Pastime

We're going to Europe again next Spring - France won't be on our stops. If I wanted to smell women who smelled like B.O. and tuna, I would just hang out in dark alleys in the south side of Chicago. France sucks. :fyou

Bmr, This team wants to win. And I don't know what lit the fire under their asses, but thank you to whatever did. I'm not a Carlos Lee fan, and don't take this the wrong way, but a month ago, I don't think he makes that dive he did last night. This team is coming together, and like the team in the movie Major League - they're saying, "Let's win the whole f***ing thing." Be afraid, A.L. opponents. Be very afraid.

Baggio, f*** France. I was in Paris 3 years ago, and this guy was speaking French to my wife. We had my sister with us on the trip - she speaks French. When she told me what he was saying, well, needless to say, I blasted him upside his chin. French people have hairy chests, they smell like B.O. and piss, and their teeth are black. And now let's talk about the men. :finger

Exactly. Team chemistry is nice, and it's a great excuse if it works, but it's overrated. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Bill Dickey HATED each other - yet they won rings. Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, and Gene Tenace HATED each other - yet they won rings. The 1990 Reds had players that loathed each other - yet they won a ring. That chemistry stuff is as overrated as "New Coke." Piss on it. If they win and bring us a pennant, I could care less if they try to light each other on fire.

Supposedly, baseball is 90% mental (or so they say). Jeff Weaver had nasty stuff in Detroit. He somehow managed to win in double digits a few times with a woefully s***ty team behind him that couldn't field, hit, or hold a lead. Baseball is 90% mental, or so they say. He's in the BIGGEST fishbowl in professional sports, a place where the fans are unforgiving, demanding, and vicious. If he won 15 games this year, they would want to know why he didn't win 20. If he won 20, they would wonder why he didn't win 25. He needs to get out of New York. Some guys can handle the pressure, some can't. He needs to escape and be rejuvinated. Could he do it here? That's up to Kenny Williams to figure out.

For cry's sake, we had Albert "Asshole" Belle, and the players dealt with him for 3 years. I don't buy into that "nice guy" crap. As long as Everett produces and makes the team better, you can deal with him. It's very simple. If you don't like him or his attitude, or if you don't want to associate with him, then STAY THE HELL AWAY. It's not that hard to figure out. Just play and WIN. That's it. Period - new paragraph. As Jim Leyland once said - "Chemistry is something that pimply-faced kids learn in high school." AMEN. Plus, this team's chemistry has sucked for the better part of a year, and somehow they've gotten over it and are in a slight hot streak, correct?

According to Bruce Levine in Chicago, who is 10 times more accurate than Gammons wishes he could be, KW is looking at Carl Everett. Supposedly, the Rangers are really anxious for pitching and looking to dump payroll, and the Sox are talking to the Rangers as of this very moment. The only concern is Everett's anger management problems. Aaron Rowand might be part of the deal. That's all they reported a minute ago. Sorry I don't have more details.

Maggs' first half has been below his average. Valentin's first half has been below his average. In terms of RBI's, Frank's first half has been below his average. Colon's and Buehrle's first halves have been below their averages. In other words, the whole damn team might put it all together at once. Let's be honest, when Valentin hits, this team wins. When Buehrle is ON, this team wins. I see nothing but brighter days on the horizon. As for the Royals and Twins, well, let's just say that the proof will be in the pudding. Those two teams will be faded by the beginning of August. And piss on them both.

I give kudos to Carlos for a nice week. But I still think he tries to pull everything, doesn't run the bases all that well, and is average at BEST in LF. I'd rather DH him and stick Rowand in left once we acquire a CF. What worries me is that Carlos has had a good 10 days. So now what? Will it continue? (History says NO). Or does he now go into a 2-week funk? (History says YES). Don't blame me. I didn't write his history - HE DID.

Well, of course. Brilliant minds think alike.

If the trend continues, yes, in the long run it will be great. But even if we win 2 of 3 over the next 3 series, we will still only be at .500. We need to start sweeping some of these pathetic teams. Should have swept the Cubs in Wrigley, should have swept the Padres at home, etc etc. We need to put teams away. A nice start would be to sweep these cocky, overrated, big-mouthed Twins motherf***ers. (Pardon my French.)

If we could trade for Sidney Ponson or even Steve Trachsel (*GASP*) as part of a Trachsel/Alomar deal, we could shut down Colon until after the All-Star Break. That could make all the difference in the world. He looks tired and sore-armed. He needs a rest. Better now than a month from now when he's potentially done for the year with a blown-out arm or a torn this-or-that.

I know that I rip Kenny Williams more than most people, but I will say this: He's not an imbecile. I'm sure he has been keeping track of every stupid baserunning play Jimenez makes, every boneheaded swing he takes with a guy on base, every puss-armed throw he makes. and every concrete-skulled mistake he makes in any category. And I'm sure he's even more sickened with it than we are. I'm sure Kenny and Jerry M. have had more than a few passing conversations about D'Angeloser Jimenez. There's a reason why 2 organizations have dumped him in spite of all his "natural talent." And now we know why first hand.

I like Cotts too, but I've been hearing about all these "hot prospect pitchers" in our minors for years, and I'm still waiting on about 97% of them. Once in a while, you trade a hot prospect for a proven commodity. Sometimes it works, sometimes it blows up in your face. But that's the case in everyday life decisions as well. IMHO, if Weaver could get out of the fishbowl of the Bronx, he would be more revitalized than a 75 year old man with a month's supply of Viagra and hookers.

I agree, although I think Rowand is a corner outfielder by heart. His lack of "natural instincts" in CF scares me a little bit. I just don't want to see Jiminez anymore - PLEASE PLEASE NO. The way he plays baseball literally turns my stomach. It's one thing if you're lazy, and it's one thing if you're stupid. But when you're stupid AND lazy, get the hell off my team! Jiminez has the baseball I.Q. of a tree stump.

Yas, George "Der Fuhrer" Steinbrenner is so fed up with Weaver that I'm sure he would trade him for a bag of toenails. According to an A.L. scout in a recent sports magazine - "Weaver just needs to get out of New York. Much like it does to many players, it messes with your head." As for Weaver's attitude, hey, we need some attitude on the South Side. And he's not afraid to dust a hitter once in a while either. He'd fit right in.

Maggs - the best RF in Chicago. And he doesn't need to CHEAT to perform, either. Unlike some people we know and loathe. By the way, nice clutch hitting, Shammy. Pfffffft. :fyou

Ain't it beautiful??! And as for that starting staff - Prior, Wood, and Zambrano are great young arms. But Clement is a .500 pitcher who's either really good or really bad, and Estes throws more meat at the plate than the local butcher. And that bullpen is as average and mediocre as any in baseball. I mean, c'mon - how far do you REALLY expect to go with Joe "Journeyman" Borowski as your closer? Geesh.

And Iguana is 100% correct. Armando Rios BLOWS.

I mean, the guy tries hard, but can't seem to get it through his head he isn't a home run hitter. Lance Johnson was the same way. In his early days with the Cardinals and even in his first year or so with the Sox, he used to upper cut a lot and just fly out. Then, he adjusted his swing and became a slap hitter who would go the other way and just smack the ball somewhere with a sometimes-level and sometimes-downward swing. And One Dog became a damn good hitter who used his speed as an advantage. If Harris continues his slight upper-cut swing, then he truly will end up forever known as a "4 AAAA" player. I just wish I knew if he was a CF or a 2B - I don't see him excel at either.

Bmr, I was dripping with sarcasm when I posted all that.

The Cubs didn't need Jim Thome for several reasons: 1. He would cost money - can't have that. 2. He's a proven slugger - the Cubs offense is already vaunted and potent as it is. 3. If he had signed with the Cubs, it would have looked like they really cared about winning - that's deceiving the fans Honesty is better. 4. They have rookie flop Hee Chop Suey and creaky-kneed Eric Karros at first already - who needs a loser like Thome? ANOTHER JUNE SWOON CAME AND WENT.

Three quick things: 1. If you read last week's Sporting News, you'll see that the Mets are DESPERATE for prospects. It's not just about dropping payroll anymore. They need young players badly. 2. Southsider 2k3, thanks a lot for all the info-packed quotes you post. It's appreciated. 3. Jeff Pentland was fired as the Cubs hitting coach because HE was the problem with their bats. He was the reason they couldn't hit. Yet Pentland goes to K.C., and somehow now the Royals are pounding the ball and the Cubs still suck ass and can't score. Did you just see that? It was a typical JUNE SWOON.

To sum it up as simply as I can: Kenny Williams is the "Anti-Midas" - everything he touches turns to s***.

It will never happen for several reasons: 1. The White Sox won't acquire anyone who costs money. 2. Kenny the Moron is happy with "Jiminez the Baseball Dumbass." 3. It would make sense, and Kenny hates that. Unless he can acquire another braindead dumbass, Kenny isn't interested. 4. He would help us win - God forbid, we can't have that. Kenny has the baseball IQ of a bag of hair.