witesoxfan

QUOTE (feistyboy @ May 29, 2008 -> 09:57 PM) Swisher hasnt proven squat for me. I am impatiently waiting for more from him. He's young (27), talented (career OPS .809, OPS+ 114), and he's relatively cheap (26 mill over the next 4 years). It hasn't shown much in a Sox jersey, but he's a part of the young nucleus.

I do quietly dream about a Sox/Cubs World Series. In a short series, the Sox could win because of the pitching.

QUOTE (rowandrules83 @ May 29, 2008 -> 10:36 PM) Just curious, have you actually been to Tropicana Field? I went there for last month's series, and I didn't feel it was nearly as crappy as I had been led to believe. It was a very friendly, comfortable environment. Good deals on tickets as well as drinks/food, and the ushers pretty much let you sit wherever you want. I couldn't figure out why attendance isn't higher. I do agree that the new ballpark by the waterfront, combined with their young core of talent, will likely draw many more people. A grocery store is friendly too...probably has about the same amount of people as well. On top of that, those good deals on tickets, drinks, food, and seating...yeah, that's a byproduct of low attendance. With high attendance, ushers are dicks, tickets are expensive, food costs an arm, drinks cost a leg, and the seating is obstructed/nosebleed. So you can get b****ed at by an usher while hobbling around on one leg, somehow carrying a drink and some food with one arm while you're nose is bleeding and you essentially just got pickpocketed. No, I've never been there and I'm still not ashamed to say it's a dump. It's dark, it's dreary, and the team has been downright dreadful in it's entire existence. One the new park opens, it'll be a completely different story.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 29, 2008 -> 09:20 PM) Gammons was just discussing Wilder on Baseball Tonight. He basically said he was singing to the feds and its probably going to implicate another organization. He also thinks it will ultimately lead to an international draft. The only question I've ever had about an international draft are the ramifications on international free agency. What would have happened to Contreras, Ramirez, Matsuzaka, Ichiro, and the others as a result? Would there be a pardon to those that have played at a professional level within their own countries? It'd be complicated, but some form of an international draft would be for the best of the game.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 29, 2008 -> 09:59 PM) Sox fans should never throw attendance at anyone. We didn't draw people until we won, we have nothing to talk about. The Sox are drawing 28,500 a game this season and have drawn atleast 1.67 mill every year this decade (and it's pretty much right around 2 mill per season...they drew 1.76 in 2002, but it's been 1.9+ mill every other year and three straight years of well over 2 mill and on their way to a fourth). Sox fans have always come. Meanwhile, Tampa hasn't drawn more than 1.56 mill since their inaugural season. That said, Tropicana Field is a dump. When/if their new park is built, their attendance will most definitely rise.

Ray King signed with Houston. Ray, we hardly knew ye

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ May 28, 2008 -> 01:02 PM) Baseball Tonight said he was DFA'd but I can not see it anywhere.......damn ESPN making me possibly look bad. I'm not sure how you actually look, but Hatteberg was DFA'ed

QUOTE (daa84 @ May 29, 2008 -> 06:08 PM) heh ...keith law sounds pretty upset still..i believe he was in the toronto upper management when that trade went down Oh boo f***ing hoo, they should do better work with their medical reports. It's not a surprise that Pat Gillick isn't whining about Freddy going down, because he has a bit of class. That, and the Sox kind of just gave them Iguchi. Keith Law's a bum.

QUOTE (knightni @ May 29, 2008 -> 05:59 PM) Being a good coach doesn't always equal becoming a good manager, though. Just like being a good co-ordinator doesn't always equal becoming a good head coach. Ray Miller, Leo Mazzone, Pat Corrales, Lloyd McClendon, Larry Bowa, Jim Tracy, etc. All were very good coaches who failed as managers. Jim Tracy had 4 of 5 winning seasons in LA, won 90+ games twice and took them to the playoffs one year. He gets thrown in here because Pittsburgh is absolutely f***ing terrible? Leo Mazzone has never been a major league manager. And furthermore, damn near every manager in today's game was, at one point in time, a "coordinator," if you will. So basically you are stating that some guys aren't good managers even when they were good coaches while others are good managers.

QUOTE (watchtower41 @ May 29, 2008 -> 11:39 AM) Never in my wildest dreams would I ever come close to think of saying that I miss Uribe at SS. But I'd be lying through my ass if I said I didn't. At least he puts the team before himself, and always has... Oh for f***'s sake, the team is winning and Cabrera is playing well and you're b****ing about it because Cabrera didn't want an error charged to him? Maybe when you see Uribe come back up and hit .220 the rest of the way you'll remember why you think he's a terrible baseball player.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ May 26, 2008 -> 10:14 AM) Just goes to show what a dumb f***ing organization the Jays are and how smart Billy Beane is. Yea, Matt freaking stairs over one of the great hitters of all time who is a NOTORIOUS slow starter. I hope the Jays continue to flail about with no offense while Frank mashes his way to another great year with Oakland. There's also something to be said about them not wanting to pay $10 mill for him next year too. It was definitely a business decision...a hell of a cold one though.

QUOTE (shipps @ May 23, 2008 -> 08:25 AM) Nothing gets past you wite,does it? quick as a cat

I have no problem taking beer pong seriously because it is a competition and it can bring a bit of an adrenaline rush during the actual game. Those that take it so seriously that it will make or break their night are extremists though and really need to straighten their priorities out. I like winning as much as the next guy, and I'll do whatever I can to do so, but if I lose, I win...I'm playing the game to get hammered, and losing creates extreme drunkenness.

It's weird how this team has a reputation for being old when really they are just slow as hell. I don't think any major change should happen at all this season unless the team completely blows up. Adding a 2B should be the biggest thought that's even considered at this point in time.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ May 28, 2008 -> 07:52 PM) The "Goobacks" episode of South Park is on right now. It's ridiculous to think of how funny the show was, compared to now. Again, my opinion. Yeah, I still think South Park is fantastic. It's fallen off a bit, but it's almost impossible to keep a show going, fresh, and very good for 12 seasons. It's better than quite a few other animated series out there (speaking almost entirely of Fox's lineup).

QUOTE (Wanne @ May 28, 2008 -> 04:41 PM) Barry Bonds I would whack off until it fell off.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ May 28, 2008 -> 05:08 PM) What would you expect? We can't afford to give up any significant piece of the team and with our minor league system in shambles we probably only have enough for 1-2 big deals, if that, before there's nothing left at all. I think if Kenny makes any moves this year he's going to give up a bench player or a decent prospect or two but not the best we've got. If he wants to get a player that can help in some fashion without giving up much he's probably going to have to go after a guy that's either on the downside of his career or saddled with a bad contract. If Konerko has to go on the DL I think Kenny gets creative. Otherwise I'd expect maybe another reliever and a lefty stick off the bench. I don't think the team needs a bullpen arm, not at this time anyways. Let Wasserman throw for a while, and if he proves that he's almost utterly useless, than bring Russell up...I also don't think Dotel is as shaky as you make him out to be. He's struggled a bit versus lefties, but he's absolutely dominating righties and he should improve against lefties as the year goes on. Even besides that, there are options in AAA that don't cost the Sox one of the best defensive outfielders and a developing bat. One thing I know this team doesn't need is another outfielder, especially one with the issues Milton Bradley has. There's already been enough drama with this team and the last thing we need is Bradley coming in here and throwing a beer at a fan or making a spectacle of himself arguing with an umpire. And the final deal is even worse because it drastically changes the dynamic of a team that's been successful; what's worse about the final deal is that those players have to hit for a respectable average to be productive players, and that is something players coming to the Sox have generally struggled with. I think you make two relatively simple moves - bring in a bat with power for the bench (be it Eldred/Fields/someone from AAA or you trade for someone) and you bring in a 2Bman if Alexei isn't productive and Uribe blows (Durham, Freel, Sanchez, Roberts...that general group). At this point in time, those are the only two places I see a real upgrade plausible. I also don't see KW jumping into panic mode if Konerko has to go on the DL; if it becomes a serious problem, he could make a move to address it, but I imagine you'd see Fields come up here first and foremost and take his chances at 1B. Otherwise, I'd call Wise back up, have him be the backup outfielder and a bat off the bench, move Swisher to 1B and let Anderson roam around CF. Defense is still severely underrated and it's one of the reasons this team's pitching has been as good as it has been.

QUOTE (WCSox @ May 28, 2008 -> 03:43 PM) They have an impressive rotation, but Sabathia and Carmona are the only ones that scare me. Byrd is average, Westbrook is a little better than average, and Lee will be average again when he comes back down to Earth. Their bullpen will be their Achilles Heel down the stretch. Well their bullpen is just as talented as the Sox is, save Borowski (who should be DFA'ed by July 1st if he pitches like I think he will), so that's atleast what is going to make or break them. If it turns around, they'll perform pretty well; otherwise, they're a .500 team, like nearly every team in the majors with a mediocre bullpen.

QUOTE (LVSoxFan @ May 28, 2008 -> 03:52 PM) LOL guess so. I should be concentrating on the O Cab/Ozzie soap opera, and ultimate fight night with Dotel vs. What's His Name. I'm bored too, and I noticed the sig...the Sox weren't out of the race come September in 2006, nor in 2003. They both ultimately missed the playoffs, but both teams pushed on long into the year. There's a huge difference between a contending team being eliminated in September and a mediocre/bad team being done in July.

QUOTE (gosox41 @ May 27, 2008 -> 08:11 PM) Then why isn't Fisk still catching for the Sox? There's a time when age catches up to a player. Unfortunately, it looks to be here now for Big Jim Because Carlton Fisk is 60 years old; that a good enough reason for you? Jim Thome put up a .275/.410/.563/.973 line last year...by and large, players don't completely fall off the face of the earth in one year. Let's not forget that Thome hit .230-something in May and June last year...he got off to a better start and the Sox were terrible so it was all forgiven. And let's not forget that, according to OPS, Thome is the 5th best hitter on the Sox right now. He's not hitting for average at all, but he's getting on base and he's hitting for power. If he ever starts hitting for average, he'll be good old Big Jim again.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ May 28, 2008 -> 01:26 AM) A couple ideas: I don't really think any of those ideas do a hell of a lot for the Sox.

I am completely and utterly offended that Carlos Quentin was not #1 on anyone's list.

QUOTE (Texsox @ May 27, 2008 -> 08:10 AM) Be proud guys! If that's what y'all think is good public entertainment. Sorry for insulting your entertainment choices. I can't wait for y'all to give those to your kids for Christmas. Ha Ha Ha. Hey Mom, isn't that one of those dolls that perverts f*** when they can't get dates? Yes son, and Sox fans embrace those as funny and make fun of people who disagree. We'll stop at the store and buy you one for the next game. Here's a good link. Here's another.

QUOTE (DBAH0 @ May 27, 2008 -> 02:55 PM) 4. Try to re-sign Crede. Call me crazy, but if you could get a 3 year 15-20M deal for Crede done right now, I'd do that, and try to trade Fields for a stud young pitcher who can replace Contreras in the rotation from the mid - point next season. You're crazy to think that Crede would sign a 3 year deal, and you're crazier to think that he'd sign a deal for less than $10 mill a year, let alone $7 at the most in your scenario. Boras is his agent, he's almost assuredly going to get to free agency, and he's almost assuredly going to get $10-12 mill per. Crede is one of the last players in major league baseball that I would give a long-term contract to, and he's quite frankly just not that damn good. And in my mind, the Sox don't need a stud to replace Contreras...Buehrle and Vazquez are good, and Floyd and Danks are both looking to be potential #3 starters in the majors with the potential for more. Bring Broadway up and let him throw 180 innings as the 5th starter next season...if he keeps his ERA anywhere around 5.00, he'd be a huge value to the team.

QUOTE (VAfan @ May 27, 2008 -> 03:25 PM) I'm surprised Vazquez appears to have mentally turned his game around after all those 6th-inning meltdowns that sunk our 2006 season. If he pitched then the way he pitched last year, we would have had a chance to defend our WS title. And even with his improved pitching in 2007 and so-far solid 2008, if the deal was Vazquez for Young straight up, then Arizona got the better deal. Young is already a stud and he's going to get better and better. Plus, his career is likely to last much longer than Javy's, and he's far cheaper for many years. (Which means the difference might have been invested in someone else.) I guess that's your opinion dude, but the Sox are perfectly fine off right now with multiple candidates for CF next year or the following. Meanwhile, the Sox haven't themselves produced a legitimate starting pitcher since Garland or Buehrle. Considering that, the Sox got the better end because they got a #2 starting pitcher for a 3 tool CFer. The Sox currently have 4 players who are 33 or older on their 25 man roster. They really aren't as old as people seem to think. They are very slow, and that's something that should be changed, but the Sox made a few steps this past offseason to help fix that problem.