witesoxfan

Brad Eldred

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 02:42 PM) Rumor has it he wants to take the "most interesting man alive" crown and travel the world. He's going to have to kill Beckham first.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:34 AM) I was going to make the same response but to another post. WTF is up with this high horse "better than you" response all the time from the same posters? It gets old. what happens when someone actually is better than someone else? /green

So, reading through the entire thread within about a day and a half span, one finds two different perspectives. -Alex Rios is a mediocre (underachieving) player and you'd be in rough luck if Toronto gave him to you for free. and -Alex Rios is a fantastic ball player who is very underrated by the mass public. I don't know how the ownership of Toronto feels, but, seeing as how Ricciardi came out of the moneyball philosphy, I imagine he relates much more to the latter. If the Jays' are that short on funds, I'd say that ownership feels more like the first. Regardless of any of that, I think a deal could be worked out. Whether Toronto feels they are getting full value is up to them, I imagine. What I'd say to both parties (in regards to Sox fans) is that Alex Rios, this year, has provided roughly league average production while playing fantastic defense at like $10 mill a year. Beyond this season, if you assume he's going to do the same as this year from here through the end of his contract, it means he's going to give league average offensive production and great defense (in CF...Sox haven't had anything close full-time since Rowand) for $12.5 mill. Williams was willing to give Hunter $15 mill for 5 years while his defense had declined and he is really nothing more than a slightly above average offensive player, and that defense would turn him into a RF very quickly. Rios turns 29 next season, is signed for like 4-5 years afterwards at $12.5 mill a year, and solidifies anywhere from the 3 or 5 spot in the lineup to the 2, 6, or 7 spot. Rios makes perfect logical sense for the White Sox, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him in CF this year.

KEN GRIFFEY JR PRESENTS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL f***in' oh snap

$2 you call its. 7 Morgan cokes (3 doubles), 7 more beers and one final beer for the night. Win. Atmosphere talking to me about life. Double win. Girl kisses me at bar, and I feel guilt immediately after about semi sorta cheating (and I was schmammered). Still can't call that a win.

QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ Aug 9, 2009 -> 04:56 PM) Don't apologize for this imbecile. Who apologized for him? Point it out to me once on this board, and I'll concede my point right there. QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ Aug 9, 2009 -> 04:56 PM) He's a complete and utter embarrassment to himself and his family. I hope that his wife has sense enough to jet the f*ck outta there. Probably not, though, seeing as how she chooses to spend quality time with someone that has the IQ of a grapefruit. To suggest he was an embarassment to his family is absolutely absurd and completely unfair. For all we know, he very well may have come back to his wife or girlfriend or father or f***ing whoever - and told them he had a drink, it turned to 15, and he made countless bad decisions. He then probably (since he's playing still) turned himself into rehab and began coming back all over again. Perhaps that's why he was on the DL, perhaps not. Regardless of any of the above, the dude had been clean for atleast 2 years prior to the incident, and he's (alledgedly) been clean for 7 months after. It was 1 night in 900 days (give or take whatever). To bring in his personal life based upon one relapse - after which he has (again, allegedly) stayed clean - is absolutely disgusting, and is a comment that belongs in the Filibuster or elsewhere. Beyond that, you even take a shot at Hamilton (IQ of a grapefruit?). If he's not an intelligent person, then so f***ing be it...he was drafted out of high school, so he atleast has a degree. He got involved in some hard s*** after high school - I imagine you atleast know of people who did - and baseball became a job, rather than the entertainment we view it as. Hammerhead, you are a great poster, but all of the above that is quoted is bulls***. Perhaps he still is an alcoholic, perhaps he still is into drugs, and perhaps, just perhaps, that is why he was on the DL, and not because he was actually injured. That's neither your nor my place to speak, and no one else here, and to bring up his personal life beyond that is awful.

what about donuts? Or squirrels?

QUOTE (joeynach @ Aug 8, 2009 -> 03:06 AM) I can see this being a reoccuring theme over the next few weeks Better August than September.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Aug 8, 2009 -> 04:56 AM) I'm thinking the same way. Rios would be awesome, but we can't bench CQ. That's just ludicrous. I suppose I COULD see it as a setup for next year, assuming they dump Dye or Thome. Very interesting. I think Thome is brought back next year. Nothing anything anybody has said has suggested it, but putting in a waiver claim for Rios brings out a lot of writing between the lines. First of all, Rios is an upgrade offensively this season, no matter what he does (because he's not going to start with the way CQ, Pods, Dye, and Thome have played). However, he's a ridiculous upgrade in regards to Kotsay alone offensively, let alone Anderson and Wise, which the Sox have had to deal with already this year. And, if Rios ends up with the Sox, it ends Wise's term with the Sox on the 25-man roster (though if Wise passes waivers, he's up again in September on the 40-man roster). Secondly, and most importantly of all, Rios can help to replace Dye's bat next year, playing in a hitter friendly park, at relatively the exact same cost, though with better defense and potential that may not have been reached yet, with more financial security involved. Nothing above (outside of the first paragraph) has to do with Thome. Rios hits from the right side (which is the same as Dye), is nearly 10 years younger than Dye, and is signed to a reasonable contract. Thome hits from the left side of the plate, and, unless the Sox win the Series this year, I'm apt to believe that Thome will remain playing. As such, with the Sox knowing his value, and with the Sox knowing few other teams would sign him (Oakland being a big one, though from what I understand about Thome, he's a big-time family man, and going out to the West Coast goes against everything he believes), I see the Sox signing him to something along the lines of a 1 year, $6-8 mill extension with a mutual option for next year at $6/8 with a retirement clause in it. He doesn't turn 40 until late August next season, and his production has not fallen off drastically. Unless his back gives out to the point where he can't swing a bat to the extent he can now, Thome is going to remain a member of the White Sox until he retires.

From an absolute baseball and talent point of view, Alex Rios is essentially the player people have clamored to get for several years. There is virtually no difference between his high, medium, and low leverage situations in regards to OPS throughout the entirety of his career. However, in high leverage spots, when the game is generally close and late, he has hit .305 with a .352 OBP, but to the tune of a .791 OPS. This suggests that when the situation calls for it, he has absolutely no problem going for a good solid base hit or walk, just to get himself on base so he or someone else can get him into scoring position, or so he can drive in the tying or go-ahead run. In medium leverage spots, he has put up his best numbers, and this is the most likely time that he is going to swing for the fences and try and put a game out of reach. Of his career 79 home runs, 42 of them have come in medium leverage spots. This suggests that he has no problem taking more chances when the team is either trailing or winning by more than one, be it early or late. Hence, he's only put up a .329 OBP, but his OPS is the highest of all situations at a very solid .795 (only slightly higher than high leverage). He's a lesser combined version of both high and medium in low leverage situations; he'll hit for power, he'll take a walk, but he obviously loses focus in games out of reach and as such, his OPS is .770 in such situations. The only problem I have with acquiring a guy like Rios is the intangible factor; it wasn't long ago that his name was brought up as a potential trade candidate, and someone posted a video to him on YouTube. (NSFW) At his price, and with his ability, you have to take a chance. I would also say that his acquisition would be the beginning of the end for Jermaine Dye in a White Sox uniform. He's been the best free agent signing in White Sox history, but he's a DH at this point in his career, and his role, especially with this move, would become very easily replaced. The Sox can run out a very good platoon between LF, CF, RF, and DH with Quentin, Podsednik, Dye, Thome, and Rios if they made such a move, and they probably weaken the Tigers in the process. Whether the Sox actually want to make this move or not is debatable. I think this is obviously a move to block Detroit from making a play on Rios, but if the price is right (ie free or cheap), KW won't hesitate to bring him aboard. If they start asking for Hudson or Danks, then Rios will remain a Blue Jay. It's as simple as that.

Woman (right) is amazed at how easily Beckham packs box.

QUOTE (scenario @ Aug 7, 2009 -> 12:54 AM) KW Jr. went 4-5 with 4 RBI's tonight.. He went 3-5 with 1 RBI last night. 7-10 with 3 doubles and 5 RBI's in his last two games?? I don't know what got into him, but I like it. not that he's necessarily a prospect, but as far as I have ever been aware, Williams himself has never said he was for or against the move, and that his guys made the pick themselves. Not that 2 good games makes anything, but they have have seen something in him.

I understand the blister issue, but he was bad before and has been bad since. Is it time for a quick DL trip?

QUOTE (knightni @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 09:17 PM) Looks like "free" NFL Network, ESPN U, NBA TV and NHL TV. GIVE ME BASEBALL OR GIVE ME PORN (which could be the death of me)

Paul Konerko f***ing sucks

Frank Thomas and Gordon Beckham's rookie years have something in common. What is it? Slav can't answer.

I think the September 3rd is mainly just trying to grab preliminary headlines. I think the most likely return dates are the 28th or the 2nd. I'm hoping for the 28th, so he can get his feet and pitching feel back just in time to face the Twins.

http://funnyvideos.todaysbigthing.com/2009/08/04

QUOTE (DaveBrown85 @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 09:27 PM) so i was sitting in the last row of the upper deck section 524 so imagine how far i thought it went. God that was awesome

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Aug 6, 2009 -> 06:29 PM) You know what would make me happy? Going to the Metrodome and not hearing the embarrassing comments which come out of Hawk and Soxtalk concerning the stadium. It's f***ing pathetic listening to people blaming everything on a the dome. And it irritates me watching games because our players become little women there. They believe the stories of vengeful baseball gods living in the bowels of the HHH dome, and as such, consider no lead safe and every misplay or opportunity wasted as a "here we go again" moment. FWIW, Peavy is currently on schedule to pitch in the final series at the Dome, in the last game, on September 2nd. I hope he throws 8 shutout innings to finish off a sweep. I also hope I s*** bricks of gold.

QUOTE (The Baconator @ Aug 5, 2009 -> 11:06 PM) Another one of those "questionable" series of Kenny trades... It seems like we're getting rawed, then we see later what he saw in the first place: we flip garbage for talent, flip said talent for a payroll drop, turn that payroll cut into a (potentially) awesome prospect. Use what you can, get more from what you used. Hopefully Flowers shows up, even of 75% of what we expect of him will be worth it considering the transaction trail. Good observation. Hopefully it works out, long-haul. Actually, I think Kenny saw in Javy Vazquez what he did in 2007 and what he's doing this year with Atlanta. The only problem was that the two years the Sox were competing, Javy Vazquez was a very mediocre pitcher. After the way he crapped his pants down the stretch last year, after pitching well all year, the writing was on the wall for him. He probably had the best all-around stuff of any pitcher the Sox have had this decade (though not the most dominant pitch), but he never put it together and never really has. He definitely lacks a killer instinct, and I am just reminded about his interview where he said something along the lines of how when he retires, he'll still be living comfortably back in Puerto Rico, and he doesn't care if he has a ring or not (something to that tune).

anyone remember what happened the last time these two faced each other?

Oh yeah that Floyd guy. ERA under 4 now.

One of the craziest lines you may ever see, though probably not crazier than El Duque's 1+ IP, 0 ER, 4 BB line from game 3. 3.0 IP 0 H 2 ER 3 BB 2 K That's Brian Duensing's line from Sunday. Dude didn't allow a hit and, because he walked two guys at the wrong time (because the reliever behind him sucked), he allowed 2 ER.