Friend of Nordhagen

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 7, 2009 -> 04:05 PM) I'm thinking guys like Michael Bourn, Chris Roberson and Felix Pie might be a larger factor in Josh Kroeger's playing time in centerfield than his own defensive prowess. Those guys are going to take precedence over a minor league free agent signee or waiver claim like Josh Kroeger. Please, no more trying to wedge guys into centerfield because they can hit or are decent enough athletes. If the guy has played center before and well, then he's a centerfielder. If he hasn't, he shouldn't be out there. I am so tired of the Mack, Swisher route that this team has taken the past few years, all the while with Kenny expressing shock that centerfielders are hard to acquire. I think he's a fine GM, but you know what? Make centerfield a priority, not an afterthought, and you'd find a guy who can play out there.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 7, 2009 -> 11:27 AM) Jermaine is just slow as s*** and even if he's somehow getting better reads than his younger counterparts (I highly doubt it) he just can't move quick enough. As for his arm, it blows. He catches EVERYTHING flat footed and as a result he's unable to get anything on the majority of his throws, his arm may be strong but it's not nearly strong enough to make up for some of the worst throwing mechanics I've ever seen in an outfielder. This is so true. I've never understood how a guy who was once such a good outfielder can catch every single ball leaning backwards, no matter how near to the ball he was when it came toward the outfield. I mean, they work on this stuff, right? Or is Jermaine just a veteran "who knows how to play," so they don't say anything to him or work with him?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 5, 2009 -> 04:11 PM) What's the over/under on how many games into the season when Bradley and Zambrano get into a fight in that clubhouse/dugout? "They just care too much." Can't wait to hear that one.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Dec 28, 2008 -> 02:53 PM) It's true and it's really evident the past two quarters. He just looks at the receiver and doesn't bother turning his head whatsoever. He doesn't even even slightly tilt his head. You know who he's going to all the time. That's why we need to "lock him up" with a big 7 year extension or whatever that bulls*** was people were saying earlier this year. What a joke.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Dec 28, 2008 -> 02:40 PM) He was injured Nov 2nd vs Detroit, meaning he was about 7 1/2 games into the season. Rex was good for 1/2 a season, too. In any event, if it's an injury, count me as being against a guy who's taken 10 games and still isn't effective after an ankle injury. Actually, Orton's perfect for this group: M - E - D - I - O - C -R - E.

What a heartless crew. Quite a reflection on the head coach.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Dec 28, 2008 -> 02:29 PM) Because he was pretty damn good before the ankle injury. Yeah, that was a good 4 games.

I saw a couple people here mention Ball Four. To me, that's one of the great books, let alone baseball books. In fact, I think it made that New York Public Library Top 100 20th century American books list. That's a hell of an accomplishment for a baseball diary -- and well-deserved. It's some kind of perceptive and absolutely hilarious. I read it every spring training, just to get fired up for the season. I'd also recommend anything by Roger Angell, who used to be (and still is occasionally) a baseball writer for The New Yorker. There are a few compilations of his stuff, the best of which, I think, is Five Seasons -- fun little articles about players, teams and the game from the 1970's. Very cool and enjoyable.

Interesting note today by Rosenthal about J.J. Putz, which might tell us what the market would be for Jenks: Cardinals have offered Rick Ankiel and a prospect for Putz. Now maybe Putz is more valuable than Jenks (older but with better velocity), but that's a pretty good return. Ankiel's a good ballplayer.

QUOTE (b-Rye @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 10:40 PM) Brent 'Looseass' Lillibridge I'm not even sure why, but that made me laugh real hard. Thanks.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 10:36 PM) Are you making a joke about Nick Masset? Or Jon Adkins? Or Felix Diaz? Wouldn't that be a deadly 1 through 3 in a short series?

QUOTE (Hawkfan @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 04:54 PM) definite lock based solely on his sick baserunning skills "I mean, DJ, some guys are smart and some guys are aggressive. But Jose -- Jose . . . is smart aggressive."

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 10:18 PM) Well, SUPPOSEDLY, he was battling a wrist injury/nagging problem and he adjusted his swing (as is normal, to compensate for injury to play through it, especially when given a legit shot to start in the big leagues) and ended up completely messing his mechanics up. That's the KW story at least. Why yes! And, when spending time in Mexico, he throws only a tick or two less than Bobby Jenks!

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 10:06 PM) I was agreeing with you. Couldn't tell if you were agreeing with me or with idiot Jake Peavy. I look forward to finding out the ways in which he -- like all overhyped Cubs -- sucks a lot.

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 10:01 PM) Along with all that tradition you get a perennially underachieving team with a bloated salary, ownership in disarray, and a home stadium that is falling apart at the foundation. That's cool though, if you think a 100 year losing streak qualifies as "tradition". Yeah, that's why it's in quotes.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 09:53 PM) Aren't the Cubs technically still owned by the Tribune Co.? Didn't the Tribune Co. file for Bankrupcy today? There seems to be something morally wrong with them adding millions to the payroll when some of their creditors won't be paid. It's the Cubs. It's a fantasy world where common sense goes out the window, like when people refer to the franchise's rich history. Sure, they haven't won in 100 years, but that's just logic. I mean, in the world of fantasy, their tradition is storied and celebrated. Why, when you think about it, they're a f***ing dynasty I tell you, a dynasty.

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 09:39 PM) Why are so many teams willing to help out the cubs? It really is pathetic. Basically it will cost any team that is not the cubs $24M more than the cubs to acquire him. This would be another example of: (a) a player deciding that the Cubs are the perfect place to play, what with all their "tradition" (Peavy waiving his no-trade clause); and (B) a stupid executive of a cash-strapped team dealing with his buddy Jim Hendry and giving away the store (Towers, who has mismanaged this from the outset). There's some speculation that DeRosa could go to Philly as part of this deal. I'll believe it when I see it. But if it happens, you can bet that Hendry will be all sad at the press conference, talking about his regret in trading "a quality person like Mark" blah, blah, blah.

QUOTE (quickman @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 08:59 PM) It almost sounds like this reporter got caught and now he is leaking his source to the Whitesox. Also he is hedging saying KW can change his mind on a wim. Too me this looks suspicious. Looks like he's pseudo-burning his source because his source MAY have burned him.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 7, 2008 -> 09:39 PM) That Reds denial is weaker than denying to your wife that you were watching Cinemax. I'm kind of a Moremax man, myself. Coming up next: "Co-Ed Confidential" We now return to your nightly Jermaine Dye rumor.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 7, 2008 -> 09:37 PM) Maybe this trade happening is contingent on some other things being done first, hence the denials. This sounds about right to me.

QUOTE (beck72 @ Dec 6, 2008 -> 03:35 PM) It's an interesting thought. A 2 year deal, for $12, 13 mill per? He likely could get a 3 yr deal from some other team. He's not getting a 4 yr deal. Ramirez would stay at 2b. Not the worst offseason plan. Or Furcal moves to 2nd. I've seen it mentioned in the past few days that he might do so, in order to generate a larger market for his services. And I really believe that Williams wants Ramirez at short, period.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 2, 2008 -> 01:02 PM) There were tons of signs what was going to happen. JR is perhaps the wisest man in sports. Like everyone else, it chaps my ass they are cutting payroll but raising prices of my tickets by a significant amount. They had a better handle on the economy's condition when they decided to raise ticket prices. Smart? Yes. Wise? I've never been convinced of that.

QUOTE (scenario @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 07:34 PM) Fernando Martinez must have some unbelievable tools. Either that or the best damn agent in the world. He's a 6'1" 190 pound 19-year old who played in AA this year... here's his 2008 stat line: 352 at-bats... .287 BA, .340 OBP, .772 OPS, 19 doubles, 4 triples, 8 homeruns... 73 strikeouts, 27 walks, and a whopping 6 stolen bases. OK... unfair to use only one years numbers... let's go back a year to 2007.... also in AA... 236 at-bats... .271 BA, .336 OBP, .713 OPS, 11 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homeruns... 51 Ks, 20 walks, and 3 stolen bases. Soooooooo.... Somebody explain the excitement to me. Please. Yeah, he's playing ahead of his age... but based on his production, maybe he shouldn't be. Anyway, what is his claim to fame? Power? Speed? Plate discipline? Right now the numbers suggest none of the above. And 6'1" 190 pounds does not suggest a huge amount of projection based on his filling out. Does it? (If those height and weight numbers are correct, he is pretty 'filled out' already.) I'm willing to be sold, but anyone suggesting that we send Javy and Jenks to NY because we're supposed to get this guy back as the centerpiece of the deal better have a reaaallly good explanation how he makes us a better team in 2009... if ever. I'm guessing that the "excitement," as it is many times in the sporting world, is that he's a player for a team from New York. Think Lastings Milledge or Greg Jefferies or any other mediocre guy -- add a bunch of New York coverage, mix and let sit: PRESTO -- OVERRATED.

Chad Cordero. He seems like the kind of guy we usually look at.

QUOTE (TLAK @ Oct 3, 2008 -> 07:35 PM) I guess this is the loss post mortum. That is a nice baseball team that beat the White Sox tonight. The Rays just do their jobs and hang in there until you beat yourself. That's all that happened tonight. I saw the Rays on Elvis night, nobody knew who half of those guys were --- Gross? Iwamara? Aybar? but they executed on the field and at the plate and took a game from a team with many more illustrious names. And that's exactly how our '05 White Sox won. The Rays are a good team this year and have the kind of starting pitching and some young position talent that will make them competitive beyond this year. But I also wouldn't be the least bit surprised if, next year, their bullpen is completely awful and the no-name guys who are getting it done in their lineup this year totally suck. That would make them a pretty mediocre team. Unfortunately, that's not the team we're playing right now. They're better.