BearSox

how about we try and keep politics out of sports teams? (not directed at anyone here, just the people who run whitesox.com)

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 27, 2008 -> 11:36 AM) Good. Now we won't sign another Jerry Owens (with a better arm) for more money. Willy Tavares is a LOT better then Jerry Owens. I don't even consider Jerry Owens a baseball player, that's how bad he is.

I'm still trying to figure out why Konerko used his hand instead of his... GLOVE!

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 26, 2008 -> 09:37 PM) Marijuana is not a starter drug, that would be alcohol. Honestly, they both are. But if you really want to nit pick, caffeine is the true starter drug.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 26, 2008 -> 06:45 PM) What has been "not good" in Holland due to marijuana? Well, not just marijuana, but also prostitution and just their overall drug policies. I know it isn't a perfect example as they are one of the most liberal countries out there, but I have a feeling the USA is heading in their direction. Basically, when I have kids, I don't want to ever take them there for a vacation.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 26, 2008 -> 06:43 PM) Are you saying that porn should have a legal age of consent because we should be setting an age at which its OK to masturbate? I'm just saying someone could make that arguement. That one is not really an issue though.

I'm gonna have to check that out... sounds delicious. I love being a lineman. I have to get a lot bigger for college next year (at about 250 now, shooting for at least 275 by the time summer practices begin), and I have eating all I can eat. Granted, a lot of it is junk, and I have to start eating healthier now that the holidays are almost over. Hopefully with a steady diet of a lot of "clean" food, whey, and the weight room, I can meet my goal.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 26, 2008 -> 06:16 PM) I don't really see what you are getting at here. For the Holland thing, I was just trying to point out how having marijuana, and prostitution, and all that "good stuff" legal has worked out for them... not good.

A few thoughts... Keep the porno age at 18. Sure, 99.9999% of all teenage boys go online and lookup "stuff", but still 18 is the right age. If you are going to say it's all right for 14-16 year olds to do you know what to themselves, then that just leads to bad things such as age of consent, etc. Not really a big deal anyway, as anyone can get it for free online. Besides, I doubt you'll see too many kids in trouble with the law (probably with their parents) for owning a playboy. Keep drinking age at 21. Drinking prior to 21 just leads to too many bad things. Granted most teenagers drink underage anyway, making it legal and more accessible for them isn't a good thing. Way too many health risks with drinking before you are completely an adult. The effects on the brain are the most important thing, IMO. As for the driving age, 16 is nice for students, but it should be 18. I know way too many who have no idea what they are doing on the road, and it doesn't help that a lot of the parents don't require their kids to drive the 50 practice hours or whatever it is to get the license. Finally, for mary jane, my biggest gripe with it is that it is a starter drug. Sure, a joint isn't bad on the body, but it could lead a person wanting to get an even stronger high, and try much more serious drugs. It's just a bad idea. If you want to smoke it, go get illegally. It'd probably cheaper for you that way anyway.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 26, 2008 -> 01:19 PM) 2000 Big Macs is real bad. A few Big Macs isn't. With cigarettes, most people have a few, and are hooked. So just a few cigarettes ends up being bad for a large percentage of people. So I don't put them in nearly the same category of how "bad" they are. I bet there are plenty of fat smokers who would trade 10,000 cigarettes for 2,000 big macs.

Well, it sure has worked in Holland...

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 26, 2008 -> 05:04 AM) You mean Tyree? Man, that would have been a crazy ass play if it was to Snee. First they would have had to line Snee up in an elligible spot, and then he would make the sickest catch ever in the history of linemen...

Nick Swisher sighting in the screen shots for MLB 09.... The show is a great game, but I still miss MVP baseball.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 24, 2008 -> 12:05 PM) It's not a load of bull. Some pitchers can handle it and some can't. There aren't enough of the ones who can to go around. Even the ones who can handle it haven't been conditioned to do it. You will need to sacrifice the next MLB season working the pitchers into condition to do it, unless you start it in the minors which he is not proposing. You can't just change it, the body doesn't work that way. Believe me I've worked with enough pitchers to see the conditioning and work they do. Kerry Wood's problems did begin with poor mechanics, however some pitchers canpitch with them, in my opinion Nolan Ryan was one of them. However, Wood's problems were defnitately accelerated by his high school coach with pitching him in both games of double headers. Yeah, it's not something you can do right away, but with proper conditioning and plain old not getting babied throughout your career, it should be easily done. I don't know what I was thinking though, the modern pitcher would never be able to handle this. Now you have restrictions on every level how much someone can pitch. As for Kerry Wood, his injury was inevitable. It's complete bull to suggest that he could ever had pitched with them. The only way that would be possible for Wood is if he threw 50 innings a year only. Did his workload in HS accelerate the issue? Probably, but it didn't cause it.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 24, 2008 -> 09:48 AM) Hilarious reading this thread. "He's good not great, the yanks are average at best." A Whole lotta jealousy and sour grapes in here. Tex is a hell of a player and a top 3 guy at his position. It was a good addition, and the money doesnt hurt them, so who cares how much he makes. Tex is a very good player, but not 180 million dollars worth. But I guess if you got the money, why the hell not? I personally don't believe in their philosophy, but whatever. They have added at least two guys who will make a difference for them. The jury is still out on A.J. Burnett. Even if he does stay healthy, which one is gonna show up, the good one or the bad one?

Ryan is right, pitchers are babied in today's game. It's funny how people assume because you throw more innings or pitches in an outing your arm is going to fall off. That's a load of bull. Pitchers get injured because of poor mechanics and stuff like that, not because of fatigue. Everyone always says Kerry Wood's injury problems lead back to his high school days where he pitched an "abnormal" amount. But that's completely BS. Anyone who throws across their body with the type of velocity he has is going to have injury problems. Perhaps the injury happened a year or two sooner then it could have because of all the work he got in HS, but it was inevitable none-the-less. Also, if the Ranges do shift to a 4 man rotation, they'd be wise to sign Jon Garland. He could do wonders in a 4 man rotation.

We need Anna... I mean Kris Benson to make a comeback.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 20, 2008 -> 03:09 PM) Oh, that probably explains why his ERA has gone up every year and why his WHIP is so high, he has so much trouble getting guys out. Right? LOL, do you ever watch him pitch? I don't give a s*** what the stats say, Jenks has become more hittable every single year. It's just a matter of time before hitters catch up.

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 19, 2008 -> 05:04 PM) ???????????? Why is an average 94mph fastball terrible? If you look at the good fastball pitchers in MLB, most are in the same ballpark. I think the problem is people thinking of Jenks as only a 'power pitcher'. I think it's time that people stopped calling Bobby a 'power pitcher' and just call him what he is... an excellent pitcher. Kyle Farnsworth is a power pitcher... who sucks. And there are lots of other good examples of guys who can fire the ball but can't pitch worth a damn. Bobby is dominant closer whose fastball averages about 94mph. And that ain't bad. A 94 mph fastball ain't bad if it has some movement on it... but guess what, it doesn't.

QUOTE (Disco72 @ Dec 18, 2008 -> 10:07 PM) Oh really? Maybe not in your eyes, but the statistics tell a different story. BB/9 by year: 2005: 3.43 2006: 4.00 2007: 1.80 2008: 2.48 He is definitely walking fewer people, which is one part of better control. Well, there is the question is his decreased walk total due in part of his lessened velocity (plays at least a part), or his progression as a pitcher? Most pitcher's walk total's steadly decrease as they get better.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 18, 2008 -> 07:51 PM) When Jenks had his plus plus fastball, he was able to fool a lot more hitters with his curveball. Last year, it seemed a lot of hitters were able to lay off the curve because they weren't as geared up for the fastball. I'll gladly take the Jenks for the 2005 World Series that could throw it by anyone, and would like to see his average fastball rise into the 95-96 mph range again. The thing is, I don't think it can, and if he can, his arm would probably develop too much pain for him to handle and thus lead to injuries, surgery, losing money, etc.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 18, 2008 -> 06:59 PM) Consistently throwing off a hitter's timing and balance > wildly blowing a pitch by a guy. If you have the ability to do it anyway, not everyone does. The thing is, he isn't. For the most part, he is in the low 90's a good majority of time. Once in a while he will have a game where he reaches the mid or even the high 90's, but obviously it is nothing he can turn on or off like he says. If he was really trying to change speeds and keep hitters off balance, you'd see a lot more 95-98 mph fastball's from him in a good majority of his outings. Him saying he sacrifices velocity to get outs is quite frankly BS. Like I said, it'd be one thing if he was constantly changing the speed of his fastball, but he isn't. Also, it'd be another thing if he was sacrificing velocity for movement, but his low 90's fastball is just as straight as his high 90's fastball. The only difference is that his low 90's fastball is a whole lot more hittable and easier to time up, and it makes his other pitches worse. I feel Jenks gave up his velocity for possibly two reasons, (1) to get better location, and the one I think is the main reason, (2) His elbow/shoulder/arm was/still is hurting him a lot and not throwing as hard is keeping his arm from falling off.

Tank god. It'd be stupid to sign such an injury risk long term, especially when he's under our control for 3 more years.

As I stated in a previous thread, a 3 year 27-30 million dollar contract with some incentives/bonuses would be perfect. He would make our rotation a whole lot less crappy. He might not be a stud, but he's a very solid 3-4 guy. I would also try and get Garland pitching more games on 3-4 days rest instead of 4-5 days as I firmly believe with him, when he's arm is tired, his "sinker" will be a lot more effective.

Lol, what a load of crock. It'd make sense if lowering his velocity put more movement on his fastball, but it hasn't. Instead of throwing a 95-98 mph straight as an arrow fastball, he's throwing a 90-94 straight as an arrow fastball. I got no problem with lowering velocity to gain more movement and control, but I highly doubt that's the case here. I wouldn't be surprised at all if his elbow was hurting before and that's why he either lost/took off velocity from his fastball