TheChrisSamsa

QUOTE (BaconOnAStick @ Mar 31, 2014 -> 07:59 PM) Good Game! First post. Looking forward to eating some chicken and waffles on Wednesday. Anyone at the park today? Welcome to the boards! I was there.. In typical Opening Day fashion. Great atmosphere once inside the stadium. The new security measures seemed a little overblown and the new food that I got to try (adobe mango chicken sausage and pork chop sandwich) is over-hyped, but I'm a food snob. Stick to whatever your favorites are.

Eaton-8 Semien-4 Gillaspie-5 Abreu-3 Dunn-DH Garcia-9 De Aza-7 Ramirez-6 Flowers-2 Sale-P

It's here! It's Opening Day! I'll be in section 128, cheering on the boys!

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Mar 30, 2014 -> 02:02 PM) Nothing is worse than O.co Coliseum I agree that some dont "hurt" to say. Like the United Center. Busch Stadium. Great American Ball Park may be one of the best. Just another reason the A's need to move out of Oakland.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Mar 30, 2014 -> 01:56 PM) The traditionalist in me hopes they just go back to Comiskey Park. I not a fan of corporate names on stadiums. I agree, though I do think that some corporate sponsorships come through less callous than others. US Cellular Field is one of the worst.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 30, 2014 -> 01:45 PM) I think the bigger story is they lost sponsorship of both the former Bacardi at the Park and Gold Coast Tickets Club. Considering US Cellular is no longer available in the area, I don't think they really need any signage, but like you mentioned, perhaps the name is going to change. Also there is a little space between 11 and 16. Are they going to retire Ozzie's number? It seems like the Sox have lost almost all of their primary sponsorship deals, Bacardi, Gold Coast, and US Cellular (assumed/eventual).. I wonder if marketing is waiting to prove they can get people in the stadium with a more exciting on-field product so as to increase bids for next season. I'd say that the numbers 13 and/or 14 would fit between 11 and 16...

Doug Padilla posted this picture of the new facade behind Home Plate. Interesting to note that there's no mention of "US Cellular Field," just Home Of The Chicago White Sox. I could imagine this isn't quite the final product, but it's possible that US Cellular is leaving their naming rights behind if the White Sox can find another suitor. Related side note, I like the clean look of the gray facade. Last year:

This is going to sound weird, but the gf is a big cubs fan.. Anyone know if they do anything similar?

I did this this morning.. Haven't gotten a code, should I continue my wait or did I do something wrong?

They'll figure out how to make the field playable. That's their job, and they're very good at it. I've been going to opening day for many years now and only one has been postponed. They make it a priority. This does beg the question of why they didn't start the process sooner, or more continually over the winter..

Some of the commercial free "filler" content has been great. Seems like the theme for the team this year is to do what's best for the long term value of each player and the club as a whole, with a focus on success now. It's a nice balance.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Jan 24, 2014 -> 03:44 AM) So, I really wanted to go to the induction and see it in person. But with the ridiculous cost of hotel/airfare/car rental, travel and the time off of work, I really can't swing it. What I started to think was that there must be a ton of people in the same boat, and everyone will want to see this, and the atmosphere of watching it with like-minded people would make it even more enjoyable. Do you think the Sox would be willing to set up something like an induction party in the bullpen bar or somewhere similar where the speech will be carried live? I've already sent an email to Brooks Boyer, but who knows if I'll get a response or if it will even be read Would anyone here be interested in something like that? I'd be there in a heartbeat.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jan 23, 2014 -> 02:34 PM) I can understand LaRussa. OAK and STL can both lay pretty much equal claim to him. Makes no sense with Maddux though. If the Cubs get half of Maddux then the Sox should get half of Fisk. Fisk chose to go in as a member of the Red Sox. He went in before Wade Boggs ruined it for everyone and went in as a Devil Ray, causing the Hall to get involved with cap selection.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 23, 2014 -> 01:00 PM) Maddux is going in without a logo, as is Tony La Russa. So basically the Cubs and Braves can both claim Maddux as their own Hall of Famer. "Maddux said he felt good about the decision because he spent so much time in Chicago and Atlanta. "I spent half my career in Chicago and half my career in Atlanta," Maddux said Thursday after working with some of the Texas Rangers' prospects at a winter camp in Arlington, Texas. "I came up a Cub. I played there for six years [and] went back for six more. I was in Atlanta for 11 years. So it comes out to about the same amount of time in both cities. I love both places. "Obviously, I feel like I had more success as a Brave. We did get a World Series there. But I kind of came up a Cub. For me, I couldn't pick. I really couldn't. Both places mean so much to me personally, to my family. I couldn't pick. So I'm going to go in neutral, I guess." Source

To me, the most interesting piece of the article is that 7 out of 9 projected starters are 27 or under. Over the next 3-5 years many of them will be in their prime playing ages. Obviously, everything that Hahn has done over the last 6 months has been part of a longer term plan, but if some key players perform at the top of their game in the same season(s), they'll definitely contend.

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Jan 21, 2014 -> 10:50 AM) Link is a little broken. Just like my buddy with Crohn's, it's missing a colon. Reading now, though. Haha! Thank you.. It's fixed now.

This article on battingleadoff.com does a nice job in laying out just how different the team will look come Opening Day. I'm excited to see this group gel together over the next couple of years. With the right role players and some guys living up to their potential, this team can contend long term. How Rick Hahn Revamped Chicago's Offense

Biggio at 74.8%

3 inductees. Maddux, Glavine, Frank Thomas!

Yeah, looks like there's probably NL DH data included. "Average of averages" probably isn't the most effective way to provide this data.

I didn't make this, but I ran across it and I thought it'd be an interesting share. It's interesting to visualize how consistently certain statistics come from certain positions. 2013 MLB Batting By Position

QUOTE (JoshPR @ Jul 14, 2013 -> 03:28 PM) Where's stone? Pissed that he's not on his all-star break yet.

The legend continues...

If the Sox want to hang their long-term marketing cap on a player like Sale (which they certainly do)... then they'd better hope it's Sale.

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Apr 30, 2013 -> 02:43 PM) Naperville-ish My typical watering-hole, Taphouse Grill in Westmont is a pretty solid place to catch the games, and maybe 15 min from Naperville depending where you're at.. They don't have any of those huge TVs/projectors, but it's a relatively small room with enough screens and they'll pipe the audio in.. Not really a bro-fest, but you're probably not going to find a girl to take home either. Awesome craft beer selection, really good food and some pretty awesome bartenders.. I'd say it's worth a shot.