Milkman delivers

QUOTE (PorkChopExpress @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 04:10 PM) This Buehrle is a hypocrite crap is so wrong. Mark may have said things in the past about what he might do in the future, but he never made promises or guarantees. He was merely speculating in a vacuum without knowing what the situation would actually be. And what he said he might like to do wasn't an option for him. He is one of the greatest Sox players of his generation and people here are calling him names and acting like high school girls who didn't get asked to prom. Seriously, people. Good luck, Mark. I can't stand Ozzie, so I won't root for your team, but I will root for you. Hopefully your NL dominance continues. Apparently that's going to be the go-to response, even when people have said repeatedly that they don't want him back. But mud slinging usually works better!

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 04:03 PM) Looking forward to greg and elrockins/sunofgold's reactions. Those should be doozies. That was my first thought, and I'm completely serious. It's going to be the worst thing about this move. And I officially will not care if Buehrle's arm falls off anymore.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 04:00 PM) 1. Thank god the Sox didn't sign him to that deal, way too much $$$ & years 2. Taking the most money down in Florida = 100% hypocritical of what he has always said 3. Good luck Mark & thanks for all the success in a Sox jersey Thank you.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 02:01 PM) He was a bad ass. Plus his pitching arm is covered in tattoos, so that nullifies the crying on a show. Yeah, tattoos make a person badass. His tattoos alone prove he's capable of kicking Christian Bale's ass

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 02:31 PM) Whatever, Balta. Or are you the other guy? I usually agree more with SS2k5, so I'd say him.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 02:22 PM) There are hundreds. Of course we can agree to disagree at this point. Part of being a hypocrite would be that Mark would turn down the opportunity to do what he has always said he wanted to do. Since there are no offers from the one team he wanted to stay with and none from teams near his hometown, he is stuck negotiating with teams that actually want him and appreciate him. That not hypocrisy, thats called job hunting. You skew it your way, I skew it mine. I don't want to continue this nowhere argument, especially after the Balta/SS2k5 comparison.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 01:26 PM) Well, I don't know if this has been mentioned yet or if anyone heard Cowley this morning on the radio. Basically, Mark is dissapointed that the Sox haven't been keeping contact with him. He doesn't feel like they really care. They basically told him to find his best offer and bring it to them. If they can do something, they will, but if not, thanks for the memories. He thought the Sox would be trying to convince him to stay throughout the process, and really they haven't tried to involve themselves at all. Another thing, Cowley basically tipped off Ozzie sabotaging the team to prove a point to Kenny. In August, KW got in a fight with Rios, and then Ozzie. KW asks why is he still giving Rios most of the playing time when De Aza is up, and Ozzie asks why KW acquired him in the first place. This is telling me that the only reason Ozzie played Rios is to prove that KW "sucks" as a GM and wanted to stick it to him instead of trying to win. Yes, KW did acquire Rios, but he also acquired De Aza and don't you think you owe it to your team to try to win for them. If I'm Konerko, I would demand a trade. If it's true, does he want them to give him a daily handjob so he knows they haven't forgotten about him? Telling him to ask them to possibly match his best offer should be enough.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 01:04 PM) No, they are the pieces where you got most of your "ammo" for calling him a hypocrite. They are pieces where he expresses that he may retire because he doesnt know if he's in the Sox plans. There are even some ones in there talking about how much he misses his family when he's away that you can use to say that he's a hypocrite. Just trying to actually help people see the rest of the information that you are speaking about to generate your opinion of him. These things came out yearly, usually more than once. Everyone on this board knows it. So I doubt the articles you posted were the only ones available, as there should be at least a dozen more. And like I said, I don't care nearly enough to find them. Neither side is going to budge. Some think he's a hypocrite depending on where and how he signs, others do not. We'll have to agree to disagree. I feel like I'm looking at it subjectively, whereas I'm sure you think you're doing the same. There's no concrete answer to be found, so this will go back and forth as long as we let it. I feel that he's definitely a hypocrite. You do not. Period.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:54 PM) But not market value, just so we are clear. And I was doing some research for you since many have asked for links to quotes and you havent provided any of them. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-02...ily-guy-missing Its stories like this that make me think less of Mark.... http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-09...nt-mark-buehrle Guy sounds like he really doesnt care about staying with the Sox. http://blog.prorumors.com/2011/03/rumors/m...ent-after-2011/ On my phone, so I can't read it, but I'm going to guess it's fluff pieces. His other comments about retiring/being close to home/etc. are all still there. So perhaps that makes him even more of a hypocrite, in words and actions.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:51 PM) He's earned much more than 1 year. I also don't buy all this retirement talk he throws out there. So now he's Brett Favre? Great, now I have to hate him. And we can't pick and choose what he really means and what he says all the time but doesn't mean. We have to take what he says at face value, or else we just hear only what we want to hear that helps our argument. It's the sort of thing greg did while defending Ozzie.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:51 PM) Only if you believe 14 is equal to 40. For a guy that loves to consider retirement every other month, it should be perfect.

Very cool.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:43 PM) This. People are really going to be upset at Mark for going elsewhere? Especially if he doesn't have the option to return here at anything remotely close to market value? All this dumbfounded vitriol I'm reading should be spat at a combination of Kenny/Dunn/Rios/Peavy for creating a situation where bringing Mark back isn't an option. I don't see many people being upset, let alone vitriol towards him. And $14 million isn't anywhere near market value?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:43 PM) It was arbitration. That changes very little. It would still assure him of 14 million bucks and a chance to retire next year if he felt that urge yet again.

It's about time they start stepping up the penalty for white-collar crimes. Unfortunately, he'll probably serve less than half and in a villa.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:36 PM) Unless he retires or takes a free non-existent contract close to home. As was just stated, the Sox offered him a one-year deal for $14 million. Seems pretty nice to a guy who contemplates retirement each season.

And allow me to clarify. I won't be angry when he signs elsewhere (unless it's the Yankees, Red Sox or Cubs, which is true for any player). But he WILL be a hypocrite.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:15 PM) Lot of fluff there outside of this. Once again, where are the offers close to home? FYI, he cant take something ridiculously low because he is part of a union. Can he take something under market value to stay close to home? Probably. Are there offers out there from those teams? Nope. Then he can retire, which is something he so craves, instead of having to play so far away from home, which seems to have been the bane of his existence.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:02 PM) Haha, it's just the way I say and type literally. Can't remember where I got it from, been a while. Anywho, the food is great there, especially if you love fresh seafood (obviously). They have an incredible variety of native american inspired dishes all over the place too. I guess one of the problems in general is that a lot of groceries are a bit more expensive because of importing costs, but there's also no tax. I love seafood and meat, so I figure that it has to be great.

QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 11:51 AM) But what is 'best case scenario'? I think every prospect has 'an upside'...and NONE have the upside of 'greatest pitcher ever'? But you are right, because this isn't an exact science Molina "could" become the next Walter Johnson. Reality speaking his upside appears to be a middle of the rotation pitcher (at this time). After we see him a bit more, he gains experience, the hitters adjust to him, then we are well within our right to re-evaulate him and adjust his 'upside'...which could be better (or worse) than initially thought. I don't think anyone knows (not even Kenny Williams) just HOW GOOD Molina can be. It appears his potential is all over the map, which for this deal...I DONT LIKE. To deal someone like Santos I'd have liked to have gotten multiple prospects (even one a bit lower ranked) or a single top prospect that has had more time at more advanced levels. There are still too many unknowns about Molina. Hell, i can't even get a good idea of where his fastball sits. I've seen high 80s...and I've seen 96. I can't disagree with any of this.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 12:06 PM) I get a feeling he's going to sign with Washington.. Hate to see my 2nd all-time fav Sox player move to another team but the Sox needs to turn the page and get younger.. At least it's the NL.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 11:52 AM) How exactly? Please post his words and we will cross check that with what is happening in the market right now. I know for a FACT that Mark's agent was told initially that the Sox wanted to bring him back and would try to match any offer. He then went out on the market, got 5 offers from teams and the one team he wants to play for balked and told him to kick rocks and there will be no offer. Is it your belief that he should have come back to the Sox and offered to play for free? I feel like I'm just repeating myself over and over. No, but he can play for less (actually much less) than "market" value. I'm not going to dig up quotes, but every single year we heard about Buehrle wanting to retire, wanting to be closer to home, having enough money for generations, etc. We have all seen these quotes. I don't care that he's leaving the Sox. Allow me to reiterate that. I don't care if he's on the Sox anymore. We're rebuilding and he'd be a luxury. But if the man takes the biggest contract (going against his statements of having enough money) for the most years (going against his wishes to retire early) in a city much further away (going against his desires to be close to his home), then the man is a hypocrite. "Everybody is a hypocrite". Someone will say that again, I'm sure. It's true. Every person is a hypocrite in some way. But not everyone has a way to broadcast their hypocrisy to the world. And even with those that have that ability, most do not go out of their way to make constant and repeated statements that they go back on. Most players make no qualms about going where the money is, and I understand wanting the most money possible. A lot of them will mention that they want to stick it out with that team, but probably once or twice and usually at a signing conference. Mark Buehrle has gone out of his way to state his desires several times, year after year. And if that doesn't make a hypocrite, then I don't know what one is.

QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 11:43 AM) No way the Yankees give up Betances, Sanchez and Noesi for Danks. I do believe a deal including Sanchez/Romine + Noesi + lower prospect is possible. Or the Sox could maybe get Banuelos in there, but remove Sanchez/Murphy (replace with JR Murhpy-Catcher) ... just tossing ideas out there The Yankees as you mention have a couple OFs plus a few interesting middle infield specs. I do believe there is a fit with the Yankees involving Danks and we wouldn't need to touch ANY of their top 5 prospects. Given that Danks is coming into his last year that's an argument to be made. Kenny asking for Monteror and Banualos is high comedy, although I like the go-for it idea...don't really know unless you ask. High comedy right there.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 11:46 AM) Did they give him an offer yet? I know you are stretching the best you can to make him look like a hypocrite but so far the Sox, St Louis and KC havent offered him dick. And I'm sure that's because he's driving up his market value. If he were to go to a team and say, "I'll play here for this much", I'm sure they'd do it immediately. I'm just coming up with a scenario where he could be true to his word over many years. I don't have to stretch to make Buehrle out as a hypocrite. He's done that himself in spades. EDIT: I'm stretching to find a way to make him not a hypocrite, actually.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 11:39 AM) I think it's kind of a "best of both worlds" type thing in that it's actually a real city but it's in freakin' Alaska. You LICHRALLY only have to drive 5 minutes to see the pristine parts of Alaska. Alaska is absolutely a must-see for everyone. I'll never forget my week there and I plan on going back very soon. QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Dec 7, 2011 -> 11:39 AM) I think it's kind of a "best of both worlds" type thing in that it's actually a real city but it's in freakin' Alaska. You LICHRALLY only have to drive 5 minutes to see the pristine parts of Alaska. Alaska is absolutely a must-see for everyone. I'll never forget my week there and I plan on going back very soon. How is the food there? I have it in my head that they'd have incredible food. And I don't get the lichrally thing, if that's a joke or something