NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 11:31 AM) I would have to say I'm 50/50 on Hamilton. You know I'm his biggest fan, but I learned a long time ago that when people start hitting home runs longer than anyone else in history, something might be up. I worry less about Hamilton than I do just about any other player in baseball. He's too closely monitored, and his whole story says otherwise. I think Pablo Ozuna is more likely to be a roider than Josh Hamilton.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 11:14 AM) Mike Lowell is having a vastly superior season in every facet of the game. His OPS is 70 points higher, he's played well in the field and he's hitting .319/.391/.652/1.043 w/ RISP, .314/.455/.657/1.112 w/ 2 outs & RISP and .447/.490/.723/1.214 in Close and Late situations; yeah he's been clutch. If doesn't really matter if he's going to be this bad in the field for the rest of his career or not, the fact of the matter is, he's probably been the worst defensive regular in the AL at 3B this season and his offensive numbers are nearly good enough to offset this. Hell, Adrian Beltre is having a better season considering the park he plays in and how great he is in the field. In my mind Crede's had a pretty disappointing first half and shouldn't be representing the AL in AS game, especially when a couple of his teammates were MUCH more deserving. I don't particularly enjoy watching him play in the games that count so getting to see him take a couple swings in an exhibition game doesn't exactly have me doing cartwheels. Like I said, others were more deserving. No argument there. But saying things like, he's been the worst defensive regular at 3B this season, to me, are exaggerations. I just don't think he's nearly as bad as you and some others are portraying.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 10:12 AM) I love some deep dish and stuffed pizza when I'm home for a visit, but the cracker crust thin pizza is THE pizza fix I look forward to. I'm partial to the pizzerias from near my neighborhood, which seems to be the case with most of us. For me, Fox's, Chuck's on Western, and Vito and Nick's on 84th and Pulaski (and just featured on Food Network last week!) are tops. You have to try Barnaby's. Best pizza ever, IMO. Its a crappy little restaurant, there are 3 or 4 of them, around the north and northwest side and suburbs. Dark, dingy, poorly decorated, and you have to pick up your pizza at the counter (they scream numbers over a PA system). But the pie is just amazing.

There are really 3 primary types of "Chicago" pizza. The famous deep dish pie of course... the south side, buttery thin crust... and the cracker crust Chicago thin. For those three, the best, IMO: Deep Dish: Lou Malnati's (Due's and Girodano's get silver and bronze) South Side: Home Run Inn (nothing else I've had comes close - and don't tell me Connie's) Cracker: Barnaby's (Jake's gets a silver)

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 10:44 AM) Perhaps if he actually deserved to be there things would be different. But yeah I'm psyched to see him pop out to second in his 1 AB. Good for him though, I'm sure he's having a gay old time in New York. While I agree that Crede wasn't the best choice - Longoria should have been voted in - I think you are being a bit harsh. Crede is not having a spectacular year, but a .253/.325/.466/.791 line isn't exactly horrible, especially when its a low point (he's been a lot higher at other times this season). Plus he's hitting .287 w/ runners on, and .280 w/RISP. And I don't think he has permanently become a bad fielder either - just hasn't gotten a rhythm yet. He still has made at least as many plays that most 3B's don't make, as he has errors.

QUOTE (DBAH0 @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 09:47 AM) My boss actually told me about Rush Street, said it was a really good area for nightlife / bars etc. That's just a bit north of downtown Chicago isn't it? Yes, and yes. Its also a bit pricey, but its a fun part of town.

QUOTE (DBAH0 @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 09:47 AM) Which line and station would I need to get off at if I wanted to check out Lincoln Park FWIW? Ugh. Don't bother. There are so many other neighborhoods in the city where you'd have as good a time, or better, and for a lot cheaper. Go to Rush Street, or the Warehouse district, or Wicker Park, or any number of other cool areas of town. But if you must see Lincoln Park and go stare at the trixies, take the red line to Fullerton, and walk east. You're there.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 09:24 AM) Why is the commitment foolish? Garcia is going to want to prove himself with a 1 year deal. If the Sox get something out of him, great, it not, he fools around in AAA for the last half of the year and he is out. The Sox arent gonna sign him and just plug him into the rotation from the getgo Problem is, he may be looking for a major league contract. He may only sign with a team that will not send him down. That is a commitment, and one I pesonally wouldn't make with Freddy at this point.

Just for the record, the banking crisis AND the politicians embroiled in it, have in fact been front page news. Numerous times.

QUOTE (Maxwell @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 08:41 PM) No doubt he has been terrible in the past. The fact remains, he took action today by lifting one ban on offshore drilling and urging congress to do the same. That will have a real effect on the price of oil, right now, should congress follow suit. If obama were implementing his plan at this moment, I could not say the same thing. I'd be sitting around waiting for a check for 5 months watching the problem get worse. There are so many things wrong with your assumptions here, I don't know wher to begin. First, the "real effect on the price of oil" from new offshore drilling will take years to be in effect. Oil rigs don't spring up overnight. They take a long time to build and implement. Second, per articles cited here previously by (I think) Balta, that small amount of space that some states MIGHT use for drilling is not going to yield much oil. Less than ANWR, and ANWR is seen as having a few cents' effect on the price of gas, at best, at peak. So this is really no solution at all. Third, ANYTHING you do in the way of developing new energy - oil, gas, oil sands, wind, solar, geo, hydro, algae, plant-based ethanols, etc., will take time to develop. All of them. So why on earth would you rely so heavily on a tiny little boost, for something that later on will make us WORSE off for the dependence on it? Do something long term - a real solution, not a political showpiece like this. Invest in a lot of different alt energy solutions, many of which are already out there and near maturity, just waiting for the last push. Heck, in terms of wind and solar, those technologies would actually be much faster to implement than new oil anyway, because they are already ready.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 08:05 AM) He's only 19 so i'm not too worried. I'm assuming he'll be in Kanny next year too so we'll see what adjustments he can make in the offseason and how much muscle he can add. I'd like to see him stealing bases though. You'd think with his frame and not much power that he'd have some speed. What's interesting to me is, they moved Escobar up to Kanny, and had previously moved Miranda back down to Kanny. Miranda has been playing a little SS, but mostly 2B, 3B and DH, while Escobar is at short. I am not sure if that means that the org is higher on Escobar than Miranda, or if they just think Miranda needs to focus on hitting. I am really interested to see what the various SS's in the system do as the year goes on, and where they start next year. Beckham, Escobar, Silverio, Miranda, Paiml... I wonder if they will all still even be in the org next year.

QUOTE (Maxwell @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 05:17 PM) I respectfully, completely disagree. Throwing money at the problem, blaming speculators, and investing some moneys in future development is not a comprehensive energy plan. Bush, a terrible president, at least took some real action. Wait... you're serious about Bush taking "some real action"??? He sat on his ass for 7 years and watched a big problem become a GIANT problem, not to mention his policies and actions have contributed to the rise in the price of oil. And every time he gives a speech about alt energy, his spokesperson follows with a "he didn't mean it". Bush has been abjectly awful on energy policy. Either of these candidates will probably be a world better.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 05:40 PM) Can I get ruling: when each candidate announces their VP, should the announcement be n this thread, the Dem/Rep thread, or a new thread for each? I was planning on starting a new thread, but I dont want to overstep my bounds. I'd say start a new thread. Once its officially announced, for either one, there will be much discussion on the matter.

Shirek with another good start... 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. His ERA is down to 3.33, his K/BB is 44/12. Almost 4:1. Might be promoted soon, if a slot opens in W-S (and to make room for recent draftees).

QUOTE (LosMediasBlancas @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 02:39 PM) Oh and eat deep dish pizza at Giordano's. There is one a block from the Sears Tower. Don't be talked into Lou Malnati's or Geno's East, they're both over rated tourist traps. Lou's > Giordano's IMO

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 01:04 PM) The corners look like the hardest places to fill (LF, RF, 3B, 1B) and then someone can catch. When I don't pitch, I play 1B or 3B usually. So if you find some other pitcher, I can move to the corners well.

I agree with those saying that, if JC starts the 2nd half badly, we go to a AAA arm. This worked pretty good in 2005, though that was a different situation. Richard looks damn good, Haeger has been solid lately, Egbert has been putting it together recently... there are options. And actually, the guy who has been consistently good all season for Charlotte is Wes Whisler (who supposedly doesn't have major league starter stuff).

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 08:49 AM) Very few leaders in this country actually know what the f*** they're talking about when it comes to energy, so frankly, I don't want to hear it. Another reason for Obama to pick Richardson (or Gore) as VP.

If you are interested in the history of the city, one of the best ways to get it is to take one of the riverboat architecture tours. They leave from Navy Pier, and take you up and down the north and south branch of the river, giving all sorts of cool info. And definitely walk through Millenium Park.

Miranda with a homerun! His first of the season, matches his 2007 total. He's hitting .300 now at Kanny - nice.

QUOTE (Gregory Pratt @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 01:04 AM) Gage and I agreed that I'm hitting third. How much did that cost you?

QUOTE (DBAH0 @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 08:53 AM) Any ideas on what positions everyone wants to play? I'll play wherever you put me, but I pitched last year and people seemed to want to keep me there. There's an art to pitching in 16".

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jul 12, 2008 -> 08:21 PM) Anyone see Hellboy 2? Looks darn entertaining from the previews. Saw it yesterday. Disclaimers: I did not see the first one, and wasn't all that excited to see the 2nd (except that it was directed by Del Toro). I liked it, mostly. Not a spectacular movie, but fun, and very weird in spots. Strange creatures abound, not surprisingly given the director. A few really funny scenes, some good fight scenes, and visually the movie is very rich. Dialogue is stilted and forced at times, and the head baddie was kind of a disappointment as a character. Overall, I'd recommend it. Good popcorn movie.

QUOTE (Maxwell @ Jul 12, 2008 -> 02:55 PM) Was that before or after obama showed us his laughable energy plan? His plan has some holes, but its a far sight better than anything that McCain or Bush have offered. Although with McCain, he's sort of changed his mind a few times on it, so its hard to say what his plan really is.

Richmond @ Charlotte, 6:15pm CT, Broadway (8-4, 3.75) goes for the Knights Carolina @ B-Ham, 7:05pm CT, Lucas Harrell (2-0, 1.38) tries to continue his dominant comeback from injury for the Barons Winston-Salem @ Kinston, 6:00pm CT, Ely (3-9, 5.07) tries to fight off his collapse for the Intimidators Kanny @ Rome, 6:00pm CT, no starter announced yet Bristol @ Greeneville, 5:00pm CT, no starter announced yet Great Falls @ Ogden, 8:00pm CT, no starter announced yet