WCSox

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Sep 24, 2007 -> 05:26 PM) Umm, why would we constantly talk about a trade he didn't make? that kind of thing doesn't happen all that often. Once the rumors got out, there would be plenty of whining here. And deservedly so, as the Sox's rotation is a shell of what it was two years ago and will get even worse when Jon is (likely) traded next season. I can't imagine what our record would be right now if Floyd had taken Javy's spot in the rotation this season.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Sep 24, 2007 -> 09:45 AM) I don't think of Frank or Thome for booming home runs, nothing can compare to a Kittle moon shot. I get goosebumps as I write this. I think he nailed 5 or 6 at the old park, f***ing A-mazing! Kittle was much, MUCH stronger than his frame suggested. He had amazing power, even by today's juiced-up standards. Dude must've acquired some serious forearm/wrist strength working in the steel mills in Gary.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Sep 23, 2007 -> 10:34 PM) Honestly, why does everyone have such a problem with this guy? He can't win no matter what he does...if he pitches like crap, he's a bum, when he pitches outstanding, it's because the rest of the team sucks. What a bunch of bologna. The guy's been pitching this way for more than a year now and it has absolutely nothing to do with the team being terrible this season. You don't pitch at this level for that long having some sort of idea what you're doing. And the fact that the guy always has to be linked to Babe Ruth, umm, I mean Chris Young, is ridiculous. He didn't make the trade. He didn't negotiate with Kenny and demand Chris Young for Arizona. Stop judging him based on Young's 30 homers and give the guy the credit he deserves for reaching his potential again. Winning 14 games on this team is an absolute miracle. He's averaging about a k per inning with a k/walk ratio of 4/1. Chris Young is gone. GET OVER IT. And Give Javy the credit he deserves for earning his paycheck, unlike the vast majority of players on this team this year. If the Sox sucked this year with Young in CF and Floyd in Javy's spot, we'd constantly hear the "Kenny was stupid for not trading for Vazquez! How could he not make starting pitching a priority?!" crap here.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Sep 21, 2007 -> 04:31 PM) 1. At the end of May, a dreadful offense nonwithstanding, the team had a 24-25 record and was 7.5 games out of the division; 4 behind the wildcard leader. The team wasn't quit dead, yet. They were on their way there, with a badly-slumping offense that couldn't build a lead and a God-awful bullpen that couldn't hold one. Only the starting pitching (which would later take a hit when Jose and Jon pitched like crap for a while) saved them from being absolutely dreadful. You're right, I should've just said "inexperienced" or, better yet, "unproven." Except for MacDougal, who just had a terrible season. Yeah, let's just hold a massive fire sale. Everybody goes! :oldrolleyes Have you ever half-assed it at a bad job? I know many people who have, and it doesn't make them incapable workers. It's difficult to feel inspired at work when you're no longer in a position to succeed, as the Sox were by about early July. Merely brining everybody back to 0-0 next April will give them ample incentive bring their "A games" to the ballpark. Sometimes talented teams just don't get it done. Look at last year's Indians team. They certainly didn't "suck" from a talent standpoint, they just didn't execute. I'm not saying that the Sox have as much talent as the Indians, but they're not exactly the Royals either. If I were a betting man, I wouldn't bet on the Sox competing for a playoff spot next year. But if Kenny goes out and address CF and SS, brings in a couple of veteran bullpen arms, Crede is healthy enough to play, and they can get out of the gate reasonably fast, I think that they have a legitimate chance. Their starting pitching is probably going to be above average, they have good power in the middle of the lineup, and the have a rock-solid closer. Many areas still need to be addressed, but that's a good starting point. Their window of opportunity is closing quickly (next year is probably their last opportunity before rebuilding), but you never know what's going to happen. This team is A LOT better off than the '99 team and, well, we all know what happened in 2000. Call me overly-optimistic, but I just think it's silly to call next year's team dead in the water when nobody even knows what the freaking Opening Day starting lineup will be.

QUOTE(gosox41 @ Sep 20, 2007 -> 08:15 PM) How much of the Tigers problems are a tired pitching staff from the extended games last year? Bob Perhaps some, although much of it is due to the fact that Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones are done and guys like Inge and Robertson were playing way over their heads last year. They have a number of key players on the wrong side of 30 (Maggs, Pudge, Inge, etc.) who are going to start declining soon. Perhaps not next year, but soon after. QUOTE(kwolf68 @ Sep 21, 2007 -> 08:17 AM) And really...how many teams CANT say that? Quite a few. I can name a lot of teams that would love to have a core of good players like Mark, Paulie, Dye, Thome, and Jenks with some other really solid guys surrounding them (Javy, Jon, Crede, Fields). Thome and Dye may be getting older, but it's nothing shore of pure pessimism to predict that their "aging" will render them significantly less effective next year. Edited for accuracy

QUOTE(joesaiditstrue @ Sep 20, 2007 -> 10:38 AM) Cleveland will most likely win the division again next year, just my two cents People were saying the same thing about the Tigers and Twins last September. And as recently as a couple of months ago, people here were saying that the Tigers were going to be a "juggernaut" for the next 3-4 years and they're on the brink of Wild Card elimination right now. Divisional strength can change quickly. If the Sox make three or four key off-season moves and their veteran sluggers don't go through a prolonged slump next year, they'll most definitely have a shot. Despite its numerous problems, the core of this team is still very talented.

I don't think that MVP ranking is a great barometer for HOF worthiness. Thome probably has two more semi-productive years left, which will get him to about 550 HRs. But I don't think that he needs 600. He's 16th all-time in OPS (right behind Musial and a few spots ahead of A-Rod), helped the Indians win two pennants, has not been suspected of 'roid use at all, and is one of the most well-liked players in baseball. I think that those facts will get him in eventually, especially after more of his peers are exposed for juicing.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 05:19 PM) Ummm, no. They don't want to give up the longball and the league definitely doesn't want its biggest stars testing positive. Then the league's "biggest stars" will have to stop cheating. I don't think you realize how much pressure MLB is under from the federal government right now. As has been discussed by NSS and SS2k, all Congress has to do is threaten the owners with yanking MLB's anti-trust exemption. They'll implement stricter testing and risk another strike before giving up that kind of power to the MLBPA.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 02:29 PM) I'm calling baseball's bluff: they don't care and have no interest in suspending the game's biggest stars. If few fans outside of SF care when one of greatest to every play the game (Barry) breaks Aaron's HR record, I'd say that the owners have ample interest in cleaning up the game.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 02:21 PM) And if the owners and MLB start them anyway, then the union has a choice - get tested, or not play (aka strike). I'll call their bluff right now: they won't strike over additional testing.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Sep 12, 2007 -> 08:37 PM) I know you take pride in irrationally loving Ozzie and irrationally hating Williams, but the cuteness does eventually fade. Like when you say, I know absolutely nothing about nothing in terms of personnel men, but I would have done better! I dunno -- maybe I'm supposed to laugh at that, but I don't.

I read somewhere that he took himself out of consideration. Link

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Sep 4, 2007 -> 01:25 PM) You don't give a manager a contract extension during a season in which they're possibly the worst team in the league. Unless you're trying to get him to sign for as cheaply as possible.

QUOTE(Yossarian @ Sep 4, 2007 -> 10:06 AM) The baseball draft has always been dicier and harder to predict than say football or basketball. The baseball landscape is littered with first round busts. As is the NFL.

Nice. I loved that place. The first time I went there (when I was 8 years old), I distinctly remember walking through the concourse out into the upper deck behind the third-base dugout. I remember how much smaller the place looked in person than it did on TV (which is saying a lot, given that I was a little kid back then) and was surprised how close the upper deck was to the field. I'm happy with The Cell and am glad that the Sox have a state-of-the-art (or close to) ballpark, but it'll never compare to Old Comiskey.

Not super-excited about this, but I wouldn't mind Eck replacing Uribe. Outside of the occasional HR, Uribe's almost worthless at the plate. But I DO expect them to go out and get one solid bat that can play CF or LF (e.g., Hunter, Rowand) on top of it.

QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 02:23 PM) I love the passion of the Philly fans, borderline psychotic though they may be.

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 01:30 PM) No. Shines is rumored to have a vile mouth. Ah, thanks.

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 01:09 PM) I've never been there so I have no idea. Harold is a wonderful guy, but imo brings very little to the table. I think that's obvious. I don't think he's well received. He has a bad rep of a vile mouth. IMO, that's why. Harold has a vile mouth? Wow, never would've gussed that...

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 12:58 PM) they won with intimidation in 85 and the offense was just good enough. They lost their swagger after that. That may be true, but they lost more offense than swagger. And I'd say that their offense was more than "just good enough" in '85. McMahon was a play-maker. 1985 Bears 456 points scored (#2 overall in points, #6 overall in total yds) 198 points allowed (#1 overall) 1986 Bears 352 points scored (#13 overall in points, #14 overall in total yds) 187 points allowed (#1 overall)

The Bears D was statistically better in '86 than '85. Their offense not being able to sustain drives (or score points) was the problem.

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 12:42 PM) 2005 White Sox=1985 Bears Wrapped up in their success and lost the hunger. In the case of the Bears, it was more like they lost their only competent QB.

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 09:40 AM) JMO, but for those with a ring... the attitude is long gone and not coming back any time soon. That may be true, but a lot can happen in an off-season. Especially if new people with the correct attitude are brought in.

I'll take anger during a really bad season over Jerry Manuel's "ho-hum" attitude during a mediocre season. Hopefully they'll have this same chip on their shoulder in April.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Aug 29, 2007 -> 05:12 PM) The physical wouldn't have shown anything. Freddy also was sore in spring training and had an MRI done, and that came back fine. I wouldn't have made the trade in the first place after seeing that Freddy was maxing out at 87 all of last year. Freddy was getting by on smoke and mirrors. His velocity sure as heck wasn't there at the end of last year. As was I. We needed to get rid of one of them and he was the one who's skills had apparently declined the most.