witesoxfan

Mackowiak can play 2B too. We don't have to celebrate all of his defensive s***tiness in CF.

QUOTE(holly wiggins @ Jul 4, 2006 -> 12:53 PM) So how would we know if KW were NOT shopping for a center fielder If there is no mention of it at all, then he is not shopping for one. Is there a mention of him looking/not looking for a new catcher in the article? Not so much. Thus, he's probably not looking around for a C. If I had to completely guess, which I love doing, I would venture to guess that he isn't really looking to get a new CFer, or that he's not looking to move BA, but that if the right offer were to come around, he'd take it in a second.

QUOTE(qwerty @ Jul 4, 2006 -> 04:59 AM) Didn't you know it only effected the people who did well in the home run derby? Oh so basically if JD does horrible in the derby we're fine. If he doesn't do horrible, we are so screwed

QUOTE(qwerty @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 04:41 PM) Teams have their own little homeruns derby's that no one ever knows hears about. I think a little too much has been made out of it... i mean they also use to have weekly homerun derby's on tv and it is doubtful that they were thrown off left and right. The players that are always pointed to are the players that slump in the second half... aka the aberrations. Players can slump at any given time... for an extended period of time... and a home run derby is definitely not gonna be the sole cause for it. DUDE JASON BAY SUCKED IN THE SECOND HALF LAST YEAR, DUH WHAT ARE YOU STUPID

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 09:49 PM) Its hands down the best division in baseball and you could make a case that 3 of the 5 best teams in baseball are in the division (Mets and BoSox being the ones not in the division; I left the Cards out for a reason, namely that there pitching is weaksauce and I tend to think the Mets is too). The Twins and Tigers scare me 10X more than Boston does. I would go as far as saying that the 3 best teams in baseball are in the AL Central, which is a shame, yet freakin awesome at the exact same time, and that is by and large because all 3 teams have pitching up the asshole. Boston has a solid top of the rotation, but if they are trading for Jason Johnson, and are giving up a very solid reliever in Riske for a guy in AAA, their pitching is quite obviously not nearly as deep as the other 3. That, in my mind, is why the Tigers, Twins, and Sox are the 3 best teams in the majors.

Thoughts to ponder to all those in favor of bringing Jones in. In bringing Jones in, the Sox are adding approximately $5-7 mill on this year's payroll alone, as well as adding another $13.5 mill on next year's. The Sox payroll is starting to increase at a pretty steep rate, but with raises due to several players on the team just due to their contracts, are the Sox going to be able to afford a $115 million payroll? You also have to understand Jones is almost undoubtedly leaving Chicago after 2007 if acquired - his agent is the only and only Scott Boras, as previously mentioned on this thread, and he's going to be looking for a contract that ties him up for the rest of his career, probably in the $14-17 million a year range, as well as probably a no-trade clause in his contract. If the Sox were to grant him both of those wishes(it's sorta possible, as Jones actually signed his contract with Atlanta with no help from Boras...as I recall, Boras had about a $115 million contract ready to go with Texas, but Andruw gave Atlanta a hometown discount and stayed), 1 of 4 scenarios will play out 1. The Sox hit a wall around 2009-10, and they are stuck with an albatross of a contract. 2. The Sox continue playing well, but Jones hits a wall, and they are stuck with an albatross of a contract. 3. Both the Sox and Jones hit a wall, and the Sox are fistf***ed. 4. Both the Sox and Jones continue to play well, and there are no consequences. If Jones were to leave, what do the Sox do in CF for the long term? Both Sweeney and Owens are mediocre to bad defensive CFers, thus causing a void in CF defensively for the Sox, unless they are to again spend big on a CFer, which limits their spending on other parts of the team. The thoughts to ponder in not bringing Jones in are much simpler. You have great defense in CF, you have a CFer for 5 more years beyond 2006, guaranteed, you already have a good offense, you already have a good defense, and you're putting out a team that costs $13 million less than a team with Andruw Jones, thus allowing you to put the money to more than one use on a player that is really unnecessary to bring in. All fantasies aside, Jones to the Sox, atleast to me, makes no sense. Short-term, it would be huge for the Sox, and it's very apparent that KW wants to repeat as World Champion. However, while that need to win keeps this Jones a possibility, albeit a small possibility, it just does not make sense long term. To me, I am seeing 4 scenarios where a Jones acquisition turns out negatively, and 1 where it is positive short and long term. Regardless of how likely the positive scenario is to play out, you can't like the number of scenarios where it turns out bad.

You guys swing dont think Thome can hurt himself in the derby? Are you guys kidding me? You swing as hard as Jim Thome 50 times in an hour, and tell me how your back feels. I don't care that he's a professional athlete and that he's in amazing condition, there's still an injury risk every time he swings a bat...if he gets extended swings like in a home run derby, it could be bad news. I too would rather see no Sox player in it, but if they choose to be in it, I'll watch and cheer just like anyone else.

Anyone who says the Twins can't hang with the Sox and Tigers is fooling themselves. Weak offensively? I don't think any offense with the best hitter in the game can be considered weak. Perhaps mediocre overall, but not weak. And that rotation and bullpen is not cooling down anytime soon. This division is friggin ridiculous. Cleveland, in all their s***iness, wins probably 3 or 4 other divisions in the majors...in the AL Central, they are nothing more than 4th place big boy fodder.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Jun 30, 2006 -> 06:55 PM) Will Bill Stoneman pack it in though? They've designated Jeff Weaver and called back up his brother, who if he continues to pitch like he has, could help the Angels get right back into the AL West race. I'd love to acquire Figgins though. Don't know if Sciosia or Stoneman will let the likes of Morales, Kotchman, McPherson develop and play everyday at the major league level though. If a trade for Figgins is to occur, it's going to happen in mid-to-late July, when the Angels are (hopefully) a little further out of the race. I'd imagine they're going to stick it out and see if they can't get back in the race. If they are way out, he's going to be very available...not sure how they feel about McPherson anymore, so it's hard for me to say how much interest they'd have in Fields.

I like this too. Switch hitter, but he's not that good of a hitter against LHP. Shouldn't cost too much, but does have some value, and he has playoff experience...I'd be cool with it. Great speed, great versatility are also nice. Only real negative is that he is basically another LH bat, because he cant s*** left-handed pitching for s***. Not gonna cost too much either, seeing as how Figgins is having a bad year.

Holy s***, that got f'in intense

QUOTE(VAfan @ Jun 27, 2006 -> 02:06 PM) I posted this thread on June 11th. Since then, Cameron has hit 6 HRs in 12 games. (Plus Dave Roberts, who could have slid over to CF, has gone on the DL.) Ah well. He would have been a great addition. Now, he'd likely be too pricey. He was too pricey before then too

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jun 28, 2006 -> 01:57 PM) Torres was the only guy who would interest me. But Polite is having a nice showing in his rehab starts, and I would rather stick with what we have. We havent even used Riske to his fullest yet, and he holds a sub 4 ERA for his career. That looks like a pretty brutal contract for a guy with a 4.80 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a .298 BAA in 50.6 IP

QUOTE(VAfan @ Jun 27, 2006 -> 02:47 PM) For a middling prospect, I suppose it is hard to argue against making such a move. But is this the best a WS champion can do? It's not the best they can do; it's all the more KW has to do. The Sox may not even need him, because the pen appears to be pretty much set - trading for Hernandez is a trade to bring in depth, and it is nothing more than that. Umm.....

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Jun 28, 2006 -> 08:17 AM) Tejada > Guillen by a wide margin. I think too many people on soxtalk nitpick about everything. If I signed to a team that told me they were going to do their damn best to compete, then watch as every FA signs elsewhere, I'd be pissed too. Especially when pitching isn't working out at all. By a wide margin? Tejada - .312 16 54 .366/.513/.879 Guillen - .298 9 44 .380/.491/.871 You factor in that Guillen is probably more valuable to Detroit than Tejada would be to them, along with the fact that Tejada is getting a huge friggin paycheck AND that he has controversy surrounding him almost constantly now with banned substances, and it's not worth it for Detroit. The only thing Tejada has over Guillen is durability. That's a big factor, but Guillen has been pretty healthy this year, so I don't see them making a move during the season for a shortstop.

QUOTE(Jimbo @ Jun 28, 2006 -> 11:01 AM) Bobby is really a freak of nature, what a great pick up by KW. Joe Morgan is a complete moron, he should stop hiding behind radar guns and his vaunted K Zone. What great scouting by Dave Wilder and company. Seeing the potential he had and then seeing that he was probably MLB ready pitching in AA in the middle of June/July? Major props to the scouting staff with Jenks.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jun 28, 2006 -> 02:02 PM) I cant believe nobody is giving this trade any love. It's a horrible trade; it's not the worst trade ever. Atleast Neifi played with the Royals and was semi productive. How would you feel if you are the Astros or the Marlins and you let Johan Santana go for nothing? July 2, 1995: Signed by the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent. December 13, 1999: Drafted by the Florida Marlins from the Houston Astros in the 1999 rule V draft. December 13, 1999: Traded by the Florida Marlins to the Minnesota Twins for Jared Camp (minors) and cash.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 28, 2006 -> 01:33 PM) Amphets 159 games or more in 7 straight years...yeah that makes sense

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 28, 2006 -> 05:20 AM) (did they actually give up Gaby Hernandez for LoDuca, I was thinking Hernandez was part of the Delgado deal???), Encarnacion leaving, and well we know Mota really blew up (Mota was more of a throw in as opposed to the key cog to get Hanley Ramirez, imo). Lo Duca for Hernandez and Brinkley The Delgado trade was Petit and Jacobs going to Florida. And while I would agree that Mota was more of a salary dump too, he was part of the trade...they were probably more happy just to get rid of him than anything else though.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 27, 2006 -> 08:09 PM) The Steelers will probably win, but the Sox truly played like a team (Than again so did the Steelers). QUOTE(whitesoxin @ Jun 27, 2006 -> 11:49 PM) Are the results based solely on the fans vote? If so we're probably screwed going up against the Steelers. How can a team that goes wire-to-wire 162 games in first place and 11-1 in the postseason not the best team in a season? GMAB the Steelers don't deserve it over us. They were a wild card 6 seed. Yes, they won the Super Bowl, but great teams usually have great seasons and postseasons, ie White Sox. And there you have the two varying degrees of best team. The Sox should win either way you look at it. The 5th team ever to go wire-to-wire in 100+ years of Major League Baseball? That's a pretty damn good team. Everyone playing a large part in the team's success? That's a pretty damn good team.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Jun 27, 2006 -> 11:25 PM) their "heart and soul" Paul Lo Duca (traded away for scraps this past offseason,) got nothing in return this past offseason for Mota, Lo Duca Gaby Hernandez - 3.94 ERA, 91.3 IP, 90 H, 7 HR, 26 BB 91 K at High-A 20 years old Not sure how you can say they got nothing for Lo Duca Mota was also part of the trade that brought in Hanley Ramirez..not only was he Boston's top prospect, but he started off hotter than hell too. He's only hitting like .185 in June, but inconsistency is to be expected out of young players. If you're talking about the after effects of Mota, Lo Duca, and Encarnacion, you have to look at the after effects of Penny too. He was injured a lot of last year, but still put up a sub 4.00 ERA and won 7 games for a mediocre Dodger team. This year, he's putting up a line of 8-2 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP, with a solid K/BB ratio. I do however agree that it was pretty much a bad trade for both teams in 2004, as they both were worse because of it.

QUOTE(Cuck the Fubs @ Jun 26, 2006 -> 10:41 PM) In all fairness, Mariotti has been subject to physical threats by White Sox personal. If you were in such a situation where they start attacking you physically, would you want to go face-to-face with them? I wouldn't. If I were to talk s*** about you, slandering you constantly right here, and you had no way of responding to it in writing because it wouldn't be published...would you physically threaten me if I were to come to your place of work asking you questions with you full-well knowing that I am just going to take that info and turn it against you again in a day or two? Drew pretty much hit the nail on the head right here...Mariotti is threatened because of the things he writes, not because of the person he is.

QUOTE(Whitewashed in @ Jun 26, 2006 -> 11:07 PM) I don't think everyone knows that, but I think the beef they have is that he's been a power pitcher his whole career with success so why change it now? Some might be curious as if he really has "intentionally" took mph off his fastball. You would think maybe he would rear back every once in a while during a jam to blow it past them, but nothing. Unless someones seen him rear back a few times, but the gun on comcast f***ing sucks. To extend your career instead of burning out at 28 like Kerry Wood? QUOTE(redandwhite @ Jun 26, 2006 -> 11:48 PM) What about Alex Cora? Cora's name always came up as someone that Williams liked, dare I say coveted. Not that he's struggling, he's actually performing really well, but I wonder if a Cora for Uribe, prospect/cash would work. He's not near the player Uribe is defensively. Uribe may get lazy defensively, but he can be a game-changer as well...as seen in game 4.

QUOTE(vandy125 @ Jun 26, 2006 -> 02:41 PM) That is exactly what I am talking about. It depends on what we give up. I would not want it to be very much because IMO the difference between the hitters in the AL vs the NL is huge, and everyone is pointing at how well he has been doing against a weak league this year. What happens when he plays against the much more talented AL? Will it be worth it to give up much? If we swing him for next to nothing, I am all for it, but I can't imagine that relievers who are doing well will go for next to nothing. I was probably underrating his value earlier, as it's going to cost more than a PTBNL/cash, but it's not going to cost you a Broadway or a Sweeney. If it does, KW is not touching him, and no one else will either. A 42 year old reliever on a 1 year contract is not going to have much value. I'm not sure in terms of who it would be on the Sox, but I would guess someone in the 15-20 range on the prospect list, perhaps someone like Chris Getz who has an outside chance of starting at some point in time but is more likely to be a utility player.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 23, 2006 -> 10:07 AM) See also Matt Leinart. I'm sure Leinart regrets that decision every day now. He was the consensus #1 pick to San Fran, but came back to school to see his running back win the Heisman, a scrambling QB win the National Championship, and 9 people get drafted ahead of him. Other such players would be dumb to make the same mistake. If Oden is smart, he's gone after year 1, because injuries can happen at any given time.