103 mph screwball

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jul 25, 2005 -> 06:29 PM) No, those who speculate and make statements as if they are fact should take the responsibility for it. Don't just start throwing out accusations for no apparent reason. Sosa, Bonds, and McGwire I can see. There is some evidence there to back it up. But Billy Koch? Come on! I agree with you that making a statement as fact, when it is pure speculation is inappropriate. Speculation itself is reasonable based on the fact that various reports say there were a lot of positive steroid test results that have been kept confidential. How many players have admitted it? Bonds, Giambi kind of, maybe a few others I can't think of. That tells me that there are many more who did it and we do not know who they are. What makes me angry is that now everyone who now has a drop in performance will get grouped into this steroid mess. That is baseball's fault. I don't think Billy Koch did steroids either. I also thing Oakland overused him and when they realized that they traded him to the Sox for Foulke who JM had lost confidence in. Good thing Cotts is working out. However, circumstantial evidence like the fact he was close to Balco when he was good, he lost velocity, he got bad when he went to the Sox who are anti-steroids before that was cool makes some people speculate. Thats what I mean by it sucks and that it is MLB's fault. You are right though. Saying so and so is a roid freak without proof is wrong. I'm not trying to be a jerk or disrespectful so I hope I don't come accross that way.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Jul 25, 2005 -> 06:35 PM) When was the last time KW made a move that everyone saw coming? This has been discussed days upon days. Watch KW sneak in, don't do this deal, and deal for someone not even discussed. Good point, but I think KW blew his cover last year when he seemingly came out of nowhere to get Garcia. There is also much more attention on the Sox this year since they are 30 games over and the best team in baseball. Oh man it feels good to say that.

Mike North talks a lot. If he says the Sox are after Overbay, I would not automatically think he is full of crap. He seems to know JR and interviews him. North got mixed up in the Scott Skiles contract thing and is supposedly a Sox fan. He calls JR his friend. I'm just saying, North would have more credibility than someone like me with no connections. If he is pulling crap out of his ass, he should shut up or lose what very little credibilty he has left.

QUOTE(southsider17 @ Jul 25, 2005 -> 06:22 PM) Careful! Sorry Southsider17. I won't accuse anyone of steroid use. I hope and I would expect KW to pay serious attention to this topic especially this season. There is over 20 million reasons why KW should investigate why Florida wants to move Lowell so bad. Did Lowell get some kind of parasite? Did he go on a new training program that puts emphasis on flexibility instead of strength? Did for any reason Lowell change? In this country you are innocent until proven guilty. I will not slander Lowell by accusing him of doing something I know nothing about. But if I was going to pay him that much money to play for my team, I'd want to know if he is smaller this year than last year. That's all. Is he? I really don't know. From what little I know about Lowell, he seems like a great guy to have on your team. I'm excited about the possibilty of adding him. Am I wrong?

Ozzie knows Lowell. If he want's him on his team, I trust him. KW considers every possible factor when acquiring players including chemistry and the new steroid policy. He did great this offseason. If KW wants him on the team, I trust him. If Lowell continues to come out of his slump, this could turn out to be a great move. Has there been a noticable change in Lowell's physical size this year? Not accusing anyone of anything, just searching for a reason for his slump and Florida's egerness to trade him.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jul 25, 2005 -> 05:47 PM) It sucks that you have some people, not you kyyle23, making statements and speculations that he would ever be on steroids. That does suck. It sucks bigtime. Don't blame the people speculating, blame the MLB and their previous steroid policy.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Jul 25, 2005 -> 05:11 PM) i dont want the guy if hes concerned about changing teams, that may cause some sort of clubhouse distraction, I say stick with what we got unless we can trade for a player that will resign for another year Freddie said that he wanted to stay in Seattle. Personally, I don't trust players who demand trades. Also, the way I interpret AJ's comments is that he would consider an in season extension to the right team. He want to test his value on the free agent market. The Sox may be one of those right teams. Has he said that I do not want to play for the White Sox and there is no way I will sign with them if I'm forced to go there? No, at least I don't think so. I agree with you if he will not sign long term, BMac is a pretty big price for a rent a player. Reluctantly, I'd bite the bullet and go for it. If the Sox win it all, I can deal with BMac winning Cy Youngs for another team. BMac may be back someday if this is handled correctly. After all, he is a big Sox fan and will eventually be a free agent.

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Jul 25, 2005 -> 04:49 PM) I just see acquiring Burnett as solifying a good rotation. If you spin him for Wagner, it just seems like slightly upgrading Marte(like giving Marte better control and a little more speed on his fastball), but it doesnt seem to me like the move to put the Sox over the top. JMHO Maybe you are right, but don't forget to consider the fact that Wagner would be a confident closer if Hermie is injured. Marte hasn't convinced me that he could be a closer. I'd feel much more confident in the playoffs with Wagner than Marte.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jul 22, 2005 -> 01:51 PM) My question is what would it take to get Schmidt, Vizquel, and Griffey Jr. on this team? ALl seem to be good guys and it shouldn't ruin team chemistry at all. If it won't take anything more than Count, Konerko and prospects then I would love to do this deal. I wouldn't mind losing Uribe and Harris from our ML roster as well. Please tell me that we can do these deals and realistically what it would take to get these guys? I agree with you, but I just can't see the Sox risking Dye at first. If Gload plays first, then the Sox have Pods, Arow, Griffey, Everett, Thomas, and Dye. Two of them would have to sit. If I could ask KW for 2 players, it would be Vizquel and Wagner. Pods Vizquel Iguchi Thomas/Everett Dye Gload/Konerko ARow AJ Crede

Perhaps, Weaver would be sent to another team as part of a deal for someone else. I just have a hard time imagining Weaver on the Sox after all of the chemistry talk.

I realize that Iguchi has been a very good number 2 hitter. He has said himself that it has been an adjustment for him and that he is more comfortable batting 3rd. He also has quite a few K's. How about when Ozuna plays 3rd, bat him #2. Move Iguchi down to drive in runs. Or how about getting someone like a Visquel to play short and bat #2. How about Arow batting #2? Iguchi seems clutch and has more pop than he's been able to show. Might be worth a try on one of Ozzie's play the bench Sunday's with a double digit lead in the standings.

QUOTE(qwerty @ Jul 20, 2005 -> 10:51 PM) We already have one drunk on the team ( jenks). Can we give Jenks a fresh start? Sometimes people settle down when they have a family.

QUOTE(Winnin Ugly @ Jul 18, 2005 -> 09:30 PM) KW is on the Score and said no trades forthcoming on a major scale I'm glad he's saying this publicly. Other teams have probably been trying to take advantage of his history of aggressive trades. Maybe now, something more realistic might come along. I think KW is getting better. If there really is no move, then fans expecting a big splash will have been warned and there will be less disappointment.

Lilly makes sense to me. I can see the logic the stats tha Juggs has provides us. I think the Sox need somebody who can do long relief for more than a couple of innings. KW has a bunch of set up men or closers. That has worked really well as long as the starting pitching continues to be great. If (when) the Sox are in a play off game, I'd like to have someone who can come in and take over just in case the starter just does not have it that day. The team is great the way it is. But if there is any way it can be improved, you have to give up some prospects to get it done. Special teams don't come along like this very often.

Thats a good point Balta. Plus, I think that you can actually alienate fans and cause negative PR by not bringing him back also. Hopefully the Sox will win it all and bring everybody back for a repeat.

I didn't count them. But I was curious so I timed that I could vote 8 in one minute. I voted from 5:51 to 6:16 today and much longer this morning and the day before. I'm sure I went over 500. My wife voted 8 times. Guys in my fantasy baseball league (even cub fans) voted for him also. Nice job everybody! I'm happy for Scott.

I was just thinking about this tonight at work. I had just found out that Podsednik had made the all-star team and the Sox had won again. I was happy to see that Big Frank had hit another homerun because that hopefully would increase his chance of coming back with the Sox. I thought about starting a thread about my desire to see Frank retire with the Sox just in case somebody in the organization kept tabs on Soxtalk. I'm over Maggs, Lee ect. However I would be extremely disappointed if Frank was not back with the Sox. It doesn't matter what circumstances or what spin the club puts on the departure. I would be saddened more than a normal person should be. I hope they learn from the Fisk thing. Seeing that KW is open to Frank coming back made my day. Mr. Thomas, thank you for the years I've had the pleasure to watch you play. What a great day to be a Sox fan.

AJ and Hermie can give a good scouting report. I trust them if they think he can improve.

KW was on the the afternoon show. The comment that got my attention was that he did not care what was out there at the deadline, Brandon Mccarthy is not going anywhere. I thought it was interesting that he would single him out by name. He would not discuss where he thought the team needed improvement out of respect to the guys who are playing hard there every day.

Why doesn't Konerko run over to first and step on the bag himself rather than wait for Freddie or one of our more fragile pitchers to pull a hamstring trying to get there? I don't mean when he dives or has no chance to make the play himself. I realize Paul is slow and that the pitcher is supposed to bust his ass to get over there. I'm just curious if that is something that can be improved on or if that is the way it is. Any insight? I don't mean to be negative after a nice win Just curious about that play

I kind of feel bad for the pitchers sometimes. I like moving Rowand to 3rd in the lineup for now. It might be time to move Konerko to 5th and Carl to 4th. Maybe until they start hitting Konerko and Dye can hit 8th and 9th. I hope Big Frank has a successful and quick rehab. Then I think this lineup can do some damage. Podsednik Iguchi Thomas Konerko Everett (wherever he can play in the outfield) Rowand AJ Crede Uribe

Losses make my more angry this year for some reason. I guess I'm starting to expect a win. When they have lost this year, it has been close. Often, I can remember one key decision (leaving Freddie in 7th vs O's) and it pisses me off. It shouldn't but it does. I think the more I'm into the games, the worse the losses are. Wins are sweeter though.

Dumping Dye after he supposedly took less money to play for the Sox, would not look good to future free agent's. I just don't see that happening. I hope he gets on track.

Sign him. He doesn't seem like the type who would change his attitude after signing a long term. Besides, I want to buy a jersey with his name on it and I don't want it to be obsolete in 6 months.

AJ since he seems to have improved the pitching staff. Tad would be a close second. Wow, I know there are some KW haters, but I'm still in awe of this past off season. Good job KW.