BaseballNick

QUOTE (AWhiteSoxinNJ @ Apr 16, 2010 -> 09:34 PM) This is just a bad, bad ball club right now. The double plays, strike outs, and repeated failure to score with RISP drives me nuts. It's not a good sign when your team needs to shake things up two weeks into the season. One bright spot, however, has been the bullpen. They've been outstanding.

This wouldn't be an awful time for a HR.

Rauch and his awful tattoo need to get lit up.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Mar 28, 2010 -> 05:30 PM) Quentin hit twice today.... At least somebody is in midseason form.

Who is on the mound for Cleveland?

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Mar 9, 2010 -> 01:16 PM) There's no team in MLB that would make someone a closer over a top of the line SP. They have Papelbon in the pen because he can barely handle 60 innings a year without getting injured. Agreed. If they felt Papelbon could handle a spot rotation and be anywhere near as good as he's been as a reliever, they'd have made that change a while ago. Bullpen "stuff" doesn't always translate to starter's "stuff." Look no further than Joba Chamberlain.

I think we should offer them Linebrink as a gift to help them get over the loss of Nathan.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Feb 28, 2010 -> 11:07 PM) Wasn't Cowley just saying that the entire thing was absurd? I recall him saying that LAA having interest in Konerko was absurd, in essence, making the whole thing absurd. He said it wouldn't make sense for them to trade for PK because they have someone better and younger already (Morales). Also, they could just go trade for Gonzo, without the White Sox getting involved, if they really wanted him.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Feb 28, 2010 -> 09:29 PM) This just proves that Joe Cowley was wrong. Cowley shot down the rumor because the initial report had the Sox, Angels, and Padres all in the deal. Supposedly Konerko was going to LAA. How does that make Cowley wrong? To my knowledge, that actually makes Cowley right. All of these recent reports state that Peavy is trying to push for the Sox to make a deal for Gonzo. I haven't seen anything stating the Sox and Pads have even had talks.

QUOTE (Sonik22 @ Feb 23, 2010 -> 03:05 PM) I love Chevelle and they always put on a good show. I really need to see Tool in concert, thats probably #1 on my list of things i need to do in my life. Tool is incredible. Who knows how much longer they'll be touring, so if I were you, I would jump at the chance to see them if the opportunity arises. I've seen them probably six or seven times and while the music is amazing, the overall show is something you need to experience if you're even a borderline fan of theirs. Every time I leave a concert of theirs, I always say that it's the best show I had ever been to. They do not disappoint.

QUOTE (Crash73 @ Feb 22, 2010 -> 09:30 PM) OK. So they went after a big fish. That's good to see. The question now is, what big fishes will be available during the season? Assuming the usual suspects are out of the playoff race, and I defer to y'all in this forum, what players do the Sox have a legit shot at, knowing they were close to signing Halladay? I'm sure we'll hear plenty more about Adrian Gonzalez, but I think Adam Dunn is a more realistic target.

I saw Chevelle, Sick Puppies, and Janus last night at the Riviera Theater. Janus, a local product, kicked things off nicely - I think they have some real potential. I wasn't too familiar with Sick Puppies, but they sounded pretty good and did a nice job of keeping the crowd involved with the show. I'm definitely going to check out more of their music as a result of seeing them live. Chevelle was a little stale at times, but overall came through with a really nice show. I have seen them a few times and I think they do a nice job, but they pale in comparison to a band like Tool. On a side note, David Draiman of Disturbed was there checking out the show from a private balcony.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Feb 20, 2010 -> 01:53 PM) Wow, they really do love Gordon Beckham. They picked him over Kinsler, Pedroia, and Utley though? Hmm... Don't forget Aaron Hill, too. There are some great young second basemen in the game right now.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Feb 14, 2010 -> 10:38 AM) Give up six players? Holy Cow! Obviously not all of them, but those are the players other teams would be interested in.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Feb 14, 2010 -> 06:34 AM) Just according to Keith Law. The only way that's even remotely true is if you're not counting Huddy and Flowers as prospects. But according to Law, Huddy didn't get passed a ball last season so he might not matter. Law also does not consider Viciedo a prospect. According to Law, many other talent evaluators view him the same way for some reason. Prospect or not, he's a valuable piece of the farm system - although that value does drop quite a bit as he shifts across the diamond to 1B. Someone had mentioned earlier that a package including Hudson, D2, Flowers, Morel, Viciedo, Mitchell (as a PTBN), etc. would be an alluring group depending on what said team needs/is looking for in return, which I very much agree with. The problem is that the above group is very short on pitching, and usually pitching prospects are viewed as gold.

QUOTE (beck72 @ Feb 13, 2010 -> 02:49 PM) If Detroit and the White Sox offer similar money, my bet is Damon picks the Sox. He wants to play for a bigger payday in 2011, ala Bobby Abreu. To do that, he needs to put up good numbers [the Cell would be better for him than Det.] and the larger market of Chicago would get him more publicity. If the Sox are out of it come July, he could always be moved to a contending team-which would suit the Sox and Damon [as the larger stage of the playoffs again would help him land a decent contract in 2011. You do realize he just put up very good numbers in the biggest market there is, yet is trying to find a suitor for 2010? That kind of negates the whole "sign with the White Sox to get noticed" theory.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Feb 6, 2010 -> 12:37 AM) That just shows Hudson is more committed to winning than getting more money and going to a lesser team. He sees a much better opportunity in going to the postseason with the Twins, than he does with the Indians. Gotta give that man alot of respect. Cleveland's money to Hudson would have been deferred, so it really doesn't prove anything about him wanting to win or taking lesser money. He took the contract that was his biggest payday for 2010. His contract also states that Minny cannot offer him arbitration if he reaches Type A status. How's that for committing to a winner? Hudson did what 99% of all free agent baseball players do coming off a so-so season, which is take the best one year offer, and hope you play well so that you can strike it rich on your next deal. I really don't think what he did is all that praiseworthy, Ace.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Feb 1, 2010 -> 08:52 PM) Signing Damon would make the Granderson deal all the more nonsensical. If the Valverde signing hasn't done that already. How so? They traded for some really good prospects in Scherzer, Jackson, and Schlereth. They just got younger and could potentially replace Granderson's bat with Damon's.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 1, 2010 -> 12:56 AM) Younger? Damon's 36 More versatile? So he can put on a glove and stand in the outfield. Big f***ing deal. He's a liability in the field. He also does not get on base nearly as often as Thome (Thome's OBP was higher last year while he was hitting .250 and Damon .280), and I would argue is a much more sketchy option. Damon's OPSs the last 4 years - .841, .747, .836, .854 (.915 at Yankee Stadium, .795 on the road); Thome's OPSs the last 4 years - 1.014, .973, .865, .847 (.864 in Chicago). I don't think Damon is enough of an upgrade over even Kotsay to be worth even $3+ mill that would have to be guaranteed to him, let alone the $6+ it would take in all (even if some were deferred, which the Sox really don't do). In honor of it being Super Bowl week, I'm going to give you a "C'mon Man" for your argument. Yes, Damon is younger by about four years, but he plays like he's ten years younger. He can play a position (not well) but Jim can't even pretend to play one anymore - heck he can't even DH on a full-time basis. Jim's OBP was 0.001 higher than Damon's last year, so yes, when I said Damon nearly reaches base as often as Jim, that wasn't inaccurate. My argument about Damon not striking out as often as Jim still stands as does him being a much better fit with the design of the team because he can still run and he's a heads-up baserunner. It's all a moot point with Jim signing to be a backup DH/pinch hitter, but I truly think Damon can be a tremendous asset to this team.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 31, 2010 -> 11:32 PM) If the Sox didn't sign Thome, why would they sign Damon? The Sox have enough outfielders on the roster (Pierre, Rios, Quentin, Jones, and Kotsay can all play the outfield in some fashion, and I'm sure Ozzie would have no reservations about throwing Nix into LF) so there's no real need to put Damon out there, and if you don't do that...well, s***, he doesn't offer anything that Thome didn't except maybe a little speed and a few more base hits. That doesn't seem to make him superior to the likely-to-be-higher OBP , more home runs (and just to stop anyone who mentions "but Damon hit 24 last year and Thome only hit 23!!!" - Thome played one less month in the AL as a starting player than did Damon, and thus played in considerably fewer games and had considerably fewer PA's), and money saved that Thome would have provided. If the Sox sign Johnny Damon, I will be throughly and utterly surprised. You just explained to yourself why Damon is the better option. He's younger, healthier, more versatile, strikes out a lot less, and reaches base just as frequently as Big Jim. He's a much safer option, and a much better fit considering the design of the 2010 roster. I'd love for Damon to be part of the Sox' plans, but I kind of doubt it as well.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 30, 2010 -> 08:31 PM) Phil Rogers think the Tigers are going to get Damon. The guys on MLB Network's Hotstove show also predicted Detroit.

If Damon can be signed, then I really like the following lineup. It's so much more balanced 1-9 with him in there over Jones or Kotsay. Speaking of Jones and Kotsay (and even Vizquel), I think they are championship caliber bench players, and that's what I'd love for them to be on the 2010 White Sox. Pierre LF Beckham 2B Damon DH TCQ RF Konerko 1B Teahen 3B / AJP C Rios CF AJP C / Teahen 3B Alexei SS

1994 can be considered torturous, too.

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ Jan 27, 2010 -> 09:09 PM) Flowers hasn't been in many top 50's. He only made Sickels' list because of Desme's retirement. Mitchell I haven't seen in any top 50's. Hudson has been a lock in the 30's though, but he's the only one. I was really surprised Hudson didn't make it. I thought Flowers had a chance to sneak in near 50, but I honestly didn't expect to see him.