TLAK

QUOTE(watchtower41 @ Nov 17, 2005 -> 02:09 PM) Score :headshake they will find a way to screw this up I have no idea how it will turn out, but I recommend listening to at least one show before hating it. I thought Talking Baseball with Rooney and Devine was wonderfull, especially during Hot Stove time, they came up with interesting guests; GM's, managers and scouts. The Score has a tough act to follow, but let's at least them succeed or fail on their own merits. If they start playing 'who ya crappin' or 'miss a little miss a lot'; I with you, though.

So it came down to Ryan Meaux for 3 mos of Blum.

The Rally Crede will miss Bryan Dolgin too. There, it's the 45,654 consecutive Bryan Dolgin thread to mention Joe Crede!

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Nov 15, 2005 -> 02:33 PM) off the subject, The picture in your sig doesnt look like Joe Crede at all to me. On the subject, he may not have been THAT good, but it is just another guy that the Sox are going to have to replace on the radio broadcast next year. Continuity is very important in radio sports broadcasts if you ask me. People need to work with each other a while to get to know their ins and outs. Like Farmer and Rooney finishing sentences and doing the same ad together. I heard Bruce Levines rant, and the worst thing about it was that Dolgin kept saying "Bruce, do you want to talk about this off-air?" and Bruce just kept going on and on. I cheered in my car when Dolgin said "See ya" when Bruce hung up his phone. Was this the rant about how the post season pregames would be handled, using the network pregame instead of the Sox one? IIRC Levine was on from 6 in the morning with Jerk and Jerk in the morning to about 2 AM with Dolgin several times that week. He was on about once an hour all day with the local guys and also covered all the games. He was making less and less sense as the evenings wore on, During the 'rant' I remember him quietly saying 'well that sucks' as if he forgot he was on the radio. I think he was just worn out. The limit of Bruce Levine has been identified.

A DH that could catch, named Piazza or something else, could help a lot. Carrying only two catchers severly limited Ozzie last season. You couldn't DH AJ to give him a rest because you would end up giving up the DH if something happened to Widger. He had to be reluctant to pinch for either guy and leave himself with no catcher on the bench, this led to eating some late game match ups I think Oz would have perferred to avoid, plus AJ played more innings during the dog days than would have been ideal. It was a magical year and the Sox got a way with it but these things tend to tell over time. A competent catcher who could also fill another roster spot, be it DH or somewhere else, would be a welcome addition.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Nov 13, 2005 -> 05:03 PM) I'm a helluva lot closer to the situation than you will ever be my friend. Several on the board can vouch for that. Perhaps YOU, not me, should follow your advice. Now, as you were. My theory is that Farmer negotiated a substantial contract because he does both P by P and color. His deal was done before Rooney’s and, with this as part of the equation, that there wasn’t enough left over to give Rooney a competitive deal, so John walked. Now the Score has a middle range P by P, will go with an entry-level (cheap) color man, and is happy with how things turned out. I’m not blaming Farmer, he didn’t do anything wrong, but I suspect this was the chain of events. Can you comment or is my speculation groundless?

QUOTE(The Critic @ Nov 12, 2005 -> 10:57 AM) Yeah, that was nice, but this is nicer: CHICAGO WHITE SOX - YOUR 2005 WORLD CHAMPIONS Attendance problems in trade for world title? I'll make that trade 11 times out of 10. I know you're right but I really enjoyed the Cell when it had that minor league feel. What I really want is the best of both worlds -like that old car commercial where 'Bob' had all his own roads and nobody else could drive on them.

QUOTE(gosox41 @ Nov 12, 2005 -> 09:36 AM) It's a very smart move for the Twins (or any team) to sign Frank. He can probably be signed for $3-4 mill plus incentives. If healthy he'll out up a .400 OBP and hit 40 HR's. If not healthy, it'll cost a team about $3-4 mill. There's a lot of upside making it a good risk for most teams. On the flip side, what do I do? Frank is my all time favorite player and will always be. I have Thomas jersey and if he switches teams, I'd by his jersey even if it said Twins on it. Is that wrong? Bob $3-4 mill? With that ankle of his, Frank might not even get a major league contract. Could be a minor league deal with a ST invite, lots of incentive clauses if he can play and makes the team, no liability to the team if he cracks that bone in his foot for the third consecutive year. Nobody is going to spend multiple millions of dollars just to find out if he's OK.

QUOTE(gosox41 @ Nov 12, 2005 -> 09:38 AM) That would be great. Be careful what you wish for, you might get it. I personally miss the days when the White Sox were our little secret. 16,000 is the ideal attendance. You could go to a game on whim, show up 15 minutes before first pitch, park within 100 yards and buy great seats at the gate. You could get from your seat to the can and back between innings. You could pick up your brat / polish / kosher on the way and still not miss a pitch. You could keep your coat and stuff in an empty seat. You could tell the beer vendor what inning you want him to come back. If somebody blocked your view, or was just obnoxious, you could just slide down the row. Life was good, life was good…

QUOTE(The Critic @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 08:43 PM) No, but he DID sign another "diminishing skills" clause.... You're terrible!

God bless John Rooney, I will personally miss the many nights I spent on my patio listening to him. He is from the St. Louis area so following in Jack Buck's foot steps is a natural. The Cards fans I know like their baseball without bulls***, so I expect John to do great, no 2 or 3 guys on the mike; follow the ball and tell me what happened. The broadcast is about the game not the announcer. I hope they hire someone who can do play by play to sit next to Farmer. Then when Ed disappears for a couple innings at a time we can figure out what the hell happened in the game.

Thome is damaged goods with a huge contract. No way they get a front line pitcher for him from the Sox or anyone else. There is so much injury risk involved, I can't see the Phillies getting much more than prospects. A year ago it would have been different and a year from now it might be different but for the present 193 AB, 7 HR and a .207 BA for 13 million freaking dollars is not going to get you a starter.

The Yankees asked the White Sox about center fielder Aaron Rowand, but they were told by GM Ken Williams that there was no potential for a match. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Rowand will be dealt, but the White Sox would probably be better off waiting a year. Brian Anderson hasn't proven he's ready to take over in center field. If Rowand isn't an option, the Yankees could look at trading for Milton Bradley, Brad Wilkerson or Juan Pierre. Bradley's issues reportedly have much of the club's front office against a potential deal, but he's plenty talented and he'd come cheap. Nov. 11 - 4:02 am et Source: New York Daily News

What a great thread you started beck72! I can't remember the last time I read a whole 10 pager. I want to add one comment; everyone seems focused on the big famous names. But KW and Oz's history is not to go by reputation but rather to identify the role they want filled and find a player willing and able do it Best case in point is Scotty Pods, they took a PR beating trading for him after his '04 season. But I think they were looking at what they could get out of him using him the way they envisioned. His role was to run down balls, get on base, advance and score, something he seemed to get away from in brew town when he tried to slug the ball. Sticking to his role he played great for the Sox. If they do make a trade, we might all say who the hell is this guy? He might be an unknown or someone we think is a bum. But he could be a piece of an '06 plan that we haven't figured out yet.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Nov 10, 2005 -> 07:50 AM) I agree the sox need to have another OBP option with speed in case of an injury to Pods, and to give the sox more options for scoring runs. Interesting call though where would you put that #2 hitter with speed. Ideas? Crede (Scot Boras client) traded before his FA year. Uribe to 3B. New #2 plays SS?

QUOTE(ZoomSlowik @ Nov 9, 2005 -> 09:25 PM) I got a feeling you're not going to see anyone give him more than 5 years. Too many of these long term deals turn out poorly. However, if someone is that stupid, it will almost certainly be a fringe contender that is trying to give its fan base some hope, ie the Orioles, Blue Jays, or Dodgers. The Mets would also be a possibility because they seem to like giving people long, bloated contracts. If any of these teams are that stupid though, they'll probably regret it. I think you are right, but I doubt the White Sox will go more than 4. If, say the Dodgers, offer 5 guarenteed then Paul would be an idiot to turn it down. You're talking like 13 million dollars in his pocket.

Never in a million years did I think Ozzie could do it. When he was first rumored as a candidate I ranted and raved during the ’03 playoffs when the Marlins pitcher lost his grip on the ball and it sailed over the dugout; before the next pitch Oz was standing on the top step with a catchers mitt. I thought he showed the guy up and posted a long rant that even quoted the leadership 101 seminar we use for new lead people at the shop. Rex Hudler told me to settle down, these guys are just ball players and don’t take it so seriously. Then he gets hired and holds the mother of all press conferences, calling out a hero of mine, Frank Thomas. I thought Thomas was horribly disrespected during the Manuel years and here we go again. I thought Oz was a disaster, Bevington II. My avatar became Oz with a red Bozo wig. Then came spring training ’04. Frank goes on TV and says that’s just Ozzie, don’t worry about it. I notice he communicates with his players and demands the best from them. Whether a guy is a star or a role player Oz just wants his best shot. I remember Konerko on the radio talking about how other managers would shun him when he K’d. He said Oz just tells him ‘You’re terrible’ and they both laugh. Midway through spring, my Bozo avatar goes to the trash can. During the season the only guys he calls out are guys who don’t give their all …Loaiza comes to mind. He didn’t get over 89 through the first half and Oz is all over him to show his real stuff. At the freaking all-star game he throws 93 then goes back to 89 for the Sox. He was on the next bus to New York, traded for a seemingly lesser pitcher, Jose Contreras. Jose was up, down and sideways but never phoned an outing in. Coming into ’05 I was convinced that the Oz was special. He kept the guys who wanted to play and they all seem to want to play for him. Through the season he and Don Cooper did a masterful job of using pitchers without wearing them down. Look at the innings the top 4 threw, yet every one of them was in fine shape for the playoffs. Think what would have happened if Oz gave in during the August slump and went to the 4-man rotation the media and some of us posters were demanding. When the pressure was greatest and everyone was calling the Sox chokers he comes out with this goofy story about retiring if the win the WS. For a week that’s all the media asked about, in the mean time the team was straightening out. So, I certainly deserve to eat some crow for my first reaction to him. I take my hat off to Ozzie Guillen. And I thank him that my hat says “Sox 05 World Series Champions”

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 9, 2005 -> 11:40 AM) All teams fear the speed of Konerko!!! Seriously though, he's not one-tool. He is a strong defender at 1B. This is something people seem to overlook. And he has had some .300 (or close) seasons in addition to his power numbers. The Rally Crede can out run Konerko, and it doesn't even really exist. But speed is not paramount with a 4 hitter. Paulie did have a strong year with the glove, good enough to play for any team in either league in the majors. I don't mean he's better than D. Lee or Pujols but nobody with a opening at 1B need shy away from him. He also showed great durability and played hard every game of the season without wearing down, I can't think of anything about his play that would scare people away. His hitting certainly justifies the rumored salary numbers compared to other players. The risk with him is how good will he be in the later years of the contract. I think if the Sox lose him, it will be because somebody else offers a lot of years.

Remember something about the White Sox, we have watched it all year. They did NOT have the best starter in the league. They did NOT have the best closer. They did NOT have the best fielder at any position. They did NOT have the best hitter at any position. The DID have the best team. It should not be cause for resentment, or even a surprise that they have not garnered individual awards. If you broke this team up and distributed the guys around the league, how many of them would your hear about again, except when they come to town to face the Sox? Apart they are run of the mill, together they are awesome.

ESPN The party continues.

Somebody had to do it.

QUOTE(Steff @ Nov 2, 2005 -> 06:16 PM) No way to a parking garage. The one in St Louis is a nightmare. And BTW.. the Sox don't own the parking lots.. they are ownd by a private group and leased to the ISA. I thought JR and his family owned the lots? Agree on the parking garage, tail gateing is almost as much fun as the games themselves.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Nov 1, 2005 -> 07:48 AM) When Jas photo*chopped* a Rally Crede and within a couple hours, 50 people had a Rally Crede avatar, then the real Crede hits a walkoff that night . . . Scary and funny. Right after real Crede hit it, someone, I think it was Balta, posted "It Works!" Almost fell out of my chair.

QUOTE(Luke_Sox @ Oct 30, 2005 -> 06:56 AM) Hi! I'm pretty new on the game of Baseball so i have some questions i need to ask. I know all about how u play the game, so my questions aren't really about the game. 1. What's the thing they have on the bats? you know the cylinder shaped thing? what's the uese of it? 2. Does everyone have to have a cap on the head? since everone wearing it including the coach. Or is it just some PR thing? 3. How many times is a Bat used? how often do they change, if it's not broken. 4. How much does a ticket cost to "The Cell" ? Thx! Win Or Die Trying! 1. I think you mean the warm up donut players put on the bat to make it heavier and stretch their muscles harder when the prepare for an at bat. Its not used during the actual play. 2. The rules require all players on a team to wear identical uniforms. While I don't remember them mandating caps, the visor on the caps serves the purpose of shielding a players eyes from the sun and the bright lights during night games. I never remember a team without caps. 3. Bats do not wear out unless broken. Some players vary the bats they use depending on how they approach a certain pitcher -Carl Everett goes to a heavier bat to slow himself down against hard throwers, counterintuitive but seems to work for him. Other players blame their bats when they are not going well and change bats just to change their luck. There have been players who used a single bat for the entire season. 4. Regular game tickets ranged from $14 in the upper upper deck to $30 for seats close to the field. Prices are jacked up for premium games, such as the Yankees, $23 and $39 respectively. For the ALCS I payed $65 for a seat in the upper uper deck. Hope this helps.

Reading the post mortems on the season, or listening to the radio, would lead you to think that NOBODY expected anything out of this team after the off season moves. Actually the core fans were pretty optimistic, and had sound reasons for it. Read this thread that Beck started 8 months ago. Many of the posts are absolutely prescient. Several ones about players and the style of play came true. Texsox called Shingo’s departure months before it happened. Juggernaut predicted 128 SB, they came in with 137. Nuke’s comments about the top of the order, starting pitching and fundamentals sound as if they were written today. There are some smart baseball guys on this message board.