NorthSideSox72

This leaves the CF issue still open between Wise/Anderson/Owens, still leaves the team with 2 backup catchers, and still has a few questions left about the bullpen and 5th starter (Colon, then the remaining group of pitchers: Carrasco, Richard, MacDougal, probably some others I am missing).

Also, Nix to 15 Day DL, retro to 3/17.

Marquez, Broadway and Egbert to AAA, Williams and Kroeger to minor league camp.

Maybe I'm ignorant on this subject, but, how would a blood test tell you if you have anxiety disorder? Isn't that a mental illness?

They seriously make you watch a commercial... before the commercial? That's a bit ridiculous. Pretty funny though. Not great, but, pretty good. Buehrle was funny. So was Carlos.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 10:42 AM) Olney's latest has some stuff from scouts the first being why we can't take spring training results too seriously especially this year from an NL scout: No. 1: The length of spring this year has affected play. It's only been in the last week, since the WBC ended, that you've actually seen the everyday players start to go hard. This has been good for young players trying to make teams, but for the veteran guys, it's not been a good time to get work in. It's the most non-descript spring training I've ever seen." From an AL scout on the White Sox : No. 3: I love the way the White Sox play. Does any other organization have as consistent of an attitude from ownership through the general manager, to the manager and field personnel?" Nice to see about the Sox, though I wish they'd "play" better on the basepaths.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 09:12 AM) In response, the market is down about 3% and falling... This is what the markets feared most when these bailouts started happening, and that is government interferences in their businesses. Good or bad can be debated, but the fear this puts into the markets, can't. You take billions in government money, you fail to run your business (which we the taxpayers now own) well enough to make things work... you get booted. The taxpayers are now the board, for companies receiving huge bailout dollars. I like it. I'd like it better if it was part of a bankruptcy or bankruptcy-like reorganization, though, and if all the high level execs (and high level union leaders for that matter) went with him. They need a serious re-boot to have a shot at being viable.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 09:14 AM) I was just playing devils advocate anyway. But you win with this one. I guess I'm in a mood today where I don't give up easily. So I play along.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 09:12 AM) Wow that was a great attempt at rationalization! Far reaching, but I give you an A for effort anyway. Because, you know...you're right, you need to be as big and strong as Arnold to carry around an 1800 page book/document! It's not like it can be on a laptop, or a cart with wheels you push. You fail. Thank you for illustrating why the woman in question was perfectly capable of performing her duties without the ability to carry around papers.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 09:09 AM) I've never had any ailment close to this -- and I can tell you that just having a bad case of the flu affects my ability to do my job properly, as my concentration cannot be 100% (or even near 100%) on what I'm doing -- so I know for a fact there is no way she could have, either. While it makes a great fluff piece, which is what it is, I'm not buying anyone under that kind of duress could "perform at 100%", and if you do, then you are all fools. That said, I'm glad this little hero story made you feel better about the world. I'm not sure anyone in Congress is performing at 100% at any given time. That has layers.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 09:06 AM) Yes, I do, actually. I sure as hell hope the people running this country can do simple things like carry around "papers" that has who knows what printed on them, classified or not, falling into the wrong hands because you have someone else doing that part of your job for you. So yes, I do. Then I guess we should fire all interns and staffers for people in Congress, and only elect people like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Some of these bills are thousands of pages long, you know. Can't have little old ladies carrying that around, and I guess we can't have anyone else carry them other than the elected member.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 09:00 AM) To those who believe, no explanation is necessary, to those who do not, no explanation will do. IMO, needing someone else to carry things like "papers" means you cannot do everything you need to do, it means others were doing them. You seriously think that carrying around papers is a necessary job function for someone in Congress? They ALL have a bazillion little interns do that crap for them anyway. Who gives a crap if they had to do a little more to help her out, especially since they all obviously believed in her and wanted to help.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 07:39 AM) What? You said lunch pale. You meant lunch pail. har har.

QUOTE (The Gooch @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 08:45 PM) I was also thinking about casting Carson and I couldn't come up with a good match. I am also wondering what they will leave out from the book. There were so many interesting and important things that happened in Blood and Thunder over such a long period of time that it is probably going to be hard to cut into a 2 hour movie. Oh you'd have to cut out a ton of great stuff, no doubt, and still end up with probably a near 3 hour movie. But, its a great opportunity to cast some really interesting characters along the way, with some great actors, hopefully.

QUOTE (knightni @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 09:30 PM) Russell Crowe maybe? No. I'm a fan of Crowe generally, but, I don't think he's the right fit. You need someone who is like a craggy, stout tea kettle of a man, built but short, gruff and unshowy. I don't think Crowe fits that too well. Lance Henrikson could also do the older version, or maybe Ed Harris. But again, having a hard time thinking of the younger version.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 08:13 PM) "Well, when we search your computer and find it you'll go to jail" Five bucks says that Obama himself has downloaded music illegally.

QUOTE (Cubano @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 08:12 PM) How about the ones that never improved? How about them? You said that if you're bad defensively, you are just bad, and will be bad going forward. I showed you two very good defensive 3B's from this very team, in recent years, who defied your statement quite directly. Other posters brought up yet others, again, proving your point incorrect. You were the one who made a blanket statement, not me.

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 08:10 PM) If I knew which one called a better game I'd pick him. I don't know about Miller. But Lucy's reputation is that pitchers really like working with him - there were even some published articles on this topic that were posted in FS over recent years.

Joe Crede was not a GG caliber defender on Day 1 in the majors. He improved a lot his first couple years. Robin Ventura struggled quite a bit his first year, before going on to be an elite defender at the position. Josh Fields is a superb overall athlete who has already made strides at 3B, and there is every reason to think he'd continue to improve. Making the leap to the majors at 3B is a big one, and LOTS of major league thirdbasemen have struggled at first, and then improved. The majority, even. The idea that players don't improve defensively, particularly at 3B, is just not in the ballpark of correct.

Its pretty amazing that this is even a discussion. After what sounded like a catastrophic knee injury ended Lucy's season last May, I wasn't sure he'd play again, since he's really only a valuable player as a catcher. But he sure seems to be back healthy, he's hitting a little bit, and I am confident that over a season, he'd out-hit and out-field Miller, though perhaps with not as good an arm. Either one throws better than AJ anyway, but both would be saddled with a pitching staff that makes that job tough. I'm going with Lucy.

Dreamworks bought the rights to film the book Blood and Thunder, by Hampton Sides, one of my favorite books and a great story for the big screen. Can't find any other info yet - no director, or producer, or anyone else attached. Casting Kit Carson should be an interesting challenge. As an older man, Robert Duvall would be a perfect Carson. The younger one, though, I'm not so sure.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 09:35 AM) Watched Collateral again last night. What a good film. Micheal Mann is the s***. He usually is, yes. But that 2006 Miami Vice resurrection film was awful.

I guess he won't be doing RAGBRAI this year.

Anyone here ever had an evening where they flip back and forth between a couple movies on the TV, depending on the commercials? The other night, I was flipping between 40 Year Old Virgin and Red Dragon. Hadn't thought about how weird that pairing was until about the 4th flip, then it became entertaining to just flip back and forth at random moments.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 28, 2009 -> 01:39 PM) To think there will be days when both Lillibridge and Corky Miller will be in the lineup with Lillibridge likely leading off, that'll be embarrassing. I don't expect Miller to get a hit this year and I fully expect Brent Lillibridge to strikeout in half his ABs. If they start off as cold as people seem to think they will, then they'll be replaced by Nix and Lucy by June. At least, I hope so. Though I for one still am not 100% convinced of Lillibridge's complete suckitude. I'd like to see what he can do starting in Charlotte for a while.