southsider2k5

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 09:04 AM) The main problem is the Cubs are clearly targeting 2017 and 2018. You're buying two years of Hamels that are basically going to be wasted...and then declining when you arguably most need him. If the Cubs were one year ahead of where they are with THE PLAN, then it would make a lot of sense to acquire him now in order to have him for 3 out of 4 competing years. I think the plan is already starting to crack, which is why they have started bringing guys up this quickly, instead of being mindful of contract situations.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 08:31 AM) Buster Olney tweeted today that the odds of them working out a deal are just as likely as Pete Rose being named the next commissioner. Again the reality is that the Phils ask for a ridiculous amount of prospects, the Cubs pass, and Hamels gets pulled back.

QUOTE (juddling @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 06:44 PM) Drew was horrible when he started doing the show but he did get a bit better as it went on. I do like the fact that the new show is starting to use some of the older games....Irish Drinking Song always a favorite of mine. So far, the guys have been pretty tame towards Aisha but that can change as they get more comfortable with her (i guess) They REALLY REALLY need to stop with the guest stars.....i can maybe think of one (maybe) that ever added anything to the skit they were in. I also like some of the old cast members, and new ones, that they have been bringing on. It is awesome to see Greg Proops again, along with a guy like Keegan Michael-Key who was a Second City guy. I will also say that a few of the guests have been pretty awesome. Gronk was great, as was the guy from Big Bang.

So, how is everyone enjoying rebuilding?

QUOTE (scs787 @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 08:55 PM) The fact of the matter is this, and I'm sure I've pretty much said this multiple times, but it can't be stressed enough. Maybe putting it another way might finally get through to some people. Rick Hahn had a bullpen with a guy he thought was gonna be the closer(Jones), a guy who had closer experience(Lindstrom), a guy who Don Cooper mentioned as a closer(Webb), a guy who previously had success in 3 of 4 seasons(Belly), a guy who has been one of the most consistent LH relievers in baseball(Downs), and a guy who showed some promise and is now our best reliever(Petricka). Now, it didn't work, that's baseball, but when you look at that, I just don't see how you can blame Hahn. The thought was there. On a team that just lost 99 games you're probably not gonna have the kinda depth needed to cover for 2 injured pieces and 2 players that blew up in your face. That's just the way it goes. Yes, in hindsight the pen would probably be better of with Reed back there. It also would be better with Jones, Lindstrom, and past versions of Belly and Downs. As far as the rotation goes, again, depth is not a main concern unless you think the team is going to compete. There wasn't a soul here who thought this team would compete, and I'm sure most everyone in that FO thought the same. Sale-Q-Danks-Johnson were all locks to make this team going into the season. Rienzo wasn't dreadful last season and Paulino has a really good arm that Coop was unable to harness. Again, the thought was there to have a non-trash rotation. The intentions were good about as good as you're gonna get for a team that just lost 99 games, the results were not. I tried to be as clear as I can get, because this thread has gone on way too long. If you're not buyin what I'm sellin then I'm done here.... ...drops mic *salutes that flag*

QUOTE (VAfan @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 05:23 PM) Glad to know you aren't calling me a simpleton or anything similar. But it's no excuse to not doing a better job of building a bullpen that could reasonably compete in 2014. As I've said, I think Rick Hahn had a plan to do that, it just was a VERY BAD plan. I also think he underestimated the value of a competent bullpen, or he would have put at least a little more attention to this area. That DOESN'T mean that I thought he should have spent tens of millions to buy expensive bullpen pieces on a team not ready to compete for the World Series -- even if they were ready to compete for a playoff spot this year. As I said above, rebuilding and contending are not mutually exclusive. And you can't convince me that Rick Hahn is allowed by Jerry Reinsdorf and Kenny Williams to make a plan going into a season that says -- "you know, we are going to ask our fans to back us, but we aren't really going to have a plan to compete this season, it's going to have to wait for another year or two." I just don't think the White Sox think that way. NO one plans on their top 2 guys getting hurt, and their next two guys sucking horribly.

QUOTE (Jake @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 05:01 PM) Unless someone has an in with Tanaka, any reports will come from the team. What disincentive is there for a team to say they were right in it? There are no disincentives, and a lot incentives, most of them to do with continuing the con of Cub fans to pay the 3rd higest ticket prices in baseball to watch glorified minor league baseball. Again.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 04:42 PM) So every respected reporter was wrong on the Cubs making a strong bid? Or they were all fed the same line of garbage. Heck I am still waiting to hear what the Sox or Cubs bids were. The media in this town is a bunch of lap dogs. They don't say anything without the approval of the team they cover.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 01:34 PM) My buddies and I are getting drunk and gambling in Windsor this weekend. Any tips or warnings about crossing into Canada? Don't piss of the border patrol. Be polite and give clear yes or no answers.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 02:27 PM) Really? I like the shows with Drew Carey better. They’ve been a little more risqué than they were with Drew, but I don’t really like having the special guests for every. single. episode. Before it was sort of a treat to have a special guest star. Like when they had Robin Williams or Richard Simmons. I also enjoyed watching them burn Drew all the time. Especially when they did a ho-down at the end of the show with him. They don’t pick on Aisha nearly as much. She’s basically there to announce what game they are playing and that’s it. They don\t even do the games where they need audience suggestions or participation anymore. It’s the same games every show. Let’s make a date, scenes from a hat, props, song with special guest star, helping hands, end show. Drew Carey was awful. He used to try to do the stuff that they now use the guest stars for, and they are all WAY funnier and better at it than Carey was. He drug the show down.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 03:51 PM) Van Gundy is a moron. I still don't think some people understand how truly difficult it is to win 72 games. I don't think that record will be broken in my lifetime. With so much of the league in a perpetual tank mode, it really gives you respect to the fact that the Bulls were able to win 70+ games. That didn't happen then, like it happens today.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 03:45 PM) http://deadspin.com/dan-le-batard-suspende...dium=socialflow That is what gets you suspended on ESPN? That is a joke.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 03:33 PM) Why take a chance on missing in FA when you can get your guy now? Why let the Phillies negotiate with all 29 teams when you can have an exclusive window?They have a surplus of prospects in the minors and need to really start turning things around on the ML level. Their IF is now full and they have 2/3 of their OF that they intend to compete with. This is the part that gives me pause. You can either HAVE the player, or you can take the chance that one stupid owner is going to decide that he has to have the free agent, and you miss out. We have seen how stupid some of the contracts get. If you can get a guy under your control, that has a positive value. Especially when you factor in the love that players seem to have for the Cubs, you might get a decent discount for a resigning vs the free agent market. If you could save say 10% or even 20% on a guy headed for $200 million contract, isn't that worth a couple of your top prospects? Take David Price for example. With what he said about the Cubs, I get the feeling he would have taken a discount on a long term deal to stay a Cub. If he got a Tanaka type deal (say 7/155) instead of a free agent deal (say more like 8/200, maybe more) is that worth a Soler or someone of that ilk?

QUOTE (TRU @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 03:12 PM) Everyone said the same stuff when the Heat got together, and yet they went to 4 straight Finals and won two rings. I see no reason this will be any different, especially since this Cavs team is better than those Heat teams even when you consider the east is a little better. The fact that they did lose twice is kind of the point. They aren't invincible.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 01:05 PM) Micah is going to get the bat knocked out of his hands. His absolute best case IMO is decent defensive 2B that hits 270/330/380 and steals 40 bags. That's a 2 WAR player. Sanchez's upside is higher IMO. I'm just skeptical of guys whose best tool is speed. Speed is great, but you gotta get on base first and catch the ball when you get to it. Throw in the fact that Sanchez is a year younger and it's even clearer imo. I'm not really knocking the rankings but some of the scouting logic that goes into them seems outdated imo. Getting on base is a tool and so is locking down a defensive position. The two players will be on base at around the same rate, from what I have seen. I think that is a wash. The differences are defense, which can be taught, and speed, which can't.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 12:54 PM) "I didnt want to come" literally made me fall of the couch laughing. The best was when Jeff Davis repeated it after the skit, as he finally figured out the joke. The whole skit was hilarious, but I lost it at that point.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 12:33 PM) Not much of a prospect guy but what exactly separates Micah at 4 from Sanchez at 9? If anything I'd reverse the order. Sanchez is younger, can actually handle 2B now, and might project as a SS. Micah seems like a guy without a position to me. If he can't handle 2B, with that bat, his options are 3B and CF and I don't think he's going to supplant Conor or Eaton anytime soon. We'll see. Johnson has 75/80 speed. Sanchez has no plus tools. From what I understand, their hit tools are very similar, as are their power tools. If Johnson is a guy who shows he can get on base 35-40% of the time, he will steal 50 bases a year. He is a guy you make room for. Sanchez might hit .300, but it will be an empty .300. There will be no power or speed to speak of.

QUOTE (bmags @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 12:42 PM) The cavs have a whole bunch of players who have never played elite TEAM basketball. The cavs were a mess but everyone liked their individual pieces. Love probably is close but again was never in that fully meshed team. I'm guessing Cavs will look very beatable in nov/dec and we'll all laugh and then they'll dominate late as Lebron pulls them up to the level. Then we will justify how Bulls grit will overcome and then get sadly beaten down as Kevin love throws a perfect full court outlet pass to a streaking Lebron for a windmill dunk and we'll say "Oh man won't Rose-Butler-Durant-Gasol-Noah be so SICK next year". This day sucks. I think you are right on there. You will see a lot of growing pains, more out of Love than anyone else. I think the Cavs are still beatable, but it has more to do with having some faith that it will take some time for them gel, versus the Bulls actually being more talented or anything like that. I'm still not sold that they can play playoff defense for a seven game series. That might be their Achilles heel.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 12:11 PM) So you know how rebounding is one of the few advantages Bulls had over the Heat in the past? Well Varejao averaged 14 rebounds per 40 minutes last year, and Thompson was close to 12 per 40. Love is probably the best rebounder in the league. And now that we effectively replaced Deng with Dunleavy and Mirotic is not much of a rebounder at the 4, we will not even have that advantage against this version of the Cavs. While these pieces fit Lebron differently, I wouldn't say they are worse fit. As long as we have Gibson and Noah, you will have one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 11:35 AM) No way. MAYBE the last year with Wade becoming old man Wade, but no way from 2010-2013 when Wade was at near-prime. People completely undervalue Bosh too. He's a damn good player who was forced into a really weird role for those Heat teams. Bosh is a player to watch this year. It will be interesting to see how the Miami offense changes and how much of a bounce back he has.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 11:37 AM) Well it depends who he pinch hit for and who was coming up after the batter he pinch hit for. He PH for Nava, and Boegarts was on deck. Still, he wasted Ortiz when there was no chance he was getting pitched to.

Mark Simon ‏@msimonespn 1h Lowest hard-hit rate among MLB starters Chris Sale 8.8% Garrett Richards 9.5% Cole Hamels 9.6% Doug Fister 10.2% Cobb & Wacha 10.3%

Rock will love this one. http://sportsmockery.com/2014/08/ohio-stat...best-fan-bases/ Also the link to the full article http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/...buckeyes-100113

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 07:37 AM) Victor Done's final line: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 SO, 2.33 GO/AO If we start getting some life from the LA pipeline, this system will be a in whole lot better shape in quite a hurry.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 09:52 AM) If I were the Cubs, I'd strongly consider throwing a couple of those big position prospects their way and trying to get a deal done. It's time for them to take a step forward and they've got the depth to do it without wavering from their course. And if it doesn't work out, they could trade him at any point over the next few years assuming he's healthy. I really wouldn't want to depend on the free agent market to bring in pitching. Making a deal makes sense to me too, especially if you can get a guy with some years under control.