BearSox

ugh, Street is quite possibly the most overrated relief pitcher in baseball.

How about Fields, Swisher, and Poreda for Matt Cain?

I'd for sure keep all of Floyd, Buehrle, Danks, and Vazquez. However we need another starter, and I would love it if we could somehow get Matt Cain from San Francisco. However, that is extremely unlikely.

I really think it is inevitable for one of PK or Dye to be traded. I would say Thome as well, but he virtually untradeable. If I had to choose between PK and Dye, I'd trade Dye. This is mainly because we would get very little in return for Konerko as opposed to Dye. Dye has a ton of trade value right now, and I think we should sell high. Plus, he is a couple years older and doesn't have a whole lot left in the tank, IMO. Dye might only be 34-35, but his body has taken such a beating over the years that he plays like he is closer to 40. The risk with this though is that if PK once again sucks. If Konerko plays like the Konerko we all know and love, we should not miss Dye's bat at all. But as we have seen with the previous two seasons, Konerko completely sucks in the 1st half. However, it's a risk worth taking, IMO, as the upside would be much greater this way.

QUOTE (chisoxt @ Oct 24, 2008 -> 06:40 PM) Unfortuantely, when it comes to veteran players, Kenny has a habit of overrating and acquiring certain players. Last year's poster child was Swisher..my fear is that Figgins will be this years entry. And for God's sake people, look at Figgin's stats and tell me that he is a good player! A third baseman that drove in all of 22 runs! Lol, what a load of BS! If there is one thing I absolutely despise, it's people complaining about production from certain players because of the position they play. The position a player plays should not determine their numbers, but rather what spot in the lineup they bat. Figgins played third base, but he was a leadoff hitter. Leadoff hitters aren't supposed to be big huge power hitters. But because he played 3B he needs to put up huge power numbers? My god, how stupid can you be if you believe that?

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Oct 23, 2008 -> 12:17 PM) YES! I just bought it and love it. I remember playing Socom 1 and 2 for hours so many nights. Socom 3 i thought sucked, as did CA. This game is similar to socom 2. I was actually pretty awesome at 1 and 2 when i played all the time but now i suck and its so frustrating! haha. I just gotta learn these new maps. Initial impressions of the game are great however The only major problem I have heard about it so far is the server/lag issues. However, hopefully that will be resolved soon. Gamespot gave it a 6.5, but the only negatives they gave were the server/lag issues, but those a very fixable issues that should/hopefully will be corrected in the next couple of weeks, tops. However, I think gamespot and most game review places are in the tank for the 360. I need some money so I can get this game.

I was thinking about JJ Hardy, but the Brewers would have to be stupid to trade him, IMO. Put Escobar at SS and Hardy at 3B. Any chance we can get Cain from the Giants?

Wasserman was a whole lot more than just undrafted... he was signed out of an open tryout.

Probably the trade of one of Dye/Konerko/Thome. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Swish traded.

Old Yeller. I didn't cry, but I felt like it.

If still available, I'll take the beta code.

1.) Contreras won't be throwing again for a while now, and in fact, I'd say there's a good chance his career is over. 2.) Anyone saying that they'd prefer Contreras over Vazquez is plain and simple stupid.

I think he stays in the National League with the Brewers. I think people underestimate the fact that Sabathia is a baseball player, and that he loves to hit.

I wouldn't mind Griffey back only if he'd be making, at most, half of what he is making now, and one of Thome/Konerko/Dye is traded.

We'd be stupid to get rid of Vazquez in the off-season. Our rotation already has enough problems, and no-balls Javy is still good enough for a solid 4 or 5.

QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 9, 2008 -> 09:54 PM) Laird is a very valued commodity. Why would the Rangers trade him for a pitcher like Egbert who is a non-prospect? I figure his trade value will go down with the fact it is almost a guarantee they will trade him. It might take more than Egbert, but not much more, IMO.

OFFSEASON FREE AGENCY: -Offer Orland Cabrera arbitration (99.9% chance he walks and signs somewhere else-gains us 2 draft picks) -Offer Ken Griffey Jr. arbitration (very good chance he walks-gains us 1-2 draft picks if so) -Let Joe Crede go -Buyout Toby Hall's team option -Offer Juan Uribe arbitration (could go either way with him, as along as he is only a backup. If he wants to try and go somewhere else to get more PT or something, oh well) ---------- -Sign 2B Orlando Hudson to a 3 year, 25 million dollar contract (roughly 8 million per year), with an option for a 4th year at 9 million. -Sign RHSP Pedro Martinez to a 1 year, 4 million dollar contract with incentives/bonuses that could double his salary. Includes a team option for 2010. -I also wouldn't mind signing one of those young cuban prospects and throwing them into the farm system for a couple years, most preferably Noel Arguellez. TRADES: -Trade for C Gerald Laird. The Rangers have Ramirez, Teagarden, and Salty, there isn't a chance they don't trade Laird. Laird is a very good defensive catcher who can throw out runners with ease (espically compared to Pierzynski). Plus, he provides a pretty decent bat. He would provide us with a great platoon option at catcher. The Rangers would want pitching in return, but not sure who exactly. We could probably get him for Jack Egbert, or some sort of combination of our mediocre pitching prospects and struggling relief pitchers. I tend to think that Egbert would get it done as he should be intriguing to the Rangers due to his sinker and his low HR numbers. -Trade for 3B Chone Figgins. Not sure what exactly it would cost to get him, or what the Angels would want, but I would offer Josh Fields for him and go from there. Figgins is very expandable for the Angels as they have a jammed OF and Kendrick at 2B, as well as some other options at 3B including Wood. I think Fields would/could get it done. LINEUP: 1. Figgins, 3B 2. Hudson, 2B 3. Quentin, LF 4. Konerko, 1B 5. Thome, DH 6. Dye, RF 7. Ramirez, SS 8. Pierzynski, C 9. Anderson, CF *Swisher platoons with Anderson in CF, acts as the 4th OF, and backup 1B. He should still get plenty of PA's in this role. BENCH: C, Laird (platoons with Pierzynski) INF, Getz UTL, Bourgeois (he and Getz also act as primary pinch runners) OF/1B, Swisher ROTATION: 1. Buehrle 2. Floyd 3. Danks 4. Vazquez 5. Martinez BULLPEN: CL: Jenks SU: Thornton SU: Linebrink (if finally healthy) MRP/SU: Dotel MRP/LRP: Carrasco MRP: Macdougal (if he has his head on straight) LRP: Richard FINAL THOUGHTS: I feel if KW did this, we would have a pretty damn solid team going into 09. We'd have a much more sound team with more speed and better D. I am no BA fan, but he has improved his bat and provides ++D out there. He is likely our best option out there. I really like the idea of bringing in Laird to be a platoon option with Pierzynski, and I think it would be really smart to have him be the main catcher for one of Danks or Floyd because his D will help their development, IMO. Pitching wise, our rotation stays pretty much the same. We bring in Martinez and hope he has a similar impact that El Duque had in 05. Martinez might not be the same pitcher he used to be, but he is still a pitcher. Odds are that he will likely fade come the second half, but hopefully by then either Poreda will be ready, or one of our other pitching prospects, such as Broadway, steps it up. What are your thoughts?

that should be an error on Feliz.

what a stupid move by Manuel. Why would you take out Hammels for a bunt? If Hammels is any type of baseball player, he should easily be able to lay down a bunt, and when a pitcher is going good, you don't take him out, especially in the postseason. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I'm glad Taguchi popped up the bunt and made an out. In fact, for such a stupid move, I hope the Phillies lose.

Toby Hall had a decent average this year, but his average does not indicate how he played. A good majority of Hall's hits were either seeing eye singles or bloopers just out of the reach of the infielders/outfielders. Sure, he accidently hit the ball hard once in a while, but with his approach and stance, it's not gonna happen to much more. You'd think a guy who is 6'2" 255 could hit for more power than he does, but it turns out he's just a fat blop. Plus, he plays god awful D and is slow as hell. Toby definitely needs replacing, and preferably we replace him with someone who is some-what athletic, can play D, and has at least a decent approach at the plate. I'd say Donny Lucy, especially since it looked like he was going to have a break out year (for his standards), but that knee cap injury threatens his career as a catcher.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 8, 2008 -> 05:31 AM) There's too many question marks about Justin, Crede and Taveras to make those moves... Why are we trading away Clayton Richard, who actually showed something in the playoffs? Because he's a Sox pitching prospect and we simply believe that he will fail like every starter since Buehrle? I still don't trust taking an injured pitcher off the hands of BB...if he's healthy, he holds onto him for half the season while he re-establishes his league-leading ERA, if he's not 100% healthy or cleared by the doctors' exams, he's not going anywhere and Beane knows it. 1) Beltre 2) Casey Blake 3) Melvin Mora 4) Garrett Atkins 5) Kevin Kouzmanoff Any of those aforementioned would be better options than Crede/Uribe at 3B again in 2009 IMO. NOT TO MENTION THE MOST POPULAR CHOICE OF SOX FANS, CHONE FIGGINS! That'd be my choice right there, as long as we get someone who is stud with the glove to back him up for cheap. Or, if we go the route of trading Dye, I wouldn't mind Figgins in LF or CF.

batting Nate McLouth leadoff is as stupid as batting Grady Sizemore leadoff.

the poll options for this are terrible. Players generally get better with age, and while all four of these players had great seasons that will be tough to duplicate, that doesn't mean if they don't have as good or better seasons statistically next year that they have regressed. If I had to say who was going to regress next year, I'd tell you Jermaine Dye, but we have already begun to see his regression since 06.

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Oct 7, 2008 -> 10:49 PM) This is correct. Owens shouldn't, and won't be anywhere near the 25 man roster in 2009. fixed it for ya...

I'm still wondering why the Twins sent Cuddyer, it was a stupid move. Any CF not named Jerry Owens could have thrown out Cuddyer in that situation. In that situation you send him only if it takes a perfect throw, and Griffey's throw was far from perfect.