Milkman delivers

I'm excited about this team. I really like this bullpen, especially if they start Sale in the rotation and move him to closer after Peavy's return.

SALE FOR CLOSER! SALE FOR CLOSER! SALE FOR CLOSER!

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Jan 8, 2011 -> 11:29 AM) I left like a minute after you. That's right I am one minute better (cue inside joke) QUOTE (lostfan @ Jan 8, 2011 -> 12:51 PM) and peeing 7 times, lol Three, and the last was just so I didn't have to piss on the way home lol

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 8, 2011 -> 11:00 AM) Nonetheless, it was good to hang out. Yeah, I had a good time. It was crowded as hell at first, but then it completely cleared out. How long did you guys stick around?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 11:38 PM) I was thinking I remembered Alexei hitting breaking balls better this year, and he did. He was actually a good hitter against every pitch except changeups and split-finger fastballs this past year. He has struggled against curveballs in the past, but that is definitely something that can be improved upon and was this year. Hopefully he continues to do so and puts up another 50 extra base hits. Then again, who is?

QUOTE (Tex @ Jan 8, 2011 -> 07:51 AM) Sorry, when I edited I somehow dropped the first line which read "Seconding Milkman" LOL, I just figured you hadn't read the thread and just threw in your opinion. No need to apologize, it's not like it bothered me.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 8, 2011 -> 10:57 AM) Drinking beer-water hybrids does not count. Your face doesn't count.

I think I earned some votes for the Soxtalk Drinking Buddy award, at least in the sense that I can out-drink you guys.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jan 8, 2011 -> 12:02 AM) Awesome reference. Scrubs?

QUOTE (Tex @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 02:00 PM) I don't mind tossing this in, knowing some people will scream, but haviong spent so much time outside Chicago, there are waaaaay too many people who believe Thomas was on PEDs as well. Just because of his size, and many remember him tearing a bicep. But that is the average, doesn't know s***, baseball fan outside Chicago. I assume that 92% of the baseball writers are smarter than that. Haha, did you see my post? I said the exact same thing.

Is anyone for sure going to be there at 6? I'm always on time and I really don't want to be sitting there looking around for people I might not even recognize

QUOTE (bighurt574 @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 12:45 PM) A thread about "realistic expectations" for Dunn is pretty funny. He's arguably the most consistent player in all of baseball. It's almost freakish, really: 2004 - 46 HR, 102 RBI, .266 avg 2005 - 40 HR, 101 RBI, .247 avg 2006 - 40 HR, 92 RBI, .234 avg 2007 - 40 HR, 106 RBI, .264 avg 2008 - 40 HR, 100 RBI, .236 avg 2009 - 38 HR, 105 RBI, .267 avg 2010 - 38 HR, 103 RBI, .260 avg So let's see, I'll go out on a big limb for 2011: 40 HRs, 100 RBIs, .250 avg, .900 ops, 190 K's. The only thing that's relatively inconsistent is the average.

QUOTE (3E8 @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 12:10 PM) Well, twice if you use bWAR, which I find to be more accurate for pitchers than fWAR. I think he's safely a 3-win pitcher. But you're right, not an elite guy. GOD DAMN IT! What is this stat now?

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 10:24 AM) FYI - Not sure if this place serves food or not but I've made arrangements for the vegan food truck to make a stop in front at 6:30. It's a tavern and grill, so they better have some f***ing food.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 03:29 AM) Willie had me rollin'. And you know how fathom is. He could turn a sexual encounter with Beyonce into a negative experience. You would think the b**** could afford some Vagisil.

QUOTE (YASNY @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 10:54 AM) If TG played for in NY, he'd be a cultural icon in this country. He's everything that was right in baseball during the 80's and 90's.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 10:50 AM) Wow. That poster is awesome! Isn't it? I own it.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 10:43 AM) Is the Ultimate Warrior going to make an appearance? I may have to ditch the wife at the Hawks game if he's gonna come running through the bar. One can only hope.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 08:51 AM) That sounds like Jim Edmonds to me too. He obviously didnt make the athletic plays Hunter did, but I have heard Cards fans say that part of the reason he was constantly diving for balls was that he would make bad reads or get a bad jump. Ah, the old "Eric Byrnes" syndrome.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 03:04 AM) No black man sounds more white than Tony Gywnn ever. This is fact. But he was an eight, I repeat, EIGHT time batting champion who has a career BA of .338 over 20 f***ing seasons. You must be crazy. Paint It Black isn't a fool, but that post was sure moronic. To insist that Gwynn is the most overrated player of his time is bad enough, but to go on and say that a player who batted more than 40 points lower in his career is better... Go look at the highest lifetime averages. Nobody above Tony Gwynn is even remotely recent. Add to that the fact that he has one of the greatest posters I've ever seen, and you have yourself one of the best hitters of all time.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 09:49 AM) That just means there will be hundreds, if not thousands, of people standing outside looking through the window at us tonight. I hope it doesn't mean that Jabroni (or one of the banned posters with a grudge) will come and shoot the place up.

That was interesting, to say the least.

QUOTE (Paint it Black @ Jan 6, 2011 -> 11:19 PM) First, the Big Hurt is in first ballot without question. His numbers compare with the best hitters of all time. And I'v said it before and I'll say it again. The old dinosaurs voting love the made up bullcrap like "feared hitter" and who was more feared than Frank in the 90's? Back to back MVP's (just go look at his OBP and slugging in those years and cry because you wish he was still around). He hit 500 home runs. Tons of walks, homeruns, RBI's, and for his speed had a great batting average. Basically, if you think the Big Hurt will not make the HOF first ballot for reasons athough true (media, injuries) then can't you say the same about Griffey (missed tons of games due to not being able to stay healthy)? In no way am I arguing the point, but I'm just saying... Second, Gwynn might be one of the most overrated players of my generation. Still HOF worthy, but Tim Raines was better. Third, I don't think if Bonds or Clemens gets in it paves the way for Sosa and Palmero (I think McGwire should be in FWIW). I don't think Sosa was GREAT (not good, GREAT) for that long. Were talking about a guy who MAYBE for 3 years you could say top 5 player (and this is before defense was an emphasis). Palmero is along the same lines for me. Good, steady career. No high peaks, but someone who was never a top 5 player for a few years in row. Certinly he wasn't even the best first baseman of his era (I'll take the Big Hurt and Bagwell along with Thome. No.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jan 6, 2011 -> 01:33 PM) Dallas McPherson Ah yes. I knew that, but I couldn't remember him for the life of me.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 6, 2011 -> 04:27 PM) Then they're f***ing idiots and you [not YOU] may as well associate any player that's ever been big and strong to ever play the game to steroids. Frank was an all-state TE at his HS and played football at Auburn. Just look at any of his old baseball cards. Dude was a monster from day 1. He wasn't some skinny f*** [sosa, Bonds] that ain't a whole bunch of spinach and became Popeye overnight. I'm well aware of all of that, and I know you weren't implying that I wasn't. But many, many people are unaware of those things and just assume he must have done steroids and don't bother at all to follow up with any research. A lot of writers are just as dumb and just stick to their outdated and ignorant beliefs, so I'm just saying that it might come into play. Frank was never a big personality with the media. That is likely the reason why his appearance in Washington and voluntary statements to the Committee were so overlooked. Most people don't know Frank appeared voluntarily at those hearings or even that he was there. And if they know he was there, they just assume he was one of the people who had no choice but to be there. It's a shame really, as he would have been a perfect poster boy for the push towards a cleaner game.