Lip Man 1

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Apr 8, 2017 -> 04:35 PM) So the Sox should call a player up that they don't know about to replace Avi? In the sense that since this is a tank / rebuilding year...yes. Let them bring a kid up to see how he'll do. You already know what Garcia's going to give you. Mark

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 8, 2017 -> 05:55 PM) Who cares? Three mill a year ... he's already earned that even if he goes 0-fer the rest of the year. I assume you are being sarcastic because if you aren't....well that would give one pause for thought. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and again. Avi will get hot offensively for a week or two and then...it's look out below. Inconsistent offense, brutal defense, a bad baseball IQ...that doesn't bode well. Let's put it this way, would another team be interested in him if the Sox put him up for trade? (silence) There you go. Mark

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Apr 8, 2017 -> 03:34 PM) Like who? Unless you want to try Davidson out there...Avi is fine on this rebuilding team. Is what it is. As I wrote, "when it's (the season) is over." The Sox need to admit they were wrong on it and cut their losses. He's going to be 26, he's had multiple chances, he's not going to get any better. I'm sure there is at least one kid in the minor league system that the organization doesn't know a lot about, who should get a shot. With Garcia it's "what you see is what you get." Mark

QUOTE (PolishPrince34 @ Dec 2, 2016 -> 10:18 PM) Garcia doesn't bring one positive tool to the team. The only positive thing I keep on hearing from a small minority is he's 25 years old. Everyone who has eyes that work can tell you Garcia deficits make him a liability to a team. Disappointed our front office couldn't figure it out. Make an eye appointment!!! Agree. He's brutal in the field and his baseball intelligence is very low. He'll get hot for a week or two offensively but then slump right back down. Granted its not a big deal this year with rebuilding but he needs to be let go when its over. Let a kid play who may have a future. Mark

"Raburn has enjoyed success against his new organization, slugging 20 of his 91 career home runs against the White Sox. He has also hit .296 with 82 RBIs and owns a .518 slugging percentage in 122 games against Chicago." According to Elias, Rayburn has the highest percentage of career RBI's vs. one team in MLB history. That's impressive (and also makes you wonder why Cooper didn't order his pitchers to try something different against him. If he did...it sure as hell didn't work.) Mark

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 8, 2017 -> 02:22 PM) Avi looking great at the plate And looking just as brutal in the field and regarding his baseball sense. Mark

Even though it doesn't matter White Sox defense has been brutal in the early part of the season. The biggest culprits have been A. Garcia and Abreu. Jose is a DH period, if he doesn't like it that's to damn bad. And Garcia needs to be released, tanking or not...the guy simply is baseball-stupid mentally and can't play the field to save his soul. And the situation approach to hitting has been just as bad, no change from Ventura to Renteria which says a lot of this is on the players themselves. They just don't or can't figure it out. Mark

My only comment about Keith Law is that he is a self admitted big Royals fan. Given that, no matter how much he tries to keep it from influencing his comments / decisions, it's going to make an impact on how he judges things. Mark

If the Sox can score 11 runs a game even Shields can look decent. LOL.

That didn't take long. LOL. Not that it matters anyway but Kahnle is an absolute stiff. This guy is terrible. Oh well. Mark

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Apr 5, 2017 -> 04:28 PM) I believe you are right. Wish I could remember for who though. Was it Dye? Dye was linked a lot with the Reds in a deal for Homer Bailey. Kenny actually thought he had it completed at one point. Mark

At least they called it early, which is good. And you know the way this work right? The Cubs will have perfect weather when they open at home next week. That's the way things roll. Mark

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 4, 2017 -> 04:20 PM) Who the hell are we going to beat with this pitching staff and this offense? And this defense? Not many teams... Which is the whole point of the exercise. I mean it's not like they were beating a lot of teams with the Adam Dunn's, Austin Jackson's, Tyler Flower's, Alejandro de Aza's and Dylan Alexrod's of the world were they? Mark

In the long run it doesn't really matter I guess but it was disappointing to see the same old same old when it came to Sox base running blunders and situational hitting. Left a lot of guys on base. One other thing that didn't change was a lack of run support for Q, surprised they got him two (not that he helped himself at all today). High draft pick here we come! Mark

Even if (when) the Sox trade away all their vets I still don't think they'll lose enough games to get the #1 pick. Some of those teams in the N.L. are so bad, some of the top college teams could probably beat them. Mark

Great feature in this Sunday's Parade Magazine. It's all their baseball covers over the years. Here is the web site to the gallery of their covers: www.Parade.com/baseball The Sox had three players who at one time or another were on them. Mark

Having sat in the CF bleachers many times when Harry was broadcasting from there during Wednesday afternoon home games I can tell you he usually drank a beer an inning. If the game went into extra innings...WATCH OUT! LOL. He'd always have a full pitcher right there since fans would by him beer and just pour it into the pitcher. Good times. Harry and Jimmy were quite a combo as well. Mark

Wish all Sox fans a safe and productive 2017 season. It won't be productive in the win column but if the veterans can be healthy and put up some numbers, it will be productive in the sense that they can then get traded for various degrees of younger talent. So let's hope that's the case. At least baseball is back and that's a good thing. Mark

64-67 since more trades will be coming. Mark

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Mar 27, 2017 -> 10:04 AM) Again, this is crazy talk. Yes, the capital gains tax will be less, but they are going to end up spending more in taxes due to inheritance tax if JR dies before the sale than they would pay on capital gains plus they will still have to pay capital gains on top of what they paid in taxes on the inheritance. Taxes will have nothing to do with the sale of this team, and even if it is a driver, it would drive them to sell sooner than later. Iowa: Not according to what tax experts have told me. I'm not a tax guy so I have no idea. Bottom line, he's not selling. For better or worse that's the reality. Mark

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Mar 26, 2017 -> 01:11 PM) Quick question. WTF does JR's ownership and the "conspiracy" rebuild have to do with Lucas Giolito's FB velocity drop and CB spin rate? I swear some folks complain for the sake of complaining and if there was nothing to complain about, they would complain about that too. Lighten up Sox fans and be glad baseball is back after a long winter. Nothing at all...just responding to a certain posters constant, as in every post, refrain about JR selling. He's not, dead horse...just hoping he'll finally let it go. Mark

WBWSF: Sigh....OK...for the 8,456th time. First off what any others investors want or wish MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING...repeat NOTHING. JR has day to day control of the operations of the White Sox. IT IS IN HIS CONTRACT. He has the absolute final say on all matters including a possible sale. EVERY other minority owner can say, "we want to sell" but if JR says "no." That's it...over and done. Also unless JR is guilty of some type of illegal activity or is judged to no longer be in control of his mental capacity (i.e. unfit to run the operation) HE CAN NOT BE REMOVED FROM THAT POSITION. Again that is specifically stipulated in his contract. With the money the Sox are making no one can even hope to make that claim. Second, based on what I've been told and from what I've read if JR were to sell before he passed away the tax could be as much as 200 MILLION DOLLARS on him and his family. 200 MILLION. JR isn't the sharpest baseball guy around but he is a brilliant businessman who STARTED AS A TAX GUY. NO ONE knows the in's and out's of the tax laws better than him. If you think he is going to inflict that kind of penalty on his family you are being delusional. If the team is sold after he passes on the tax hit is much MUCH LOWER. Like it or not, for better or worse he is going to own the franchise until it is time for him to leave this existence or unless the tax laws are changed. But if you want to continue to believe in a fantasy then by all means...go for it. Sorry, I don't mean to offend but this constant repetition of nonsense gets old. And in the interest of full disclosure I have been asked to co-author a book on JR, one of the most successful and controversial sports owners in Chicago franchise history. I researched for six months including a number of direct interviews and put together a 75 page outline / format for the upcoming publication. The other person involved in this is now doing much of the writing. Basically I did most of the research and he is doing the other part of the process. He approached me with the idea. I thought it was worth my time and found it interesting so I did what I could. Much of the info on JR is actually public record if you look hard enough. Mark

QUOTE (WBWSF @ Mar 26, 2017 -> 06:04 AM) I still think JR is going to put the team up for sale during the 2018 season and we'll have a new owner going into the 2019 season. I think this statement is entirely wrong. But feel free to keep repeating it every single time. Two words for you: TAX HIT if he sells before he passes on. That is all. Mark

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 13, 2017 -> 03:33 PM) This is a complete overreaction and gross simplification. Looking at his minor league career, he pretty much took the field every day. I don't think two fluke injuries change that, at least not at this time. Guess I'm complete and gross then. Not the kids fault but he's unreliable now until or if he proves otherwise. But it really doesn't matter anyway. Put a giraffe in center for all I care for the next few years. Lose games, get high draft picks, that's the M.O. for right now. Mark

Charlie Tilson = Brett Lawrie version 2.0 Mark