Harry Chappas

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Dec 20, 2007 -> 10:24 PM) That's an exception. That's the exception. In my mind it is the exact same thing. They are the bitterest of rivals due to the fan base. That is why college rivalries are that big. Any rivarly to be a rivalry has to have a dislike for the opponent. The greater the dislike, the greater the rivalry. I think true blue Boston fans hate the Yankees where as Yankee fans only need to point to the fact that there is 100 years of success behind their claim. The cub v. Sox rivalry stems from the fact that the cubs are treated as an elite franchise while up until 3 years ago they went over 30 years without have back to back winnign seasons. The Sox treated as a cheap franchise in the national media nad the cub are a media darlingyet the results do not prove this.

QUOTE(sircaffey @ Dec 20, 2007 -> 11:19 PM) The problem with that thinking is, you can say similar things about a lot of organizations not just the Sox. The Sox just don't have much at all in terms of impact prospects. I don't agree at all. I think Fields and Danks if not rushed would be impact prospects. Floyd is still young and has the stuff. With Floyd and Owens you need the good old rose colored glasses a little bit but there is something there. I hark back to the days of Jason Bere. Not a-lot was thought of him (at least I never heard of him) and he came out and lit it up. DLS and Egbert could be impact by the trading deadline and very expendable depending on what happens in June.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 20, 2007 -> 08:53 PM) None of them would count on any prospect list right now, as they've all had too many AB's/Innings pitched to count as a prospect for anyone. Exactly. Now if Haegar pitches out of the #5 slot all season, the bullpen holds water allowing Floyd and Danks to stay in the minors all season and post a sub 4 ERA, Crede stays healthy and the Sox stay in the race and keep Iguchi to finish the season, where is our minor league system ranked. s*** if Owens plays the whole year down there and puts up a .350 OBP with 60 SB's everyone would be talking how great the farm system was. Guys were rushed and it hurt our BA farm system ranking. The Sox have not drafted high in years and this has hurt the farm system. I understand the sky has fallen and the season is over but I think I will stick around and check it out.

QUOTE(sircaffey @ Dec 20, 2007 -> 04:10 PM) Actually the Sox are 25th on the list. What is the point of your comment? They tend to know a little something about prospects. Where are Danks, Fields, Richar and Floyd on that list?

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Dec 20, 2007 -> 01:29 PM) Yes, he's supposedly 100% NOW after posting a .638 OPS over the final 2 months of the '07 season and a .418 OPS in 33 postseason ABs. But hey 3 years ago he posted an .810 OPS! Excuse me if I'm not excited about giving up young talent for an outfielder who has been terrible for 2 full seasons and the #1 excuse for his s***ty performance is an injury that doesn't seem to go away. Maybe I love Jerry Owens or perhaps I don't think the minimal upgrade from Sweeney/Anderson/Owens to Crisp is worth the talent it would take to bring him here. Edgar Renteria did not seem to like Boston too much. Maybe Crisp will revert back to pre-Boston days. Marginal differences in players cost millions if that marginal difference is consistent for one player to the next (ie you know what you are going to get with Crisp not so much so with Owens). Broadway for him straight up is about as far as they should go.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Dec 20, 2007 -> 09:36 AM) People continue to ignore the fact that he signed here with the knowledge that we were going after Hunter and MCab. Now we have neither. Just as Jermaine Dye was a little miffed, perhaps Buehrle is as well. I don't think it's ridiculous to believe he may welcome a trade to a team which has a more positive outlook than ours. It's probably not the case, but it isn't out of the realm of possibilities either. You honestly believe the Reds are a better organization than the White Sox. I wish people would wake up and realize that some organizations have great prospects because they suck and get good draft picks every year. The Tigers got Cabrerra for two top 10 picks. I know that the Sox do not spend on the draft like they should but they are not getting top ten talent every year. Get Serious.

"Steal" and "Manchild" in the same story talking about future SS made my day.

The offense seems to have regressed to previous years where they can not seem to finish godd scoring opportunities. They also seem to get caught in their own zone at times and struggle to get the puck out. Bulin also seems to be about average right now.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Dec 15, 2007 -> 04:17 PM) The Cardinals are smart and realize that their team is in shambles and that without a rebuild, they are going nowhere. Right now, the best comparison to the Sox that I can think of in baseball is the St. Louis Cardinals. It almost appears that they are starting to rebuild. When a stadium is built for you and you draw 3 million fans you do not rebuild. There are many people on this board that feel that rebuilding means a couple of down years and then a pennant contendor. That is not hte case. Do ticket prices fluctuate with the salary that is saved for rebuilding?

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 15, 2007 -> 01:14 PM) I thought Santana showed some significant signs of slowing down last year in terms of homers allowed and velocity. Not that it matters with the Sox, as they have zero chance of acquiring him in a trade, and if Santana did become a FA, there's no way we'd outbid everyone. I agree with you. I also would like to see his last two seasons numbers against the Sox and against every otehr team. The AL Central could also lose CC after this season could they not? I think these are the reasons this division could really turn quickly.

Have the Cardinals done anything to improve team? Their fans seem to be getting a royal screwing.

I personally think that the Astros are a-lot better (I like Tejada) and the NL West could be the toughest division in baseball if the Padres and Giants play to their potential. I think the GM's in the NL are finally realizing it is not that hard to win that league. I personally think if the Brewers improve and the Reds take a run at Bedard, the cubs could be real trouble. If Suppan, Sheets and Capuano stay healthy and pitch to their potential and the pen lives up to their salaries the cub could be the about as good as the Sox in their respective league. The cubs were farily healthy last year and could start to age from Lilly, Ramirez, Lee and Soriano.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Dec 14, 2007 -> 11:12 AM) Well, the other side of the coin is that people who are going to make these claims should be a little more responsible in doing so. Find some proof before you attempt to tarnish someone's reputation. Simply because these players are in the public view doesn't mean their reputations should be tarnished or even shattered based simply on blind speculation or the word of convicted felons. Also, I have to say I am a bit disappointed in the Mitchell Report. The evidence presented against the players is primarily the word of two men- two charged with felonies, no less- and one of those men only offers up hearsay evidence. I think it's unfair to name these players without a more encompassing report released simulataneously. What this has done has managed to ruin (or severly damage) the reputations of some players, but not others, simply because those named in the report happened to be contacts of the distributer that happened to be caught. This Report basically slays the players who happened to work with the guys they caught, and I think it's implications are far too reaching to release it publicly, while the players who work with the guys they haven't caught are implicated in very little or nothing. How are checks written for a few thousand dollars not proof? So because their supplier was busted but others were not they should be freed.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Dec 14, 2007 -> 11:03 AM) "Equally concrete"? Some of the "evidence" is as concrete as water. Jack Cust -- Larry Bigbie recalls that Cust told him he had tried steroids. Do I trust that? Even if I did, In the pros? In high school? Wtf kind of "evidence" is that? Read the report, Balta. Many of the accusations are based on VERY weak "evidence". And, asking people to prove something didn't happen is just asking for the impossible, as you damn well know. All of the players could have responded to the investigators and said, "I did not say that" or "that did not happen". This report is not some author making things up. Everybody had the opportunity to defend themself and choose not to. What is the deal with Clemens trainer? Has he been busted for something I had never heard his name before. In the slander and libel case the person making the accusations has to prove his position. If McGwire sues Canseco, Canseco has to prove McGwire did steroids. Sure much if it can be hersay but if Canseco does prove his case what happens.......McGwire is proven in court to be a user. The question I have never seen asked of Bonds, "If you were unknowingly given steroids, why did you not sue the party that gave them to you and ruined your reputation?" same thing with Sheffield.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Dec 14, 2007 -> 01:23 AM) Ive heard the word hearsay thrown around so many times today its insane. The Mitchell Report is the equivalent of an indictment, its not absolute proof, you dont get any chance to defend yourself. But its interesting how people respond so differently. Good day for Bonds fans. And I dont know what this ESPN Law anaylst is saying about slander/defamationthe standard is not reasonable basis, its a reckless disregard for the truth, because the athletes are all public personalities and therefore held to a higher standard (have to prove malice.) They all had the opportunity to respond to the inquires and declined. It is the same thing with slander they have to contest that what is being accussed is wrong. There has to be some proof to this and there was and it is in the report. These are not baseless allegations. The Pettite and Clemens information is really damning as this was not Radomski though I am not sure went that trainers crime was. They were asked to respond and declined.

This whole thing is a fluff piece IMHO that will not be used to do anything other then an MLB CYA with Congress and a tool to try and get as much testing through the MLBPA as possible.

It will be interesting to see if there is a reaction to Frank Thomas from this. I would hope he would be viewed as a true clean player that put up great numbers. Hopefully he is rewarded for an honest opinion and Bud gives him the 2000 MVP and he becomes a first ballot HOF member. Anyone find it odd that the White Sox are not as outspoken about the issue now as they were a few years back. I guess Frank lead that charge. Think he could have been a better hitter than Bonds if he juiced?

QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Dec 13, 2007 -> 07:44 AM) I think other details are rookie and light skined african-american She backed off rookie and said younger.

Do people expect him to say, TOTALLY FICTIOUS POST BTW: "We are hoping to trade Brian Roberts for Lance Broadway but the O's want Gio and although I do not think Gio will be productive at the MLB level I think we can fleece a team for a player better than Brian Roberts. You know, Brian Roberts is in the Mitchell Report as a possible steroid user which is funny because Frank Thomas isn't and I saw him and Konerko shoot up prior to the 2003 season with Magglio and Lee." Come on.

Anyone hear the quote from Boras stating that there is no due process and essentially there is no validity to the report at all. I wonder how many of his guys show up. I can think of at least a handful.

I think Tejada is in the Mitchell report and the Astros have to just say "so what we need the production and to hell with the PR". If Matsui, Bourne and Tejada live up to expectations, the Astros have the best line-up in the NL Central when you include Lee, Berkman, and Pence. That is as good a 1 through 6 as the NL has to offer. Didn't they get a 3B decent spect from the Phils and Ausmus is servicable at C. They could be headed in the right direction if they get any pitching. Bring back Roger!!!!!

I assume it was Lisa Lapanelli (sp?) on the Howard Stern show stating that she slept with a young, black non-starter on the Bears when the team was in Phillie who has/had an ankle injury? Not sure who

What is really sad is that I thought the Sox wanted to get Adam Everett in a trade. It appears he will be non-tendered.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 10:32 AM) They have a Q&A on Saturday and Sunday. I have went to the Saturday one for the last 6 years. I know but I work downtown and it is an easy thing to hit on a Friday night. I thought the set up last year was really bad and I guess now I just don't think it is worth it. The rooms were to broken up last year and there did not seem to be a fluid comfortable feel to the whole thing.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 01:38 AM) Well you are in for a treat. The Q&A session should eclipse the pre-WS years. I am going to go just for the comedy value alone. I don't think you can even get in to Friday without the "nice" hotel package. That is the only day I go so I guessthis may be the first time in about 8 years I may miss.