witesoxfan

wsc....just to let you know, it is not that hard....hell, last year, I just started....and a guy I met online(though I haven't met personally) held this league that isn't your basic league....he called it Survivor Fantasy Baseball...and it was played out just like Survivor and was a very competitve league. Anyways....I got fifth in the league and a rookie won it all....he was pretty stacked. The point I'm trying to make is that you don't have to be experienced to win....you just gotta know a hell of a lot about baseball players and their stats and what not. If we have two deep leagues(like 20 teams for each), that would be awesome....there'd be trades flying through like crazy. You'd probably end up seeing a trade of Brain Daubach for Jeff Liefer sometime during the year, or a trade similar to that. Just plan ahead....do some homework. Hell, last year, I didn't do any at all...and I still did fine. It's all a matter of drafting smart and making smart moves after that. And with 180-some days of baseball, it is quite thrilling at times....though it also gets boring if nothing is happening. If there was a 20-team league, it wouldn't get boring....trust me.

Now instead of getting his ass smacked around by the White Sox pitching for the Indians, he gets to be the one doing the ass-whooping as he kicks the s*** out of the Indians(as it seems we were pretty good lifetime against Bartolo). I hope he can help get us to the ALCS or the World Series....that would be b****in!!!

My dad's told me some nasty s*** about everclear....like a dixie cup full will put you on the ground.

cubkilla, rps , guido and myself were at that game...and i swear to god jose was looking right at us when he mocked samme..we were right behind home plate a little to the first base side...we were the only sox fans in our section..god did we go nuts when he did that...jose will always be one of my favorites That would be sweet as hell to experience...I've heard so many stories of our 2000 season that I didn't have a clue about. I really wasn't into baseball and as knowledgeable about the game as I am now. I've heard about Singleton's sliding into a person with his cleats out and Jose's mock and the fight with Detroit as well(and I've heard that that was really what caused the hot streak). The fact that we play the Twins early this year and that there is bad blood between both teams is very nice....by no means am I wishing bodily harm on either team....but having Koch knock Pierzynski on his ass once or twice could get AJ to charge the mound and clear the benches....we could then get hot and be unstoppable. This is the kind of team that has the potential to go on some long winning streaks....we have some very good talent in the rotation, very good talent in the bullpen and a very talented lineup....if those 3 are all clicking at the same time....watch out. I wouldn't be surprised to see us win 10-15 straight at sometime this year

I don't like the idea of trading top prospects to ANY team....let alone a division foe. (for this next sentence, you'll have to bear with me) I'd hate to see Dan Wright starting game 7 of the World Series and Joe Crede hitting a walk-off homer that scores Willie Harris with the winning pitcher of the game being David Sanders and Edwin Almonte getting a hold....FOR THE ROYALS, that is. If we could get him for Hummel and two pitching prospects(I'd even consider Malone)....I'd do it. And he makes $6 mill this year....trade Lee, Ginter, Hummel, and Malone while taking on a million or two for Beltran....then Rowand moves over to LF and is still given a shot to start daily.

You'd be crazy not to....I was just showing how similar they actually are. Valentin is probably a very good spark for the team....in 2000, we had him at SS and he ignited out lineup(along with Thomas's production). In 01 and 02, he was not playing SS....he was not sparking the lineup. When he got SS back in August, we started playing well again. It is something about him playing SS that just does that....it's like a mojo or something.

As soon as the exhibition games start(and we kick the s*** out of the Cubs for the first time of the year)....it goes by a little faster. The weather starts to improve....and everything is fine and dandy. The last week is brutal....it is boring as hell....especially when it starts on March 31st....atleast this year it starts on March 25th....6 days earlier! That is sweet.

This is a good question to have, but I have got to ask it anyways. Say in two years(when Honel, Malone, Munoz, etc....are ready) that we have one of the top 3 rotations in baseball with a Colon, Buehrle, Garland, Wright and Rauch rotation(with Garland, Wright and Rauch pitching very well)...what in the hell do you do with Honel, Malone, Munoz, etc?

And hockey is a feet-dominated sport? Learn something new every day. Many people don't like hockey because of the geo-cultural conditioning and habits; Brazilians couldn't give a sh*t about it in the same way Iceland-ites don't care about beach volleyball. Plus, one often chooses the same sport simply because their parents did and their parents did...As understandeable, not to mention common, as this phenomenon is, I find it limiting and just plain boring. I don't care about bolwing, pool and ping-pong and all sort of arcades (indoor non-team sports suck!), but then again I love soccer, hockey, tennis and baseball. Racial and/or national diversity is not the last reason why I love them. There. Not saying hockey is a feet dominated sport....but not only do you have to be able to skate(which is difficult in it's own right), you also have to use the hockey stick. Baseball is like that to...but you do get to use your hands more in baseball. I also like the fact that baseball is an untimed sport....you don't have to worry about 3 seconds left on the clock or anything like that....hell, the Sox were in like an 8 hour game that lasted 25 innings that ended with a Harold Baines walk-off homer, right? How often will you see one game last 8 hours? Hell, pro golfers could shoot 2 1/2 rounds in 8 hours with spectators watching. However....the last part you wrote pretty much summarizes me. I hadn't thought about it. My dad is a big baseball fan, and he loves bowling, and likes football and will watch important basketball games....though he hates soccer and couldn't give a rats-ass about hockey(though he, along with me too, will occasionally watch a game when nothing else is on). I personally don't find it boring....but others may. It is good for father-son bonding....and is probably a big reason why my dad and I are so close.

I actually think that was just the New York media. My take on this whole issue was this... New York wanted to keep Bartolo out of Boston....so they 'reported' that he weighed about 270-280 pounds or so....waaaay out of shape. Knowing how large the New York media is, anyone would believe this(unless they actually knew better). This way Boston would be unattracted to Bartolo. New York knew we had been contacting Montreal about acquiring Colon...so New York then contacted us and Montreal about this deal and then to help it move along a little faster, decided to chip in El Duque, whom the Yankees knew the Expos were interested in acquiring, assuming of course that he was fully paid for. The Yankees chipped in $2 mill, and got a decent(but shaky) reliever and a decent prospect in the deal.....a hell of a deal for them. Montreal and Chicago then went on resuming talks and got the trade done....bingo. Colon is on the South Side. I think New York helped get the deal done....just not as much as everyone thinks....or possibly more, depending upon how much you thought they were actually involved in the deal. Many people have said that New York was completely behind the deal....which is untrue....because Selig, Minaya and KW did play a big part in the deal. But if you believe the Yankees played no part in the deal, that would also be untrue....if that was the case, Bartolo would be in Florida wearing a Red Sox uniform, the Yankees wouldn't have Osuna and we still would(that would suck). You gotta love it when a team that has power like the Yankees gives back to the poor...in this case, even if you hate the Yankees as a baseball team(as I do with a passion), gotta call them Robin Hood and give them a hug(or atleast try to).

I'm surprised no one else has caught clujer's error. Royce didn't average 16 homers and 90 RBIs both years he was here...that's what he had combined, if that even....because I know for damn sure he hit about 7 homers this year(6 in April if I remember correctly) and had about 40 RBIs....something tells me he didn't hit about 25 homers in 2001 while driving in about 135....hitting under .100 for the first two months of the year and hitting from the #9 spot in the order would make it hard to drive in 40 runs, let alone 135. If he had averaged a .260 16 90 season the past two years, something tells me he would have gotten more than $1 mill from Milwaukee in offers this year. Also, I forgot to mention....if you think Jose is a worse defensive SS than K-layton, look at the stats yourself. All you have to do is look at either assists or put-outs(I'm assuming assists) and you can also look at how they turned DP's.....do NOT look at errors and fielding percentage. I'm sure people would take just Garciaparra's defense over Mike Bordick....one has range, one doesn't....one makes a lot of errors, one doesn't. With Bordick setting the consecutive errorless game streak, I don't think I have to tell you who is who. In this example, Garciaparra would be Valentin and Bordick would be Clayton....meaning that Valentin is a better defensive SS than Clayton.

You know what I don't understand? People here are trashing Jose because of his defense, yet would take Garciaparra in a second over Valentin(I would too if given the chance).....most of them think that Garciaparra also plays better defense. HE DOESN'T. In fact, from what I understand, he probably plays WORSE defense than Jose. His bat is undeniably good and he does have a pretty good glove...hell, he's a top 3 SS(him being in the group of ARod, who is the obvious #1 choice, and Tejada as well....Jeter blows). However, if we were to trade Valentin straight up for Garciaparra, we would be taking on an extra $13-15 mill in salary. What I'm mainly venting about here is how good Jose is for what he costs....you couldn't spend $5 million on the open market and get something better than Jose...he is a team leader, he has good range, though does make a lot of errors, he will hit .250 25 70 every year guaranteed and when he has someone protecting him he can hit .270-.280 with 25-30 homers and 90-100 RBI and he hits very well in clutch situations, and as a bonus, he's left-handed with the stick...and when healthy, he can steal between 15-25 bases. He does strike out more than he should(he'll K about 100 times a year) and he doesn't walk enough....but if he did those things, and everything else....he's be a $10 mill man. That's the best product $5 million could get you on today's market. What, would you rather have the Choice back for $1 mill? Hey, he could hit under .200(and at times under .100) for the first two months of the year and then when we are out of it start to hit well, make just the plays that come to him and show no range, whine to Jerry and the media when he is benched and cause all sorts of hell in the clubhouse....is that what you want? Personally, I'll choose Jose and his extra $4 mill on his salary ANY day of the week over the Choice....and for that matter, Jimenez at SS as well. We are supposedly a team that is supposed to compete...and as it is, we have about 4 players who are playing their first full year in the majors as a starter(Rowand has played in both 2001 and 2002, but never has had a full time starting job)....you are telling me you'd like to get rid of Jose and add even more youth to the equation, making it even more of a b**** to compete with the "powerful" Twinkies? If Harris had an incredible year, he could hit .280 with an OBP of about .340 and he could steal 30-40 bases....most likely, he'd hit about .240 with an OBP(not an average) of about .280 with 15-25 steals while playing defense just as well as Jimenez would. I'd personally rather go with the guaranteed .250 25 70 from Jose, even if he plays s***ty routine defense while making the spectacular play once a week or so....atleast I know what I'd get. Jose makes $5 million....that is cheap for what we are receiving on the field. He is one of the more valuable pieces on the team, IMO, right behind Frank, Maggs and Buehrle....hell, I'd trade Paulie before Valentin....you don't normally find SS's who can hit 25 homers without striking out 188 times(*cough*Jose Hernandez*cough*). It trule is a rarity in today's game. Also, without him, we have no lefty power in the lineup ANYWHERE....and then we don't get what I talked about up above as well. Rant over

Jas, let me clear this up for you. You would care if the walls were piss yellow. Trust me.....even if we did go 173-0.....you would somehow sneak a shot at the piss yellow walls of USCF eventually. And I think we're good....and we gotta hope we get hot in time for the playoffs.

I was watching SportsCenter last night, and saw Colon a little....he looks fine....like he has in years past. And I wouldn't exactly call Colon fat....but I'm not crazy enough to call him skinny. I'd say pudgy fits the bill well. It's one thing if you're fat....another thing if you are fat and slow. But if you are fat, you're slow, and you suck....then you don't stand a frickin chance, even if you can throw it 100 MPH(because if you suck, that would mean you have no control whatsoever).

How far is that from Sioux Falls? My dads side of the family lives in a very very small town in Iowa, about 20 minutes outside of Sioux Falls. If I remember correctly....about 210 or 220 miles or so. Thing that is funny about all of this is that I live in a good-sized town for SoDak.....15,000 live in Pierre....and a huge amount of people live in Sioux Falls(about 125,000)....SoDak's total population is about 700,000...and that is nothing compared to some cities in Cali and is nothing compared to Chicago. I live in small-town America...and it seems big here. A decent-sized city is one that is about 3000-5000 in population....talk about small town America....cities suburbs have more waaay more than that. My city is like 150,000 and its a decent size city in California, but nothing huge. That's the funny thing....it's decent sized for Cali, but nothing big....yet, is more than 10 times bigger than Pierre(because 15,000 isn't the exact population....it is between 14,000-15,000....something around there). cw....that pretty much hits it on the dot....though I usually pay right away when I go to buy something....I'm not going to go in and take a PS2 and then say "I'll have the money on Monday!" or something like that! But for the most part, everyone knows everyone....exactly right. Small town life is great...and it sucks at the same time. I don't mind it as a teen though

I'm up for it

Hopefully it will look like that pic of the stadium that that one website put out....that looked sweet....and upper deck in RF, and having the short porch in right....with the short porch, Joey B could have the all-time rookie record for homers if he comes up and is ready in 2004....that'll be quite attractive to many lefty sluggers Anyways....a green wall? What the f*** is up with that? We have blue seats and a green wall? The f*** are they doing? That's gonna look ugly as hell

They did find nutritional supplements that contain effedrin in his locker....so effedrin kills again. I hope they make that an illegal drug for all...as it is, it is only illegal for those under the age of 18. That s*** is serious....causes heart attacks and seizures and all types of stuff like that...and it apparently also causes heat strokes. After all this, the goverment better look closely at effedrin....it is frickin deadly and should be banned by all and never produced again.

Exactly....all you have to do is look at our past two seasons....in 01, we suffered major injuries....in 02, Lofton sucked in May and sucked worse in June....we, as a team, sucked in May and we sucked in June. Only 2 teams each year get to the World Series out of 30....1 from each league. You gotta be DAMN good to get there...and I don't think we are at that level with the performances we would normally get....Thomas has to step up so the offense can get going, one of Wright, Rauch, and Garland has to step up big time, the bullpen has to live up to expectations, we have to have decent defense, Manuel can't make stupid decisions, KW has to make sure we don't throw in the towel if we are 3 or even 6 games out at the trade deadline...and most of that is just to get to the playoffs. If we actually get to the playoffs, we'd have to hope that our offense doesn't take a nap and suck, Colon, Buehrle, Garland and Wright pitch well, the bullpen doesn't implode, our bench comes through when necessary, and that we make no key mistakes at all...and then we have to outplay the other team. If we win the ALDS, then we gotta hope the same comes true...and if we are lucky enough to get to the World Series, we gotta hope all of the above plus we gotta hope some magic comes through on our side....because you gotta realize that the other team is fighting for the exact same thing as you, and that one of you will have to suffer a huge disappointment. I'm as optimistic as anyone on this board....but I realize what kind of luck it does take to get to the World Series...as they say, the hottest team in the playoffs is usually the team that wins it all....we gotta hope we are on fire in September and can carry it through October....I don't want to rip it up in the first half and then suck ass in the second half, yet still get in and then get swept in the first round(jeez, what does that sound like? hmmm)

I disagree slightly with the lineup.....Crede should be batting 7th, not Rowand....and Olivo is the starting catcher, not Alomar....Alomar will probably start opening day and he will probably be the starter for April...and then his knees will probably go out, leaving the door wide, wide open for Olivo....or in other words, I'd say Olivo is the starting catcher.

I'd say Koch is the closer over Marte....however, baggs, I want to look at your idea earlier. Say we do trade Foulke for Millwood....our rotation is Colon, Buehrle, Millwood, Garland, Wright....the bullpen is Marte, Gordon, White, Wunsch, Glover and Sanders(I'd use him rather than Munoz...let Arnie build up his stamina in the minors...and from what Jim Bullard told us, Sanders does have a pretty good arm as it is)....that still leaves us with Valentine in the minors and MJ at the major league level. We could then have signed Alomar to either a minor league contract or taked him into being a coach. We then don't have to worry about healthy issues, our bullpen is deeper, and our lineup is just as good with a better backup catcher(though MJ is terrible as a starter). We don't have to worry about carrying 3 catchers, so our bench is probably Daubach, Graffy, MJ, Harris and someone else(maybe Miles, maybe Hummel, maybe we go with 12 pitchers, maybe we just switch these guys a lot...maybe we go with Borchard...something like that....maybe Rios even). Then, for hypothetical reasons, White goes down with an injury...we then have a good question to have to answer....do we use Ginter, Almonte, or Valentine? I guess that's why they say hindsight is always 20/20 Regardless...I like our bullpen as it is. We'll have Gordon in the 7th(95-97 MPH), Marte in the 8th(95-97 MPH), and then Koch in the 9th(97-100 MPH)....to go along with junk in Wunsch and some junk, some power in Glover and White. It's fine as it is

Oh, then you know how it goes....it's great, yet at the same time it is boring....because it's small, you don't have to worry about being safe....but at times, because it is small, there sometimes isn't much to do. Well, part of that is probably because I'm a teenager....but I'm sure there are parts to that in which you could relate

Holy s***....it's that easy?! Someone, hook me up a trip to CC and about $5,000....NOW!

I think we should GET there first...and then I really don't care who we play, as long as we kick the s*** out of them.

Say Thomas hits .350 50 150 with an OBP of .500....that looks like a $10-12 mill season....not so fast though. Consider this.... With the new CBA, prices of players are dropping dramatically....last year, Kenny Rogers would have gotten $4-6 mill....not this year. This year, he's struggling to get any offers whatsoever....the only offers he's really gotten are probably from us, the Red Sox, the Rangers, the Mariners, and Japan....and only us, the M's and Japan are really still in the race....so that would bring even a great season down atleast $1 million and most likely way more....so we'll say that kind of season is worth around $8-10 million. His defense is very weak....though better than Mo Vaughn's.....still, his defense could cost some teams some crucial games....which also brings his value down some as well....around a million....so as of right now, we're talking about that kind of season being worth $7-9 mill....and he will be 36 next year....getting to be a pretty old guy. That could also bring his value down to about $6-8 mill. If Tellum has any sense whatsoever....he'll realize that $6 million with the possibility to earn $7+ and that's the smart way to go....and he'll have Thomas accept it. Either that, or the Sox and Frank rework a deal at the end of the year that makes him being with the Sox for the rest of his career....maybe a 5-year deal or so....that'd leave him with the Sox till his 41....and then resign him every year until he retires after that. I think Thomas will end his career with the White Sox....that'll be damn neat.