Flash Tizzle

This is unf***ingbelievable. WHY IS BECKHAM SWINGING AT THE FIRST PITCH? Two straight ABs he has done this.

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Jun 5, 2009 -> 08:16 PM) Wonder what the excuse will be tonight...since we have seen Pavano b4 and its also warm. Add in that Pavano is hardly the pitcher he once was, and his stuff really isn't overwhelming. His numbers this year prove it. He can strike you out, but he'll still give up the hits.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 5, 2009 -> 08:14 PM) Mike MacDougal is in for the Nationals. He's throwing 3 mph harder than he ever did for the Sox. He looks really good. So are you saying he's throwing 98-100?

How is Alexi supposed to hit a slider in the left hand hitters box? That's minor league impatience right there.

Cmon, Beckham. Really? You don't take even one pitch? I could see doing that after two ABS, having already seen Pavano, but that's just not very smart.

Let's go.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Jun 5, 2009 -> 10:10 AM) I think there is going to be a lot of "Is this guy a HOFer" talk in the next 15-20 years. Sammy is just the start. It all changed, in my mind, with Alex Rodriguez. Bonds, Sosa and McGwire are grouped together as steroid/HGH users due to their inflated HR seasons. If no one comparable to those players ever again tested positive they'd never get into the HOF. However, with Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez it has changed. I believe those two, since they still conceivably have several years of good production left, will have an opportunity to make amends for their past actions. If either is still productive for their teams (and this will of course be subjective because what's "productive" for Rodriguez and Ramirez, based upon past years, may still be good overall; but not we're accustomed to) it'll give credence to the belief that both would have been a a HOF player regardless. Once either gets in, that'll open the possibility for others. I believe Sosa will ultimately be a HOF, but he'll have to wait awhile.

Where has the movie "Bringing out the Dead" been my entire life? It was phenomenal. Good blend of humor and drama. I enjoyed Nicholas Cage's character as well, which is shocking because I make a conscious effort to avoid his films.

QUOTE (juddling @ Jun 5, 2009 -> 07:25 AM) Is anyone REALLY surprised that Will Ferrel's Land of the Lost movie is getting raked over the coals by critics?????? One and a half stars in the Trib today No, and I don't think it'll make a lot of money either because it seemed to only begin marketing itself a few weeks ago. Additionally, I don't even think they know who they should be marketing the movie to. McBride is still a nobody in the comedy world, and Anna Friel is even less popular. I'm watching ESPN several days ago and was surprised to see a preview for an upcoming Man vs. Wild co-staring Will Ferrel. I realized then they're marketing the show to idiots. The people who tune into Bear Grylls' "adventures" and wonder to themself whether Ferrel can possibly survive the wild! Then, because Ferrel told them too, they'll see the movie. They've already seen every other one, so why not keep the trend going?

You almost rather have heard Carradine died from a self inflicted gun shot wound. It's humiliating to even read this story. Imagine being a member of his family? He'll be a punch line accompanying this topic forever, alongside the lead singer from INXS.

QUOTE (TitoMB345 @ Jun 5, 2009 -> 12:00 AM) So, if this hasn't already been discussed, what do you guys think the relationship between Beckham's success and Kenny's job is, if any? There shouldn't be any relationship whether Beckham succeeds or not. I've criticized our minor league system for years, but even if Beckham is a bust it shouldn't directly affect Williams' job. Gordon wasn't a stretch at #8 and has proven himself as a capable minor league player up through now. If Williams has kept his job through the embarrassing drafts before 2008, he'll sure as hell keep it now, when a conscious effort has been undertaken to select high upside talent. Really, the results of the 2008 draft class, even outside of Beckham, have inspired confidence in me. I'm looking forward to this upcoming draft to see if they can continue drafting well; perhaps select a few overslot players. What will decide Williams' fate more than anything is this team. Even then, I'd say it would take three straight 2007 seasons to can him.

Cmon, guys. Maybe it's not so much that we're losing to pitchers we've never seen before because we're unprepared, but maybe, we're entering a whole new era of baseball where team....after team....after team....after team... is promoting potential aces!

QUOTE (BobDylan @ Jun 4, 2009 -> 05:55 PM) Alright, Mr. Condescending Admin. I will let you know. I think I've figured out Balta: Step 1: Generalized statement about a thread that suggests it's reactionary. Step 2: Questioning whether a thread meets his standards. These standards are not yet known, but I believe a catchy title is what ultimately draws him in. This thread fails in that regard. Step 3: Disappear into the political section to regroup his self esteem after a thorough verbal beat down. Step 4: Erase evidence of thorough verbal beat down ("it has nothing to do with the topic") Step 5: Make conscious effort to follow, on Soxtalk, those who dare take him on. You and I have been marked.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Jun 2, 2009 -> 10:21 PM) I just got done watching Stranger Than Fiction. I really liked it, and was extremely surprised at how good Will Ferrell was in it. Interesting to note that all of the scenes involving Dustin Hoffman were shot at my school, UIC. It was surreal to see Ferrel and Hoffman walking around. I was amazed at the repetitiveness of shooting, too. They must have shot a scene where both of them were exiting one building down a walkway for three straight hours.

QUOTE (WSoxMatt @ Jun 4, 2009 -> 07:04 AM) Cant miss Orioles prospect Matt Wieters is gitting like .150 now, so cut Slayer some slack if he starts a tad slow Wieters has had only 21 Abs. He goes 3-3 tomorrow and his batting average rises to .250. 75 ABs in the set point for me. Afterwards, it's fair game. And, for the third time because I don't want any idiots misinterpreting what I'm saying, it's more a gauge of whether he's overmatched at this level. He can still be hitting .240 and just have an unlucky amount of potential hits going against him. Also important, obviously, is his patience at the plate and defense. Really, I'm hoping more than anything he succeeds so Guillen won't f*** around with him. Just because he's our #1 prospect doesn't mean letting him rest every three days, or sitting him against tough right handers. I'll f***ing lose it if he pulls an Anderson.

QUOTE (qwerty @ Jun 4, 2009 -> 02:21 AM) I, like everyone else, hopes that beckham produces from game one, and for the next six seasons straight. But if he starts his career like most every other player to ever play this beautiful game, and he *gasp* is underwhelming *gasp* i will be the first one to talk s*** and get your head out of your ass. So many people here have their expectations raised so high that they never allow themselves to enjoy anything, it's depressing. Qwerty, if you feel the need to tell me to get my head out of my ass fine, but I -- personally -- will have little room with him struggling. Not with Beckham. And, again, I mean hitting under .200 for an extended period of time (several weeks) struggling. Looking Dewayne Wise overmatched every AB. I've seen it too many times with other prospects. Considering where Beckham was drafted overall, and how quickly he has risen through the system (even if it is because of other players struggling), expectations should be high.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jun 4, 2009 -> 12:08 AM) I remember a big part of the hype around Prior is that he had "perfect mechanics". Funny how that changes after a career full of injuries. From an aesthetic point of view, even when he was dominating in 2003, it never looked comfortable watching Prior pitch. As if he just appeared awkward throwing the baseball with his large frame. The motion of throwing a baseball at a high velocity goes against the arms natural motion, anyways. Prior could have just had a precondition for elbow/shoulder tear, and when that occurred, he altered his motion and that affected his other joints.

QUOTE (TitoMB345 @ Jun 4, 2009 -> 02:07 AM) Welcome my son.. welcome, to, the machine! Where have you been? It's all right we know where you've been.

I'm excited that Beckham is being promoted. Even more excited that it appears we have a legitimate, can't-miss (or as close to it) baseball player within our organization. Just please, for more than once every decade, give me a White Sox prospect that succeeds immediately upon promotion and stays consistent. And that doesn't mean if he goes 0-3 tomorrow that he's a bust, or anything like that. However, I'll be very disappointed if he's 3-30 or something comparable; where it's obvious he's overmatched. Let us have this one, baseball gods without any of this "not everyone succeeds immediately" and "Robin Ventura went hitless...." type of bulls***.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 2, 2009 -> 07:20 PM) It would be nice of Randy Wells to stop putting up an ERA in the 1's. If Lance Broadway had impeccable control he'd be Randy Wells. His stuff is atrocious.

The f***? It's not working for me, either.

I would like to extend my apologies to Bob Dylan. About a week ago, during a random chat session following the Sox game, the topic of the film "Open Water" came up. It's about a couple being stranded, without anyone knowing of their location, in the ocean. This somehow transitioned into the idea of a plane crashing into open water. Dylan said that if he would ever find himself isolated in the middle of the ocean following a commercial airplane crash he'd kill himself. I, trying to be the voice of reason, suggested that if his plane did crash and he survived, surely the wait for help in this technological age -- even in regions furthest from land -- shouldn't be more than 6-7 hours. It'd be worth it to wait. There should be enough flaming wreckage and/or debris remaining afloat to assist him until help arrives. Well, after this Air France crash I'm beginning to see that finding a lost plane in 2009, even when its last coordinates are known AND a nearby vessel witnesses a large flame in the distance, you're still screwed. Go ahead and kill yourself, Dylan.

Put what he did in the context of a lower level of competition. For someone to leave the court before congratulating the other team and thereafter not join teammates post-game would be viewed as selfish and everyone here knows it. That's exactly what it is. If pre-teens can shake hands after a game, a 24 year old Lebron can. It's not overreacting either, at least for me. Yes, what he did wasn't terrible, but to dismiss what happened because of his competitiveness is a bit ridiculous. So, what exactly does it say that Lebron doesn't shake hands after a loss because he's competitive, yet his teammates do? Wait, are they not competitive then in Lebron's eyes? If there is some differing definition of what it means to be competitive, one of their coaches should step in and tell Lebron he's wrong, or the team they're wrong. Someones wrong in this picture. Teammates should be together on and off the court. Also, does anyone think Lebron tells kids across Ohio and elsewhere, when visiting middle schools, that not showing sportsmanship is ok because storming off the court proves to everyone how competitive you are? Of course not. It's the epitome of a superstar ego being deflated.

QUOTE (rangercal @ May 30, 2009 -> 10:16 PM) Were you there? Yes. Burden of proof rests on you to prove otherwise!!11

Great show of sportsmanship from Lebron just walking off the court while his teammates remain to congratulate the Magic.