NorthSideSox72

Trib article seems to indicate that this guy is a bit of a slacker.

Also today, not as much a surprise, Circuit City files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. They say they plan to continue operating through the holiday season, though. Markets open up big today anyway, apparently due to China's own bailout efforts.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 12:49 PM) and because they are generally pretty dumb. Let's try to keep this as apolitical, or at least non-partisan, as possible. I'd hate to have to move this to the Buster. Let's stick with Obama = Sox Fan stuff.

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Nov 10, 2008 -> 07:17 AM) Snake Eyes Question: What's the point of having "code names" if they get published in the paper? They don't serve a real "security" purpose any more. Its just an easy, clear and quick way to refer to each person in communications. Their radio transmissions are all encrypted now anyway (they didn't used to be, when these were originally implemented). The code words are words that otherwise wouldn't be used as nouns, and they are quicker and clearer to say than their actual names.

CNN reporting (no link yet) that DHL will DISCONTINUE US OPERATIONS, laying off some 9,500 people, including their hub in Ohio. Yikes. Good for FedEx and UPS, really bad for those 9,500 people.

Trib article lists the new Secret Service code names for the Obamas, the Bidens, and for reference the Bush's. The Bidens' names are pretty lame - I'd want a re-do. Here's a fun discussion... what Code Name would you want, if you were the President or VP?

QUOTE (greasywheels121 @ Nov 9, 2008 -> 08:39 PM) Dude, that's in color. Our version didn't even have graphics like that. Actually, I'm not sure it had graphics at all.

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 8, 2008 -> 11:23 AM) Ah yes, the Oregon Trail. I remember playing that on an Apple I, the only computer our school had, in the elementary school library.

Fun fact - Javy is on the roster for Leonas de Ponce of the Puerto Rican winter league.

Puerto Rico league is underway, opened yesterday. Sox players... Cangrejeros de Santurce: Sergio Miranda, SS Ryan O'Malley, RP Matt Anderson, RP Criollos de Caguas: Fernando Hernandez, RP John Lujan, RP Joseph Torres, RP Freddie Thon, 1B Miguel Negron, OF Leones de Ponce: JAVIER VAZQUEZ, SP (yup)

QUOTE (scenario @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 05:49 PM) Somebody needs to help me understand how a team gets better by trading its best relief pitcher... one of the best relief pitchers in baseball the last 3 years. In the periods where our bullpen turned to crap the last few years, he was consistently the only guy who could get people out. And he's young and still cheap. So... why is this even remotely a good idea? I'm skeptical, but open-minded and willing to be persuaded by a good argument. I'll try to throw out a few reasons... 1. He's probably at his peak of value, for many of the reasons you mentioned, so trading now could get the highest return. 2. He's had a history of injuries, which makes him a ticking time bomb of sorts. 3. His decrease in velocity was originally due to a decision on doing so, but as time goes on and it still goes down, you have to wonder if that's a bad indicator. 4. The Sox do have some talented young arms and possible closers worth considering. 5. The Sox have a few specific needs, and Jenks may be one of the best ways to address them, value-wise.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 05:52 PM) A. community service, required classes and roughly $5000 B. community service, required classes and roughly $5000 A. is a DUI B. enrolling in college in Obamas America Just the small innaccuracies of... A. DUI forces you to PAY, and a scholarship pays YOU B. It is NOT MANDATORY But yeah, other than that, they are the same.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 05:38 PM) The Minnesota 'recount' is going to be ground zero for the completely bats*** crazy left wing of the Democrat party. Expect the worst, they will do anything to get someone as crazy as them into the senate. I expect the shenanigans to be equally bizarre in Alaska. And of course, bats*** crazy knows no party.

Closers are not a dime a dozen. Its a special pitching skill in itself. But, Jenks does scream TRADE HIGH, given his history and where he is right now. There are some intriguing possibilities for other closers for the Sox... Thornton at the major league level, and Poreda and Texeira in the minors. That's three solid talents that may make good closers, a la Jenks jumping from AA in 2005.

I am not sure where to put this, but, there are definite Sox connections. So a promoter ran this "Million Dollar Arm" deal in India. They don't really play a lot of baseball there, but they do play cricket. The idea was to try to find raw talent - guys who could consistently throw 85 mph or better. They found at least two they liked, and now those two are trying out in front of reps from 20 of MLB's teams (unclear if the Sox are among them, but I hope so). This article has more details. One fun Sox note - one of the players loves watching Jim Thome hit, apparently. I'd love to see the Sox go after some of these non-traditional nation markets. India has a billion people and a lot of good cricket players, so you'd think there is some raw talent there. Other latin countries not usually addressed, like maybe Haiti. Countries just getting into baseball like Australia. I wonder what if anything the Sox are doing that way.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 03:54 PM) It's easy to be an I. It's hard to be an opportunist when all your bets don't pay off. He's a schill for whoever will possibly get him his next advantage. Lose an election? Refile as an independent. But then cut a deal with his caucus so he doesn't lose seniority and still wins the election. He embraces nothing but what's good for him. And what's good for him is the back bench in the Senate. Are you talking about Lieberman or Sanders?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 6, 2008 -> 10:37 PM) Brooks Boyer is salivating right now. Every time Obama is photographed wearing White Sox gear, it means purchases will be made in Africa, Asia, South America...all around the world, for those who see his presidency as a beacon of hope and fresh start for the US in the world again after 9/11. I wouldn't be surprised if the upswing meant additional millions over the next four-eight years in additional revenue streams...and even more and more rap stars, hip hop artists will be wearing Sox gear again. Just imagine all the young kids in Africa/Asia growing up with White Sox gear, like they have Michael Jordan jerseys now. Pretty cool. The money would be indirect. The Sox don't make direct money on the sale of Sox gear, its MLB licensed and pooled revenue. But indirectly, via increase in attendance, TV and ad time, etc., that may well happen.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 03:35 PM) He was a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher recently. Poor guy.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 03:30 PM) Different county. And it was 100 new votes for Frankin, AND 100 new votes for Obama. Those two together make it even more impossible to do. And there could be no reporting error there by a human, since it was the optical scanners, which transmit the totals themselves. Hm. No idea then. I guess we'll have to see how the recount shakes out.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 03:25 PM) I was a statistics major and yes, if 100% of 100 votes went one way, even if you assume that 70% is the norm would be considered a statistically almost-impossibility (there is no impossibility). However, i thought it was reported that the number was under 100 and the '1' got dropped in first the pass. For example it really was 140 and they wrote 40 on accident. Yes, it was. And quoted in this forum somewhere, earlier.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 03:02 PM) Its amazing how the last half hour of the day exaggerates the trend of the day for the last six weeks or so. Options close first, baskets out, vol out and takers in.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 02:14 PM) They dropped off about 150 Dow points while he was speaking. They are still up about 160, but that was after being off over 900 points the last two days. Rallying again, now up near intraday highs again. Check that, passing highs.

Sorry about your Dog, man. That must just suck. I never had dogs or cats because my family was allergic. Then I got married, and inherited her cat. I have never had one, and wasn't even really a cat person. But damned if I haven't gotten attached to the little guy, and I just don't even want to think about losing him.

When I was a child, apparently (I don't recall this), I had told my mother that I REALLY wanted this t-shirt I saw. At the time, I was in a phase where I was really into military stuff, and I just thought this was the coolest shirt ever. It was worn by a woman with... large breasts. Wondering how these are connected? The shirt had two tanks on it, guns a blazin', one on each boob, and said "Tanks for the Mammaries". I had no idea. But my mother still laughs about it to this day.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 7, 2008 -> 02:35 PM) Pretty much one person in the whole thread has said that. The rest of people involved in his the discussion have been exactly what you are talking about. I would actually argue this thread is exactly what has been missing in political disscussions for the most part. Instead of everyone taking the discussion to the party platform talking points, there has been some great give and take of the issues by 95% of the people involved here. I think you are unfairly generalizing an entire thread based on one person. My thoughts exactly. This is what I like about the Buster, and I think the fact that we are working over the possibilities is a great thing.