NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ Oct 23, 2012 -> 02:09 AM) http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gi...ox&sid=l119 Wilkins hit a walk off HR Also Sanchez 1-5, 3 RBI, SB. What the hell has gotten into Andy Wilkins down there? .414/.438/.690/1.127, plus 2 SB. 3rd in the AFL in SLG, 4th in OPS, 4th in AVG. The only guy hitting demonstrably better in all areas is Brock Kjeldgaard, a 26 year old who was drafted in 2005 in the 34th round who started as a pitcher, converted to a 1B, and hasn't played a full season of AA yet.

For Illinois voters, here is a link to the IL page that will show you where to vote, and what districts you are in. Then you can go to this link that shows who is running in each at the federal and state levels. Those sites are really far more complicated than they need to be. You should be able to just type in your address, and have it show you your districts AND who is running for those specifically. Locals, you have to research on your own.

Nick Cafardo writes that at least one GM sees Peavy getting a 3 year deal in the $36-40M range, as long as the docs say he's fully healthy. It is mostly a Yankees and Red Sox article, just page your way down. Here is the snippet:

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Oct 22, 2012 -> 11:28 AM) It's not good news for the economy that the most common response in these surveys was "too expensive." The drastic cut in ticket prices is another data point that things are going to get worse before they get better economically. Except that other team's attendance actually went up. And that dropping prices on a product is not uncommon at any time. And that baseball as a whole is "too expensive" for many people, and if other teams did similar surveys, would probably find the same responses from people as to why they don't go more often. And that you are taking the actions of one baseball team and extrapolating it to the entire economy. Other than that, your point makes sense. Who knows what the economy will do in the next year or two, I certainly don't, and neither do you. Also, neither do the Sox.

QUOTE (Cknolls @ Oct 22, 2012 -> 09:50 AM) Why are you both conflating Chicago with Chicago metro? We? You mean, why are YOU doing it, right? You are taking districts that include the suburbs, but also include the city, and somehow making the case that the city has too many reps. You were the one doing this to start the conversation. Lots of reasons to find the districting process ridiculous. You, however, are creating one that doesn't exist.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Oct 22, 2012 -> 08:50 AM) Who in Illinois do you think is underrepresented and should get those extra four reps you want to eliminate? What's the population density of the Chicago districts vs. non-Chicago districts? The average House district size is about 650k, so Chicago+suburbs (like you mentioned, some go from Wrigley out into the western suburbs) getting 7 reps seems about right. Cook County has over 5 million people alone, which means if anything, Chicago-area citizens are under-represented on a per-person basis. Chicago Metro has 9M people in it, give or take. Remove he NW Ind and SE WI bits, and its more like 8M. 8 millions divided by 650K is about 12.3, so... yeah, the Chicago area appearst to be very underrepresented, if they have just 7.

Weekend catch-up... FRIDAY: Scottsdale 1, Salt River 0 C Sanchez: 0-4, 2 K Wilkins: 1-4, 2 K Tr Thompson: 0-2, BB, K S Rodriguez: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K S Sanchez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K First two Scottsdale pitchers combined for 7 innings of no-hit baseball. SATURDAY: Scottsdale 5, Salt River 3 Ta Thompson: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K Sunday was off. Salt River plays tonight.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Oct 21, 2012 -> 11:59 AM) Some good AFL video on Rienzo who is also on the AFL Hot List from Baseball America. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prosp...12/2614225.html Interesting. He's got some delivery inconsistency, especially with the lower body. He also seems to short-arm the delivery a bit. Thanks for posting. And man, whoever that catcher was, they weren't having a very good day.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 05:35 PM) You think the marketing guy is now an economist? The White Sox are an extremely well run business from a financial standpoint. Your post said you thought the Sox ticket prices were somehow an indicator of a future economic downturn. How does that make any sense whatsoever? If it doesn't, then stop trolling.

QUOTE (floridafan @ Oct 20, 2012 -> 12:27 PM) Is it customary to have so few prospects play winter ball? I would have thought that more players would get that opportunity. What level player typically (?) plays winter ball ? AA? Are these the guys trying to make the 40 man roster after ST? Players are of different backgrounds, and there for different reasons. But it does seem like a smaller number than usual. Puerto Rico, though, is often the most popular one for US players to go to, for obvious reasons, so the number may swell a lot when those rosters get announced.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 05:28 PM) Not really. Something close to geometric shapes based on population, redone every 10 years as people move around. Sounds simple... but it isn't. You'd have Democrats wanting racial and ethnic diversity, and Republicans wanting it to be something other than just population to include businesses and rural areas. I like the idea, don't get me wrong, but since only a federal law could override the current state-by-state setup... you have to look at how Congress would f*** with it.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 05:21 PM) This is another data point that makes me think the economy is going to get worse before it gets better. um... what? You think the Sox have some sort of perternatural knowledge of where the economy is going, that others don't? This from the guy who thinks KW is an idiot, but somehow you think the Sox marketing guys can outduel the world's elite economists.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 05:24 PM) Repeat after me:CAMPAIGN. FINANCE. REFORM. Now continue: COMPUTER. DRAWN. CONGRESSIONAL. DISTRICTS The problem with the computer-drawn congressional districts is, you have to tell the software how to draw them. Those conditions will be fought over in the same exact way the maps are fought over now. You would have to pass a law with a standardized set of criteria for the software to use, all the time - good luck getting agreement on that.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 03:00 PM) No, but the new price structure should help, plus I don't think there will be a mass exit of season ticket accounts, which drive attendance. Yeah, I tend to think this will get a decent net increase in season tickets. Many of the holders from 2012 (probably almost all) plunked down deposits for playoff tickets, which makes them very likely to stay anyway. Now you lower prices, not only dissuading those few others from jumping ship, but probably bringing in some new people. The more they market the cheaper prices, the more new folks. I'd be surprised if the total season ticket holder base didn't go up by Opening Day 2013.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 04:17 PM) What I mean is if people really want to elect a third party politician, you need to elect a third party to congress, help build an organization so that party gets more seats, gets senate seats, then gets a presidential candidate. You elect a third party politician now? Great, awesome. But with a republican/democrat congress, it really doesn't matter what the hell the guy believes in. Obama's presidency was the fruition of 20 years of stewing legislation and other things formed through the dem caucus. This top down view of American democracy will never happen or wouldn't really matter. He/She'd come in, can't do or articulate anything, leaves. If people want choices, write to their congressman what they believe. The public wants a magic wand, but democracy is hard work. Magic wand? You seriously think that's what I am looking for here? Democracy is hard work? Are you talking to a kid in high school? Grass roots attempts at this are tried all the time, all over the country. Usually they fail, for a variety of reasons. But by dismissing the possibility of making an impact top-down, you are missing a very real tool to be used. The Prez election is high line. It is in front of everyone, and kept track of by many more people than local elections (right or wrong). You put the Greens and Libertarians on that stage, you give candidates in smaller races of all sorts a better chance, and that might push a few over the top and into real positions. As far as I am concerned, I would love to see it come into the system from all possible angles.

Here is our next chapter in the Top Prospects by Position discussion. We've already done Starting Pitchers, Outfielders and Skill Infielders. Now we're on catchers (we'll do 1B/DH, and relief pitchers, later). Tell us your top 5+ catchers in the system (can't really get to 10, so 5 is a good target)! Here's my list... 1. Josh Phegley 2. Kevan Smith 3. Sammy Ayala 4. Jose Barraza 5. Michael Blanke Other guys considered: Zach Fisher, Miguel Gonzalez Not the deepest crop of catchers, though really it is rare for any system to have multiple C's who seem likely future starting catchers in the majors. I'm higher on Phegley than others, his defense is said to have improved a lot and he's had very little actual development time reaching AAA. If he's in AAA next year, which seems likely, he'll need to up his hitting game. Kevan Smith is old for level, but has performed at all his stops and was drafted as a defensive catcher, but he's still probably multiple years away if he makes it at all. Ayala and Barraza both show big potential, but are young and raw. Blanke fell off the radar this year, and seems to have been leapfrogged on the big board by Smith. How about yours?

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 02:48 PM) No asterisk, however unlike you I don't think it's good strategy to strive to be the 7th best team in the league going forward. Yeah, because clearly that is what KW wanted. To be 7th best.

QUOTE (champs2005 @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 02:00 PM) never mind 2006 or 2007 guys, we are living in 2012 and the 2013 season is being planned for. The market research reflects what fans think NOW. You dont plan 2013 for what fans thought 6 years ago. We can argue all we want, but rest assured that Brooks Boyer and the Sox brain trust now will NOT assume that more people will show up if the Sox win. They have to create strategies that get people to show up. And they are doing this. Like they built Bacardi in the Park. Like they built that Metra station stop. Now they are finally cutting parking and ticket prices. Of course the GM and that staff want to get good players and we fans want the team to win. But honestly we all must stop repeating this mantra of if "they win they will come" because it isnt true. Especially in light of the fact that 70% of current fans would rather watch the games at home. OMG that is a horrible stat. Market research is based on what fans SAY, which is not always what they DO. Don't get me wrong, that data is very interesting, and I am sure Brooks et al are taking it into account (as they should). I am also sure that there is a definite belief in that crowd, again as there should be, that winning also helps draw fans. The economy has changed since 2006, but for the most part, the game has not changed much. Winning is a very real part of the equation, and it amazing to me that you'd think it wasn't a factor. Not THE factor, but A factor.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 11:33 AM) bleh. It's not the candidates it's the institutions. I can't even tell what you mean here. But I am firm believer that not only will it help politics in this country to have more choices, I also think it will have a direct effect on the current run-for-the-edges mentality in elected government and among the voting public.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 09:48 AM) We should trade for Smoak too, then we can have the 2008 draft All-Bust team Tim Beckham is playing in the AFL this fall, maybe we can pick him up too.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Oct 19, 2012 -> 09:22 AM) Gary Johnson asks DC Federal Court to intervene and get him in 3rd Presidential Debate Monday Good. Him and the Green candidate are both getting a few % points on some polls, they should be included.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Oct 18, 2012 -> 09:47 PM) I might consider season tix if all this is true. I kinda doubt the Sox would release all this detailed info if it wasn't true. I mean, people would start calling about buying tickets and plans, and find it was a ruse... that would be horrible for business.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 18, 2012 -> 09:44 PM) Game still underway, but Rienzo is done for the night and ptiched well again: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Two starts, he's still got a zero ERA. C Sanchez finshed 1-4, 2B, 2 K. Also, Rienzo picked a guy off 1st. Nice to see from a righty.

QUOTE (flavum @ Oct 18, 2012 -> 08:13 PM) Rienzo starting tonight. Sanchez at 2B. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/y2010/index...mp;mode=gameday Game still underway, but Rienzo is done for the night and ptiched well again: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Two starts, he's still got a zero ERA.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Oct 18, 2012 -> 01:20 PM) That's a pretty big deal. Not only getting rid of the dynamic pricing nonsense, but now it looks like games will be just one price, other than Opening Day and Cubs. Interesting. QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Oct 18, 2012 -> 01:40 PM) The prices changes are not for seats that were sold anyway so this really will have little affect on the bottom line. The good seats are still expensive. If the Whte Sox thought that this would negatively impact the bottom line, they would not be doing it. This makes no sense to me. Seats that were sold anyway? They are lowering nearly all the season ticket prices. How are these changes not for seats "sold anyway"? Besides, invoices for the final amounts for 2013 season tickets are still a few months away, so no seats are truly "sold anyway". This is a business gamble. If they sell the same number of tickets, revenue will go down. If on the other hand they think this will get significantly more butts in the seats, then they could break even oer perhaps even make more money. Furthermore, this could help stave off what would have been further losses in season ticket base.