Pastime

Just my two cents worth, but "Independent-Transfusion" is my idea for your name. The domain hasn't been taken (at least I didn't see it taken - I did a web search), and the title "Independent-Transfusion" states and symbolizes two things : 1. The fact that you promote independents. 2. You are part of, and are doing a "tranfusion" - in other words, your independents are infusing some NEW BLOOD into the music industry. A possible logo could have musical notes floating through an IV tube along with some kind of "colorful" or "colored" fluid, or something to that effect. That's just my thoughts.

I don't want to be the favorites to win anything. That way, there is a rallying cry of "no one respects us,""no one expects us to do anything," etc. I am not brimmng with confidence about this roster - as it sits today - but I will let the players on the field do what they're paid to do - play the games. Ozzie is supposedly a master motivator. If that is true, then let's see him motivate this team to overachieve. I would rather have an "okay" roster that overachieves than a "great" roster that underachieves (see the 2003 season). The perfect scenario would be to have a great roster that overachieves (can that be done - I mean, if they're a great roster, did they really overachieve or reach their proper level?). What really pisses me off is that we can never ever see what the 2003 roster would have done with Ozzie at the helm.

I am right in the middle of the "room" helping myself to a piece of comely miss BrandoFan, occasionally lifting my head to see if Valentin hit a foul a ball or not on the IB. I'm scared to ask. It's almost like the scratching noise you hear in a box in the cellar. You want to know what's in there, so you slowly start to open the box, then you think twice about it, and start to walk away. But you go back, and then start to open it again, but then walk away. But something drives you back towards the box, because you just have to know ..... I think I'll leave this box alone and run up the stairs. *Officer Barbrady voice* "Let's move along people. Nothing to see here." Rex, In 2000 they won with a 31 million payroll - unbelieveable. It's obvious that it's not always how much money is being spent, but HOW it's being spent. That being said, I still wish the amount was higher, but I digress. We are just going to have to accept the fact that our future will be building through the minor leagues, like Minnesota, Oakland, Seattle, etc. That's not a bad thing, IF we draft the right players. IMO, next year will be really telling. Reed and others should be ready to go, and KW will have 14 million in "petty cash" to use. I do think it's about time to see if some of our young players can amount to something and live up to the hype. I want to see the little light bulbs go on above the heads of Rauch and Cotts - AND Borchard. Fact is, the Sox will never be major spenders or have a high payroll, so we just have to find alternative means of getting talent on the field. What's frustrating is that I complain (along with hundreds or thousands of Sox fans) about the payroll, but it doesn't change a thing. I believe the definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result." (Or something like that).

Capn, I'm not feeling all that good physically (Flu), so your post may make me physically ill (literally) - I'm already ready to vomit, and that last post makes me want to find the nearest toilet. (I have 3 of them in the house, but I'll puke in MY bathroom).

That "non-tender" list is as unimpressive as it's been in a decade. Pitiful. There's not much on that list that I'm interested in, and if this team was an actually serious contender with an owner who gave a s***, we wouldn't even have to look at that sorry list. Thanks Jerry. :fyou

My sister, (who is basically going from paycheck to paycheck), tried the "SPAM" turkey. She vomited after eating it, and so did I and my wife. I can't imagine what SPAM really is, other than assuming that it's the hooves, tails, noses, and faces of dead animals. Technically, that is 100% beef, pork, or whatever, since it's made from those animals. Just thinking of SPAM makes me not want to eat for a month. That should be their money-making advertising campaign - eat SPAM just once, and you will never eat like you did ever again.

If we don't have a starting rotation this year consisting of Dave LaPoint, Eric King, Jeff Bittiger, Shawn Hillegas, and Melido Perez, then f-ck this team!! I'm done with them forever. I've had it. Let all of you support this underachieving bunch of muthaf***as. Enough is enough! Thanks, Jerry. :fyou

Whenever I come to a thread created by Beastly, I immediately think of 2 things : 1. He really loves Maggs, and would defend him in a battle. He's a big die-hard fan of #30. 2.

I agree. This is like a bad "acid flashback." It's over, and you haven't taken that crap for 7 years, yet the residue still messes with you and haunts your day-to-day routine. You can't get away, no matter how futile your attempt is. Either make the deal or don't. Dammit, make a decision. This isn't rocket science, people.

In Chicago, this is what I've read: Pitcher Scott Schoeneweis' tenure with the White Sox was brief. He was not offered arbitration by the 11 p.m. deadline Saturday, making him a free agent. The left-hander, who was used out of the bullpen after he was acquired from the Anaheim Angels in late July, would have competed for a spot in the rotation this spring had he been retained. The Sox were unable to reach a pre-deadline agreement with Schoeneweis like they did with outfielder Carlos Lee and reliever Kelly Wunsch, who also were arbitration-eligible. He could have made $2 million if his case went to a third party, a chance the Sox weren't willing to take. Schoeneweis was 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA for the Sox last season. Overall, he was 3-2 with a 4.18 ERA. Doug Padilla I hope he isn't back. He truly stunk up the joint when he was with us. And quite frankly, I'd rather have Kirk McCaskill be our 5th starter than that stiff.

Wait a minute. Didn't Hicks (dumbass extraordinaire) already give this same "deadline" a week ago? This guy is so full of s*** that he could qualify to be an official sewer drain.

I've been dedicated to this team since 1980, when I actually knew what the hell a "grand slam" or a "double play" was. I was 10 years old, and thanks to my dad, who taught me all that stuff, I knew baseball. I canceled my season tickets because mainly I didn't have the money. I could have got the money, but the Sox have done nothing to make we want to get the money. I will still be out there 10-15 times this year, not just for the team, but for the atmosphere. I love sitting in the bleachers with my Kosher Dogs and my Cokes. I love to watch live baseball, even if the team sucks. To me it's a headrush. I would rather have a dominant team to watch, but that won't happen here anytime soon. However, I love my time at the park. As for the jerkoff fans, I'm large and intimidating enough to tell them to "shut the f-ck up." Let them respond, if they have the nuts. I will take 10 games at "The Cell" over 1 game at "The Gum Bowl" anyday. Going to the park is a nice "getaway" for the little lady and me. We have a blast, we love watching the live action, and she always ends up buying me a jersey, hat, or baseball, so how can I lose? She's a Cubs fan (I'm working dilligently on that) , but she likes the park. At least she doesn't have to deal with drunken yuppies pissing on their shoes like at Wrigley. And people criticize OUR fan base. LOL!!!

Yas, By simple math, Jose is getting older. We all hate that, but he is doing what we all do. Getting older. His reflexes are going to slow down - it's life's equation and life's decision, not mine. Plus, imagine Jose next to Willie Harris. Any bad throw, or any "close throw" will now be handled by a novice at the 2B position. And we all know that the SS gets charged with at least 10 decisions that he shouldn't be blamed for. Jose is getting older, and I just doubt that his range is what it used to be. Yes, he has good range, but can he still do it at his age? Well, we're stuck with him either way so let's hope for the best. But, believe me, he's not even a shadow of what he was in Milwaukee. I saw too many Brewers games in that time, but he had the range of no SS I've ever seen. That's fading, and slowing down. Let next year's stats prove that since you still think he's "all that."

If I were Kenny, (and thank God I'm not), my 2005 plan would be to walk into Jerry Reinsdorf's office, and resign. And my exact response would be, "I'm sorry Jerry, but I'm tired of being the fall guy for this franchise. You have done nothing to help me, and you have never actually stood up for me ever in 4 years. However, you have strapped me, and restricted me unrealistically with your bulls*** payroll limits. Thank you for the opportunity to work for this organization, but I have to leave within my own good faith. I don't want to be your spokesperson any longer, and I don't want to have to spout bulls*** to the media and fans. That's YOUR job now, sir. If you weren't such a greedy miserly person, we could have turned this team upside down and really made this a special place. However, you choose not to, which is your fault, not mine. Have a nice life, Mr. Reinsdorf. I cannot work under these false pretenses any longer. " And after that conversation, I would contact every media outlet in the U.S. and discuss all of Jerry Reinsdorf's business practices involving the White Sox and the payroll, and I would spill every negative and condemning thing I knew to anyone who would listen. Before the day was over, Reinsdorf would be walking in front of 100 TV cameras with his overcoat covering his face, and he would be saying, "No comment, talk to my attorneys" until his lips got dry. And then the truth would come out, and hopefully that would involve Reinsdorf going to prison for a while. The thought of a one-eyed tattooed thug named Turk screwing Reinsdorf the way he screwed all of us is so damn awesome.

It truly depresses me to have to base the hopes of next season on bargain-basement players, reclamation projects, and guys who sign minor-league deals. This is what I used to use as fodder to laugh at the Cubs fans for doing. Thanks, Jerry. :fyou

Bobby Howry will never pitch again in the Major Leagues - count on it. He's Mike Sirotka II. But if you want to get upset over that, so be it. Enjoy yourself. And here I read this thread thinking that some Sox player worth a crap was leaving or something. My bad.

However, in the grand scheme of things, I would like to do more than win a God-awful horrible division. I would like to have a roster than can at least compete with anyone due to our pitching staff. Kenny, you have a lot of work to do, but better you than me. It sucks to be you, right about now.

Let's be honest, in any other division, this team would be buried by May 15th. However, this is the weakest divison since the 1994 AL West, when the division leader led the division with a record that was 2 games under .500 (Texas?) - before the strike hit. This team needs to get off of its bad habit of playing uninspired, lazy, half-ass baseball the first 2 months of the season. I truly think that whomever gets off to the hottest start the first 2 months will win the division. This division is as far from a "powerhouse" as Nevada is from the East Coast.

Look at the 1994 July Baseball Digest section called "Here They Come - The Big League Rookies of 1994." If you look under shortstops, you wil find Jose Valentin. Basically, he was praised for his DEFENSE. According to that issue, "Jose hit. 240 in AAA, and will never be a high-average hitter in the majors," "Jose might hit for average power in the major leagues," "Jose makes errors on plays that other shortstops can only dream of making," and "Jose is a gifted defensive shortstop with a great range, glove, and arm. His hitting might pose a problem, though." So I guess we shouldn't be so surprised that he's never hit much (except his .273 in 2000). However, for a player whose "main claim to fame" or "strength" was his glove, he's quickly fading. He should be playing at 1B, 3B, or DH for someone. However, he has to play SS for us, since we're overloaded at the other spots.

Gabe Kapler (Boston OF) was also non-tendered. If we're going after "Roid Boys," then we should at least consider him.

Supposedly, Ozzie is able to get "the most" out of his players, so let's sign a few of these "bargain basement" guys and let's see how true that is. Like Yasny said, our pitching staff could be a hell of a lot better without blowing a huge wad of cash. Like we have a huge wad to spend anyways. Also, I think Pavano and Penny from Florida are available as well. However, we do need to keep SOME hitting in order to score runs for our garage-sale pitching staff.

I just hope that these draft picks don't become fodder for Kenny to trade away for half-season FA players when the Sox "go for it all" again in 2009.

Has the complete list of non-tenders come out yet? So far, I've seen a few intriguing names, but not many that I just want to jump on.

I never thought we'd get him anyways. However, about a year ago, if you offered him or Koch to me, I would have taken Koch. It's amazing how quickly things can change in just 365 days.

Why do we even have a team if we're going to trade everyone away when they get good? I know Reinsdorf is a cheap bastage, but c'mon already. I truly fear that our team won't have Lee, Ordonez, OR Thomas on it next year. We'll be like the 1985 Cardinals - one "power" hitter (Konerko), and the rest will be scrappy guys who combine for 30 HR between the 7-8 of them. :puke :puke That would work great if we played in the old cavernous Busch Stadium. If you have ulcers or a weak stomach, I truly suggest rooting for another team.