witesoxfan

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 14, 2013 -> 11:50 AM) It depends on what your expectations are for this team. I think 77 wins is a reasonable expectation. I posted an article where Scott Boras gave a pretty good argument that team's should be at their historical high for payroll given that revenues are up 200% since 2000 and franchise values have skyrocketed. No reason to believe the Sox couldn't add $25M to their payroll with ease. Teams ARE at their historical high for payroll. Not all contracts have been finalized, but I can gaurantee that payrolls across the majors will be up. In fact, I bet if you went back and looked at progressive payrolls across the majors, teams have spent more money every single year for the previous 10, 12, perhaps 25 years...something like that. That is, of course, looking at it from a macro level, which, whether Boras meant it that way or not, is absolutely true. And since 2000, every team has increased their payroll. The Sox team payroll in 2000 was, give or take, $15 million. Now, speaking from a micro level, do you think it would be wise for the New York Mets to continue to spend money and increase their payroll?

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 14, 2013 -> 10:39 AM) The problem is the team lost 500,000 in attendance AND the they still have to rebuild. No they don't

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 14, 2013 -> 09:42 AM) The White Sox are my proof. Really? They drew 2 million fans, which was 9th in the AL. That's not a good number, but consider that the 5 teams below them - Tampa Bay (worst stadium in an impossible location), Cleveland (terrible), Oakland (terrible stadium), Seattle (terrible team), and Kansas City (terrible team, mediocre stadium, AND they hosted the All-Star game). The Blue Jays were 8th with 2.1 million. The rest are teams that generally draw well, have new stadiums, are good, or some combination of those 3.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 09:31 PM) This thread is worse than the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie with sissy Trey Songz. But I have to stick up for kyyle. While they're definitely some power-happy mods around these parts, he's not one of them. You forgot my grapes and hot towels this morning minion.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 05:39 PM) I wonder why affluent white people don't make it a priority to go to these places if there's such an abundance of healthy food available there. I also don't know why they have to be affluent "white" people. Do you know many affluent people in general who live in trailer courts or ghettos? Do solely minorities, primarily blacks, live in trailer courts and ghettos?

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 05:39 PM) I wonder why affluent white people don't make it a priority to go to these places if there's such an abundance of healthy food available there. Housing and crime rates are probably #1 and #2 on that list, followed closely by schooling.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 05:25 PM) Not sure where you buy your food but when things like Petsmart come up in the results I have to wonder how good the shopping choices are in that area. Obviously that dogfood is a perfectly acceptable option for humans. Kidding aside, if an area has a specialty store for domesticated animals, chances are there are other options for food more palatable to humans in the area as well.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 04:51 PM) What beef you have with Cuban? He's a distraction to the actual event itself. I don't mind if ownership is hands on, but an owner needs to exhibit more class and professionalism than Cuban does on a nightly basis.

NFL Playoffs

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 01:49 PM) I'm not so sure that Jerry is the problem... Don't people, including people here, look at the Cowboys roster every year and think...that is a very talented team that can compete with the NFC East? I certainly do. I haven't felt like a lack of talent was their problem in a long time. I view a roster with a lot of talented players that don't fit together as a cohesive unit, especially now with a 4-3 Tampa 2 coordinator.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 02:05 PM) What exactly do you think ownership does other than approve financial-related decisions and choose a GM? The vision of the organization is up to the GM and now the team president and I definitely wouldn't use conservative to describe KW. In fact, KW was probably the most aggressive GM in baseball during his tenure. Now we're going with a more stats-oriented GM, who should have plenty of fresh ideas. So what it all comes down to is that you're pissed Reinsdorf runs his business like a business and doesn't spend more than he makes. I don't know what to tell you, but if that's your beef then maybe sports shouldn't be your hobby. You'll be waiting a long time if you expect Reinsdorf to not only sell the team, but to also sell to a Mark Cuban like owner who will run the team like an expensive little toy. I know you are saying it in a comparative manner, but I'm pretty sure Reinsdorf has said that his biggest mistake as chairman of the Bulls was to allow Cuban in the league and that he would never approve it in the MLB. An auction style sale is the only way Cuban would ever acquire a team. Personally, I think they should sell every team auction style rather than sale and approval, but it keeps the riff-raff out if nothing else.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 01:35 PM) He has been a coach for over 20 years, I'm sure they looked at more than just last year. They have two really good cover corners and a lot of pieces capable of fitting into a 3-4 scheme. They are ditching all of that for a scheme/zone defense where you can draft corners in the 2nd and 3rd round (or later) who are capable of being studs which means that they traded up for Claiborne last year unnecessarily. What really needs to happen in Dallas is for Jerry Jones to relinquish his power. He just doesn't seem to know WTF he is doing anymore

It's probably going to be a s***ty flip phone from like 1998 too

Not sure how you can say the Red Sox will either. They sign a few mediocre free agents and suddenly they've improved on a 93 loss season? They were terrible last year and they haven't added enough that you should be excited about them.

QUOTE (Lamar Johnson 23 @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 12:07 PM) Sorry I don't believe that the Sox are fielding the best team that they are capable of putting out there! Then suggest something that doesn't involving spending $30 million or destroying a farm system that has recently been rejuvenated by good drafts.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 12:00 PM) What does the past have to do with anything with the Royals of today? Because for the past 5 or 10 years, we've incessantly been talking about their minor league system and how talented their roster is only to see it fall apart and blow up in their face while they lose 90 games again. We've heard this story before and it got old in about 2009.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 11:26 AM) I can see your point about everything you said. However, the A's got rid of top quality players last season and made the playoffs with talented young players. I respect Rick Hahn for holding onto our top young prospects. I'd hate to see Sanchez, Walker, Hawkins, and Johnson being traded. I believe we could bring in many great prospects in return, if we traded way PK, Rios, Dunn, Crain, Alexei, Beckham, Thornton, Floyd and DeAza. Our fan base to be honest is very brutal. There should have been NO reason not to show up to the ballpark last season. We have struggle with getting people in the ballpark for many years. The A's traded players away every offseason for the past 6 seasons. Last year was the first time they were over .500 since winning the division in 2006. One winning season out of every 6? Not exactly something to model yourself after.

Just like Jim Harbaugh never would have had to settle coaching San Diego State and Stanford, right? The Bills hired a college coach who went 25-25 from a mediocre football school in a weak football conference and I'm ecstatic about the hire because of his reputation around the league and, honestly, how hotly pursued he was. Does it mean success? Not at all, but he's already brought in Pettine from the Jets who, even though Rex Ryan felt otherwise, still had a top 10 defense this year and were consistently in the top 5-10 under his reign. I honestly think, with a search process this extensive and lengthy, I think if he were hired, you'd have to atleast hold off judgment.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 10:59 AM) The Royals have done some great things this off season to go along with their great young stars. They won 72 games last year. The Sox won 85. Even if we assume the Sox lost 4 wins and are a .500 team, the Royals will have had to have improved by 10 wins. I don't think they've done that, and I think the Sox are better than that too. They certainly could be better and there's a lot of talent there, but I don't think they will do so, especially when they have one of the worst players in the game in Jeff Francouer playing in such an offensive driven position for them.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 10:50 AM) The way this team is assemble now, we won't beat the Tigers, Blue Jays, Angels, Rangers, Yankees, Rays, A's, Red Sox, and maybe the Royals for a American League Championship. So in my opinion trade away anybody who has value except Sale to bring in many top prospects and young players, the money that we saved,we start signing top free agents at the end of 2014 and high draft picks, we will be able to compete for many years to come. I hate being a middle of the road team. But then you start a cycle of rebuilding with no real end in sight. The Astros look like a 60 win team next year (if not fewer), they've been that way for a few years now, and I don't see any end in sight for them either. This isn't about being happy with a mediocre product...of course I wish the Sox were better. But they have a pretty talented roster (and it is a lot more talented than people want to admit), they have talent coming up through the minors, and we finally have a GM who appears willing to hold on to that minor league talent to let it develop. But now people are upset that they aren't making moves...so, basically, they're going to complain no matter what. A complete and total tear down is an absolutely terrible, terrible idea. You lose immediate fans, you lose future fans, and, as mentioned, there is no guarantee as to when you come back. Beyond that, and has been mentioned by 3E8, the Sox don't have a ton of valuable and attractive pieces to deal off. There is talent, but that does not equal value. Unless you want to sell on Sale, you aren't getting elite talent in return. May as well hold on to it to attempt to compete. I think, with a little luck, this team can win the division. Oh, and the only the Sox need to do is get to the playoffs. With the talent of the rotation, they can easily win in the playoffs, especially since the playoffs are a crapshoot anyways.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 10:41 AM) $60 million is the difference in two wins? Wow. I wouldn't say that so much as that spending wisely and developing players is far more important than building a team through free agency. These people who want the Sox to spend, spend, spend need to look at these two numbers and see that there isn't a big difference, and then they need to think about teams like the Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs, and Marlins and realize that spending a boatload - even on the best free agents, like the Marlins did - doesn't guarantee anything. The free agents the Sox would bring in would be far worse than that and would, if anything, help win 1 more game. Waiting the free agent game out is far more efficient. There is virtually no difference between an $90 mill payroll and a $140 mill payroll, so why spend frivolously and use up money that can instead be allocated for later on down the road?

QUOTE (Lamar Johnson 23 @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 09:17 AM) It's pretty sad that as Sox fans, these are the names we're supposed to get excited about. Dodgers fan: Hey! We signed Greinke! Angels fan: So what? We got Hamilton. Bluejays fan: We traded for Josh Johnson, Buehrle, Jose Reyes and traded for RA Dickey White Sox fan: We re-signed Peavy, and signed Keppinger, Josh Bell, Brian Anderson, Trancoso, Gartrell, etc., Yep...(cricket sounds) Twins fan: We still suck!

QUOTE (Lamar Johnson 23 @ Jan 11, 2013 -> 09:04 AM) Interesting articles... http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/2...rolls-and-wins/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/...ll-all-related/ Excluding the bottom - you are talking about the likes of Kansas City, San Diego, and Houston as well as Tampa Bay, Oakland, and Baltimore - you are looking at approximately 83 wins for $88 mill (82.78 wins to be exact) or 85 wins for $140 mill (85.05). Typically, if you spend more money, you are going to win more games. But, unless you do it well, you are not going to win enough. Rick Hahn is spending money well. Honestly, spending in the current market would be absolutely irrational and irresponsible. The only real upgrade that could be acquired in free agency would be in the bullpen, and at this point, you may as well wait that out. Trades are still possible, but only if it truly makes sense.

Oh cool, brought Gartrell back

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 9, 2013 -> 04:08 PM) I think it's dangerous to assign these horrible acts to some form of mental illness. It serves to innoculate us against the idea that otherwise normal people sometimes do, support or turn a blind eye to awful things. Normal people don't commit these acts because these are not normal acts. They are violent, cruel, and inhumane. To suggest that people who gangrape a girl are normal is also incorrect.