Texsox

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 21, 2008 -> 09:54 AM) I've never said there was anything wrong with wanting to play. No you did not and I did not respond to that. What you asked was So you are confused and I explained that for a player to earn his money, he needs to be playing, hence the term player. If you didn't have to actually play to earn your money, the bench players would be dressed more like cheerleaders. Which might not be a bad idea. I'm not saying that Frank should or should not be in the lineup. This applies to any player. Otherwise imagine this scenario back in 2005. You know who should get serious consideration for MVP? Brian Anderson. Here it is the ninth inning, it's been a long night here in Houston, Podsednik is at bat against Brad Lidge. Most bench guys would be sitting back on the bench, but Anderson is there, on the rail. He knows that Pods needs a little extra power, and he's right f***ing there, top step, all the way. All-Star move. Now watch, that ball leaves the bat and Anderson is really cheering. He knows that Pods should be batting and not him, so he's willing that ball out of the stadium. Damn, that is a HoF move right there. Look how he turns to Rowand and start hugging him and they sprint from the dugout, other bench players are still getting off their ass, but Anderson is half way to home and look at that skipping and leaping ability. HoF buddy. That nice clean uniform looks great next to the dirty one that Rowand is wearing. That is why Anderson should be earning $8,000,000 a year. So at Frank's salary, hitting .275, popping a few dozen home runs would be earning his salary. hitting .175, a dozen or two home runs, is not fully earning his salary, but waaay closer than cheerleader. Cheerleaders get paid squat and are usually a lot better looking.

QUOTE (NUKE @ Apr 21, 2008 -> 09:40 AM) So glad you approve. I just spent a year plus trading gunfire with them. So the US military bans Muslims from serving?

I was post #35 cool

BTW, just to be clear, the all mighty YANKEES are on tv twice this week, we are just the team they happen to be playing.

QUOTE (NUKE @ Apr 21, 2008 -> 09:25 AM) If you count number of times whining about money in the media or if you could somehow quantify causing problems in the clubhouse he'd be right on top of the heap. How's things in Toronto going? Oh wait........... Yet he never opted for free agency, where he would have made more. He always resigned with the Sox, showing an amount of loyalty unheard of with a potential HoF player. So I assume you prefer a guy like Maggs who didn't whine about the money, he did something about it and took the highest offer?

I was thinking that if the players definition of earning their money was expanded to mean, doing what is necessary to help the team win, and if that includes not playing, then the Sox owe me a boat load of money. By not playing, I am considerably helping their chances. Hell, Uribe can hit better then me.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Apr 21, 2008 -> 08:59 AM) Maybe she was pissed off at the cult for something unrelated to what they were doing inside? Anger causes many lines to be blurred. Could be. She was calling a cult recovery mission run by a former member who called the police. I'm not certain if that will make a difference. I am interested in learning why this woman did not call the police directly.

Much different then I imagined. Still now it sounds as if they had some knowledge, but nothing "official", and used the false call to trigger an investigation. Hmm

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 21, 2008 -> 07:23 AM) Someone told me that it was a prank phone call that triggered these raids... Is this true? If it is, does that affect the legality of these raids? Can the cat be put back in the bag? Interesting. To kind of put it in more legal words, someone phoned in a tip that they may have thought was false, but it turned out to be true? I do not think we can base anything on thoughts, instead it has to be actions and what were actually the facts. That we can accurately determine with objective evidence. Regardless of their motive or beliefs, they called in a true report of crimes being committed. I have to believe that would be what stands. Now the really interesting thought would be could they be arrested for filing a false police report? If they believed it was false, isn't that what makes the difference?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 20, 2008 -> 10:36 PM) I'm confused as to how hitting like crap, but staying in the line-up so a $10 million option will certainly kick in is a sign of wanting to EARN his money. Simple. Sitting on the bench versus playing on the field. The people you see sitting on the bench with the ultra-clean uniforms are called coaches and earn considerably less. The people on the field are players. Coaches earn money by sitting on the bench and thinking, players earn money by being on the field and playing. My comment was Frank should want to be on the field, breaking through his slow start, instead of adopting an attitude of fine, pay me to sit on the bench and speed eatin' sunflower seeds, soaking up rays.

Obviously they had a liberal bias and needed to be shut down. That's how you handle this bias in the media j/k

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 21, 2008 -> 07:04 AM) Boy he really went out on some limbs there... They might not win the division, but there is a chance! The Sox won't maintain their HR/allowed rate! I was surprised he didn't go really risky and say that AJ probably won't hit .350 for the season this year, or that Floyd won't finish with an ERA of 1.5! You know how we are, any positive coverage has us drooling with excitement. And negative has us gnashing our teeth and calling the writer a moron.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Apr 20, 2008 -> 08:02 PM) There are companies now that actually check to see if applicants have a MySpace or Facebook and try to read up on them. The second I heard that I realized it was time to get the hell off those sites even if it was mainly to communicate with people I had lost touch with. Or to polish your image. They can be good or evil.

QUOTE (Soxpranos @ Apr 20, 2008 -> 08:50 PM) An ACE can get you out Yep, he sure can. I do not think they give style points. It's get them out, who really cares how? And what we always debate, isn't Mark's talents, but the definition of ace. Some people define it to the point where every #1 in the rotation and half of the #2s would qualify, and some define it to the point where one or two guys in the league *may* qualify in most years. Mark has been the man for the Sox for most of this century. He is a winner, a classy player, plays to the crowd when he can, always a fan favorite, someone Sox fans can be poud of, and a credit to the franchise. If that's an ace in your book, you are welcome to that definition, if it makes you feel better to only call two guys aces, then you are welcome to that. I find the people who are the most restrictive are the ones that try and impress people with their knowledge.

QUOTE (BigEdWalsh @ Apr 20, 2008 -> 07:51 PM) I hate all-time comparisons in a way. Simply because things have changed so dramatically. How can we know how Babe Ruth would fare against todays pitching? Did Babe Ruth ever see a 100 mph fastball? What would Frank Thomas (in his prime) have done against 1920 pitching? We can also start tossing in conditioning, video training, computer models, better youth coaching, better high school and college programs, equipment, etc. What we can do, and I think it is valuable, is compare them to their peers while playing. Baines and Ventura, while outstanding players, are not names that would come up in discussing first ballot or not. Frank is. That tells me a lot.

They need to change the name of Golden Glove, or have another "all around" award and get back to some defensive recognition. But clearly glove is misleading in who gets these awards. even factoring in "clutch" fielding.

QUOTE (the People's Champ @ Apr 20, 2008 -> 07:34 PM) Sorry Tex..............I'm gonna be needing that trophy back, PRONTO

QUOTE (knightni @ Apr 20, 2008 -> 07:25 PM) Seasons that Thomas played over 49 games at 1B with the Sox: 9 Seasons with the Sox: 16 Great stuff in this thread, and who would have thought such an over covered topic would produce that? I would have guessed 5 seasons or less at 1B.

QUOTE (knightni @ Apr 20, 2008 -> 07:12 PM) Overall, Shoeless Joe played for the Sox for only like, 4 3/4 seasons. That point is not brought up very often, thanks for mentioning it. As I posted above, there should be some minimum tenure. An entire career would count, a guy who was traded around I would think 5 years? Majority? Then someone like Bo Jackson comes up. More years with KC, but he was 3 seasons with the Sox and his career ended with the Sox (can't say retired).

QUOTE (knightni @ Apr 20, 2008 -> 07:07 PM) Harold Baines, Carlton Fisk, Robin Ventura... Some of the same names I thought of and it definitely nails the past 40 years of "Sox" players. And I think you have to have played some minimum of seasons. I respect the hell out of Belle's big season but he just doesn't seem to be a Sox player. From purely a spot in the batting order basis, I would take Frank. Some personality differences and similarities there.

An argument can be made anywhere in the top 5. His lack of defensive opportunities is problematic when comparing him to other players, which will be the issue with Hall of Fame voters, especially from NL cities. But he carried the load for some bad Sox teams, sold a bunch of tickets, and was one of the few players that would stop conversations in bars and in homes to watch him bat. The best batter and one of the top three hitters, I've ever seen.

As I mentioned, there is room for him to pitch better. But Mark needs to be near perfect to win games. Having some run support hides some problems.

Thank you, thank you very much. I am certain they will always remember with fondness the four days they were team mates.

And Mark again will probably be near the bottom in run support. He should have an easy extra 10-15 wins in his career with even average run support. He still has to pitch better, but it is a shame.

Didn't we sign Thome forst, then release Frank? That would make them former team mates. Pass me the trophy . . .