Quin

Well you guys are no fun. #Thibs4Manager

QUOTE (onedude @ May 26, 2015 -> 04:36 PM) After today's game 4-for-14 I'll see your 4-14 and raise you 6-12 with 4 homers.

For all the (rightfully deserved) grief GarPax gets, let's remember that they wanted Thibs to hire an offensive assistant and he refused. For a guy who made his name in the league as the premier defensive assistant, that's completely bullheaded on his part and idiotic. His offensive schemes are terrible and relied on PG drives and tip backs. Those weren't as prominent this year with hobbled Noah.

Optimism thread? In my Soxtalk? There is nowhere to go but up. Because things look grim. This is the optimism thread, for optimistic ideas and such. We got Swirsky already, Bulls want to fire Thibs...make Thibs the manager! We know he'll light a fire under the defense's ass. And possibly the other stuff maybe. But a team of vets not performing like vets, they'll come around. Because law of averages or something. Because oy vey.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ May 26, 2015 -> 03:35 PM) Except he just did it. Yes if he went to UCLA he would have to stay for three years now, I thought he was older than he is as he won't turn 19 until August, and you cannot enter the draft until you are 21 to be a draft eligible sophomore. But he can do the same thing at a juco. He may be inclined to stop the bleeding by taking a deal now, but based on everything that I have seen from his camp thus far, he will not be taking any discounts because they believe he is worth top flight money. Based on the Houston situation last season, a team only needs to offer 40% of slot value for a player that is injured to receive compensation if the pick does not sign. I would be all for making Aiken an offer of $1,389,000 and letting him take it or leave it, I just really expect him to leave it. Which I would totally be fine with because next years draft class is going to be much better. Matt. Harrington.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 26, 2015 -> 11:50 AM) If it were just Samardjiza, that would be different. But it isn't. Take Chris Sale. Coming into this year his first inning over his career was 85IP 27 ER good for 2.86 ERA. Even including this year his career numbers are a .587 OPS against, good for 89 OPS+. This year 8 IP 6 ER 6.75 ERA against, along with an .845 OPS against for a 121 OPS+. Quintana 1st innings in 2015, 9 IP, 8 ER, 8.00 ERA, .988 OPS against good for 157 OPS+ Before this year 4.37 ERA in 87 career IP in the first inning. So what has changed? LaRoche being no better than Dunn and Melky's lack of power

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 26, 2015 -> 11:39 AM) This is 100% true. A drafting would be contingent on two things. The Sox medical team being happy with his reports, and then The Don Cooper not only approving of his motion and delivery, along with talking to the kid and giving his thumbs up. Agreed on all points.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 26, 2015 -> 11:24 AM) Doesn't he have to go to UCLA for 3 years then? He'll take the money now. There is no reason to go back to school, pitch for free and risk injuring yourself again. Playing sports for free is dumb. Indeed he does, which is why he went to the IMG Academy.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ May 26, 2015 -> 11:03 AM) And then he just doesn't sign. Based on what transpired last season, I don't see him taking a discount to go anywhere. He could go to UCLA next year, sit out the season rehabbing, and then enter the draft the following season after building his value back up. Jeff Hoffman had a lot less leverage last year and still signed for slot. If he goes to UCLA he can't be drafted for the next three years. He runs the risk of becoming Matt Harrington. That's what he is leaving behind.

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 26, 2015 -> 10:41 AM) This isn't going to happen. If they continue to suck, they'll trade Samardzija and/or Alexei. Maybe Beckham or Bonifacio next to nothing. The team is still going to be expecting to compete next year. Oh, I know. I'm saying that is what will happen if they trade everyone like some are saying. At most they trade Samardzjia and Alexei. But people want to trade off all the offseason acquisitions in which case it all gets blown up. I call this the Greg Scenario.

Two days late mi amigo.

QUOTE (LDF @ May 26, 2015 -> 10:21 AM) you make an excellent point, let me add this, every team needs that special, lets say, special player, a spark to get the team to be in the same page. if the sox blows up the team, misses out by trade that spark in Sale, Abreu, Robertson, who knows who will step up to take on that leadership role. Basically what happens is the entire future of the White Sox would hinge on Garcia and Rodon becoming immediate leaders because of the remaining players, Beckham is the only one I'd see with leadership qualities/veteran presence and that's not gonna work out. You'd have this (not accounting for influx of prospects) Rodon Danks Noesi Carroll Beck Bullpen - clusterf*** of assorted arms 1B - Conor 2B - Johnson SS - Sanchez 3B - Beckham LF - Coats/Saladino CF - Thompson RF - Garcia C - Whatever corpse you want to bring up.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 26, 2015 -> 08:54 AM) If they fall way out of it, Shark and Ramirez could go. Melly, LaRoche, and Robertson aren't going anywhere though. The whole point of trying to win this year was to not waste the prime's of Sale and Abreu. They aren't just going to give up on next year as well. On that note... If people in here want to blow it up it doesn't mean just trading Samardzjia, LaRoche, Robertson, Melky, Robertson and Duke. It means trading those five, Sale, Q, Abreu, Eaton, Alexei. Everyone but Rodon and Garcia would be for sale. Sure, you'd have the top system in baseball, but that's all you'll get because free agents wouldn't sign here and players like Sale, Quintana and Eaton would be far less inclined to sign team-friendly deals. I don't want to see that happen.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ May 26, 2015 -> 09:08 AM) Some of you just THRIVE on negativity. What the f*** does Buddy Bell have to do with Melky Cabrera's 54 wRC+ or John Danks' 5.11 ERA? This team has played like s*** this year and they deserve to lose, but giving up your fandom over a s***ty season is just so dramatic. Fine, blame the manager if you want to pretend you have any idea why they're hitting so badly, but the bottom line is they're losing because they're playing like s***. The players have not performed anywhere close to the level they could have been expected to perform. It happens to 10+ teams every year. I don't know why it's so satisfying to find a political reason to hate your team. QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 26, 2015 -> 09:08 AM) Chicago could support two teams easily, and has when the stars align to the liking of the bandwagon. Sox fans choose to withhold their support for pretty much any reason under the sun, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. The market is very much there. Trust me, if the White Sox were to leave for some reason, there would be at least a franchise or two which would kill for the market, Oakland and Tampa Bay come to mind right away. The frustrating part is if Sox fans had half of the loyalty of the rest of the top notch franchises in baseball, they would have the resources and ability to do what other franchises can do. They wouldn't have to choose between major league and minor league spending. QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 26, 2015 -> 09:10 AM) When you are holding 35 year old grudges on the topic, this is the absolute truest post in the entire thread. QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 26, 2015 -> 09:12 AM) This post is awesome. How do you stop being a fan of a team? Doesn't make sense to me. That was four straight posts of awesome.

HEY. He said 10 of the next 11. 10 game win streak, leggo.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 25, 2015 -> 09:48 PM) I'm kind of excited about prospects of a midseason "do-over." I remember one year the Sox acquired Bobby Bonds, not Barry but Bobby. He was so bad they recognized the problem and dumped him. I believe they did the same with Dan Pasqua. They also knew they erred in acquiring Swisher and also that lousy leadoff hitter Erstad. Dumped all of 'em before the fans picketed. If Hahn does this right, he can get so many good prospects for Shark, Lexi, LaRoche, Melky, Robertson, Duke it'll make our heads spin. Please Mr. Hahn, start planning some amazing trades. I still say we might be able to steal a few KC prospects for Shark. They are talking daily here about Cueto. Why not Shark? Robertson will be a huge chip for a contender! Don't mistakenly keep these guys we acquired last offseason in hopes they turn it around next year. When a guy is a bust, he's a bust (can u say Adam Dunn?) Surely some of you agree with me?! And literally no one will ever sign with the Sox again.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 25, 2015 -> 09:07 PM) This has been the least enjoyable playoffs for me in a long time. #injuries He's back. Somehow. Holy s***.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ May 25, 2015 -> 06:41 PM) What? No way lol. I read his stats SO wrong earlier. His avg is .317, OBP of .324 and SLG of .507 My eyes were reading average of .324 OBP of .507 and I didn't question it for some reason.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 25, 2015 -> 09:02 PM) I'm not watching. Please tell me he's not hurt or kinda hurt? He jumped up to block an Ariza shot and went over Ariza. Hit his head hard. Doesn't look good. He walked off under his own power.

Um, Steph. Please be OK.

Time for Steverson and Robin to go.

We got them right where we want them.

Good hustle by Melky.

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 25, 2015 -> 06:19 PM) Love Fry getting them K's with 7 in 6 IP. He gave up 9 hits but had two bunt hits and two infield singles. He's been a bad luck pitcher this year. Engel is free falling with the average under .260 now. EJ strikes out two in a 1-2-3 first inning. Fry is really intriguing. I wasn't enamored with the pick, but he's been performing better than I expected. A full EJ resurgence would be so nice.

5...