Flash Tizzle

Kansas City currently leading Oakland 7-3 in the 8th. Good chance we end this night in last place.

I guess it's easier for Hawk and DJ to suggest "bad luck" was the reason the ball shot over Fields that than blame Danks for laying a fat fastball down the plate. http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?autocom=chat

I don't mind the extension, itself. 22 million over two seasons isn't much of a risk. What I absolutely HATE is the reason we're at this point. Once again, our minor league system has failed us. Because we're void of a legitimate OF prospect(s) Williams has no choice but to devote money to Dye. Unfortunately, a similar situation may present itself with Uribe and Erstad. It has just become pathetic. No team with aspirations for a championship can continue without production from within. I can't wait until we resign Pierzynski because there's no legitimate catching prospect within the system. Someone tell me that scenario isn't inevitable. Even with Jermaine, my thoughts towards 2008 haven't changed. Williams still needs to acquire minor league talent from Garland (and yes, my expectations are still high) and immediately improve the positional prospects within the organization. Until these both occur, the future isn't looking good for Williams or the White Sox.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 10:37 PM) His replacment then will either be a 40+ year old SS who used to play for Cleveland or a Pixie who plays SS for the Cardinals. This is where a better organization would dig down into their minor league system and pull out someone for SS. Or LF. Or CF. Or RF.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 10:17 PM) He just seems to have no strength behind his swing. He looks more like Otis Nixon than anything else right now. Between him and Owens, there's no way you can actually think you can compete for the AL Central last with those mediocre players as full-time starters. My belief from this point forward is this team has absolutely no chance to reach the playoffs next season until proven otherwise. I'm not going to just sit back like others and keep throwing out passive phrases such as "Williams has all offseason to (blank)" No. Until that moment arrives, and it benefits us, then I'm looking right past 2008 and into 2009. And no -- to answer the inevitable question which comes after posts such as these -- I'm not going to stop posting if I have no hope for next season. I'd rather annoy everyone.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 10:08 PM) I can't wait to see what we do with our top ten draft pick next year. I expect an absolute stud that will help us in less than 2 years with a top ten pick. I am sure however we will pick some signable guy who will take below slot money. Someone who probably thought they would go 2nd or 3rd round and will be happy just that they made it in the first round. Toolsy is what we will hear, and no one would of ever heard of him. I love your high expectations. Although, let's be realistic here. I'm sure next season will be considered one of the weakest draft classes in years. It would only be appropriate for the one draft we're in position to have a high selection is the one where the talent is baron. If we pick at 10, they'll be no Tim Lincecum available. You just know it. They'll be no, "talented player who drops due to signability" such as Rick Porcello.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 10:00 PM) Another grind out. BTW, do yourself a favor and watch Joba Chamberlain pitch sometime. He reminds me of Jenks when he first came up. A benefit of New York paying overslot for a player. Too bad we'd rather be buddy buddy with Selig and provide yet another barrier to acquire talent.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 09:49 PM) I think we are beyond the point that even if Floyd had some success, which I doubt, that there still wouldn't be a lot of doubt about him. I really think Ozzie has no use for him, but he's KW's baby. I think KW would like him in the rotation and Ozzie would like him anywhere but the White Sox roster. The bullpen seems to be a compromise. I think the bullpen may be a spot best suited for him anyway. We didn't trade for Floyd to be in the bullpen. If he's there, I want Williams to own up and admit he drastically overrated Floyd. Someone has to be held accountable when people fail at evaluating players.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 09:22 PM) Highest payroll in division = last place Has this ever been done? You don't have to look far. Last season, the Cubs were 7th overall in payroll and last in their division.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 09:14 PM) Haha, what a joke. It's amazing how quick we were to put him back in the rotation after two good relief outings. That's probably because the interest in Contreras hightened after several successfull outings. Hopefully someone will bite on the velocity increase. However, if he's still here by September 1st his ass should be in the bullpen. Floyd's success or failure is more important to the ballclub entering 2008. Even with five starts, we should generally know about Floyd with several consecutive starts.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 07:48 PM) Grinder city tonight with Konerko out of the lineup. It's sickening how Ozzie seems to create opportunities so he can play those two guys. And FWIW, a friend of mine saw Sweeney play this week, and couldn't believe how bad he looks right now. Hey, atleast we're positioning ourselves to lead MLB in 5th starters and 4th OFs.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 15, 2007 -> 09:45 PM) People really have to stop paying attention to AAA numbers....that league is such a joke this year. Richar's swing just looks incredibly weak. No question the International League is pathetic. Floyd rates second overall in ERA if anyone needed proof. Richar struggling immediately is more of the same with prospects and this team.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 15, 2007 -> 09:25 PM) Richar doesn't seem to be ready for the majors. How many times have we said that phrase concerning White Sox prospects? Richar must have been informed after leaving Arizona that immediate success just doesn't work for this organization.

Do I understand this correctly -- if any of the remaining teams are unable to sign their first selection, they're guaranteed the same spot next season minus one slot? What I want to know is, if the Royals are the worst team in baseball concluding this season, would the first and third selection for next season's draft be guaranteed for them? If this is true, then it's really going to effect our draft position. We could potentially have the third worst record and not pick until seventh. Whatever the process, it's better for everyone if every player signs. Although it would make perfect sense if the one season where we're in position to draft in the top 10 is the one we're screwed somehow.

QUOTE(danman31 @ Aug 15, 2007 -> 05:07 PM) The deadline is 10:59 central tonight to sign draft picks. The Sox have 10th rounder Brian Guinn, HS SS, and 11th rounder Jordan Kendall, JC OF, left unsigned among the higher picks. It doesn't seem likely the Sox will go over the slotted amount. As for the rest of the league, David Price signed for a 6-year big league deal just recently and there are still five first round picks unsigned. They are 2 (Mike Moustakas, Royals) and 3 (Josh Vitters, Cubs) overall; No. 5 pick Matt Wieters (Orioles), No. 9 (Jarrod Parker, Diamondbacks), and 12 (Matt Dominguez, Marlins). Of course. Wouldn't want to pay a few extra thousand dollars and risk virtually nothing from major league baseball but a simple phone call. Not like our farm system could use an additional shortstop or outfielder.

Although this is a mere spot start, and we'll have to wait a year -- at the earliest -- before Jurrjens pitches full-time.

QUOTE(Bonderman38 @ Aug 14, 2007 -> 03:19 PM) Jair Jurrjens is starting for the Tigers tomorrow against Cleveland on ESPN. He's got a ton of talent. I'll be watching intently. Nothing the White Sox need more than yet another talented pitching prospect to emerge out of Detroit.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 13, 2007 -> 11:49 PM) I cant wait till next years draft / excuses on why we pass up top tier talent and go the cheap route. We should have a top 10 draft next year. Whomever is the best talent should be the person we pick. But alas, we will get some guy who got hot in the last 2 weeks of the season or a guy who is signable only. Just remember when this kid is dominating, we passed on him. I'll be the first to throw out this quote: "Twenty four other teams had the opportunity to sign him!" Now that we have that out of the way, you better believe I won't forget we passed on him. In fact, Poreda and him are tied together in my mind -- unfair or not. Signing Griffith certaintly lessened the impact of passing on Porcello, but still -- for a minor league system such as ours to pass on such a talent because of singability concerns is ridiculous. Whether Porcello ever touches a major league field, he possesses top of the rotaiton potential. An eight million dollar risk is practically nothing from my perspective. It's not going to set the Detroit franchise back fifteen years. At worst, he's a bust. At best, he pitches alongside Miller and Verlander. I doubt we're ever going to sustain success playing it safe. Next season, I want to the best player signed at our position -- Boras or not. Eight millilon dollars or not. It's enough abiding by slot recommendations or petty feuds with agents. Time to build this team from within to match those within our division.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPLn9nv26NM Warning: If you're squeamish, quit viewing at 3:00. That's unless you're interested in pictures of aborted fetuses. Whatever feelings you may have of Neil deGrasse Tyson (I know many can't stand him), the material covered within this YouTube clip quickly details scientific evidence I've considered at one point or another when determing the existence of a higher being. When it's all placed together, you really have to marvel at the fact humans are, one, alive; and two, aware of our existence. There have been numerous mass exitinction events on our planet -- a Gamma Ray Burst, Asteroids, Siberian Flats. Hell, 75,000 years ago humans were nearly whiped out from a supervolcano erupting in Indonesia. We're lucky to be here. Whether the aforementioned events make someone more or less willing to believe in something more than us, I don't know. What I figure is, we're due for a devastating natural disaster. Something on the order of killing a sizable percentage of the planet. God or no God. My money is on Yellowstone. Yeah, that went off track quickly.

QUOTE(kwolf68 @ Aug 13, 2007 -> 04:49 PM) So basically change nothing except add middle relief help. We tried this already...and it gave us 2007. Exactly. How am I supposed to believe this supposed core of talented players will fare any different next season than this year or and the one before? They were incapable of winning the division in 2006 and 2007, yet, with only a couple tweaks, we'll be back atop the division? Yes, baseball history is full of teams who rebound 15+ games from one season to the next. Problem is, within this division -- with a "core" consisting of few within their prime -- mediocrity won't cut it, anymore.

Another embarrassing start from "Mr. Arizona Fall League" Gavin Floyd. Yet, I'm still willing to start him over Contreras for the remainder of the season. His success or (most likely) failure is more important for the future of this ballclub than Contreras regaining confidence and/or trade value.

QUOTE(Markbilliards @ Aug 9, 2007 -> 01:55 AM) I like what I saw out of Griffeth's first start. Are you suggesting you watched him in person? If so, anything in particular that stands out? It's encouraging to note all hits surrendered were singles.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 8, 2007 -> 08:23 PM) LOL.....Stone talking about Jim Spencer and company was HILARIOUS Hey, farmer boy, the chat room is open. Northsidesox and I request your company.

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?autocom=chat http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?autocom=chat http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?autocom=chat

Chat room. Get in there, now. http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?autocom=chat