Friend of Nordhagen

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.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 09:05 PM) The boos get louder every inning. So those ARE boos? I mean, it just sounds weird, kind of a low drone. Are people just sitting and booing for a half-hour at a time? It's just a real strange sound.

Rays go on the ropes, and Javy pulls them off. He has a track record of breaking White Sox momentum over the years. I swear he did it continually in 2006. This year, down the stretch, he undid the team's good work in KC by giving the Twins the game, the momentum and the confidence in the first game of that series. Who knows how this one would've ended up, but I'm pretty sure the Rays felt a lot better about themselves after they took the lead back in this game.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 03:12 PM) Why is the ump right on Coop's heels? Likes him a lot.

QUOTE (G&T @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 03:09 PM) He's not coming back tomorrow whether he pitches this inning or not. I would think that, for one hitter, he could do it. He hasn't pitched in two weeks, and he's normally a starter.

QUOTE (G&T @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 03:08 PM) Richard in there to eat this one. Not a big fan of this. They may need him tomorrow night to get out a hitter or 2.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 03:05 PM) I still can't stop thinking of what a s*** head Javy is. I just can't get over it. I know. I know. It's like contemplating the vastness of the universe. Basically incomprehensible.

I'm just hoping that we don't look back and say this series was over the minute that Javy Vazquez went back out to the mound with a 3-1 lead.

QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 03:00 PM) Nope. He's gone after this year. Ozzie challenged his toughness and in response Javvy has done nothing but meltdown...this will be like Shaun Tracey all over again, except on a higher profile. mark my words, Javier Vazquez is done as a member of this baseball team. I was kidding, actually. I like the disciplined approach of Dye. He did a good job shortening up on that one.

QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 02:57 PM) Richard is acquitting himself quite well today. That is one of the lone bright spots of this game. I think he gets a spot in the rotation nextyear... Burls, Floyd, Danks, Richard, acquired pitcher via trade or FA I noticed you didn't put Vazquez in there. I'm sure that was just an oversight.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 02:55 PM) PK didn't twist his right knee did he? Sometimes, and I mean this in the best possible way, our team is hilarious to watch.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 02:53 PM) Judging by Griffey's body, I don't think he's ever hungry. It's like he ate Ken Griffey Sr. In one sitting.

QUOTE (Frankensteiner @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 02:37 PM) Sox signed him to a new contract. But couldn't find money for a guy who'd twice won 17 games, Jon Garland. Not one of Kenny Williams's better decisions.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Oct 2, 2008 -> 02:33 PM) The Orioles would be a decent bet. Maybe go after Roberts with Vazquez as one of the main pieces. Not going to happen. We'd have to eat salary, and I just don't think that's in the cards.