BearSox

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Mar 7, 2009 -> 10:59 AM) When the original Sweeney/DLS/Gio trade for Swisher occurred, I thought we robbed Oakland blind. I was never really impressed with Sweeney, I thought he was more of an overrated AAAA player, DLS was really a prospect as best, and later on in the 2008 season we saw how much Gio struggled with pitching at the major league level, he got rocked by the Sox. Then when the Sox traded Swisher to the Yankees, I thought we pretty much got a good batch of players that were a fair return for Swisher and better than the original Sweeney/DLS/Gio package we gave up for Swisher. I think Wilson Betemit is more of a sure thing to put up decent numbers as a utility man at the major league level as opposed to Ryan Sweeney. Betemit will be a solid reserve for years to come and he was once a top prospect as well. Verdict: Betemit>Sweeney When it comes to Gio and Marquez, I think Gio's stuff is too electric. When I saw Gio in action last year, he looked like he couldn't find the strike zone. As for Marquez, I think he's currently surpassing Gio in terms of development, if he didn't already. When the trade where Swisher was sent to the Yankees, I was much more welcoming of the idea of taking a chance on Marquez than I was at the idea of ever getting Gio back. Verdict: Marquez>Gio And now when it comes to DLS and Nunez, while these two guys are probably the biggest question marks in both trades, I think DLS is too much of an injury risk from everything I've read about him. DLS also appeared to me that he might have great stuff but still undeveloped. Now with Nunez, I was originally unsure of him, which sort of made me consider DLS and Nunez to be equal in comparing each other, but after seeing him in that spring training game against the Cubs, I REALLY like his delivery, his aggressiveness in attacking the strike zone, and his mound presence. Sure it may be a small sample size in gathering an opinion from, but... Verdict: Nunez=DLS ...with a slight edge currently going to Nunez. You're insane. I'm glad we finally got rid of Swisher, but to actually say Betemit, Marquez, and Nunez is better then Swisher, Gio, and DLS, you're crazy. There's no secret I'm a Sweeney fan, but to actually say Betemit is better??? I like Betemit, he's a solid utility infielder and a decent hitter, but to actually prefer him over Sweeney? With Sweeney, you're talking about at the least a very solid outfielder. If we had Sweeney right now, you're talking about a solid option in CF. How in the world is a utility infielder greater then a starting CF, regardless of who? Then you say Marquez is better then Gio. That's pretty silly as well. Marquez seems like at best a 4th or 5th starter and a poor mans Jon Garland (and Garland ain't all that expensive to begin with). Gio at least has potential to be more then a 4th and 5th, and is still a bit younger, not to mention his stuff is MUCH better. Then finally, DLS = Nunez? DLS has more potential then anyone of the 6 players. If healthy and in a bullpen role, he can thrive. Nunez might be a decent bullpen reliever, but he isn't worth the potential of DLS. We got a good haul for Swisher from the Yankees, but what we gave up to get Swisher in the first place was a ransom for the A's.

Eagleman was awesome. Terrible, but awesome.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 1, 2009 -> 02:40 AM) Your perception is off. Last year only 1 player in baseball w/ 500+ PA swung at a higher percentage of pitches outside the strikezone than Alexei Ramirez, you guessed it, Vlad Guerrero. Meaning he was the second worst hitter in the game at laying off pitches out of the zone. So last year Alexei swung at 42.8% of pitches out of the zone but only made contact on 81.4% of all pitches he swung at. An average contact% is about 80% so Alexei is slightly above league average. Last year Alexei was awful at taking balls. It's crazy, Alexei swung at 60% of all pitches seen last season, good for 2nd highest % in the game (guess who's #1) while at the other end of the spectrum Nick Swisher only swung at 38.5% good for 5th lowest in baseball. Only Jack Cust, Chone Figgins, Joe Mauer and Bobby Abreu swung at a lower percentage of pitches than Swish. To say that Ramirez can't lay off pitches is pretty ridiculous. It's not that he can't lay off any pitches, it's that he wants to hit. It's obvious his approach at bat is see ball, hit ball. He's not going up there like Swisher to stand there with his bat on his shoulder, hoping the umpire calls 4 balls before he calls 3 strikes. If Alexei, or any other player who has a similar approach, sees a pitch they can hit, they aren't gonna let it go because it might be a bit outside of the strike zone.

Hopefully it will be a Getz-Lillibridge platoon at 2B and the leadoff spot. The lineup I am hoping to see: 1. Getz/Lillibridge, 2B 2. Ramirez, SS 3. Quentin, LF 4. Dye, RF 5. Thome, DH 6. Konerko, 1B 7. Pierzynski, C 8. Fields or Viciedo, 3B 9. Anderson/Kroeger, CF What I think we will see: 1. Owens, CF 2. Pierzynski, C 3. Quentin, LF 4. Dye, RF 5. Thome, DH 6. Konerko, 1B 7. Ramirez, SS 8. Fields or Viciedo, 3B 9. Getz/Lillibridge, 2B

Good for him, I hope he retires there. I always like to see legendary players like him retiring with the teams that they shined with.

I still question if he is really 19 or not. I don't know, maybe he is actually 19, but with his current size and the fact his frame looks pretty filled (from the few clips I have seen of him), I wouldn't be surprised if he is really 22-24 years old.

Probably not this year for me, but a definite maybe for next year.

QUOTE (WilliamTell @ Feb 16, 2009 -> 06:02 PM) I wouldn't mind something like that, or even a 3-5 year ban for the 2nd offense, which could end their career anyways. What I don't want to see if Selig trying to punish A-Rod or anyone that did steriods before the required testing started. Selig has no one but himself to blame for not getting involved in steriod testing. He should've gotten involved at least a decade ago. Agreed. I believe in the U.S. Government, something like that is called an ex-post facto law. But for all players proven of taking steroids, I believe there should be a * next to their name, and their place on the list should not be counted. So, if I had it my way, right now Barry Bonds would be at the top of the record books for career home runs, most home runs in a season, walks, etc., but there would be an * next to his name, and the person below him (granted they haven't been proven of PED use) would still be the ultime leader. Barry Bonds has been proven of PED use, right?

I really like how this team is setting up not for this year, and maybe (probably?) not next year, but 2 years from now. We will be fusing in some good young talent into the ball club, getting rid of some old players and freeing up more salary (Thome, Contreras, Konerko?, Dye?), and hopefully by 2010-2011, the economy will be in decent shape. I have long said that I'd gladly take a losing season or two if it meant we could set up a team capable of competing for a world series for the next 10 plus years, and I think (hope) that's what we're doing. With all this young talent we have been developing and acquiring, and the fact we're gonna have a lot of flexibility in free agency (hopefully) in the next few years, this team can become very competitive for a long time.

I think the news rules should be... 1st Strike - 162 game ban, so basically a whole season. 2nd Strike - Lifetime ban. However, a lot of the steroids are a couple years ahead of the testing, so that's why this needs to be blood tests and they need to be frozen. The players union would never allow this though, but if we want to clean out baseball, this would be the best course of action, IMO.

Has futuresox been hijacked?

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Feb 15, 2009 -> 04:24 PM) And people expect him to be a factor. He is, if for some reason Getz, Lillibridge, and Betemit all get injured at the same time, and we have to call him up from AAA.

The good news with Wise and Owens both being out of options is that at least we know one of them won't be on the roster next year. However, I'm hoping Kruger tears up spring training and we see a platoon of him and Anderson in Center.

None of those players are good enough or have enough potential to be worthy enough to take a risk on. Massett at least had some potential. Besides, all of those players are doubtful to even be snatched up by another team anyway. Betemit is a lock to make the roster though, IMO.

I think he'll hit a sophomore wall next year, but a lot of players do. He might not have as much of an impact people are expecting of him this year, but I really love his future with this team.

I'd like to thank Kenny Williams, Ozzie Guillen, Jerry Owens, Barack Obama and all the dems for this award. If it weren't for them, there'd be little for me to b**** about

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 09:50 PM) Maybe i should start thinking about sponsoring Michael Dubee's page on Minor League Reference. I want to beat the rush that'd be like buying stock in google before anyone had any idea what the hell it was.

Anyone feel like we're doomed? I wish I could find the clip of the Simpsons when Homer is telling the story of Maggie's birth, and they get to the part where Homer's in bed talking the Marge, and says "We're doomed! Doomed, I tells ya!" and then he lets out a scream with his head getting big like a balloon and popping.

QUOTE (knightni @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 09:12 PM) Why not? I send money orders all the time. Honestly, I'm a Neanderthal and really don't know how to even get a money order and go about sending it. I am still a minor (for a few more days), so I have an excuse at least.

QUOTE (santo=dorf @ Feb 4, 2009 -> 08:00 PM) Athomeboy would routinely post stuff in the fillibuster to pull the right wingers in, and when he would come to the Pale Hose board he was months behind on the team. He talked about how much Konerko sucked at the time despite how hard he was hitting the cover off of the ball in September. After seeing Mexsox call Baines his childhood hero I looked at his profile and was surprised to see his age. I thought he was 15 or 16. "lol the Love Guru is funny" Give Bearsox credit on Nick Swisher, however we didn't really regret not having Sweeney. Oh we will, you just wait and see

It's an honor and a pleasure to be leading this category. I have bold opinions, and not afraid to express them... God Bless America!

I would donate to the cause but I don't have a credit card or paypal, and I'm not going to send money via. the mail. However, it'd be cool if we could get thebaseballcube.com's sponsorship of TCQ.

QUOTE (jasonxctf @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 07:57 PM) ive had this argument with my relatives all day. at the end of the day, the law is pretty clear, you can't point a firearm at an individual (legal or illegal) unless you in immediate danger. That can't be right, and besides the law must be different for each state. And besides, wouldn't you say when you are outnumbered 16-1 by trespassers on your own property, you're in some immediate danger. Oh well, with how stupid juries are and how liberal judges are, I could easily see this guy lose the case.

I know I will get blasted for this and it might be considered blasphemy, but... the White Sox finish 3rd with a record around .500.

I don't mind Wise as a bench player, but anything more then that, eww. I'm personally looking forward to spring training and if Kroger will show anything. Right now it seems like he has a bunch of talent but just needs to put it together. I'm intrigued by a possible Kroger/Anderson platoon in CF.