GREEDY

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 07:57 PM) If Nix takes 2b, he'd be excellent by most accounts so far. AJ is bad on throwing. But he keeps the ball in front of him. My gut instinct is due to Nix's route to the bigs is that he isn't anything overly special at 2nd. I did give a guy that I have seen play a whole 10 innings of defense an "average" rating... I feel that is more than fair at this time considering Getz still has to be the favorite to get the position. Very few everyday catcher's defense has effected a game as negatively as AJ's has the past few seasons. By all accounts he calls a good game and yes he appears to make all of the stops... but you have to say overall he is in the lower 1/5th of defensive catchers is MLB which IMHO qualifies him as bad. My main point is this team as currently constructed will force our pitchers to throw at ton more pitches in '09. And when you play 81 at the Cell, you really can't afford to face any more batters than you have to.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 07:39 PM) and he can at least be an adequate CF I'm game. Our current projected starter's defensive breakdown: 1B Konerko: Below Average and trending towards bad 2B Getz/Nix: Average. obviously this is just speculation but AVG has to be best case scenario. SS: Alisssaaay = Flashy but most likely will be Below Average overall 3B: Fields/Betemit = Bad LF: Quentin = Average CF: Wise/Owens/Kroeger = Bad RF: JD = Bad! Believe it Hawk! C: AJ = Bad Not an "above average" defender in the bunch, let alone a good one. I am not an Anderson fanboy, but I really hope management goes with the best defender at every position up for grabs. This team can't afford another weak defender. Ever since our CF defense cost us the playoffs in '06 I am obsessed with D.... and the '09 WSox defense is going to pretty raw. $10 says we blame a poor season on the pitching, but the main culprit will be the defense.

I don't even think Owens is fast anymore... that isn't good.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 08:12 AM) Sounds like someone is overcompensating for something... I hope not.... Dating back to my original post (which got buried quick) I was just trying to point out that people (not just here) are saying they don't want IRod for the exact same reasons that they love AJ. That is all. Didn't mean to upset anyone or cause trouble.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 8, 2009 -> 03:04 PM) Al-i-say kind of like Alicea (Luis) Where's the game thread? By the way, Bill Melton thinks Adam Russell is catching for the Canadian WBC team and out of the Dodgers' line-up. If he was going to pull this he should have gone all the way... Something like: Puff Lexei P Rammy Dr. Missile Cuban Pimp (this isn't taken yet is it?)

I like the idea of bringing up and "starting" a prospect early. I have no real sabermetric data to back this up but it certaintly seems like it would take some of the pressure off. If Beckham were to struggle, he just gets sent back down and it was managements fault for playing him too early; but if you leave him down their until 2011 and he comes up and can't hack it, then he quickly gets deemed as just another AAAA player. So if you bring a prospect along quickly I can see them getting much more of a second chance. With that being said I really doubt he is on the Opening Day roster.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Mar 8, 2009 -> 11:01 AM) Yeah, this has been noted on this board a few times. Seems to be Coop's MO. Worked with Floyd, didn't work with Vazquez. I have read "Coop'll fixem" many times. I have read that "Coop'll fix a first rounder that busted". But I have yet to see the recipe for "Coop's Magic" other than just telling strikeout pitchers to let up and just throw strikes. Funny how that is exactly the thing a successful little league coach tells his pitchers.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 8, 2009 -> 03:40 PM) Guys, let's clean this up now or the thread will be locked. The direction this is starting to go isn't good for anyone. Ha... as I am sure most people that READ this board understand: All I was doing was pointing out that many people's reasoning for hating Ivan is exactly why they treasure AJ. One poster stated as his only reason for not wanting IRod as: "he is an asshole"; which to me was fairly amusing considering his signature could be mistaken AJ billboard; Who if you polled MLB fans would be the consensus #1 jerk in baseball. I am certain I am not the only one finding the paradox amusing. Too bad some fanboys think this means all I want to do is trash their treasured AJ, when that is far from the truth... they just don't get it.

QUOTE (WinningUgly85 @ Mar 8, 2009 -> 12:14 PM) the guys an asshole so no. Everything about this post is 110% f***ing awesome! Yea, no Sox fan could tolerate, let alone LOVE an asshole catcher. Tell me you own a "Kiss the Ring b****" 05 TShirt...

QUOTE (tommy @ Mar 7, 2009 -> 11:49 PM) Did AJ piss in your cereal? No, but if he did it would be that terrible. Anthony John Pierzynski Pisses Excellence.

Neil Cotts was a left hander that bought into Ozzie/Coop's: Throw a first strike above all mentality. Hermanson did the exact same thing in '05. For the majority of the season Cotts was put in the game in situations where it would be easy for him to succeed. He took the ball and threw strikes... and he wasn't exposed to much risk. I remember someone posting Neil's flyball ratio going into '06; the poster explained how he should have given up nearly ten more home runs in '05 and that he was very lucky. The poster claimed that Cotts would be out of baseball by '08; while he wasn't completely correct, that was a pretty big statement considering at the time Cotts was a top lefty reliever in baseball an appeared poised to be around forever. This is prolly something better suited fot it's own thread but has anyone noticed Coop has had success taking "stuff" pitchers and getting them to "dial it back a bit" and throw strikes? It is like he has taken the same approach with every new pitcher he gets his hands on.

QUOTE (Cubano @ Mar 7, 2009 -> 09:06 PM) He will end up with the Mets as a starter. I wish he would end up with the White Sox as the starter. Even though he: - Didn't bring a World Series to Chicago baby(Bringing one to Florida is nuttin!) - Sucks at baserunning (According to Hawk/WSox fans: Running the bases is 99% instincts/skill and only 1% speed) - Doesn't love WWF Wrestling (It's not fake, they are f***ing professional athletes, they really get hurt; everybody knows that) - Isn't Polish (Too many damn Latins on the team already, This is America!) - Would be trouble in the clubhouse (Any on-mound jawing with Javy, is Javy's fault) - Actually throws out baserunners (Mike MacDougal would just assume you let him concentrate on the batter) - Will not rock a peroxide mullet (Hard to relate to a guy with a crew cut, I like a guy that looks like my mechanic) - Does not call a great game (Or relay the signals from Cora/Coop as well) - Is not a mother f***iing grinder (See "Isn't Polish" bullet) - He prolly loves the Cubs and he definitely has no idea how the second verse in "Don't Stop Believin'" goes (That is the tipping point)

QUOTE (santo=dorf @ Feb 22, 2009 -> 09:46 AM) Honestly, you can look at about just about any player and see their numbers are way better when the are "in the catbird seat." No s***? Really? I didn't even look at the numbers, I was just trying to figure out how a guy who has a career OBP of .306 has the reputation as being Captain Clutch. Obviously, some guys are better dead red hitters than others, and I am speculating that Crede is one of them. Also, make Joe Crede Black, Hispanic, Cuban, whatever, anything but White and no one would give a damn about him. Outside of '06 his numbers are awful comparable to Uribe's. Both are above average defensively, both suck at hitting but have streaky pop where they can carry a team for a week or so. Neither can get on base to save their soul. The only difference is one has 500 fans in the stands wearing his jersey, and the other had maybe five people wearing number fives out there. And for clarification I am a white guy.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Feb 22, 2009 -> 12:50 AM) The guy can hit. His career .306 OBP in a hitter's paradise says you are incorrect.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Feb 22, 2009 -> 12:08 AM) His lifetime .257 batting average and .306 on base percentage, as well as numerous other stats which seem irrelevant to point out since "stats don't matter", suggest that for the vast majority of Joe Crede's career, a late game hit simply was making up for earlier game f*** ups. His "clutch hitting" tells me Crede is a "count" hitter and he excels when facing pitchers that have the tendency to fall behind. Relievers are twice as likely to walk you and prolly five times as likely to fall behind 2-0, 3-1. I also wonder if we didn't have such a "homer" announcer that was telling the audience how "clutch" Crede is everytime he came to plate, I have a feeling Joe's reputation as a late inning hero wouldn't be as prevelant. Finally, Crede, like all White Sox players has benefited from playing at The Cell. In 2009 Joe Crede will hit less than fifteen home runs.

QUOTE (whtsoxfan @ Feb 21, 2009 -> 08:22 PM) I just don't get it. I get it, there was collusion between the owners to take advantage of the public's perception of the economy in order to get contracts in check.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Feb 20, 2009 -> 08:51 AM) Players play to their strengths. with his swing if he tried to "go the other way he would just hit lazy fly balls to the outfield." I guess players like Ted Williams have no class as well. There is a big difference between "pure class" and "no class".

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 19, 2009 -> 04:02 PM) If you watched Jim hit last year, you would see that he indeed did start working against that shift. And was sometimes successful. Also, you think that "EVERYONE" used substances that are now illegal? Everyone? I don't think there is anything that "EVERYONE" in baseball does, other than basic bodliy functions. There are some that have done these things, and some that haven't. No one knows for sure what % of course. I can safely say that I saw at least three quarters of Thome's ATBATS in '08 and I can only remember one time (against the Indians late) where he tried to beat the shift, out of say maybe 200 ATBATS against it. Yes, I said "I THINK" everyone has used something that is now illegal. Ask Jim Thome if he ever used Ephedra, EPO or Modafinil. All three were as common as creatine in '00 and now illegal in '09. Why don't reporters ask players point blank questions like this? I will say EVERY athlete I KNEW in school used substances that are now illegal. I was in a non contact sport so we mostly used/abused amphetamines but I lived with several football players. One dude I lived with came into college at I would guess roughly 175 to play TE and graduated a 250lb+ lean, mean DE. Never once would anyone call anything steroids... steroids were and still are considered "Buy them from an actual drug dealer, inject yourself in the ass, Arnold Schwarzenegger style, WWF, anabolic steroids". If you are buying it from a gnc, an internet supplement store, or your dline coach, you aren't calling them steroids and these guys honestly do not believe they are taking steroids. Personally, I believe that is how these players were all originally denying steroid use back in '03 when questioned, they really didn't believe they were using "steroids". Sorry, I didn't start this... one guy said that Thome wasn't concerned with making sure his option vested because he is a good guy that didn't use steroids. I'm done on this

QUOTE (greg775 @ Feb 19, 2009 -> 02:45 PM) Pick on some other guy. From everything we've heard and read, Thome is pure class. Maybe Steph or somebody else who knows the team can comment further. I don't like Jimmy much when he belts the ball right into the shift, but no doubt he is a stud. And it's possible he's not a steroid guy. Maybe even probable he's not, just like Big Hurt. If everybody bet you that 100 dollars you'd be broke. Of course he could have a serious injury and you'd happily win. Not sure what steroids have to do with my speculation that Thome would have taken a few weeks off in '08 if it hadn't been for his option... but I'll bite Just because Jim is a tad on the round side, doesn't mean he didn't use PEDs. I don't like how certain big guys get a pass just because they aren't ripped. Nice guys take shortcuts too. I don't believe Jeter, I think EVERYONE used substances that are now illegal. And I think they are using stuff now that will be illegal in the future. I really don't want to turn this into a juice discussion but I have read articles by two different sports writers that have hall votes stating that they won't vote for McGwire specifically because he has admitted to using Andro.... which amazingly was available over the counter at f***ING WALMART during the years he stated he used it. Despite the constant talk about PEDs in the media I can't believe how ignorant most when it comes to the subject, from message board posters to people with hall of fame votes. Also, not sure what the shift has to do with my prediction, but again, you got me NO PLAYER that faces the shift and refuses to at least attempt at changing his approach to take advantage are not "pure class" in my book, at least from a baseball standpoint. I'll admit it appears I am wrong on this one, as none of the lefty sluggers that managers shift against appear to try and combat it. While I was a D1 athlete (I didn't play a real sport, I was trying to be the best at exercising) I wasn't a baseball player, so I would buy a decent argument that proves that "messing with your swing" is a big mistake; but I see guys try and go "the other way" all the time, or an announcer will say "there is a big gap in RF"... wouldn't that involve changing an approach? Does a bunt attempt mess with your swing? Hope that made sense... couldn't really convey it well. Finally, my prediction isn't a big one, I just think that there was no way that a little soreness or fatigue was going to keep Thome from vesting his option in '08. Just watch, Jim will take a few weeks off for a sore back or other non direct injury in '09 and he will end up with around 50 less at bats than in '08.

The reason Thome didn't miss any time in '08 was because he needed his option for '09 to vest. $100 says he doesn't get 450 at-bats this year. He'll take a break in June or July.

Dude just signed a 10 million dollar contract. I'd have three "Cuban Pimp" cars if it were me.

Jose wanna get paid one more time.

I agree 100% with his analysis. With that being said "power rankings" are retarded.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 8, 2009 -> 08:48 AM) Based on his size? Dude, look at Juan Uribe's stocky/chubby build, and he's a very good shortstop. Being a thick guy (and he is) isn't a definite sentence for 1B. No way we have any idea about this until we see him on the field. I don't care where you want to "see" the guy... If I ran into his ass at the supermarket, I would tell you he is a first baseman.

Dude is a first baseman.