NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 1, 2015 -> 09:10 AM) I think it is hilarious that someone thinks that only one political party does this. While I'm all about the "both parties are bad" angle, I am not sure I recall Democrats in the House (at times when they have had control) pulling the shutdown brinkmanship very often. Certainly not as often as the GOP has in recent years. Sometimes, there are differences between the parties' style, not even always a good versus bad thing. Republicans (enough of them anyway to make it happen) are far more willing, it appears, to threaten death on many, many hills, in order to make a point.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 23, 2015 -> 08:26 AM) Yeah, I wasn't trying to put blame on the shareholders, but their gains are still not legitimate. VW the company committed international regulatory fraud, and part of their stock's value was based on that deception. As far as who owns VW, there was actually a weird story several years back where Porsche essentially became a hedge fund company that also made cars, made a bunch of aggressive moves to try and gain control of VW, had it all blow up and their face and were then taken over by VW. The two companies are linked back to their founders, the Porsche and Piech families. A German state/province actually owns 20% of VW, Porsche's holding company owns 50%, Qatar owns 17% and I think the rest is publicly owned. Porsche has been a wildly successful company, even though they make very little margin on their core sports car lines. They have shown to be quite business savvy, the VW re-merger mess aside. The 959 program was a perfect example. In the late 80's they build a "cost no object" supercar, that they will build only a few hundred of, in one run, period. No options, just a color choice. All 500 were sold before a single one was built, to the tune of $300,000+ in 1990 dollars (over half a million in today's money). They actually priced it in a way they would break even on the car. Why? Because it was free R&D - they basically got funding to create brand new high tech stuff from brakes to air bags to electronics, which they patented and sold, and that is where they made the big bucks.

Many of you probably aren't too familiar with how minor league operations work, as businesses. The person who essentially runs the business in the General Manager, but the role with that title is far different in the minors than it is in the majors. So in an effort to cover the minors as fully as possible, we invited the GM of the Birmingham Barons to write a guest post for Future Sox, explaining the job first hand. Here is his article, which is quite detailed and includes some fun nuggets including a story about Bobby Jenks. Give it a read - it was an honor to be able to have an executive write a post for us.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 22, 2015 -> 09:42 PM) The shareholders gains are ill - gotten through massive, coordinated fraud. No, the company's results are ill-gotten through massive, coordinated fraud. The shareholders, unless they were somehow aware (which is unlikely if this was a publically traded company and not closely held), are victims of the fraud (though obviously not at nearly the scale of people who were sickened or lost loved ones). This is an important distinction, legally and morally.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Sep 22, 2015 -> 10:15 PM) If the kid would have explained what he was carrying to the school and the police when asked none of it would have happened. Is that seriously that hard for you to comprehend? Are you denying that the kids clock could look like a bomb to someone who isnt trained in explosives? There are hundreds of children in this school, is it so absurd that all of these "fools" were concerned with something they felt resembled a bomb? Can you at least acknowledge that the fact that this was in a school makes it a different situation? This wasnt at a mall or something, it was at a school, where they now have metal detectors and conduct school shooting scenarios. What do you expect them to do when they think someone might have a bomb? Also, the police have stated that all the kid would tell them about what he had was that it was a clock. If you have the internet youll know that this kid hasnt stfu about his clock for days, so why when hes being asked by either faculty at the school or the police what hes carrying can he only say its a clock? Im not even sure where the faux outrage is coming from on this one. Are you implying that they only thought it was a bomb because the kid is muslim? Do you not think police have the right to err on the side of caution in a situation like this? Wouldnt you want your kids to go to a school that takes a better safe than sorry approach to things like bombs? Please excuse me for asking a lot of questions I just find this faux outrage stuff fascinating. Bolded - he did exactly that, repeatedly and consistently. How are people missing this? Zero doubt in my mind he was treated poorly because of his identity. I can't say it is impossible his parents set this up, though I doubt it. Either way, the kid got screwed, and that is the key point here. I am glad it was exposed the way it was, to remind people that while we have a lot less racism and bigotry today than we did decades ago, it still very much exists.

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Sep 22, 2015 -> 08:44 PM) Baseball America often does not embrace White Sox prospects. Be interesting to see where they rank Adams, Michalczewski, Anderson, Montas and May. I really don't think there is any anti-Sox bias there. Bill Mitchell is the one who drove that list, and he's actually good friends with our AZL correspodant (Kim Contreras) as they watch the games together and share notes. The only guy I've really seen hold an apparent bias is Keith Law, but looking back at it, I now think it was more anti-KW than anti-Sox anyway.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 22, 2015 -> 03:24 PM) Please don't be lazy. Please read this and consider both sides. The kid obviously was set up by daddy to cause this issue. Why are smart people like Bill Maher and Mark Cuban backing my side of this issue? Look the teacher the kid supposedly was trying to impress said nice job but dont carry the clock around the school because people might think it was a bomb. He did anyway (cause ol daddy the fricking ACTIVIST told him too?). Another teacher hears it ticking and sends him to principal. Please read this at least and don't be lazy about this story. There are two sides. Anybody who contributes money toward this kid is stupid right now and Obama and Hilly should be ASHAMED for jumping to conclusions and tweeting support for this kid without knowing the facts!!! If you are being led by the media on this story and refuse to consider the kid's family putting him up to mischief at least read this item. It exposes the hoax pretty well. At least give my side of this argument a chance!! http://universalfreepress.com/9-facts-that...administration/ There is no "both sides" unless the "other" side has something resembling evidence of a hoax. This link you just shared (which I cannot believe I read) contains 9 points, all of which are pure supposition and reach based on already-known facts. I'm sorry greg, but YOU are the reason people vote for Donald Trump and think vaccines are evil and think 9/11 was an inside job. Because YOU fall for stories with absolutely no hard evidence to support their theories, but boy they sure sound interesting. Stop it. Please. You want people to not be "lazy"? Look at that story you linked. Read it critically. Look at the language and the style. And look for anything in there non-circumstantial at all.

Holy crikey, "greg". Conspiracy? Hoax? Do you have any evidence whatsoever of it being a hoax? Other than some people's apparent desire to make it so? Wow.

Baseball America released their league Top 20's for the AZL, and the PIO. Just one White Sox there - Johan Cruz, 3B/SS, Great Falls. I asked Bill Mitchell about some AZL guys in the chat, this is his response...

They've been telling him this for a few years. Sometimes he does it, sometimes he doesn't. His fastball and slider both do better when he doesn't over-throw, and he has better command with them too. Its a question of whether or not he sticks with the gameplan consistently.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 21, 2015 -> 01:46 PM) I have yet to see a single candidate on either side that I WANT to vote for. Kind of goes without saying, but I thought I'd give my thoughts anyway.

Just for fun, the NSS rankings of preference among current GOP candidates... Kasich Rubio Christie Paul Fiorina Bush *large gap* Pataki Jindal Walker Graham Cruz Carson Santorum Trump Huckabee

Part of the art of voting for me is, since no candidate will align with everything I believe, you choose based on what they actually have a reasonable shot at effecting. This is why I voted for Rauner over Quinn. Rauner is pretty far right on social issues but frankly, he can't win on those issues in Illinois (thankfully), so it came down mostly to fiscal policy. And I felt the state needed someone to grind into the legislature on that. Using the same thought process, I think I'd go either Kasich (ideally) or Rubio (among those who have a real shot at winning). Also worth noting - you can find hints with every candidate how they would shift when going to the general. I think we'll see Rubio be more moderate on many key issues, including immigration, when it comes down to it.

Lots of strong performances in the system in August and early September, making for some touch choices (especially among the pitchers). Read here to see who finished the season on a positive note. What are your thoughts on these players? Anyone you are following in particular?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 20, 2015 -> 12:27 PM) Anyone here have experience building a house not in a subdivision? We're considering doing this in 3-5 years but I wouldn't even know where to start trying to find a home builder/general contractor who doesn't want to build $500k+ homes. For the contractors, start with Angie's List.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 20, 2015 -> 11:42 PM) No. This is all just blather right now. Hillary is the Democrats' choice. I desperately hope Biden enters to make life harder for her, though. You do realize that the 'Democrats' choice', meaning the one leading polls and seemingly with biggest party support, months before the first primaries... has never won the nomination in decades-long recent history.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Sep 18, 2015 -> 12:04 PM) Considering how bad this season has been for him, he may accept and try to rebuild his value. And it's not a terrible gamble on those terms. I think it is highly unlikely he does. No one ever has. But I think the gamble is worth it, since the downside risk just isn't that big.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Sep 18, 2015 -> 11:42 AM) I'm sure it was mentioned in other threads, but what should the QO to him be? They should offer the minimum, which would be one year and about $16M.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Sep 18, 2015 -> 09:35 AM) Overly serious baseball fans piss me off. The ball park is for everyone - including KIDS who think that the wave is pretty cool. No one is asking you to participate. Sit there and choke on your burgers and burritos if you want and let people do what they want. Lighten up Francis. I have to agree. I'm not a fan of the wave, I usually just sit there and don't participate because I think it is inane. But I bring my kids, and if they want to do it, I will do it with them. If someone feels that makes me less of a fan, well, you know where you can stick it. Just enjoy being at a ball game.

The Dash were probably the most prospect-heavy affiliate, made the playoffs, and posted the best 2nd half record in the Carolina League in decades. Here is the review of their season, our last affiliate in review for the year.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Sep 17, 2015 -> 01:38 PM) That in itself is the problem. The republicans are bellowing about how they must defund PP over a video and the video in question didn't even come from PP. Totally agree. In case that wasn't clear.

QUOTE (Jake @ Sep 17, 2015 -> 12:36 PM) I just can't believe how little talk there is about how Fiorina out and out lied about what is in those videos. I saw George Stephanopoulos interview her this morning and he told her that those images are not in any of those videos. She just said anyone who claims that hasn't seen the videos and that George needed to go check his facts. But there are plenty of reliable people who have sat through all of those "unedited" videos and have seen no graphic full-formed fetuses wiggling around, etc. Turns out she was referring to a different video, put out by an anti-abortion group. Which wasn't taken at PP apparently. And no one is aware of the context of the video either. She conflated (intentionally or not I have no idea) that with the PP body parts video.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Sep 17, 2015 -> 10:56 AM) The CNN debate was horribly ran by the moderators and didn't even compare to the FoxNews debate. That said, the candidates were much more aggressive in this debate. But Greg, Meghan Kelly is fantastic at what she does and the way Trump has handled her after is just despicable and goes back to a testament as to how he is. Would anyone think it is a good idea if Trump treated other world leaders the way he treats people he didn't like? In what world is that a good idea. I don't understand the Trump fascination (other then pure entertainment value for how dumb he is). It is despicable. Forgot to say it, but I agree on the bolded. I was initially happy when they said they were going for more interplay - and they did get that - but they set those up mostly as just "X said this, how did that make you feel?" which is weak sauce. It isn't often I complement Fox (Faux) News, but they did far better with their debate.

I'll also add my not-with-a-specific-party take on the debate. I watched most of it, up through medical marijuana and climate change or so... Winner: Carly Fiorina, no doubt. She had the best performance of any candidate in either debate so far. Her conflation and overstatement for dramatic effect on the abortion thing was laughable, but was serious red meat for the crowd she was targeting. Most of the rest of her debate she handled very well, especially her response on Trump's comments about her looks. I was impressed. The lunatic fringe: Cruz and Huckabee did their usual - using sweet and syrupy dialogue to deliver wholly impossible policy ideas while barely masking the obvious hate that drives them. Nothing new to see here. Trump: You could tell he was trying to come off as more "reasonable", and when he wasn't being pressed too hard, he managed to come off as competent and understandable. But as soon as somoene pushed a button, the obnoxious jackass would come out. I'd say he did more harm than good, as people start to see who he really is, but he didn't flop either. Rubio: He's got this odd thing where he comes off as so, so stiff and rehearsed, which makes him seem shallow. But honestly, it was when he got firey that I liked him best. I think overall he helped himself in this one. Clearly overmatched on that stage: Walker just isn't smart enough to keep up. Not a surprise he is falling like a rock. I'm not sure he even makes it to Iowa. Carson in the same boat, there just isn't much substance there. Carson is a lot smarter than Walker, but they both lack any real depth as candidates. Kasich: I want to like the guy, and I do in terms of policy, and in his more positive messaging. But he's starting to get too repetitive on his record and not engaging enough. Also the GOP primaries just won't nominate him, much like Huntsman in the last cycle (nevermind that Kasich is closer to Reagan policy-wise than anyone else on that stage). Paul: Smug, smug, smug. As always. Unelectable personality-wise. Has some novel ideas I like, but doesn't matter. Christie: I'm not sure what to make of him. He's trying so hard for the Common Man thing, but it doesn't come off as believable. He also really goes to that 9/11 stuff way too often. Policy-wise I think he'd actually be quite moderate, which is great, but he comes off more as the President of a fraternity than of the US. Bush: Helped himself a lot, closest to winning outside of Fiorina. Showed some fire, defended his family, struck a slightly more centrist tone. He should jump in the polls soon.

The second-to-last of our affiliate seasons in review, the Great Falls Voyagers (Rk, PIO) missed the playoffs by just a game. It was the first time since 2006 the team wasn't in the post-season, which is damn impressive. Here is the look at their season, from Rob (southside hitman). Winston-Salem comes up tomorrow to finish this series.