Gregory Pratt

QUOTE(29andPoplar @ Nov 16, 2007 -> 03:46 PM) He can? 2B I agree with. SS, 2B, OF? I don't think Iguchi has ever played OF. Very little if any 3B, and he hasn't played SS since Japan, when they moved him over to 2B due to his arm. I don't know, that doesn't scream utility player to me. They are probably better off with a cheap utility player (Bourgeois?) who can play IF and OF, in addition to Ozuna who may be in the plans for 2B. In an ideal world, Loretta, because he can play a few IF positions and can hit, but I've seen no indication the White Sox are interested in him, nor vice versa. He was talking about Loretta, not Iguchi.

QUOTE(knightni @ Nov 16, 2007 -> 01:01 AM) Herges and AJ hate each other almost as much as Tomko and AJ hate each other. What's that all about?

QUOTE(fathom @ Nov 15, 2007 -> 06:08 PM) I just wanted to say how thankful I am that ARod didn't sign with the Cubs this offseason. Thanks Yanks! There was never a chance.

Hey, alright fathom! Someone else who says that, hey, something's up because.

Even if Bonds is found "innocent" we all know he used steroids. I'm just glad he probably won't be playing now. No, I don't hate Bonds, but I'm tired of his career, fans and apologists. Of course now I'll have to listen to them go back-and-forth about whether or not he's legally guilty.

Oh baby. I get myself invited to this restaurant for free food and to witness an artist from Venezuela's work; they invite a band, JUST FOR ME -- except I don't know about it. So I call in to cancel tonight's event, today, because some things are on my agenda and then they tell me: "we've brought in a band, just for you" and I say, "s***." How can I cancel? I can't; so I've got to go.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Nov 14, 2007 -> 12:52 PM) Agreed with this, and it brings up a question to think about; of the people in the past 10-15 years who hit 45-50+ homers in a season, how many of them to people realistically think were clean? I imagine Howard, Thome, and Griffey are, possibly Andruw Jones, Papi, and Beltre...it's just an intriguing question. Further, of the guys who hit, say, 57+ (just to get a certain someone into the discussion), how many of those players were clean? Howard fits, but he's about the only one I can imagine was. Clearly, the entire era is tarnished; ARod is apart of this era; thus, ARod is tarnished, no matter what he does. I have my doubts about all of those guys. There is a lot of care, thought and attention that must be given to steroids in baseball.

1. Konerko didn't take less money to stay here. 2. I share the belief that we won't deal Paulie because of fan backlash. And besides -- it would be comical if we were to trade our "Captain." Having a captain was stupid to begin with; now trading him? Jeez. 2a. I'd love to deal Konerko but I doubt it'll ever happen.

Very different sports. It is possible, and people threaten it sometimes -- Koufax and DiMaggio -- but I can't imagine it happening.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Nov 11, 2007 -> 04:17 PM) So...can anyone else think about ARod's retirement speech..."Yeah, so I'm finishing my career 10 home runs behind Mr. Tetrahydrogestrinone, but my legs just won't hold out for another year." "Q: Mr. Rodriguez: Do you now, looking back, regret sitting out that year when you were in your early 30's, as you could have already broken that record?" "Boras: Next question". Will the sun still rise for you, Balta, if Jose Canseco outs Alex Rodriguez as a steroid user (as he teased)? Or George Mitchell does (as is possible)? Or a pharmaceutical investigation (as is also possible)? I'm, partly, teasing because you hold out this hope that Rodriguez will be the great Knight rescuing The Crown from the usurping Barry Bonds and I don't know how true that is. In fact, I'd bet it isn't all that true, mainly because of the era that A-Rah plays in but also because of what my own eyes, gut instinct and Rodriguez' rapid numbers tell me, but I know a lot of people, here and in real life, who think of A-Rah as this clean slugger who will restore honor and integrity to the Diamond and I don't think that's true. Besides, I'm wary of projecting anyone to break any records because of Griffey. Baseball lost integrity and "honor" long ago. If we define "integrity and honor" as "not using 'performance enhancing drugs'".

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Nov 12, 2007 -> 01:29 PM) Pratt, So your saying its easier for a player like JD Drew to sit out, when they have no money, when they have no idea whether or not they will ever be signed. Versus A-Rod who already has in excess of $100mil, who has already turned down the biggest deal in MLB history this year (yankee offer would most likely eclipsed his 250mil), and will just sign for half that because he wants to play? If A-rod just cared about playing, he would have signed with the Yankees. It is unimaginable to be offered the highest salary in your industry and to turn it down, hoping that another team will offer an even higher salary. I guess maybe at worst he could sign a 1 year deal and try again for the long term deal next year, but I just cant imagine many teams putting in over 25% of their payroll into one player, in a sport where no player can produce 25%. In essence if A-Rod makes 25mil, he would need to be 5x more productive than a player being paid 5mil. Even if the player being paid 5mil only puts up stats like .270 10 50, A-Rod would need to put up 270 50 250. It just does not make any fiscal sense, its not basketball where 1 player can produce almost 33%, or football where the QB may be responsible for 50% + of the offense. My guess is that more baseball gm's have that type of thinking than they did when A-Rods first contract was signed. Not to mention it doesnt help that the Yankees have not been in the WS since A-Rod was signed right? And the last few years have the WS has had at least 1 if not 2 teams, that had payrolls under 100mil. We will see, but I really think that there may be some collusion with the owners wanting to send Boras a message. Because eventually if he keeps pulling stuff like this even the Yankees will want a salary cap. When's the last time a baseball player, let alone someone of star caliber, sat out a year because of money? It doesn't happen. It only happens with draft picks.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Nov 14, 2007 -> 09:07 AM) Supposedly, the Yankees are talking to ARod...but without Boras...does this smell like bs to anyone else?... http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball...__on_their.html Yes. I doubt Rodriguez would talk to them himself but it's happened before, with Andruw Jones and the Braves. Maybe Rodriguez felt that Boras overstepped his boundaries at some point? I don't know.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Nov 13, 2007 -> 03:54 PM) O no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no... No. No. Just, no. I'm glad others voiced my thoughts first on several objections. Beowulf is a beast! Haaaaaaaaa! (Really, great great great story.)

Jerry Owens is a lesser Ichiro.

http://uicradio.pages.uic.edu/index.php I've got Jeff Pearlman coming on near the end of the show for an interview, and before that me and my co-host are going to be discussing sports, starting with the Bears, going to the rest of the NFL (or whatever's interesting to us), the Hot Stove, baseball, he's going to b**** about College sports and all will be well. Fior those of you interested. My show's at 2 to three. You can go to that page and stream it.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Nov 13, 2007 -> 11:07 AM) So I assume Beckett wins the Cy Young today. I hope not. CC!

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 13, 2007 -> 09:14 AM) I don't even recall the exact details, to be honest. I read a number of his columns, and I remember not only thinking that he doesn't understand the game very well, but it was also (amazingly) littered with grammatical errors and I think he got a few names wrong. And when I say he doesn't understand the game, I'm not talking about just subjective stuff like how valuable a given skill is, I mean fundamental misunderstanding. He's just obviously in over his head. I stopped reading his stuff after a while. Whenever there is a link or an article of his now, I just skim past it. Okay. I can't say I'm a particularly big fan of his, as I'm not a fan of Bill James either, but I was curious what your reason is.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 13, 2007 -> 09:05 AM) Dayn Perry is probably the worst, most ill-informed national baseball writer I've read. I wouldn't take anything he has to say seriously. What did he say that bothers you most?

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Nov 12, 2007 -> 11:38 PM) Silence! Nothing angers me more than people who insist on talking about non-homework related stuff in the part of the library where you're really not supposed to talk. We have a bridge (indoor that connects our two libraries) that's meant for groups of people to talk and several (multiple, really) conference rooms, yet people insist on talking about how drunk they got last Saturday night? No... f*** you. Sorry. I'll keep it down next time.

I'm convinced that there's no talk about the Marlins picking up Floyd in the deal because Kenny Williams has made it clear, ala John Schuerholz with Billy Beane on Marcus Giles, that he won't deal him and without that piece, Florida's having a hard time swallowing. Really, we're not "in it" unless everyone else drops out AND Florida drops its asking price just to get rid of him because Loria's too cheap to even pay him for another half season.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Nov 12, 2007 -> 02:11 AM) No thanks; Four top youngsters? What the hell do they call Fields, Gio, Danks and Floyd? Fields, Gio, DLS and Floyd? Picky picky.

QUOTE(Markbilliards @ Nov 11, 2007 -> 06:55 PM) Yes twinkies also, I bet he injected his steroids right into his huge fanny. Helps him stick his butt out when he bats and also make poops at a rapid inhuman rate.

JD Drew sat out when drafted. Many others have refused to sign because of draft money. That's quite different than, say, sitting out as an established star.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Nov 11, 2007 -> 09:40 AM) How stupid would the Sox look if they ended up signing him? They didn't bother to offer him arbitration after making $1.8 million, AND HE WAS A TYPE A FREE AGENT. Dumbasses. There's a lot more we do wrong than we do well, that's for sure. And Riske's a good reliever, all things considered. He's just not a relief ace or anything, but you don't have to be.

Northside, We'll wait and see. I just happen to think Wasserman's a junkballer with a funky delivery who will not find much success once the league adjusts to him; I will admit he has some decent stuff and good life. I do really like Wasserman and want him to succeed.