SoxFan1

Paulie looked like he got shot.

Great job JD. You're just an amazing player overall right now. Take a day off.

Gordon has amazing plate discipline for someone his age.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 01:51 PM) Did eveyrone hear that weird beep from the TV? or just me I heard it too.

Get your f***ing head out of your ass John.

Well, there goes that.

QUOTE (Stocking @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 03:39 AM) I freak myself out when paddling out all time, Jaws has permanently petrified me of sharks. However, I was able to swim with a white tip reef shark last winter while spearfishing, was one of the biggest thrills. Kind of a get me over the fear swim, didnt work. Still I would love to get in a cage in S. Africa with some great whites. I hear there is one here, great whites are just fairly rare here with the warm waters. Tigers are in abundance, my personal most feared shark. Shark Week has taught me that spear fishermen are more vulnerable to shark attacks than any other.

Mollenhauer has been pretty good in Winston-Salem overall this year. In 94 games... .284 AVG .353 OBP .398 SLG .751 OPS 4 HR 38 RBI 21 2B 4 3B 36 BB 55 K 16 SB/9 CS 59 R

Unfortunately, Gilmore hasn't been able to find any consistency this season and his numbers so far in 99 games for Kanny are as follows: .243 AVG .286 OBP .305 SLG .591 OPS 3 HR 40 RBI 15 2B 0 3B 23 BB 69 K 3 SB/2 CS

QUOTE (rockren @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 01:20 AM) The approx $30 mil is a lot of money for a guy like that when we have guys that may be able to handle the immediate future in Pods and the future in Danks/Mitchell. That 10-12 mil/year for the next three years isn't worth it IMHO. Well, to be fair, not you or I or anyone else know if Mitchell/Danks will be adequate MLB players at all. And the 10-12 million is pure speculation. I highly doubt he'd be able to get that much. He's 31 and in a down-economy. Look at what Dunn and Abreu had to settle for last year...

QUOTE (rockren @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 01:13 AM) I've actually been wondering why we haven't seen Torres since TB. I thought he pitched very well. I would guess he'll be up to start on Saturday, as I think Ozzie would like to save Carrasco and the bullpen.

QUOTE (rockren @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 01:06 AM) Fair enough. I'd rather our organization pocket that 30 mil and spend it elsewhere or wait for a later time than throw all of it at Figgins with what we already have in our organization. Especially when we could bring back Pods for close to the minimum (or close enough) IMO. You're misconstruing that "$30 million" quite a bit. Its not like we'd have to pay it to him all in one season. And where exactly would you invest that money any better? After this year, you'd have to figure that the only real holes we'd have on this team are at one of the corner outfield spots, center-field, 5th starter, and one reliever with Dotel departing. You sign Figgins, you've got a center fielder and a leadoff man and you're worry free for a while. And I'd have to assume it'd take a ton of pressure of Mitchell or Danks and give them time to get some quality development. If anything, you could bring one up and put them in LF (presumably with Quentin in RF and Thome/Dye at DH) and let them bat 8th or 9th next to Getz.

QUOTE (rockren @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 12:55 AM) I agree people are high on something if they act as if Pods is the answer beyond this year, but I do agree with the fact Pods may not be a bad option to hold down our leadoff spot/CF for the short term with what we have waiting in the minors. I don't think anyone is saying that Pods for 1 year while waiting on Danks/Mitchell is a BAD option, just that there is a better sense of durability and consistency in Figgins, who many think is a BETTER option.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 12:51 AM) Edit: I assume you were referring to my "best case scenario" statement. To clarify, no, I do not believe the potential extra .40 in OBP to be worth the extra $22 million or so, no. I would much rather take my chances signing Pods for 1 year and following him up with Danks/Mitchell... Well, the difference in our opinions then stems from your high expectations for Danks and/or Mitchell. If you think they're going to come in as rookies and just take over the lead-off role and play CF, then you need to re-think your position. As good as Danks has been, he's still only hitting .275 in AA with a .366 OBP. He's drawing a good amount of walks, but his hitting has cooled a ton and his strike out rate is still way too high. As far as Mitchell, he's only be in the fold for a few weeks, so it's very hard to set a timetable for him.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 12:43 AM) There is absolutely no statistical evidence to suggest that is what we'll get. Figgins has a career .360 OBP and prior to the 100ish games of this season, he has had only 1 season in his career where he has reached base at a .400 clip. Why should we expect a .400 OBP for all 3 years of this hypothetical deal? First and foremost, you NEVER know what you're going to get with any player, ever. Period. This line of thinking is senseless. We could go out and sign someone to be a 5th starter and he could end up being Cy Young (Esteban Loaiza) or we could go and get a stud and have him fall flat on his face. There are no guarantees with anything so no matter what happens, we never know what we're going to get. Otherwise, the word consistency never would be used in sports. Second, I never guaranteed that Figgins would do that. You stated: I just don't believe the $ and the years required to sign Figgins being worth it even the best-case scenario. My response was that $8 mil a year for a .300 average and .400 OBP would be a best case scenario, and it'd be pretty damn worth it. If it comes down to it, Pods at 4 million or Figgins at 8 is a no-brainer to me. I'd gladly spend the extra 4 million for a younger, faster player who will give you better D and has a higher probable production than the other option.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 12:11 AM) Can you list for the number of true, stable leadoff hitters that have changed teams in the last several years? Their just aren't many in the league, and the few that there are, certainly are not moving around often. It is not an "inability" to find one. It is an "inability" to find one at a reasonable cost. I refuse to be one of these people who place blame on the guy for not getting an asset that hardly seems to exist. As for Podsednik, it has become quite clear over the years that I have been here that you are not a fan. I understand that. I gave up attempting to convince you of his value to this team quite a long time ago. And yet, it is difficult to deny what the poster earlier stated. 'When Podsednik is healthy, we win.' Well, I understand there are health risks involved, but for the years and the money, the risk is very small. On the other hand, signing Figgins requires a much longer commitment. While we all want to talk about all the money coming off the books, we just spent 40% of it on Peavy. Combine that with salary escalations and the need to pay guys like Danks and Quentin in the future, and there is not as much money there as appears to be. Considering we have invested high picks and $ in players to fill exactly the position Figgins would fill, it would seem to be foolish to acquire the services of someone who is on the wrong side of thirty and depends on his legs as much as Figgins. Make all the arguments you want about Podsednik, but the reality of the situation is, many of them apply to Figgins as well. I just don't believe the $ and the years required to sign Figgins being worth it even the best-case scenario. Meanwhile, the worst-case scenario with Podsednik doesn't really put us in any worse scenario than we were coming into this season. You're telling me that 3 years of .400 OBP from Figgins in the leadoff spot for 8 mil isn't worth it?

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 12:00 AM) I made a new signature, WOO-WOO!!! Me too.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Aug 5, 2009 -> 11:37 PM) So am I. If it were up to the other half, most of the 2005 team would still be here, and this would be a 75 win club. Counting on Pods for anything next season would be a mistake. His career has been a huge roller coaster, and if Williams plans on fielding a championship contendor next season, trusting Pods to anchor the lead off spot for the entire 2010 seaon is not a bet I would want to make. When Chone gets brought up, critics seem to jump on his age, and given his presumable contract demands, you will have to lock him up until he is 34-35 years old. I agree that would be a bad investment. With that said, Podsednik will enter the season as 34 year old below average OF with a history of having nagging lower body injuries. Again, not someone I want my team to count on in getting the most AB's over the course of a season. That's an excellent point. If we're looking to contend for a championship in the next couple years, you need consistency and durability throughout the roster. IMO, Figgins on a 3 year deal is well worth it and would solidify the position for a while. If anything, Mitchell or maybe even Danks could become valuable trade-chips if Figgins plays well.

It's hilarious how unused this thread is when it's not during the school-year. College is awesome. As for myself, I'll be hammered in the Caribbean all next week while on a cruise, then back to my apartment at school in 2 weeks. Welcome Week will be a s*** show.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 5, 2009 -> 11:29 PM) Unfortunately, there's no way to know that. He's put up numbers like that in one season before this one, and now this season. For his career, he is a .750 OPS player, and you're talking about signing him for his age 33-35/36 years, so I'm not certain you'll be getting the 35-40 sb's that have been coming along with that. It's not that I don't think he is a solid player. I just think you can plug the gaps from year to year instead of moving Chone around. He's 31 now (1/22/78), so assuming we sign him this off-season to a 3 year deal, we have him for 32, 33, and 34. Even at his career averages, he's a .360 OBP player, which is pretty good for a lead-off man. And most guys' plate discipline doesn't decrease as they get older, it increases. I don't think it's out of the realm of reality to get .300/.375 out of him for those 3 years with 30 steals.

Wow. What Hudson has done this season is quite impressive. Let's hope he continues is dominance in AAA.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 5, 2009 -> 11:15 PM) You would? So if you could have Podsednik for 1 year and $4 million or Figgins and 3/$27 or 4/$36, would you still go with Figgins? If we're getting the .300 AVG/.400 OBP Figgins, then yes, I'd want him.

WINNER!

Paulie!

Peavy/Buehrle/Floyd/Danks.....John Danks is our 4th starter. Our 4th f***ing starter!