bigruss

QUOTE (3E8 @ Oct 12, 2010 -> 10:54 PM) Except the Phillies, of course I know I've expressed my love of the Phillies, but in almost every post that I said that I have stated they are not perfect and pointed out their flaws. I dont know if you're jsut trying to be funny or if you're serious, but if you really read my posts you would know this.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Oct 12, 2010 -> 08:37 PM) BTW, I can't believe Hahn thought Mackowiak could play CF. WOWWWWWWW Just like KW thinking Teahen could play a decent 3B. Organizations make mistakes all the time, each and every organization.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Oct 12, 2010 -> 03:46 PM) I know about 20 former Cubs fans that said, "f*** it, I'm done" after the '08 playoff debacle. I honestly thought they we're going to win it all that year. The whole 'Lovable Loser' thing is played out. They're just losers now. The way that franchise is run it was only a matter of time before fans jumped off that bandwagon. Folks who dont really follow baseball may still say they are "Cubs" fans, but they won't spend the money anymroe to catch an occasional game.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Oct 12, 2010 -> 03:38 PM) Pretty much. Part of it is the undeniable fact we have a fickle, front-running fanbase. But the opportunity was there to blow right by the Cubs in terms of popularity, ect, and we've failed miserably. Factor in the lackluster performance of the Cubs now, and if the Sox had consistently gotten to the playoffs since they would be making a very strong push to be the ones running this town in baseball. The mirage that is Cubs baseball is fading in terms of popularity for the casual fan.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Oct 12, 2010 -> 03:20 PM) That's my assumption at this point. I didnt know if there was something out there that has some sort of adaptive video quality as bandwidth shrinks. Maybe see if there is a local library near them at their new place where they are safe but possibly have a more stable internet connection. You could possibly ask the library to rent (not sure on charges but I'm sure during weekdays they aren't that busy so could be free) the rooms to help the family.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Oct 12, 2010 -> 02:36 PM) I bet Ozzie still uses Mark Kotsay in the rotating DH platoon, even with that roster. Wait....he's still here....

CF Rios - 12MM RF Werth - 15MM LF Crawford - 19MM DH Dunn - 15MM 1b Viciedo - 1.25MM SS Ramirez - 1.1MM 2b Beckham - 500K 3b Morel - 500K C AJ (or vet replacement) - $3MM UT Teahen - 5MM BC Castro - 1.5MM 4OF De Aza - 500K UT Lillibridge - 500K #1 Lee - 20MM 2 Peavy - 16MM 3 Danks - 10MM 4 Floyd - 5MM 5 Jackson - 8.5MM LR Pena - 1.5MM LR Linebrink - 5.5MM MR Infante (or some MiL) - 500K MR Santos - 500K SU Thornton - 3MM CL Putz - 7MM Total- 152.35MM ___________________ I dont think this would ever happen but I got curious and spent a few minutes just looking at possibilites, each contract given out would be give or take a few million (IMO, could be farther off). Trade Teahen and Linebrink and you can probably shave another $5 million off after eating a half their contracts. So how do they make this money up? Attendance: - Average 2010 ticket price: $38.65 - Average 2010 Attendance: 27,091 - Home Maxium: 40,615 - 2011 AVG ticket price (10% hike): $42.515 - Guesstimate 2011 AVG Attendance - 37,000 Total increase in revenue: (1573055-1047067.15) * 81 = 42,605,015.85 That makes up for quite a bit just in ticket prices, not to mention food and beverages. Combine that with advertising revenue and you make it up. ______________ Concerns: Long term contracts and whether players can keep performing at their high level. Attendance doesn't shoot up like expected. Advertising is still sluggish. Draft and development still needs to be upgraded for sustainability. Like I said, it was just for fun for me to come up with, not really advocating that this is at all possible.

QUOTE (T R U @ Oct 12, 2010 -> 02:15 AM) oh yeah right there is zero chance that the sox let AJ, Konerko, and Jenks go and do not use that money to do something.. It's called raises in arbitration and with other contracts.

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 11:39 PM) Are you suggesting a rebuild or what? What players are we going to trade for valuable youngsters in that scenario? We've got Danks and....uhhhh.......... Anyway, you don't blow up a 2nd place team that was a few key injuries away from being VERY competitive for the division. Sounds like we have a bunch of advocates for building a time machine. Wasn't saying that. I love how people just throw words into my mouth. You trade some players like Buehrle, Quentin, etc. guys who cost to much for their production. With that open money you either trade those prospects you acquired for some legitimate younger and cheaper talent or move other pieces to acquire what you need. Reinvest in the draft and in the minors, I'm talking about a complete overhaul of organizational philosophy in the minors in terms of teaching and development. Take ideas from the Twins, Phillies, Rockies, Rays, etc. and implement them in the new strategy. If that means hiring new scouts, new coaches, consultants, etc, then so be it. Invest in new facilities in Latin America and develop a presence there. If the Sox are going to be competitive than they need to spend their money responsibly. They can afford very few mistakes right now because of their lack of depth, which is why the contracts of Teahen, Pierre, Quentin, etc will be under such high scrutiny. Spending $5 million or so on a player who isn't contributing much to the team is inexcusable with the limitations we have in payroll. The Sox cannot absorb the hit these contracts take, as witnessed by the large amount tied up in contracts next year. Yes, the large contracts are hurting us, but atleast those players are big time contributors. When your spending $5 million on a player than can be replaced fairly easily for atleast half the price you are making bad decisions.

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 11:24 PM) It tells us that we should have done better with our farm system in the past, but that doesn't do anything for us now. Gotta spend in FA when your farm system sucks. Because that philosophy has worked in the past.

The Phillies starters are jsut so damn good. Phillies sweep.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 09:16 PM) Oh but you think they'd pay for Ozzie?!?...they're moving into a new stadium soon (is it this next year). Again...who knows who has a better future. It's pure speculation at this point. If Beckham was a complete stud...would you have a problem giving him up for 2 or 3 MLB proven players? A manager is completely different from a player, Ozzie makes just a bit over $1 million and only 4 managers make more than $2 million. Of course you cannot actually know who will be the better player, but based on talent and production thus far, Stanton >>>>> Beckham. If Beckham was a stud, and not an average ballplayer, I would consider dealing him IF the value brought in the trade was greater than the value of Beckham and his contract. The players brought in would have to be absolute Allstars with reasonable contracts or would have to be top young talent, and even then it would have to be a few top 25 prospects because the chances of them panning out and reaching their talent is lower. But the Sox can afford to take on salary and are WILLING to do so, the Marlins are iffy on the affordability of players and a definite "no" on taking on salary when it can be avoided.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 09:06 PM) dude...who knows. That have a ton of holes and you don't think they'd think about a proven like Danks with some other talent involved? Seems to me they'd be in the same boat as we are with Beckham...you really don't know what you have yet? Isn't pitching the premium here? It's the MARLINS, they wont pay that much for a pitcher, especially after giving up one of the top young hitters in all of baseball. They're focused on building from within, and they do a pretty damn good job that way. If they trade for someone it'll be a young and cheap commodity under team control for years to come. Beckham would probably interest them alot, but Stanton is a MUCH better player than Beckham and has a much better future.

QUOTE (joeynach @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 07:43 PM) The question is do the white sox offer arbitration to AJ and PK with the hopes of either getting them to comback on 1 year deals or rejecting them and allowing us to acquire the draft picks. The sox have a real opportunity to get younger and stockpile some picks here. Remember AJ, PK, Putz, Vizquel, Jones, Kotsay are all free agents. If they all leave we clear salary for sure, but may also get the opportunity to acquire compensatory picks and bring so much needed youth and turnover to the 25 man roster. The only reason I say this is because if you bring back everyone mentioned and do field the same team with $120M payroll Im still not sure its a 95 win team that can even get past the Twins....again. AJ would most likely accept arbitration then you're stuck paying him about double what his market value is (paying him $6 mill compared to a likely $3 mill he is worth). YOu also have to consider that his type A status will scare away many teams who would hate to lose a high draft pick for a league average catcher who is 34 years old. You have to consider the consequence of these players accepting arbitration, and factor that into your decision.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 04:59 PM) Only if we offer him arbitration, which I am not sure if they would. The Sox want no business of paying $18 million to Manny next year, there is less than 1% chance of them offering him arbitration. IMO, will be hard for Manny to even get $18 million in a multiyear contract this offseason.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 03:56 PM) You guys bring up the Jackson/Hudson thing in EVERY THREAD and there's only like 1 post here about how it might factor into getting Crawford, i.e. the topic of this thread. You're f***ing killing me. Honestly, it will come back to haunt us in some sort of fashion this offseason, the Sox are so limited right now in payroll that the Peavy, Rios, and Jackson moves will be scrutinized heavily now that it is a distinct possibility that one of the fan favorites will be forced out due to their demands or current contract (Danks, Buehrle, etc.).

Read on up on arbitration and how it works: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/free...ion-primer.html It's a decent overview of how it works.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 04:14 PM) We all know Sale is going nowhere... Covering any other cost?!?...really. I'd think the Marlins would seriously consider Danks. And to get a player like Stanton...if it'd cost Beckham or Morel...so be it IMO. But Sale is probably as off limits as it gets. Morel really isn't worth that much to other teams, he's more valuable to the Sox than he is in a trade. Beckham, with his performance thus far, is not worth Stanton. Danks will cost almost $10 million in arbitration next year and the Marlins won't pay that. Even Sale isn't worth Stanton because right now there is a huge risk of whether Sale is a front line starter or a closer. Mike Stanton is one of the league's best young OFers, and will be under team control for the next 5 years atleast, and has proven that he can hit at the ML level already. There is no way the Sox will get him.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 04:04 PM) ok...lemme throw this out there. IF Konerko signs elsewhere I think the term "rebuilding" will be applicable to this team. It's a very realistic possibility he'll leave. What then? Can you replace that production with a Dunn or whoever in that ilk?...doubtful. But then again I honestly doubt Paulie puts up those kind of numbers again. Does anybody think that a deal with the Marlins would be possible for Mike Stanton? I definitely think it would have to include probably Danks and Q with some filler...but if the Sox do go into "rebuild" mode...Kenny needs to target some young stud power hitters with Stanton being at the top of the list IMO. Stanton would cost Beckham, Sale, Morel, and any other living body we have plus the Sox covering any cost associated with those players.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 02:38 PM) Forget it. Let's just go with what we have. I can't wait to see Flowers handle the staff while batting .220 and striking out 200 times and Teahen and Quentin butchering plays in RF and alternating as sub-par DH's. Pierre's good enough in LF, I guess. Bring on the Twins! Who said Flowers will be the starting catcher? Who said Teahen and Quentin will be in RF? The offseason hasnt even started yet! Jeez.

He takes a timeout, and then promptly throws his 4th interception. Do they really think Hanie can't do better?

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 01:58 PM) You trade Pierre and Quentin for some bullpen help. Peavy should come back, but if not Jackson has proven to be an adequate replacement. Sale or Garcia can be the fifth starter if needed. Of course this is just a pipe dream anyway, but the point was to stop slobbering all over the perennial loser Twins and their "way." I prefer the Yankee way. You're actually looking at more of a Cubs way, without the consistent attendance figures to support such a team.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 01:49 PM) What holes? Bullpen (you're missing a closer and atleast one setup man and middle reliever), possibly starting rotation if Peavy doesn't come back near 100%.

QUOTE (knightni @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 01:44 PM) My suggestion would be to find yourself a girl so that her texts and life don't bother you as much. You sound like a guy who regrets the "let's see other people because we're so far away from each other" decision because you see that she easily moved on without you. I do miss being in a relationship and missing that connection, but I knew that it had passed with her so I wouldn't say it was that. I think you're right though in that I should find someone to actually date and not just flirt around with.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 10, 2010 -> 01:38 PM) Christ, that's a $160 million team next year. With alot of holes to fill still.