NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (chisox2334 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 01:26 PM) Lip, who works for suntimes on whitesoxinteractive, posted that ozzie laughed this one off and abreu looking for 2 yr deal. That quote was put on here too, months ago, and he didn't "laugh it off", he said it would be nice to have him, but not likely (or something like that). Means nothing.

People who walk into a revolving door but refuse to actually push it. Expecting others to do it for them. Ultimate in selfishness.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 01:17 PM) Put CQ in right, Abreu in left, left Getz and Lillibridge and Nix fight it out for the two spot and I'd even be down for that platoon in center. OK, flip TCQ and Abreu's defensive positions. Either way, very good lineup. 9 hole is still a hole, but, with the first 8 that strong, its tolerable.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:59 PM) It's a Senator's job to get pork for their state. That's the whole point of representative democracy. It is why our system is the way it is. Sort of. Classically, that is really more the job of a House Rep. Senators too, to an extent, but they are supposed to be a filter for it as well.

RF Abreu 2B Getz/Lillibridge LF TCQ DH Thome 1B Konerko SS Alexei C AJP 3B Fields CF Owens/Anderson That's really a pretty damn good lineup, all told.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 01:02 PM) Alexei in the #2 spot = ~750 PA Alexei in the #6 spot = ~680 PA Alexei in the #9 spot = ~620 PA Is it really worth limiting his PAs like this because he got hot for 100 PA in the 9th spot last season? Good point. But, having him 9th with Abreu leading off does give Lexi better pitches to hit, probably. Same could be said for Fields though, who could hit 9th, and you could hit Lexi 7th (with AJ and Fields behind him).

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:53 PM) I don't understand why Abreu is considered a perfect #2 hitter. He's a guy who takes a lot of pitches, yes, but if the White Sox don't have a protypical leadoff man who steals bases, so what? He also strikes out a lot. Why put a guy who hits 20 homers with a .300 avg, drives in 100 and gets on base at a .400 clip in a position where he undoubtedly would have to give himself up a lot? Maybe he could leadoff. Interesting. Have him lead off, and have Getz/Lillibridge behind him. That would protect the rookie combo too, with Abreu and TCQ on either side, allowing the rookies to get more good pitches to hit. Abreu is high OBP, and does have some speed.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:45 PM) Vote 'no'. But I would have voted against the bank bailout bill too. The bill is too pork ridden to be fixed IMO. I would, however, vote against a filibuster and if the economy doesn't turn around I would attack the Democrats with their votes for this bill. Then I would hire Joe the Plumber to answer the phones at my office. "Senator Genius' office. This is Joe the Plumber. Can I help you?" So... your solution to the economy is to hire Joe the Plumber, and do nothing else?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:43 PM) And when you toss in Richardson...really, what the Hell was the transition/vetting team doing? Out of IIRC 30 or so nominees that needed to be confirmed by the senate, that's 4 who have had major problems and another who was dropped who I don't believe needed confirmation. Like I said... for such a controlled campaign, his administration/transition team sure does seem sloppy.

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:35 AM) I don't think there's ever going to be a criminal case here. As a practical matter, this evidence is no different than the DNA on Monica's blue dress. And we have a new, third great personal analogy for the past week. Barry Bonds is Rosa Parks, Rod Blagojevich is Ghandi, and Roger Clemens is Bill Clinton.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 12:35 PM) That is something which is kinda BS too. She quit over a 900 dollar tax lien which was corrected five months after the lien happened. Not saying that the lien should have ever happened, but five months was probably the time it took for notification of the lien. I understand Daschle getting blown out for his hundred thousand dollar plus tax cheat, Geithner too. But the CPO nominee looks like a real tax mistake, not anything else. I even pointed out that her infraction was smaller. And if it was just her and that small issue, and not a developing pattern, I think people would be less up in arms. So, she carries the blame for the mistake, but her bowing out is probably partially the fault of Daschle and Geithner. In any case, no one in a fiscally-key position (which all three of these are) should even be nominated with tax skeletons like these people have. Should be a no-brainer.

Well, Abreu does indeed solve the #2 hitter issue. If we do sign him, I am 95% sure that one of Dye or Konerko (probably Dye) is getting traded very soon.

We have all been shooting down various proposals and ideas that Obama and/or Congress have been floating to fix the economy. So, What Would SoxTalk Do? Imagine that we, the Busterites of ST, are the US Senate. What should we do? And no, the thread title is not about sexually transmitted diseases.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:59 AM) Nancy Killefer also withdrew for "chief performance officer" (what is this new position and was it really even necessary?) http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/03/per...inee.withdraws/ That makes three nominees with tax problems and one who had to withdraw over a corruption investigation. Yeah, I pointed it out a few posts back. And actually, I was pretty happy about the creation of the position. Its akin to a plan I have suggested in this forum a few times over the years, to make the government less wasteful. The good news is, there are probably hundreds of people in the management consulting world who would be good candidates for this job.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:52 AM) Yes, he is already the Treasury Secretary. Damn. Oh well.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:49 AM) Tom Daschle withdraws as nominee for HHS. As did Obama's initial nomination for Performance Czar, who had her own (albeit much smaller) tax issue. After having such a controlled, analytical campaign, I am really surprised at how politcally sloppy his administration has been so far. Not in all facets, but, numerous plodding, stupid mistakes. Rookie mistakes, I guess you could say. Now, did Geithner actually get confirmed? If not, maybe we can get him to drop out too.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:22 AM) I know. I'm not allowed a little kaperbole now and then? Anyway, actually forcing foreclosure relief on the banks would be a vastly more effective means of helping that market stay some of its losses. The reality in the mortgage market is that the overheated markets are going to decline until people can afford those houses based on the incomes that they have. And since a lot of those markets were dramatically overbuilt, that means that the prices are still going to decline an awful lot. Many banks are already doing this voluntarily, using TARP money as an offset. Its one of the few things that TARP seems to work well for.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:07 AM) Because the only way out of this is to re-inflate the bubble! Lame. How is incenting people to buy homes via tax credits creating a bubble? Its not.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 11:06 AM) Question for all of you who keep saying "This isn't stimulus". What exactly do you think a government stimulus is? I interperet it as: government spending that specifically stimulates the economy. Of course, one COULD make almost ANY government spending into that, if you stretch it. Where that line is, and WHEN it is, are the key questions.

No Hall for you!!!

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 10:32 AM) Right, and me posting BA's numbers were to show that AJ is pretty much one of our last options in the 2 spot just above Brian Anderson. AJ is a pretty terrible fit for that spot in the order, and his numbers just add a level of proof. I just disagree. There is more to who best fits in a given spot in the order than AVG, OBP and SLG, as I noted (for #2 includes situational hitting, ability to hit to the right side on demand, good contact numbers, productive outs versus strikeouts, baserunning ability, etc.) . And they change in each slot. The only people who seem likely to start for this team that would be a better fit, IMO, are Getz/Lillibridge and Lexi. And Getz/Lillibridge may need to lead off.

I think people are getting at the two key aspects - one, that a lot of this stuff may not be a stimulus at all (based on timing, or lack of direct effect), and two that its dangerous to lump all this stuff together (even if individually, they may be good things).

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 09:40 AM) Using the term "third world" to describe lesser developed countries is also erroneous. The term was initally coined to describe the non-aligned countries of the world who didn't necessarily align with American or Soviet interests. The Third World terminology was meant to empower these countries to find their "third way." Or something between the capitalism the US encouraged and the strict planned economy that the Soviets wanted. In many respects, China does represent the third world ideal, at least in terms of economy. Both China and India fit that bill, but are also economically western-aligned to a certain extent. Its also a development connotation. Either way, not sure those countries fit well into any of the categories.

Let's talk about this bill in its own thread, since its a hot topic. Here is a first volley. The GOP made a list of what it calls the most wasteful provisions in the bill. Here is the list, with my bolding representing where I agree with them (which is to say, its wasteful, and isn't focused on key aspects to help the economy)...

Senate starting their changes to the package. Currently being discussed: added funds to highway, mass transit and water infrastructure projects (from Dems), and mortgage and housing market incentives (from GOP).