Gregory Pratt

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 05:39 PM) Still cloudy here on the East Side. Only a small drizzle now. Looking at the radar, it's looking like it should clear up in the next half hour or so. There is no East Side of Chicago

I've never thought Piniella was smart.

Why would we want Lopez?

If Gio came up as a reliever, I could support that. Gives him a taste of the League, and it's the old-time route to the rotation. He's not the first guy I'd call up, though.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 09:56 PM) Honestly fathom, if everything is so terrible all the time, why do you even get out of bed in the morning? Easy on my guy fathom. He only hates the team's bullpen, which can't throw strikes or throw a fastball by a player. And he just hates our lineup, which can't hit lefthanders at all, rolls over for certain pitchers every time, pulls everything with little success and can't score a run on three straight singles. He also hates our defense, which looks like it's running through quicksand and can't throw out a baserunner, or hold one even! And then he hates our lack of speed, youth or energy. And then he hates our general manager and manager. But there, he's wrong. On the plus side, I've heard he likes puppy dogs and Hulk Hogan. He just doesn't like bad baseball.

"AGon"? I hate these nicknames. I hate this minor league system.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 07:12 PM) There was an article in SI last year about how the Twins organization stressed to Ortiz to always try to get the runner over, etc., and that they discouraged him from basically swinging for the fences. It was a pretty fascinating article. I recall it verreh verreh well.

QUOTE(diegotony06 @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 07:10 PM) Like I said, of course we need homerun hitters, but not every f***ing player in the lineup swinging from their heals. We played smallball in the first half of 2005 and look how good we did, and I think we stillplayed in the same park as we do now?? Yep I checked we still do!! They hit over 200 homeruns that year. They weren't playing "smallball." Listen: I love manufacturing runs and stealing and all that, but we haven't been a smallball team since the Hitless Wonders won the World Series and no, that wasn't 2005.

We need homerun hitters. We just don't need everyone trying to blast forty when they're not capable and we need guys with wheels.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 12:48 PM) Every manager has been 'the answer' until he puts on that loser jersey. The sheep have been in love with Baylor, Baker and now Lou. They keep bringing in a bigger and bigger name to no avail. Joe Torre, I see blue in your future. Torre's not stupid enough to go to Wrigley.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 06:35 PM) Yep, and shockingly, he's just joined the organization. The fundamentals was more directed at every single lousy prospect we call up from the system. Absolutely. I was all over the organization a few weeks ago over it, if you recall.

I was talking about Ozzie not having the horses to be a good manager this year. Nothing about KW + trading.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 06:26 PM) Who the hell knows what he's teaching....all we can go by is what we see, and there's way too many long swings from our players. The fundamentals on this team sucks though, as even our slappy, no power guys can't bunt. Erstad can bunt. But point taken.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 06:22 PM) This would be the perfect time for Ozzie to prove me and a lot of his critics wrong and show that he's not lost his ability to manage. And please KW, don't trade for any aging veterans with the few prospects we have. I thought he never had any managing ability? The simple truth is he doesn't have the horses right now. This team is bad!

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 03:35 PM) A seven headed pig might fly out of my ass before KW makes that big of a change during the year. KW's made big trades in June. See: Garcia. I know what you're saying, though.

QUOTE(GreenSox @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 03:56 PM) The philosophy of Ozzie Guillen, as excecuted by Williams. Ozzie thinks Ozzie was a good hitter. Ozzie always talks about how bad he was. Also: most managers have the same basic philosophies. Otherwise very good points.

I don't think all of 2005 was flukey or even the most part. But there were definitely flukey things in that season. Hermanson is one. Garland's first half. Everett. Politte. Cotts. The whole bullpen, really. Having three closers, through different periods, who got the job done. Flukey things happen to all good teams, is all I'm saying. Even flukey losses.

I'm sure Abreu would waive his NTC to come to Chicago with Ozzie.

I'd do it if we got some money.

QUOTE(LVSoxFan @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 04:46 PM) Let me throw something out there: KW hasn't made a decent trade post-2005. Think about it. What was the big trade post-2005? He got rid of A-Row to get Thome. Was that worth it? Think about it. That meant: a) You just took out a fan favorite and a proven team cheerleader, Aaron Rowand B) You did this immediately after winning the World Series with this squad--what happened to: if it ain't broke? c) Thome was fun for homers the first half of 2006 but quickly faded; he's been a non-factor this year as well, and he doesn't bunt or play smallball d) Brian Anderson was a bust and created a 9-hole Was that worth it? Don't get me wrong I love Thome and he's a class act and a gentleman, but were we really that better off with him and then BA in center than with keeping the 2005 team more or less intact? All you ever do is talk about "smallball," "2005" and Rowand. Two things: Thome for Rowand is an absolute steal, Gio included. Rowand isn't very good. I know he's lighting it up, but he's not very good, overall. PS: the Sox needed to acquire offense for 2006. You know why? Because Kenny knew that the pitching staff wouldn't be good enough again to do what it did in 05 and you can't be competitive once they regressed because they were the ninth best offense in the AL, I believe. So let's not pretend that acquiring Thome for "proven fan-favorite cheerleader" Aaron Rowand was a bad deal. ESPECIALLY since the Phillies are paying for some ofi t. QUOTE(mr_genius @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 05:16 PM) totally no way that team was a "fluke" Hermanson was flukey. Garland's first half was flukey and overall ERA was flukey. Cotts and Politte were flukey. Everett was sort of flukey. Listen, there's nothing wrong with being flukey. That's baseball sometimes. But also: the 2005 team was excellent. Very good team, and everything clicked. That doesn't mean it wasn't kind of flukey. Every team has to have flukes here and there to succeed.

QUOTE(WSoxMatt @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 09:34 AM) Say what you want about Freddy, he was very important in helping this team win the 2005 World Series I love Freddy. I'm just saying he had great stuff but was used up young because of innings and, perhaps, conditioning. I think Zambrano will go the same way.

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 09:55 AM) he went for stitches. I'm pretty sure they can stitch you up at the park.

I believe that Zambrano's career will take Freddy Garcia's path. Great success early, used up around thirty.

Oh, PS: I've read rumors and heard from a friend that Zambrano REALLY beat Barret bad. "You don't go to the hospital for a busted lip" is the word.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 02:27 AM) I love it Just as I figured, Carlos Fatbozo is all bark and no bite. That's the worst bit of 'fighting' I've ever seen. Did he even make a fist ?...or did he plan to continue slapping and clawing at Barret? Not only do I never want to see that P.O.S in a Sox uni., I don't want him throwing against us either. That MF'r is exactly the kind of dick who will throw at someone's head and end a career.....but I guess it's cuz he's so passionate and sometimes kinda nutty, right? Pfft. He f***ed Barret up in the clubhouse. I'm sure Zambrano can fight. A lot of guys will push or throw an open hand at first, especially in such close proximity before they start to throw punches.