NorthSideSox72

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 04:52 PM) Is he ok? He's fine. And he wasn't going 100%, he actually had that triple pretty easy.

QUOTE(Jenks Heat @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 04:44 PM) Spring training is a carbon copy of the second half of last season. I don't give a s*** that it is only spring training this is what this team did last spring. And the spring before that, basically.

QUOTE(HeGone33 @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 03:02 PM) Sabathia might have a broken arm, got hit with a line drive today. I've seen three articles, they all said bruise, or nothing at all. Where are people getting the broken arm bit? Do you have a source?

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 01:51 PM) That's only the pessimistic side, in other words the worst case scenarios with a lot of that. I also like Thornton and Boone, I'm just worried about how Boone is going to be used this season if Ozzie is serious about using him as a long man. And as much as I love Thornton and I do think he's one of the top lefty relievers in baseball the guy doesn't exactly have a track record of success in the bigs. I just wish there were more definite positives going into the season, it seems like a lot of the things I was worried about going into the Spring have been either confirmed or are still completely up in the air. It just hasn't been a great month for the team. Why is it that every time I post something that's maybe pessimistic or a rebuttal to an optimistic post I get hit with some sort of sarcastic response saying maybe I should run the team since I am the all knowing? I wasn't even being incredibly serious with that long ass post, just listing a bunch of the concerns this team still has. I don't claim to be all knowing or make outrageous claims like I could run a baseball team with more success than KW or Oz like some people do (though I could probably do a better job than that asshat Bill Bavasi, that guy has no clue). Hell in another thread I said the Sox are a top 9 team in baseball, I think that's pretty optimistic. Maybe some people just take this internet s*** way to seriously. If you think I'm bad, you should try reading some of the pro sports team specific blogs out there, that will give you some perspective. A lot of those guys are just brutal. I'd rather read Kalapse's sometimes negatively-tinged but always well-supported and well-thought out posts, than the unfounded, unsupported negative one-liners some people litter the board with.

QUOTE(retro1983hat @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 01:48 PM) This in my opinion, is dumb. I reuse my plastic bags. Why would paper be reused any more than plastic? I don't think that the point is individual re-use. Its the fact that plastic is made, in part, from petroleum, which is a non-renewable resource.

I only read the first few grafs, but this reminds me of that idiotic idea some park district (in CA I think) had a few years back, where they stopped keeping score in the soccer games. They were afraid of making kids feel bad. Some kid was asked about it, and responded with one of my now favorite quotes of all time... "It's stupid and dumb."

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 01:00 PM) Pay attention to the names. Heh. Got me. I forgot Zarqawi was dead.

QUOTE(traydragen @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 01:20 PM) Anyone see where CC. Sabathia got hit today? Indians boards say it could be a fracture, which I believe is a minimum of 2 months to heal. Source? Boy, after the Hall injury, the combination of his possible early return and the idea of NOT having to face CC are softening the blow a bit. According to ESPN, looks like probably just a bruise. Nothing confirmed, though.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 12:52 PM) John McCain, yesterday. if he's referring to our "war on terror" in general, he may be right. But if he's equating leaving Iraq with failure, then he needs to get his head out of his butt.

Awesome.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 10:49 AM) I "recycle" my plastic bags in different ways though. I use them for cat poop. Wouldn't work as well in paper bags, though. Recyclable plastic would be great! cat poop - also, unfortunately, a renewable resource.

QUOTE(wcw2323 @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 10:28 AM) There's a story in the Tribune regarding the Rockies GM being interested in Charlie. Apparently they have offered up a back up catcher in exchange. That would be great for Charlie and Kenny. Since CO is a National League team, Charlie couldn't come back to haunt him! Charlie could step into their rotation. That's weird, since the two MLB cities you'd think a knuckle-baller would be least successful in are Phoenix and Denver. High, dry air is not good for them.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 10:27 AM) It isn't a total gain, petroleum in used in the cutting down of trees and processing them into paper bags. But its a start, and that's something. Paper products are very recycleable at least, and wood pulp is of course a renewable resource.

Also in that article, the rhetoric coming from Iran is softening on it maybe being a mistake, and it seems the Iranians have also changed their mind at least once on where the seizure supposedly occurred.

QUOTE(Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 08:25 AM) The language includes protecting speech that is made 'in good faith.' I don't see what the problem is. It shouldn't create the problems you guys suggest. If it does, they'll be sued as if the law had not been in place to begin with. So again, I don't see the problem. Putting something like this on the books just allows the process to work a little faster by letting the judge dismiss the claim at the outset. That's just it - the move is 100% posturing and 0% substance, because those protections already exist under the law as I understand it. Its not that I think this causes some new problems - its that the whole premise is nothing more than fear-mongering.

QUOTE(Cerbaho-WG @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 05:37 AM) Russel should be headed to Birmingham. Gonzalez might be going there as well. Correct on Russell... That makes it six, and if Gio is in BHam or if Phillips gets moved... you have the five. Also, latest from Sox site seems to indicate that Floyd is likely headed to Charlotte, and Bukvich was reassigned. So that leaves Sisco, Boooooooone and Aardsma for the last 2 spots. And Ozzie is having a "meeting" this morning to sort it out. Of those three, I'm hoping for Logan and Aadrsma. But I have a sinking feeling that Ozzie is now leaning towards Sisco, who clearly needs some work.

Vilsack endorses Hella-Clinton, who then says she will help Vilsack retire his campaign debt. Clinton's camp say there is no connection or quid pro quo between the two, and deny any promises being made.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 06:29 AM) From what I understand, both sides know exactly where they were, but the waters are claimed by both Iran and Iraq historically. Exactly what I was getting at. GPS data serves no purpose at this point (dealing directly with Iran, in a dialogue). If this escalates, then it comes into play. And... apparently things continue to escalate. UK releases location data. This is pretty much the step before asking for permission/assistance from a few other countries to go in and get their boys.

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Mar 27, 2007 -> 10:53 PM) SO RLY! Dennis, You Dog! Meh, yourself. Jeez, she's like a foot taller than he is.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 06:30 AM) Or a line item veto... Or a truth in legislation act...

Assinine. That's what this is. 1. If you are considering reporting suspicious activity on a plane because you think someone is up to something dangerous, you aren't going to give a flying f*** about maybe getting sued IF you make it back to the ground. So there is absolutely no such thing as this "chilling effect". 2. If people report suspicious activity to a responsible person (stewardess or pilot or cop or whomever), and that is the end of their involvement, no lawsuit will EVER be successful against them anyway unless it can be proven they KNEW it was a false report. That is just like any other type of false reporting, 911 calls, etc. So there is nothing to protect against here - this law accomplishes nothing. 3. It saddens me that the security "hawks" who want to turn this country into something out of a sci fi dystopia of paranoia, fail to see that the more we do pointless, fear-driven things like this, the more we give up ground and LOSE to the terrorists. Not to mention we look like cowards on the world stage. This makes me ill.

Assuming Hall can indeed come back at 80-90% by May, then the Molina problem ultimately only effects the team in 5 to 8 games, plus maybe a couple where Hall would have PH/1B or whatever. Maybe, maybe, we lose one or two of those games due to lacking that one player. So as long as Hall is back in May per the latest news, I think this is not a HUGE difference-maker. If he's out the whole season, well, that's a different story. But ultimately our pitching staff will still be the biggest factor. QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Mar 27, 2007 -> 11:38 PM) This is not just Greg Walkers fault. This is a wholesale organizational issue. We generate power hitters with our system. We look for athletic football types, who can mash the ball. Put a bat in their hands, and try to get the most power out of their swing. We have seen hitter after hitter come up from the system with the same exact hole in their swing that gets exploited the minute they start to face good major league pitching. Long looping swings that will crush a fastball on the inner half, but get exposed on sliders away, the ball low and away. Watch how a lot of teams pitch us, they target low and away. Now the Johans, and CC's of the world will go after our team. But the crappy 7 ERA pitcher will paint low and away, and hope that the offense tries to pull the ball. Usually resulting in a groundout to the pull side of the field. Teams like the Twins hit both lefties and righties well because they have a more line drive approach. They put the ball in play with authority more. Yes we will bomb them into the stone age when it comes to power. It would be nice if we instructed our hitters on gap to gap hitting. A nice level swing, balance focusing on solid strong contact. It seems however we are looking more for clearing our hips, getting total extension and elevating the ball for power. Which can be effective, if you dont cheat on the pitch a bit. I think a lot of our hitter cheat a bit, and get themselves caught on the outside pitch. This is not a statement on hitting to the right side. This is a statement on solid hitting. If the ball is center cut, by all means pull it. If the ball is low and away, then drive it up the middle or to right by letting the ball get deeper into the swing. People think when I talk gap to gap that I am talking about slap hitting to the 2nd baseman. And that isnt true. Its an approach of level line drive like the twins teach their hitters. Walker the same man that they had fired before, and had fired before that. They are all the same hitting coach. This one is a bit more affable. I would love to see KW get the minors back to instruction. Replace our current instructors with someone who teaches a fundamentally sound swing. That can help correct hitches in the swing, or bad mechanics. Not someone who is going to turn something that isnt a good hitter into a batting title holder. But someone who can teach our talented young players how to get the bat on the ball. The sad thing is that our offense could be so good that no one could shut it down, except for the top 1% pitching in baseball. However as we have seen our season will be the tale of 2 halves. The first half when we look unbeatable, and the 2nd when the collar gets tight and the pitchers start to paint the corners more. Our season will ride on our pitching. If our pitching throws strikes, and forces the issue we will be in a good state. If our hitters can take some pitches, get into some counts, and then make good selections on which pitch to drive and which pitch to hit we will be a great team. Its all up to how they compete on the field. I am hoping that our situational hitting improves. Our hitters get on for our thumpers, and our thumpers drive them in. Great post, agreed all-around. Trivia: for those who think Walker might be able to help some of our lefties hit lefties, keep this in mind... Walker is a career .224 hitter against LHP (.274 vs RHP, a 50 point difference). Seems he struggled with that himself, with that sweeping swing he had.

Hoping for: Logan and Bukvich Likely to get: Logan and Aardsma Sisco may still get in over Logan. I suppose its possible we see Logan AND Sisco - that's also a possibility.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Mar 27, 2007 -> 06:36 PM) If Hall were to return to the White Sox early we couldn't get away with only him and Pierzysnki. There would have to be an additional catcher on the roster, which takes away from another area of the ballclub. Honestly, I don't like the idea. Just think about the circumstances warranting his usuage -- opposing lefthanders, and not catching Contreras. Considering our problems with throwing out runners, with Hall's shoulder we'll be destroyed on the basepaths. It wouldn't be pretty. Also, remember Hall damaged his right shoulder -- which will effect the follow through motion of a swing. If problems continue to linger leading up to a possible return, he'll only posses limited power. I just don't believe Hall at any around 50% is greater than Molina/Gonzalez at 100%. I have no problem with him attempting to rehabilitate the shoulder joint, but if he's not capable of performing basic catching duties or holding himself offensively it'll be no use. I think that's the assumption being made here - that he'd only come back if he's 80-90%. If not, there is no point in him coming back this year at all. If the Docs said rehab only gets you to 50%, I'd bet KW, Ozzie and Herm would all tell him not to bother and have the surgery.

As long as he can still make his throws reasonably well, that's awesome. Good to hear he's willing to gut it out. In this case, I definitely feel good about using the term "grinder".