iamshack

This guy just seems like another "safe" arm that we have been taking for the past several years. The strategy has done absolutely nothing for us, at least in terms of first round talent, with the exception being that Poreda might end up at least having a sustainable MLB career. I'd like to see us take a guy with a bit more risk/reward, such as a high school arm, or even better, just another position prospect. It's become obvious that this offense will continue to need to be overhauled, even with all the talent down in Birmingham, for the next several years.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 15, 2009 -> 06:12 PM) To be honest, I don't think he has any value. If scouts know about his fastball weakness, then so would GMs that would be considering trading him. He has some value. Not a ton, but enough perhaps to acquire a guy with a nice arm that just hasn't put things together for whatever reason. Best case would probably be to deal him for a pitcher with a similar-type pedigree... I mean, we were able to get a guy with Matt Thornton's arm for Joe Borchard, I think we could possibly get a similar kind of guy. Of course, Bill Bavasi is no long an MLB GM. Rats.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 13, 2009 -> 09:27 PM) Also worth noting...Bill Smith and Dayton Moore have been GM's for significantly less time combined than KW has been GM in Chicago for (1.5 years and 3 years, respectively). Yeah, in Minnesota and Kansas City of all places, too.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ May 13, 2009 -> 09:22 PM) JP Ricciardi/Adam Dunn, Jim Bowden while with the Nats and Cinci was pretty outspoken, Omar Minaya is a daily quote in any NY paper and save your "i was his biggest cheerleader" speech, you havent been on ST very long and you have already written three novels on KW and they have gradually turned on him, and now he has the biggest ego ever and kicked your dog. so GMAB back to you Oh, so now you think Dombrowski and Shapiro are part of the outspoken/too much facetime group too? Since when does facial recognition have anything to do with the issue? Plenty of GMs are unrecognizable to most of the public, they are front office people. That doesnt mean they dont talk to the papers and get their opinions out there Ricciardi actually participates in a fan call-in show on Toronto radio, as alluded to by Kyle here, and ARGUES with the fans! You want to talk about a guy with an ego?

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 13, 2009 -> 07:46 PM) Bayless's brother is way cooler than he is. And he's not cool at all. (Except when he's on Top Chef) Oh, I think he is pretty damn cool....he spends half his time in Mexico and the other half in Chicago....he's a smart, smart man...

I have a feeling we might see Jon G back on this team within the next few months...

QUOTE (Sonik22 @ May 13, 2009 -> 12:14 PM) 2 mods that went to SIU, i like this B) Congrats! Actually, I graduated from SIU as well...so it is fairly clear that the Harvard of the Midwest is really starting to turn out some talent...

Hey, you never know...it might work...

Solid game by JT! Clutch hit by Corky! Great job, bullpen! Talk amongst yourselves.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 11, 2009 -> 09:15 PM) Let's make this as clear as we can make it. Scott Boras is never going to allow any of his players to sign a contract that would allow a team to terminate them based on a steroid admission or suspension. Oh, well thanks for clearing that up then, Mr. Boras's assistant.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 11, 2009 -> 07:11 PM) After the last week, I can't imagine what it would take for him to opt-out. Who in their right mind would offer a 37 year old proven juicer a contract worth more than $20 million? (And GM's aren't going to be as stupid as some of the Fans who still say they support ManRam. They know exactly what the stuff he was on means.) I'd be curious to know though whether there was a clause which exists in the contract which allows the club to opt out because of some sort of extraordinary circumstance. Perhaps once the dust clears a bit more we will here.

QUOTE (Baines3 @ May 10, 2009 -> 07:04 PM) I hope Clayton pitches better then he did last year. At this point, I just hope he pitches better than Jose has been.

Wow, Rock. Thanks for posting those YouTube videos. Amazing to see the things he was doing at a time when no one else was even close. Several of those plays still look insane and original, even 20-25 years after they were made.

Richard pitched to one batter. I don't think that disqualifies him from starting on Wednesday... And now Broadway is warming in the pen.

QUOTE (Reddy @ May 10, 2009 -> 11:30 AM) i think that's actually the opposite of what he said. Well, I was just pulling his leg, as I often do... But he said exactly that... "I disagree with him occasionally, but I agree he is a very good poster." Implying that he is a very GOOD poster, but not a top 5 poster (perhaps because Dick disagrees with him occasionally). It's all in good fun....

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2009 -> 10:59 AM) I disagree with him occassionally, but I agree he's a very good poster. Hah, Dick... So your premise is that a poster can not be a top 5 poster on this forum unless you agree with him always?

QUOTE (SoxAce @ May 10, 2009 -> 12:25 AM) David Dewitt Bailey... or "Homer" Bailey. Oh that's right...forgot about that....I guess I was thinking more of someone who had struggled a bit more in the Major Leagues already ( I know he did briefly). But that is a good example.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ May 10, 2009 -> 12:22 AM) We almost traded for one this offseason. Refresh my memory?

It's unfortunate that we missed the boat with Edwin Jackson. Guy with great stuff, great arm, whose mental makeup perhaps needed a bit of massaging. Seems like he would have been a great candidate for Don Cooper. Looks like the Tigers took a page out of Kenny's book there. Anyone see any other candidates?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 8, 2009 -> 07:44 AM) They were saying yesterday that since 2001, MB has more quality starts than any pitcher in baseball. THAT is awesome. I actually heard Steve Phillips mention something about that for our entire staff. It may have been since 2003 or something, the White Sox have more quality starts than any other team in baseball. Mark is definitely a huge part of that.

Is the minor league stint really needed at this point?

QUOTE (fathom @ May 7, 2009 -> 07:08 AM) Rule of thumb: if a player comes up in baseball looking like a toothpick, and 10 years later, they look like a professional wrestler.....they're probably using PEDs. Manny, Sammy, and many others. They were showing highlights of Andruw Jones from his rookie year the other day on MLB Network, and he must have weighed 165 pounds. He was also what, 18? Look at Jim Thome when he came into the league. Toothpick. Look at PGA golfers 15 years ago. Part of the explanation is that nutrition and physical fitness have taken a much larger place in the list of "to do's" for athletes.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 7, 2009 -> 06:51 AM) My problem with your argument is that it's nothing we haven't heard before. Manny needs to come out and establish beyond a shadow of a doubt exactly what he was taking, why he was taking it, and get the league/union to confirm it before I'd even consider that option. For all we know, he's telling the truth, but at the same time he was loading up on some real juice and at the same time taking something on a doctor's orders so that if he ever tested positive he'd have an excuse. Actually, we really haven't heard it like this in baseball. Most of the other high-profile players have been proven to have been using steroids. Not something their doctor provided that is now banned because MLB went and banned everything carried in the GNC as an overreaction to the events of the past 5-10 years. Why is it that this happens in the NFL and no one blinks an eye? So now Manny is no longer the best hitter of his generation? I'm not buying it.

I think we are all jumping the gun a bit here...there are definitely varying degrees of PED abuse, in my mind. There is quite a difference between a guy just flat-out roiding and a guy using some silly banned supplement that is questionable in the effects it even has. I'm not going to throw out the player Manny has been for the last 15 years because of this quite yet.

This is interesting, as this comparison actually existed already before LeBron was even in high school. When asked what player he admired most, MJ usually referred to the things Oscar Robertson did throughout his career, basically averaging a triple-double. More than anyone, LeBron is basically the modern day Big - O. It's difficult to compare the two (MJ vs. LeBron) because their games are so different. In terms of a guy I might want to build around, LeBron is definitely probably the best starting point. Guy just does everything, contributes in every facet, makes other players around him better, is a great face of your franchise. But the thing that separates Jordan from LeBron (at least from what we have seen to this point), is his absolute will to win. There has never been a better competitor in any sport than Michael Jordan. And there is no one I would rather have with the ball, down the stretch in the fourth quarter, or in a crucial game, than Michael Jordan. You can take your LeBron and his trip-doub in game 7, I'll take MJ and his desire and ability to do WHATEVER it takes to win the game.