Texsox

I think there should be some operational definition on "best GM". There are three key areas to consider, Evaluation if a team's current talent Plan to reach a championship caliber Execution of the plan within organizational contraints Is the GM keeping their good talent and dumping the problems. Kenny's dealing for Loiza (Part 1) and trading Loiza would be A++ examples. Developing a plan. The Tigers had a three year plan and it seems as good as any in baseball. Executing the plan. Again, the Tigers loaded the pieces, suffered a huge loss season as the pitchers developed, and look nasty for a while.

QUOTE (rangercal @ Jul 21, 2008 -> 08:37 AM) who said that it has to be a thirdbaseman? Currently Fields is the best 3B under contract for 2009

QUOTE (DBAH0 @ Jul 21, 2008 -> 10:11 AM) Ended up having Deep Dish Pizza at Lou's yesterday. It looked small when we had it (only got the individual pizza), but it really filled you up. The sauce was really good, and I'll definitely go back there again. I hate you. lol, there are so many times I am dyiung for a Lou's sausage pizza. It is always on my to do list when I get back to Chicago.

Right now, unless something changes, he's the starting 3B in 2009. Now let's talk "ifs" If you want to upgrade, you will need to sign a FA or trade for someone. The best 3B in next year's FA market is, as noted above, da da! Joe Crede of the White Sox. Trading a prospect 3B for a proven 3B will take some extra resources and I do not see where we are deep enough in any single area to really upgrade without digging a hole elsewhere. So, it's either open the vault for Crede or live with Fields. Since we have so many 3B discussions going, I'm not going to repeat from other threads. So Fathom, I have to disagree with the current situation. Now, if we sign Joe, and I am not holding my breath that will happen, we should trade Fields, but we need him to get healthier and start playing at a higher level.

Fields will be, at worst, an adequate replacement for Crede. At best, he will be an improvement. Y'all can argue projections all you want. Jon Rausch was Cy Young reincarnated when drafted. I'm just happy we have someone that could step in and play at the MLB level. But from what I've read about Fields (I have not seen him play this season) and see with Crede, for this season, I'm glad Crede is still on the roster. Further, if we are going to stay in the race and make some noise, Crede is the guy into October. Some can say it sucks we will not be getting as much for Crede because we are in a pennat race, but I'm just going to enjoy the race.

If they did this survey like they have done their previous years, it is more a numerical calculation then a subjective review based on visits. For example, they will count hospital beds versus residents, schools versus populaton, home values, crime statistics, etc.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 21, 2008 -> 08:11 AM) How many of the nearly 3 million government employees are you looking to fire? As many as we cannot afford, or raise taxes to pay for them. How many trillions of dollars in debt are you willing to take on? But I'm a conservative and this spend spend spend stuff and have someone else pay for it just doesn't sit well.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Jul 21, 2008 -> 05:49 AM) I hope you either own a franchise or that was supposed to be in green. I thought their bacon pizza (not Canadian) was very good. But that was 15 years ago and in Schaumburg. Things change.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jul 20, 2008 -> 09:25 PM) You CANNOT have an economy sustained on money chasing money, and that is what we've seen for a while now. Eventually, it has to collapse. How about an economy sustained by the government borrowing money and giving it to the citizens?

So I have a potential hurricane heading my way. How s***ty will it be if I get nailed by "Dolly"? As in "Dolly" really kicked my ass, Dolly destroyed everything. Dammit, I want names like Terminator, Darth Vader, names like that. Then, maybe, people will take them seriously. I'm hearing that "Dolly" is coming our way and we may need to evacuate South Padre Island, I'm thinking, Dolly!? I may take my chances. If they say Hurricane Rex Kickass is heading my way, I'm getting the hell out now. The last one to seriously screw with South Texas was Beuhla. I'm just guessing a barrier island sucks during a hurricane.

800 meters on up to the marathon.

Tony Mandarich

There will be a shortage of moving vans in a few days. But winning IS everything But onw word before we pass judgement -- DUKE

^^^^^ wait, is that a bad thing?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 10:05 AM) There are really 3 primary types of "Chicago" pizza. The famous deep dish pie of course... the south side, buttery thin crust... and the cracker crust Chicago thin. For those three, the best, IMO: Deep Dish: Lou Malnati's (Due's and Girodano's get silver and bronze) South Side: Home Run Inn (nothing else I've had comes close - and don't tell me Connie's) Cracker: Barnaby's (Jake's gets a silver) I can't argue with your list. I'd add Rosati's for a thin crust bacon. Devil's Revenge at Pat's Pizza in Grayslake because I ate so much of it when I worked for him in college like almost 30 years ago. I have skipped over DaPizza Joint on South Padre Island for years. I just never placed the beach and pizza in the same breath. Last night a co-worker asked if I wanted to have dinner with her. I wasn't hungry and agreed to have a beer while she ate. Bottom line, she learned that for a Chicago guy, if you put pizza in front of us, and it's good to very good, hungery or not, it will be eaten. Think northwoods of Wisconsin, meets Barnaby's piano playing, with a pretty damn good pie. So I now have two pretty damn good pizza places here in South Texas. I can be happy. Now if I found a gyro place . . .

I quickly changed use guys with y'all when I moved, I also notice I call it soda almost 100% of the time now. I've had a couple groups from Iowa in camp and a few of them said pop and my trading post clerk was confused, I said I speak yankee and asked use guys want some snickers with that? lol

Election year pandering and a bunch of noise ZZZZzzzzz

Y'all notice how many are in Kap's neck of the woods? It seems that the Greater Dallas area must be pretty awesome.

They lost today, I hate every f***ing one of them

Kind of reminds me of Jordan in a Washington Wizards uniform.

Somewhere William Clinton eating breakfast and hears they lifted the Presidential ban on offshore drilling . . . . . . honey now that the primary is over, the University invited me to take a cruise with their coeds, I think I'll go . . .

Election fodder. Zzzzzzzzzzzz

There are guys in the hall that were spectacular for 5 or 6 seasons. There are guys that were excellent for many, many years. I see him having a chance based on the mood of the hall voters and the fact he's a good guy to the media. They will, barring changes, be looking for reason to open the door. I also see him as being a veterans committee selection.

QUOTE (OilCan @ Jul 16, 2008 -> 11:05 AM) $3.89 at the Valero Gas Station in Luling TX. $3.99 @ Hwy 183 and FM 812 in Austin, SE side. A friend of mine is the Methodist Pastor in Schulenberg, just up the road.

I paid $3.89 yesterday on South Padre Island, TX.