FedEx227

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 17, 2009 -> 11:15 AM) Yes, Jermaine Dye Exactly. We have a ton of guys that can potentially fill that DH role, I don't believe we have to look outside the system. Alone in our system we have Dye, Flowers, Viciedo and Allen as all potential options.

The Swisher/Marquez trade is definitely not looking very good right now. Obviously, we wanted nothing to do with Swisher but you wonder if this buying high selling REAL low was a good idea. You could have just kept him for another year if anything.

Dominate the LEAGUE?! A 31-year old career minor leaguer...

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Apr 17, 2009 -> 01:12 PM) If you would have read my first post...my point was that the Rays have a young and very exciting team AND they are the AL Champs. They just came off a WS appearance! That should put butts in seats by itself. I'm not necessarily talking sellout, but at least 3/4 of the stadium filled (with Rays fans, not half being opposing fans). I bet that the first week at home for the White Sox in 2006 were close to sellouts. Bad weather or not. And fine, move the Rays OR the Marlins. Or both. Apples and oranges in my mind. The Chicago White Sox have been around for 100 or so years. They have tons of older fans, middle age fans, fans from all walks of life through many generations. They have a great stadium, located in Chicago. It's not just about rapid fans or diehard fans or whatever there's tons of other stuff that goes into it besides that. The Chicago White Sox are in a obviously more populated area, in a better stadium, in a better location with a ton more history. Them going to a World Series and being great is a ton different than a 10-year old franchise with zero history, no solid season ticket base and an awful stadium in a terrible location going to a World Series. Completely different. It's not going to take generations, but about 5-10 years of solid teams and a new stadium before we really see anything. And that's if they estimated the area. I honestly don't think it's going to work in Florida no matter what, they had an opportunity and pretty much messed it up with both the Marlins and the Rays. It's possible it can turn around, but I think there's more much to it than "THEY HAVE BAD FANS!" I don't think fans in Florida are very good, I'm not defending them entirely, I'm just saying that a lot of things go into it.

QUOTE (Disco72 @ Apr 17, 2009 -> 12:21 PM) You're missing the point. Both Florida teams have been to and/or won the World Series, yet the Rays and Marlins are not getting the attendance (and therefore revenue) boost that teams usually get during and after successful seasons. The bad stadiums/locations is a mitigating factor, but if you don't draw when you are winning, when will you draw? The teams have been there long enough to develop a fan base, and the "new stadium boost" in attendance has not been as big a factor in recent years, especially if the team isn't winning. So it's hard to claim that new stadiums will solve the attendance problems for these teams. Well it's a ton of reasons. The Rays stadium is awful first off, it's in a so-so neighborhood away from where the bulk of the general Tampa population lives. Ditto for the Marlins, their stadium is essentially in a suburb. While that no doubt works for football, it doesn't work for an 82-game baseball schedule. Add in the fact that their unpredictable weathers leads to tons of rain outs and delays... and the fact it's a god awful stadium with no personality. Also you have to remember despite the bits of success as a whole the franchises have not been very good. You don't have any 2nd or 3rd generation Rays/Marlins fans. Yes, they went to the WS last year but over the past decade they were one of the worst teams in the league, ever year... great talent or not. So long term success in a good ballpark will build up a fan base. You still have to remember these are very new franchises in a very new market, so it'll take time.

QUOTE (rangercal @ Apr 17, 2009 -> 11:47 AM) He's not really a n00b. I'm just suspect of someone who averages 5 posts a year (a big % of that today) bashing the Sox attendance. hahaha... nah I wish. I got banned from WSI a few weeks ago so I've had to use this and Palehosed as my main source of White Sox talk, so that's all. I probably had 2 posts from the date I joined until a week ago. But that's irrelevant...no, I'm not bashing Sox attendance in fact I hate that type of stuff but facts are facts. They don't draw very well, and neither do we in the April-May months. We're a great summer and walk-up attendance team, no doubt... that's our bread and butter. I just don't think we as Sox fans have a right to bash other teams attendance when we aren't really the toast of the league attedance-wise either. At least not without explaining a few of the reasons why their attedance is as pitiful as it is. It's not just "THEIR FANS AREN'T GOOD!!!" there's a ton that goes into their putrid attendance.

Plus do you really want a team based in Vegas? Don't you run into similar problems that you have in Florida aka not a solid season ticket base. No doubt you'll get people on vacations that stop to see a game but without a guaranteed season ticket base a team in Vegas is essentially worthless.

I believe I saw a half empty stadium on our side of town our 2nd game of the year too. No, they don't draw well but are we as Sox fans really able to call teams out on lack of attendance when we ourselves have struggled with it for years? I agree, there isn't much excuse but I can see why they struggle. Terrible location and an awful misjudging on their fan base. They thought the older people would be attrached to it and they just aren't. Also they built in St. Petersburg and if you've ever been to the town it couldn't be in a worse location, definitely would be better suited in downtown Tampa or even in Orlando.

What people mainly mean is you don't draft a guy as a reliever only. Look at most of the top-tier relievers in the game, they typically are drafted and developed as starters but eventually get turned into RP based off lack of a secondary pitch or whatever. Thus, there's no reason to draft a reliever-only unless he's REALLY a plus-plus and can contribute right away. Otherwise you can get a power arm and see how he develops.

I think I can speak for most Sox fans when I say we'd like to avoid drafting an LF/RF/1B/3B types. I'd love to see us go after some power arms or a catcher, those are likely our two biggest holes in the minors right now. I love Flowers, but I'm not sold on him being a long-term option at C.

I don't care at all, just kinda curious... where'd you get that Sox Pride logo you have in your sig? http://photos.imageevent.com/dreamkast/mlbb/fed.soxpride.jpg If it came from that, you're welcome I made that a few years back.

Liriano is still good, real good... but no you'll never get 2006 Liriano again. His pitches don't have as much movement, he doesn't have that same amazing sliders he did before. Still REAL good, but yeah not the Liriano of old.

I have no doubt that they'll beat either Boston or Cleveland at home in a game 4, that I absolutely believe. Game 6? Eeeh... I don't know about that, but it wouldnt be out of the realm of possibility, especially against Boston. Boston isn't particularly fond of playing on the road in the playoffs and if Garnett isn't 100%, you're all but guaranteed a game 5.

I was ultra impressed on the movement he was getting as well. That 2-seamer was dancing around.

Yup, that's exactly what happened. He's playing for the Newark Bears now.

They'll still beat us. I mean we could probably get a few in there probably a game 4 at home, maybe a game 5 but that's about the extent.

Also found it funny that only the Twins played in cold weather Saturday... and only the sun was around for them. Weird how that works.