Balta1701

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 02:56 PM) Seriously, would Aaron Rowand fix any of the following:

Audio has surfaced/leaked of Sen. Craig's interview with the police officer after the arrest began.

QUOTE(Mplssoxfan @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 12:03 PM) They arrested 41 guys, and all of them probably just took their punishment and were grateful it wasn't any worse. Unfortunately for Craig, someone at the courthouse that day recognized his name, looked into it, and tipped off Roll Call. And the whole "Flashing his senate ID card" probably didnt' help.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 11:40 AM) You know what would be handy? If MILB.com had a map of the U.S., showing where all the various teams were. Something interactive, where you could pick what level to show (AAA, AA, etc.), or what league, or a close up on a region. It would be very easy to do using rastering. I think this is pretty close.

Link on the whole foot-tapping bit via the AP:

QUOTE(Wanne @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 11:20 AM) I'm almost willing to bet anything that Kenny takes a pitcher (sigh). I honestly wouldn't mind if the Sox went with the AA lineup just to get a shot at Alvarez (who draws ARod comparisons). Those guys don't come around all that often...so why not. It seems to me there's a guy who draws an ARod comparison like every year or two?

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 10:51 AM) Balta, of those names only Egbert and Gonzalez are legitimate options for 08'/09. I'm sorry, Broadway and McCulloch are dead to me. DLS and Poreda are stills a ways off. Williams' love child Floyd may be given a long look as a starter, but he'll probably ride out in the pen. Even if we're at the top of the draft...the odds of us getting anyone who is a legit option for 08/09 is almost zero, and it'd probably be fairly silly to sign someone to a contract (a-la Andrew Miller) requiring they come up and start their arb clock anyway. So, if we're looking at a top-3 pick, I think you have to take into account where the holes will be after about 2-3 years down the road, because that's where that player's impact might appear. And if you look 2-3 years down the road, you do see names like De Los Santos and Poreda on the horizon...along with guys like Gio, Egbert, Buehrle, Danks, and Vazquez...which suggests to me that there's still a line forming to get into the rotation. On the other hand, I see Richar in the middle infield, no one else there, and an OF who's only workable parts that we currently possess are Owens, Anderson, and Sweeney, assuming JD moves to DH, and an aging catcher in AJ. I do see Fields hanging around and putting up his home runs at 3rd, but it sure looks to me like the biggest future holes are #1 SS by a long shot because we have absolutely nothing there, and second the OF, where we wind up hoping for Anderson, Owens, and Sweeney to develop into something.

So...here's a question for folks on a slightly different topic. Why is this arrest a bigger deal than the Senator who was caught on the list of the DC Madam and essentially admitted having visited prostitutes (which I think is probably a much bigger deal in the eyes of the law than the small fine Sen. Craig got)?

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 09:21 AM) I didnt say acquire the baltimore orioles, I said tejada. Maybe you need to re-read what I posted. He is a notoriously high energy guy and is very competitive. At least to my eyes...it seems like it's been a long time since Tejada fit that billing.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 09:33 AM) although I wouldn't mind us taking a pitcher that would be ready to contribute right away. My problem with taking a pitcher is that, aside from the bullpen (and you sure as hell better not be drafting relievers top 5) is that we really seem to my eyes to have a surplus of bodies for that role. They may not all be dominant...but they at least exist...and all that it would do by grabbing another one is displace someone we may already have. Buehrle Contreras Vazquez Danks All 4 of those guys appear to be locks to be on this team through the end of 08 at least, probably all through the end of 09, and probably a few of them longer than that (Danks, Buehrle, Vaz). Jose can't be dealt easily unless he improves dramatically, and if he does so it's not worth dealing him...but even if he is dealt, then that leaves 3 guys locked into the rotation...and behind them, we're looking at a backlog of youth already: Gio Floyd Egbert De Los Santos Broadway McCullough Poreda in a couple years And if you're into that kind of thing, Haeger. Now, naturally, not all of those guys are going to turn into success stories...but at the very most, it appears we will need 2 starting pitchers within the next 3 years barring injury. And out of that list, with guys like Gio in it, it's hard to believe we can't come up with at least 2 league average guys...and then we have a ton of trade fodder after that. Taking another pitcher only makes sense to me if you've already dealt a few of those guys to fill your gaping position holes, especially, to my eyes, middle infield. I think we'd be far better off with 2 of the guys we already have sliding in to fill those spots and drafting a position player right now than we would be going the pitching route and having to find someone who'll give us a position player.

QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 09:14 AM) You may be kidding but you're not off base. Certainly not a Carl Everett redux but a guy like him, someone with intensity who isn't afraid to rock the boat a bit and can back up his stuff. To me, there is no question whatsoever it is an element lacking on this team. AJ isn't cutting it?

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 09:04 AM) regadless of whether they 'work' or not, the whole concept just goes against Edwards whole '2 America's' theme. Rich people can afford to purchase 'offsets'. most common folk cannot. At least to my eyes...this is actually a part of the solution...not necessarily a part of the problem. Right now, we're leaving a period where carbon emissions have been viewed as completely irrelevant. There has been virtually no effort to conserve them as a commodity, and therefore, even the smallest steps have not been taken yet. There are dozens of ways we could rapidly cut down on carbon emissions with only slight changes; i.e. compact fluorescent bulbs, more focus on carpooling/mass transit, building wind farms in the hundreds of locations in this country where they would be practical...but very few of those things were done in a major way before a few years ago. Every little bit that we do now to cut CO2 emissions does one important thing; it buys us more time. The less CO2 we emit now, the longer we have to find actual alternative energy sources that can do a better job. So, if the rich right now are paying extra money for things like building more wind farms, planting more trees, and buying compact fluorescents, then they are paying part of the bill for those initial reductions that will buy us the time in the long run. We don't have to cut carbon emissions to zero right now to stop this problem. But we have to start getting them going down instead of up every year, and an appropriately built carbon offset market which the wealthy treat as a charity is actually one way to get started. It would also help if it was designed well, and I think most of the evidence so far shows that the European system is not, but it's at least a band-aid on the wound.

Do people here think Alvarez could play a decent SS?

QUOTE(LVSoxFan @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 08:52 AM) Interesting that somebody above mentioned when Sheffield was gone, the Tigers lost their spark. Sometimes one guy, regardless of stats, can be a "leader" on our team with "leaders" that really only have stats. Sound familiar? Hmmm... So, you're telling me the entire key to this organization is Pablo?

Well, I know this will spark the whole debate about carbon offsets again and whether or not the systems currently set up work, but I will at least post these couple bits about Mr. Edwards: That all said...the more effort put forth at every level...by both government initiatives and regulations and by personal investment/treating it as a chairty, the better off we'll all be. This problem can't be solved solely by personal action, and it can't be solved solely by government action, and it can't be solved solely by business/scientific action

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 06:06 AM) They need Garland, and we need Furcal. Plus Garland would be ecstatic to play on the left coast. I am so hoping for that deal this offseason. Think they'd give up Hu + a reliever instead? (I'd rather take the kiddie than the elder at this point, just for payroll reasons)

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 10:51 PM) This hints at the question I've been asking all along... Robo keeps saying Hunter is going to get huge huge money, but who is going to give it to him? The only two teams in the AL who I can see bidding for Jones and/or Hunter are Baltimore and Texas. In the NL it's more of the same story -- there's some mid-sized payroll teams who can use a CFer, but none that strike me as teams who are going to pay $18 per year for either of the two afformentioned names. I never imagined that it would be San Francisco that would pump out the insane amount of money for Mr. Zito last season, but look what happened. Just because it doesn't make a lick of sense for a team to offer a guy a contract hasn't stopped any of the buying spree lately, and I see no reason why that's suddenly going to change this offseason.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 08:08 AM) Honestly, someone like Tejada would be a perfect fit for the firey energy that everyone is asking for. Yeah, because when I think of a team that firey, that has balls, that tries hard to win every game and plays sound baseball...the first one to come to mind is baltimore. Do I need the green?

QUOTE(maggsmaggs @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 06:57 AM) Aaron Crow from Missouri is also a possible top 5 pick, he throws 93-98 with a good slider. Hate to say it...but I really...really...really want a position player with that pick if there's one available. Someone who could potentially play middle Infield and hit would just be a thing of beauty.

QUOTE(caulfield12 @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 12:19 AM) Did the Brewers miraculously get better with Linebrink? Has SD collapsed without arguably the best middle reliever in baseball (him or Shields) over the last 2-3 years? And btw...for those who haven't paid attention. Post all-star break...Scot Shields's numbers: ERA 8.47. 16 ER, 18 runs in 17 innings. 12 walks, 26 hits...opponents hitting .351 off of him.

Woo-hoo, an Ozzie blowup. It's not like it hasn't been needed.

Freakin Brewers...

QUOTE(whitesox94 @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 04:31 PM) Cintron??? He came off the bereavment list today. Tribune And anyway...anyone here think his arm is actually good enough any more to even play 3rd?

QUOTE(Brian @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 04:29 PM) Why is Gonzalez batting at all in our line up? Seriously...who else is left at all with any ability to play 3rd base if we're working Josh in LF? Thome? Dye?

I don't know most of those names well enough to comment on whether or not they'll be big difference makers, but I am willing to bet that just like most very talented youngsters, there's going to be an adjustment period...and with the sheer number of guys they're about to have to replace, I will be amazed if they don't take a step back for 09 and maybe a little longer.