Pastime

Yas, I only wish I could find the small article, but I can't. It's too early in the morning - however, I read somewhere that Ponson has a slight fraying in his rotator cuff. Dammit - I usually post a link to back up my statements, but I can't remember where to find it. Just trust me on this.

The 1995 AL MVP award was the writers just basically purposely shunning Albert Belle because he was an asshole. The writers tried to "send a message." The message - "Kiss our asses and we'll make you happy." Barry Bonds was a complete tool and jerkoff of major proportions his whole career, but all of a sudden, he's been "cordial" the last few years. He's not stupid - he knows what straws stir the drink.

I didn't once think about Hentgen. The guy has very little left, and if that's what we are banking our hopes on - reclamation projects, rehab guys, and players that might "catch lightning in a bottle" - we are in some serious trouble. That being said, the two guys we really wanted for our rotation are huge question marks with pitching arms that could blow up at any time - Colon and Ponson. I read and hear everyting I can possibly absorb, and the jury has spoken - both guys are pitching on borrowed time. Could they both pitch for another 5 years with nothing happening to them? Sure. But they could also blow their arms out on the next pitch. It's like having a bad piston in your car's engine. It could blow the next time you start the car, or you could get another 15,000 miles out of the car. Either way, it's a huge gamble. I say NO to Ponson and Colon.

Let's see what Ozzie has to work with before we pass judgment. In other words, let's see what Kenny The Magician can pull out of his hat (or out of his ass), and let's see what Ozzie has to work with in terms of a roster before we condemn #13. Unless he's given a halfway-decent roster, not even Connie Mack could win with a s***ty ballclub. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken s*** - as the saying goes.

The White Sox have made some bad trades in their day, no doubt about it. Earl Battey to Minnesota, Norm Cash to Cleveland, Johhny Callison to Philly, Wells and Fogg to Pittsburgh, Shammy Sosa to the Flubs, etc. Let's hope the trend has died and been buried.

Not in Tennessee. It's encouraged, isn't it?

It's really simple. One of the joys of being a male is the ability to piss anywhere, anytime, anyhow. I have been on vacations where I just find a spot on the side of the road and just water the ground. And when I was a stupid kid driving on long trips, I just kept an old "Big Gulp" cup in the passenger's seat, just in case.

I was born to Bill and Karen - never met them. I was raised by Robert and Kay - love them to death. Adopted or not, it doesn't matter. It's not who "created" you that makes you who you are, it's who "raised you, took care of you, loved you, etc."

Sometimes you have to wonder what he really meant by the song, "Beat It."

"It's funny 'cause it's true!" - Homer Simpson, 1997

Hawkins couldn't handle the closer's job with the Twins, and at least one scout questions whether he could succeed as a setup man with a high-profile team like the Yankees or Red Sox. "He hasn't got the psyche or the makeup," the scout says. "He'd be a disaster in that arena." . . . Oh, LaTroy, please sign with the Cubs. PLEASE.

If he doesn't want to be here, after we gave him a second chance, then good riddance, jerk.

I also remember Ken Caminiti saying that "at least 20% of major league ballplayers were taking steroids," and he was ripped incessantly for weeks. And yet the latest numbers came out recently and about 20% of major league ballplayers were on the "juice." Ken Caminiti the soothsayer!!

I think it's safe to say that we won't hear about any White Sox / A's trades. If Kenny could meet Beane in a dark alley, I don't think he would decline the offer ....

I can't accuse anyone of anything without undisputable proof, but I just watched a Giants game from about 5 years ago on ESPN Classic that I taped. (It ran over from what I was taping previously.) Bonds was the skinny beanpole he always was. He was stealing bases, and not very bulked up. All of a sudden he's this behemoth. Mark McGwire had arms that were soft and unmuscular in 1996. Two years later, his arms are larger than my thighs and he's a monster. Shammy Sosa started with the White Sox at 178 lbs - as late as 1996, he was 195 lbs. All of a sudden, he's 230 lbs in 1998 and pounding the ball. And we all know the lazy s*** wouldn't hit the weights if you stuck a gun to his head. Jason Giambi - quick bat, and had a lot of homeruns as a member of the A's. However, I have a playoff game from 3 years ago on tape, and he was undeveloped in his arms. They were just "normal guy" arms. All of a sudden, he's got arms that most linebackers would salivate over. I'm glad they're doing something about this. I hate the fact that steroids are polluting my favorite game. Simply put, if you can't perform in the most beautiful sport in history without artificial enhancement - then get the f*** out! The game has been tarnished enough with the money issue, we don't need it tarnished with "dope" as well.

He usually gets people out. That's all I care about. He's a prankster? Well, maybe he can give GIDPaul Konerko a hot shoe once in a while so he actually runs faster than tree sap.

Baez reminds me of Kyle Farnsworth (velocity notwithstanding). A guy who was forced into a role that made them uncomfortable, and they inevitably failed. But when used properly in the bullpen, did a nice job (NLCS notwithstanding!!). Baez would be really good as a setup guy, but he's no closer. He doesn't have the mental makeup or the pitches for that.

If Maggs was coming back at 8 million, I don't think anyone would say anything about him. I, for one, have never said anything negative about him except that he's too expensive for the farce we call a payroll. I love Maggs, but I love the team more. I wish both of them the best every minute of every day, but I have to root for the Sox, not just Maggs. It sucks that we even have to discuss this.

That may be true, but he has a special relationship with Miguel Olivo. They are mentor/prodigy. You can't discount that. What Olivo learns from him can't be analyzed with a price tag. Plus, he's dirt cheap. So what's your point?

Wunsch is number #25 on our list of problems.

I don't want to discuss the Cubs, but I will say this: If Koch was 100%, and he was on the mound for the Cubs the last two games that Farnsworth was pitching, we would be still lamenting the fact that the Cubs made it to the World Series. When healthy, our flamethrower has one thing theirs doesn't - a set of balls.

Maybe they were Cub Scouts.

It's not even the fact that he's a blimp, the most important thing is that I heard a scout during the season comment how he was surprised that Colon's arm didn't blow out. And now a "source" GM has come out and said the same thing. And I've heard that about Colon for the last 2 years. He's a disaster waiting to happen. Him blowing us off might be the best thing that ever happened to our starting pitching staff. He's been pitching on borrowed time for a long time, and I think that he pops that arm this year. Let him pop that arm in another uniform. However, he will still be happy even with a blown arm, because you can still stuff 10 Whoppers down your throat with your left arm.

Chisonfn, You can throw me into the "Koch will be back" camp. I'm about as cynical as they come, and I rip on a lot of the Sox players, but I think the guy had a physical problem that will heal and be fixed by next year. And the guy will work his ass off to get back. He's not a primadonna crybaby who just loves making a ton of money for sitting on their ass. He's a warrior and a tough guy, and he'll be back. If he isn't? Then he isn't. I'd rather have Billy Koch than Roger Cedeno no matter HOW he pitches next year.

I would love to have Jacque Jones. However, the Twins would never trade to a division rival, so it would have to be a three-way deal. And to the loser Mets, we WILL keep Billy Koch. And after he rebounds next year and returns to form, I hope you enjoy suffering, losing, and rotting with Roger Cedeno, asswipes. :fyou