TLAK

Press Pass Sox Media Notes (10/3) going into the last game of the season had: Vs. RHP/LHP 63-53/20-25 Vs. RHS/LHS 61-44/21-35 Contreras beat Greinke RH that day so the LH numbers are still good. Not pretty.

I miss the Blackhawks. They have some exciting young players in Ruutu, Calder, Arnason, Daze, McCarthy etal. Brian Sutter enforces responsibility on all his players. They still have a very long way to go, particularly at the bottom of the roster, to be competetive. They've made some very short sighted moves such as trading Zhamnov, which hurt the team and pissed a lot of fans, plus have the most non-charismatic ownership and PR imaginable. I played a lot more hockey than baseball, growing up, which helps one to appreciate the game. There is a lot going on in the rink that a cursory fan never notices. I never liked Basketball or Soccer and don't pretend to understand it. But I don't think leagues that play games I don't like should be disbanded. If some people like it, and I don't, more power to them. Just not my cup of tea and leave it at that.

Great scoop Rex, be sure to pass along everyones thanks to your buddy from the golf tourney. But why did you start so much trouble about Willie Harris?

In '95 Snyder was also part of a lop sided deal with the Angels. In addition to Snyder, the Sox got good miles out of Billy Simas. Jim Abbot was a never a front line starter again, while Fortugno never made it back to the bigs. Baseball Reference:

I finally found it, it's channel 37 in the city. If Jiggets is always on, I'm going to have to buy a bigger TV, he won't fit in my screen.

Two years running it has been Danny Wright getting hurt that blowed up the plans. The original 5th guys did pretty good. In '03 Estaban Loiza was supposed to be the 5th guy and I'd say he worked out OK. Last year it was supposed to be Schoeneweis and he was supposed to get all the off days to ease his elbow. Both years Danny went down so the intended 5th guy moved up; not having anybody in the wings they just rolled dice with the slot, lost and arguably blew two legitimate playoff bids. So, looking at the teams on paper in the off season, the real failure was not finding a 6th starter. Lesson being, just plugging the obvious gap, even bringing in one top of the rotation starter isn't enough. Somebody is going to go down for a while on anybody's staff, and you need pitchers who can give you a chance to win in spot start roles.

A much better article is in the Sun-Times today, finally putting some substance to the rumors. A real interview with Scott Boras, with dates and quotes. Who knows if the injury is an edema (as the Sox have said) or just another small tear (as Boras said yesterday). Wonder if Magg's will show up in Venezuelan ball? If Maggs would play RF everyday for a week, nobody would need a bunch of MRI's.

All he told us is he can read the Arlington Herald but not the MLB transactions column. I guess the agate type is beyond his capabilities. Nobody has confirmed the Boras deal, and he totally missed the Polite resigning that occured October 4th. Great journalism. He didn't say when (if) he talked to KW, except to note the plan is 'right now'. The KW quotes could be good if they really are current, it would be helpful were we to know. There is a lot of bulls*** going on with Maggs and those of us who just read the papers and message boards will just have to wait and see what happens, because you can't believe a word of whats being written.

87 years later and they STILL can't get a freaking bunt down!

He's really got 436 home runs, 31st place all time. This doesn't make the plaque. 1439 RBI puts him 51st all time. Again doesn't make the plaque. 1308 runs puts him 100th all time. Ditto. 2 MVPs and a batting championship are great accomplishments, makes it. 2113 hits is not even in the top 100. Off the plaque. 444 doubles is 77th. Doesn't make the plaque. His string of great seasons is remarkable, and belongs on the plaque. So in my eyes if Frank retired today he does not make it. He doesn't have any great defensive accomplishments, or memorable feats -Carlton Fisk's 1975 WS Home Run is on his- to fill in the empty spaces. He needs two more good offensive seasons to get over the 500 home run mark and push up some of the other numbers before I buy in. At the rate he's going over the past couple of years it may take 3-4 years to get in 2 good seasons. I hope he does it. But he's not a lock yet.

From the Daily Herald Article: So now newspaper hacks reporting rumors constitute 'official notice'? I'll believe it when the Sox get the form. I don't see the Sox signing him, no matter who represents him, unless it is to a contract with a team escape clause. Neither Reich, Katz, Boras nor Maggs himself, for that matter, will agree to one unless they have no other choice.

I think the odds are that Uribe would contribute more as an everyday regular over all six months of NEXT season then Vizquel. That said, if Vizquel could be mixed in with a Uribe then yes the team will be stronger. Maybe thats the only disagreement here, I just can't see the Sox paying the 3-4 million I think Omar will get and using him as anything less than as a regular, and I think Omar is too old to be a regular in 2005. God bless him, he played 148 games last year but history is against him ever repeating it. I'm also the same guy who thought Carlton Fisk was washed up at 38.

I visited Cooperstown last month. The gallery where they keep the plaques is like a cathedral with a high vaulted ceiling. There had to be a hundred visitors but everybody just whispered like in Church. There are 258 plaques in the Hall, from Aaron to Yount. Each player plaque has his image, the teams and years he played, and a paragraph telling his records and accomplishments. So now when I think about if a player should go to the Hall I think about what they will write on his plaque and if I have trouble coming up with stuff, I don't think he should go. So I challenge you to write Frank Thomas' Hall of Fame plaque, convince me. Here's two examples of recent players: Eddie Murray A POWERFUL AND PRODUCTIVE SWITCH-HITTER WHOSE CONSISTENCY OVER 21 SEASONS LED TO 3,255 HITS, 560 DOUBLES, 504 HOME RUNS, 5,397 TOTAL BASES, AND 1,917 RBI. THIRD PLAYER EVER TO CONNECT FOR MORE THAN 500 HOME RUNS AND 3,000 HITS. PLAYED IN THREE WORLD SERIES, WINNING WITH THE ORIOLES IN 1983. AN EIGHT-TIME ALL-STAR AND THE 1977 A.L. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR. A SKILLED FIELDER, HE EARNED THREE GOLD GLOVE AWARDS, SETTING MAJOR LEAGUE RECORDS FOR GAMES PLAYED AND ASSISTS BY A FIRST BASEMAN Harmon Killebrew MUSCULAR SLUGGER WITH MONUMENTAL HOME RUN AND RBI SUCCESS. HIS 573 HOMERS OVER 22 YEARS RANK FIFTH ALL-TIME AND SECOND ONLY TO RUTH AMONG A.L. HITTERS. TIED OR LED A.L. IN HOME RUNS 6 TIMES. BELTED OVER 40 ON 8 OCCASIONS AND IS THIRD IN HOME RUN FREQUENCY. DROVE IN OVER 100 RUNS 9 TIMES.

If he is to be just a 'piece' he doesn't consistently solve the 2 hitter problem does he? I have the utmost respect for Vizquel and his accomplishments but you've got to consider that you may not be able to run him out there every day, or that if you do he will wear down. Either way you get lesser results from either the bench player or a tired Omar. All the arguments in his favor (and they are very good arguments) have to be pro-rated by his age. Real old shortstops never win. In the last 25 years, the oldest regular shortstop on a WS champion team was Larry Bowa at age 35 for the 1980 Phillies. The average age is 27.6 years old.

If they play their cards right they could have Vizquel at SS, R.Alomar at 2B and S.Alomar at C. They may not beat the Twins but they would be hell on wheels in the Cleveland old timers game! Seriously, you have to worry about when Omar will hit the wall. He looked great last year and the Indians didn't seem to baby him but there comes a point in everybody's career when the tank is empty. It would be a serious risk to stake your season on him.

This is what really happened on the Dyber play, with the help of Retro Sheet. Greg Walker led off the 7th with a single. Tippy Martinez relieved Storm Davis, and Mike Squires came in to run for Walker. Vance Law then singled to left. Squires on 2B, Law on 1B 0 outs. Jerry Dybzinski forced Squires at third 2-5 (I don't remember if he was bunting). Law on 2B, Dyber on 1B with 1 out. Cruz singles to left (Gary Roenicke, who could throw) and the third base coach, I think it was Jim Leyland, held Law. Dyber never saw him and rounded second. The O's threw behind Dybs and Law took off for home and was gunned down, Dybzinski ending up back at 2B. The play went 7(Roenicke)-5(Todd Cruz)-4(Rich Dauer)-2(Rick Dempsey). Rudy Law was next and, to make matters worse Martinez balked both runners forward and Law flied to left. So they would have scored a run either on the balk or the fly except for Dyber's play. In addition some blame Burn's 150 pitches that day for hastening the end his career and have never forgiven Tony Larussa for sending him out there in the 10th inning. Burn's did pitch two years afterward but some guys still argue. Baltimore went on to win the World Series over a loaded Philly team. I wasn't at the Dyber game, I moved into my house that day and saw the later innings sitting on cardboard box, watching a TV set on the floor. It's funny the things you remember and the things you forget.

I'd like to see Willie more in CF next year with Valdez in the infield mix instead of him. An outfield mix of Lee, Rowand, Everett, Harris and a new guy, plus an infield mix of Crede, Uribe, Valdez and new guy (LH Visquel would indeed be wonderful) would give Ozzie a lot of different looks to throw out there. Oz showed he's pretty good at finding the hot hand and I think it is good for players to have to compete for playing time.

The beer taste better when you win.

They already said that Harold will coach the outfielders next year. Ozzie is is own infield coach. Pure speculation, Baines to 1B and bring in an old guy who is a real strategist for the bench?

Ticket plans aren't announced until about February but a weekend season package could be very attractive: SEA DET BAL CLE LAD CHN OAK BOS SEA NYY DET ANA MIN 5 of the 8 2004 playoff teams. How high will they jack the Grub, Jankee & BoSox series?

Elizabeth! Its the big one! Joe Borchard gets an intentional walk!

Spot on, as usual. This is one of those situations where the 'truth will out'. The Venezuelan League runs late Oct to the end of Dec. Maggs usually plays a handfull of games, last year for the Oriente Carires. If he is really healed and making progress in his rehab - like Mariati protrays - I look for his name to pop up there. He can dispell all doubts and everybody will know what they are negotiating for. If he misses winter ball then I think it will be a real crap shoot for anybody to sign him to a long term. Tim Reich will be carrying Magg's MRI around in his suit case during the winter meetings, but there will be doubt and some teams will be scared. In any event I expect the Sox to make 'the highest offer to a right fielder in the history of the franchise' and then Maggs to get 30% more somewhere else.

Bobby Thigpen Over the years 1987 to 1993 he saved 201 games for the boys. Then he hurt his arm during a barnstorming trip to Japan and was never the same. I don't think he ever got enough credit, even during he then record year of 57 saves in 1990 the press went to the likes of Eckersley and Righetti.

The Sox were in a trick bag last year with both Carl Everett and Roberto Alomar. To retain negotiating rights they would have had to offer them arbitration. By not offering they lost the right to negotiate until May 1, 2004 In '03 Everett made $ 9,150,000 so who knows what an arbitrater would have awarded, he eventually went to the Expos for $ 3,000,000. Alomar's salary in '03 $ 8,000,000 - he signed with the snakes for $ 1,000,000. I think there is also some kind of rule that you can't offer your own player less than 80% of his last salary unless you declare him a free agent. That how Danys Baez ended up in Tampa. Tangent: If anyone understands these crazy rules and how they would apply to Magglio this year, please post.

Congrats to the twinks. We're gonna get them next year. Not that they will be any worse. The Sox will just be better.