Balta1701

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 03:09 PM) There is no way that I am making a case for Pods. Jeeze! Where did I ever say that Pods had one of these? Did I ever say that? DAMN! But you are advocating playing Pods, who has none of those 3, over guys who might be able to give you 1 or 2 of those 3, with your reasoning being that Pods is a leadoff hitter. But he's not giving you any of the attributes of a leadoff hitter, which is why we're focusing on this.

Sweeney, CF Iguchi, 2B Dye, RF Thome, DH Konerko, 1B Pierzynski, C Crede, 3B Podsednik, LF Cintron, SS Contreras, P Crisp, CF Loretta, 2B Ortiz, DH Ramirez, LF Nixon, RF Lowell, 3B Varitek, C Hinske, 1B Cora, SS Snyder, P

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 03:04 PM) He has done it and done it successfully. But he is not doing it successfully now. When something fails....simply ignoring the problem and staying the course is usually a pretty bad strategy. After the last 2 months, I'll take the unknown who hasn't been a leadoff man before but who has been successful in other roles over the guy who has been a leadoff man but is failing. And yes, you can read as much detail into that line as you want.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 03:00 PM) To lead off? Are you f***ing kidding me? This is why no one here is the manager of a professional baseball team. Those are solid backups, but they are not everyday MLB leadoff hitters. Neither is Scott Podsednik right now. They would be better than Scott Podsednik.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 02:58 PM) or not stating that. He wants him to get better. Does Ozzie love speed? Yes, you can tell that. He wants BA to go to winer ball and work on things and get better. What is so hard to understand. Why he puts Mackowiak in CF for 1/2 of the games in the 2nd half, then complains that Anderson doesn't have enough at bats?

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 02:57 PM) Ok, who on this team is a better canidate? Rob Mackowiak. Ross Gload.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 02:50 PM) How much do you think a manager impacts a team? Hypotheticals: Where would the Tigers be this season if they had Alan Trammel instead of Jim Leyland? Where would the White Sox be in 2005 if they had Jerry Manuel instead of Ozzie Guillen? Where would the Marlins have been in 2003 without Jack McKeon? (under .500 before he was there, best team in the league after switching managers). Where would the Angels have been in 02 without Scoscia?

QUOTE(beautox @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 02:38 PM) I didn't even see this post, must be going blind. But i completely agree, the sox have the best offense in baseball and that was with 1/3 there line up not producing for the first half, and 2/9ths in the second half, i have to believe at the very least we could maintain what this offense did this year if not get even better. On some level though, the offense is almost certain to take at least one step backwards...because it's very hard for me to see Jermaine Dye putting up these sorts of numbers again next year. Konerko? Yeah, this is right where he should be. Thome? Maybe a little worse, maybe a little better, you never know with a guy like him. Iguchi? He's right where he was last year overall. Crede? Ok, this is a career year, but it's something we've been hoping for from him for a while. He could, however, take a step back next year. Anderson? Giant step forwards is required. AJ? Well, he's pretty close to his career numbers as well, but he might be down a little bit next season. So, on the guys we have who look like starters for next year...we have at least 1 who has a lot of room for improvement, a couple who are right where they should be, and a couple who could take small-medium steps backwards. And then there's always the injury issue on top of that. So it's entirely possible our offense could lose some amount of potency next year, just based on Dye and a couple others hitting a few skids. If you're smart...you'll also notice the 2 positions I didn't mention...SS and LF...both of which have massive amounts of room for improvement.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 02:33 PM) Secret prisons, public prisons, does it matter? They are all detained, who cares where it is? I doubt they care or even know where they are for that matter. The international Red Cross, for one.

Mark Teahen will miss the rest of the season after having shoulder surgery.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 11:48 AM) Meh. Stingrays are generally docile creatures. One of the most deadly poisons a spider can carry is housed in the body of a daddy long legs. Of course we have no problem messing with them. Snopes

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 01:58 PM) I agree, but I can't see that as Ozzie's fault or any coach's fault. It is sad and disgusting, but if a player can't get up and have passion for these games that can get you into the playoffs and win a championship then that falls on the player. Come one, do you really need someone to fire you up for these games, these types of situations? I sure hope not. It is just a sad group of players that can't get amped up to play these games. He lost the fire? really? I didn't know Oz still played. But see, at least IMO, it should be the manager's job to keep the team motivated. Think about some of the great managers out there...not all of them are great tactical managers, but a lot of them are great motivational people. You don't look at Bill Parcells and feel like guys are being lazy on his team. I don't think many of Tony LaRussa's guys come off as lazy. There's always talk in the NFL about what's on the Patriots' bulletin board and how that will affect the next game with the Colts. Yes, it's the players job to get amped up. But I always felt like the manager is a big part of making it easy for that to happen. Just think about Ozzie Guillen 2005 if you need any other example...a lot of these same guys...but for the most part, they were able to keep focused on the game, and aside from a few weeks, there was always some level of intensity, there was always something surprising, there was always some big play made by a guy who hustled his butt off. Where is all of that this year?

QUOTE(Steff @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 01:44 PM) I don't think most will deny he's got the skills... but it's not too far of a stretch to say that he sure is having trouble using them lately. If I sat there watching this team and felt like they were playing with an ounce of passion...I wouldn't really care right now if Ozzie was still costing this team games with what I consider to be poor decisions. Last year, Ozzie made plenty of poor decisions (Timo @ 1b), but the team still won. I just don't see fire right now. That's what I wanted from Ozzie when he came in...give the team some balls. In 2005 it worked. My eyes right now see a bunch of people swinging for the fences and not acting like they're willing to give themselves up for their team, and that's what hurts.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 01:37 PM) A rotation with Haeger, BMAC, JG, VAZ, and MB would automatically make it the third best in our own division. Which would make it almost impossible to make the playoffs. That depends on an awful lot of variables. I.e. guys who are having career years this year not regressing (K. Rogers, Bonderman, Verlander, Maroth), a lot of young guys staying healthy (Verlander, Maroth, Liriano), and we've seen in recent years in Chicago that guys can unexpectedly go from very down years to very up years. If Mark Buehrle puts up a 3.25 ERA next year, Jon Garland goes for 20 wins, and Vaz/Jose find a way to put up something, anything...and McCarthy gives us anywhere close to what he's capable of putting up...all of which are within the realm of possibility...there's no reason why our pitching staff can't match up with anyone in the Central. That of course assumes that guys won't suddenly decide to suck, which in some ways is a problem for any pitcher in the division except 1.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 01:12 PM) Brady Clark, was available, can play CF, can leadoff, and is right handed. He would of been a good platoon guy to play in CF and also play in LF. He can leadoff, has a good OBP and hits for a decent average. Are we actually 100% certain he was available? Do we also know what sort of asking price he had? Honestly, you only can pay so much for a guy you'd use as a backup/platoon player. And I'm not totally sure if the Brewers even knew whether they were buying or selling at the deadline. Clark is one of the very few options that would have made sense, if Ozzie was so incredibly insistent on having platoons thorughout his outfield. I still think the easiest option would have just been to let Brian Anderson play CF and let Mack/Ozuna platoon in LF.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 12:51 PM) The only problem with the kids can play team, is that you then basically null Thome, Konerko, and possibly Jose's careers. By the time our kids can play, it may be too late for those 3. That depends on how all-out you go. If you're talking about selling Buehrle, and Contreras, and basically holding onto Jon Garland as our only starter, then yeah you're talking about bypassing those guys' careers. But let's take a look at what we do have. We have a solid, very solid core in Konerko, Thome, Garland, Jenks, Thornton, MMac, BMac, Crede, Cotts, Logan. All of them are under our control for several more years. We also have Dye, Conteras, Vazquez, Buehrle, Garcia, Iguchi, who are either struggling this year or have their contracts up in 2007. Now, assume we put some money into keeping Buehrle. That gives us 4 solid starters counting BMac. And while our minor leagues is not deep, I for one think that the top of our minor leagues is good enough to fill in the holes we do have, i.e. LF. So, if we ran with youth in 2007, we'd have a starting rotation that looks like Buehrle, Contreras/Vazquez, Garland, BMac, Haeger. We'd have around the outfield, Sweeney, Anderson, Dye, and/or Owens and/or Fields. Around the infield we'd have Crede/Fields, Uribe or a replacement @ SS, Iguchi, Konerko/Thome, AJ. In the bullpen, you still have Jenks, Thor, MMac, Logan, maybe Cotts. Basically, I'm saying that even if we decide to do some more selling this offseason than we would if we won the world series again...there's absolutely no reason we can't be at the top of this division next year even if we go with a youth movement. With Sweeney, Fields, Haeger, and Logan, we have 4 guys we can plug in next year who would make the minimum, alongside BMac and BA who already make the minimum. Basically, the only spots we would have to fill would be a couple of bullpen spots, and we'd have freed up about $20 million in letting go of those 2 starting pitchers. Spend another couple million to give Buehrle a few more years, and maybe spend a couple million getting someone to take Vazquez, and we still wind up with a pretty solid core, with decent quality veterans in several spots, along with all of the money savings. And we'd even have 2 guys who can take over Haeger and BMac's current spots as the 6th starter/long reliever guys hanging out in the bullpen and AAA respectively...Tracey and Broadway. We don't have a lot of depth in the minors, but the guys we do have do seem to me to have some real talent. So if we can't win it this year, why not bring some of those guys up, save the money, trade off a few of the vets, stockpile a little bit more talent, go through some growing pains in 07 early, and maybe be in a good position come trading deadline time where we can take on salary to fix whatever holes appear where the rookies aren't ready.

Kick some arse.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 12:38 PM) I thought you were supposed to pee on it?? Does that take the place of the hot water? I believe that's a jellyfish.

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 09:48 AM) Now that Suri's out...How long before her dad comes out? AWWW SNAP!!! NO I DINNIT....YES I DID!!! Dad, Conan O'Brien won't come out of my closet. QUOTE(lightthematch @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 12:09 PM) I would hate to be that man's kid. He is crazy. Stewie Cruise.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 12:38 PM) Sweet mother of god. The man child is in the right position. I hope he has a great game, the more great games from Sweeney, the sooner to the end of the Prancer regime in LF. Thanks for the dong in game 2 pods, have a nice rest of your life boinking a playboy playmate. Thats a nice consolation prize. The right position is on the bench.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 12:28 PM) Thats where we will agree to disagree. I agree with you on the trading chips. I think you can easily deal 2 arms out of our rotation this year, and get a good return from one or both, and move BMAC into it easily. I just dont agree on Haeger being ready. I think we will aquire an arm via trade or FA. I dont know if its time to give up on Jose, but I beleive that Freddy needs to be moved. Also PODS, Cotts, and fields can go as well IMO. You know what? The more I think about it, and the more I see how this team is performing down the stretch, I wouldn't mind terribly another "The Kids can play" year next year. If things keep going downhill and we miss the playoffs...then it might be time to consider some real big changes. Big changes along the lines of moving 2 different starters and starting 2 kids in the rotation to see what they can do, if you can get legit talent for those 2 starters. Things like giving a rookie a chance to start in LF and leading off (a-la Grady Sizemore) while simultaneously murdering Rob Mackowiak such that he never, ever plays Center Field. Dealing Cotts and giving Logan his spot to start the season. Dealing Uribe if you can find a replacement in any of those trades. Hell, even being open to dealing Dye or Crede if you can find the right trade for either of them (only because they'd be as valuable as any other pieces we could deal). Dumping 2 or so starting pitchers, along with Cotts, Pods, Uribe, and maybe finding someone else would free up a ton of money, allowing us to re-up with Buehrle and Iguchi (if we wanted), and more importantly, it might give us a bit of spark/intensity/desire down the road. This team still has a very solid core in Garland, Buehrle, Jenks, Thome, Konerko, Anderson, Thor, MMac, BMac...if this team finishes up the collapse they're working on, why the hell don't we gamble and see what the $400k a year knuckleballer can give us?

QUOTE(Cuck the Fubs @ Sep 5, 2006 -> 05:10 PM) I hope he doesn't. He's the biggest cheater we've ever seen. On top of that, he's also a prick. I could care less about his personality. I care a lot about the rules and the law. Both of which I believe he broke. He doesn't want to talk to the media? Or he wants to be a d*** to them? Fine. Who cares.

Hmm....I wonder why Brian Anderson has only 306 at bats. Thankfully, Ozzie has made certain he is WELL RESTED when winterball rolls around.

If they haven't quit, then they just aren't very good.

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Sep 5, 2006 -> 06:15 PM) MVP chant is annoying. If our team had any balls, then the MVP would be in Chicago.