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QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Mar 3, 2012 -> 01:09 PM) Viciedo slam off Floyd The pitch was a slider, according to Floyd.

Mark Gonzales giving updates: https://twitter.com/#!/MDGonzales

QUOTE (Cali @ Mar 3, 2012 -> 01:36 PM) So if you win the second wild card do you get the same Shirt/Hat/Champagne celebration? Even if you only play in one game and get eliminated? Or does the winner of that game get to call themselves "Wild Card Champions"? I hope both wildcard teams don't do anything celebratory until they actually win the wildcard game. It should be viewed as 8 teams making the playoffs still, but 4 teams that didn't win their division have a second chance opportunity of making it.

A sneak peak at my season predictions shows the races for the 2nd wildcard will be good: AL East- NY 97-65 TB 91-71 Bos 89-73 Tor 83-79 AL Central- Det 93-69 Chi 86-76 AL West- LAA 94-68 Tex 92-70 Texas wins the 1st wildcard by one game over TB. 2nd Wildcard- TB 91-71 - Bos 89-73 2 Chi 86-76 5 Tor 83-79 8 NL East- Phi 94-68 Was 87-75 Atl 87-75 NL Central- Stl 93-69 Cin 89-72 Mil 86-76 NL West- Arz 92-70 SF 88-74 Col 86-76 Reds win the 1st wildcard 89-73 2nd Wildcard-- SF 88-74 - Was 87-75 1 Atl 87-75 1 Col 86-76 2 Mil 86-76 2 That would be an exciting scenario for the NL. Pray there isn't a 5-way tie.

Intrasquad lineups today: Team Konerko lineup: De Aza cf, Beckham 2b, Rios rf, PK dh, Ramirez ss, Flowers c, Gallagher 1b, McPherson 3b, Mitchell lf, Floyd p. Team Dunn lineup: Lillibridge ss, AJ c, Fukudome rf, Dunn dh, Morel 3b, Viciedo lf, Johnson 1b, Danks cf, Escobar 2b, Sale p

QUOTE (ptatc @ Mar 2, 2012 -> 07:13 PM) They can't do a best of three. That would give the division winners at least 5 days off if the wildcard teams get a day break on either end. That isn't fair to the division winners. In my opinion, if teams get 4-5 days off, it's not a big deal. It's an excuse after those teams lose. Everybody cites the 07 Rockies that were hot going into the playoffs, but then had 5 days or something off going into the World Series. But look at the 05 White Sox. They had a bunch of time off. Garland pitched a complete game on 13 days rest. For some teams, 4 or 5 days off would give them time to heal, fresh bullpen, set the rotation any way they want. There would be positives.

That's just Merkin being a company guy. "Hey Sox fans, this guy we got for Santos might be good enough to make the team...he's that good!" Bulls***. He's starting at Birmingham.

Looks like the rotation is set, if Humber starts a B-game on the off day March 20, the rotation goes right up until opening day: 1. Danks 2. Peavy 3. Floyd 4. Sale 5. Humber That's fine. The schedule is set up to skip Sale a few times in the first half. Keeping him at about 28 starts this year is good enough.

The good ones. I've respected Konerko and Buehrle as players and people, but I root for laundry.

QUOTE (Brian @ Mar 1, 2012 -> 08:42 AM) Finally a funny episode of Modern Family this season. Exactly. Great episode. Nobody calls him grandpa! I do.

2nd wildcard will be announced tomorrow (probably). Not a fan of doing it this year before the Astros move, but I think it's a good move. I'd rather have no divisions and a balanced league schedule, but the new format will put a premium on winning your division, and two mid-90 win teams from the same division can't just coast into the playoffs without trying to win it outright. It will actually mean something to win it, which is better for the game.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 29, 2012 -> 08:50 AM) If the kid is ready, he is ready. We don't have to worry about winning this year, so if the kid is going to learn more in Chicago, that is the time he needs to be here. He has a total of 5 AA starts. I just don't think that's enough no matter what the situation is with the team. And really, it's ridiculous to concede anything at this point. Obviously the Sox have five quality starters on paper right now with Peavy, Danks, Floyd, Sale, and Humber. Molina needs a half year in AA, and you see where the team is in July. If they make a trade, or if somebody gets hurt, maybe Molina is ready to come up then.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 28, 2012 -> 03:36 PM) Chuck Garfien ‏ @ChuckGarfien Saw Nestor Molina pitch today (the guy White Sox traded for Sergio Santos). He's legit. 15 starts at Birmingham and then let's talk about bringing him up.

If you can't get enough of spring training baseball, here's what local Chicago residents can see for the Sox: 3-5 LAD whitesox.com 2pm 3-6 LAA MLBN tape delay 1am on 3-7 (Pujols first home spring game) 3-7 Mil whitesox.com 2pm 3-9 Chi WGN 2pm 3-10 Tex whitesox.com 2pm 3-12 Oak whitesox.com 3pm 3-14 LAA whitesox.com 3pm 3-15 Cle MLBN tape delay 8am on 3-16 3-17 Sea whitesox.com 3pm 3-19 Cin whitesox.com 3pm 3-22 KC whitesox.com 3pm 3-23 ARZ CSN 9pm 3-25 SF CSN 3pm 3-26 LAD MLBN tape delay 1am on 3-27 3-27 Cle whitesox.com 3pm 3-28 SD whitesox.com 3pm 3-29 LAD CSN 3pm 3-31 Col whitesox.com 3pm 4-1 Cin CSN 3pm 4-2 Mil whitesox.com 2pm 4-3 @Hou CSN 7pm

MLB Network's 30 Clubs in 30 Days will be starting up soon. Sox are Sunday, March 11 at 6pm. http://mlb.mlb.com/network/promotions/30_in_30.jsp

Too many negative words and phrases from Sox personnel. Play as hard as you can, and maximize your talent. Period. I just don't want to hear them say "baseball is a game of failure". Yeah, I get it, but that shouldn't come out of your mouth. It's almost like they have a built in excuse for losing, which is just not a good thing to put in young player's minds.

I'd go with Danks #2 so he gets the home opener. It really doesn't matter with this staff. I'd also go with Sale #4. Look at the schedule, and count 1-2-3-4-5, and you'll see the #4 starter is the spot they can skip a few times in the first half. I'd rather they skip Sale's spot in the first half a few times rather than shut him down in September.

If he's lying, he's a good liar. He seemed pretty convincing today. It sounds like he's throwing the "pee guy" under the bus and blaming him for taking it home for 44 hours. Look, he may have cheated, but if there was a breach in the process, then he shouldn't be suspended. I'll wipe the slate clean with Braun, but it's another reminder to players: - don't cheat - clear everything you put in your body with the team - don't gain 15 pounds of muscle in an offseason - don't hit 45+ homers every year. - don't have your best years in your mid-30's - don't be great after age 37 - and most important...don't get caught!

Seeing on MLB Network some of the tweets from players around the league makes my stomach turn. #idiotathletesshouldnttweetjustshutthehellupandplay

We need some deets of what happened here.

^ They'll have 7 in the pen, and I doubt Jordan Danks has a shot.

I'm optimistically saying the Sox will win 86 games. They won't make the playoffs, but they'll be better than what people think right now and have a lot of positives to look forward to for 2013.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 23, 2012 -> 10:47 AM) Mark Gonzales @MDGonzales Peavy said he'll be disappointed if he doesn't make at least 30 starts this season. Shouldn't he have said 33 starts? Why bank on missing any time?

High on crack if you think Humber isn't in the rotation. I'm going with: De Aza, Ramirez, Dunn, Konerko, Rios, Pierzynski, Viciedo, Morel, Beckham (not necessarily in this order) Lillibridge, Fukudome, Martinez, Flowers Peavy, Danks, Floyd, Humber, Sale (not necessarily in this order) Axelrod, Marinez, Bruney, Ohman, Crain, Thornton, Reed Maybe Dan Johnson instead of Martinez if Lillibridge can handle 3B. Obviously some bullpen spots are wide open, but I'll go with Axelrod because they probably don't care where he ends up eventually and he can eat innings. They probably want Stewart to start at AAA and be ready once Peavy gets ouchy. I'll go with Marinez because he has a little big league experience, and Bruney because he's just a guy to put in there in games you'll lose or if Crain pitches too many games in a row.

If Danks is starting opening day, then Sale will probably be the #4. They'll break up the lefties. We may know what they have in mind soon since they start playing games March 5. They play 15 days of games, off day, then another 15 days of games, so they could start off with the rotation they have in mind and give all 5 starters six starts in spring training. Barring a rain out in Texas or Cleveland, the #2 starter will get the home opener, so it wouldn't bother me if they start off with Peavy, then go Danks, Floyd, Sale, and Humber. Also, it looks like the Sox will miss Verlander in the first home series, which doesn't suck.