Milkman delivers

QUOTE (Tex @ Aug 28, 2009 -> 11:07 AM) I honestly never disliked him, even when he was on the Twins. My favorite players are catchers. And gee, what a shocker, a sarcastic, get in your head, catcher, just might be someone I'd like. I hated him because he killed us, nothing more than that.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Aug 28, 2009 -> 10:00 AM) Everyone who is clamoring for us to trade him in the offseason will really regret that if we ever do. He is such a beneficial part to this ball club. His first pitch swinging can at times be frustrating, but he's just so under appreciated here. It's surprising actually. I keep seeing people saying this, but I honestly can't recall seeing a post about wanting to trade AJ. I'm sure someone will provide a link to one, and I thank you in advance, but I just cannot remember someone saying it.

Everything to do in Boston is within a 1-mile radius of Fenway. Just walk around and find something you would like to do instead of taking suggestions from other people and forcing yourself to see all of it. And yes, Fenway is a real piece of crap. It may have a dirtier feel than Wrigley, very damp and acrid in certain areas, in fact.

QUOTE (MattZakrowski @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 12:15 PM) What do the top and bottom ones say?

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Aug 28, 2009 -> 08:20 AM) LOL. I have a friend who's a Yankees fan and whenever we talk baseball if I bring up the Sox he always has to throw in a "I hate AJ Pierzynski" comment. I then always ask why, and his response is always "Cuz he's an asshole". So I ask why is he an asshole? "Cuz he just is. I hate that guy". So yep, you're 100% correct. I've had many similar conversations. The people who actually know a little will mention that he was hated on his own teams, and then I'll mention how the Twins loved him and only two pitchers on the Giants disliked him, but they were loud-mouths and brought it to the media...one of which has since apologized to AJ. The only thing I can't really clear up is the thing about him hitting the coach in the balls. I just say that that was a stupid thing, but most likely a momentary lapse in judgment.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Aug 28, 2009 -> 08:06 AM) Shall we keep Contreras in the rotation? He was arguably the 05 staff ace. I think one thing that separated this organization from the Cubs, especially the 80s-90s Cubs, is their willingness to make moves that you need to make. The Cubs kept trotting out lovable favorites like Dunston,Grace, long after their peak usefulness. The organization has long been a business first, contending-hopefuls second. Meanwhile, things like the White Flag trade, while unpopular --were our best course of action. We've won. The Sox will do things the public doesnt like, but they have to be done. It's like raising a kid. You do things for the kid that are for their best interests, even though they dont realize it/like it. I'm not like people here that are hating on Dye verbally, I just feel like it's time the organization either keep him here super cheap, or cut ties. More likely the latter. And it doesn't help that the general American public is incredibly stupid.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 28, 2009 -> 07:22 AM) Walker has been a hitting coach for a long time. Several players have come and gone. Name a few who were much better under a different coach. As I said, Swisher was moved in part because he didn't listen to the hitting coach. His dad was his hitting coach. Walker isn't going make Jim Thome a .330 hitter. As long as you have that central core of very streaky hitters, who are station to station guys, your team will score in streaks. You call my excuses lazy, if anyone is being lazy, its you. Name some hitters who where much better under someone else, and find me a better source than a poster on this board for his philosophy of "lift and pull". He's not a bad hitting coach. Konerko many thought was done in 2003 when Walker came over. Paulie gives him all the credit for his comeback which included an ALCS MVP and perhaps the biggest home run in team history in the WS. Once again, you don't want to look at the facts. If anyone's excuses for doing something are lazy or lack a thought provoking argument, its yours. You're lazy answer to my thought-provoking question of who would be a better hitter with another team received, "probably a lot of them". Wow, that's insightful. Most have been with different teams, who hasn't at least hit up to the level they hit before while taking age and injury into question, like Thome.? He already admitted that he doesn't believe Walker actually says this, but that someone has to be held accountable for a lack of offense (at least consistent offense). In most cases, that is going to fall on the hitting coach.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 28, 2009 -> 07:08 AM) You obviously did not read the contents of this thread. It's a joke. He is referring to the fact that Boston's SS Nick Green pitched 2 scoreless innings against us last night. I always wonder if some people even bother reading threads. Or do they just see the title, throw in their two cents, and never again look into the thread?

QUOTE (Markbilliards @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 10:50 PM) When people boo him, they don't know why they're booing him. Similar to how when they root for the Cubs, they don't know why they're cheering for them. You, sir, are correct. I would bet a good amount of money that, if you were to ask someone in a random city why they were booing him, they'd respond with "[stutter][pause]...he's a jerk."

No, I would not like that. Keep it the same.

QUOTE (Pumpkin Escobar @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 03:53 PM) Dunn would be great but not both he and Thome. I know Dunn has been great for BA this year but he is usually much worse. Him hitting .220 and Thome at .250 isn't monsterous. Drawing a walk or striking out doesnt drive the run home. I am on the comment page and dont want to backtrack but I believe you or someone else mentioned that with Rios here it seems more likely Thome returns and I think thats true. Only because he is a lefty. Dye still makes more sense if one had to come back because he can DH, we can run him out in RF if we're desperate and he can play 1st too. Thome can Dh. Yuck. I meant as Thome's replacement at DH.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 02:17 PM) Dye might get more days off, but he isn't getting benched. The reason Swisher got benched is because he acted like an idiot on a day that Ozzie gave him off. Dye is a professional, and isn't going to show up his manager or other players. Wait, what happened?

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 02:10 PM) Ideally I'd like some fresh blood at DH and send them both packing. As mentioned before, Dunn would be nice.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 02:09 PM) Since Dye can't play RF anymore, one of those guys was going to be sent packing anyway. This is more about who occupies the DH spot than anything else. I don't know why we're having this argument or discussion. We agree. It is about who occupies the DH spot, and I believe that acquiring Rios (a righty with some pop) slides the scale toward keeping Thome because the drop off in power from the righties would be less by letting go of Dye than the drop off in power from the lefties would be if we let Thome walk.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 02:05 PM) What did you use to check this out? Common Sense by Thomas Paine.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 01:46 PM) I see Rios as two completely different entities. Rios at the time of the trade, more meant the end of Thome as at worst, the Sox would've extended JD to play DH and probably spell a breather for Quentin or a new RF. Rios is in CF and that's the only spot he should be taking with his excellent glove and crappy bat. The way I see it, one of Thome or Dye was going to be sent packing after this season before the Rios acquisition (maybe both). With the addition of another OF with some power that swings the bat from the right side, in my opinion, Dye became the guy to walk.

QUOTE (rangercal @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 10:21 AM) It would be a shame if Ozzie did not surpass Jerry Manuel in time spent as sox manager. There are quite a few people on this forum who know they would do a better job as sox manager. Anyone know how some of these message board posters can score an interview with KW? Steve was spot-on in the other thread.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 12:03 PM) There is absolutely no reason to shut Peavy down just to shut him down. Its not some sort of arm injury where over use may hurt him. So unless the Sox are statistically eliminated you might as well have him pitch. Last I checked, a line drive off of the elbow is quite possibly an arm injury.

QUOTE (Pumpkin Escobar @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 10:58 AM) I hate to be down on this team because theyre so good on paper and I still have that hope they run off 9 in a row and then sweep the Tigers to take the thing but there is no way they bounce back from what happened this week. The teams we lost to last week and how we've lost the games this week by just blowing up is going to be too much to overcome. I think KW and AJ are right. I was one of the people who openly supported a firesale 2 years ago after 2006 when we won 90 and didnt make the playoffs. I figured Detroit and Minnesota would both hover around 90 wins+ and we'd finish third with our fading bunch of veterans and needed to sell them for youth because of the shape of our farm at that time. We lucked out and finished way worse than third - netting us Beckham. Danks and Floyd have obviously emerged to become very good players. Quentin, if he is healthy, can hopefully join that mix. Last season was a blast. The new acquisitions this year of Peavy and Rios have backed me off Kenny for being a blithering idiot and not getting youth for our veterans because he managed to do it without dealing them and I didnt think it was possible. But at this point. It's sink or swim for our vets. I dont care what Thome's OPS, I don't care that Jermaine Dye was hitting close to .300 until the All-Star break and I certainly don't give two flying tummy tucks about Jenks or anyone in that bullpen (minus Matty). If this team doesn't take this thing - then their run has ended. They no longer need or want to be here. Their is no passion out of these guys. Say what you want about Ozzie or young players but you needthat fire. Dye, Kong, Thome are too professional, too emotionless, and just seem dead right now. Maybe they don't care, maybe theyre worn down because theyre old, I don't know. I will say this. I watched David Ortiz, a guy who gets the same treatment as Thome with the shift, try to bunt the ball away from that shift last night. Maybe I am wrong again but I don't think I've ever seen Jim Thome try and even present that he was thinking about doing it. Not Jim Thome - I'm going to hit 600 homers. I don't show bunt so that it festers in the back of someones mind. And same goes for Dye. It's like this Rios thing has made him even worse because he feels like he deserves better. Play for you life - like a guy like Podsednik is doin. If you told me one of those two are coming back next season then I want Podsednik. Dye is playing like Carlos Lee did here when he refused to play for the team. Last night he pulled his head out on every swing trying to hit a homer. Put the damn ball in play. Sorry for the rant. Needed to be said. Get rid of these bums if they dont step up. Plain and simple. Nice, totally agreed.

Adam Dunn was the first person to cross my mind. I'd happily pack Thome's s*** if we could somehow land him. How probable is that, though?

Ozzie can't afford to embarrass Dye like that...apparently. It's true that we will live or die with this team. Live just left town.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 10:35 AM) Again, Rios was brought in to play CF. There is no pressing need to move Quentin to RF because the Sox don't have a viable long-term option at LF right now. The acquisition of Rios will have no impact on Dye, and your argument that it will doesn't make any sense. What WILL have an impact on Dye's future with the Sox is the following: 1. Dye's contract is up and the end of this season and he'll most likely want a multi-year deal 2. Dye will be 36 in January 3. Dye has been in a massive slump for a month and a half and he's currently sporting a very average .825 OPS 4. Dye's defense has degraded to the point where he should be relegated to DH 5. Thome is sporting an .883 OPS 6. Thome bats left-handed 7. Thome will be more open to signing a one-year deal for less guaranteed money than Dye As I said, many factors make Dye unnecessary. We seem to be in agreement. I feel that the acquisition of Rios is one of these factors, but you don't. The end.

Why does every coach on the White Sox have the status of coach-for-life?

Netflix has been pushing me to put that in my queue for a while. Well, now it looks like I will.

This makes Microsoft racist? Really?