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QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 06:59 PM) Yea you figure a new name will emerge from AA this year as well. The White Sox organization is quite impressive in some areas. Churnin' out closers since 2005.

This team is awful.

Another aspect is that JDA and Tanaka would let them corner the Japanese and Cuban markets.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 04:21 PM) I just think of it this way. Put yourself in the position of the Rangers or Red Sox or Dodgers, a team obviously capable of competing in 2014 and beyond. You can tentatively look at Tanaka and say "if I sign him for 5 seasons, there's a shot he could contribute to 5 playoff-contending teams, and he's very likely to contribute to a playoff contender in his first 3 seasons when he is 25-28 years old in particular". The White Sox on the other hand would look at him and say "If I sign him for 5 seasons, I'm hoping maybe everything goes well and he can contribute to 4 pennant chases, with 2014 being unlikely to involve one even if I sign him given how many kids the roster is filled with". He's worth so much more to a team that can contend this year. The WHite Sox, to first order, would be paying him $100 million for 4 seasons that count, whereas the other teams would e paying him $100 million for 5 seasons that count. Imagine Darvish coming over, putting up a near cy young caliber season his first year and being on a team with 70 wins. That's a pretty major waste. I look at it as: it sets the Sox rotation for the next 5 years, allows the core to grow and compete together, couls compete next year if all goes right, and allows them to trade Beck, Rienzo, Snodgress, Jaye and one of EJ/next years 1st rounder if need be to plug other holes.

If Rick gets creative with the deal (Like JDA, Paulie), I can see it. And I'd like it Adding Davidson and Eaton allows them to spend.

QUOTE (staxx @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 02:18 PM) Seems like everyone is forgetting we still have Johnson under the wings, who has the potential to be a #2 starter along with all of our new pieces. Sale, Quintana, E. Johnson, Abreu, Eaton, Garcia, Davidson Wow. That is one heck of a young core. You can still add Dayan to that along with Jones.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 12:02 PM) Moment of silence for the release of Mike James. Thank you. The tank is strong.

Your browser does not support iframes. I like his power. His swing seems smooth.

I'd market "THE FUTURE" at this point. Bust out the Turn Ahead the Clock uniforms on Sundays.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 01:59 PM) I don't see us losing 100 games and even if we do we will get another top draft pick that will make us better. But just because we have younger players doesn't necessarily mean we lose more games. I think we have gotten better on paper These Kids Can Play 2.0

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 01:54 PM) I get the feeling Webb is a ways off from taking it. Do the Sox have enough RH Relievers that he could start the year in AAA? I could still see Petricka beating him out and taking the final bullpen spot this year. It reminds me of Hector vs. Reed for some reason. Amusing, considering the names.

Davidson takes walks, which is encouraging. Webb vs. Nate for the closer role I guess.

Holy s***, what? I love Reed, but this is another possible gigantic steal by Hahn. Get Owings and you get all 3 DBacks prospects I wanted for Peavy.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 16, 2013 -> 10:32 AM) This thread is full of... wow. We have a poster saying they just don't care about school children being gunned down? Another one who has decided there is no such thing as a responsible gun owner? I sincerely hope neither actually believes what they typed. This thread took a turn for the weird extreme in the past few hours.

I'm with Marty on Tanaka. Hahn has shown that he can structure contracts to not hurt the team going forward but still appeal to FAs (Konerko, JDA). Some deferred money and an arbitration opt-out (like JDA) could be ways to entice Tanaka. Having Sale - Tanaka - Quintana - Johnson - Danks as your rotation is filthy going forward.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Dec 15, 2013 -> 05:38 PM) I dont care about mass shootings at all. If that level of tragedy is too much for us to bear we've gone completely soft. Lightning kills more people. Maybe we should ban lightning. Sir, you are one f***ed up individual and I pray you never have children.

Well I guess f*** Rock?

Dude. Romo.

Why would some random-ass NY Daily News have a direct link to Rose's inner circle? Also, no quote? My guess is this is fake.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Dec 15, 2013 -> 03:10 PM) This guy's made it clear he has a vendetta against Hawkins. A lot of his posts are just railing the kid. Was he the one who complained about his twitter?

I forgot Bush existed.

Hell, Earl is getting in on the fun!

Dear god Alshon. It's weird having not one, but two monster WRs on the Bears.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Dec 15, 2013 -> 12:49 AM) This is exactly who Frank Thomas was to the fans who followed him closest. I'm sure many of you can attest as well with similar stories. Frank was the reason I became a Sox fan. Being a born and raised Southern Californian, there really was no other reason for a 7 year old boy to latch onto the Chicago White Sox. All it took was one ESPN highlight of him mashing a Mike Mussina meatball out to the left field concourse. And so a childhood obsession began. Whenever the Sox were in town playing the Angels, my dad took work off... Bringing me with him for a series long indulgence of modern day Cracker Jack glory. My pops was a pretty smart guy - the first thing he taught me about the spectator side of Baseball was, "get to the park early." Real early. Four hours early. We would wait for players to arrive and get their signatures with a black felt tip Sharpie pen. It was a crap shoot I'd soon learn. Some players would quickly sign for a couple of people without breaking stride or taking their sun glasses off. Others would treat fans as if they where air and walk right by. The first time I saw Frank Thomas walk up with his six foot five frame holding two hundred and something pounds of muscle - I figured it would be a tough autograph to pull off. He always was dressed as a consummate professional. A full suit with a coat. Nice slacks and a fleece sweater. Not flashy or arrogant but rather, as a man who was there to do a job. Being that he was one of the most talented players on the planet - I expected him to just blow by all the fans. They swarmed up quickly... Clearly everyone had really been waiting for him. It was a shock seeing what happened: Frank walked up to the entrance door. Removed his glasses. Turned around and smiled. He said two words, "Line up!" and then resumed back to smiling. About fifty or a hundred people would stand in a single file line. We all fell into formation. The Big Hurt stood there and signed every autograph. He shook any outstretched hand. He posed for any picture requested. He treated everyone as if they where equals. The respect we had for him as a baseball player was returned to us tenfold as fans. The first time I saw this system - I figured we just came on the right day. Got lucky. It was a priceless moment. I've no clue who won or lost the actual game but I'll never forget that moment. After the stadium emptied, my dad turned to me and asked if I wanted to wait for the players again - this time catching them as they exited. To a seven year old, "sure!" is the only possible response. And so we waited. About two hours later, Frank appeared at the player door, yet again in his professional attire. Everyone saw him and lined up. The man signed autographs for at least another hour. Amazing. And so began a family tradition. For nearly the next decade - we always saw the Sox play in Anaheim. More often than not, Frank would sign for hours before or after a game... Sometimes both. Unbelievable. Consistent. Humble. Amazing. Powerful. One of a kind. Those are words that not only define his career on the field but they also are appropriate descriptions of his character. Two years ago, right before getting married and starting a family of my own - I had a chance to save up some cash and surprise my dad with a trip to Chicago. It was our first trip to The Homeland after all of those years on enemy grounds. I wrote to Brooks Boyer and told him a little about my Dad and his selfless dedication to me during all of those Sox away games. After so many years waiting around for autographs and seeing the Angles beat our Sox - my pops was finally treated to a surprise on a new level. Brooks instructed me to meet him at the field on our last game of a 7 game set. We arrived an hour before gates opened to the public. He greeted us - shook my dads hand... And walked us into the executive offices. He walked us down under the stadium, by the players locker rooms, and up through the umpire tunnel. We arrived behind home plate. The look on my Dads face was priceless. He had no clue any of this would happen. Standing behind home plate, on the dirt of US Cellular Field... My old man cracked a smile like Frank Thomas always showed and teared up a bit. Bad. Ass. Thanks Frank Thomas for introducing me to the White Sox. Thanks for absolutely crushing baseballs. For inspiring me to play the game. For showing me how to handle success with grace. For affording me the opportunity to know gratitude and show appreciation on a Big Hurt scale. Thanks for leading me to the best organization in all of sports. An organization where everyone from the top down treats each other like a family. Thanks for being a legend of mythic proportion that can now be passed down to a son of my own once he's born this March. He'll be three weeks old when the 2014 season opens this year. He'll be wrapped in his first Sox jersey - watching his first game with Daddy. Here's to hoping that by 2021 - when I go wait around with my boy at first first ball game - that some now unknown player will treat us with so much dignity. I doubt there will ever again be a player of such a Big Hurt magnitude. But hey, here's to hoping... Right. Frank Thomas is already in the Hall of Fame to me. Period. I like this story a lot.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 14, 2013 -> 10:37 PM) I guess there's always the "let's kiss Kyrie's ass at all costs so he doesn't LeBron us" factor. Still, they would have to believe that they could resign Deng AND that they could be competitive with him to part with Waiters. At least that's what you'd think. Or, as like you said, they're the Cavs. You trade Kirk and Deng and this team gets into the top 3.