Greg Hibbard

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 01:28 PM) The Mets aren't in the conversation because they don't generations of fans the way the Yankees do. They came about in the 60's. Even when the Yankees were a "joke" they were still the highest revenue and most valuable team in all of baseball. On their worst day they have more opportunity than any other major league franchise on its best day. Those opportunities mean everything. What about Jeter, Rivera and Stanton? Just money, right? That's all it ever is? GMAFB.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 11:40 AM) It has nothing to do with the product. It has everything to do with being the original New York City team, in the biggest market in the USA. And yet the Dodgers and Giants both moved despite competing with the Yankees for that biggest market in the USA. The Mets have the same biggest market in the USA and can't even come close. The Cubs have a rabid fanbase, seemingly endless pockets, and the support of a syndicated television station that grew into a national phenomenon (well before the YES network) and they can't even win ONE title. Let's take this example. In 1986, the Yankees were about to head to the doldrums and the Mets rose to the top of the world, literally. 25 years later, the Yankees rebuilt themselves to the tune of 5 more World Titles (including one over the Mets). Why? Because they had deep pockets but also made smart decisions. Like it or not, Jeter is a player out of their system, and 5 teams passed on him (including the 1st pick Astros, whose scout resigned over them passing on it) and they were responsible for grooming Rivera, as well - a "fringe prospect" when they found him. They made many, many smart personnel decisions. Guys like Mike Stanton. I don't think people recall just how much of a joke the Yankees were from about 1988-1994. I was following baseball rabidly in this era (these were my JHS and HS years and I had nothing better to do). The Yanks were a joke - to the extent that they were joked about on the early Seinfeld episodes as being a joke. People treat the Yankees now like they were some self-fulfilling prophecy that occurred because OF COURSE THEY HAD TO. No, they spent money but did so wisely, as well. The Cubs did the same thing but have nothing to show for it - NOTHING.

I see you driving round town with the team I hate, and I'm like f*** YU and a f*** THEM TOO....

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 11:20 AM) They are actually run quite poorly. If they only had $100M to work with they'd be screwed. Just look at how many free agent signings have completely blown up on them They are careless with money because they can afford to be, because they've built up such a great product that so significantly better than anything else out there. The Yankees built from the same point everyone else built from. What they've done has worked, far better than any other sports team in America.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 11:26 AM) Yeah, dumb poll. The answer is the Yankees and it isn't close.

QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 10:21 PM) You don't see the bigger picture here? Money that we've dished out to guys like Dunn, Rios, etc could have been spent elsewhere, thereby making us a perennial World Series contender. That doesn't appeal to you? When have we ever been a legit WS contender during Kenny's reign? You see what I'm getting at now? Oh I dunno - that one time we won the World Series? As for "perennial WS contender" - how many teams have done that over the past 20 years? 3 maximum? That have spent like crazy because they draw like crazy? Given our track record under Schueler, etc. I'll gladly take what Williams has done. There was a time this franchise went 24 years between playoff appearances. If Williams wins the division with the relatively drastic makeover this team has had (Ventura, Sale's transition to starter, Buehrle's departure), he should win Executive of the Year, period - especially considering the injuries. You really need a reality check here.

I will not apologize for ONE SECOND for being in the Jose Valentin/Dan Pasqua fan club

I was one of those who bought into the Crede connection as late as when he hit his ninth homer this year, but he's had such a long homerless drought that I think he'll just never have enough pop to make up for his pathetic average.

QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 12:30 PM) You have ridiculously low standards. Sometimes bringing in modestly priced players who perform above expectations are the best acquisitions a team can make.

QUOTE (balfanman @ Jul 26, 2012 -> 09:55 AM) Oh, I understand that they are human, and maybe I'm making much more out of this than need be, I just can't imagine why they would play like they were exhausted against the Tigers. Even if they were completely exhausted you have to get up for those games. Of course it is still July, not September. JMHO So you don't understand why flying to KC, then turning around and flying to Boston, then flying to Detroit within a week wouldn't make you exhausted? Those are three relatively long flights. And despite the all-star break, this team has been on the road a lot recently, playing seemingly tough series every week. Every team goes through this "dog days" routine. It's a long season and you're playing almost every day. It gets grueling after a while. I'm proud of them for responding well when they came home. I don't begrudge them one bad 7 game stretch in a month at all. Before Boston they hadn't lost a series in a month.

From the ESPN mobile recap Damn straight.

TANK!!! PEAVY!!!

Twins have bases loaded, two outs. Crain out, Santiago in. 8-2 sox still.

QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ Jul 25, 2012 -> 03:06 PM) Kenny has no idea what he's doing when it comes to bringing in offensive personnel. That's an oversimplification. He's had some hits and some misses. Quentin, Ramirez, Podsednik, Iguchi, Pierzynski were all excellent acquisitions by Williams.

I remember when Hawk used to say "HE'S GONE!" the HE GONE thing emerged accidentally in 05, right? I love the ITS ALL GOOD.

I just don't think that we're going to find a better option for 2b in 2012. In 2013, it's unacceptable not to explore options to improve what has become a sub-standard amount of production from that position. Given that he topped out at .265 avg with a .750 OPS at the 2hole, it's clear that moving him wouldn't add enough to mess with it.

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Jul 25, 2012 -> 11:22 AM) It seems that he hit a lot better after being moved to the 2-spot, then went back to suck after being dropped down. Maybe its time to revisit that. I'd think Youk, as a veteran, might be able to adapt better to hitting lower than Bacon has done. DeAza Beck Dunn Konerko Rios Youk AJ Tank Ramirez The first caller in the postgame last night brought up this point, and said that he would actually also drop Dunn to 6 and move Youk to 3 (which was interesting), but Rongey astutely retorted that Youk's OBA is too much to give up in front of Dunn/Konerko's bomb capabilities. Still, I'd rather have a more balanced lineup than 6 guys who we're hoping some combination of can score on a 3 run bomb by one of em, and then a couple guys down below who either make singles or outs. Beckham really did seem to work in the 2 hole.

QUOTE (Wedge @ Jul 25, 2012 -> 10:25 AM) From: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensa...ts/?page_id=177 Some decent options I guess, but I am of the opinion that we should keep rolling out Beckham. What about FA SS and 3B? Moving someone to 2B seems like the easiest transition, for an infielder.

I'm not trying to be drastic, but after the GIDP last night (that could have been a real momentum shifter back to the Twins), I revisited his stats. I've always been a fan/apologist, but it seems that Beckham has really been sinking recently, and sinking badly, AGAIN. Let me be clear - I don't recommend taking him out of the lineup - I think we live with him for the rest of this year. One hole in the lineup like this is is not going to kill us. However, I see no signs he'll finish any better than a .240/.300/.400/.700 hitter, and that's just not good enough. For his career - four now severely subpar splits of .245/.311/.380/.691. He's hitting as bad as he was in April in July - and July's almost over. Since the beginning of the 2010 season, his OPS is around .660. Can we live with this for his defense? I think at this point, we're pretty damned sure what we're getting. Slightly above AAAA offensive skill and a great glove. Average speed. Not enough power. Not enough plate discipline. Not enough of an eye. Not quite enough of anything else, really. I feel badly, but I think we're watching the end of his career these next two months...

I'm encouraged by the fact this slump is coming now, before the deadline when we can do something about it, as opposed to mid to late august, as it happened in every other recent playoff year. I know the tendency is to jump off the bandwagon when any team loses 5 in a row or 8 of 10, but the reality is that every team that wins a division at 90-95 game goes through 1-2 ten game stretches like this. As long as we can stop the bleeding and win THIS SERIES, I think we are still in it and still fine. If we lose a home series to a sub .500 team.....well look out below.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jul 13, 2012 -> 10:36 AM) Actual Sox baseball in 8.5 hours...bout time. 44-33 the rest of the season, we win. Get after it. I think we could win the division at 87-88-89 games. with a good head-to-head record against DET. No way DET has the same insane second half they had last year.

we're here we're clear we don't want any more bears

Make sure you over-hydrate before ever getting out there. Use a couple of the visiting batting frames to watch from the concourse. I watched cubs-sox from the old upper deck in new comiskey when it was 100+ and as long as we took shade breaks every inning or two we were fine. Just drink lots is water, make sure he does too and you will all be fine. Oh and have fun!

In an era where OPS reigns supreme in evaluating offensive contributions, he just doesn't hit enough jacks.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jun 26, 2012 -> 03:14 PM) In this thread? Yeah. But I've seen others say in multiple threads that Dunn can K 250+ times as long as he hits 50 or more HRs. It's not gonna happen He's on pace for 261 k's and 51 homers. Obviously, it could happen exactly that way.