Thad Bosley

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 03:42 PM) Most great broadcasters limit their partiality in order to not lose sight of their jobs. A play-by-play person is meant to give play-by-play, not cheer along with the fans or curse umpires. Of course you don't understand. You want your announcer to be your best friend. The rest of us deserve a real broadcaster for both home and road games. That's a career-long award, but the Hawk they wish to honor no longer calls White Sox games. He's been horrible for a decade. In your opinion. There are many others who respectfully disagree with this view.

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 03:27 PM) I don't know why people 1) Require their announcers to love the team 2) Don't understand that the broadcast team is meant to be professional and reasonably inpartial 3) Think Hawk is a broadcaster ESPN announcers with no affiliation to either team should be impartial during a broadcast and have no obligation to "love" the team. A team's announcer broadcasting to the team's fan base has no reason to be impartial, none whatsoever, and ought not to be. 162 games of impartial broadcasting would be dreadfully boring. Give me the Hawk or Harry Caray any day over that kind of a snoozefest. Meanwhile, those in the know responsible for administering the Ford Fricke award seem to think the Hawk is a broadcaster, given that he's been nominated a couple of times now for that prestigious "broadcasting" award.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 02:13 PM) Or that moths fly out of Steve Stones wallet. My problem with that schtick is that it's not original. Both Carays - Harry and Chip - used to fill in the gaps during a broadcast with the "Steve is cheap!" routine. It's been done, and for several years already.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 01:48 PM) I'm pretty sure it's insight like this that is why Hawk is still around, right? He can tell you that hitting ahead in the count is better than behind. What a tremendous, rare insight into the game of baseball. More insight gathered there than in playing "Sox Math" every single game with Benetti.

QUOTE (Al Lopez's Ghost @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 12:53 PM) Then you must not have the volume on for road games. Dick Allen is right. This has become the lazy man's critique of the Hawk. I watch most games, and if there was a mention of either of those icons by Hawk last year, they were so few and far between that it's not worthy of calling it out. Same goes for his complaining about umpires. Nowhere near as much of that going on in the past season or two as in the past, like during the Joe West/Billy Wegner glory days.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 12:44 PM) I never once heard Hawk mention Yaz or Catfish during a 2016 telecast. Hawk offers a lot more insight than his detractors want to admit. He was talking about Frazier pulling off the ball. Many would think if you are pulling off the ball, you might want to stand closer to the plate. Hawk told everyone he should back off about 6 inches, all about the thought dictating the mechanics. Yes, he has slipped a bit, father time catches up to everyone. And he goes overboard on umpires, but the guy has been terrific. He was advanced before anyone had ever heard of sabermetrics. He has been yapping about working a count since he began. No one else did. He knew the importance of having 2 hitting coaches 30 years ago. Now most teams have 2. I hear about his huge ego. I doubt anyone who thinks his ego is so gigantic has ever met him. Truly one of the nicer most pleasant guys to fans that there is. He also says all the time the players today are a lot better than they were in his era. He really isn't as stuck in his ways and he and others want you to believe. He doesn't imbrance sabermetrics consciously, but everything sabermetrics embraces, he has embraced forever. He goes a little further believing there is also a human element to the game, which most people would agree. Hawk and Stone were better together in 2016. I just find it funny that without really knowing the issues between the 2, it's always assumed it's always Hawk's fault. Yeah, Stone works well with Jason, but Hawk works well with Stone's substitutes, and many people have mentioned meeting Steve as not being the most enjoyable experience. I read here a few years ago, he wouldn't sign baseballs on the sweet spot because he thought people would sell them, like there is a huge market for a Steve Stone signed baseball. Hawk has been great. He is slipping, but still gets the job done. If he wants to work 4 more years, the Sox owe it to him as long as he's able, to let that happen. Well said. Bravo!

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 12:09 PM) I disagree. This is Benetti's dream job having grown up a White Sox fan. I don't need any faux excitement from Hawk. It's all completely phony.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 11:12 AM) The only thing that stands out recently about Hawk is his embarrassing moments. Like running downstairs to check on Frazier in the middle of an inning, calling out conspiracies against the sox, TWTW. He is past the time to put him out to pasture, unfortunately it seems he will get his wish of dying in the booth (which will be absolutely horrifying if/when it happens). Now I won't remember him for when he was awesome but rather as a forgetful, domineering, overly opinionated and behind the times announcer that never could let anyone else stand in his light. Ok, then! You have made your point in no uncertain terms! We will put you down in the "Don't like" column and move on.

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 08:22 AM) I guess when you're winning 65 games, it's only appropriate you stick with the worst broadcaster in baseball. Too bad, too. Benetti/Stone is actually listenable. Of course, some of the meatheads would cry tears of joy if Hawk took a literal dump on television. "I have been in the baseball business for 75 years, Stoney, and I gotta tell you that was the best s*** I have ever scene" You make such a salient point here. No doubt I'd rather waste calories trying to figure out "Sox Math" and get all giggly about what gifts are to be had on the table behind Benetti and Stone than listen to a guy who's actually played the game and can and still does lend insights that just about every professional cookie-cutter announcer cannot do.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 06:11 AM) Frankly, I'd rather listen to Harrelson hype all the young prospects than put up with Benetti questioning Stone over and over and not providing any of his own insight. Hawak can also tell you more from hanging around BP for a week of spring training than we'll get all season from some "voice" announcers. Taste in announcers clearly varies from person to person, but I'm with you: I'll take Hawk and his unique style, even now in the twilight of his career, over the cookie cutter stylings of the so-called "professional" announcers.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jan 3, 2017 -> 11:44 AM) As things currently stand, I think some of you guys are going to be disappointed with how the Sox play this. The offseason still has a long way to go. There are still a bunch of a FA available, which makes guys like Frazier / Melky / Lawrie more difficult to move. Perhaps once the FA pool continues to dwindle, we'll see a market develop for those guys, and they're ultimately moved. But if Frazier, Melky, Lawrie, Abreu and Quintana are on the team in April, I fully expect the Sox to try to compete. Stop gap OF, DH and C signed. Still plenty of options for the first two. Lawrie plays everyday at 2B until he gets hurt or Moncada pushes him to bench. Saladino (if healthy) is the super sub. The young arms come up in June. Sox to reassess in late June, and move the impending FAs at that point if they're out of the race. Honestly, at this point, that is what I expect. I would have to respectfully disagree. I don't see how it can even be remotely realistic for the Sox or anyone to think they can compete with the current roster that, with Sale and Eaton in tow, were unable to win more than 78 games in the past four years, and that was with stop gap measures in place. How can they now be expected to even get close to even 78 wins, never mind compete, without their best pitcher and position player, and with yet another set of additions of the stop gap variety. It doesn't compute.

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Dec 29, 2016 -> 02:45 PM) Personally, Laurie is the perfect sell-high guy at the deadline this season as long as he can stay healthy. I don't think there's much to sell high on, unless in addition to staying healthy he takes his game to somewhat of a higher level. To date, even a healthy Lawrie has been mediocre at best.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 28, 2016 -> 12:41 PM) This rebuild has hit cult-like proportions, and it has just begun. Not surprising. Turns out just about everyone is finding that acquiring players like Moncada, Giolito, Kopech and Lopez is far more exciting than the acquisitions you lauded as "surreal" back in February/March, those of Rollins, Jackson, Latos, et al.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 28, 2016 -> 10:54 AM) This still has nothing to do with enjoying a baseball game unless your enjoyment is tied to winning. Of course it's tied to winning. See, this is the problem with a team like the Sox that rarely wins - fans start rationalizing away the emphasis on winning. How much White Sox baseball have you "enjoyed" watching these past four years, when winning has been in such short supply? The long-term hope on this rebuild is that for the first time in this team's long history, some sustained "winning" will begin to happen, such that comments about enjoying baseball without the need for winning go away.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 28, 2016 -> 09:56 AM) Years of suck with no end in sight isn't really exciting for me, but hey. I think you are at least a year too late with this observation.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Dec 27, 2016 -> 12:03 PM) Can we stop suggesting Bregman as a potential return? Not happening. Sure, we can do that, as soon as people like Bob Nightengale stop suggesting the Astros are still "very engaged" on discussions about Quintana, while rumors of Austin Meadows and Gleyber Torres being possible pieces in a deal continue to be being bandied about.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Dec 27, 2016 -> 11:57 AM) @BNightengale reports Sox -Yanks expanded Quintana trade talks with D Robby. Pirates /Rangers and Astros still very engaged on Quintana https://twitter.com/MLBBruceLevine/status/813790388221804545 Hopefully a bidding war You just have to think one of either Alex Bregman, Gleyber Torres, or Austin Meadows will soon be a part of the Chicago White Sox organization. Just too much competition at this point for that not to happen!

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 27, 2016 -> 11:22 AM) Honestly, the reason I'd be excited about Torres is that it might mean Moncada gets shifted to CF, which makes a TON of sense to me. Seems like a much better place to get the most out of a guy with elite speed and a plus arm but shaky hands and footwork. Haha, ok, have it your way. I will amend my statement to say that it is tantalizing to think of a lineup featuring both Moncada and Torres, placed wherever on the field you'd like!

All I know is that it is very tantalizing thinking about a future infield featuring both Moncada and Torres in it. Wow!

QUOTE (New Era on South Side @ Dec 27, 2016 -> 09:28 AM) Because of the holiday I thought that talks would resume this week and Hahn would get a deal done by the new year. We will see if that is the case, but I sincerely hope the Sox eat enough of Robertson's contract to bring back prospects with Quintana. Though you'd have to think Hahn would say to Cashman that he is getting Quintana at a decent rate so he will have to give prospects without considering Robertson's contract as too much of a problem in a deal. Any thoughts on why the Yankees want Robertson when they have Chapman? Is it a replacement for Miller? It would return him to his former post as set-up man for that team, a role in which he thrived. And if the Sox were to eat some of the remaining contract, it would place him in that role affordably. Definitely seems to make some sense on their end, and if eating some of D-Rob's salary is the only thing standing in the way of acquiring the likes of Torres, Frazier, ++, then by all means, I hope they do it!

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 23, 2016 -> 01:57 PM) I was sitting right behind home plate when Borchard hit one on the concourse against the Phillies in a rainout make up game. It was glorious. Isn't that one the record for longest hit ball in that ballpark?

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 23, 2016 -> 11:13 AM) I have to say, while pumped about package, totally flummoxed about whether the PIrates are giving up too much or know McCutchens value is that low, and also have ZERO clue why Yankees care about McCutchen this year. Like wtf. From White Sox perspective, getting glasnow is great, getting Rutherford back is amazing, getting back newman too I'm ripping my shirt off and letting my flabby 30 year old chest show proud, add keller and we are talkin pants at that point, men. 100% agree, but this is a better haul than what the team got for Sale, so else would be leaving the Sox in addition to Q to reign in this much premium talent?

What I find so very interesting at this juncture is that, unless I missed it somewhere, I've seen nothing come out of the Pirates' camp suggesting Meadows is "untouchable", the way it seemed the message on Bregman and Torres/Frazier was sent out almost immediately by Houston and the Yankees, respectively. Obviously if Meadows is in play in some fashion, that puts Pittsburgh in the catbird seat, as Hawk would say, in this competition for Q's services. And I, for one, am just fine with that, because the various packages from Pittsburgh including Meadows and any combination of some of the other guys they have in their system (I happen to find Newman quite intriguing) seems like a tremendous haul for Q.

This has been one heckuva fascinating offseason, what with getting so intimately familiar with the farm systems of Boston, Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Washington, Dodgers, Yankees, Colorado, and now Pittsburgh. Did I miss anyone!!

QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 20, 2016 -> 01:01 PM) I find it hard to believe the Yankees give up one of Torres/Frazier let alone both. Interestingly, at this particular Yankees fans' blog/website, the author of this article thinks the fair package for someone of Quintana's caliber would be "two of Jorge Mateo, Clint Frazier, Blake Rutherford, and Gleyber Torres; one of James Kaprielian, Aaron Judge, Justus Sheffield, and someone lower like Tyler Wade, Dustin Fowler, or Domingo Acevedo." He goes onto warn the Yankee fans about "prospect hugging", and does a rather credible job of describing what a great pitcher Q is. Thoughtful and fair analysis, I think! http://www.pinstripealley.com/2016/12/20/1...ford-sale-eaton