Balta1701

QUOTE(VAfan @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 09:08 AM) Then we should ship him out pronto. He has value if he can hit lefties and run the bases, but right now he can't do anything. Give him some AAA ABs and bring up Tracey. Ozzie needs the flexibility to start yanking our starters after 5 without wearing out the bullpen too. Our bullpen still has pitched the fewest innings of any bullpen in baseball. On top of that, we actually have a long releiver already in that bullpen who we can hopefully call on when starters leave early, and we've removed a couple guys who pitched innings for us earlier in the year (Politte) and replaced them with guys fresh off the DL who haven't thrown a ton of innings. Ozzie has all the flexibility with the bullpen he wants. The only guy he's used about as much as he could be is Jenks.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 07:40 AM) I believe my inebriated "Lets Go Ghey-Rod" chants were the difference in the game. In the first inning, I swear the Mic's caught someone chanting "Steroids" for Giambi. I was happy.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 08:53 AM) I was posing that to the group. I believe there are two themes here that would make intersting discussions. Why go through all this screening to stop one person in a crowd of 200 on an airplane, when there will be at least that many on a crowded street corner in every major city? You don't have to walk down Michigan Avenue you chose to. Isn't the risk just as high? When we consent to being searched everywhere else, does our right to keep the government from searching us become meaningless? The risk on a street is not nearly as high as it is on a plane. Planes are basically flying bombs (Jerry, at the NSA, this is only a description, not an actual threat). You are flying through the air on the principles of physics with a gigantic tank of highly flammable and potentially explosive liquid only a few feet underneath you. If you want to kill 200 people on a street in Chicago, you need an absolutely enormous bomb. You need to quite literally drive a car into a gigantic crowd of people and blow it up. To do that on a plane, you need a small explosion, good enough to either puncture the fuel tank or rip the skin of the plane. Hell, a Fire alone can bring a plane down if it catches the right thing (i.e. that Valuejet flight). A plane is the safest way to travel because of how well built they are, but they're so incredibly well built because they are flying bombs. If they're not well built, they can go off.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 07:16 AM) That might, or might not mean anything. If they are claiming a denial of service, that could be important. If they are claiming they were hacked, that is a different story, and how much traffic is on the site doesn't matter. They've basically backed off of their DOS claims that they made earlier. They're still sort of saying they were hacked, but they're not saying what the Hackers did at all except spike traffic, which sure sounds like a DOS attack, which they stopped saying it was. Confusing enough? Anyway, that Alexa graph...that's some damn good evidence in my mind. That's the sort of thing that makes me think filing a false police report charges could be coming down against people in that campaign.

Astronaut. Caveman in poor shape. Astronaut much taller. Eat more good.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 07:54 AM) Especially if Pierre and Ramirez both leave as FA's this off-season (I think Aramis can opt out of his deal this off-season can't he?). And to get one of those 2 players you've mentioned, they'll definitely have to give up a Felix Pie, so who replaces Pierre if he leaves? You are correct, Ramirez can opt out of his contract. Personally, I think Felix Pie winds up replacing Pierre if he's not resigned. It is worth noting though that with Wood's contract finally up, and Pierre's up, and Ramirez opting out, and Maddux gone, the Cubs will have some money to spend this offseason.

It's time for this team to man up. You want this division? You want to run around the bases chugging a beer on someone else's field in September? You earn it this weekend. Go get em Jose. Whatever you've been missing since May, I hope to God you find it. And here's someone who can help:

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Aug 11, 2006 -> 05:40 AM) Can Ozuna be optioned down right now without having to pass through waivers? I am almost certain that Ozuna can be sent down.

Huge F***ing win last night. We won a game on a night when our 3-4-5 guys had exactly 1 hit. We won a game where our starting pitcher only went 5 innings. We won a game against a very, very tough lineup, and with one of our 2 lefties out of the bullpen still being a disaster. And, IMO, most importantly, we won a game with one of the worst umpiring jobs behind the plate I've seen all year. Mussina had a strike zone about a foot wider than the plate, and Javy/our pitchers really got absolutely nothing. The only pitch Mussina didn't get all night was the 1-2 pitch to Anderson 3 inches low and 6 inches off the plate in the 6th inning (anderson struck out on that same pitch earlier in the game.) BA doubled on the next pitch. Seriously, that strike zone was just awful. I'm surprised the pitch that nailed Dye didn't get called a strike. Javy goes 6 last night with a decent umpire behind the plate, and the White Sox score 8 of of Mussina. Anyway, we won, no more B*tching, hopefully we get a new set of umps for this series.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 05:08 PM) OH MY GOD AARON ROWAND RAN INTO THE WALL Did he survive this one? So, according to the grounds crew, the rain was supposed to be stopping right now. It's also downpouring right now. That 7:40 start might be a bit optimistic.

Pregame: Uribe says he's ready to go tonight, will probably be in the lineup tomorrow.

Tarp is on the field. They're guessing baseball at about 7:40-7:45 tonight.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 04:48 PM) From about four different radio personalities yesterday. I didn't see the replay, as I was too busy typing "when will Ozzie learn" after the Mackowiak error. The more our pitchers get pissed off after Mack makes mistakes in CF, the happier I am. Ozzie might listen to them every so often.

QUOTE(Sonik22 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 03:50 PM) Freddy is apparently interested in getting traded to the Rockies. The Rockies might have problems with that for other reasons...

QUOTE(My Dixie Normus @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 03:18 PM) Interesting thing I read was that the Brits became aware of this by doing much the same things that Bush is getting racked over the coals for, monitoring electronic communications and such. Don't have all the specifics but it seems to work. I wonder if this will put any egg on the face of the nay sayers. Mmmm, nah, probably not. Of course, no one out there has really suggested anywhere that the government shouldn't be able to monitor electronic communications at all. All we want is for Mr. Bush to follow the law and get a FISA warrant when he's doing so.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 03:27 PM) Calling Jeter overrated is ignorant. He has 4 rings and he's posted consistently solid numbers throughout his career. I'd say a .316 career batting average is awfully good. His OPS for his career is also in the mid .800's which for a SS is respectable. How is he overrated? "Respectable" and "Consistently solid" do not equate with being one of the top players in baseball, having his name up in MVP talk, or having the highest salary of any player who's being paid entirely by 1 team in all of baseball. Not to mention his defense.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 03:20 PM) And the Colts fan says Peyton Manning is the best QB in the league. J.P. Losman sucks.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 03:16 PM) Sure it's better, but he's still hitting around .210 on the season and that's my point, he's been a constant drag on the offense for the whole season. I wish it weren't the case, I'm a big fan of Brian's. Let me say this in response...the only way Brian Anderson's offense has cost us ballgames this year is that it has made Ozzie decide it's a good idea to platoon him with Mackowiak.

Overrated: Player: Jeter, and this is the easiest pick on this list. Manager: Mike Scoscia GM: Ryan Shapiro Underrated: Player: Jermaine Dye Manager: Ned Yost GM: Ned Coletti

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 02:06 PM) Doubt it. Moose will determine it. We generally cant hit him, and if he keeps it up, we are done. In other words...it's up to Javier Vazquez to match his performance.

The answer to this question will be decided ENTIRELY by 1 person. Javier Vazquez.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 12:44 PM) If the guy is terrible defensively at 3B, what makes you think he'd be good as an outfielder? Has he played out there at all? No he hasn't. But he does have the makeup to learn the spot...strong throwing arm, decent speed.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 12:40 PM) I thought I read that it was Freddy. Buster Olney said Buehrle.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 12:35 PM) A criticism of Brian has never been taking walks. I would not be surprised at all, based on what I've seen from him since June, if BA could wind up as an ideal #2 hitter within a year or two.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Aug 10, 2006 -> 11:37 AM) Mechanics, body type, tons of things come into play so I'm not big on saying just cause you throw hard your more likely to get injured. In fact, I bet if someone looked up the numbers of injuries, you'd find out that 90 MPH FB pitchers get hurt just as often as a guy that throws 98. You know, I understand your point, but I would be willing to bet the opposite...that there is a rough, but existent, correlation between how hard a person throws and how often they wind up with some sort of arm injury.