witesoxfan

QUOTE (knightni @ Jan 18, 2009 -> 01:54 PM) I can see 85 wins from this team if the chips fall like they should. Of course, that could be 3rd place. If they fall like they should, I'd agree. If they fall better, I could see 90 wins. I'm excited for the upcoming year.

QUOTE (scenario @ Jan 18, 2009 -> 01:12 PM) Did a little more digging to see how well these people have done in projecting the Sox in the last few years. Here are the projected and actual wins for the last 4 seasons. The last column show the number of games that the Sox either outperformed(+) or underperformed(-) the projections. WhiteSox Year - Proj. / Actual / (+-) 2005 - 79 / 99 / (+20) 2006 - 82 / 90 / (+8) 2007 - 77 / 72 / (-5) 2008 - 67 / 89 / (+22) So... on over the last 4 years, they have projected the Sox on average to win 76 games per year. And they only projected them to win more than 80 only once. But... in terms of actual performance... the Sox have averaged 87.5 wins over the last 4 years. And have won 89 or more games 3 times. Bottom line... system? what system? Wrong on average by over 11 games per season. Wrong by 20 or more games 2 of the last 4 seasons? Dung flinging monkeys could've done a better job pulling numbers out of a hat. Sox pitchers, namely Mark Buehrle, never perform well in these types of simulations or predictions because they use several sabermetric statistics in making their standings and Buehrle, like most Sox pitchers, never holds up well in these. Vazquez was always considered the Sox best pitcher using just raw numbers, but that never works. That's probably one of the biggest reasons why.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 05:38 PM) Pie won't be released. Some team will give up something for him. As far as the criticism the Cubs are getting on here for "giving up" on him, when you are trying to win how long of a rope do you give a guy? If Lillibridge, Getz, Fields, Owens start out hitting .220 in 50 AB, I'm sure many here including me will be calling for a replacement. The one area I may think differently on, is the Cubs should have some room to work with in their division. You'd think they would want to give Pie another shot at least before cutting the cord, unless they are totally convinced he will never hit. Its not like the Reed Johnson/Fukudome platoon currently planned for CF is of all star calibur. Sox fans on here will want those guys released or replaced, but Sox fans are a fickle group. Some had no problem with Wise as the main LFer late season and in the playoffs because he was clutch and he had a "good" stick, but after his hot start, he was quite terrible. However, the thought of Pie being flat out released is absurd. If the Cubs straight up released him when he has virtually zero years of service, there would be 31 teams lining up to get him and he'd sign with the one that gave him the best chance to start. QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 09:34 PM) Greg Walker was quoted I believe last season saying that going into the 2006 season the Sox knew Brian had huge problems with his swing but chose not to do anything about it, instead letting him try to just get by on natural ability. So the GM knew he wasn't ready yet still didn't acquire a veteran replacement, then the hitting coach chose to ignore Brian's problems, and then Ozzie threw him under the bus for not hitting, even after he said repeatedly in ST that all Anderson had to do was play defense. I'll call BS on this..or, Greg Walker should have been fired after the 2006 season for not fixing a problem. If it's not broke, don't fix it; if it is broken, please DO fix it. He did not. Or he did not try. Even knowing BA is one of the most athletic players in the Central division, you still do anything you can to fix a s***ty swing like his. Perhaps he did this past year and we'll see Anderson starting in CF hitting 20 homers with a .750 OPS; I'm not counting on it.

QUOTE (Steff @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 11:53 PM) Beer - Karkovice. He drank himself sober. I've done it on a night. To do it as an actual lifestyle is remarkable, and I mean it in both ways. QUOTE (wilmot825 @ Jan 17, 2009 -> 01:42 AM) Hard Liq- Alexei: Yes, a VERY odd choice but he looks like that guy at the bar who swindles you out of money when it comes to a drinking bet. He weighs as much as I do. Beyond that, hard liquor is a very broad choice, and while he might handle his rum, I doubt he handles his vodka or tequila well, let alone high proof schnapps or the God-forsaken Jagermeister.

As stated, I'm not fond of Alexei leading off either, and was merely putting together a creative lineup in which the "leadoff hitter" hits 9th. The only problem really is that the Sox have lackluster options for a leadoff hitter at the current moment, and it's hard to envision anyone currently in the Sox system leading off on opening day. I will say that Lillibridge is my dark horse to leadoff and play CF, but that's about all I got.

QUOTE (scenario @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 03:03 PM) Except that Pie is 3 years younger than Brian. Seems bizarre that the Cubs would stick a fork in the guy at 23 years old. They aren't an organization that's set out to make smart, sound decisions; they're an organization that wants to make sexy moves to bring fans and attention upon themselves. They'll regret that within the next 3-5 years. It'll be really funny if they don't get a World Series title in that time frame because they are screwing themselves for the long term.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 12:08 PM) What is the school of thought on Pie? Bust, or just hasn't gotten a chance? He doesn't even have 300 PAs in the majors yet and I'm pretty sure those he has gotten in the majors have been pretty sporadic. He's done quite well in AAA, roughly to the tune of an .850 OPS. He just hasn't gotten a chance to prove himself yet. I'd be more than happy if the Sox acquired him at a reasonable price.

QUOTE (rangercal @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 11:03 AM) I take Colon,Braves Prospects and 10 Mil saved over Javy. edit: forgot to include nut sack . that's exactly it. This signing may very well end up with the Sox looking at the prospects in the rotation this season, but atleast with Colon you have a shot at having him pitch well during the season. If I'm the Sox training staff though, and Colon's healthy for interleague, I absolutely tell him to either bunt or not swing the bat at all. No need having him injure himself doing that.

Heads and I did say it was cold in the neighborhood yesterday

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 08:39 AM) Kyle Long is 20 and only a freshman in college??? Aren't most college freshman 17-18? How many grades did he repeat? Doesn't sound too smart to me. Not a surprise though, he is Howie's son. I was 19 as a college freshman, and I knew of several guys that turned 20 during their freshman year. I don't think that's really that big of an issue.

it's funny that Minnesota's b****ing gets them rewarded with something like this when all they had to do was win their final series with Kansas City. Kansas f***ing City, who the Sox had to help finish in 4th place.

QUOTE (Sec101Row1 @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 09:32 AM) Is it me or does it look like the White Sox are the only large market team struggling with the economy ? Makes you wonder, is it: A) The millions to fund the new Glendale facility B) The legal fees and the $5 million dollar buyout of the 3 years left on the Tucson lease. ($5 million would get you a nice player this off season) Payrolls in the AL (money in millions) 1. New York ($207) 2. Detroit ($137) 3. Boston ($133) 4. Chicago ($121) 5. Anaheim ($119) 6. Seattle ($117) 7. Toronto ($96) 8. Cleveland ($78) 9. Texas ($67) 10. Baltimore ($67) 11. Kansas City ($58) 12. Minnesota ($56) 13. Oakland ($47) 14. Tampa Bay ($43) Payrolls in the NL (money in millions) 1. Mets ($137) 2. Cubs ($118) 3. Dodgers ($118) 4. Braves ($102) 5. Cardinals ($99) 6. Phillies ($97) 7. Astros ($88) 8. Brewers ($80) 9. Giants ($76) 10. Reds ($74) 11. Padres ($73) 12. Rockies ($68) 13. Diamondbacks ($66) 14. Nationals ($54) 15. Pirates ($48) 16. Marlins ($21) I imagine these numbers are skewed a bit by deadline trades and what have you else, because I merely got them from B-R, but it paints a relatively clear picture nonetheless. The Sox also did not pay quite a bit of that payroll thanks to money from a couple a teams (the Phillies for sure and it seems to me that there's another team in there too). Of those teams, which have really been the most active in adding payroll? To me, I see the Yankees, Red Sox to some degree (bringing in multiple cheaper free agents and signing guys to extensions), and that's it in the AL. In the NL, I see the Mets, Phillies, and Braves, though the Dodgers have brought a couple guys back at decently expensive extensions. I don't mention the Cubs because while they've been active, they've also had to dump players for cheap while picking up money in the deals as well (namely DeRosa and Marquis). Also, as you mentioned, the Sox did spend some money to get the move to Glendale expedited as well, and that has to be figured into the equation. The Sox definitely aren't alone.

People need to completely and utterly forget about Michael Young. USCF is not a good place to hit for average, it's a good place to hit for power. Michael Young's OPS away from Texas during his entire career is .122 points less (.850 at home, .728 on the road), and though I'm not always a huge believer in merely looking at splits to shy away from a player, his contract is so bad that the splits alone make a terrible thought to bring Young into the fold. Add to the fact that he had a down year last year, thanks in large part to a terrible year on the road (.680 OPS), and that he's never had the best defense at any position he played, and that he'll be 32 next year heading into the 1st year of a monster contract (it's important enough to be brought up twice), and Michael Young is the absolute worst move this franchise could make at the current moment. Good thing for Sox fans that it's run by a shrewd GM who doesn't like bringing in monstrosities of contracts and by a fiscally sound ownership group.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 08:25 AM) Hmm... get that 5th starter and leadoff hitter we need? Doesn't seem all that complicated to me, but what do I know. I'm not a businessman, but all I know is that the payroll is way too high for what this team has to show for it. And BTW, it's not like I'm in a minority with my opinions at ALL. Where are you going to find a leadoff hitter, where will he play, and what will he cost? I also dislike the whole thought of an actual "leadoff hitter" having to hit 1st in the lineup. With a lineup as full of power as the Sox is, it doesn't make a ton of sense to have a light hitting .330/.320/.650 guy at the top of the lineup taking ABs away from Q-Thome-Dye-PK-Ramirez. As such, I'd throw an experimental lineup out there, simply to keep Owens out of the lineup. Ramirez - SS Quentin - LF Thome - DH Dye - RF Konerko - 1B Pierzynski - C Fields - 3B Anderson - CF Getz - 2B By doing such, the "leadoff hitter" is merely hitting 9th in the lineup, because if all Getz is this year is a .330/.320/.650 guy, he's still getting on base enough to fulfill the role, but he's doing it in the 9 spot to make sure the power hitters get their ABs. If he's even better than that, then there's a possibility that you could move him up to the leadoff spot. By putting this lineup out there, you also improve the team defense immensely just by having Anderson's presence in CF. I'm not thrilled with the lineup, but getting those guys their ABs would be very nice in the long run.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 02:54 AM) Quite frankly I think I have the right to b**** when the team I'm a fan of constantly is in tatters every hyear because management never seems to fill the holes. Sorry. And then they do something like 2008 and prove you wrong and win a division. You should then, justifiably, eat some crow.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Jan 16, 2009 -> 02:58 AM) So I'm led to believe you think Bartolo and Freddy will play from here on out with no problems and revert? Hell, could happen, but it's quite unlikely. It simply doesn't pay to rely on such players and not have backup plans or better options. That said, Bartolo was a nice pick-up at that price. You get my point, though. yeah that's not what I said at all, but sure

forget eating, Frank Thomas would just break all 3 in half, turn into the Hulk, and save Chicago from the cold of winter...until he breaks his ankle again of course.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Jan 15, 2009 -> 08:16 PM) Contreras was fairly new to the MLB at the time we acquired him; correct me if I'm wrong. El Duque didn't seem too risky. Bartolo, Freddy and Pedro are all ridiculous injury risks and we've been over Uribe time and time again. I don't see much point to your post. I'm just saying that's quite a sad story for the offseason to only be looking at aging injury risks. Prior to signing with the White Sox, Orlando Hernandez had his previous 4 seasons cut shorter by injuries, including 2003 which he missed entirely. I don't understand how he is really any different than Colon at the very least, and arguably Freddy and Pedro too.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Jan 15, 2009 -> 10:09 PM) ......... lolAZ at the Twins1!! One year too late! Their tears sustain me. they taste good, if a bit salty

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Jan 15, 2009 -> 06:16 PM) It's iffy with Garcia. I'm pretty sure the organization wants to bring him back, and he wants to come back, but we also don't want to stunt anyone's growth. I'm pretty sure the Sox could capture the division if they were to sign FG34, but would they be good enough to contend for a WS and would losing in the playoffs be worth losing development time. I'm for signing FG and winning the division at least one more time and letting the dominos fall in the playoffs as I don't think Poreda is ready yet(should be in bullpen for a year), Richard is capable enough(as a starter), and Marquez is ready yet(I don't know if I would put him in the bullpen or not). The question in the playoffs always becomes whether the pitching staff is good enough. If both were healthy come playoff time, I imagine one of Garcia and Colon would man up to go along with the big 3, but the lack of development time does suck. We'll have to see what comes up in the upcoming weeks.

The top of the order is the only real question mark, but it's almost annually been a question mark in the Williams era. There are no longer many CFers available to fill the hole, and the only move that would really piss me off is if KW traded for Pierre. One risky move that I wouldn't be opposed to is the Sox trading for Willie Harris. The Nationals outfield is absolutely stacked and Harris has the most service and the least amount of upside. However, he does get on at a pretty decent clip and he can probably play an adequate CF. That would be about Plan C, but with Plan D being Owens, I'd take it.

Yeah I did the urinal bit. Broke a Moto Rokr in the process. I really liked that phone too. So now as a rule, I do not talk on the phone when pissing. I will literally hold it until the conversation is done and then go drain the lizard.

I'm not sure why anybody would exactly rule out Garcia coming back right now anyways. If they get him for a deal similar to Colon's, it'll be cheap and well worth the risk. It's becoming more and more obvious that a trade of Dye just isn't that likely, and the only real downfall I think that comes of it is that Owens may be the opening day CFer simply because he is currently the best fit for "leadoff hitter," though I'd prefer Thome leading off over Owens.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jan 15, 2009 -> 04:47 PM) Kind of like how Kenny acquired "has-been retreads" like Contreras and El Duque in the not-too-distant past? I think Contreras is more along the lines of a player that was looked at as a bust, but Hermanson, Widger, Thome...a lot of others do fit. Not all of them had great or long extended runs, but they were all very solid for a period of time.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 15, 2009 -> 02:59 PM) The best is when someone is actually talking on their phone and try to grab something with their other free hand and hold the phone b/w head and shoulder and it slips out and plop. Both hands occupied and phone into glass. Too funny. phone into urinal