hi8is

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jan 12, 2014 -> 01:12 PM) What numbers do you think I will put up? You, Mr. Abreu... Are a pure hitting beast. You're more than just a power guy. You'll hit at least .280 and will easily aproach 25 doubles and 25 bombs. I suspect however, that you'll far surpass those marks in what will be a fine rookie season.

I just need to put it in my head that Tanaka is already a Yankee.

And so the two week long game of "Press Refresh" begins.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jan 11, 2014 -> 11:18 PM) Paulie. Just Paulie. Meh.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 11, 2014 -> 11:11 PM) Ok Soxtalk. I've have a little boy coming in a little over a month and my wife and I have had some friction regarding names. I have been very stuck on Frank Thomas as the first and middle name and we can call him little hurt. At first she was very resistant but its starting to grow on her, especially when I told her the second choice is Braxton Miller. However its good to have alternatives that arent today's ridiculous made up s***. We are very traditional, so no Lemonjello. She is half italian and half irish and i am 100% east German. Here is your chance. If someone comes up with something better than Frank Thomas, and frankly if it sells my wife, I'll relay the results. My last name starts with a B After labor and all the contractions - Braxton will be the last thing she'll want to name the little tyke. Little Hurt 100%. Frank Thomas... He's an instant hero on every scool yard in the Chicago land area.

This offseason has gone almost exactly how I penned it in a "pie in the sky" scenario. On that list was also Tanka... which, I totally had zero faith would come to pass... It just made sense to sign him because he fits with the long term path we're on. Seeing now thou that Hanh, KW, Robin, and Jerry all where involved in the pitch... With the maximum posting fee ruling in place with deferments... It's looking like a serious possibility. Just... Wow. If I lived in Chicago and this got done, I'd pre-buy season tickets for 5 years.

100% big hurt until March 30th. March 31st it should feature all of the new guys.

QUOTE (sin city sox fan @ Jan 11, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) I can't wait to get drunk... Seems like this statement already held true.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 10, 2014 -> 09:54 PM) Homer Bailey I can also see us all over Bailey. We've been after him since... What... 2006?

I really like the idea of trading one of Johnson or Quintana for Castro and then signing Tanka, Garza, or Santana. Balances out the rotation a bit more and fills the backstop with a promising young hitter. Brings more LH balance to the lineup too. Gotta bye your ass Hanh is looking at all these angles.

QUOTE (Pale Sox @ Dec 28, 2013 -> 08:54 PM) Adrian Nieto's agent wrote a piece for Baseball Prospectus recently. In the comments section, someone asked him about Nieto's chances of sticking with the Sox. This is what he had to say: That's the first piece of interesting news that we've heard in a week

QUOTE (Andy the Clown @ Dec 24, 2013 -> 11:17 AM) Think he'll finally learn how to pull the ball? There are no data remotely suggesting a "breakout" -- you all need to stop talking out of your ass and give up on the dream. It's going to be 2014. Wow. It's been a long ass time since the 2008 draft.

I'd love to see Balfour - just because I hate him so much... It'd be fun to enjoy his antics from the other side , ALA AJ circa 2005.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 06:48 AM) I wish every voter could see this. I am so impressed... you didn't say poop once ! Who are you and what have you done with Hi8is ? Are you going to name your son Frank ? Congrats man ! Thanks buddy! I figured that we'll be seeing enough poop, the term can be retired in many posts. His name is going to be Ti Lamond Caesar.

I thought Christmas wasn't until the 25th.

QUOTE (BigEdWalsh @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 10:49 PM) Me too. Being ultra-sensitive as I am, I got pretty choked up reading that. Thanks guys - Glad that it meant something to you both.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 13, 2013 -> 02:20 PM) Related: First, please read this. Then see this. This is exactly who Frank Thomas was to the fans who followed him closest. I'm sure many of you can attest as well with similar stories. Frank was the reason I became a Sox fan. Being a born and raised Southern Californian, there really was no other reason for a 7 year old boy to latch onto the Chicago White Sox. All it took was one ESPN highlight of him mashing a Mike Mussina meatball out to the left field concourse. And so a childhood obsession began. Whenever the Sox were in town playing the Angels, my dad took work off... Bringing me with him for a series long indulgence of modern day Cracker Jack glory. My pops was a pretty smart guy - the first thing he taught me about the spectator side of Baseball was, "get to the park early." Real early. Four hours early. We would wait for players to arrive and get their signatures with a black felt tip Sharpie pen. It was a crap shoot I'd soon learn. Some players would quickly sign for a couple of people without breaking stride or taking their sun glasses off. Others would treat fans as if they where air and walk right by. The first time I saw Frank Thomas walk up with his six foot five frame holding two hundred and something pounds of muscle - I figured it would be a tough autograph to pull off. He always was dressed as a consummate professional. A full suit with a coat. Nice slacks and a fleece sweater. Not flashy or arrogant but rather, as a man who was there to do a job. Being that he was one of the most talented players on the planet - I expected him to just blow by all the fans. They swarmed up quickly... Clearly everyone had really been waiting for him. It was a shock seeing what happened: Frank walked up to the entrance door. Removed his glasses. Turned around and smiled. He said two words, "Line up!" and then resumed back to smiling. About fifty or a hundred people would stand in a single file line. We all fell into formation. The Big Hurt stood there and signed every autograph. He shook any outstretched hand. He posed for any picture requested. He treated everyone as if they where equals. The respect we had for him as a baseball player was returned to us tenfold as fans. The first time I saw this system - I figured we just came on the right day. Got lucky. It was a priceless moment. I've no clue who won or lost the actual game but I'll never forget that moment. After the stadium emptied, my dad turned to me and asked if I wanted to wait for the players again - this time catching them as they exited. To a seven year old, "sure!" is the only possible response. And so we waited. About two hours later, Frank appeared at the player door, yet again in his professional attire. Everyone saw him and lined up. The man signed autographs for at least another hour. Amazing. And so began a family tradition. For nearly the next decade - we always saw the Sox play in Anaheim. More often than not, Frank would sign for hours before or after a game... Sometimes both. Unbelievable. Consistent. Humble. Amazing. Powerful. One of a kind. Those are words that not only define his career on the field but they also are appropriate descriptions of his character. Two years ago, right before getting married and starting a family of my own - I had a chance to save up some cash and surprise my dad with a trip to Chicago. It was our first trip to The Homeland after all of those years on enemy grounds. I wrote to Brooks Boyer and told him a little about my Dad and his selfless dedication to me during all of those Sox away games. After so many years waiting around for autographs and seeing the Angles beat our Sox - my pops was finally treated to a surprise on a new level. Brooks instructed me to meet him at the field on our last game of a 7 game set. We arrived an hour before gates opened to the public. He greeted us - shook my dads hand... And walked us into the executive offices. He walked us down under the stadium, by the players locker rooms, and up through the umpire tunnel. We arrived behind home plate. The look on my Dads face was priceless. He had no clue any of this would happen. Standing behind home plate, on the dirt of US Cellular Field... My old man cracked a smile like Frank Thomas always showed and teared up a bit. Bad. Ass. Thanks Frank Thomas for introducing me to the White Sox. Thanks for absolutely crushing baseballs. For inspiring me to play the game. For showing me how to handle success with grace. For affording me the opportunity to know gratitude and show appreciation on a Big Hurt scale. Thanks for leading me to the best organization in all of sports. An organization where everyone from the top down treats each other like a family. Thanks for being a legend of mythic proportion that can now be passed down to a son of my own once he's born this March. He'll be three weeks old when the 2014 season opens this year. He'll be wrapped in his first Sox jersey - watching his first game with Daddy. Here's to hoping that by 2021 - when I go wait around with my boy at first first ball game - that some now unknown player will treat us with so much dignity. I doubt there will ever again be a player of such a Big Hurt magnitude. But hey, here's to hoping... Right. Frank Thomas is already in the Hall of Fame to me. Period.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 14, 2013 -> 11:57 AM) Not with the current pitching staff. They need another starter and they could use the money saved by the cost-controlled core they are putting together to sign a top-of-the-rotation type. If all is going well at the break - I could see them looking at adding a top of the rotation RHP. That's a huge if though. The more I think about our upcoming number 3 pick - the more Hoffman sounds good

Best moment of 2013... The first game of the season. Lol

QUOTE (scs787 @ Dec 14, 2013 -> 11:22 AM) Don't think my earlier post will truly come to fruition, I'm just merely having some fun with what ifs. I'm hoping for something in the realm of... Eaton- .275/.360 30-40 SBs Abreu- .290/.360 30 HRs Garcia- .270/.320 25 HRs That is very much a realistic possibility. Maybe Garcia 20 HRs and Abreu 35 - but who knows. Garcia at 15 and Abreu at 20 is also possible. I'm of the mindset that success is far more likely than mediocrity. Dunn is also a wild card to me this year. Think he may have his best year with us thus far. That's my bold prediction for 2014.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 09:52 PM) You just said "Tyler Flowers." Dude. You're absolutely right!

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 08:42 PM) His enthusiasm and drive came through with absolute gusto in that interview. Nobody will confuse him with Alex Rios. Double plus good!

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 07:56 PM) Speaking of the Cubs, there's a report on mlbtraderumors that they asked for Stroman, Sanchez and another player for Samardzija. They have no intention of trading him then.

I know he was a highly touted prospect but he's never put it together thus far in the bigs. From what I recall, he's a somewhat questionable defender, strikes out a lot, has a low walk rate, but has the potential to be a cost controlled heavy slugging catcher - especially if paired at the cell. Not overly excited about this prospect but it's worth some discussion.

The Mariners are letting teams know that Jesus Montero and Justin Smoak are available in trade talks, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). The report comes on the heels of the Mariners striking deals to add Corey Hart and Logan Morrison to their lineup.