NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 04:03 PM) I'm surprised we didn't get anything for Miranda. I thought he was a pretty decent UT prospect? I liked him anyway. I tend to agree. As a middle infielder, a guy who draws walks as often or more than he strikes out most of the time, has a reputation of solid defense at skill positions, has played SS (natural position), 2B and 3B, high 300's OBP in all but that 1.5 month first stint at W-S, OPS in the mid to high 700's with a batter's eye that could add power later, switch hitter, and still relatively young... for a middle infielder, seems like he at least deserves a continued look. The middle infield in the mid minors is very crowded now, so, they probably were willing to take offers on whomever they could get value for that wasn't Beckham. Whatever the "future consideration" is from MIL might be the best offer they got. I wouldn't call him Top 10 in the system, but, I think he could sneak into the top 25, or close to it. I guess they thought otherwise.

This is just an article written by someone who hates sports and wants to vent. Its laughable, and it didn't even deserve our time.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 03:39 PM) im still trying to figure that out. its not like there werent options out there. were they great? probly not but id still take crisp,taveras, etc over them Its not just a matter of finding pieces. Its a question of what those pieces costs, in players and/or salary, and how that fits into your budget, as well as the value equation (where the money could be used elsewhere more effectively).

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 03:44 PM) Ladies and gentlemen, the future of the Republican Party... LINK He, and the Republicans generally, are attacking the pork/spending thing the wrong way. Their base point, that this tack-on spending is problematic and wasteful, is correct. But by picking certain individual spending items and mocking them, when many may in fact be important and useful, makes them look like buffoons.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 11:57 AM) The Rays returned Derek Rodriguez to the Sox after taking him in the Rule V draft. Didn't OAK take him the Rule V last year and release him as well? Same guy Rule V'd twice?

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 03:15 PM) yea, and the market was too low. a lot of money was on the sidelines. seemed oversold to me. I was just discussing with some people this weekend, how oversold the market is, and how the ratio to book value for a lot of typically blue chip stocks is so banged up. Seems like a good directional move right now (at least before today's jump) to pick about 10 of these companies, C and the like, and buy in. Even of 2 or 3 fail, the rest will go up more than enough to make up for that.

QUOTE (Soxy @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 11:46 AM) I'm re-reading a guilty pleasure of mine: the Rebus novels by Ian Rankin. Great mysteries. That would be another good thread - guilty pleasure books. Books that are far from great literature, but fun anyway.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 11:45 AM) Employees at said company would also need to be banned from contributing, otherwise you'll just have a massive list of executives, management, and even lower level employees paying off politicians. Then we get onto that 'slippery slope'. That's a good point - is it even constitutionally safe to prevent people from donating to politicians for these kinds of reasons?

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 02:50 PM) market is up a lot today The markets seem to like this toxic/bad asset buying program announcement. ETA: Also, the upward surprise number on existing home sales probably helps.

Sales of existing homes spiked unexpectedly in Feb, by 5%+. Prices still plummeting. Looks like we are shedding inventory a little faster as people continue to drop prices, so, that's a sign of progress for now.

One more update. Mark Gonzales at the Trib responded to an email from me, saying Miranda was traded for "future considerations", much like Stewart was.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 09:48 AM) Here's a thought... If we are talking about taxing the bonuses that go out to these employees, here is the corresponding law that I would like to see passed as well. Any company that is getting governmental aid is banned from giving money to any politicians connected with these votes. No lobby money until they are off of the governmental dole. It is a conflict of interest at best, and a bribe at worst. I approve.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 10:52 AM) This doesn't work in a vaccuum. If a company needs a cost reduction, and needs to cut 25% they are cutting 25% of wages, whether that is through a total # of jobs, or through an accross the board wage cut. Instead of a quarter of the workforce having no job, while three quarters keeps their full wages, they just cut everyone by the same amount. Looking locally, this was going to happen in one of the main steel mills here, and the union actually went in and asked for the wage cuts versus the job losses. IMO, the smart management move in those sort of situations is usually a hybrid. Stop hiring for open positions, offer some early retirements, allow jobs that are vacated to remain open, lay off some of your weakest performers, cut entry salary on the positions you absolutely need, bring down bonus and other executive plus-one compensation, find non-necessary operational costs to be cut... all those things first, then whatever is left, if you still need to cut, you make those tougher choices about job cuts versus pay cuts.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 09:31 AM) Actually that's not true. A buddy of mine lives out in Denver. His bro-in-law just got a ticket for having a rain catcher. They take this stuff very seriously out there. I think it's pretty telling how ridiculous this is when the argument goes "we need that water to reach streams and rivers" but the evidence says 97% of that water never reaches any stream or river. Wow. That's an example of taking a law too far in its enforcement. That is just counterproductive.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 09:21 AM) I actually don't have an opinion one way or another on this. But I do see Obama's logic even if it's going to piss a lot of people off. Contrary to what many here want to portray, one thing Obama has done fairly well so far is do what he and his analysts think is right, even if it pisses off his own party. And I do see his line of logic.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 09:09 AM) From MLB.com Apparently, that meeting of the minds did not extend to Danks and Quentin. Williams explained Sunday that the same offer given to Floyd was put on the table for Danks, but the interest wasn't returned in what the White Sox were talking about. "At this point, as I explained to the players, 'No harm, no foul,'" said Williams, prior to Sunday's Cactus League game against Oakland. "I explained to the players that we wanted to do something in the spirit of building that next core. "Also, as I explained to each individual player, once you have as many players under contract I believe as possible, you can begin the process of trying to win baseball games, vs. having guys that are worried so much about their statistics, individual statistics. You get to a level of play that I believe is more unselfish." Cool, thanks. That I believe. I didn't see those quotes in what I read yesterday, but I didn't look at MLB.com.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 08:56 AM) Hoo boy, is he gonna piss the left off with this one. This is a pretty big risk. As much as I hate these bonuses, one of the things that has always made the United States business-friendly is the sanctity of contract law. Taking the bonuses back, even through legal means, sets a precedent that makes me uncomfortable. Except, as has been discussed, contract law is not solely the matter of protecting all contracts under all circumstances. this contract straddled legal changes that effected it. Ideally, TARP should have addressed it, but it didn't. I actually am in favor of the heavy tax, for those who didn't return it (some have, apparently, of their own volition). I understand what Obama is saying here, but, I think he's wrong. Just my view.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Mar 23, 2009 -> 08:27 AM) Article, KW, and 670 this morning. Yeah, I keep seeing Sox beat writers talk about certain things being certain, and then followed by quotes from Ozzie or KW that make it seem far from certain. I am therefore skeptical of it. But I didn't hear anything on the radio or from KW as a quote, so if he said it, then there it is.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Mar 22, 2009 -> 10:48 PM) FYI, Quentin also turned down an extension today. Where are people hearing this and the Danks thing? I've only seen it from posters here.

Well, I haven't seen official word on this, and Lucy is still in camp. So I wouldn't call it a done deal yet. If they were sure, then why didn't they send Lucy over to the minor league camp when they send Flowers and Armstrong over? Not that I think Lucy will light it up in the majors, but, playing part time against mostly LH pitching, I'm fairly certain he'd out-hit Miller by a lot, and give you solid defense as well.

I'd be that Beckham goes to AA.

Got some confirmation on this, sort of. From a Brewers forum, one of their posters got an email from the Brewers beat writer. This beat writer's disdain for his readers and for the players seems to eclipse even Cowley, which I didn't think was possible. Long story short, its a done deal, Miranda is gone, and it doesn't appear to be part of any larger deal. Simply a purchase of contract. Best of luck, Sergio.

Sergio Miranda has been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Not sure who he was traded for. A guy on a Brewers board received word from a Brewers beat writer that was so dripping in disdain its hard to make out the actual information, but, it appears to have been an independent move for low level player, future considerations, or cash. Best of luck to Sergio!

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Mar 22, 2009 -> 06:04 PM) Unfortunately the most clutch hitter I've ever seen, Victor Mercedes, is no longer in the organization. ah, I didn't know that. Well, that does make the middle infield in Charlotte and B-Ham a little less crowded. Lots of people to fit in there.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Mar 22, 2009 -> 06:09 PM) I guess that means they will promote Francisco Hernandez to B'ham, unless Adam Ricks is ticketed to back up/mentor Flowers. Ricks isn't going to start anywhere, so they'll put him whereever needs a backup. Is Ricks good defensively? If so, B-Ham seems logical. Then again, where does Innouye go? Is he still going to catch, or move to another position? I assume Dubler will start in Kanny.