DBAHO

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jan 4, 2008 -> 12:23 PM) How many people are going to keep b****ing about the farm system until you realize the absolutely solid core of young studs KW has collected. With a successful farm system, for a contender they usually have what, 3-5 players that are homegrown maximum, that are cheap, young, and hitting their peaks. We have our future middle of the order and possibly 2 arms in the rotation for basically the next SEVERAL years. The top levels of the farm system are so insignificant right now with that young core its ridiculous. KW turned Gio into thome and Swisher, thats ridiculous. Swisher was poised to be Oakland's Konerko, at a younger age, with more athleticism, at a time where salaries are out of control. KW got him for basically an OF prospect that isnt a top ten for any team but us, an A ball pitcher with potential, and a player that could be good, but also has been traded 3 times for impact players already, and was traded with Floyd for freaking 3-game Freddy garcia. You're right in saying our young core has improved. We've basically replaced Podsednik, Iguchi, Erstad, Garcia and McCarthy from the start of 2006 with Quentin, Richar, Swisher, Floyd and Danks. So I give KW some credit at improving that part of our team. However I disagree with you when you say the top levels of our farm system will be insignificant because of that young core. We still have a lot of old aging guys in our team, Contreras, Dye, Thome etc. that will need replacing in a few seasons. The best option to do that should always be through the farm system, if the player is good enough. 6 years of control, with 3 seasons at around 350K prove that, and it shows why those type of guys are so valuable in today's market. You can always try to replace those guys in free agency, but it's costing you more money, and you're probably going to give up more draft picks in the process. And we don't want to turn into the San Francisco Giants for example. Right now, I think a huge key for this franchise in the next 5 years is how KW and his team re-stock the farm system. They need to hit in this upcoming draft, and make some shrewd signings in the Latin American region. Because if they don't, in 4-5 years or so, we're not going to have any possible replacement in - house, and that is going to cost us dearly, since we'll have to overpay to get our guys in FA. I see DLS as more than a A ball player with potential also. He's a possible top 10 prospect in baseball right now. If he does well in AA next season (which he should reach), it only enhances his value.

QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Jan 4, 2008 -> 10:01 AM) I read it right! KW definitely is trying to address the issue of our brutal record against LHPs with this move. Dontrelle Willis ain't going to be happy about this move then. Although it would be quite ironic if Santana was dealt to either the Yanks or Red Sox considering our pitiful record against him, and considering we're trying to improve against LHP.

I'd do that, but I don't think Jermaine would be too pleased with it (although it would decrease his value a little, it would improve the overall OF defense). Of course it depends on whether Quentin is actually going to be 100% healthy at the start of the season and wins a corner OF spot (because anything can happen from here on in, which we've certainly seen today).

Also on Shields, he really fell apart in the 2nd half of last season. I'm already worried enough about Linebrink, I don't know if you can really trust Shields going into 2008. But I do agree, we still need at least 1 more upgrade in the pen. I'd try to dump either Uribe and / or Crede, and still upgrade the back end of the rotation and the pen. Then this team can start to think about contending. If they can't improve those 2 areas still, then I don't think we will (but we could still suprise if things fall into place).

Figgins and Adenhart would be the 2 main pieces I'd target in a Konerko deal. Maybe a swap of Rivera and Crede could be something that could be looked at as well. But we do have plenty of options here, even though anything is unlikely to happen.

Nate McMillan should be up there for coach of the year ATM. They're playing fantastically defensively, and they'll be even better defensively next season with Oden manning the middle. Brandon Roy has quickly turned into a stud as well.

So what time do we actually find out the results for this? And I do indeed hope Hilary comes in 3rd as has been predicted recently. Another funny thing, I took one of those 20 questions quizzes a couple of months ago, my candidate, Mitt Romney.

QUOTE(NCsoxfan @ Jan 4, 2008 -> 10:12 AM) Check out Swisher's girlfriend - Daniella Gamba.... So we've got a replacement for Pods's wive then.

I'm still hoping we sign Miggy in 2 years when he hits FA as well. Probably he'll have to play at 1B I'd imagine, maybe LF, if Swisher showed he could handle CF. A Cabrera - Swisher - Quentin OF looks pretty damn good to me.

Well this was certainly a shock as I browsed thru the headlines this morning. How do I feel about it. Well mixed feelings really. There's no doubt Swisher is now a key building block for the franchise. At the Cell he should put up a .850 OPS easily, with the potential for more if he can stay healthy. Hopefully he stays as patient at the plate as he's been, because that OBP in the #2 spot would be very, very handy. It all depends on whether he can handle CF though. Because if he can't, then Quentin would have to go to the bench most likely, which makes that trade fairly useless. As for the prospects given up, I rate them a little higher than most have in this thread. People say DLS is 3 years away. Well Brandon McCarthy jumped from high A ball to AAA in 1 season, so it can be done. I think DLS will at least finish up 2008 in AA, and pitchers have made the jump from there to the majors before, so I think he could contribute in 2009. And I don't see him as a bullpen guy. He's got plenty of time to develop the 3rd pitch in his change, and I think he'll be a #3 starter minimum in the majors with the potential for more. As for Gio, yes there have always been questions about his size and injuries etc. But his stuff is pretty good too, and I think if he can stay healthy, he'll be a good pitcher for the A's, with that fastball / curve / change combo. He's probably a bit of a risk, but I like him more than most. With Sweeney, this year is always going to be a big key for him. Is he going to show the power needed. I don't know, I think it's more likely he becomes the next version of Jeremy Reed, and he's a bit too injury prone for my liking, so losing him doesn't hurt me greatly. I think KW has done a good job at building a better young core for this team, which he needed to do, when you look at the ages of the other guys of the lineup. I would like to see that continue though, by dealing either Thome or Konerko to say the Angels in a deal for say Figgins + Adenhart. I doubt it will happen, but you save money (which you can put half toward signing a SP like Garcia or Jennings for 1 season, and the rest towards Latin American signings or the draft). And I would hope without a 2nd round pick, we get the best player available no matter the price, go over slot money if you have to.

Losing by 1 at home to New Jersey blowing a 12 point 4thQ lead. I hope SVG is livid right now. Not much excuse for that at home, against a team you really should beat.

So who's going to win, if anyone wants to make a prediction? I'm probably rooting for Obama just over Edwards.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 09:13 AM) Bears? Trade for Anderson? The Browns are going to put a 1st and a 3rd tender on him (same thing as Michael Turner had). Quinn is signed to a 9M/5 year deal, so that's very workable for a backup. I'd say it's more likely the Bears sign McNabb in the off-season, as he won't cost any compensation. But neither Anderson or McNabb or Grossman or Orton, will be effective, unless they can fix the O-Line.

QUOTE(The Critic @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 09:24 AM) Hindsight being the wonderful thing it is, wouldn't it have been nice to make some sort of deal with Anaheim when Bryzgalov was on the verge of being waived? Khabi really hasn't done anything since coming here to sway me from thinking he was more the beneficiary of Tampa's success than the cause. Khabi was certainly very good in Tampa's system, wasn't really the same type of goalie in other places e.g Phoenix. As for Huet, his numbers this season, 10-6, 2.31 GAA, .927 SV%. He looks like a #1 goalie to me. If you could trade Khabi, and then sign Huet to a $4-5M per season deal in the off-season, you've saved about $3M right there, which could be put towards signing a top line winger or a #1 d-man.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 09:34 AM) He throws too many pitches and fades around the 5th or 6th inning, leading me to believe if he can't get his pitch count under control, it may be better to move him to the pen and have him as a dominate closer. Sounds a lot like Javier Vazquez in 2006 to me. Kazmir's kept improving from season to season, and although he's an injury risk, he's been getting more durable as well. The Rays would get quite a package for him if they moved him, but since he's under control for 3 more seasons, they'd be silly to do so. At least hang onto him for another season, probably 2, before dealing him.

Well back on the NFL, the Dolphins hired Jeff Ireland as their GM. Excellent hire, and they'll be a +.500 team within 2 seasons. Ireland constructed most of our team through the draft and he's got an excellent record.

Huet's a guy that I like quite a bit as a goalie. Not sure what his stats are this season, but I think Montreal wants to open up the net for Price to be their bookend for the next 10-15 years. If you could trade Khabi for say an expiring contract + early picks, and then sign Huet to a deal in the off-season, that'd be something that I'd look at.

Terrible night. But, something like this may now force DT's hand, so he won't try to upgrade right now (or at the deadline possibly). And this team isn't built to win right now. Next season with the contracts coming off the books and the young players a year older, then this team can start to think about contending.

Big win for us though. Jameer Nelson coming back and actually looking good for the 1st time in a month. If the Bulls play like that all season though, they'll sneak into the playoffs.

So Bears fans, do you want the Bears to sign McNabb if he gets released in the off-season, or do you want a QB to be drafted in the 1st round? And I'm sure they'll try to upgrade the O-Line in the off-season. Also it looks like Tuna wants the Ireland / Sparano for the GM/Head Coach combo in Miami. Let's just say I'm not very happy at all about that.

Just on Mars, from someone who really doesn't know much about space and stuff like that, when do you think we are actually going to have people land on the planet? By the end of this century I would be hoping at least.

QUOTE(The Critic @ Dec 29, 2007 -> 03:51 AM) Coming in to work today was a complete waste of time. Almost no one here, nothing to do except useless "mid-year reviews". Awful. And since I have to take the train to my wife's job to pick up the kid, then take two trains back to my car and slog home through the snow, I should enjoy a fabulous 3-hour commute home. In the absence of the vomit smiley, these will have to suffice: I count about 10 people in the office down here today. This time of year is really the bludgiest of all year, when it comes to work.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 31, 2007 -> 09:25 AM) The Cowboys look kind of shakey lately. I'm not majorly concerned. I think we're without Owens, Gurode, Newman and 1 or 2 others, so we're a bit banged up. Obviously you want to go into the playoffs with some momentum, but I just want our best players to be healthy, Owens especially.

If the Bulls offered Noc + Gordon plus picks for Gasol, something could happen there. As for Big Ben, I think the Bulls are stuck with him, unless they want to take a longer contract back (for another underperfoming player). As for Tyrus Thomas, if the Bulls aren't going to play an uptempo system, he's never going to get the best out of his abilities in Chicago. In fact the Bulls could include him in a deal with Wallace as a sweetner perhaps, or even use him in a Gasol deal (because him and Rudy in Memphis running the floor would be hard to stop). Bulls take on the Magic next, that should be an interesting game. We've won 3 in a row, but we're certainly not playing as well as we did early on in the season. Jameer Nelson ain't the starter anymore, Bogans play has dropped off a bit, and Lewis has been underperforming a bit with his neck injury.

Well it's NYE down here today. I'm working at the moment, but the financial market closes at 2:15p.m, so hopefully I'm out of here by then. I'm planning to go down to the beach about an hour south-east from Melbourne (we've got a beach house down there), they're having fireworks and other stuff, and it's going to be over 100 degrees today, so it's pretty much perfect drinking weather.