NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 02:40 PM) Why did we trade for him in the 1st place? Well that part is obvious - we wanted a better bat and the right type of player, with OBP abilities, for CF. Unfortunately, he was bad in CF, not so great at the plate, and couldn't mesh with the clubhouse at all, so he had to get shipped out of town.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 02:44 PM) Sounds like Congress is going to throw another two billion into the fund... so that should last another eight days at the rate we are going? And the funny part, is the $4500 is pretty much like getting a tax cut. Why is that funny? Nothing wrong with targeted tax-related incentives. I'm glad they are putting more money in, since it obviously works in terms of its main goal. They just need to fix some of the aspects of execution, and tweak the MPG standards a bit.

Because his offense is only valuable at positions where he is a defensive liability. Also, he's apparently a really bad fit with the current Sox clubhouse. I can't believe this is coming up, again. Where would you even have him play on this team as it stands today?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 02:10 PM) They never mentioned KW in particular, but I know KW is trying to make a trade and has made lots of offers. From what they said, you make your offer and sit by the phone hoping it rings. know, or suspect? Just curious if you are aware of something not noted so far.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 02:27 PM) Wouldn't that be the second year in a row with a sub-par team that no trades were made? Winning the division and 89 games is sub-par?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 01:44 PM) Both are rookies defensively at their positions, give them a year from now and I think you will see a huge improvement. If you look at my post you quoted, you will see why that seems to only apply to one of them. Alexei hasn't improved, he's gotten worse over time. And I am just not sure he'll be able to get much better.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 02:10 PM) Any truth to the rumor that the Sox are interested in Danny Haren? Its been discussed here a lot, and AZ says they aren't trading Haren. He'd cost a pretty penny even if they were open to it. That all doesn't mean it CAN'T happen, but it seems highly unlikely.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 01:50 PM) Heath Bell would be a huge upgrade. The bullpen has really struggled lately, plus he would step in for Jenks next year, as I cannot see the Sox paying Bobby the money he would command next year and going forward. I don't know Bell, I'd have to take a look into his numbers, but certainly if he is good, cheap and can take over as closer in the future, I'm open to the idea. But a guy like that will cost a lot in trade. And this can be said of pretty much any player on the field - I am always open to a true, cheap upgrade. I just don't see the pen as a true team need.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 01:35 PM) I would have said it was the best in baseball a few months ago. Now, it absolutely scares the crap out of me. Absolutely everyone is struggling, I would love to add another reliever for the right price(not D2). Also should have added, we have a few pen arms that appear nearly major league ready that I like, that could move up if needed (Link, Rodriguez for example).

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 01:35 PM) I would have said it was the best in baseball a few months ago. Now, it absolutely scares the crap out of me. Absolutely everyone is struggling, I would love to add another reliever for the right price(not D2). I don't think you make trades based on in-season slumps. Guys like Jenks, Thornton, Dotel, Linebrink... they will very, very likely go back to being what they have generally been for years, which is very good. Linebrink scares me a little bit, but even him, I think he bounces back. Pena isn't great but doesn't need to be. Carrasco is just fine for a long reliever. The only truly weak spot in there is Williams, and he's the 2nd lefty and a LOOGY, so I'm not overly worried. I think if you go get a reliever right now, unless its a serious high end lefty, its useless or worse. And even the high end lefty isn't going to be utilized enough to make it worth what they would probably cost.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 01:27 PM) I think they are dangling jorDanks for a reliever, my gut says Heath Bell. I don't get all the talk of getting ANOTHER reliever. Its just not something the team needs, at all. I mean if you can upgrade there, fine, but the Sox pen, despite some recent struggles, is still one of the best in baseball.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 12:36 PM) We could realistically add an Of'er (maybe) a SP, and a 2B. A bullpen arm could help if it was a top tier lefty. Any OF or SP to replace what we have needs to be pretty high end though, otherwise it isn't worth it. Same with 2B. And I see no need at all for a top tier lefty reliever. The ideal candidate, if there is one, is a highly regarded SP or OF that is just on the cusp of coming up to the majors. Someone who could jump up if TCQ or Contreras breaks down, but who we wouldn't screw up by keeping in AAA the rest of the season. That's a narrow focus, though.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 12:32 PM) Carbon-dating in particular is also a very, very difficult task, even today. Especially if you're attempting it on something with very low amounts of carbon, like a silicified bone. You can get a mixture between modern carbon and any fossilized carbon in the the actual sample just by touching it, or by exposing it to the atmosphere, or by wearing perfume, especially if you aren't ridiculously careful in how you collect and prepare your sample. Especially if you go back to a measurement that gives 15kyr (that's 3 half lives of C-14 - that means 12.5% of the original C-14 would still be remaining). And the worst part is...the assumption that C-14 is constant in the atmosphere is routinely violated. It goes up and down. Back to about 2000 years ago or so we can calibrate what the atmosphere was doing because we have actual samples that we can date through other ways (annual bands in tree rings or corals). Before that, your age winds up being very dependent on your model for what the atmosphere was doing at the time. This was the reasoning used to dismiss Sandia Man, at first, until they started finding other similarly old bones in other parts of the continent. They claimed the C-dating used was thrown off by, as I recall, something odd in the rocks of the mountain where they found the cave remains.

Its funny, I keep having this illogical reaction to these deals, where I want KW to do something. Then I realize, I am not sure what the team could even use at this point. Therefore, I'd like him to go big (Peavy-level big), or stand pat.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 12:12 PM) Exactly, and Gordon's natural position will be 3B by the end of the season. He is perfect for that spot. The left side of our infield should produce 50hrs and drive in almost 200 runs each season while hitting 280-310. Thats something every team strives for. Both will be plus defenders with good range and good speed on the basepaths. I dont see what the big deal is wanting to just move good players to make a move. Honestly, I think its boredom. I'm not so confident on that. Beckham is making great strides, and should at least be average, probably more, but I am not sure yet. And in Alexei's case, I have seen him plateau and even regress defensively this season, which concerns me a lot.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 12:27 PM) Time is what our definition of time is. Who knows what "time" really is from a God standpoint? Which is why its silly to try to apply some earth-based date to the beginning of time. It is just second-guessing the very God you are crediting with it. This is why facts and evidence give us the HOW and WHEN and WHERE picture, allowing us to marry our faith or beliefs to history in answering the question of WHY.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 12:19 PM) Well, I personally think it's pretty silly to assume the universe and life etc. appeared out of nowhere. I just can't see the earth being a few thousand years old though. Why would God just f*** with us like that? Not to mention the history of cultures that dates to well before then, and is documented (in a way) all over the earth. And Pangea is also bolstered by living species and their changes and movements. Literal creationism, that God snapped his fingers and the earth appeared around 4000 BC, is chosen ignorance. Note, I am NOT saying that God, or faith, or religion, or beliefs are therefore ignorant. I think its simply the fact that people take the Bible, a written work of man, far too literally and selectively.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 11:52 AM) As a creationist, I do not believe they were once connected, HOWEVER I do believe that Plate Tectonic are real. So, you believe plate tectonics just started?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 11:48 AM) I think it might have something to do with this: and this: White southerners. Religious Right. Highly parallel groups there, so, potato potahto to me.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 11:44 AM) That's not a common theme in religious creationism, though. They come up with wacky theories like the plates all moving around at 100 MPH after "The Flood" but its generally not a common denial. I think its just more evidence of the lack of science education and the growing cynicism of education, intelligence and experts. Well, the Dems had 16% in there who said definite no, add 16% for GOP'ers and that is 32% of the population who I think, just out of ignorance, don't know. Which is sad, and goes to education as you said. But the differential between parties, to me, logically links only to those religious beliefs (because I really don't think that one party is more intelligent or better educated than the other).

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 11:34 AM) 47% of Republicans do not believe in Plate Tectonics. That's pretty much a perfect illustration of why the GOP is such a disaster right now - the influence (though, fortunately, waning) of the wing-nut religious right.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 10:59 AM) The important detail being left out is; TARP is by no means anywhere close to the only government bailout that these banks received. The guarantees on their debts, AIG bailouts, and Federal Reserve "Cash for clunkers" program were much, much larger than the TARP bailouts, and frankly, without those, all of those firms would be gone. That is an exaggeration. But, you make a good point that there were other programs. My feelings on those are the same as what I stated on TARP, though.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 10:58 AM) The Jays have apparently asked the Dodgers for there top 6 prospects. Is Ricciardi on drugs?

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 10:45 AM) Wonder if Seattle would deal Ichiro.... We've all drooled over that idea, but no way Seattle moves him. On the Washburn thing, they got him cheap because he's an FA after this season.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 31, 2009 -> 10:32 AM) They did it Friday, right before the program started: http://www.freep.com/article/20090727/BUSINESS01/90727084/ Ah OK, that is a different update. I was referring to the broad-based changes in EPA testing from 2006. I didn't realize these were new ones beyond that. Of course, it looks like this change put some cars in, and some out, so its a net zero effect. But this is definitely an example of government agencies not communicating well with one another. The change should have been put in place at the beginning of the program.