Jose Abreu

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 29, 2015 -> 01:36 PM) 1. I think this was long suspected, so the likely answer is no. The Phoenix lander in 2007 observed water ice just below the surface of Mars at its landing site and we flew an instrument called a Gamma Ray spectrometer around Mars that was able to detect that there is significant water in some form within the upper 10s of centimeters across much of the planet. That water could be locked up in minerals or frozen as actual water ice, but it's not unexpected that there is water ice frozen near Mars's surface. After the undergrad discovered these RSL features in 2011, I think most Mars scientists suspected their likelist cause was water. In fact, Mars researchers have been putting out papers for years analyzing the change in freezing point of water associated with expected common salts on Mars to try to understand which salts might be present in those flows if they were brine water. This paper verifies that it is. However, this specific find doesn't change the full calculus for me - we thought there was water near the surface frozen as ice, we knew there were locations where it could become liquid, that's what needs to be present for there to be life, but this is so short-lived that it might not even be a habitable environment this year - it could freeze completely in the winter. Furthermore, the type of salts likely present are caustic to life as we know it, making it an extremely rough environment. There remains a better chance of melted water at depth, warmed by the heat of the planet, representing a habitable environment, but I'm still skeptical of that because there's so little evidence of the kinds of ecological changes caused by life that we see on Earth today. Can't rule it out, but this doesn't change that assessment, at least to me. Good science, but not unexpected is my short summary. 2. No I don't. I think we could but I don't think the money is there. We've spent 7-8 years now basically with the entire exploration program locked in a budget crisis and I don't see that changing any time soon. Unless that changes, we're still building a giant rocket with no where to go because the costs are so daunting. It will require a decade+ of substantial, sustained money committed well beyond what is being spent on NASA right now, and we can barely get robotic missions funded in this environment - we're launching at about 1/2 the pace we were a decade ago. I also don't see any private organization being able to come up with that level of funding either because it is so high and the potential return is so low. Thank you!

typical recovery is 4-6 weeks, which for him is 6-8 weeks.

are you f***ing kidding me

QUOTE (raBBit @ Sep 29, 2015 -> 12:26 PM) Or we can trade from our strength (Quintana/Fulmer/Montas) and sign a starter to fill the hole. I know Montas/Fulmer aren't in the rotation now but there's no reason the Sox can't spend money in the one area they have a track record in. I'm all for trading Montas. I believe his future is as a closer or reliever, as I don't think he has the endurance to be a starter. However, other teams may believe that he can start, which I think would increase his trade value. The return for him, however, would be nowhere near the return for Quintana.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 29, 2015 -> 11:53 AM) You want to chat about it, you've got someone pretty close to an official expert right here. Any Q's? Not specifically about the water, but 1. Does this change beliefs on whether or not there is life of any kind on Mars? 2. Do you think a human being will walk on Mars in the next 20 years?

QUOTE (bjm676 @ Sep 29, 2015 -> 10:07 AM) I keep thinking that the Cubs would be a good trade partner this offseason. Sox has surplus of pitching (Beck, Danish, etc.) Cubs have surplus of infielders. Trade pitching to Cubs for Baez or Castro or even LaStella. If the White Sox trade for Starlin Castro, I will seriously question whether Rick Hahn/KW/whoever made the trade should keep his job. Castro sucks, as does his contract. If we're trading for him, LaRoche and Danks better be going back in the deal, i.e. it's not happening.

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 29, 2015 -> 12:00 PM) The upgrade offensively at catcher from flowers to average is just not as exciting to me as other positions. Agreed. The upgrade is very minor. We have bigger problems.

Starting pitching is the #1 available position in free agency. Just our luck, as we have the best starting pitching in baseball. I think we'll make our big moves via trades rather than free agency.

So, water on mars...

QUOTE (LDF @ Sep 28, 2015 -> 09:38 PM) it is really simple. the sox will ask for a pkg and if the other teams kind of balks.... then the sox will walk away. i wish i remember 1 or the posters came up with a call example that was extremely funny on something like this. damn from now on, i am going to do a cut and paste. does anyone remember who was the poster??? If this is what you're referring to, then it was me

Bostic's deflating and spying skills surely will improve. His other skills, I'm not so sure.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 28, 2015 -> 06:28 PM) Tim Wharnsby ‏@TimWharnsby 1h1 hour ago Seabrook $6.875M AVV 1st 3 yrs $9M (SB 4.5M) 19-20 $7.5M (SB 3.5M) 20-21 $5M (SB 4M) 21-22 $6M (SB 2M) 22-23 $5M (SB 4M) 23-24 $4.5M (SB 2M) Surprisingly frontloaded.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Sep 28, 2015 -> 03:57 PM) Losing 2-1 is not a lot of fun. Losing 9-4 wouldn't be fun either.

eaton

abreu

ramirez

cabrera

abreu

eaton

I really, really hope we don't trade him. Sale-Quintana-Rodon-Johnson-Danks looks so much better than Sale-Rodon-Johnson-somebody-Danks. We have the highest starting pitching fWAR in baseball. Trading Quintana would turn a major strength into a league-average position for us.

QUOTE (TheTruth05 @ Sep 28, 2015 -> 02:31 PM) Anybody got NHL or FIFA 16 on PS4? Yup, NHL. Why?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 28, 2015 -> 03:44 PM) Jason La Canfora Verified account ‏@JasonLaCanfora 10m10 minutes ago Can confirm @JayGlazer report Jared Allen has been dealt to Panthers. Bears in essence gave him $11M to leave for possible late-round pick.. I know he sucks now, but damn

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 28, 2015 -> 12:27 PM) Getting past the Cavs is a pretty large problem for the Bulls. Even if that happens, you have just as big of a problem with whomever comes out of the west. I can't see the Bulls going any more than 5 games with the Spurs or the Warriors. The Regular season is one thing, the post season is another. Yeah, getting past the Cavs is easier said than done. I don't think we'll do it this year, but if we do, I think we match up well with whoever comes out of the west. Why are you confident that we can't go 5+ with San Antonio or GSW? I think we match up very well with GSW, and we'd at least have a shot with the Spurs with our interior defense.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Sep 28, 2015 -> 12:25 PM) On a sidenote, I'm sorry that I can at least appreciate the one pro franchise in Chicago, which during my lifetime, has been relevant outside of a ~5 year post Jordan era span. Bears / Sox have failed miserably at being consistent contenders and Blackhawks are great now but they had their own run of supreme futility. I'm a sports fan and the Bulls have been the one franchise who has routinely put a quality product on the court. Its a shame they haven't won the title, but you know what, after all the s*** I've seen from the Bears and Sox, I'm okay watching a team that has routinely had at least a chance (and has consistently been in the playoffs) and one of these years, this team will win a title. I agree that it's nice to have a team that has made the playoffs in what, 10 of the last 11 years? But as these years go by, and Rose/Noah age, I become less and less confident that we'll win a title with this core. If you asked me in 2012/2013, I would have guaranteed that Rose would win a title as a Bull. Now, I'm not so sure.

My guess for Gordon is 4/90. Yankees or Dodgers or some rich team.