NorthSideSox72

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 07:58 AM) I think the idea of a reality show following around kids playing a football video game is stupid enough, let alone the players yelling at each other Wait a second... there is a reality show, which chronicles people playing a video game? Wow. That has to take an award for the stupidest TV show idea of all time. Bravo.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 08:23 AM) The WSJ had it at $101.70 (the inflation adjusted high) in an article I read this morning. I read it just the other day - highest inflation-adjusted price ever. I'll try to find it online.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 07:55 AM) Look at where it closed... It ran like a scared little b****. It isn't fundamentally ready for these levels. At least not yet. First test. Just dippin' the toe in the water.

QUOTE(Cknolls @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 07:45 AM) Oil has to reach a little over $100/barrel adjusted for inflation to reach all time high. Not according to WSJ. Its already over. But $5 is semantic at this point.

QUOTE(Steff @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 07:07 AM) And I put that in there because I knew there'd be one of you..... I'm here to please.

QUOTE(wallyburger @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 07:06 AM) I can't imagine any team doing anything before George Mitchell drops his Big Bertha HGH users bomb on the Lords of Baseball. Imagine signing A Rod to a mega contract and then watching his name pop up on that list. He would morph into Jason Giambi Jr. I had actually forgotten about that, but that is an interesting point. Not that I think A-Rod is a likely person, but, that anyone could be.

QUOTE(Steff @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 07:00 AM) It would be silly to think the Sox (and the other 29 teams) aren't "interested" in Alex. However realistically and finacially it makes no sense. Unless Alex agrees to a deal grossly less than what his current "market value" is... he will never wear a White Sox uniform as an employee. Well, it is Halloween... maybe he'll wear one as a costume.

QUOTE(Lillian @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 06:15 AM) Even though K.W. publicly dismissed any notion of trying to sign A-Rod, I wouldn't necessarily assume that he isn't interested. It may not take $30 million a year to get him here. If the Yankees and Red Sox aren't players, then that only leaves the two L.A. teams as other realistically potential suitors. Perhaps it wouldn't require quite that much to get it done. Isn't it likely that A-Rod opting out of his contract had more to do with some factors other than the dollar amount? Maybe he is more concerned about extending the contract out several years beyond the expiration date of the old contract. His desire to leave N.Y. and the fan abuse, may also be involved. Then there was always the issue of the tension between him and Jeter. At any rate, isn't it possible that an eight year deal at the same $25 million a year might be enough to acquire him? I'm not sure that I think A-Rod is even the type of guy that we'd want in the club house, however that aside, he would be a huge asset, as so many have stated. Couldn't we fill the rest of the holes without signing another expensive free agent, if we spent the money on Alex? We certainly wouldn't need Konerko anymore, and he could probably net us the players we need to fill the holes at lead off, and in the pen. The Angels would seem like the best fit, as we have discussed many times. Figgins in left, and batting lead off could fill that need. They have a couple of relief pitchers we could really use. The Angels covet Konerko, and they have guys we could use to fill the holes in the pen, and at lead off. Moreover, if we had a good lead off hitter, we could afford to let Owens play CF, and bat ninth. Fields could replace Konerko at first. Trading Paulie would be as much about saving the money, as the players you would get back. Crede could be signed to a reasonable one year deal, keeping our infield defense in tact. We could then keep Garland, giving us a potentially solid rotation. Now if you could just exchange those big contracts on Furcal and Contreras, you could finish filling all of the big holes. In that scenario, you could move A-Rod to First Base, and let Fields platoon with Thome. I think that A-Rod is probably destined for First Base down the road anyway. Here's the lineup: LF Figgins 1B Fields SS A-Rod DH Thome RF Dye 3B Crede C AJ 2B Richar CF Owens Under Plan B, you move Furcal to Short, bat him second. Fields platoons with Thome at DH A-Rod plays First. That team has very good speed, and the heart of the order would be among the best in baseball, maybe even rivaling Boston's. My biggest question mark is whether or not A-Rod can still play Short. If not, then you might have to leave him at third, and then you have to figure out how to move Crede, and replace him with a short stop. I prefer moving him to First, and finding a slick fielding short stop. The other short coming would be the weak arms in CF and Left. Maybe the speed out there would offset enough of that weakness, to afford sufficient outfield defense. The exception of course is Dye, who has slowed considerably, but at least still has a good glove and a very good arm. Thanks for the well-thought out post. But I don't think A-Rod can be had for 8x25, nor do I think he would play 1B. If he could be had for 8x25, I would HOPE the Sox would jump on it. And that's not a bad lineup, though 8-9 isn't great.

I'm sort of surprised there wasn't more damage. 5.6 and shallow (~5 miles down) is a pretty strong tremor.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 08:10 PM) Iowa polls are pretty worthless IMO. Why Iowa specifically?

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 11:56 PM) OK, a law was recently passed that declared waterboarding, specifically, as out of bounds and illegal. Why isn't the Attorney General saying its beyond what passes for legal? There was a law passed that specifically says its illegal? That I did not know. If that is true, then yes, the answer should be a simple "yes, its illegal."

QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 07:29 PM) Per the Score, Hahn has withdrawn from consideration for the St. Louis GM job and will stay with the White Sox. Wow. Hahn is staying, Erstad and Myers are going, Geoff Jenkins is available... good day for the Sox!

QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 07:32 PM) These two moves are not a surprise. Cutting loose Podsednik and Cintron is next. White Sox can and hopefully will get better players than all four of these guys. Agreed and agreed. Glad to see it, and hoping for the other two as well. I'll be curious to see what folks here who seemed 100% sure we'd pick up Erstad's option have to say.

So now, Obama seems to have pulled statistically even with Clinton in Iowa, and Edwards is falling back. Funny how this happens - just as it seems he was falling too far back to make it, things shift again. Since Richardson seems to have stagnated in the high single digits, I am really hoping for Obama. And I think there is a good chance that if Obama were actually to pull out the Dem nomination, I wouldn't be surprised if Richardson would be his VP choice. Would make sense on a lot of fronts.

So, oil hit a significant mark at the end of trading yesterday - $93.53. Why is it significant? Its the highest level... ever. Even adjusted for inflation. Now, interestingly, gas prices are still not overwhelmingly bad. I think its still averaging just under $3. Now, I am sure it will go up into the $3 to $3.50 range soon, but, I think its really surprising that its not a lot higher. Experts are pointing out that demand has been down this fall, keeping prices lower. What is cool about that, to me, is that a couple of the factors involved in that trend are a change in the habits of Americans, along with a slightly more diverse energy base. The use of alternative energy sources, the efforts of people to cut down consumption, etc., may finally be having a positive effect. I think thats fantastic, and its a sign of how much better things could get if we keep pushing new technologies and energy independence. So, I guess I'm saying... nice start, America. Let's dig in and keep it going.

Advance question... What do you guys think about the Sox taking a shot at Geoff Jenkins?

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 03:07 PM) Baffled is an understatement for me. Fortunately, Bonds isn't coming here. I'd bet on A-Rod over Bonds coming to the Sox, and A-Rod is a huge long shot anyway.

Linky. Cora might manage the Pirates? That would be good.

QUOTE(knightni @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 02:25 PM) Which equals wasted 2008, more Donny Lucy and mediocre at catcher again. Crap. While I think Lucy could be a serviceable backup eventually, he really needs 2008 in AAA before he reaches that point. I was hoping we'd have a healthy Hall, back to his more typical numbers, for next season, then hand the backup reins to Donny in 2009.

Issue resolved. The protestor gets 18 months probation, suspended sentence on charges of resisting arrest without violence and interference, which will be expunged if he completes probation cleanly. The officers are back on duty, after the state investigation found the use of force was appropriate.

Owens at 350k is a better deal than Damon (Boras client) at $13M. No thanks.

Not sure where to put this, but... Kucinich jumps the shark, and questions Bush's mental health.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 01:27 PM) Tim Kukjian has long said that Geoff Jenkins is at worst a top 3 defensive LF in the game and quite possibly the best. Then I think the Sox need to take a serious look at him.

QUOTE(knightni @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 01:18 PM) The Brewers decline Geoff Jenkins' option. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3086562 Power lefty who plays LF - if you can handle 150 Ks a year. You know what? I think I like the idea of this guy on the team. Assuming we start ST with Fields in left and Crede at 3B, there is always the chance Crede is unhealthy or gets traded. Plus even if not, the corner OF's this team has (Fields, Dye) are righties. And the bench players the team is looking at are not power guys. I'm thinking, for the right money, he's maybe a good fit. His numbers have declined a lot, so I think he can be had for a lot less than his current 7.3M. For $4M or $5M, maybe he isn't a bad investment. Anyone know about his defensive abilities?

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 12:10 PM) Or that he's the completely wrong man for the job. After all, if you advocate simulating the death of a detainee as a means to coerce information of dubious reliability, something tells me that you shouldn't be responsible for enforcing the laws of this country. What gave you the impression he was advocating it? Quite the opposite, what he has said seems to me to say he probably would be against it, but can't say for sure in such a non-contextual reference.