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Getting a Cubs fan out for harassing my mom on the concourse. Seeing Thome's (possible, but not likely) last HR with my brother on his birthday, where we got free seats on the 300 level and saw his friend who works for the Sox. Watching Game 1 at my Bar Mitzvah and the DJ promptly playing Don't Stop Believin' My mom and I going crazy for Buehrle's perfect game. Heck, even my non-baseball fan friend jumped up in excitement. Wise hitting a GS against the Tigers to tie it up, and piss off a Tigers fan who was giving my section crap, and my dad was so excited for seeing to slams in a game (the other was Thames). My dad seeing his favorite uniforms ('59 Sox) against his favorite NL team (Dodgers) in the 13 inning bonanza while he got to watch 'The Sox win this time. You know why? Now they have the hard throwing, young Jewish lefty. Not the Dodgers." Seeing a game in Charlotte, where my dad apparently got in Aarsdma's head by watching him warm up. Because Aardsma promptly blew the game.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 31, 2009 -> 01:24 PM) I agree with the first part of your post. As for the 2nd part, name one prospect that has come back to haunt us? Just one... According to my Rogermetrics, Chris Young will win MVP for the next 3 years and come back to haunt us.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 31, 2009 -> 10:04 AM) You want Joe Johnson at SF? And on the court at the same time as not only Rose, but as Wade as well? I think we could live with 2 guys who need to have the ball in their hands if 1 of them was Rose. I can't imagine that working with 3 of them. I think my desire for Johnson was the need for a SF that the Bulls will have. I guess signing someone like a Travis Outlaw to go with signing Wade-Bosh/Stoudemire would be better thinking about it.

No way I'd trade Floyd if I can trade Hudson, because for some reason the prospect of prospects (yes, I know, not intended) getting even better raises their value, and I'd want to cash in on Hudson's value when it's at its highest for the foreseeable future.

158...blanked on a few obvious ones.

QUOTE (Sec101Row1 @ Dec 31, 2009 -> 12:25 AM) Not shure why the NL roy is on there either, but as a little league coach myself its nice to see a guy give back like this. But to teach kids behind the back stuff like that, at that age ? That confused me so much. Also: The elusive Beckham #80 jersey!

Quick thing before long post: Is it just my eyes tricking me or is Noah trying to develop a sky-hook? QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 30, 2009 -> 08:52 AM) It depends on what you move for him. They're not likely to want Deng, since they spent money to sign Ariza last summer. Trading one expiring piece for another doesn't help the Bulls, so Miller included is at best a lateral move. Including Salmons or Hinrich, that's starting to get there, but would the Rockets want either of them? The other thing to keep in mind is that the Bulls are only like $100k or something ridiculously low like that below the luxury tax, so in any deal that is done, the Bulls will not take on any salary; adding a couple hundred thousand in salary would cost them the $4 million or so they'd get in luxury tax payments from the other teams in the league. A trade of Salmons-Jerome James-Deng for McGrady ends up giving the Bulls a little bit of wiggle room, so they could sign Derrick Byars at minimum to fill out the roster. I'd also throw in a second round pick to entice the Rockets a bit. The Rockets might agree since they'd get a guy who could be a 18-8 guy (Deng), a good bench Swingman (Salmons) and an expiring contract (James). Sure, the Rockets have Ariza, but the depth they'd get with Salmons and Deng would be amazing. Bulls play out the rest of the season with a roster of: PG - Rose/Hinrich/Hunter SG - McGrady/Pargo SF - Johnson/Byars PF - Gibson/Thomas C - Noah/Miller/Gray You might need another player to meet the league roster minimum, hopefully it could squeeze through the salary cap. Anyway, this would give Rose/Johnson/Gibson/Noah a chance to develop more and form a 'core'. And by core, I mean 'something to entice FA's'. The salary going into 2010 would be 20,505,976. If the cap is around $52-$54 million next year, try and sign Wade and Joe Johnson, then resign Thomas (resigned via the Larry Bird Rule , draft Cole Aldrich, giving you the lineup of: PG - Rose/Hinrich SG - Wade/Hinrich SF - Jo. Johnson/Ja. Johnson PF - Gibson/Thomas C -Noah/Aldrich You can sign 4 more players to low contracts but I doubt that you'd be able to dodge the cap even that way, but at that point, you're a contender. If the cap is around $60 million (less likely) sign Wade, Johnson, and David Lee/Carlos Boozer, draft Aldrich, getting a lineup of... PG - Rose/Hinrich SG - Wade/Hinrich SF - Jo. Johnson/Ja. Johnson PF - Lee-Boozer/Gibson C - Noah/Alrdich You'd have to go over the cap to round out that roster, so might as well re-sign Miller (mentor Aldrich, continue mentoring Noah and Gibson) and Pargo to cheap deals, then just sign some guys to league minimums. If only GarPax would make this happen >.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Dec 30, 2009 -> 04:33 PM) The funny thing I remember about Jeff Bajenaru is that he was black in MLB 2K5. Same here, I was confused when I saw the real him. Most of what this thread is doing however, is reminding me how many bad players my memory has suppressed from 2007.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 29, 2009 -> 11:49 AM) Could the Bulls deal Deng for McGrady? If so, I'd do it. That cap space would be huge... I'd try and sign Wade and Johnson, and then if you have room for a 3rd star (and you very well could) I'd go for Bosh/Stoudemire/Boozer/Lee. A starting five of Rose-Wade-Johnson-Bosh/Stoudemire/Boozer/Lee-Noah would be lethal. ...and a pipe dream.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 29, 2009 -> 09:26 AM) SI I'd have to debate acquiring McGrady. You get huge cap space next year, but I want to look as good as possible this year for FA's.

I can live with this deal, because of Quentins MVP-esque 2008, Carter still in the minors, and the fact that Viciedo could still fill the need if need be, and he's younger and K's far less.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Dec 27, 2009 -> 02:48 PM) Wow, just read this. This is the dumbest thing Phil Rogers has ever written, and that is pretty amazing in itself. LOL at the Colorado Rockies, the Braves at 11, Sox at 12, Red Sox at 6, etc. My latest statistical analysis tells me Phil Rogers should have been fired last year. After much thought going into it, I believe that the Padres will have the best rotation Sort of shocked Rogers didn't write about how bad an idea Poreda & Richard for Peavy was.

QUOTE (Ranger @ Dec 26, 2009 -> 01:45 AM) Speaking of always having a point... What contradictions? I seriously don't believe I've contradicted myself. But, yes, I had a nice Christmas, hope you did too. Just getting some late-night prep for Sox Weekly tomorrow (well, technically today). Good night, friends. Dang it, WS Weekly is always on when I'm not able to hear it (in California right now) Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

QUOTE (MHizzle85 @ Dec 25, 2009 -> 11:33 PM) You sound surprised. It's Christmas, Bulls are currently not a playoff team, and they have a coach.

Vinny still has a job..wow.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 23, 2009 -> 04:52 PM) Tough = it's against the rules for him to sign with us now. Didn't know that...so wouldn't we can't sign Dye as well I'm assuming?

Dotel is getting a 3 million offer from the Pirates...I now kinda feel we could have matched that and had four good arms in the pen (Dotel, Thornton, Putz, Bobby)

QUOTE (Tex @ Dec 22, 2009 -> 09:48 AM) NSS made that same case in another thread. Adding to that, the guys that are still here are a mix of ones that you could reasonable expect to improve, (Floyd, Danks, Ramirez, Rios), hope to hold their own another season (Mark, Quentin, AJ), may decline (Kong) and who the hell knows about Jenks. Really, the only downgrade is Carrasco to Torres, and that spot shouldn't be needed a lot with this staff.

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ Dec 22, 2009 -> 08:17 AM) That is why the 2005 World Championship season was so special! But would sweeping the Cubs in a World Series top it? This is the question that has haunted me since day 1 after Game 4.

Here's how I rank my top 3 Rotations in the MLB, the White Sox, Red Sox, and Yankees. Peavy = Sabathia = Beckett: Dead even, they all are good pitchers. Lester > Buehrle >>> Burnett: Lester is better than Buehrle, but every now and then Buehrle likes to over achieve for his stuff and start dominating. Thats why I have Lester as better, but Buehrle can be better. Burnett isn't close to either. Floyd > Lackey >>> Pettitte: Floyd has more upside than Lackey, who was overpaid, and had a phenomenal stretch last year. Don't know how much Pettitte has left in the tank. Danks >> Vazquez > Daisuke: Javy's good, but Danks is better (and it's been beaten to death, but he can step it up at times). I think Daisuke may be closer to last year than this year... Garcia/Hudson = Wakefield/Bucholz >>> Joba/Hughes. Freddy is better than Wakefield, and Bucholz, while very good, I think isn't a world better than Hudson. Both 5's & 6's are better than Yankees.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 22, 2009 -> 12:01 AM) 2000s - Three playoff appearances and 1 World Series title. 857 Wins 764 Losses .529 % '90s - One (Two) playoff appearance(s). 845 Wins 775 Losses .528 % '80s - One playoff appearance. 786 Wins 834 Losses .485 % '70s - No playoff appearances. 752 Wins 868 Losses .464 % '60s - No playoff appearances. 852 Wins 760 Losses .529 % '50s - One playoff appearance. 847 Wins 693 Losses .550 % '40s - No playoff appearances. 707 Wins 833 Losses .459 % '30s - No playoff appearances. 678 Wins 841 Losses .446 % '20s - No playoff appearances. 731 Wins 804 Losses .476 % '10s - Two playoff appearances, and 1 World Series title. 798 Wins 692 Losses .536 % 1900s - One playoff appearance, 2 AL Championships, and 1 World Series title. 744 Wins 575 Losses .564 % . . . Most wins of any decade, tied for 4th in Winning %, Most postseason appearances of any decade. I guess you could say that we're spoiled as the history of Sox fandom goes. ...this is just the sad reminder that we've sucked throughout history.

He called Thome too expensive...

Man, 2000 was the first season I really remember, and what I remember most? Not Frank being a monster, Oh-wee-oh Magglio, or Ray Durham being extra awesome. What I remember most is Jose's 'stache.

I don't understand the Nick Johnson love. He seems like a good guy for the Yankees, where he isn't supposed the be the big bat, and if he gets injured, they can probably deal with it. With the Sox, I just couldn't see it being a "this gets us deep in the playoffs" signing unless Quentin, Alexei, Rios, Beckham, and even Paulie just mash.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Dec 19, 2009 -> 09:07 PM) It's been the Joe Johnson and Derrick Rose show today. We're getting extra showtimes. Also, if we don't land Wade, I'd love to get Johnson. Edit: Kirk and now Salmons have had clutch 3's. What.