DBAHO

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 03:23 PM) Burke just sucks....he would get dominated having to face Johan, Liriano, C.C. on a weekly basis. The Pirates will want more for McLouth. He also has very good splits against LHP. Also Liriano's coming back from major surgery and may never be the same again, and Johan may not even be in the AL Central in 2008. Would be a good utility player to have at least. As for McLouth, depends on the price, but with Bay rumored to be going for the likes of Lee and Shoppach, well that gives me a little hope.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 03:17 PM) I like McLouth, but we better get a platoon partner for him then in CF. Chris Burke sounds pretty decent to me. I'd trade a fringe reliever for Burke (Ed Wade just loves his relievers, and with Matsui and Bourn there, Burke is basically useless to Houston), and maybe one of your SP prospect's such as Broadway and a reliever for McLouth. Then sign another reliever to replace the one you've traded, preferably from Japan (if there are any left).

Also there are still some good options for CF out there in a trade. Nate McLouth for one (.822 OPS last season with around 22 SB's). Luke Scott's another (although I don't know if he can handle CF). So we still do have some more options.

4 years I could maybe live with, but that 5th year option would have to be a team option, and not a player option. I imagine Rowand's probably after $55-$60M over 4 years right now.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 02:51 PM) KW failed last offseason, he failed last season, and he's doing awful so far this season. Can't we promote him to some higher position, and let someone else take over? Something that's killed us in our trade chances this offseason is how bad all the young arms we acquired last year have been. Right now I'd call the Garcia trade an easy win for us. Gio's value has risen, and Floyd built up a little momentum in his last 6 starts, and can hopefully carry that onto 2008. The other big trade, B-Mac for Danks and Masset, well obviously the results didn't go our way in 2007 for that, but that deal wasn't made for the short - term, so it's on Danks to improve. I doubt Masset's here when we start in 2008 though.

QUOTE(klaus kinski @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 02:51 PM) Didnt the Cardinals have one? Are you thinking of So Taguchi?

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 02:38 PM) All the signs are there: - We need a CF - We need a leadoff hitter - Dodgers don't want him - Ozzie loves him He also has 4 years left on a 36M deal. He has a terrible noodle arm for CF, and his OBP isn't good enough for the Sox's needs for a CF. The Dodgers would need to pick up half his contract for me to consider it. I'd even rather Podsednik back instead of acquiring Pierre (gulp). I'd much rather target Reggie Willits in a trade.

QUOTE(frankie5angels @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 02:34 PM) Who cares. Ha. Well so much for him desperate for a 3 year deal. $13M a season is a lot for an unproven OF in the MLB, but that's the current market. Right now it looks like Rowand for the Sox, unless they want to get back in the Crisp negotiations. I'll be shocked if we acquire Pierre fathom.

If we acquired Figgins, I would rather him play at CF than 2B, to keep Richar in the #9 spot in the lineup. That way we don't have to spend $12-15M on a CF such as Fukudome or Rowand, and could use that money to improve other needs such as the bullpen.

The only way you can justify paying Fukudome that kind of salary, is if he's going to bring in a lot of revenue from new Asian fans turning up to the ballpark, and the Sox selling more advertising space to Japanese companies.. I think the Cubs have said they'll do the latter if he signs with them.

Happy B-Day Goldy!!!

If the Giants don't do the Rios for Linecum deal, then I think they'll end up with Rowand. If they make the deal, then I think Rowand is headed back our way (with Philly still as a sleeper). And yes we need to keep Richar. We didn't give up a good prospect in Cunningham, and let Iguchi go for basically nothing to let Richar develop form the bench. He's young (in an aging lineup), has the potential to improve, and we need the payroll flexibility.

It's that fun time of year when I have to get a Kris Kringle (or Secret Santa, I don't know what you call it up there) gift for someone in the office. I was reading an article this morning about this subject, and how things such as lingerie and sex toys aren't a good idea (well duh). And no, I'm not making a donation in their name to the "Human Fund" (although the idea did come into my head at one point).

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Dec 12, 2007 -> 05:03 AM) Nah, Sunnies are a common used term for a religious group in the middle east Shades, Sunglasses, Glasses are what people in this hemisphere call em Shades just sounds too weird to me. And I hope that's a nice peaceful Middle Eastern Group you're talking about.

I think the Brewers would want a bit more than that. It's not exactly a win for them.

QUOTE(Mr. Showtime @ Dec 10, 2007 -> 03:40 PM) I have no idea what it meant, that's why I asked. Lord only knows what crazy **** you have going on in that part of the world. I wear glasses, but I do have transition lenses, so when I go out in the sun they tint up. You really do need to learn the Aussie Lingo Ian, although I thought sunnies was a commonly used term around the world, instead of just glasses.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 02:36 AM) Yes, I like to eat food, not tree bark. I did see people eat live squid on an episode of the Amazing Race once in Seoul though. So Tree Bark actually sounds pretty appealing instead of something that clings to your throat.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Dec 10, 2007 -> 04:16 PM) Aussie wants more vegemite Ugh. The guy in the cubicle next to me has it on his Toast every morning, and it stinks.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 01:29 PM) 2004 Floyd was a wide-eyed rookie who walked 16 in 24 innings... Those are numbers which predicted future demise, assuming the BB/9 didn't improve. 2007 Floyd was a next-to-last-chance former top prospect, who was finally unafraid of the strike zone. He walked 19 in 70 innings, including 15 over his last 64 innings when he was on the roster full-time. You can certainly argue about what his upside may be. And I'd argue against KW calling him (both he and Danks, really) top of the rotation guys. But as long as he's going to pound the zone, with his curveball, he's going to miss enough bats (6-7 K/9) to be an effective mid-to-back of the rotation starter, starting next season. Yeah at least now he's cut down the BB's, and is trying to throw strikes and allow the defense to make plays behind him. Obviously he's going to give up his fair share of HR's pitching at the Cell, but he's a guy who will rack up a few K's as well. And as we saw with Vazquez, flyball pitchers can indeed make it at the Cell.

I'd say based on Broadway's 1 start in the majors, he may be the guy who Rogers has instead of Carter. Not that I'm saying that's right, but that's the only logic I could come up with.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 10:23 AM) Brandon McCarthy isn't that good, either, but he's much better than Floyd. Stuff wise I don't know if there's a huge difference, B-Mac probably has a better change, and he's certainly proven a bit more. But we'll see how Floyd does. He's basically at the same situation where B-Mac was coming into 2006, except he's not getting moved into the pen.

I'm higher on Gio than most, but his value may never be higher, because he's definitely a top 50 prospect now. I just wonder if the Sox brass would be willing to trade him again for a 2nd time, after they acquired him? Would have to be a very good deal for them to do so IMHO.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Dec 11, 2007 -> 10:07 AM) 2. Setting and circumstance is integral to judging; Floyd was beat up by a bad team and escaped homeruns because that field is huge. PS: there is no "regulation" size, but there's clearly a difference between pitching for the Tigers and the Padres and other teams. Anything else you draw from that is an inference you're making to defend Floyd because heaven forbid someone say he sucks. (The Cleveland game was in the hard rain; circumstance favored him very much.) Wasn't this the same argument people used against Brandon McCarthy when he was 1st up with the Sox, in terms he would have given up home runs if he was pitching at the Cell instead of Comerica etc.? And look I don't know how Floyd will do next season. I didn't see him at all in 2007, because I'm lucky if I get to watch 2 or 3 Sox games a season (1 of them was seeing Jose give up 7 or 8 runs against Boston in the 7th or 8th at Fenway). So I probably go off the numbers more than anyone here (and yeah that can be a bad idea). Is Floyd going to do what he did in his last 6 starts for all of 2008? I'd say there's less than a 2% chance of that. But I think something below 5 is possible for him. New pitchers such as Vazquez improved in their 2nd season under Coop, so I'm hoping Danks and Floyd can do the same.

QUOTE(Mr. Showtime @ Dec 10, 2007 -> 03:38 PM) Fine, be that way! Ok then, unless you want to get me a job in Chicago or something.

Well he's obviously putting the pressure on them to get results, and frankly I don't know if it's the best way to motivate them or whatever. All we can hope for, is that we get the Danks we saw in the 1st half of 2007 and the Floyd we saw in the last 6 starts of 2007. I think we'll get that in parts, but certainly not for a whole season, because there will definitely be parts of inconsistency here and there, it always pretty much happens for a young pitcher. Am I confident about them? I'll be happy if either can put up an ERA below 5.