Balta1701

Also worth noting...the Brewers this year turned Matt LaPorta in to: 1. Their first playoff appearance in decades (and a decent amount of fan-based good will/excitement) 2. The 26th pick in the first round next year 3. A Sandwich pick. They also gave up Robert Bryson, Zach Jackson, and a PTBNL I'm not sure about, but the star of the deal was LaPorta, and turning him in to 2 picks in the top 40 of the draft really isn't a bad move.

The one thing that makes me hesitate is the fact that Ramirez is actually going to be slightly more expensive than TCQ because he got the jump on him in MLB service time. Starting next year he'll average $11.7 mil a year for the next 6 years, which actually makes him the 4th most expensive SS in baseball. It's affordable for a player of his caliber, but Quentin on the other hand is still pre-arb.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Dec 10, 2008 -> 08:10 AM) He'll be on the White Sox by 2012, after several subpar years and persistent injury issues force his removal from New York. The Yankees will pay half his remaining contract. I disagree. I think it's more likely that Philip Hughes is on the White Sox by 2010, looking to re-find the stuff that made him such a highly sought after commodity. Sabathia...the Yankees aren't going to pay him that much to go away (see Pavano, Carl).

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 07:05 PM) me too, but I thought cutting payroll like 10 mill not like 40. When you count the arbitration costs and the holds for other people you make up about 1/2 that margin. It's also worth noting that they might decide to put together an extension for Q or Alexei or perhaps one of the other youngins to take advantage of the down market environment by offering them security at this point when security has added value.

QUOTE (dmbjeff @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:50 PM) if the payroll is now at 82 million....thats about a 30% reduction in payroll. seems very odd for a large market team. i guess they see bad numbers with this new economy. The payroll is not at $82 million when you consider arbitration eligible players like Jenks and the minimal salary numbers for another 10 guys or so. That's another $10 million or so at least.

QUOTE (R.J. @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:42 PM) We can either dream, or we can reasonably assess what players could be moved in a trade based on their relative value and our needs. Heyward & Hanson stay put. In that case, the only reason to deal Dye to the Braves is if our financial situation is really that bad and there simply aren't other suitors. Given the salary cuts already achieved and the quality numbers that JD has put up so far, I find it hard to believe both of those are true.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:31 PM) So you think we need to add pitching, and no offense? You know Anderson won't be starting in CF, so you think we're fine with Owens in CF and Getz at 2b? I'd be fine with the Getz/Lillibridge combo at 2b, and I'd rather have Anderson in CF, but could take Owens starting there until he gets hurt.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:32 PM) Or how about they just get paid the same that all of the US-based Toyota/ Honda/ Mercedes/ BMW/ Subaru employees get paid, which is still pretty damn good for assembly line workers? Here's the issue with that...almost all of those other factories have started within the past 20 years or less. If I were to compare the number of retirees they have per vehicle produced that they have to cover, they are naturally going to be dramatically lower than the number for a factory that has been operating for 50+ years, because very few of the people originally hired will have worked to retirement age. And given that health care expenditures also rise dramatically as people begin to retire, there is every reason to expect that those same plants will in the future have to assume substantially more costs as their workers approach retirement and have their health care costs go up and begin to actually draw on their retirement plans. Basically, your argument there is that we can just have the companies go out of business every 30-40 years or so when their health care costs get too high, and no one will mind having a large new number of uninsured elderly folks out there, because Medicare will take care of that.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:25 PM) I could understand the pitching staying the same. However, it would be a travesty if there were no offensive additions. I feel exactly the opposite.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:26 PM) Which is exactly where that extra $2000 a person that is costs to pay a US autoworker would come in handy, wouldn't it. I agree. So you're now willing to support my government run healthcare plan. I accept your apology.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:20 PM) They don't care about fuel effecient, they care about profits. The US automakers made something like 10k off of each of the large SUVs and 5k off of the small ones. They lost money on the small cars. They could give a s*** less about fuel economy. THat doesn't make money. Which is of course why the Japanese companies are bailing out their automakers right now to keep their heads above water during this downturn. Oh...wait...

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:19 PM) I don't see how the Sox roster will remain the same as it is. I understand building for the future, but with the pieces the Sox have opened up and the lack of depth primarily at starting pitcher, I don't see the Sox merely standing still. I could see us standing still aside from the addition of 1, possibly cheap/alternate, starting pitcher. I could see us standing completely still if somehow the prognosis on Contreras might allow him to be ready by June 1.

QUOTE (heirdog @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 06:08 PM) Dude should be able to "fly" with those ears... Except on the basepaths, they wind up adding a surprising amount to his wind resistance.

Ok, read article, decide before checking link...am I or am I not linking to the Onion here?

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 05:54 PM) In terms of track record, yeah, there’s a lot of unrealized talent. Still he has all the skills we’re really looking for, and he’s a better-rounded player then Getz or Nix. I really do think it’s a possibility. I’m not making any judgments based on highlights, I’m just getting a general feel for his game. I’ve been hearing about him for a while. If they could duplicate their minor league numbers, I could probably take either Lillibridge or Getz at leadoff, because both of them have moderate speed but that wonderful ability to draw a walk.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 05:44 PM) And the young players will be in the doghouse No. Just Anderson.

Maybe I'm just too used to the current administration, but I really don't like how this smells, where Axelrod was a few weeks back saying the PresE and Blago had spoken regarding the Senate seat and now is saying he "Misspoke". I'd feel worse about it though if it weren't for that little clip of Blagojevich, um, talking in a less than polite manner about the PresE.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 05:13 PM) He's getting paid like a starter... honestly K-Rod isn't really that good. Most overrated pitcher in baseball, IMO. With a new ballpark opening, and the disaster that has been their bullpen for the last couple years, they don't really have a choice. Overrated or not, there's no way he's not a top 10 closer in baseball right now, and getting that for 3/$37 isn't a horrible move if you've got money like a new york team.

QUOTE (MO2005 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 05:07 PM) Ohhhhhhhh yeah! It's like every Mets pitcher drops off...Pedro Martinez and Billy Wagner are prime examples! They pay all this money to watch these players underperform or witness their arms falling off! Guys that they signed in their late 30's aren't always comparable to guys they're signing in their late 20's.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 04:57 PM) The market for Ben Sheets apparently is 2 years, $26 million, guaranteed, and the Yankees are preparing to make an offer in that neighborhood. Anyone interested? That's a bigger commitment than we had on the books to Javy for a much better pitcher (when healthy), but one without Javy's durability. Not when you add in potentially losing our #1 draft pick as well.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 03:31 PM) Brian Ross on ABC News says that speculation is that Senate Candidate #5, the one who supposedly offered money or campaign funds for the seat, is Jesse Jackson Jr. Here's the source of that speculation. Also worth noting...for the legal case, having Blagojevich believe you were willing to pay the fee does not necessarily mean that a he was in fact willing to do so.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 03:36 PM) This is why any bailout of the auto industry (which I'd rather see not happen at all) would NEED to require these imbeciles to step down. Does he really think that gas will stay at $1.50? And has it not occurred to him that as the economy stengthens, and people buy more cars, that gas prices will also rise, and they will want more FUEL EFFICIENT cars? Idiot. I still can't figure out how a company run by such absolute blockheads could produce a car as worthy of keeping alive as the Chevy Volt.

And this morning, we have GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz going on Fox News and telling everyone how the small car market is not a place GM wants to go because Americans still want their SUV's and large pickup trucks.

QUOTE (AWhiteSoxinNJ @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 02:42 PM) With K-Rod going to the Mets, do you thnk Jenks for Figgins makes sense? Not really at all. Not for the Sox anyway, not without getting something else of very high value back with him.

I think this is a worthy time to repost Blagojevich's interview on the daily show. .cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;text-decoration:none;}.cc_links a:hover{color:#67bee2;text-decoration:underline;} The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c Pill of Rights Barack Obama Interview John McCain Interview Sarah Palin Video Funny Election Video