BearSox

oops, I accidentally hit the delete button, oh well.

QUOTE(DonnyDevito @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 07:38 PM) my opening day line up: Swisher, LF Cabrera, SS Thome, DH Konerko, 1B Dye, RF Pierzynski, C Crede, 3B Uribe, 2B Ozuna, CF The opening day lineup is pretty much set: 1. Ozuna, 2B 2. Cabrera, SS 3. Swisher, LF 4. Konerko, 1B 5. Thome, DH 6. Dye, RF 7. Pierzynski, C 8. Crede, 3B 9. Ramirez/Anderson, CF

QUOTE(scenario @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 07:28 PM) I'm not a big Uribe fan, but there is one big difference that you're not taking into account... Uribe was 4th in MLB last year in defensive win shares. That's 4th among all players at all positions. Meanwhile, Fields would be the worst defensive starter on our team - at a critical position. I think a little more defensive seasoning in AAA for Fields is probably a good thing for him and for the Sox. Not when Jerry Owens is out there in CF (as we all know he will be once he's off the DL), booting flyballs and having the weakest arm in all of baseball.

Last time I checked, during weddings, the priest says; "Till death do you part." Even though I have a strong dislike for her, Hillary standing by her husband (even thought it was probably for political reasons) is something that should be admired, not frowned upon.

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 04:16 PM) It would be a joke if Ramirez started in CF over Anderson. I think Ramirez vs. C.C. is a better matchup then Anderson vs. C.C., so that is why I would have Ramirez start ahead of Anderson on opening day, but after that, I'd give Anderson the majority of the playing time out there.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 04:15 PM) I'm not arguing, nor have I ever, that this is the "ideal" situation for Fields. What I am arguing is that it is pure fiction and ridiculously uninformed speculation to suggest that Fields' career will be retarded by going back to Charlotte to work on some things. What don't you get about talent levels!? What Josh Fields need to work on is facing MLB pitching, not facing primarily AAAA pitchers. Add that to the fact you will be messing with him mentally (KW saying all this crap about him being the guy, him actually outpreforming Crede in ST, etc), you can severly retard his development.

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 04:12 PM) Owens won't start opening day. I think we'll see Ramirez in CF. Ozzie has to be careful how he uses Ramirez. He's going to struggle with sharp offspeed pitches. well, rumors are now that Owens will start the season on the DL. So, that would make Ramirez the likely starter.

you never want to see injuries, but this is good news.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 04:09 PM) Howard dominated every step of the way throughout his minor league career. And pretty much every baseball fan on the planet earth knew he was ready for MLB after 2004. And yet, sitting in Scranton for another 210 ab's until Thome was too hurt to continue playing in 05' certainly did not stunt his growth or retard his career. That, again, is how these situations are comparable. The only reason they may not be comparable is because Fields had nowhere near the minor league career Howard did, and yet, people claim he has "mastered" the level and has nothing left to learn. last time I checked, Howard didn't have a great rookie season, and then get sent back down to AAA.

so, the opening day lineup is pretty much official, isn't it? 1. Ozuna, 2B 2. Cabrera, SS 3. Swisher, LF 4. Konerko, 1B 5. Thome, DH 6. Dye, RF 7. Pierzynski, C 8. Crede, 3B 9. Owens, LF wow.

I remember the rumored trade with Dye to Boston last year for Wily Mo and a pitcher, and I hated that idea. But now since then, I so wish that trade would have happened.

It has been funny... People called me crazy for being so pessimistic this offseason and thinking we will suck. Now, more and more people are thinking the same way as me now.

QUOTE(Greg The Bull Luzinski @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 03:54 PM) Between decimating the minor leages system and the unnecessary contracts (Hall, Uribe, Dye), I wonder if failing this year would take some of the starch out of KW's collar. I wonder if it would finally get KW and Ozzie canned.

I just want to know how didn't we start the rebuilding last season when the time was right?

mine is a tie between Owens, Hall, and Uribe.

I don't know if you noticed this or not, but the talent level between AAA and the MLB are completely different. Fields can't improve on what he needs to at Charlotte. He needs to face MLB pitching.

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 03:39 PM) Wouldn't it have been so much nicer to have an outfield of Quentin, Anderson, and Fields, while saving the money on Dye's contract and not having to trade 3 prospects for Swisher (I like Swisher). I couldn't agree more. I have a feeling we will have to watch another pathetic year of Dye in RF... Right now, I am praying to god that Dye, Crede, and Uribe have a great first half so we can then deal them at the deadline. I don't see us competing with our piss-poor rotation.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 03:28 PM) Fine, but again, Fields isn't enough of an offensive presence to justify him booting balls in LF. If he was, I'd say fine, but not yet. what!? 23 homers and 67 rbi's in half a season isn't an offensive presence!? Sure, he has work to do with K's, walks, OBP, AVG, etc... but those are things he can improve on vs. MLB pitching. It's tough to improve on those things in AAA when you have already mastered that level of play. I would not be surprised if we have ruined Josh Fields future in the majors. All it takes is one year to completely ruin a players development and mental approach to the game, and this could be that year.

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 03:21 PM) Fields got what, 2 weeks in the outfield? For a former Big 12 quarterback, I am confident he has the athletic ability to play the easiest position in all of baseball. If Carlos Lee was able to transform into a suitable defensive player, so could Fields. And we played Pods in LF, so it's not like it can get any worse. Yet, we're gonna have a guy who probably makes Pods look like a GG play CF. I wanted Fields at 3B from the start, but like you said, if the team was so intent on Crede at 3B, why not put Fields in LF?

Man, Charlotte's offense is gonna be sick. The lineup is probably gonna look something like: 1. Bourgeois, CF 2. Getz, 2B 3. Quentin, RF 4. Fields, 3B 5. Collaro, LF 6. Liefer, 1B 7. Eldred, DH 8. Lucy/Phillips, C 9. Rouse, SS

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 25, 2008 -> 03:09 PM) yuck? Dude - first White Sox fan in the White House! How can you not like that?!?! Well, I wouldn't have minded it if I didn't think his policies would eventually ruin this country.

I heard recently that Obama's poll ratings have recovered since this story broke, and are now actually higher then ever... any truth to this?

e-yuck, I just saw some pictures of Obama in a Sox hat.

You can close this thread now... it looks like my one main campaign to prove the main steam media is completely biased has failed.

what a f***ing joke. If I were Fields, I would demand a trade. No way would I want my growth as a major leaguer stunted by a guy who can't even hit his weight in spring training.