[Juan Uribe signs with SF]

per rotoworld he signed a minor league contract.

 

 

SI.com reporting it too.

 

So ends the Juan Uribe era.

[Laptop upgrade]

By the time you buy a new OS, new Office software, and the necessary added RAM to run those things... and, this is assuming the processor is even strong enough to handle it... you will have spent more money than the cost of a decent new laptop. And the machine will be slower.

 

I'd go new. You can get one pretty cheap. Companies like Dell, HP, Gateway, and others have some very good deals right now on laptops.

 

I agree. I have a similar old Compaq Presario, and I updated it a few years ago from 98 to XP. It runs so slow (especially with all the virus software, etc that needs to be on it) that I haven't bothered to use it in months.

[[SCRUBS] Not the Final Season Thread]

If they made it into a subset of Scrubs, like an offshoot show, then I would be okay with it. Like Scrubs II (not saying it should be called that, just the jest of what Im trying to say). I really dont want it to bring down the original show in anyway, and if it turns out to be great, then it deserves to be recognized as its own show because it would be so different from the original.

 

Anywho, thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

 

I thought I read that they were thinking of an ER-style show (but a comedy) where the cast would change over time. If that is the case, they could still lose some cast but not others, though with the relationships (JD-Eliott and Turk-Carla), it would be awkward in some cases.

[Cora sees Fields as a shocker]

Dunn's K's won't kill you because of his OBP and his home run numbers.

 

It's not ideal, but if Fields can offer comparable production (sans OBP), it's a bargain considering his salary. I've been slow to realize that KW does not seem to be lying this offseason about budget constraints. A 2007-esqe Fields would go a long way this season.

[Cora sees Fields as a shocker]

It's actually quite similar to what the Sox got at 3B last season - Sox 3Bman put up a .763 OPS last season. Take out 109 K's and it's quite possible that Sox 3Bman had a more productive season, including productive outs.

 

True. I suppose I have some selective memory. I remember a nice start by Crede followed by a ton of suckiness at the plate and in the field. Uribe also had a nice run but tapered off as well. Consistent production on offense from a Sox 3B would be nice after the last couple of years.

[[SCRUBS] Not the Final Season Thread]

I believe it was addressed in the 3rd and 4th episodes this year. They talked about it and everything.

 

Last night's episodes were great. "My ABC's" (Sesame Street one) was really really good. Honestly, these first 6 this year have been some of the strongest of the series.

 

It really seems like they are setting this up for some sort of spinoff in case Zach Braff indeed does leave the show.

 

I've also liked the episodes so far this season, though I strongly disliked Courtney Cox's character (other than her making fun of the last name "Cox" in an episode).

 

As for the bolded, I've read that ABC was discussing exactly that, and given the development of the characters of the current set of interns, it looks like they are definitely setting it up for a spin off if ratings are good this season.

[Cora sees Fields as a shocker]

Yuck

 

Why would that be so bad? That's a pretty good OPS for an unproven player, and it's better than the 3B production the Sox got last year.

[Cora sees Fields as a shocker]

I think we might have been able to deal him straight up for Scott Linebrink back in 2006. Wonder what the world would be like if the Sox had gotten their hands on Scott Linebrink.

 

What a strange world that would be... the skies would be bluer, the grass greener, and beer would flow like wine!

[Short Term Apartment Help]

I found my best apartments in Chicago by walking neighborhoods. Apartments get rented so fast, some of the better ones don't even bother to post listings. Does the Chicago Reader still do listings? I think I remember looking in there as well. They might also have ads for people looking to sublet.

[Kurkjian on the AL Central]

I'd rather have the OBP than the speed, if forced to choose. That OBP will give the sluggers more opportunities to hit with runners on base. While the 3 singles to score a guy is frustrating, the middle of the order hits plenty of doubles and HRs. I just want more guys on base when that happens. Ideally, I'd love to add a high average guy to the lineup and some speed also, but I would take OBP and/or average before speed.

[Kurkjian on the AL Central]

There are 9 (or more) innings where you need table setters, and after the first one, its all a crapshoot as to who leads off. You are talking about a single event in any given game, then its just as likely as all other combinations after that. Yes, you should structure your lineup to get the first inning set in a good way, and also set your lineup to get high numbers of at bats for your best hitters. But its such a small thing (who leads off int he first inning), that I think if you try to dictate your talent search based on that, and trying to fit them into a position on the field as well, you end up causing yourself problems.

 

Now, once in a while, you have the opportunity to pick up someone for a position you need filled AND one that isn't a table-clearing position AND that person is an ideal leadoff hitter (high OBP, some speed). That certainly has value.

 

But if you look at the Sox now, the only leadoff-like hitter available to them is Jerry Owens. Do you choose Owens over a better player because Owens has speed? That's the constraints you are working under.

 

So no, a leadoff hitter isn't important enough to effect your talent search in a big way. Its a nice-to-have.

 

Regardless of the leadoff hitter debate, the team still lacks that OBP before the big boppers. Getz might be able to be one of them, who is the other? The Sox were 17th in MLB in OBP (.332) last season and 18th in average (.263). The team has not really improved on either of those two areas this offseason, depending on the production of the unproven guys that will likely be in the lineup. The Sox can slug the heck out of the ball (#2 in MLB), and that will continue to be the main thrust of this offense. It is going to be an interesting spring training with so many guys competing for jobs on offense (2B, 3B, CF). I hope some of the young guys can step up and provide .350+ OBP.

[The Workout Thread]

Another positive is that just about everyone at my gym is afraid to get into the pool since the entire Gym looks down on it so you can always grab a lane at any time of the day.

 

The hardest thing most people have with swimming is the breathing which takes them out of rhythm. Don't be afraid to use a snorkel or throw some fins on to keep you moving. It's better than thrashing around and spending 90% of your time sitting on the wall resting (this isn't directed at you, Rock, just the notion that people are afraid to look dumb in the pool).

[Films Thread]

Was that a PG13? I also cant stand Anna Faris, she makes me wanna yark.

 

While I was teasing Caulfield for seeing it, my wife rented it, so I've seen it as well. I'm pretty sure it was PG-13, and it was awful, even by the standards of the stupid comedy.

[The Workout Thread]

M/W/F - Swim 1500-2500 yards

T/Th - Run (treadmill) 2-4 miles plus stretching

Sometimes a light workout on the weekends, though usually it's a makeup day for missing a workout during the week.

 

That's all for me - anyone have any simple core exercises? The swimming (plus the flip turns) helps a lot, but I'd like to add to that with a history of back problems in the family (plus the inevitable weight gain in the midsection).

[Films Thread]

I tried to watch it and turned it off quickly (Happy-Go-Lucky). Very annoying.

 

Saw The House Bunny and Frost/Nixon (quite the contrast in movies!). Really liked Frost/Nixon, but the box office for that movie has been a disappointment...maybe political fatigue. Frank Langella was awesome though, much better than Anthony Hopkins I think in the Oliver Stone movie.

 

What? No review of The House Bunny????

[Films Thread]

The dialogue was corny. The story was predictable and slow to get going. The acting was not very good, including Clint. But the Academy loves Clint so he just might get nominated.

 

The best films I've seen so far are Doubt and Milk. Doubt is something that stays with you after the movie is over and the performances are all superb. Milk is not your ordinary biopic. The film is mainly about the politics of Harvey Milk and you leave the film inspired. Again, the acting is top notch, especially Penn, Brolin, and Franco.

 

Predictable I'll give you, but

I thought it almost moved too fast at times in his transition from racist to friend (gross oversimplification, I know).

[Films Thread]

Hamlet 2 is hilarious!

 

Gran Torino is not all that good.

 

Man on Wire is an incredible story!

 

Saw Gran Torino last night, and I thought it was excellent. What didn't you like about it?

[Soxtalk.com Facebook group]

Another one bites the dust... I'm in.

[Jenks tells critics off]

And he couldn't do that with a 100mph fastball? BS, the speed differential would be greater between his fastball and his offspeed stuff therefore making all of his pitches much more devastating. I love Bobby as much as anyone, but his control didn't drastically improve in my eyes and he doesn't have any great movement on that pitch. And as what was already stated, he doesn't have any variations in his fastball. He throws it the same everytime down. Now if he threw it at 100mph, then slowed it down to 92, then you would be onto something.

 

Oh really? Maybe not in your eyes, but the statistics tell a different story. BB/9 by year:

 

2005: 3.43

2006: 4.00

2007: 1.80

2008: 2.48

 

He is definitely walking fewer people, which is one part of better control.

[Winter Meetings Chit-Chat]

Hard to blow off the difference in those slugging numbers though...

 

For comparison's sake, Young's career slugging % is similar to Crede's.

 

And Pierre's is similar to Scotty Pods.

 

There is the ongoing "speed" versus "power" debate (especially for the leadoff spot) that I was trying to avoid.

 

The one player I would be completely disappointed in the Sox picking up this winter would be Juan Pierre. He and Jerry Owens are essentially the same exact player.

 

I'm not a Pierre fan either, and I would prefer an in-house option if someone can get a .350 OBP at the top of the order. However, since most argue that OBP is key to top of the order, I didn't think the difference in slugging was worth the difference in contracts (and likely cost in the trade market) for the two players.

[Winter Meetings Chit-Chat]

You could do far worse than Michael Young. The problem is his contract is massive. I would gladly take Young if you were only on the hook for anywhere between 6-8 million a season. I say that because Young would be a very stabilizing bat towards the top of the order. He still isn't a true leadoff hitter though (rather a good 2 hitter). I also think he'd be an above average defensive 2nd baseman and if Ramirez is awful at SS you could always play him there.

 

The problem is I can't see the Rangers sending that much cash a teams way without that team giving up some significant prospects and I don't see the value in doing that. I also will admit that if you are going to go 6-8M you might as well just up it and take Furcal (albeit Young is a much better bet to remain healthy).

 

Why not just target Juan Pierre then? Their career numbers are eerily similar:

 

Pierre: .300 / .346 OBP / .371 SLG / .717 OPS

Young: .300 / .346 OBP / .442 SLG / .788 OPS

 

Clearly Young has more power (12-14 HRs per year the last 3 years), but Pierre has the stolen bases (40-64 per year

the last 3 years). As bad as Pierre's contract is (10M, 10M, 8.5M from 2009 - 2011), Young's is far worse (16M per year until 2013) and two years longer. Neither player is particularly good defensively, though perhaps Young would be better at 2B as you suggest.

[Thesis / No Thesis]

What are you studying?

 

Strategic Management is the official name of the program, but my dissertation is on entrepreneurship and internationalization. I'll eventually be a college professor in a Management department teaching strategy, entrepreneurship, and/or international business classes.

[Thesis / No Thesis]

I know you had another thread on this topic, but what is your ultimate goal after the program? Will it be something that will look favorably upon the thesis?

 

I've always been a very good writer, but academic research writing is a real pain in the butt (working on my dissertation currently). You mentioned that very few people took the thesis route. Why is that? Maybe the "class" route is easier or better suited to non-traditional students like yourself.

[Phil Rogers on Sox quest to find leadoff man]

MB

JD

GF

CR/AP/JM

Penny

 

I laughed out loud at this part. I know you didn't mean it the way I read it, but it was still damn funny considering most of our concerns about the 4th and 5th spots as of today.

[Sox and Brewers talking Jenks....]

Cause it boils down to some people would rather have a highly rated farm system than actual MLB players.

 

Or they (incorrectly) believe that these "can't miss" players really can't miss or that some high percentage of them will pan out. Either way, the Sox need major league caliber players back in any other deals this offseason.