bubba phillips

Here's one no one will remember (more than 50 years ago): on the radio side, Bob Elson and Don Wells.

One down and one to go. I sure as hell hope the 2nd SP is also via the FA route. I am scared to death that the second starter will have to come from a trade and that the prospects given up will be Vaughn and/or Madrigal.

Coop will work his magic on him.?

He can already hit. Maybe he can be the DLF (Designated left Fielder). Work on his fielding by just playing the outfield for both teams.?

Another clown writer trying to get clicks by making controversial (i.e. senseless) predictions. He also picked Cincinnati to win the NL Central.

Interesting turn of events. So much for the "mutual admiration" that both sides had for each other. He files for arbitration and the Sox make him a QO. Did the Sox piss him off by trying a low-ball 2-3 year deal? Or do they want him for no more than a year because they think Vaughn will be ready by then?

I don't think so either. Guys like that land on teams that are thisclose to being World Series contenders. The White Sox are not one of those teams.

No kidding. As rabid sports fans, we make things important that the general population doesn't give a crap about. The majority of the population is not sports fans. You need to look no further than this year's World Series. TV ratings were 3rd lowest ever. Even at their best, the ratings indicate that a very small percentage of the population is watching. Sports talk radio stations are usually in the bottom 25% of the listener rankings.

What am I missing here? The post attacked Abreu's total lack of fielding ability and that he should be the DH only. His offensive numbers were not attacked so they don't need to be defended.

OK. You guys win.

Let's put it this way: the Sox should have asked for a bucket of batting practice balls and a used catcher's mitt instead.

The fact that Boston jumped on him the same day he was released says something. Stats not too bad: ERA of 4.66, 4:1 K to BB ratio, 8.1 K/ 9. Only bad stat: 15 HR in 67 + innings pitched. (Verlander-like ratio ?)

Why does everyone want Washington to win? I really don't give a crap about either team, so the default loyalty would be to your team's (White Sox) league. No? Or is that being too old school?

So much for the almighty "home field advantage" that the putz commissioner Bud Selig granted to the winner of the All Star Game.

Are we talking a front office position or on-field manager?

How things have changed. The #9 spot was usually reserved for your worst hitter. (That's still the case in the NL with the pitcher batting).

It would be great if for once the White Sox were owned by a biilionaire whose sole purpose in purchasing the team is to build the best team that he possibly can. Someone like a Mark Cuban. We, as fans, don't need someone sitting on a stool wearing a visor and making entries in his ledger to make sure that the shareowners are getting maximum return on their investment.

They hung their hat on the fact that Soroka led MLB in road ERA (about 1.75). Also Foltynewicz recovered his magic at the end of the season and pitched liked he did last year.

The 2 best teams in the NL are out of the post-season without even making it past the division series. Another in a long series of examples that the post-season is basically a crap shoot. I bring this up only for the folks out there who expect the White Sox to make multiple WS appearances after this rebuild is complete. What should we expect? The highly optimistic expectation: yearly post-season appearances for the next few years. The realistic expectation: compete for a post-season appearance for the next few years.

What a ridiculously over the top comment. To compare a lifelong loyalty towards a baseball team to a drug or alcohol addiction is beyond belief. The Sox ARE a part of my life, but a small part compared to other more important things. If you want to associate something to an addiction, how about some on this board who waste countless hours speculating on topics like proposed trades, free agent signings, and other meaningless threads.

It's not that simple. I've been a Sox fan since I moved to Chicago as a 10-year old. After 30 years in the area, I have moved several times for business reasons. Each time to a city that had major sports teams. Not one time did I become a fan of the team(s) in those cities. I have remained a fan of the Chicago teams (except the Cubs, of course). It was easier for me to go through a divorce than it would be for me to stop being a Sox fan. There is nothing "voluntary" about it. It's a part of my life.

As someone mentioned, this is a stupid topic for a thread (off-season or not). Yet Jack has gotten 10 pages of responses in 2 days. Who is the insane one? Is it not us?

I agree. If that is the case, can the Sox compete for a post-season spot with 1.) the returning core, 2.) the addition of Robert and Madrigal, 3.) the return of "TJ Surgery Guys", and 4.) the addition of only mediocre free agents? Assuming it takes 92-95 wins to snag a spot, I don't think so.

Exhibit A of a player the Sox drafted, couldn't develop, gave up on, and basically gave him away in a horrid trade.

I thought it was La Russa.