caulfield12

Pitching, lol. Help in the bullpen. Power in the outfield....although I can't imagine it happening, Dye was also a tremendously popular player when he was there. But they have Guillen's contract to dump. So I can imagine a trade where we sent them Dye and Richard for Guillen and DeJesus. The problem is that DeJesus would have to play CF for us, and that's not a good position for him. I guess it would be "okay" but not great. IF they ate most of Guillen's contract, we'd have to give up Poreda IMO. The other piece they're shopping is Teahen, and he's not a good fit, unless he could play 2B, and that's going to be Beckham's position anyway soon enough.

UT and OU have played far tougher schedules than the SEC teams by current polls. UT: beat no 3, lost no 7, beat no 11, beat no 12 OU: lost no 4, beat no 7, beat no 14, beat no 16 ALA: Beat no 13, beat no 25 FL: beat no 13, lost no 25 Strength of schedules not even close!

One of Florida and Alabama will be eliminated, either next weekend or in the SEC Championship game. Which still leaves the big mess which is the B12 to sort out...the friction (along with the OU loses to OSU, TT loses to MO, TX goes to the title game without playing in B12 Championship) will happen with OU and Texas in all likelihood. If both those teams win out for the rest of the season and one's denied a place in the Championship Game, it will be the stuff of (temporary) legend for a long time in Austin or Stillwater. Oklahoma will also argue that while the Cotton Bowl is sort of neutral, it's still a game played in Texas. Then again, it's also possible that Alabama loses this weekend, then beats Florida for the SEC Championship...that's also quite possible. So then you might have USC going without winning the PAC 10.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 23, 2008 -> 05:41 PM) Iowa hasn't had a bad loss all season and you could make a case that they should have won every game but the Michigan State game (that was the one game where I'd say the opposition controlled them). I could also make a case for the illini game. They had Pitt and NU beat. If they started the season over again today, they would beat PITT and NW for sure...they were also in that MSU game all the way until the end, although they've never done very well in East Lansing. The NW game, it was like another Iowa loss in Evanston where they blew a huge lead and NU recovered an onsides kick in the final moments...one of those games watching on the internet you feel sliding away and there's nothing you can do to stop the momentum...that was arguably the worst lost of Ferentz's career until the final game of the 2007 season losing against one of the directional MAC Michigan teams to stop our bowl streak. We did have three seasons in a row where we finished #8 in the country, pretty amazing run there...unfortunately the great recruiting class that resulted (especially Chicago kids) has been a washout, Jake Christensen/Doerring/Bain/Moeaki/Dace Richardson. We almost, almost got Zbikowski, too.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Nov 23, 2008 -> 02:33 PM) I bet Stoops would be better than 4-6 against us. Well, Iowa lost to ISU when we had our best team in many years with Brad Banks, Clark, Gallery and Sanders that went on to get crushed by USC in the Orange Bowl that year... Ferentz also has a winning record against Paterno (Iowa practically dominates PSU) and has only lost once to Zook. I'm sure if Iowa played Illinois again or on a neutral field today, they would beat them pretty handily with the momentum they have and the confidence of Rick Stanzi growing. Keep in mind, Stoops has struggled mightily against OSU...losing a number of games against them when he had the overwhelming talent, because these games were played up in Stillwater. One game they (OU) won came down to a final play in the endzone that could have resulted in another OSU win. In-state rivalry games are always difficult for any coach. But yeah, when they dissect his record, success against ISU and Northwestern (like Alford in BB) won't be strong points on the resume.

Kansas City's actually been profitable the last 5 years, more or less...maybe just small profits. I would think Pittsburgh isn't in the healthiest shape (financially, as an investment), although McClatchy has plenty of money seemingly. The Indians were basically printing money for 10 years and now they've become pretty tight-fisted under Dolan.

Has anyone seen Gregor Blanco and this Borbon actually play? How do they profile as big leaguers? It seems the two players who are closest to typical speed players (and maybe 3, although WASH won't trade him I'm sure) are Taveras, Micael Bourn and Lastings Milledge. McLouth and Kemp are power hitters with speed playing CF...so they would cost us a lot more to acquire.

QUOTE (YASNY @ Nov 23, 2008 -> 10:37 AM) MLB will soon be asking for a bailout. ) Well, the funniest thing would be if the Cubs were that team...that is applying for help to pay the likes of Soriano, Fukudome, Dempster, Ramirez, Lee, etc. However, Colangelo almost drove the DBacks into bankruptcy and MLB gave them a free pass, excusing the financial recklessness that led them to a World Series title in 2001 but nearly financial catastrophe in the process.

QUOTE (Jimbo's Drinker @ Nov 23, 2008 -> 12:10 PM) to think RR is on the hot seat is just plain stupid. No Michigan team had ever lost 8 games in a season before. Yes, he has one more season of struggling, and that's it. The expectations are too high, and Beilein's showing what you can do in just his second season as BB coach...yes, it's easier to turn a BB program around quickly with 2-3 players, but the patience level isn't high in Michigan, especially with economy exasperating the entire state. I should say that Rodriguez is on warning...he has this "mulligan" year to blame on the past, but not much more rope. Stoops came in his second year, and, using mostly John Blake's recruits, won a National Championship. You can't tell me that Michigan or Notre Dame's recruiting classes have significantly less talent that Blake's when he was the OU coach...can you?

This is all fine and good, but it's very rare that starting position players are traded within the division...it happens, but I can't imagine that KC would give up the player that the fans identify with the most of all the Royals and send him to Chicago.

They'll never give us Iwamura AND Jackson for Dye. Not going to happen. We'd have to sweeten the pot considerably.

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 23, 2008 -> 09:02 AM) I'd give up Fields. I have my doubts that he can succeed in the AL. I think if Jones only costs the Sox Fields, and they only have to pay Jones $7 mil, it's worth a risk. Then who's your leadoff man? Do you stick with Betemit and Viciedo at 3B or go out and acquire Blake, Atkins, Kouzmanoff or Wigginton? Supposedly, Blake is asking for 3 years. Would he take 2, and would you want to block Viciedo at his most natural position at present?

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 23, 2008 -> 08:51 AM) I'd risk Andruw Jones if LA pays at minimum, half of his salary. Buy low, sell high. A five-time All-Star, Jones will receive a $12.2 million signing bonus, of which $5.1 million is payable next year, $2.1 million in 2009 and $5 million in 2010. He will get salaries of $9 million next year and $15 million in 2009, and also will receive a no-trade clause. So assuming the Dodgers take care of the remaining $7.1 million from the signing bonus (OUCH!), what realistically could we expect to get them to eat out of that $15 million for 09? $6 million? $7? $8 million? I can't see them taking care of $9 million and the other $7.1 million due for the bonus and not wanting something pretty substantial in return. Probably Poreda or Fields. Of course, we can't give up Dye in this deal.

A lot depends on what happens with Manny and Furcal...both Torre favorites. Ethier seems set in RF, so they'd have to move him to LF or convince Jermaine Dye to move over to take Manny's spot. The problem is that they have Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones and don't want either one of those guys...if you're the Dodgers, logic dictates you try to re-sign Manny for LF, leave Kemp in CF and Ethier in RF. Would they really give up a potential superstar in Kemp for 1-2 years of Dye (he might agree to stay for two years on the West Coast)...? You'd have to think it would be Dye and Poreda for Kemp, at a minimum...although they might ask for even more than that. Perhaps they would ask for Dye, Poreda and Fields (to replace Casey Blake)?? We don't have a SS to give to them, in fact, they might sign Orlando Cabrera. Or the Giants will sign Cabrera if they miss out on Furcal I think. Would KW be willing to take a look at either Jones or Pierre if they took at least 60-65% of their salaries off the table as compensation? Maybe, but I doubt it...plus Jones and Pierre would have huge adjustments to make moving over to a new league. Let's say they do sign Manny, there's nowhere to put Dye...and Loney's at 1B already. So the best thing I can think of is Dye/Fields/Poreda for Kemp and the best bullpen arm we can get out of them...leading us to trade Jenks. Broxton (doubt we could get him), Cory Wade, Scott Proctor or Brazoban I guess.

Add Rodriguez at MICHIGAN to the list...hot seat getting hotter for Bielema as well. As an Iowa grad, I thought he had the recruiting ability and motivational skills to be a great head coach, but maybe he wasn't quite ready for the big-time quite yet. I think it's 50/50 whether Bobby Stoops could have done a better job at Iowa than Kirk Ferentz has, with the much more limited talent pool, sharing the state with ISU...having no major population centers in the states like all the other B10 schools and having the smallest African/American population as well.

In all honesty, I would rather try Josh Fields in LF and press my luck than give up a pitcher with the stuff of Edwin Jackson for a complementary corner outfielder who doesn't hit with corner power, doesn't have much of an arm and doesn't record stolen bases like he did earlier in his career...in fact, I'd rather have Ryan Sweeney back than trade for DeJesus (because of the salary difference). We shouldn't ever dream of trading a potential 3 or higher start to an intradivision rival IMO. I would rather have Taveras playing CF and hitting 1st and giving up Broadway/Russell compared to Edwin Jackson/Adam Russell for David DeJesus.

I think Cameron, Blanco, Taveras and Bourn would be "traditional" choices as stopgaps and leadoff hitters (no, I don't mean Cameron should ever leadoff for the Sox again!). Blanco, he could be a keeper. There's Edmonds, but I don't see him coming back to the AL. Kotsay would be another Erstad/Mackowiak/Byrnes grinder type. A lot of posters really seem to like what he brings to the table. Ludwick isn't a CFer. Vernon Wells wouldn't shock me, especially if they decided to resign Burnett, keep Halladay AND Rios all together. Rios was on the market this past season, but might not be anymore. Of course, Kemp and McLouth would be great choices, but at what cost??? 1. Nate McLouth, .853, 23 SB's 2. Mike Cameron, .809, 17 SB's 3. Cody Ross, .799, 36 SB's 4. Matt Kemp, .799, 35 SB's 5. Lastings Milledge, .731, 24 SB's 6. Gregor Blanco, .676, 13 SB's 7. Wily Taveras, .604, 68 SB's 8. Michael Bourn Identity, .588, 41 SB's Ryan Spilborghs Jody Gerut more of a RFer Marlon Byrd Vernon Wells (would TOR be willing to eat part of his contract, KW has always liked this guy a ton) Rick Ankiel Scott Hairston Mark Kotsay Lou Montanez, Balt.

Edmonds HAS to be about Option #10 on the big board in KW's office. He will target a younger player with upside/potential before we go through another Mack/Griffey/Swisher year out there.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news...o&type=lgns Great article by Wetzel (very sarcastic) about how messed up the B12 is right now...good stuff. Many salient points.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Nov 22, 2008 -> 11:27 PM) I have a hard time distinguishing who the best team is between Texas, USC, Oklahoma, and Florida. I think Texas has to be ranked ahead of OU due to head to head on a neutral field, but a little round robin between those 4 would be nice. Too bad it can't happen. In regards to relevance though, Texas is in great shape to play in the Big 12 title game if BCS expert Brad Edwards of ESPN is right. He predicts Texas will be #2 and Oklahoma #4 in the BCS standings (with Florida #3) tomorrow. I'm not sure I buy that, but if he is right, I can't see any way Oklahoma can jump Texas, and the BCS standings are the 3 way tiebreaker of course in the Big 12 South. That is how it SHOULD be though, I don't care how good Oklahoma looks, Texas beat them on a neutral field and there is no way for OU to dispute that argument. Well, there's some other things to consider...will OU jump ahead of Texas (all the way to #2) in some of the polls? Heck, they might even get some #1 votes as far as I'm concerned. Second, beating OSU on the road has to improve their BCS Standings a lot more than for TEX to beat Texas A&M, and, by the way, the Longhorns have lost those last two games, so that's not a foregone conclusion. Not to mention the fact that it's a 3 way tie...why can't TT argue they deserve to go, based on their head-to-head win over Texas??? A win is a win and a loss is a loss, right? Third, momentum...if OU closes out the season trouncing TT and on the road at OSU, that's a lot more compelling to the voters than the way TEX is finishing out the season. Yes, they won on a neutral field in a game OU choked away, but Texas lost to TT, and TT was blitzkrieged by OU. I think that equalizes that argument in the eyes of many fans. If OU does beat OSU and finishes behind TEX, you will have the most heated argument/s ever about the playoff system and BCS.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Nov 22, 2008 -> 11:08 PM) And the reason for that is actually pretty simple, in the inner cities it's easy to play basketball, all you need is a ball and one other guy to play a pickup game whereas with baseball, you need a ball, a bat, a bunch of guys, and gloves for at least half of those guys, which is expensive and hard to organize. With football you have more or less the same problem since need all the equipment and whatnot but at least it's sponsored in high school. And it doesn't take as long to develop skill as baseball does for most people. Then you have all the marketing, the Air Jordans, the hip-hop/entertainment industry's tie-ins with the NBA, the fact that Michael Jordan was the coolest guy in the world that everyone wanted to be (Be Like Mike). Not to mention it's easier for kids today to identify with Kobe, LeBron and D-Wade or KG than Jackie Robinson. Places to play and equipment are one part of it, for sure...and yet soccer/futbol has never taken off in America. Maybe it will continue to make progress, simply because it's the most important sport in many Central/South American countries. The RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner City) program's been around 10 years or so now, it will be intereting to see what, if any, impact that has on bringing more African Americans back to the sport.

QUOTE (Shadows @ Nov 22, 2008 -> 11:37 PM) Why? Thats going to be the National Championship game Oklahoma after tonight will almost certainly jump Texas in the BCS and I don't see them losing to Ok St or Missouri Alabama is going to get wrecked by Florida in the SEC title game, so the #1 and #2 will be Florida and Oklahoma when its all said and done.. So this is what I am seeing.. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP #1 Oklahoma Vs. #2 Florida ROSE BOWL Oregon State Vs. Penn State FIESTA BOWL Texas Vs. Utah SUGAR BOWL Alabama Vs. Ohio State ORANGE BOWL Florida State Vs. USC Of course, thats just a total prediction about how I see it playing out Stoops has had the most trouble against OSU (until going 1-3 against TEX after thoroughly dominating for five years)....of any team he has played, with the exceptions of USC and LSU. The game is in Stillwater, that's a HUGE advantage for the Cowpokes. In fact, Josh Fields was a big part of winning a couple of those Bedlam Series match-ups for the Cowboys. That place is already scaring Sooners fans...like the MetroDome for White Sox fans or kryptonite for Superman. OU will be favored, but a couple of better Sooners teams than this one have lost there in recent years. They will amped up for this game, and they deserve the NC game if they win it....then they still would have to play Missouri (a team they've dominated over the last 10 years), which is another big "letdown" game. But I think Stoops has his team peaking later instead of early and they're not going to take anything for granted like when they lost to KSU 35-7 w/ Jason White at QB. That was the infamous Darren Sproles game.

QUOTE (Shadows @ Nov 22, 2008 -> 11:57 PM) Oops, yeah your right I didn't even think of the Big East because of how lame their auto bid is My corrected BCS bowls would be as followed then NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP #1 Oklahoma Vs. #2 Florida ROSE BOWL Oregon State Vs. Penn State FIESTA BOWL Texas Vs. Utah SUGAR BOWL Alabama Vs. USC ORANGE BOWL Florida State Vs. Cincinnati Remove Ohio State, add in Cincy.. Of course, if Oregon State loses that would put USC/Penn State in the Rose Bowl and I would then slide Ohio State back into the Sugar Bowl I wonder how many millions of dollars the OB will lose substituting Cincy for OSU? Many, I bet.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Nov 22, 2008 -> 11:33 PM) I'd actually say there is a pretty decent chance we do see that game. I'm not sure what the tie breaking scenarios are that make OU win the big 12 South over UT but the reason the Long Horns wouldn't get in because of their win over OU is because of the fact there is a 3 way tie right now, not just UT and OU. The BCS standings decide who will play in the B12 championship game...I guess this change occurred after NEB or another team backed into the BCS by not even playing in the Championship game when the favored team that had advanced lost out. I guess this makes a little more sense...I would imagine if OU beats OSU on the road next week, they will be ahead of TEX in the BCS Standings because they crushed TT so badly and Texas Tech beat Texas in a very close game. And I guess there's a good chance UF beats Bama to win the SEC Championship. So it at least can happen, about a 50% chance I'd say. I doubt USC will factor into the puzzle, there's a big dropoff to them from #5 to #6.

Yep, they just need one Yao Ming or Yi Jinlian....the Red Sox or Yankees signed the first two Chinese players this past year, there was the focus on the Olympic games, MLB sent a big delegation over in March and then there were the exhibition games played there as well. There is a baseball presence in Taiwan, which is technically part of China...just like Tibet. The first player will be from Chinese Taipei, FWIW. The other reason is because more young Americans are playing basketball (especially African-American), but also individual sports like golf (Tiger Woods phenomenon kicking in) and tennis. I really doubt we're losing too many future All-Stars to NASCAR and Ultimate Fighting though.