Pants Rowland

QUOTE(RME JICO @ May 10, 2007 -> 08:44 AM) Erstad Iguchi Thome Konerko Dye AJ Crede Sweeney Uribe I like that lineup, although I prefer to move Jermaine to 3 hole and shuffle Thome and Konerko to 4 and 5, respectively. Left, Right, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, repeat. Perennial contenders always infuse inexpensive youth from the farm system. With Danks and Masset (although technically from another farm), you have that in the pitching staff. Sweeney is showing that in the field right now and is getting on base and driving in runs. I do not see the reason why you would mess with the groove he seems to be finding. If any move is to be made to improve the team, it would be to trade a left handed hitting reserve. While the obvious choice could be Mackowiak, purely because he only hits lefty, I would actually prefer to trade Cintron for a scrappy right-handed bat. Maybe even trade him for a prospect and bring back Eduardo Perez to fill the roster spot. This further cuts payroll and you still have Mack/Ozuna/Perez off the bench. There is enough versatility in Mack/Ozuna to compensate for Perez's one dimensional game. If Toby Hall does in fact return healthy, the Sox would have a nice insurance plan to counter the tough lefties in the league. If Sweeney is still performing at current levels when/if Pods returns, you probably would be best served trading Pods away as well. I know it won't happen because of Guillen's love for him, but it would further free up money for a potential trade come the deadline where the Sox could take on a little more salary, rather than trading away that extra prospect like they always seem to have to do to save a couple million $$$.

QUOTE(caulfield12 @ May 2, 2007 -> 10:51 AM) Walker will be gone before Cora. Heck, Baines will be gone before Cora. That is an interesting idea. Can Baines and Walker swap roles? Harold always had a pretty good approach at the plate.

QUOTE(Wanne @ Apr 25, 2007 -> 12:10 PM) Damn...I wish i still had my Winnin' Ugly 3/4 sleeve shirt. Loved that thing! Who coined that phrase btw....wasn't it Doug Radar? I believe you are correct on Radar. I still have the exact same shirt tucked away in a chest somewhere. Too bad I was 9 years old and it no longer fits me.

Joel Skinner was down at the Elk Lodge bragging that he took Fisk's job.

I saw Moe Berg talking to the Dalai Lama.

QUOTE(Wanne @ Apr 19, 2007 -> 01:21 AM) I've actually been to two no-hitters in my life. Wish I would have been at tonights. That was incredible. My first...my dad drug me to Wrigley when I was 7 (only game I've EVER been to at wrigley by the way)...but Kenny Holtzman threw a no-hitter against the Braves. And living out here my wife took me to a D-Backs game for Father's Day and got front row seats at BOB (now Chase). It was Randy Johnson vs Jimanez or something like that for the Cardinals. too lazy to look it up...but the Cardinals won 1-0. I still remember Jack Morris no-hitting the Sox on a Saturday afternoon nbc game of the week. If I recall correctly, that was opening day for the White Sox at old Comiskey in 1984, a year of high expectations for the White Sox. Jack Morris was always tough on the Sox and you could just tell from that game that the Tigers might have a very special year (I think the final was 4-0, correct?). Went on to one of the best 40 game starts in MLB history at 35-5 as they steamrolled to the best one-hit wonder championship this side of the '85 Bears. As I remember it, Sparky Anderson had kind of turned the Tigers around late in the 1983 season with a closed door meeting and they carried his pep talk into 1984. I think Morris walked a boatload of players that day, but that frequently helps make you "unhittable". Great memory, no matter who was on the short end of that stick.

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Apr 19, 2007 -> 09:04 AM) On a side note this was Jim Rose(ABC 7 Sports) teaser before the commercial... I wish I could put a smile on my face right now for the bulls, but i can't...stay tuned to see why. Hello?? Are you kidding me? Buehrle tosses a no hitter and your lead in is about the Bulls loss??? You just have to accept the fact that Chicago is a basketball town. ;-)

Has anyone noticed that all the papers have stopped cleaning up Guillen's poor grammar when quoting him? It seems like they used to make much more of an effort to transpose into text that reads a little better. Maybe I am just reading more carefully now.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 01:27 PM) Prior needs to leave the Cubs. They will never, ever be successful. Fixed.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 01:25 PM) Never...ever...EVER mention Tito Landrum again... That sunuvab****!!!! Sorry. It won't happen again.

QUOTE(drive like jehu @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 10:59 AM) Reggie Jackson Leon Durham Andre Dawson Mike Boddicker Cal Ripken Jose Canseco Rickey Henderson Dave Stewart Mark McGwire Kent Hrbek Albert Belle Barry Bonds If you are going to hate Mike Boddicker, shouldn't Mike Flanagan and Tito Landrum be on your list as well?

QUOTE(JohnCangelosi @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 07:17 AM) Anyone see how lucky the Twins got last night with Carl Crawford doing his best meathead impersonation on the basepaths? Luckiest team in the league with all of their swinging bunt hits and opposing team lost fly balls in that joke of stadium they play in. Makes me sick... I hope Tampa Bay gives up on Crawford and trades him to the Sox for a case of sunflower seeds.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 08:48 AM) Quick answer. No, people outside of Chicago don't fully understand the rivalry. With that said, I'm not sure I fully understand it. I get much more excited for a big weekend series with the Twins-Tigers-Tribe than I do for the Cubs. In fact, I hope to ditch my Cubs tickets this year, and using the money to try and get into the new Jim Beam Home Plate Club. I split a full season ticket package with 7 other people. Every year when we do our ticket selection, I do everything possible to avoid the Cubs games like the plague. It is always an emotional drain for the players and fans. I wish they would get rid of the series altogether or at least go back to one three game series every year. No good ever comes out of it. Neither team ever really dominates and both typically do not do too well in the following games on their respective schedules. I also hate seeing all those rat bastard Cubs fans at the Cell. They b**** about how crappy a park it is and then show up like locusts once a year and soil the place with their putrid blue gear.

QUOTE(juddling @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 04:52 PM) Ellis Burks----> It's funny, I know he is supposed to be comatosed, but doesn't it look like Ellis is smiling while you beat him? I'll bet that makes you hate him that much more.

QUOTE(KevHead0881 @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 02:03 PM) Doug Mientkiewicz and Curt Schilling. Especially Curt Schilling. f***ing asshole. Boy did you steal my top two! Michael Barret and Ron Santo are also two great mentions for hateable for so many obvious reasons. As far as stupid blind hate just because they kick the WS tail, my list in descending order of era playing goes Johan Santana, Jack Morris, Dave Stieb, and Kirk Gibson (I am so tired of his clip from 1988 and hated him more in '84). We all know what Johan does, but Morris and Stieb, in particular, had the White Sox collective number in the past. Another guy that took WAY too long to solve was Joe Mays a few years back. Boy did I hate him. Did I also mention Jacque Jones? Another boil on the WS neck who always comes up with the big hit, even with the Cubs last year. I general I find I hate the Minnesota Twins with a bit of an evil eye cast at the Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians. The Twins are irritating for their clear home field advantage and piranha ways. The A's have always been tough on the Sox going back to Dave Stewart (also very hate-worthy) and the Bash Brothers. The Indians of the mid to late 90s and their high school like fans really used to make my blood boil. I guess I am just filled with hate. EDIT: I forgot Roberto Hernandez. He still carries a grudge for Schuler dumping him in 1997. F*** him too. ANOTHER EDIT: Oh man, how did I forget how much I hate the Boston Red Sox? I would cheer for NYY any day over those MotherF***ers. They and their fans are basically the Cubs with a ring. The arrogance and sense of entitlement are nausiating. They would burn in hell if I had my way and believed in hell. I hate so much, yet love this thread.

QUOTE(knightni @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 02:29 PM) Old Comiskey was a sad tired relic of graffiti and trash. Totally unfriendly to families and the neighborhood was in need of improving. USCF is clean, nice, updated, friendly and the area is a lot safer than it used to be. I agree with both of your points and think RUSH gets more annoying the futher high school is in my rearview mirror. Old Comiskey was a neglected, crumbling, leaking structure that needed replacement. The new park, especially with all the improvements since USC bought the naming rights, is a very comfortable, enjoyable place to watch a game if you sit on the lower level or in the luxury areas. However, the WS still screwed up when they turned down the idea to effectively build Camden Yards, before Baltimore took the gamble on the idea. Read City Baseball Magic by Philip Bess to hear his plan for a park in Armour Square which would have eliminated the stigma that USCF has been saddled with for the better part of its 16 year history (Here is a link to an interview he conducted with WSI as well http://whitesoxinteractive.com/FixComiskey...versation1.htm). Even if they did not build a retro park, there were serious oversights and lack of creativity with the asthetic design of the ball park and the pitch of the upper deck. Reinsdorf loved Kauffman stadium and had a similar design commissioned when the Sox were talking about moving to Addison. Rather than having a new plan drawn up to fit the urban site, the Sox simply tweaked the Addison plan and built the last of the 70s/80s style ballparks. Further, the steepness of the upper tank was driven by a mission to put as many luxury boxes in the park as possible, including the club level. I like Jerry but I can't wait for the day when this park is obsolete and they can build something more fitting with the neighborhood and an original member of the American League in 1901.

QUOTE(Wedge @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 11:50 AM) I missed it. What was the "infamous billboard"? A large vertical rectangular building facade near Wrigley Field (and across from the Addison red line stop)was leased by AM 1000 several years ago. The billboard they put up read "Major League Baseball...8.1 miles south." It was classic and pissed off Cubs fans something fierce.

QUOTE(joeynach @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 11:03 AM) Do we have an advantage every time Danks pitches against a team for the first time since they have never seen him before. At least the first time through the order. Only if he gets to face the White Sox. Then he would be lights out.

QUOTE(StatManDu @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 09:16 AM) Thanks! The Sox Media Guide lists Higgins as a cousin and always has. That is an odd one when you put the pages together. Maybe it is one of those first cousin thrice removed types of things.

QUOTE(Capn12 @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 10:00 AM) Thats just eye drops for Nellie You obviously do not know how mean Minnie can be sometimes.

I like the banner and the history it brings to the table. I do think a player should be added (probably Buerhle) that is more representative of the recent successful Sox run. Thomas doesn't really cut it for me. One other thing, why is Minoso shooting pepper spray into Nellie's left eye? Also, how did he rig it up so it would shoot out of his finger?

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 07:17 AM) This will not be replacing the Grind thing. Just adding to it, same as the South Side Board of Tourism stuff. The Sox really do have some pretty decent marketing the last few years. I like that they are pasting their banners, including "We are Chicago Baseball" all over the red line train cars (inside and out), which go right by Wrigley as well. Also hitting the cabs hard, and banners all over the north side. They are definitely not marketing small these days. So they actually are putting all that money they made last year back into the team? Excellent!

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 04:06 PM) I'm quite sure it will all average out. I do not think it can. The AL West only has 4 teams. Due to the unbalanced schedule, all other AL East and Central teams have to face them for one extra series every year in order to round out their 162 game schedule.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 02:34 PM) Yes, BA would have made Jenks stop throwing crap over the plate. No, but if BA comes in at CF and Erstad shifts to LF, there is a chance Milton Bradley either is thrown out at home to preserve the win, or holds up because he knows he is dealing with a better arm. If that is the case and the game-ending fly ball is hit to LF, I trust Erstad to get a better read and jump to make the play rather than Pods' silly jump. That is three outs and a 1-0 win. I do not deny Jenks sucked last night, but they still could have overcome the poor outing.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 01:49 PM) Line drive? If it makes you feel better about yourself, you go ahead and think that that ball was a "line drive". Any competent OFer knows how to put his mit over his head and make a catch. BTW, watchtower, go ahead and try to defend that with the video right there. It'll give the rest of us another good laugh. I wish the video could show the entire play (i.e. poor jump, poor read, followed by reckless sprint toward the wall with no chance to stop and settle to make the catch). I love how some players make a play look so much more difficult and then people defend them by saying there was no chance that ball was caught. Like criticizing sure-handed infielders because they never get their uniform dirty.