Balta1701

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 10:09 AM) What I find troubling is that we give up on a young guy after one bad season. I guess KW thinks the league figured him out and he won't/can't return to 2005 form. I tend to disagree and believe that Cotts will really be solid out of the pen again very soon. Well, the other question you have to ask yourself is whether or not it was time to give up on Cotts, as there was another lefty waiting in the winds in Boone.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 10:03 AM) Who cares if Aardsma throws hard, is it really a plus having four guys in the bullpen whose out pitch is bringing heat? The fact of the matter is the White Sox, had they been patient, could have gotten more for Cotts than they got here. I never thought I'd see the day, but regardless of the outcome here, it seems like the Cubs got the better of the deal. Ugh. Out of the bullpen, yes, fire is damn useful. We saw that repeatedly last year. Having people who can come out and just get strikeouts is maybe the best thing you can have in your bullpen. Well, I guess this is a strong suggestion, although not a certainty, that Logan will be getting his shot for real next year. Throw some f***ing strikes Booney. Hopefully this Aardsma was another guy that Cooper asked for as well. But yeah, it's again hard to believe we couldn't get more for Cotts.

QUOTE(BHAMBARONS @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 09:34 AM) I think this is a state issue. I would like to see the states set up a committee (for all area's of study for that matter) that ensure public school curriculum, textbooks and statewide tests represent the state of the art in science education. It is something like we have here in Arizona. I would like the independent commission to Inform and empower students, parents, educators and other concerned citizens to participate effectively in administrative, legislative and regulatory processes to improve science education in the state. So, history has shown us that when education is left to the states, the funding for education and most of the control over education has fallen to local districts. This has had the fortunate/unfortunate side effect, however you choose to view it, of concentrating the good schools and good teachers into the districts with the highest amounts of income, as they can afford to pay better salaries and afford better equipment, while the schools for the lowest-income areas tend to be much worse funded and much more poorly maintained. Do you consider this to be an adequate situation, and if not, what would you do to address it?

QUOTE(Soxy @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 09:09 AM) Breaking news on the NYT site is saying Hoyer was backed by the house democrats. Correct. Guess Hoyer's campaign of leaking against Murtha worked. Dah well, didn't like either of them, and it's Nancy's job to find a way to keep them all in line.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 09:54 AM) I also helped a Mr. Mike Gresham set the stage for a future successful run at School Board in Michigan City by consulting his campaign from afar. Although, his success is entirely his own doing. I just had the honor of giving him advice now and again. (Quickly notes down 2k5's last name...begins plotting...)

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 08:58 AM) So... Balta, are you going to run? I'd hope so. Soxy? Kap? YASNY? I was leaning towards it, but there's a question of actually having time to sit down and fill out a platform, etc. Have a ton of experimental work I'm trying to slam out right now.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 08:50 AM) A drug czar that totally uses, that's a concept. And what a concept...wow man...whoooooaaaa

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 08:37 AM) Its not about hitting, its about a new CF. Um, isn't the only reason why we'd actually need a new CF the hitting? As far as I could tell based on last year, the only thing we'd do defensively in CF is going to be to downgrade compared to our supposed starter.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 08:46 AM) Ahh, the I'll use them so nobody else has to strategy . . . Use what with the who now?

QUOTE(Texsox @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 08:42 AM) I also need a "Drug Czar". Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude....

I'll give you the question that both Dick Cheney and John Edwards totally ducked in 2004. What will you do to deal with the rise of AIDS in the African American community in America?

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 07:33 AM) Is Speier still on the market? Yes, but I think the whole point of a jamie Walker is to be a lefty. Anyway...we still have 3 lefties at the AAAA+ level. The odds of at least 2 of them having good seasons are in our favor.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 08:32 AM) And Baldelli isnt worth BMAC so theres where the problem is. Baldelli may be worth an average young guy like Rich Hill, but no way could you give up a solid starter like BMAC. Exactly. If the D-Rays want McCarthy or someone his level for Baldelli, you may as well walk away laughing.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Nov 16, 2006 -> 12:39 AM) Just because I love comparisons so much; Post ASB BA - .257/.301/.393 Rowand for all of 2006 - .262/.321/.425 And because I like them even more: Rob Mackowiak August: .250/.318/.350/.668, September: .194/.235/.355/.590.

I'm still drooling over the idea of having an outfield of Wells, Anderson, Dye.

No way any position player with an injury history like Baldelli's is worth a young starting pitcher of McCarthy's caliber. No way. Pitching still wins in this bloody league, no matter how much people want to focus on offense.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Nov 15, 2006 -> 05:36 PM) I just wanna know where I should put my lawn signs. On the lawn.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Nov 15, 2006 -> 05:46 PM) BTW, Cameron's last season with the Sox, 98, has some interesting similarities to our current CF. Not that they are the same type of player at all, but interesting none the less. So you're saying we should trade B.A. for another Paul Konerko? Hmm, I could probably go for that.

The Phillies have signed a 2 year deal with Free Agent Third Baseman Wes Helms. Presumably, this ends whatever speculation there was about Fields or Crede being moved to Philly.

I know there were more than a few people here who liked him as a backup option for the Sox...so to shoot that idea down... Blanco signs 2 year extension with Cubs.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Nov 15, 2006 -> 03:43 PM) I may be totally wrong, but I think the Red Sox bid so much not to sign this guy, but to keep him away from the Yankees for at least a year. If he's a free agent next year and doesn't have to be posted, there probably is nothing that would stop him from being a Yankee. I just can't see where paying the posting fee plus the salary he would command could make any fiscal sense. See, there's a few traps there though. First of all, if the Red Sox did that, and did not negotiate in good faith, they risk hurting not only the Red Sox, but the reputation of MLB all throughout Asia. That would be a bad thing business-wise, especially for the Red Sox. And secondly, the commissioner of baseball does have the right to step in and allow another team to join in the bidding if he feels the first team isn't negotiating in good faith, so if the Red Sox don't sign him, he may well drop to the Yankees anyway.

QUOTE(Mplssoxfan @ Nov 15, 2006 -> 02:30 PM) Serious question for those of you who are a little leery of Ellison's swearing on the Koran... If you were empaneled on a jury, and the prosceution's star witness was Muslim and took his/her oath on the Koran, would you be less likely to believe his/her testimony? I'd be less likely to believe a person's testimony if they were Muslim/Jewish/something else and were forced to take their oath on the Bible.

QUOTE(Whitewashed in @ Nov 15, 2006 -> 01:34 PM) Isn't that a crappy package for the sox considering Crede's ability and Broadway? I sure as hell would expect more/ different guys for the guys were giving up. All that depends on who the "Low Minors SP" actually is. The Halos have a couple of potentially very good SP's floating around in their low minor leagues after drafting a lot of pitching the last couple years. But even still, yeah, that's certainly not a great package for Crede + Broadway

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Nov 15, 2006 -> 02:19 PM) Doesn't everyone feel that way about their own expectations? Mine are completely unreasonable.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Nov 15, 2006 -> 01:19 PM) I prefer Sweeney to Anderson anyway (even though Anderson is a top notch CF). I have no problem if we keep BA but I've long said to do that we need to have Ozzie willing to stick him in CF for good and we'd also need to upgrade SS/LF and have a very good pitching staff. And with the way our minor leagues shape up, combined with the way our FA situation and money situations shape up in the next few years, I think that this is by far a better option. We still have a very good pitching staff on paper, which still runs 6-7 people deep in the rotation. We clearly need an upgrade in LF, and no one in their right mind is disputing that. But beyond that, one of the key guys we'll probably lose by the start of 2008 happens to be our right fielder, and by the start of 2009 another is our 3rd baseman. Right now, unless Jerry Owens comes out of no where and has a good season next year, we have 3 guys in our organization who can cover those 4 spots. Fields, Anderson, Sweeney, and, well, x where x is not Podsednik. I think it's smart to keep investing the biggest $ in our pitching staff and using what is left to fill in holes that develop (podsednik). But for that to work, you still need to have a few cheap people to stick into spots who can at least be adequate, and you also have to have backup plans so that you're not caught having no option but spending $20 million a year on a new right fielder. We move Anderson, and I really think it comes back to bite us hard in the ass. Not only because I think Anderson's going to be a damn good player, and not only because we wouldn't get equal value back for him if we moved him right now, but also because it kills any backup plans we have.