equal time on the other long-suffering team's failure...then went into the 04 BoSox winner. I may or may not have tuned in to laugh at 1 portion of that.

Grohl is a very fun performer and very good at what he does.

QUOTE (knightni @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 08:08 PM) They could have segued 2005 Sox with the 2004 Red Sox. Especially when they were talking about dead relatives not seeing a title. And the 03 team hardly worth mentioning.

QUOTE (kev211 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 05:07 AM) Lebron needs to realize this has nothing to do with the color of his skin and everything to do with him being a b****. It's easier to compartmentalize genuine dislike if you can blame it on something irrational like racism rather than having to accept the reality of one's own actions.

QUOTE (scenario @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 06:21 PM) Not sure any are likely to be in Chicago... other than at O'Hare as travel from spring training back to the minors. The Sox seem to be very, very aggressive in promoting guys, especially the last couple years. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Mitchell in Sept., and a couple of the pitchers as well. Phossibly Phegley if he's over his health issues and has a good season as well.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 08:32 AM) Thornton's option was picked up, Pena has another arb year I believe, same for Jenks, and youngsters like Sale and Santos are still under team control. So actually, the only bullpen arm not under team control in 2010 is Putz, I think. Although Jenks is technically under team control, it'd cost $10 millionish to offer him arbitration this offseason. The odds of that happening are about the same as the odds of the Sox getting a top 15 draft pick.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 10:13 AM) Unless the economic situation has really worsened around MLB, we have zero shot at Crawford. Even in the last few years where the market in general has been depressed for free agents, the top named guys are still getting top dollar. Carl. Crawford. Will. Be. A. Yankee.