iamshack

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 07:38 PM) Why was De Aza playing Fukudome so deep? Fukudome has no power against lefties, but you would have thought he was playing as if Hafner was up. Maybe he forgot to move in

Hafner always looks like he's swinging one of those miniature bats they give away to the first 10,000 kids in attendance.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 07:31 PM) Our hitters seem so confused that pitchers don't throw straight batting practice style fastballs to the game. I mean the balls seems to move and change speeds. Opposite field is out so you can't go there. And the goal seems to be to aggressively swing at anything near the plate so you can get back out in the field fresh. I think we've hit quite a few balls oppo recently

Tigers tie it up.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 06:56 PM) De Aza looking good, its a shame that Konerko is hurt because Dunn on the bench, Rios in CF and De Aza in RF with CQ as DH may be a better combination. Eventually, the league will learn to just not leave anything middle-in against De Aza.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 06:35 PM) wait until you see the catch made by Revere. Wow. Catch(es). Stuck with the Indians' broadcast tonight. Hopefully I'll get to hear Rick Manning get really testy...

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 06:54 PM) 0 percent chance the Seahawks beat the Saints.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:51 PM) I haven't met the guy, and I don't think anybody else here has, so it's hard to really get a good gauge on him. But there are a vast number of people around that league that give him a ton of respect and there is a general opinion that he is very smart. Now the biggest question is, can he transfer that ability to being baseball smart, kind of like Jon Daniels. And a shakeup in organizational philosophy could do wonders if done right. Just like a company, if a new CEO is brought in he may not have the biggest connections around, but if he knows how to get the right people into the right spots then that's his real job. Hahn or any GM wouldn't be scouting the players, that's micromanaging, he may do so occasionally (like first round picks) but it is/would be mostly up to the scouts and people that he chooses. It doesn't seem like Jon Daniels really got on the right track until Nolan Ryan came in though...it could just be a coincidence, but there does seem to be a correlation there.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:26 PM) I really don't get all the love that is thrown on Rick Hahn? Is he not part of the front office that has this organization in shambles? Will he magically convince JR to start paying +slot money to build talent in the farm system? Does he have some connections in Latin America that will help the Sox starting acquiring some international talent? What makes him any different than his current boss? I am asking out of curiosity as many on this board seem to think he is the answer going forward. I would much rather have a guy that has experience in player development rather than a former agent who is good at negotiating contracts. That is how I feel as well...as the pool of eligible candidates to fulfill the latter criteria is much larger than the pool of eligible candidates to fulfill the former.

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:24 PM) Depends, does said record come with a World Series title? The only thing that will redeem Peavy is playoff domination. Could happen. We'd be pretty damn pathetic if it did not, wouldn't we?

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:12 PM) If he went 34-0 over a full season? That would be worth a lot. Honestly, what would that be worth? like $50 million maybe?

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:12 PM) I guess so It's fine, I understand your logic...and I would agree with it much more if this were basketball or football...but sports like hockey and baseball and soccer, there are all kinds of instances of lesser-talented teams winning because of the ability of one position to dominate a game. In hockey and soccer it is the goalkeep. In baseball, it's obviously the starting pitcher.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:04 PM) I don't think he'll have the endurance or stuff anymore, but that's just me (and not close worth to the $17 million he'll be making). No, that's not just you. That's pretty much the only conclusion one can reach. He's clearly not the same pitcher he was with San Diego. And at this point, he could win every game he starts for the remainder of his contract with the White Sox, and I still am not sure he would be worth what we will have paid him over the life of the contract since we acquired him.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:57 PM) And the odds of us making a playoff run while outside of the playoffs are decidedly worse I love it when you analyze...

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 12:10 PM) The odds of failure versus success are much greater in MLB, so if you predict failure more often versus predicting success, you look "smarter". Also known as "Jay Mariotti theory". Of course, but what I am saying is that the players that get tossed into the fire early are not given any additional time in most cases to succeed. It doesn't matter what your age is...if you have shown over the course of a few seasons that you cannot perform in the major leagues, despite your age, then you are usually not given any slack. However, the players that are allowed to come along slowly in the minor leagues are often allowed to reach their potential until they are 26, 27, or even older. So theoretically, a player such as Jason Heyward could fail in the major leagues from the ages of 21 until he is 24 and then be labeled a bust, while a player such as Ryan Howard might be raking in the minors during those same age years, and be allowed all kinds of additional time to succeed in the major leagues once he finally reaches them, say at the age of 26. I know in reality, a player with Heyward's potential would ultimately get extra chances to succeed from other teams, but it still seems inequitable to me.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:32 PM) It's also speculative to say that they can go on a huge run in the playoffs, although it's far more unlikely. Sure is. This is why they play the games, right?

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 01:54 PM) I mentioned many more things than those 6 (which I think was actually 7) games. Yeah, I didnt't count the one we won. I think you can agree that your reasoning, while correct from a strictly odds-based scenario, is at the best, entirely speculative.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 12:00 PM) Nothing to base it on? C'mon. The complete dismantling in one week by the Red Sox and Yankees when we had pressure on us to get over .500 and back into it? Our last playoff appearance? Our complete lack of hitting? The penchant for our manager to play underachieving players regularly and to be outmaneuvered by opposing managers? I know, I know. The 2006 Cardinals and our good pitching staff. But the Red Sox have a fairly decent pitching staff of their own, and even if we hold their offense down, I'm sure their pitching would hold our offense further down. You're going to base your opinion on 6 games? Despite the fact that we've historically fared very-well against the Yankees and Red Sox and beat the almighty Red Sox in a playoff series before?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 11:52 AM) If he struggles like this next year then a Gordon Beckham comparison works very well. While Heyward is only 22, you're right...for whatever reason, players do not seem to get any slack cut to them regarding their age once they reach the major leagues. You can be 24 years old only, but if you've been in the major leagues for 3 years and sucked, you are in danger of being a bust. However, if you rake against minor league pitching as you progress through the system at the very same age as the guy in the major leagues has been struggling, you are one hell of a prospect. That has never made sense to me.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 12:51 PM) Really? Winning the division with an extremely weak record, being shown the door immediately, and no changes would make you happy? See, I just don't understand that. I think the distinction is that you are the only one assuming the quick playoff exit. And honestly, you have absolutely nothing you can base that assumption on, other than your own penchant for pessimism.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 12:33 PM) Ugh, I've driven my point into the ground a hundred times, but it still won't stop people from making these ignorant "assumptions". The Sox will not do well in the playoffs. Sure, they can pull the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals, but they won't. As the Red Sox and Yankees just recently showed us, we can't beat good teams, at least when it matters. Winning this division by merely being slightly less bad than our competition will only result in a quick playoff exit and the maintaining of the current front office and managerial staff. It will likely mean that they are all kept around for a few more years, at the minimum. In my opinion, this front office and managerial staff has proven to be underachievers (even by "winning" this division in 2011, they will have greatly underachieved). With them going forward, we will see the same old story year in and year out. So yes, I would prefer to go in another direction at the expense of a no-chance opportunity at the World Series. I have my eyes set on the future of the team, whereas most pretty much just want the results now. Question my fanhood all you want, but I'm the one willing to stick with this team through a rebuilding process in order to pursue a greater chance at continuous contention (not in the sense of being the tallest midget, as it has been for the last few years in this division) in the future. But I suppose I should just want results immediately, which will almost certainly be to the long-term detriment of the team. That would make me a real fan. That's very noble of you and all, but if you were truly patient, you would cheer for success now, and a rebuild once players like Konerko/Peavy/Dunn/Rios/Mark have all moved on. Attempting to rebuild now, with our obligations over the next 2-3 years, as I have driven into the ground a hundred times, is absolutely foolish.

We do have Stewart to eat innings now too. We'll be just fine, as long as we don't have several extra inning games in the next week.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 11:02 AM) Don't get greedy Maybe we could even hire Ron Gardenhire!

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 10:58 AM) The goal is only to win the division if it's clear we won't, then fire everyone. If we do have a legit shot at winning, it doesn't really matter because the team sucks, it only counts if the Twins win and then get swept. But if we win the division, we can't fire everyone...maybe we should fire everyone the day before we clinch the division, so we can fire everyone, AND win the division.

Hey, it's not like a goal is winning the division or anything.