NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Wise Master Buehrle @ Aug 24, 2009 -> 12:13 PM) He might be more hated, but if we're gonna throw Beckham at 3rd and let him learn on the fly, we may as well deal with Alexei at SS too. All we can do is hope he improves into the GG-caliber SS we know he is capable of. Also, just the fact he is a magician with the stick makes it worth keeping him around. But herein lies the problem. Alexei has been this shortstop, since day 1. He isn't improving. When he first showed up like this in April and May, I was all for giving him some leeway, as he learned the position. But he isn't doing that, so, I personally would be in favor of him moving to another position, depending on how the offseason plays out. Given Beckham's quick adjustment to 3B and his career as an SS, I'd be surprised if he couldn't do better. But again, this really depends on who is available for the various IF positions going into 2010.

QUOTE (Markbilliards @ Aug 24, 2009 -> 09:46 AM) Vicideo is a good candidate for 1B. That's probably true, though I don't think he's actually played there yet. I wouldn't be surprised to see him at 1B next year, and you make a good point.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Aug 24, 2009 -> 09:26 AM) Actually, Ford's hybrid program is growing to be pretty robust - withe Escape doing pretty well in sales. Why I said marginally. I believe they have 2 or 3 hybrid models now - but production levels are still a small % of their total production. GM has a couple, but same thing, only a small %. Chrysler, I thought, has none. Given the success Ford has had with the Escape Hybrid and other hybrid models, I'd guess they will continue to ramp that program up, but today, its not huge, and they aren't capable of doing a huge short run ramp-up for a program like this.

Father's side is mostly Irish, but the families have been here since the 19th century, so there is also some German and possibly some American Indian in there (details on that part are sketchy, as it was hidden at the time). Mother's side is half Italian, half Lithuainian, both the grandparents immigrants. I'm a mut.

For anyone that missed it, TribCo is retaining a 5% stake in the Cubs after the sale to the Ricketts. So, they get the cash they need, but still have a reason to support the Cubs. Thrash away.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 03:53 PM) Torii Hunter throwing the ball back at the pitcher as retaliation after being plunked I don't recall this - I'll have to go find video now.

QUOTE (jenks45monster @ Aug 24, 2009 -> 09:13 AM) Based on his athleticism. He's athletic for a 1B, but going from that to being a corner OF is a long leap. It might be possible, but its a long shot for it to be successful.

QUOTE (Markbilliards @ Aug 24, 2009 -> 08:41 AM) Even if Pena turns out to be a bust even in 2010, the trade thought process was smart on Kenny's part. 1B are extremely replaceable, but he was thinking that it'd be nice to get someone young in the pen who has the potential to be a closer some day, and can help now. Obviously it hasn't gone that well, but I can not criticize the trade thought process. In a vacuum, this is true. But for the Sox, I feel it was not. The Sox have seriously aging guys at 1B and DH, and now have less financial flexibility to go get a slugger, and no one at all in the minors that looks like a serious potential replacement of that offense. Meanwhile, the Sox have one of the stronger bullpens in the game, and a few nice arms in the minors for the future, so the pen really was not a huge concern. Seemed like a poorly thought out move to me, for this team in particular.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 23, 2009 -> 10:03 AM) So if there ever was a such thing as a redneck wedding, I was there yesterday. I have never seen the booze and beer flowing before, during, and after the ceremony, and for the wedding party included. That's funny, I thought you were Irish. If you were, this level of celebratory boozing would not be foreign to you, at weddings or funerals.

The death star road trip begins. Let's get it the hell started. mlb.com preview. *cough cough* ahem... GO YOU WHITE SOX!!!

This topic needs a poll. SS Don, would you mind if I added one?

Its funny to see an argument being made that Obama is a Marxist or a Socialist, just as its funny to see people say he's not. Its not a switch. The government ALREADY redsitributes wealthy. Even the most conservative among the GOP leadership favor some degree of it. Its just a question of where on the curve everyone is. Obama is a few inches closer to Marx than Bush 43 was. But they are both still miles away from being just like him.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 09:03 PM) should have been a 'order a hybrid get 4500 dollars off' program. all cars getting 22 or less mpg qualify. just my 2 cents imagine how much less oil we would use I would have been good with that, but it would never have passed. It would also not help Chrysler whatsoever, and barely help GM or Ford.

QUOTE (bmags @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 07:19 PM) jesus pods gets thrown out... Seriously, he just kills rallies that way. Pisses me off. He's had such a good offensive season otherwise, with some big time clutch hits, but the pickoffs... dammit.

My company is very tight with information going out on the intewebs about my work, and I don't want to get fired, so... I'll just say I work in financial technology.

D Lucy was injured in a game on 8/14, and is now on the DL. No info as to what his injury is. Just another blow to Lucy's prospects for ever seeing the majors.

Anyone ever hear why Lucy went to the DL?

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 02:54 PM) I was in the Army when I started posting here, and I don't like to go on record with what my current job is but if you post in the Filibuster you've probably figured it out when you read me on certain topics. I figured it out - you transferred to the Air Force and don't want to admit it.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 02:50 PM) Eh... haven't you ever filed taxes? The government didn't start garnishing your paychecks for a year just because they felt like it did they? I'd hope not. Government employees are just like anywhere else, they can't act with impunity. Get caught doing something like that will get you fired immediately and probably a couple of years in prison. The dynamic doesn't change just because it's a government employee and it doesn't matter what rank they are. This. Also, just in my experience, the best thing to do is have all your bills go to your credit card instead of your bank account for withdrawal (assuming you don't carry a balance of course). You get some card benefits, its automatic and brainless, and if someone DOES get your info, you only have to cancel a credit card and aren't liable for any of the fraud.

People here seem to be forgetting as well, on average, people got into cars with much better gas mileage. That decrease in demand will help keep oil and gas prices lower, keep pollution lower, get people to travel (tourism $) more, and keep them at lower levels of consumer debt. The front-load issue will indeed cause lower demand later, but you ALSO get a bunch of longer term benefits. Let's not look at just one side of this.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 01:54 PM) Very well actually because many of the steel mills here in NW IN supply them with steel. The part they don't mention is that the American auto workers compensation package dwarfs their forgein counterparts. Those jobs are also concentrated in some of the regions of the country that have been ripped apart by this recession. I believe I saw Michigan alone has something like a 20% unemployment rate right now. Weren't you among those who were constantly stating that the American car companies were saddled with ridiculous labor contracts, that gave them those very advantages? From what I've seen the pay and BASIC benefits for workers at foreign car plants in the US are very similar to those working for the Big 3. The difference is the extra crap in those labor contracts for the Big 3 - the spare engineers, the absurd pension plans, etc. Those were the big killers. In any case, the point is still that you want as many jobs as possible. Therefore it would make no sense to restrict this to US companies.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 09:10 AM) I love MB but I don't think his changeup is even in the discussion. Granted, I don't watch every other team play so I can't tell you how 90% of the pitchers in this league throw their individual pitches, but MB doesn't have great stuff. If anything, I'd think his cutter would have performed better. To me, MB has 4 plus pitches, but none are plus-plus. I'm surprised he got voted that. But if the players/managers did that I'll say they probably know better than I do. I'm just surprised. MB survives on speed of delivery, location and mixing pitches. I tend to agree. Someone just recently posted a highly granular study of the success, velocity, movement, etc. of individual pitches by pitcher, and Buehrle was unique in baseball for having 5 above average pitches. None were among the very-very best, but all are better than average. But in terminology, I'd say MB has VERY good "stuff", because to me that is the whole package. If you have just one really devastating pitch, then that's not "stuff" to me, thats a pitch. I guess it depends on your definition of "stuff". I see it as the effectiveness of your entire repertoire of pitches.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 01:27 PM) Not the Free Credit Report band I hope? Damn you.

I pinch.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 01:21 PM) White Sox @ Yankees, August 9, 2005. Kid jumped on the net, was chilling there for a while. He was terrified and embarrassed. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250809110 yeah, I remember that. His friends said he wasn't even drunk - he just said he wondered if the net would hold him. Then at some point, he found out. He's lucky it did - clearly it isn't meant for that purpose.