Gregory Pratt

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 11:31 AM) I know, its just one of those things that sometimes happens. I just have a feeling. It's out there.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 01:26 PM) Just to point something out, but Pelfrey does not have to be signed. He is a rookie who has just one year of minor league experience (having been drafted in 05). I know. Exactly why I said, "Trade for, rather" once I realized the diction error,.

Ha, I love this story.

If we can sign Mike Pelfrey, I say, Do it. Trade for Pelfrey, rather. Also, Balta: Uribe is a decent shortstop. Though, I think I know what you meant: Rafael Furcal, or Miguel Tejada!

My personal favorite baseball fight was when Mike Sweeney kicked Weaver's ass.

Someone should say it: the Sox are stockpiling pitching because they're going to rebuild the rotation completely once all the current deals are done unless by some miracle all of our pitchers take significant pay cuts and decline to hit free agency. We're not going to trade pitching for an oft-injured Rocco Baldelli because these arms -- Floyd, Haeger, Danks -- are our future. Not that I approve of it, but that's the plan.

I'm quite grateful for Kenny Williams' reign as General Manager and for Ozzie's stewardship of the team, too. This franchise might just have been the absolute most piss-poor franchise in baseball from 1919 to the late 1990s and it's certainly up there. Right now, Kenny is dealing to ensure the long-term success of the White Sox organization, and while I'm not entirely pleased with our direction -- I still think it's silly to refuse to go past 3 years with a pitcher, as I believe a five year contract is justifiable for some pitchers like, oh, Buehrle or Oswalt, as it was in Houston -- or our scouting -- please, no more "safe picks" and more Latin scouts plz -- but I must say, I'm glad for Kenny's time whether he succeeds or fails. Was just kind of thinking about it earlier.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Dec 29, 2006 -> 10:16 AM) He has herpes, so probably she has herpes. Whats the difference between love and herpes? Herpes is forever LOL.

I'd be pissed if we gave up Gio or Danks. How long is Baldelli under contract for?

That's kind of out there. I mean, it's a major rush, to think that kid makes it. Seems radical in kind of a tubular sort of way, but most of all, it seems out there. -- I think it's entirely possible that Danks makes it.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?con...;articleId=4179 Heh. I have no strong feelings about it either way. It's kind of petty, but it's pretty funny all the same.

1. I traditionally get along better in real life with Conservative Republicans than Liberal Democrats. Not sure why, but I do, and I have more Conservative Political Penpals (people that write me emails about posts I've made on my blog and Life) than Liberal Penpals by far. The last time a Liberal wrote me was when a Feminist ex-girlfriend wanted to yell at me about a post I made criticizing Planned Parenthood. The funny thing, to me, is, that a Conservative Republican owns my website for me, pays the bill on it and hosting fees and all that stuff. Whenever I have a maintenance issue, or need someone to update something, he does it for me, too. 2. I'm no prude, but I've got a reputation as being conservative and reckless with my body. Meaning: I don't sleep around, drink or do any drugs, but I believe that any fall fifteen feet or less is perfectly fine because you're unlikely to really damage yourself unless you somehow land on your hand. Which leads us to, 3. I've met three people from SoxTalk. One guy who doesn't post here anymore, and SoxFan1 and SoxAce. It was with them that I fell about fifteen feet through a Batting Cage. No injury whatsoever there. 4. I believe in Duality, as I phrase it. I love analyzing things and finding that they're good and bad, pretty and ugly, etc. etc. 5. Throughout my years in school I've always aced standardized tests by being in the top one percentile ALWAYS in grade school, and in HS, I wound up with a 28 ACT with a 33 and 34 in English and Reading and lesser scores, though still above average, in Math + Science. I don't, however, work that hard in classes and have a 2.99 GPA because of it, though that is fine by me. When I was in fifth grade, I failed the year and engaged in a War of sorts with my teacher, the only time that I consistently and deliberately misbehaved. I'd bring a horn to school and honk it at random moments. Would raise my hand and ask snarky questions (though I still do that, with the difference being that today teachers think I'm snarky and cute as opposed to a pain in the ass) and things like that. When I wound up with Straight Ds as opposed to straight Fs, I was amused and said, "They can't fail a boy who was at the Top in the Iowa Test." Years later, Mrs. Morris retired, the principal, and she told me that she'd personally intervened, telling Ms. Dawkins that I was the smartest boy she'd ever met and couldn't fail me. Which I feel a smug and smarmy satisfaction from. Over the years, I've loved being an escape artist and a man of surprises. 6. I like to tell people that I believe that people should be able to challenge others to Duels and if the other accepts, I don't think there should be a Legal Consequence for killing someone in a duel. That is to say, that if I challenge someone to a fight to the death and they kill me or vice versa, that should be my choice. I'm not sure if I tell people that because I believe the Sissification of Today's Society needs a satirical boost or what, though I wouldn't cry if Duels were legalized. No way, man. Just like, you know, I think political correctness is for pansies. I think the best remedy for a kid being picked on is, "Hit 'em back!" (barring huge exceptions like large numbers of bullies at once or significant age differences, etc.) just like I believe that Ozzie Guillen was right to tell Garland and Tracey to man up when they refused to hit someone, and for that reason -- along with the fact that he's the single greatest pitcher to ever live -- I admire Pedro Martinez. There's nothing wrong with putting a ball between someone's shoulder blades and then spitting on the mound or taking a step or two toward them. 7. I believe in honesty. Straight-forwardness, which isn't the same as transparency as I don't believe in NOT KEEPING SECRETS, cause I do believe in secrets. I just believe that if someone asks you a question, or if someone tells you something, you tell the truth or decline to tell anything or, in the middle, make clear that you're leaving a couple of things out. That's seven, and I could give more, but won't. Yet.

QUOTE(Dam8610 @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 04:19 PM) Why do you say that with such certainty? Mulder DID grow up a Sox fan, and he wouldn't be the first person in recent years to turn down more money from the Rangers to play for the White Sox (Dye). Dye had already agreed to play for less money when offered more by the Rangers and stuck by his word to the Sox. There's no way in hell Dye would've come here for less if he had been offered more FIRST by the Rangers.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 05:06 PM) So you honestly believe the Sox would be willing to shell out 6 years (even though they refuse to go any higher than 3 years with pitchers) and $100M+ to Buehrle? Given the organizations history of giving out contracts and their continued stance on pitching contracts I don't see how anyone could believe Buehrle will be retained beyond '07. Clemens' name has not come up in any substantial rumors this offseason. He will not be pitching for the Sox next year it's really as simple as that. Once again, we're in total agreement.

Is there ANYTHING to suggest that the White Sox are actively attempting to pick up Roger Clemens? I mean, it's all well and good for you guys to say, "I'd love to have Roger," or "It's dependent on picking up Clemens," but are the wheels even turning on that? QUOTE(sircaffey @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 05:01 PM) Garland is a FA in 2 years, Contreras as well. The Sox will have to sign someone long-term unless they want to go extremely young and unproven. I highly doubt they will resign Conteras being that he'll probably be 48 in 2009. Garland or Buehrle are the obvious choices, unless the young talent (Floyd, Haeger, Sisco, Gonzalez, Broadway, etc.) progress much faster than expected. The Sox were also a team that wasn't going to trade away 2007 talent. The market changed that. The market will change the Sox thinking on long-term deals for SP or else the Sox wont be able to contend for a while. I hope you're right. I don't think so, though.

QUOTE(sircaffey @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 04:38 PM) If the Sox have 4-5 capable young pieces to move into the rotation in the next 4-5 years, then I could definitely see them spending for someone like Buehrle to anchor the rotation. I highly doubt they go all young, and unproven in the next 2 years. They'll keep someone around long-term. Most likely Jon or Mark. I think it'll be Garland and Contreras since I believe they're signed the longest. I know Contreras isn't being dealt as he's got a NTC for this season. This isn't a franchise that'll extend Mark Buehrle for six years at 100 million. If they do extend him it'll be because he took a huge discount, IMO, but I don't know that that'll do it since the Sox don't believe in contracts for pitchers passed three years.

QUOTE(sircaffey @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 04:33 PM) The solution for no fan uproar...Trade Vazquez. Frees up a lot of money, and you can offer an extension to Buehrle and be able to afford it with the young guys moving in. Makes sense if the Mets are interested. The White Sox aren't extending Mark Buehrle.

Scouts were asked who the best available pitchers this offseason were. I doubt that's what he was referring though it might be. (I'm not sure I agree with the assessments of these scouts. Though I don't disagree, either.)

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 08:23 AM) Hopefully no one minds this, because I thought it was pretty interesting, but Gerald Ford was nearly Reagan's VP pick. As a matter of a fact he begged him to do so on multiple occasions, and could not convince him to do so. How different would the world be today if George HR Bush was NOT the VP during the 80's? The story is a pretty long read, but really interesting. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16371870/site/newsweek/ I haven't read the piece yet but that's true. He was nearly Reagan's pick except that Ford insisted on being "co-President" and being given full control of economic issues and budget issues. Reagan said no, of course, and the rest is history.

Thinking about it, the two things I'm most excited about for the 2007 season are: will Pedro come back and be all right? or is this the end? and What will Ichiro do? Personally, I think Ichiro is the most exciting thing in baseball.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 01:49 PM) You forgot the consistently higher batting average but other than that you hit the nail on the head. Cintron hits for a higher average but I think it's a wash when you consider the glove/power differences. Besides, you hit the nail on the head first.

QUOTE(SoxHawk1980 @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 01:58 PM) I think both are pretty solid #3 starters, with Vazquez being more erratic from year to year. What this team really needs is a dependable ace. Best case scenario, when do you think Danks could actually pitch like an ace for a full season in the majors? I'd say the best (reasonable) case would be 2009. - edited to change 2008 to 2009. I think 2008 will be Danks first full season in the majors and I doubt he'd pitch like an ace in that season. 2009 is more reasonable if he progresses to ace pitching. I think that even with his erratic nature I'd prefer Vazquez to Garland.

QUOTE(kwolf68 @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 01:48 PM) And throw in the fact Vazquez isn't that good either. I'd rather have Jon Garland any day of the week and twice on Sundays over that headcase Vazquez. I'd prefer Vazquez though neither are my idea of Aces.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 28, 2006 -> 11:50 AM) It will be interesting to see if some of the advocates against steroid use ended up testing positive. I only know of 1 legitimate advocate against steroid use. Thomas. I believe that Schilling has publicly been critical of steroid use, too. Who are you referring to, besides them? 'Cause I can't think of anyone offhand.

Cintron is Uribe with little power, a bit more speed but very little glove. No way is he considered for the spot of SS over Uribe unless he's in a Dominican prison. Why yes, I did plagiarize off of Kalapse.