RME JICO

If we can work the Crawford deal without giving up B-Mac I would do it, but if B-Mac is in the deal, I say no as well. ZoomSlowik covers it pretty well.

Harold Reynolds vs ESPN Part 2 http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AlkP...p&type=lgns

QUOTE(Reddy @ Oct 30, 2006 -> 11:03 AM) ... why dump him? Because he was paid $1.8 million to be one of the last options out of the pen. He was fairly effective vs Righties (.224 BAA, 0.92 WHIP), but that may not be enough to keep him around. Other than that, he could come back at a fair price if the Sox do not find someone else to fit that role. They will definitely need a RHP with McCarthy moving to the rotation.

Roberts would be about the same risk as Pods is right now, but Roberts has more of an upside and is more of a grinder than Pods. He would fit right in.

I would like to see a multi-year deal for Mark similar to what Jon got.

QUOTE(TLAK @ Oct 17, 2006 -> 09:03 PM) The logical extension is to put the World Series in a warm weather tourist site every year similar to how they run the Super Bowl. Don't just pooh, pooh the idea. With an extra layer of playoffs the home teams would get just as many or more $ dates on their own field as they do now. Baseball could market a 10 day virtual Mardi Gras for the big rollers at the World Series. IIRC the playing clubs keep the gate from the divisional, the leagues take the LCS money and MLB takes the WS. Last year I hit the lottery for a game on the ALDS, paid through the nose for a connection on the ALCS and was completely shut out of the WS. I would have seen just as many or more games if Bud added another layer. I don't think they will put the World Series in a neutral location. That would be really odd to play 7 games in one location. You can't compare it to the SuperBowl since the SB is only one game, not a 7 game series with days off in between. If anything they will make the ALDS 7 games.

Dusty does not seem like a Beane type of Manager.

No way you take away home games, that is just silly. The only thing they could do is make 2 Wild-Card teams play a 3 game series to determine who plays in the ALDS. Instead of a play-in game, have a play-in series. This would then give the Division winners a couple of extra days rest - thus giving them a bigger advantage.

Looks like Pinella wants the Flubs to go after A-Rod as well. Should be another interesting off season.

QUOTE(danman31 @ Oct 17, 2006 -> 11:17 AM) I disagree. The offense was awful for the entire game but the defense was very good for at least the 2nd half, arguably the last 3 quarters of the game. Yeah, the offense didn't do jack all game. That was one of the worst QB performances of all time by Grossman. The Defense just seemed out of sync for the first few drives. They settled down in the 2nd Quarter, and it looks like they made some nice adjustments at half-time. Now they got a Bye Week, so hopefully Grossman can work some of these issues out.

That is good news, but not surprising. Who in their right mind would watch that disaster of a team.

QUOTE(forrestg @ Oct 16, 2006 -> 12:25 AM) I have one question on the schedule....Last year we didn't and this year we won't play Milwaukee. ...Why? Selig = Milwaukee. Actually, that is a good question. Doesn't really make sense when we play the NL Central.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Oct 15, 2006 -> 03:17 PM) What is a "yipeta"? Someone got too close to his yipeta (four-wheel drive vehicle, from the word ‘jeep’), and got shot in the stomach and hands with some type of pellets. Yipeta is slang for SUV.

I heard Razor Shines name brought up. He would be ideal as a bench coach, and possible successor to Ozzie. He has experience with a lot of the younger players and he seems to be an up and coming manager.

This was from 9-21:

Here is what I found: April - Hardest month. (.529 SOS), 25 games, 14 vs winning teams, 11 vs losing teams, 11 vs playoff teams, 14 home games, 11 away games. Of the 8 vs losing teams, 6 are vs CLE and 2 are vs KC. A very rough start to the season. However, if they get off to a good start, they can really take advantage of their remaining schedule. Series (vs CLE, vs MIN, at OAK, at CLE, vs TEX, at DET, at KC, vs DET, vs LAA). May - Average month. (.508 SOS), 27 games, 16 vs winning teams, 11 vs losing teams, 9 vs playoff teams, 12 home games, 15 away games. Series (at SEA, at LAA, at MIN, vs KC, vs NYY, at CHC, vs OAK, vs TB, at MIN, at TOR) June - Easiest month. (.474 SOS), 28 games, 13 vs winning teams, 15 vs losing teams, 4 vs playoff teams, 13 home games, 15 away games. June is where the majority of interleague games are played. The Sox face (CHC, HOU, PIT, PHI, and FLA), all of which missed the playoffs in 2006. This month features the end of a 17 staight game stretch vs winning teams. After that stretch the Sox go into their easiest part of the schedule in years: 20 straight games vs losing teams, which ends in July. The Sox can really make a run during this stretch leading up to the All-Star break. Series (at TOR, vs NYY, vs HOU, at PHI, at PIT, vs FLA, vs CHC, at TB, at KC) July - Hard month. (.509 SOS), 27 games, 15 vs winning teams, 12 vs losing teams, 7 vs playoff teams, 13 home games, 15 away games. July 19th starts the second brutal stretch of 17 straight games vs winning teams. On both ends of this stretch the Sox play a 3 game series vs CLE, so you could say the Sox have a long 23 game stretch vs strong teams. Series (at KC, vs BAL, vs MIN, at BAL, at CLE, at BOS, vs DET, vs TOR, at NYY) August - Average month. (.509 SOS), 28 games, 12 vs winning teams, 16 vs losing teams, 8 vs playoff teams, 15 home games, 12 away games. Series (at NYY, at DET, vs CLE, vs SEA, at OAK, at SEA, vs KC, vs BOS, at TEX, at CLE) September - Hard month. (.511 SOS), 27 games, 15 vs winning teams, 12 vs losing teams, 12 vs playoff teams, 15 home games, 12 away games. The Sox finish the season with a 6 game homestand and play KC 7 out of their last 13 games. Series (at CLE, at DET, vs MIN, vs CLE, vs LAA, at KC, at MIN, vs KC, vs DET) Fast Facts: -Longest Homestand - 7 games -Longest Road Trip - 11 games -Most consectutive games vs winning teams - 17 (twice) -Most consectutive games vs losing teams - 20 -No West Coast trip that features OAK and LAA series together -No East Coast trip that features NYY and BOS series together -Only 3 West Coast trips (3 games, 5 games, and 6 games) -10 games vs NYY (most of any non-Divisional opponent) -Only 3 games at NYY with 7 games at home vs NYY -9 games vs LAA -Only 3 games at LAA with 6 games at home vs LAA -9 games vs OAK -Only 3 games at home vs OAK, with 6 games at OAK -Interleague opponents (CHC-6, HOU-3, PIT-3, PHI-3, FLA-3)

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Oct 11, 2006 -> 12:19 PM) I had a feeling someone would bring up the "Crede is getting better every year" argument. How do you figure? 2002:.285/.311/.515 2003:.261/.308/.433 85 point dip in OPS 2004:.239/.299/.418 24 point dip in OPS (109 since) 2005:.252/.303/.454 39 point increase (still 60 down from 2002) 2006:.283/.323/.506 72 point increase (up 12 since 2002) It looks like a parabola to me, but it could also be a cosine curve. We would be here all day backing our arguments up with numbers. You can make a case for both sides with his numbers. In 2002 he played in 53 games (200 ABs), too small of a sample size to compare with his other seasons of over 430 ABs and 130+ games. 2003 was his first full season which can produce good numbers since pitchers might not have a strategy on you. In 2004, it was his second full season and he definitely struggled more, which could have been for numerous reasons. However, he has steadily improved since September 2004. More HRs, higher OPS, less Ks, every year to include 2005's postseason. Now Uribe had an awesome first year in the AL (04) which is comparable to Crede's 2003, but since then he has gotten worse each year. Each year his OPS dropped from .833 all the way to .698. Now his first year, he might have had the same effect as Crede's where he benefits from pitchers not knowing him, so 2005 could have been a normal year for him. The problem is he got worse in 2006. These players are going in opposite directions. A one year drop-off or improvement is almost a given, but when a player strings multiple years in one direction, then that is where you start to see the trends. Crede - up, Uribe - down.

I am really surprised Frank is 0-8 with 3Ks vs DET, at home no less. After that huge 1st game vs MIN, I thought he was going to have a great postseason.

That's a hard loss for OAK to take. They lose to Robertson vs Zito. Now they have to face Zoolander and the Camera-Puncher.

The only thing they have in common is the contract? Crede had MVP seasons throughout his minor league career and is getting better year to year in the majors. Uribe had only one good season (2004) where he posted a BA over .255 and an OPS over .750. I really don't believe Crede will get worse after a new contract. The only issue for Crede is his back.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Oct 10, 2006 -> 01:20 PM) So, bullpen related question for folks: Who do people want as our 2nd lefty next year? Cotts, Logan, a bullet to the head, or someone else (and explain how you think we can get them)? Cotts is probably the first option. If he is dealt, then someone like Steve Kline (FA) would be interesting.

QUOTE(WHITESOXRANDY @ Oct 10, 2006 -> 01:34 PM) I think this is the list of people Paris Hilton has slept with,in chronological order. YES!

QUOTE(sircaffey @ Oct 9, 2006 -> 12:04 PM) That's what I was thinking. I think the Yanks may not even want Crede. They may want arms only. I could very well see Cotts in this deal for sure. On the other side, the Yanks may be eying Aramis to replace Arod. Garcia, Cotts, and another piece I have yet to think about could be more attractive to the Yanks. Of course, I have little doubt that if we acquire do Arod that we go cheap in LF w/ Fields, Sweeney, or Roberts. I could live with that. Roberts Iguchi Arod Thome Konerko Dye Pierzynski Crede Anderson That would be a sweet lineup.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Oct 9, 2006 -> 12:07 PM) Charlier Haeger has already earned himself at least a bullpen spot next year, if not a starting spot depending on what deals KW makes. I wouldn't be totally surprised if Tracey wound up in the big leagues also, if he has a good spring training. I could very easily see KW signing a bunch of righties (maybe including Hermanson) to minor league deals this offseason, tossing them into ST, and seeing who comes out on top, as he did with the lefties last year. Or he could also wind up as the top backup/bullpen guy if we decide to carry 12 pitchers, which is always a possibility. After the failed experiments in the pen this year, there is no way Tracey and Haeger start the year there. One of the two is definitely possible, but not both of them. Haeger brings a whole new dimension to the pen compared to Tracey.

Torre is just the scapegoat. The pitching sucked for NY. Hopefully this desperate situation will make A-Rod more affordable for the Sox. Cashman is going to be wheeling and dealing.