NorthSideSox72

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 5, 2007 -> 04:21 PM) Newt? If I click on that link, I get a page without any article. What is it about - more on him maybe running?

Well the Bourne movie was awesome. I liked the first two, but this one was better. One of the most fast-paced, intense action movies I can remember seeing. Lots of fun. Highly recommended.

QUOTE(WilliamTell @ Aug 5, 2007 -> 03:11 PM) and that is why i don't skateboard. Dude, your avatar freaks me out every time you post. That woman needs a cheeseburger stat - she looks awful. No one should be that skinny.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Aug 5, 2007 -> 04:11 PM) So Obama is only in favor of a pre-emptive war/invasion if it is with one of our allies? I gotta say, he hasn't had a good looking week this week. The Clinton media machine is tearing him a new one. Thing is, I think he's got the right idea. A targeted sweep of the mountains along the Afghan-Paki border would have been something worth doing, instead of backing out of Afghanistan so we could fight in Iraq. We'll see in a week or so, when polls come out covering this period, how much it is or isn't effecting him.

Donny Lucy has been called up to AAA Charlotte. He played his first game with the Knights on 8/4, and went 2-for-4.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Aug 5, 2007 -> 12:03 AM) Yeah, he rode one day with Armstrong. But he wasn't the only candidate to do so IIRC. I believe he was the only one. I was on RAGBRAI, and got the papers along the way every day. I have a hard copy of the Register that says that Edwards was the only candidate to ride with him. Other candidates' children or wives rode a few sections here and there, but not with Lance. See my earlier post. I figured others would, but they didn't. I for one wanted to see Richardson on a bike.

Interesting to note: Ryan Smith has started at catcher for Charlotte for 4 of the last 5 games (Ricks started the other, but Smith came in for him and played most of that game too), despite being a .113 hitter and having Wiki still on the roster. One wonders if Wiki is hurt, even though he isn't listed as being on the DL. Also, Wiki is not on the 40 man roster - is that a recent thing? Doesn't he have to be on the 40-man?

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 4, 2007 -> 12:02 PM) That's why I'm writing in Mark Buehrle on the 2008 presidential ticket. I don't know if they still do it, but I remember in some elections past, they would compile a list of how many tickets write-in candidates would show up on. You'd have a bunch for Micky Mouse or Homer Simpson, or for various celebrities. If all of Soxtalk voted Buehrle, we might push him onto that list.

Tae Kwan Do is a sport - not an art. Just know that going in. Not much there for self-defense, or physical/mental discipline, or other things that I would say are the benefits of learning a martial art. Hap Ki Do would be my recommendation. PM if you want further details.

Lets wait and see if the guy was already dead. And yeah, if just one crazy dog killed him, let's hope they don't have to put all of them down.

So that I can look for it in the future, where are you getting these updates, Heads?

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 03:26 PM) Numeric rating doesn't necessarily mean that much to me in this regard. First base is a position where you put just about anybody who can hit but can't field and so it's got a lot of weak defensive players there. That kind of rating at first is skewed. Everything I've read and seen tells me he's below average to average and he's excellent at making picks on bad throws. That about sums it up. So, since there are weak defenders at 1B... you are saying PK is weak defensively compared to players at other positions? Kind of a weird way to evaluate, no? I just want to know what this "everything" you've read and seen tells you, because everything else in this thread regarding his defense (specific stats, specific skills like making picks, discipline and control) is positive. There is a whole litany of information saying he is better than average. So how can "everything" you've read and seen tell you otherwise?

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 03:09 PM) That says average to me, at best. Kind of hard to take your posts seriously when someone shows you a series of above average numbers and plus defensive skills, and instead of responding with some sort of valid counterpoint, you just decide they tell you something else. "Do you think that's air you're breathing now?"

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 02:31 PM) "Hot Scott" didn't do it for me like "Hot Cotts" did.. I saw a girl at a game a year or two ago wearing a very tight shirt that said... "I'd kneel for cotts"

Half the starting rotation? I'd say just one, JC, is doing worse than I'd hoped. Danks is having trouble, but he is about where he'd figure to be this year. The pen was full of youngsters who needed help. I guess that blame can fall partially on Coop. But I definitely put a lot of blame on Walker for an anemic offense since he has coached here (except for the first half of 06). They aren't just hitting badly - they have awful approaches at the plate. Some players can't be coached (Uribe comes to mind), but really its most of the hitters most of the time looking lost up there. I put a lot of that on Walker, who should NOT be back next year.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 01:58 PM) Um, I'm agreeing with Barack there. As am I. There is just no situation where it would be a good idea to take out terror targets (a few people among many innocents) with a nuke.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 12:11 PM) Konerko is not an above average defender at first base. He'll catch things hit right at him and he can make most picks. He has awful range. Awful awful awful. He is absolutely above average. A couple years ago I'd have said GG caliber (not now though). Let's look at some numbers. Among all MLB firstbasemen... 8th in FPct 12th in ZR 15th in RF There are 30 teams. He is average or above average in each of those three categories. And oh yeah, he is 4th in games played at 1B, so he's doing that while playing just about every day, despite being an older player. He is, and has been, an above average defender at his position. ETA: That isn't even to mention the intangibles - he is a smart player, and makes very few mental mistakes (which don't always show up in the stats).

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 12:24 PM) Edwards has actually been leading in Iowa in quite a few polls, or it's been him and Clinton, which isn't that surprising because he has the "Lieberman 04" type head start having been on the ticket 3 years ago. Here's the full TPM poll tracker: the big surprise if that one is accurate would be a surge of support for Barack. You know what - I was thinking of the NH polls. Those had Edwards falling to 4th. Sorry. Well, then maybe riding across Iowa didn't help at all. Sucks for him. On the other hand, Edwards Has been falling nationally, according to that site's other poll lists (outside Iowa). So maybe this kept him close.

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 12:13 PM) everyone under 25 is a child now? no one objects to continuing the SCHIP, what is unacceptable is giving free health care to every 25 and under illegal. Basically, the Dems are trying to attach a huge socialized health care program to a popular health care for children law. They just want to cry "see, they hate..... THE CHILDREN!". They will scream this even though they know that funding for medical care for children is not the problem. I have to agree. One would hope they could compromise on this, lower the age and keep the ID restriction.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 12:05 PM) Well, it's only a single poll, and thus should be taken with a bunch of salt, but it is interesting: Iowa poll, ABC/WaPo. Statistically, that's a dead heat. That is a big shift from the polls a couple weeks ago, particularly for Edwards. And I can actually tell you, from personal exprience, why this occurred... I spent last week in Iowa on RAGBRAI. You may not have heard of it, but RAGBRAI is a huge annual event in Iowa, where 10 to 20 thousand bicyclists ride across the entire state. Lance Armstrong has done it the last few years, to draw attention to his Live Strong efforts. Anyway, some Prez candidates used it as a tool. Romney was there at one point, and some of his sons rode a bit. Biden's wife was there, Clinton was in the area, etc., etc. Keep in mind that RAGBRAI is followed religiously by many in the state - its a big part of the news all over Iowa for the whole week. Iowans are generally very aware of RAGBRAI. Well, Lance issued a statement to all the candidates in both parties, inviting any of them who wanted to, to join him on the ride. Only one chose to do so - John Edwards. He apparently went riding a few days prior in NC, to train, because he hadn't ridden in many years. But he actually came out for a day, and rode right next to Lance for a good long while in the summer heat and humidity. It was the front page story in just about every paper in Iowa. Edwards rides RAGBRAI, voices support for cancer research. Pretty darn good marketing yes? I can virtually guarantee you that gave him a boost among Iowans. Probably a big one. By the way, some fun notes about Edwards' appearance on RAGBRAI... --The media were quick to note that, amazingly, after riding in that heat, he took his helmet off and did NOT have helmet hair. --He had complained a few times about how sore is rear end was, at which point some other rider going by gave him a tube of chamois butter (which had to be explained to him). --When he, Lance and that crowd were passing another crowd of slower riders, Edwards apparently just about wrecked trying to get past someone.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 11:29 AM) The Dems are trying to push through an expansion of the SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, to allow the popular and effective program to provide insurance to every uninsured child in the U.S. (naturally, Bush has threatened to Veto, can't be showing that government run healthcare actually works or giving the Dems a policy victory.) In this version, the Dems have removed the requirement that people provide proof of citizenship in order to qualify for the program, at least according to this report. Ah. Well in that case, I tend to agree with Bush. though one would think that if the relationship between Congress and the White House wasn't so adverserial, they could compromise and have that removed in order to pass the rest of the bill. Too bad we have the uniter and the 2 carpet baggers in charge of the branches right now.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 12:06 PM) Thome is signed through next year, right? I bet they sign him to one more one year deal with an option after that and then Paulie will take over. Just a hunch and I have nothing to base it on except that Thome doesn't want to go anywhere (except Cleveland, and that DH job is taken for a loooong time). Could be, but I just want to point out that unlike Dye, PK is still an above average defender at his position. He is slow as molasses on the basepaths, but he covers 1B very well, and still has some quickness in that first step (quickness not being the same as speed).

Great post, 29.

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 11:08 AM) Any of you see how the Dems are trying to slam this bill through congress that will give all illegal aliens, under the age of 25, free universal health care? Huh? I've read some articles on the bill and have seen nothing of the sort. Link?

QUOTE(BigEdWalsh @ Aug 3, 2007 -> 10:52 AM) Winston-Salem lost 7-5. Schnur went deep. Link made his debut and pitched 1.2 inn., 1 hit and a K. Kanny split a double-header, winning 12-3 and losing 4-1. Miranda with one of the strangest box score lines you'll ever see. 0 ABs, 4 Runs, 5 BBs in the 1st game. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/st...kanafx_delafx_1 Great Falls won in 10, 5-4. I am really liking Miranda (my AAP). He has 20 walks versus 15 strikeout, his OBP is .359, he has some speed (4/5 in SB attempts so far), and he can throw the leather at shortstop (2-time defensive player of the year in his college conference). All that, and he is 20 years old and just drafted a few months ago. He seems like a future leadoff hitter to me, if he continues to go this way.