southsider2k5

Good. I hope they take him down, all with the entire Illinois Machine. They need to clean the whole state out.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 11:55 AM) I think that's why people are hesitating to buy from the Big 3. They're scared their warranty will be useless if the company goes out of business 2 months after they purchase the car. Another misnomer. ALL auto sales are down, and remarkably all by about the same percentage. If that were a real fear, the other automakers wouldn't be experiencing the same types of losses. http://www.time.com/time/business/article/...1863685,00.html

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 11:41 AM) If Congress elects not to do an auto bailout, or does only a very small one... then you can bet the long term plan is for them to wait until GM goes bankrupt, and then put guarantees on their exit financing. If GM goes bankrupt, they will get financed. That is how I would envision it. The auto comanies, minus the legacy costs, are still a profitable business, especially if they can get some wage concessions from the unions in a bankruptcy. If we are talking about long term health for the industry, I believe bankruptcy is the best way. I don't have as big of a problem with the bailout now that I know about the unions taking over the pension plans, but it still isn't the way I would prefer to see things go.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 10:53 AM) I see a distinct difference between the auto companies and steel or airlines, though. Those items don't come with 5-10 year warranties like an automobile does. I think the fear (whether rational or not) that GM won't be around in 6 months will keep most people from choosing them when shopping for a new car. Flight tickets are a much smaller expenditure and, while it may be a huge inconvenience, your airline going bankrupt isn't going to effect you for years to come. With steel, you buy it, and you're done. You couldn't care less if they're around in a week because you have your material. OK, how about the home builders in bankruptcy that still have people buying houses from them?

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 08:53 AM) Am I the only one who thinks that if we are looking at the total and final collapse of the US Auto Industry, it makes sense for the US Government to provide some capital to the Big 3 in order to allow the bleed to slow down, rather than a shock of a GM - as its currently held - to just completely collapse? Unlike the banking industry, the auto industry doesn't have a group that oversees them and shuts them down if they aren't meeting their financial requirements. They would go into bankruptcy just like thousands of companies have done before and will do again. They can and would continue operating during a bankruptcy filing. The rest of it is propaganda. People would still buy cars and trucks, jus tlike they havein the past. The steel industry did it pretty much wholesale, and their steel still got bought. The airline industry is doing it, and people are still flying on the bankrupt airlines. A complete collapse is a gross exageration and misrepresentation of what would happen if they don't get a bailout. Mostly its the unions trying to justify their existence.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 5, 2008 -> 09:40 AM) There's such a thing as a "pinch runner" (think Rodney McCray back in the 1980's), well why not a defensive replacement in the 8th or 9th inning for AJ? Makes quite a bit of sense, especially with the trouble some of our relievers have holding guys on...he would nullify some of that, although Jenks apparently has a burning desire to let every runner who reaches have free reign to get over to 3rd. Of course, the big problem here is numbers. If Miller can't play 20-30 games per season (full games), you're going to wear down AJ. It, for the moment, appears that Betemit and Lillibridge will be on the roster, along with some combination of Wise/Anderson/Owens and the back-up catcher (Miller/Armstrong/Stewart?) I don't think we'll carry three catchers, but with Quentin healthy, the need for Wise is lessened considerably (especially if Owens is healthy). Still, it's nice to have a lefty bat with some power in Wise. And perhaps Lillibridge wins 2B and Getz is the other bench player, along with Betemit. Just not sure how they feel about Getz (or Lillibridge) not getting consistent playing time...especially coming off 08, it would appear Lillibridge needs to re-establish his confidence in Charlotte. But KW seems to think he can be ready to go right out of the chute. The big problem is that you would have to carry 3 catchers to do that, just in case of injury.

-Ozzie feels that his team can compete today. he is very excited about this team. he is disappointed to lose players because of his relationship with them, but he feels this will be a better team. -He felt at the end of the year that Javy wouldn't be back. He won't say anything negative about him. -nobody has a job for sure out of the new guys. They have to prove themselves. They have guys they are leaning towards, but no one is given a job. -feels the pitching staff is pretty good as it is now. -2008 was hardest season as a coach/mgr for staff. They had to do a lot of "crazy" things to win the division. He is proud of the team and their achievements for 2008. -OC wouldn't be an uncomfortable if he came back. he played really well for them, even as out of position in the leadoff spot. Ultimately it is up to KW whether he is back or not. -He has no idea if a big move is happening, but he mentions how bad the economy is, and that he doubts something big will happen. -Would rather have a couple of guys versus one high priced guy. Said CC is not on his wish list. -Jon Garland would be welcomed back here. He did a great job for them in the past. -Swish was moved because they didn't have a position for him, and because they got some good players for him. He also didn't like his body language after he got benched. He did praise him for playing everyday, otu of position. Made is clear they did NOT move him because he pouted. -Is he concerned about not having players with "track record". Oz sights all of the other players they have brought in with out track records (TCQ, Danks, Floyd, etc.) -Speed show up not only on offense, but on D. They were bad team speed wise defensively. -Crede was great with Ozzie in communciations, all thought he doesn't like injured players at the ball park -If Viciedo plays half as good as they think, he will be great. Ozzie calls him "fat". Hasnt' seen him much, but was pushing for him to get signed. He has a lot of promise, knows how to play the game, and hopefully he will help quickly. He should be comfortable on the team with all of the other Cubans and latin players. -Talks about the dangers back in the homelands, kind of implies that the media is making it worse. -Saids the Soxfest Q&A ought to be interesting this year. -Calls the winter meetings a "high school reunion". Hahn and KW don't wait for these meetings to try to fix the team. FULL INTERVIEW WILL BE POSTED LATER ON WSCR.com

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?...me=stark_jayson

So do we know that Van Benschoten is being signed as a hitter, or is this all speculation?

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 05:55 AM) Notice how things in the house start moving higher and higher on shelves About this time our decorating theme moved to Little Tykes and Fisher Price. It was about 10 years later when I finally revisited an antique store. Our Christmas pictures are all going to be of the top 4 feet of the tree, and not the bottom 3

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 06:41 PM) Doc Halladay. Damn, you beat me by like a minute.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 06:08 PM) Rick Hahn was on Tribune live and he reiterated the Gilmore/Crede comparison, then one of the guys asked him to compare Flowers to someone, and he said he didn't like to do that sort of thing. What? You just did. As far as Viciedo, you have to be concerned when they want a 19 year old to lose weight. You mean like a Freshman 15? This is the first time Viciedo has been on his own, and had access to some decent meals I am guessing. We all know what the self-control of kids away from organized oversight is for the first time.

If we are talking crazy, here we go. The Sox get Roy Halliday from Toronto. Sox send up Orlando Cabrera and a ton of the pitching and IF prospects we have picked up over the last year, including Poreda, Marquez, and Fields.

So in case I missed it, is there anything that prevents a player who goes through the artibtration process from being traded at any time?

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...8&fext=.jsp

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/200...on-obama-twice/

http://www.freep.com/article/20081204/SPOR...057/1048/sports

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 11:38 AM) BigSqwert was apparently at the Sox game that I went to. The person above me is making the most of his year abroad.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 08:10 AM) The porn isn't what he was punished for, I just let him know that I knew about it when other issues came up. The kids all talk a different kind of stupid on Myspace. They can't spell, they swear more than me and they all try to act like baddasses and say how much they drink, how much drugs they do, etc. I saw some of the posts from my son and a few of his friends, and that was it. The lying about the site and the language and words on the site was enough, and then I showed him the porn I found as well letting him know that he can't get away with anythng. Yeah, interest porn for a 15 year old boy is normal, and it was pretty tame (especially considering what is oout there), just some posing, not something wierd like Japanese Bukkake or scat videos. Those would have had to result in a different talk. "Son, can you forward me those links?"

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 10:41 AM) He gave up 199 hits in 180 innings. He walked 90 guys, actually lowering his career walk rate. He hit 18 guys. In 180 innings, 108 get on base without having to swing a bat, let alone a guy who supposedly is so gifted his hard to hit gives up 199 hits in 180 innings. There's more than just a minor tweak or two that needs to be done to turn it around. This is a major reclimation project that has an excellent chance to fail. Throwing a couple of million at it doesn't make any sense. A couple of million dollars for Cabrera wouldn't prevent the Sox from doing anything else they would have done over this winter.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 10:19 AM) I think Cabrera is worth a shot even if it's just because he's free (in the sense that he won't cost any players). I had no problem with the Sisco move and I believe I applauded it at the time and the MacDougal deal wasn't terrible at the time but has since become an absolute disaster of a deal. If Cabrera blows, he blows and he's in the pen or off the team come midseason. I really believe the worst thing for Sisco's career was getting picked in the Rule 5 draft by KC. If he had been allowed to develop and get his innings underneath him, I think we would be looking at a very good starting pitcher. As it was, he never got to really got to learn his arm slot, and repeatability, because he was stuck working erratically out of the pen, and even more so as his numbers fell apart. Then the injury came along, and we are looking at a guy who might be done now.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 10:04 AM) I would like to point out Bedard as a good buy low candidate. That is all. His extreme lack of testicular fortitude would not work well with Ozzie and the rest of the staff.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Dec 4, 2008 -> 07:13 AM) who else doesnt bother with shaving cream? i just use soap. I never have. No soap either. I am lucky to wear I don't grow very thick facial hair. I usually shave once a week, on the weekend sometime.

I think we will end up settling right about 100 million dollars for 2009.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 02:48 PM) Thanks flavum. What's WBC on March 6th? I think that is World Baseball Classic.