NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 10:07 PM) I am looking to spend a week somewhere up near the New Mexico / Texas border. Looking for a lodge, B & B, etc. Anyone spend any time in that neck of the woods? Nearby hiking trails, decent to very good restaurants at a minimum, etc Tex, I've spent a whole lot of time in southwest and south-central NM. I can give you all sorts of ideas. Check your PM's.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 09:10 PM) you might want to extend that to 16years. GW and Clinton had the same corporate economic strategy. The situation we are in certainly isn't Obama's fault. But as much as you wish it was, it isn't a GOP only caused problem. You are going to have to face reality here. Bill Clinton was as much to blame as anyone for the banking bailout disaster. lol alan greenspan. Other than the last three words, I agree with this post. As for Greenspan, I think people overplay both his positive and negative influences in the current economy.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 09:39 PM) Something tells me the Palin administration might not even get that quality of advice in the first place. At least the Clintons got it and ignored it. Please do not utter that phrase again, ever.

Morel now hitting .443 in the AFL, with an OPS north of 1.000.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 04:00 PM) I love how Democrats keep defining what the Republican party should look like and how they keep painting "tea bagger" people as lunatics (i.e. conservatives) who shouldn't be given the time of day. But then again, Reagan was a lunatic as well. Well, no, I very specifically was segregating the lunatics and blind faithful, from the thinking people. I certainly HOPE that the Republican Party can get back to being a little more sane as a whole, but, right now, their identity is fractured a bit, and that is difficult for a party whose success in recent years has been greatly because of their unity.

QUOTE (Cknolls @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 02:40 PM) Bernanke's greatest fear in the world is deflation. There is a difference between your greatest fear, and what motivates policy, or what is even remotely likely. My greatest fear might be shark attack, but that doesn't stop me from taking trans-oceanic flights. Also, Bernanke didn't write the stimulus bill.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 01:35 PM) http://www.theonion.com/content/news/area_...ate_defender_of I was laughing, until I realized there really are people like this. Then I thought about crying. Although, one if this character's assertions is actually accurate, to a degree: Sort of true. Still though, an otherwise awesome, and sad, article from the Onion.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 01:36 PM) From Public Policy Polling http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/11/acorn.html Obama won by a wider margin of votes (9.5 million) than in any Presidential election since 1984 when Reagan won by 16.5 million votes. Again, two kinds of Republicans, as we've been seeing for a while. The crazy wingnuts who would rather base their opinions on emails with subjects beginning with FW: FW: RE: FW: FW:, and the ones who are actually sane.

QUOTE (JorgeFabregas @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 01:45 PM) Weren't there some indications that the White Sox were high on Gartrell or at least are hyping him (ie Phil Rogers article)? I doubt they'd leave him unprotected. Yes, and yes.

Saying we won't be making any major splash in the FA market is not the same as saying they aren't making more moves. Also, this shouldn't be a big surprise - the Sox rarely do that anyway.

QUOTE (Cknolls @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 12:10 PM) Nothing is of concern near term. So when would deflation be a problem? What is near term? 2 years. Why haven't they reigned in the stimulus if deflation is not their concern? The stimulus was not primarily about deflation prevention, that was a secondary factor. Their decision whether or not to reign in stim spending will take that into consideration, but its not a one to one relationship as you hint here.

QUOTE (scenario @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 12:43 PM) Other Possibles? (not sure whether they are eligible, but think they probably are) Christian Marrero Anthony Carter Ryan Rote Israel Chirino Tyson Corley Lee Cruz Matt Inouye and a few other players in the lower minors Pretty sure Matt Innouye left the organization already. If Corley or Marrero really need protecting, I'd choose them over most of the ones mentioned at the beginning of this thread. But I do like Gartrell, I really think people are missing the boat on him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 11:45 AM) I agree near-term deflation is no longer a concern, but it's no longer a concern because the government and the Fed have been printing money to make sure it isn't a concern. Hence my response to him; if it becomes a concern again, then that means that the threat of inflation will have decreased to even less than the very-close-to-nil it currently is sitting at, and thus the government can continue printing money. That's a monetary divergence that would lead to disaster. Our rate of printing money is already way, way, way too high, and even more importantly, we're not getting the bang for that buck that we should. If the economy super-tanks in the next few years, and we throw even larger sums of debt money at it, the divergence will eventually cause real economic collapse. Fortunately, this is not the path that anyone in charge of anything is suggesting. But there is definitely some risk there.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 11:16 AM) The big reason for foreclosures now is unemployment, not bad loans. There has been a transition in this sector. By looking at the unemployment numbers, that means we are no where near ready to recover. We might be able to build a statistical falsehood here that shows "recovery", much like the 3.5% JUMP IN GDP last quarter. But there is nothing that shows any real growth yet. There is all kinds of growth going on, its just not sustainable, long term, steep growth like we'd want. I've shown all sorts of it in here. Its recovery growth, which some might call bounces, but that is how things start. If you ignore all these, you ignore the bigger picture. Overall, the growth is not that strong, but it is certainly there. The question is more about how sustainable it is, long term. But you are right about foreclosures, the continued large UE numbers are causing much of the foreclosure problem. Resets and bad loans are not so much the major factor anymore. No argument there. QUOTE (Cknolls @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 11:19 AM) Employment sucks and will for years. Ergo housing will have a second leg down. Period. And pretty soon the gov't will move to 100% of the mortgage mkt. We will be praying for only a double dip. Deflation is the biggest worry. And when "they " can't "stimulate" anymore, buckle up and strap it down, Hawk. It will get fugly. You are like the chicken little of the markets. You have been in here for years predicting levels of doom that never happened, and according to most everyone expert I've read or spoken with, are extreme worst case scenarios. Like 4 or 5 SD out from probable. So forgive me if I take your posts on this with a gigantic grain of salt, when you say "period" about something many experts don't think will be the case. QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 11:33 AM) This is contradictory. If deflation is the biggest worry then the government will have virtually infinite space for additional stimulus as long as they don't listen to the Hoover party. Deflation isn't a concern, at least in the near term. Only way its a concern is if the economy not only dips again in the next few years, but dips well below the current levels across the board. Virtually no one is predicting that. If that corner case did happen, we'd obviously have massive problems.

Construction has begun for the Metra station at 35th on the RI, according to the Trib. The article is mostly about the small Mies Van Der Rohe building that is being demolished to make way, but the key parts about the station construction are in there. This is the Rock Island line right now, but Metra has been playing with the idea of rerouting other southerly lines that currently use the tracks west of the park, to this right of way, so there may be other Metra lines stopping there in the future as well.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 19, 2009 -> 10:23 AM) There was also reports that fully 14% of mortgage holders were somewhere between late to foreclosure on their mortgage. I think I linked in a story on foreclosure rates recently, the basics were that the rate is still very high, but that foreclosure notices have actually been going down, not up. The problem is, some of the decrease is due to a combination of mortgage rebuilds and foreclosure stalling programs. And only some of those will stick. Looking at all the indicators amalgamated, it appears to me we haven't peaked yet, but the rate of ascent has become very small, indicating a likelihood that it, like the rest of the housing sector, is moving the right direction. But again, the key to this and really everything, is employment.

Economic Conference Board tends to agree with what I've been saying for a few months - growth, but slow growth, in the first half of 2010, with unemployment as the wildcard. Double dip not indicated as of yet.

Its still mid-November, and I'd say there is a 98% chance we make a few more significant moves before Spring Training. So really, there is no telling.

I think you're dreaming. Some folks have posted here in that past that were convinced of a vast conspiracy at the Trib to be biased towards the Cubs. I personally never saw much of that - the Cubs coverage was maybe a little more prolific at times, but honestly, they also have a larger fan base to cater to. I didn't see a material bias, though, where there was any attempt to be more positive or negative towards either team.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 18, 2009 -> 10:29 PM) Unless there is a 5-1 type trade, these are guys that are all expendable, as we try to move guys up through the lower levels of our system. None of those guys is ever going to contribute to the CHICAGO White Sox. Well that's just not the case. Every team in baseball has guys in AAA at various positions who aren't high ceiling, but have some major league experience or have put up big AAA/AA numbers before, essentially just to back up the 25 man roster (for injuries, etc.). And those guys often do contribute to the major league team. Occasionally, they even blossom into more than filler.

QUOTE (Ranger @ Nov 18, 2009 -> 07:40 PM) Let me preface by saying that I have been lurking on this board for a few years (as well as WSI) but have never been able to get a successful registration up until today (something about my domain being unagreeable with the login process. Thanks, Michael, for fixing it.) Anyway, I can't speak for anyone else that covers the Sox, but I can tell you that I have very little problem with anyone trying to break a story. If you have contacts and sources and you have a forum, you have every right to use that forum to your advantage. The advantage that the Trib/Sun Times/The Score/etc. have is that with their reports, there usually comes a bit of inherent credence given to those reports. That has nothing to do with the fact that those reports are printed on real, actual paper or floated through a transmitter. It has everything to do with the fact that they are established institutions and people recognize them, they've heard their names before. With continued diligence, SoxNet may someday be thought of by the masses in the same manner. If that happens, I don't think that's a bad thing. Certainly, SoxNet has already a good following. As some of you know, Joe Cowley is a regular on the Score and on shows that I do. I like Joe and I know he works hard covering the team, and has a pretty good understanding of what's going on with them. I know I said earlier that I can't speak for others, but I think I could understand where some people within the "established" media would take issue with certain blogs. There are plenty of bloggers that toss out rumors like they're brainstorming. Not to say that it doesn't happen in other forms of media because it does, but I have an issue with anyone that does that. I don't care if it's a blog, paper, radio or TV station. Promoting a rumor as if it's "close" to happening is irresponsible and, often times, the rumors that are in circulation are about potential trades that were discussed and already killed 3 days prior to the report. As for this latest rumor, it's not a secret the Sox were/are legitimately interested in Adrain Gonzalez. I mentioned it a time or two over the last couple of years and I know for a fact they tried VERY hard to acquire him 4 years ago and got pretty close, actually. I think what some people disagreed with on the SoxNet report is that it seemed to have a tone of the trade being a real possibility, even though Jason couched it early by using the phrase "preliminary discussions." While I don't doubt that there were discussions, from all indications, the seriousness of those discussions were no greater than what every GM does when they ask every other GM about every other player they'd like to have. In all reality, it could be reported that the Sox have had preliminary discussions with just about every team about every superstar out there. Maybe I'm wrong for reading it that way, and I apologize if I did take it the wrong way, but that's sort of how I felt when I read it initially. I respect that the authors did some work to try and break some news and I encourage them to continue. I don't think it's totally impossible that the Sox are able to work something out for him at some point, but I wouldn't expect it. It would be incredible, though, if they do...as long as they don't have to touch the rotation or the middle infield. -Rongey Thanks for your contribution, and welcome to the board, Chris! I tend to disagree on the tone of the article hinting at the trade being anything more than how it was stated - preliminary discussions. The attempt was made to make sure it was properly couched that way. Others may take that and leap to other conclusions. But otherwise, I think your post here is spot on. Keep up the good work!

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Nov 18, 2009 -> 05:50 PM) A lot of junk with these free agents, no one that seems on the cusp of being ready. I still think Kroeger might be, and Wassermann already has been previously. Cook maybe too. The rest, well, yeah. There is a reason these guys are minor league free agents. But there are occasionally some hidden gems in there.

Its Sox pitcher day for Peoria: Cassel, Ju 3.0 3 1 1 1 3 0 7.85 Rasner 2.0 2 0 0 2 1 0 9.45 Bellamy 2.0 2 0 0 0 2 0 1.59 All three looking pretty good. Even Cassel looked decent.

Sox: RHP: Dylan Axelrod (Hi A), Fernando Hernandez (AAA), Kelvin Jimenez (AAA), John Van Benschoten (AAA), Ehren Wassermann (AAA) C: Justin Knoedler (AAA) SS: Eider Torres (AAA) OF: David Cook (AA), Josh Kroeger (AAA), Michael Restovich (AAA) Any worth trying to keep around? Have to balance your desire to keep the stable full, with getting in the way of stronger prospects. That said, I'd try to re-sign: F Hernandez Wassermann Cook Kroeger Restovich If they are willing. But they may go elsewhere, where they'd have more of a shot at making the major league roster.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Nov 18, 2009 -> 12:01 PM) SI's Jon Heyman mentions the rumor... http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ...halladay/1.html Yet again, someone missing the point here - the main desired Sox pieces in that trade are NOT named Konerko.