hi8is

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Dec 27, 2011 -> 11:58 PM) Oh, and DIRT cheap for a while. Once Peavy is off the books our rotation will cost like 20-25 Million for a few years. That leaves the rest to spend on an offense. It's not so bad looking forward...if Molina, Sale and Humber work out. I understand that's a big time IF but so is everything in this silly game we love more than our families. Thanks for the perspective - it gives me more hope than I was having over the past couple weeks. I want Cespedes. Fu*k Rios. Thou, I also agree with Detroit being in a better situation than us.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Dec 27, 2011 -> 11:16 PM) I stopped when you suggested Humber could or would put up a 1.00 WHIP next year. If any of you recall, it was me (and maybe J4L?) who were the ONLY two people who welcomed and thought he would be a decent pitcher for us, and I STILL am not that optimistic about Humber. I think he is due for a regression, and AT BEST, he repeats his very solid 2010 proformance. I think J4L or Milkman where not to up on Humber and actually really trashed him last year before the season started. Having him as a #5 was completely unacceptable to them if I recall correctly. Giving Humber a chance last season and being optimistic about him was one thing I did call right last year. Another was Thornton pissing the bed. Beckham and Dunn where completely out of left field to me. I missed those two.

If I didn't know you all better - I'd think something like: Calm it down ladies.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Dec 23, 2011 -> 09:24 PM) If you want Quentin you gotta take Rios, otherwise GFY. I hope that's KW stance on the issue. bwhahahahahahahahah

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 23, 2011 -> 08:09 PM) Porcello and Scherzer remain the keys to that rotation, along with Jacob Turner. Yup, I expect them to step it up as well. It IS baseball thou - anything can happen. Dunn could hit 40 bomb - or 12... either wouldn't surprise me. Rios could be totally worthless or put up a 4 WAR - either wouldn't surprise me. Humber could throw to a ~1 WHIP or could put up a 1.5 - either wouldn't surprise me. It's gonna be an interesting 2012 - but I'm not expecting us to beat Detroit this year.

QUOTE (sunofgold @ Dec 23, 2011 -> 08:04 PM) Anything is possible because they could just feast again on their division foes. But it is going to be hard for them to be as good as last year. I'm thinking a full year of Fister will do wonders for them. Edit: Sorry, I'm getting off topic. Cespedes makes me happy, get him please. Black and white uniform = GOOD Any other uniform = BAD That's all you need to know Cespedes.

QUOTE (heath821 @ Dec 23, 2011 -> 07:55 PM) If we can sign cespedes I would like to see an outfield of viciedo, cespedes and CQ with de aza and rios on the bench. After extending danks and praying for a bounce back year from dunn and beckam I think the sox could have a shot with that lineup in a mediocre AL central Detroit might not be so mediocre - I'd even expect them to be BETTER than last year.

wtf???? woza. i'm baffled.

how odd indeed.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Dec 20, 2011 -> 09:37 PM) Viciedo will be great on this team as a part time DH/4th OF. I am all about pitching and defense. I thought the tank had a crazy good arm?

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 18, 2011 -> 08:18 AM) Gonzalez, Shields, Jurrens, Garza, and Wandy Rodriguez... Add Danks and Floyd to that list and you've got 7 SP available. Add Oswalt and Jackson to that list and you've got 9 SP available. So, there's a balance between waiting too long and letting the market develop. 1 starting pitcher is off the block now and we're down to 7 SP available on the trade market. There's gonna be a lot of activity around the league soon. Since things didn't really take form at the meetings this year - we're looking at the next couple of weeks as the time in which the action will pick up. My guess is that during the rest of the off-season, we'll see at least 2 more blockbuster type moves.... one of which will involve the Sox. Has it been boring thus far? Absolutely.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Dec 18, 2011 -> 11:44 AM) I dont see this. Latos', Gio's, Jurrjens' controlled status only reduces Danks' value. Danks is a rental and that's a huge problem in terms of return. I think it does help set the value. If 3 years of arbitration on Latos = Grandal, Alonso, Volquez, and Boxberger then 1 year of Danks at about 8M = x? Seems to me that we're looking at a top 50 SP prospect from an org as well as another arm or position player from the teams top 10.

Let's recap... shall we? After the San Diego Padres pull off a 4 for 1 swap of Ace starting pitcher Matt Latos with the Cincinnati Reds, the trade market is starting to heat up. The bar for starting pitching looks to be set high in that the Reds gave up not only Alonso, but also a nice trio in Grandal, Volquez, and Boxburger. So, in addition to the Reds - who else may have interest in Danks or Floyd? Let's see... 1.) Rangers 2.) Yankees 3.) Red Sox 4.) Blue Jays 5.) Washington 6.) Mets 7.) Marlins 8.) Orioles Take one off that list with Darvish and the Jays. So, that's 7 teams that are bidding on 2 LPH's in Danks and Gio. Floyd is one of a few attractive options from the right. Oh and it seems that the Reds actually may still want more pitching. Sit tight folks.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 17, 2011 -> 01:48 PM) Yeah, and I don't want the same crap back next year. There's the difference. Meh - if you say similar things this year - people will still give you crap. You can only say "*u^* this team I'm done being a white sox fan" so many times before upsetting us folk. You know the gig

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 17, 2011 -> 12:21 PM) And when they start out 16-24 again you'll be talking about how awful, heartless and overpaid they are and threatening to boycott the gamethreads. You know, like you did all last year. You did that as well

Sure would be great if someone like the Yankee's got Gio and then the Reds, Nationals, and Blue Jays can fight over Danks / Floyd. It's gonna be one exciting off-season folks. Fingers crossed.

Hopefully the losers get a bit disparate and the price on Danks / Thornton / Floyd goes up.

QUOTE (Fantl916 @ Dec 9, 2011 -> 04:07 PM) There goes Cahill to the Dbacks. One more chip has fallen. Yankees, Rangers, Red, Red Sox and maybe Marlins and Nationals still looking for pitching. Darvish, Shields, Neimann/Wade Davis, Garza, Gio, Danks, Floyd names being floated. You figure eventually someones coming to KW for a SP Think the A's are willing to deal Cahill and Gio?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 9, 2011 -> 01:51 PM) If the goal is winning games, then a player should only play if they play well enough to beat the next in line. Regardless of the salary - like Williams told Ozzie last year... I doubt that Ventura would have disrespected an order like Ozzie did.

QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Dec 8, 2011 -> 06:54 PM) The winter meetings went our way? Can't wait for the encore.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 8, 2011 -> 05:47 PM) Think about how different things would be if you added Gonzalez and Hudson to Sale. That is sad.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 8, 2011 -> 05:45 PM) Someone who can play SS well enough in case Ramirez gets dealt. I was thinking the same thing about Beckham. Edit: You're right thou - Ramirez makes more sense.

QUOTE (CyAcosta41 @ Dec 8, 2011 -> 12:19 PM) Not a big payroll team masquerading as a quality product ... not clever advertisements trying to dupe us into thinking that we're seeing a quality product ... but a true quality professional baseball team (and organization). I think that last season was not upper management masquerading any product - but rather, just ending up on the short side of the stick. It didn't end up being a true quality professional baseball team in reality but on paper it sure looked nice. Who would have predicted that ALL of the following would have taken place: 1.) Beckham will continue to REGRESS instead of progressing. 2.) Dunn for the first time in - what - 8 years won't hit more that - what - 38 home runs? 3.) Not only will Dunn's power disappear - his ability to do ANYTHING even RELATIVELY well will completely vanish. 4.) Contrary to reports that Peavy will be ready after the all-star break, his return will bring scarce success while on a limited pitch count... a pitch count that won't be upheld. 5.) Juan Pierre's ability to catch a baseball will be void in the months of April and May. 6.) Juan Pierre's ability to hit a baseball will be void in the months of April and May. 7.) Juan Pierre's ability to steal a base will be void in the months of April and May. 8.) Matt Thornton will be historically bad as a closer and will be given far to many chances to succeed before he is replaced. 9.) Alex Rios will not improve upon his numbers last year and will actually produce his worst career year. 10.) John Danks and Gavin Floyd will regress slightly 11.) At times, for prolonged periods, the offense will be completely anemic. 12.) Chris Sale will have nearly a 5.5 ERA between April and May. The management put a good team together - on paper. Many of these things couldn't have been foreseen... two important things thou: a.) fans have every right to be upset that the players didn't preform and SHOULD show up to support a quality product - when it's on the field next, proving itself. b.) milkman is right - post more often.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Dec 8, 2011 -> 04:14 PM) Off the top of my head, here are the matchups I'd like to see explored: ATL - Viciedo