NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 5, 2008 -> 07:00 AM) OK forget lobbyist. Like I said, the details are where you guys are making your arguement, instead of the big picture. NO ONE has actually addressed the big picture conflict of what Obama is saying and what he is actually doing at all. To me THAT is more telling than anything. Keep looking at the details, ignore what is going on behind the scenes. This was done for eight years with the Clintons, and look at the monster that built. I know I won't get anywhere with you all, and that's fine. I really didn't think anyone sold on Obama would have an open enough mind to understand what I was trying to say anyway. Turns out I was right. Oh come on now. First, Obama hasn't even begun showing us his cabinet yet - and that will be a real indicator of what his administration would be like. Second, I don't think anyone is saying that Obama will be some entirely new kind of President. If they are, that's ridiculous. Third, the details ARE important! For example, if you have a team of people doing energy policy, is there a difference between having some oil-type people, and mostly or entirely oil-type people? I think the answer is unequivocally YES. I haven't heard anyone, even Obama, say he won't include some big corporate types in his adminsitration. I am sure he will. And by the way, as far as how to build an administration, I'll take a Clinton monster over a Bush monster every day and twice on Sunday. At least Clinton had the brains to know you shouldn't surround yourself entirely with people who all think exactly the same way as you do. But, that said, I think Obama's administration (if he even wins) will probably have a broader variety of views than either of those monsters. Just my opinion, but, that seems to be his way of thinking. We'll see if I'm wrong. Those last two sentences in your post really irk me. Just because people are saying this particular individual in the VP committee isn't an indicator of much, you think that means that all people currently backing Obama are too closed-minded to understand what you are saying? Isn't that a bit over the top?

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 5, 2008 -> 06:50 AM) you just wait and see. Look. Even if you think he'll pardon Rezko, you cannot seriously believe he'd do the pardon right upon being elected. That would be career suicide. He'd do it when all the other Presidents have done that kind of thing - at the end of his Presidency.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 5, 2008 -> 06:49 AM) For most republicans, it's like pick your poisen between McCain and Obama. I'm pretty sure most republicans will still vote for McCain over Obama if McCain doesn't pander over to the right. However, the republicans really need to exploit Obama's lack of experience, his prior relationships with trinity church (and Wright and Pfleger), and just the fact no one really knows him. I'd also target his crazy ass wife as well. The GOP will definitely, and should, go after his experience. The whole Wright/Trinity thing, I am not sure what they'll do there. Its been so beat into the ground already, I'm betting they just hint at it occasionally. They don't need to do much there. And I think they will definitely dig in on Michelle - no question in my mind. As far as "no one really knows him" though, I think that ship sailed a long time ago. At this point, we know more about his past than we do McCain's. I don't see much ground to go to there, for the GOP strategists. That is, unless they find something new and truly surprising, like a video of Obama smoking crack or some such thing.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 5, 2008 -> 07:40 AM) I really want to say that too, but after last season, I don't know. After last season? Swisher wasn't on the team last season, Thome hit .275/.410/.563/.973 last year, Konerko hit .259/.351/.490/.841. If anything, 2007 should give you some confidence that these guys are VERY likely to get significantly better as the season goes on.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 5, 2008 -> 06:43 AM) he'll get pardoned as soon as Obama's in office. No way he does that. That would be political suicide for Obama. If he did it at all, which I doubt he would, he'd do it at the very end of his Presidency. And as young as Obama is, with the future he might have, I think its highly unlikely he does it even then.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 08:14 PM) Obama runs a campaign that brags he doesn't take money from lobbyists. Instead he has them pick his VP. We hear all about corporate American is ruining this country and stealing our money, and yet here they are playing a key role picking the second most influencial office on the planet. The evil private equity companies need to be taxed and regulated, but in the meantime, who would be a good VP? You keep missing the forest for the trees. Barack Obama might as well be Hillary Clinton or George Bush because he is doing the exact same two step on his campaign versus reality. SS- I understand what you are getting at here. Obama isn't nearly as far from corporate America as he protrays, and his administration certainly won't be the dramatic 180 degree turn that its marketed to be. There is some hypocrisy in that. I agree. But, I think you're going a bit far the other direction here, saying everything would be the same. I guarantee you that there will be significant policy and personnel differences between BushCo and any Obama administration. Big, important ones. So, as silly as it is to believe that Obama will suddenly turn Washington on its head, I think its also silly to think he won't bring anything new to the table.

Charlotte won, 4-2, on the shoulders of another Haeger gem. Charlies has been awesome in May and June so far... Owens: 1-3, BB, RBI (.253) Fields: 1-4, 3B, 3 K (.256, on pace to K about 180 times) Richar: 1-4, R (.196 so far on rehab assignment, in 51 AB) Bourgeois: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R (.235) Getz: 2-4, RBI, R (.305) Haeger (W, 4-4): 6.1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (ERA down to 4.72) MacDougal (H, 1): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (ERA 6.00) Childers (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (ERA 1.05) B-Ham lost to Mississippi, 4-3. Details... Negron: 3-5, RBI, R, SB Mercedes: 1-4, 2B, R Cook: 1-3, BB Armstrong: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI (Cole is on fire - hitting .410 in his last 10 games) Torres (L, 6-3): 6.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (ERA 3.95) Myrtle Beach beat Winston-Salem, 4-2... Shelby: 3-4, BB, RBI, SB Gomes: 1-3, HR, BB Zaleski (L, 3-2): 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (ERA 4.07) Kanny lost to West Virginia, 8-5... Marrero: 1-4, HR L Johnson: 2-4, R Morales: 1-4, HR Rice (L, 1-5): 3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (weird line - 7 K in 3 IP, but gave up 4 ER) Shirek: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (why is Charlie making a relief appearance?)

QUOTE (knightni @ Jun 5, 2008 -> 12:20 AM) Let's start another win streak. Start? You mean extend? Finish them!!!

Got this in email from the Sox (also news on Wise):

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 05:28 PM) My old man just called and said Levine was just on ESPN 1000. He said part of the reason for all this was to protect Mark. Levine claims Buehrle has had a shoulder problem since ST, and he can't start on 5 days anymore, but needs a week. Now I don't know how much of this is factual(if Levine is correct, I know he said it), but I suppose we will find out pretty soon. That would explain a lot of things. So, would they then do a 6 man rotation? Or alternate Loaiza and MB in the rotation maybe?

QUOTE (ChiSox35 @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 04:23 PM) Good. Esteban has more potential upside than Wass at this point. Last year when the Sox were going nowhere, we could fiddle around with guys like Wass, Bukvich, Day, etc. This year, Loaiza can do what Wass was doing (mopup) and be an insurance policy/spot starter. I'd say the opposite - Loaiza has little upside left, Wassermann has plenty - but, it doesn't matter. Wass looked terrible his first few appearances here, so, he's headed back down. Too bad Wass has so much shorter a leash than MacDougal got. Loaiza would have been much more useful starting in Charlotte, to be called up if a starter goes down or needs rest.

Pawtucket @ Charlotte, 6:15pm CT, Haeger (3-4, 4.89 - but getting better lately) starts for the Knights B-Ham @ Mississippi, 7:05pm CT, Torres (6-2, 3.94) gets the nod for the Barons W-S @ Myrtle Beach, 6:05pm CT, Zaleski (3-1, 3.89) starting for the Hogs West Virginia @ Kanny, 6:05pm CT, Carter (5-2, 2.77) starts for the Intimidators

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 03:31 PM) And the "spin machine" hasn't even begun on his record. They've let him (Obama) get this far on his appearance and not the substance. Fine... but eventually, as SS2k5 alluded to, McCain has to show, and forcefully, what this will cost Americans. Saying Obama has gone purely on appearance is just ridiculous. His campaign has shown no less, and in fact I think more, substance, than McCain's has. Now, McCain has much more EXPERIENCE than Obama, obviously. But as far as campaign substance - policy statements, plans for action, issue stances... Obama and McCain are pretty close, IMO, and Obama has a slight edge.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 02:38 PM) Cowley twittered it too. twittered? What does that mean? Is that what we are calling Cowley's writing now?

I'll repeat what I've been saying since the early process. The two real players here are Chicago and Rio. Tokyo bids EVERY year, Japan had the winter at Nagano not too long ago, and Beijing is having the summer games very soon - Asia PAC just isn't getting another summer Olympics that quickly. The last summer Olympics in the western hemisphere was 1996, which will be 20 years (5 cycles) in 2016. The only real worry is Rio - there has never been an Olympics in South America, ever. But, Rio is having MAJOR crime wave problems, so... I think Chicago has a very good shot.

So, seems like four possibilities here, as far as I can tell... 1. Send Wassermann down, Loaiza goes to the pen 2. Release Masset (no options), replace with Loaiza 3. This is a pre-cursor to a trade of some kind 4. Send Loaiza to Charlotte, and boot Tomo Ohka. He becomes the backup to the starting 5. I personally think that 4 makes the most sense. 3 might be good, depending omn the trade. 2 seems silly, as I don't think Masset is bad enough to warrant replacing him with Loaiza. And 1 would be odd role-wise, but might make sense. I am really hoping for 3 or 4.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 11:33 AM) IsoD = Isolated discipline. OBP - AVG = IsoD It shows how heavily weighted a hitter's OBP is by his batting average. The greater the difference between OBP and AVG the better. So its the same as (BB + HBP)/TPA, which shows plate discipline? Got it.

I think its a weird move, but, I'd rather have him at Charlotte than Tomo Ohka I guess.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 09:36 AM) I didn't say Obama or staff said that. However, I will refrain from commenting on this further, in here, since I forgot it was the 'pro' thread. Sorry. And NSS, you are a more level headed person than most,and I believe what you said in your last two lines. You can comment further if you want - I was just trying to keep the General thread free of some of the rah-rah stuff. Thanks on that last bit. I think both candidates will find themselves being held responsible for what some idiot supporter of theirs does, and I don't think that's a good reason to judge a candidate.

Why on earth would the Sox sign him? Are you saying this was with another team?

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 08:50 AM) C'mon yourself here. How many stories have you read insinuating that if whitey doesn't vote for Obama, it's because he's black? And they are not put out by Obama, but by his 'supporters'. And the class warfare, that is a Democratic staple, blame the rich for taking money from everyone else. Find me one instance of any kind where Obama or his campaign staff or future cabinet folks have done or said anything racist, subtly or otherwise. Obama can't control his voters who go off like that, any more than McCain can. There will be McCain supporters on the far right that will do all sorts of awful things, say awful things... but I don't put that on McCain. Same way, I don't put that on Obama.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 08:27 AM) I really hope McCain leaves the religion stuff to the media and very simply takes out some charts and shows exactly how the plans of Obama would impact people's pocketbooks. I think that would make his Presidency hit home harder than anything else. I would certainly like that, and so would many others. But he may be under a lot of pressure to cater to the far right, under the threat of low turnout among conservatives. If he can't get out that vote, he's done in November. Then again, if he does to far right, the moderates will swing to Obama. He's definitely going to have to strike a tough balance. I'm more concerned with, if he wins, that he does what you say, SS2K5. If he panders a bit to win, but then is a truly moderate President, then I'd be pretty happy.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 09:12 AM) He's got an IdoD of .022, which is garbage. Don't get me wrong, I like what he brings, good range, a strong arm and can hit the ball with some pop from the middle infield. Guys like that aren't very common. I compared him to a poor man's Soriano (albeit one actually capable in the field) at SSS. I don't think Ramirez is ever going to be a guy that is walking 50 times a year, but he can certainly learn a bit of discipline up there. A 290/330/450 line would be excellent from him at the end of the year. What is IdoD? Anyway, as I watch Ramirez, he's an exciting player with a lot of potential... but he reminds me of a shortstop who once played in Chicago. I'll probably get verbally pummelled for this, but... he reminds me of Shawon Dunston.

OK. Maybe we should all stop posting in the closed thread then.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 4, 2008 -> 08:14 AM) Hmm. I had no idea. I took not only Latin, but also Roman History (as part of 3rd year Latin), in high school.