witesoxfan

QUOTE(Steve Bartman's my idol @ Jan 21, 2006 -> 05:17 PM) I'd trade ANY of our starters except Buehrle for Abreu in a 1 for 1 swap! Thankfully, you're not the Sox GM. Abreu has played 19 games in CF in his entire MLB career. He is a RFer by nature, so to put him in CF would be just dumb, especially when the Sox are built around pitching and defense. Abreu would be reverting back to the pre-2005 era of making a sexy move to draw fans in, when the move itself would likely hurt the team.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Jan 21, 2006 -> 02:34 AM) Young could take a few years to develop, it's a big risk to take him at #1. It really depends on whether they can unload Davis. Really they should trade down and pick the OT Ferguson, but that's not the "sexy" pick that is going to sell tickets for Bob McNair. So basically, do you prefer to be the Detroit Tigers or the Chicago White Sox of the NFL?

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Jan 21, 2006 -> 01:25 AM) I still think if the team's gonna move, it's gonna be to Portland. Las Vegas would be the biggest risk/reward scenario, but I don't think that will evantuate. The Charlotte scenario would be a longshot at this point. There is too much risk for the MLB to take to put the Marlns in Las Vegas. I don't really view it as a possibility.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Jan 21, 2006 -> 02:05 AM) Touche Well they did lose Victor Riley who was one of the starting tackles. I wouldnt say just because he had roughly a 4 yd per carry avg given the listed stats that his line is that good. A bit off topic but look at Carr: 2003-04 sacked 15 times 04-05 sacked 49 05-06 sacked 68 Thats mostly what I based my idea off of, and Davis didnt even get a thousand yards. He did have some decent stats, personally if he had such a good rush avg then why two tds? He had a very good line. I'll take a 4.2 yards per carry out of my back any day. That's very solid. It is quite clear he was on pace for 1000 yards...he rushed for only 976 due to being limited to 11 games. That's probably Davis' major concern is his health, as he appears a bit injury prone. I would venture to guess Davis didn't score nearly as much this year due to several factors...probably a little afraid to use him around the goalline with the bruisers in, due to his injuries, thus preferring to use Jonathan Wells instead near the goalline. Wells' 4 TDs were perhaps also a cause of the Texans moving to the now-a-days strategy that you referred to in an earlier post, using a bigger back near the goalline instead of the smaller back. I would also say it is just flat out due to poor redzone offense by the Texans...assuming I'm not overlooking anything, and I would almost find it hard that I'm not, Shaun Alexander scored more touchdowns this year(28) than the entire Houston Texans team combined(26). I think that kind of points a few signs to poor redzone offense too. That would also make it hard for Davis to score. Also...Carr's sack totals point more towards the direction of poor pass protection/poor pocket prescence by Carr and not as much at the OLine being bad at opening holes for the running attack.

QUOTE(rventura23 @ Jan 21, 2006 -> 01:50 AM) Sports writers predictions are pretty terrible in general at the beginning of the season. Its funny to go back and look how off they are year after year. What's really funny is how much Neyer loved the Sox over the Twins when the Twins were winning...he loved them so much he predicted the Sox would win the division in 05. One month into the season, he was off the Sox bandwagon - after the incredible start the Sox had - because they were not a good sabermetrical team. At some point, you just have to give up the argument and STFU. Given Neyer's previous analysises(what the hell is the plural form of analysis anyways?), I tend to think that he is wrong like 95% of the time. He just seems clueless. I mean, this is the same guy that said the Sox had one of the worst offseasons in the league last year(along with every other writer in the country...good call on that one fellows), yet called Jermaine Dye one of the best value FA signings of the offseason. Atleast when he's right, it turns out well for the Sox.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Jan 21, 2006 -> 01:04 AM) because nobody could survive running the ball behind the Texans o line 2003-04 - 14 games, 1031 yards on 238 carries(4.3 per carry), 8 TDs 2004-05 - 15 games, 1188 yards on 302 carries(3.9 per carry), 13 TDs 2005-06 - 11 games, 976 yards on 230 carries(4.2 per carry), 2 TDs Those are the numbers of Domanick Davis. I don't think he believes you.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Jan 21, 2006 -> 12:58 AM) I think nowadays you want the type of player that breaks runs in midfield that can help a team get to the endzone, for example shaun alexander..and when they get down there they use players like Duckett and Bettis to bust it in or the qb sneaks it in or passes it. Please tell me you are not suggesting that Shaun Alexander is not a redzone RB. Please. I agree that Alexander is the type that can break long runs at midfield, but it's a poor example in this scenario, as Alexander kind of broke the single season touchdown record this year. Perhaps using Onterrio Smith/Michael Bennett/Mewelde Moore and Moe Williams in Minnesota would be a better choice.

QUOTE(Steve Bartman's my idol @ Jan 20, 2006 -> 04:06 PM) Peter Rose was a glorified singles hitter AND a degenerate gambler. IMO, he belongs in the HOF as much as I do. Ty Cobb was a glorifed singles hitter AND beat the s*** out of people. Why is he a hall of famer? Tony Gwynn was a glorified singles hitter too...and he only had about 1200 fewer hits than Pete Rose did in his career. Pete Rose belongs in the baseball hall of fame a little more than you do. He hit major league pitches a hell of a lot more than you ever did in your life, so just for doing that he deserves to be in the hall of fame more than you.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Jan 20, 2006 -> 05:42 PM) High Reward? You've got to be kidding. I'm about the biggest Willie supporter on this site, and I would never classify any move that involved keeping/adding Willie as high reward. Sure, it's not a mistake of a signing. Willie is a serviceable major league player, one who if used right can be very productive for a cheap price, but he's never going to be better than, say, league average. Since it's a non-guaranteed deal, No Risk, Little Reward would be a better classification of the deal. Yessssssssssss, he didn't flame me for it

And somewhere, VAfan is crying

There is not a chance in hell that Anderson is in LF with Pods in CF. Not a chance in hell. Anderson's arm is stronger than Pods and his reads are much better than Pods...there is not nearly enough of a difference in speed to justify starting Pods in CF over Anderson...if Rowand starts in CF over Pods, there is no chance Pods starts in CF over Anderson.

Personally...I think we'll be just fine with Pods-Uribe at the top of the order and then PK-Thome-Dye-AJP-Iguchi...I tend to think Uribe is in line for a pretty big year, and him hitting 2nd is not going to hurt it. I think him hitting 9th after the year he had in '04 sort of killed his confidence, and having no protection didn't help much either. Hitting behind Pods and in front of PK/Thome will do wonders for Uribe. However...say, hypothetically, Uribe doesn't work in the 2 slot...but Iguchi is killing the ball down in the order and is a real force for us. Do we take that force away, or do we find someone else to fill that spot in the lineup...someone like, say, AJ Pierzynski? I know he's not your prototypical 2 hitter, but I personally think he would probably be a pretty good 2 hitter. He has shown he can atleast keep the ball fair when he bunts, he doesn't strike out much at all, he would be great in hit-and-run situations, he can go to the right side of the infield rather easily, and it would get him more into the hit for average mentality again rather than the hit for power type mentality. I dunno...maybe just food for thought.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 04:14 PM) It is wierd how Neyer just wrote how the Twins and Indians got better and the White Sox did not over the off season. Now this article gives the White Sox get an A while the Indians get a C and the Twins get a D. How can that be? Maybe, just maybe, Neyer is a moron. Neyer is a Royals fan at heart...Royals slurpers have proven to be bad writers over time(see Posnanski, who was pwn3d many a time by Soxtalk in the 2003 season) Neyer is also going based off last year to judge next year, which is just assinine because last year and this year are apples and oranges. I'm wondering why in the hell he isn't pimping the Marlins more than he is.

I will take teh Buffalo before Balta...mwahaha

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jan 20, 2006 -> 09:22 AM) I dont see him as an option in CF, I see his signing as being a prelude to a graffanino trade. Willie could start for them at 2B and Lead off possibly. Loretta?

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jan 20, 2006 -> 01:33 PM) Were getting love b/c were World Champs. Im not kidding. Wouldn't surprise me in the least. When Andy Marte was still in the Braves system, he was viewed as a very good hitting prospect that was near ready at a very young age. When traded to Boston, he instantly became God and the best hitter guaranteed over the next 15 years.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 11:00 PM) Is it just me or is he like another Ross Gload, they strike me as similar players, frankly instead of Grieve Id like to give some of the younger guys a shot at pinch hitting. I dont necessarily think we needed him, not like hes done anything impressive as a pinch hitter for the Cubs that comes to mind. Um, or they are almost completely opposite of each other? Grieve plays OF, and has never played 1B in the majors. He doesn't hit much for average, does draw a lot of walks, strikes out quite a bit, and has some raw power. Gload plays 1B, and plays a very poor corner OF. He hits for a decent average, does not draw a ton of walks, doesn't strike out nearly as much as Grieve, and doesn't have near the power Grieve has. And I'd personally rather have young guys getting ABs in the minors rather than having them waste away on the big league roster.

I still say he signs with Atlanta. He has a home in Atlanta, the Falcons need a receiver, Mora's probably atleast a little familiar with him...and I just wanna see battle of the egos.

QUOTE(Whitewashed in '05 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 10:21 PM) I don't get it... He left because he wanted to start. He's getting pretty much the same role with them as he would have gotten with us. He left because the White Sox non-tendered him I also don't view Harris as an easy out...I actually view it as a great low-risk, high-reward signing by the Red Sox. He has shown flashes of being a very solid player at times, such as posting a .343 OB in 04 starting most of the time, including a .360 OB against RHP that year. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Harris starting for Boston in CF. His arm isn't much, and he doesn't get very good reads on balls...and I think I'd still prefer him defensively in CF over Damon.

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 02:43 PM) You forget about Chris Young already? And he plays a horrid CF from all accounts btw and yes most scouts project him to be a 4th OF. wite = pwn3d

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 02:31 PM) The Twins were right in the middle of WC race before Torii went down. You take that into account plus Castillo who is just infinitely better then who they have had there before, insert Liriano/Baker and eventually both plus I expect Morneau to improve significantly and you got the 2nd best team in ALC imo and maybe in the AL. I tend to agree. The Twins almost always seem to struggle with a few injuries throughout the season, but they have added depth to their team this year...I'd say roughly 10-11 deep on guys that make atleast adequate fill-ins. I'm not going to suggest they can just lose Hunter or anything like that and still find success, but in all reality, he's about the only guy they can lose that will really hurt them quite a bit, as his defense in CF makes their entire OF defense that much better. But they lose Morneau, and they have Cuddyer who can be a quick fill in...they lose Batista, same thing...Castillo, same thing. They lose Stewart, and they move Castillo to the top of the order and have Kubel/Ford fill in at LF. They also have Baker/Liriano...whoever...in AAA ready and waiting in case injury strikes the rotation too. The Sox are in a similar position, but I would venture to guess one not nearly as favorable depth wise. I obviously take the Sox rotation in a second over Minnesota's, and the infield situations are almost identical, but you look at the OF, and the Sox are not sitting nearly as pretty. The Sox likely have Podsednik in CF with Owens/Borchard/Ozuna/Macko in LF if Anderson goes down, and then those 4 for LF or RF if Pods or Dye goes down...I know I'll take Ford/Kubel over that any day of the week. Add to the fact that Cuddyer too can play a little OF, and I just don't see how the Twins aren't back to being a very solid all-around team. I will make no bet on who I think will be better between Cleveland or Minnesota though...so much can go right or wrong so quickly for both teams that I wouldn't be able to make a decision. Just have to hope the Sox this year can be just as good last year within the division.

I think the Twins are back to being an underrated team. Starting 5 of Santana-Radke-Silva-Lohse-Liriano, still a very solid pen, and a pretty solid lineup all around. I still think they should have reacquired Koskie, traded Lohse to whomever for some more prospects, and gone with an infield of Morneau-Castillo-Bartlett-Koskie from 1b-3b...but I do not make the decisions for the Twins. They will also get Kubel back from his ACL tear, and his addition is huge...you are looking at Stewart-Hunter-Ford-Kubel in the OF, which is very solid and underrated offensively, especially if Ford can bounce back to anything near his 2004 campaign.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 01:53 PM) I'd love to see T.O.'s reaction when Grossman goes down and Orton has to come in to throw to him. He would undoubtedly just find someone to yell at. It's probably a good thing Ron Turner calls the plays from upstairs.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 02:56 AM) And I think wite meant that we lost our top hitter in Chris Young. Our top pitcher came off the prospect list in BMac and we traded away Gio ... all that and still number 11. Not bad. ^^^ Very near the upper echelon in the league when concering farm systems, and our minor leagues got ravaged this year...in a good way obviously, with callups and trades. I'm wondering where it is had KW not traded Young, Gio, and Haig.