NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 27, 2009 -> 04:54 PM) Seriously dude, stop with the Kroeger. He's hitting .258 with a .764 OPS. .868 in May as of yesterday (didn't check today). NO I WILL NOT STOP IT!!! HE'S MY NEW ROSS GLOAD!!! Seriously though, he's only even in the discussion if Fields departs entirely and Quentin isn't back yet. QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 27, 2009 -> 04:54 PM) I also don't like to say it, but now that ramirez is hitting his defense is moving to the next level. He just looks quick and rangy out at short and wow has he been showing off quite the cannon of an arm. I agree compeltely. I think we were all skeptical of the claims of Alexei being a GG caliber SS, and he may not be quite there yet, but he has looked awfully good and keeps getting better.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ May 27, 2009 -> 04:51 PM) I dont think either of those players figure in with Pods on the team and Wise waiting in the wings. If CQ is out, the job is Pods IMO Probably, but that's not what I'd do. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think Pods is going to keep up his current pace, which isn't spectacular anyway. Either way, I think you and Jas are right about Anderson and Ramirez, they should stick where they are.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ May 27, 2009 -> 04:49 PM) With the way BA is playing right now, I think it would be a tragedy to remove him from starting CF, especially seeing how that would keep Fields on the field That's also a good point. I kind of like Jas's idea - Fields in LF while TCQ heals, Beckham at 3B, Anderson and Ramirez stay in CF and Short. Keep Wise at bay. If Fields is traded before Quentin is healthy, Kroeger for LF.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 27, 2009 -> 04:47 PM) Ramirez is our SS. He's really starting to get his s*** together too. Fields will probably be trade bait, but if he hits, he could also stick in LF while the Sox figure out what to do with Quentin. Oh yeah, hadn't thought of that - Fields to LF if it looks like he's putting it together. Not a bad idea. So here is a question... would you rather have Fields or Kroeger in LF to hold CQ's spot? Also, I'm guessing this is the first domino in front of some other minor league moves.

QUOTE (flavum @ May 27, 2009 -> 03:18 PM) Fernando Hernandez blew it. 2-run homer in the 9th on a hanging curve. Going to the bottom of the 9th. Retherford, Colina, and Price due up. If anyone gets on, Danks will be trying to extend his hitting streak to 11. Fernando was having such a good season so far, he was due for a meltdown.

If Fields continues to improve as he has the last few games, I'm guessing that means either Fields will be traded, or the Sox have a tough call to make. I personally would rather, if Fields does indeed continue to improve, that they play Beckham at Short where he belongs (remember, his weakness in the scouting reports was his arm and defense generally), and move Alexei to CF. I realize I'm in the minority on this, but, I think it would have been better to either send Fields down a few weeks ago, or to stick it out now that he's showing signs of life. Right now is the exact wrong time for this. Flame away.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 27, 2009 -> 04:36 PM) Beckham has been promoted to Charlotte FYI. If Fields goes on a slide, expect Becks in chicago soon. Whaaaaaaa????

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ May 27, 2009 -> 04:32 PM) He has never seen Pods or Getz before.......has he? Erv was tough too before Monday. Or Nix I'm sure, and he may play. Possibly not Fields either, though I haven't looked it up.

I think Sotomayor is clearly well qualified, and her jurisprudence from what I have seen has stood up pretty well. She's a far better candidate than that hack Alito. But... and I can't believe I am going to do this... QUOTE (BearSox @ May 27, 2009 -> 11:16 AM) Nice, according to her, white males can't interpret the laws and consitution like a latino female. Yeah, that makes sense. I tend to agree with BearSox here, in that her statement about her background making her more able to interperet law is disturbing. I'd like to see the context (I actually looked around and can't find it), but as it stands, its a haunting and racist message, IMO.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ May 27, 2009 -> 02:42 PM) No. You are wrong Thank you. Any of those Episodes 1-3 were utter garbage. Writing, story, acting, visual effects, almost everything was a disaster. I spent most of my time during the first one (which I waited in a long line to see) alternately laughing and feeling depressed. I can count on one hand the number of things that actually worked in those three: --The light sabre fights involving Darth Maul, particularly the one with the weird red laser doors or whatever, were spectacularly done. --The music was decent, though pretty typical John Williams fare. --Liam Neeson and Ewen McGregor were both very good casting choices. --Natalie Portman is pleasant to look at. Other than that, I cannot think of another redeeming quality in those films. Some parts, like the obviously Jamaican Jar Jar (shiver) and the obviously Arab shopkeeper and the obviously Japanese Trade Federation goons were borderline racist.

Levi Maxwell has been just terrible - huge drop off from his year in Kanny last year. As of right now, Maxwell is 0-8 with an ERA over 6, more walks than strikeouts, and batters are hitting in the .330's against him. I'm guessing a demotion or release for him soon, with a Kanny starter being promoted.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 27, 2009 -> 11:55 AM) It had no where near the depth of those films. Aside from Episode 2, I'd be hard-pressed to say it was better than any of the others. Any of the newer pieces of crap they rolled out there - Episodes 1, 2 and 3 - are just lousy, laughably bad films, with only a few redeeming qualities. All Star Trek had to do was be something other than abysmal to surpass those three. Now, as for the original 3 (Episodes 4-6), I think it would be tough to put Star Trek above them, except maybe Return of the Ewoks.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 27, 2009 -> 11:43 AM) Danks floor is a good defensive outfielder. Not quite a BA, but a guy that has a bench spot. His median is a Mark Kotsay type of player and his ceiling is a Sizemore or Granderson. Yes, he's that f***ing good of an athlete. This is coming from someone whose raved about him long before he was in the Sox system. I'll take a young Mark Kotsay and be ecstatic about it. More than that is just gravy.

I'd use the drinks smilie, but, I don't think Jim needs any encouragement to hoist one. Enjoy the day!

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 27, 2009 -> 09:44 AM) Thats too many LH bats. Im guessing they bring up a righty. What RH OF could we bring up? It won't be little bridge. Cook ended up staying in B-Ham and isn't hitting well, and the other OF's in B-Ham are guys they want to keep developing. I think the only real choices are Kroeger or Wise.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 27, 2009 -> 09:28 AM) Let me ask this. Will more people die when Il decides to use a nuclear device? Of course. Do you think he actually will? And if he actually can, don't you think that us invading would prompt him to try? I think the current course of action would be a mistake if Il was 25 years old, healthy, and had a population that wasn't in such dire straights. As it is though, he's about to die, we'll get new leadership, and try a new path. If that works, great. If not, then we start talking other options. That's my view, anyway.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 27, 2009 -> 08:54 AM) The relative strength of their army IS the whole point here. If their army is a paper tiger, just like Iraq, it will lead them to fold quickly, just like I believe they would. But in the meantime, Seoul and other western-aligned areas in the region get blitzed by a metric f***-ton of artillery, China gets all up in arms, there is a chance you don't get all the nukes and they get some out or whatever, and then you have the power vacuum problem. I dislike the current approach too, but an invasion would be a massive mistake.

The impatience is pretty hilarious here. A few weeks ago, Fields started to fall apart, as pitchers found the weak point to manipulate (up and/or in heat). He looked bad a couple weeks, then started trying to adjust, and temporarily looked even worse. I said in here, that was actually an encouraging sign, and that he'd likely start coming around. Others echoed the same. But many of you just kept up on the FIELDS IS s*** s***, wanting to make a change NOW, like this is a video game or something. Don't look now, but he's had hits in his last 4 games, and is 6-for-16 (.375) in that stretch. No big power yet, though he's starting to hit the ball harder. He's coming back, just as one should expect he would. The question really is, how far "back" will he get? I don't think anyone is saying he'll be a .300 hitter, at all. But he won't be a .200 hitter either.

If TCQ goes DL, the smart call-up is Josh Kroeger, who has put up an .868 OPS in May at Charlotte. Unfortunately, we won't get the smart call-up, we'll get the Wise one.

QUOTE (danman31 @ May 26, 2009 -> 06:51 PM) Rare to see Torres struggle this year. I really like him. The K rate in AAA is hard not to like. I'm glad its not just me. I see a lot to like in him. Also, random off topic... What is up with David Cook? Put aside for a moment the whole age and not-a-prospect thing, and let's just look at his AA numbers in 2008 and 2009: 2008: .313/.467/.577/1.044 (which is just sick, especially in that ballpark) 2009: .218/.353/.435/.788 How does that happen? Was his injury late last year something chronic? Does he have a flaw in his approach that the league figured out (which may also explain the Sox sending him back down to AA)? Something else? His IsoBB is still nearly the same: .135 this year, .154 last year, both very good numbers. but his AVG and slugging are way, way down. And he's better protected in this lineup. Theories?

My boy Charlie finally lost a game - oh well, wasn't going to go all season undefeated. Other action... Columbus beating Charlotte 4-3 in the 3rd. Torres gave up 2 ER so far (and two unearned on a Castillo error at 3B, his 11th), Wise 1-2 with a double so far in his rehab game. Lucy and Ginter with doubles as well. MIssissippi @ B-Ham in warm-ups, Harrell goes for the Barons. Kanny was rained out.

QUOTE (TitoMB345 @ May 26, 2009 -> 06:40 PM) Anyone know if BA got benched or not? Benched? He's been rotating just as before. Also, with TCQ out and no DL trip (at least for now), that guarantees Brian playing time at least for the next few days.

QUOTE (lostfan @ May 26, 2009 -> 06:37 PM) I think Japan has it somewhere in their constitution or somewhere that they'll never have nuclear weapons. Not sure about nukes, but it does indeed say in their Constitution that they can't have offensive weapons or go to war other than purely national defense (or something like that). I also believe that amendments to change that have occasionally come up in Japan, and been voted down.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ May 26, 2009 -> 06:28 PM) What did I miss? What's he doing to deserve a ball in the earhole? Nothing, IMO. But the concensus seems to be that because he does this weird thing at the plate (he's actually running up through the batter's box towards the pitch, like he's a 16" softball player or something), which is considered bush league, he deserves to get nailed. I don't think anything deserves a head shot, though I could see a pitcher putting one in his hip.

QUOTE (Cknolls @ May 26, 2009 -> 06:01 PM) Nuclear Japan. Are we saying Japan has nuclear weapons? Because I didn't think that was the case.