WCSox

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 3, 2011 -> 09:06 AM) DirecTV has just about every game in HD, for both team's broadcast too...I couldn't be more happy with their Extra Inning's package... Yep, and that's exactly why I'm thinking of switching.

No concerns yet, but his 102 ERA+ and 1.40 WHIP last year don't exactly make me feel optimistic about him going forward. I can easily see him lowering that WHIP into the lower 1.3's this season, but I'd rather that the Sox not invest more money in a guy with almost 2,300 innings of on his arm who is struggling to hit 87 on the gun.

QUOTE (knightni @ Apr 2, 2011 -> 09:51 AM) For the first week of the regular season, MLB Extra Innings is free in most cable and satellite markets. I see that Comcast is broadcasting a whopping one game per day in HD. Why in the heck would I want to pay to watch games in regular def? I'm seriously considering dumping them and getting DirecTV.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 14, 2011 -> 01:59 PM) If he comes out and rakes the ball...Quentin/Rios/Viciedo next year might not be the best defensive OF in history, but it could be one of the best offensive OF's in the game. At the very least, I don't think that Quentin/Viciedo would be that much worse defensively than Maggs/Lee. I'll gladly take the defensive hit in the corners for those bats.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 9, 2011 -> 02:44 PM) There's no out clause in Viciedo's contract, once it runs out after next year he'll still be a pre arb player. He's White Sox property for at least 6 more years and if he spends most of 2011 in the minors he'll be under Sox control through 2017. Ah, I stand corrected. And happily so.

If Quentin has another "meh" year, he'll probably be non-tendered next winter. Viciedo then becomes our RF in 2012. But given that Viciedo is a FA after 2012, there's most likely some urgency to get him into the lineup this year. So it's quite possible that Quentin could be dealt mid-season, depending on how he does and how much of his remaining contract Kenny feels comfortable eating.

Wow, that's great news. Regardless of what role he's in.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 2, 2011 -> 10:26 AM) Dunn is a good player and I am happy he is on the White Sox but he is vastly inferior to Thome in his prime. Dunn's career OPS is .902 and his career high is .956. Thome's career OPS is .963 and between 1995 and 2007 he only twice posted an OPS lower than Dunn's career high of .956 and one of those seasons was his injury plagued 2005. While nobody's claiming that Dunn is a HOF candidate or anything, a drop-off from .956 to .902 in career OPS is far from "vastly inferior."

QUOTE (La Marr Hoyt HOF @ Mar 1, 2011 -> 01:00 PM) Secondly, again not saying you're wrong, but I thought you usually wanted your 'best hitter' / best production guy in the 3-hole, and think that regardless of his walks (especially given his speed), you don't want a mid .200 hitter, who is slow, and strikes out 150+ times per year hitting in the 3 hole, especially when you can hit him 4th/5th given the talent in this line-up It doesn't matter if he hits .250 and strikes out a lot when his OBP is .380 and his OPS is .900. If that doesn't make him the "best hitter" on the team, he comes in a very close second. Dunn is basically a younger (and maybe slightly inferior) Jim Thome. I'm not sure that the 3-hole would've been the best place for Thome in his prime, but it's far from unreasonable to bat him there.

If the Sox are struggling or completely out of it by the end of July, dealing Quentin and Buehrle for Rasmus would make sense for them. But probably not the Cardinals. Mark won't be moved unless the Sox struggle. And even then, it's kind of unlikely.

Sorry to hear that, but the writing's been on the wall for a few years now. At least he won't further damage his back while playing with his kids. It's tough to see a good player/good man's career cut short, but he did get a ring and a special place in the hearts of Sox fans.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 17, 2011 -> 01:42 PM) For me, it's because Thornton relies solely upon his fastball. It's arguably the best fastball in the entire game, but managers are generally saving their best fastball hitting bench players for the 9th inning because the closer usually has some pretty nasty stuff as well. If Thornton is faced with that on a consistent basis, I think he will be a bit vulnerable (I was going to say exposed, but if you haven't figured out Thornton's game plan by now, you may as well let me hit against him). I agree with this. Thornton reminds me of Bob Howry with much better command. That said, it's difficult to argue with Thornton's performance in the setup role over the past few years. Despite the lack of a good secondary pitch, dude gets results.

If it wasn't for A LOT more than $200M, it was a low-ball offer. If years are the issue, I would've offered him 8/250.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 17, 2011 -> 08:29 PM) Griffey played a much more demanding defensive position Quite a few people play CF and LF in their 30s without spending half of a decade on the DL. A-Rod's a poor example. They're of similar height/weight, but A-Rod is faster/more athletic than Pujols and his body has benefitted from moderate steroid use over the years. By the time that Pujols hits his late 30's, he's not only going to be a mediocre defensive 1B, but playing 150+ games a year will likely become a health liability. I don't know of many 38- or 39-year-olds who can play the field every day, stay healthy, and hit at an above-average level without illegal pharmaceutical enhancement. Pujols is worth a lot more in the AL, where he can eventually DH. If the Cards give him the money that he wants, they're probably going to have to deal him in the past few years of his deal. And good luck getting a team to pick up a $90M tab on a 39-year-old 1B.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 17, 2011 -> 04:54 PM) I don't know if it's been noted yet...but if Albert were to average 25 HR a year over that 10 year deal, he'd be passing tetrahydrogestrinone on the all time list. That's some marketing dollars. A lot can happen in 10 years. Look at where Griffey and Frank were 10 years ago.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 17, 2011 -> 02:38 PM) .790 is a bit low. Jim Thome was putting up .850-.900 and he's not nearly the hitter Pujols is. Given, he's been DHing the last 5 years, but Pujols is also a better athlete than Thome as well and has proven time and time again that he can play through pain. Thome would probably spend a third of the season on the DL if he still played in the NL. There aren't very many players who can hit at an elite level in their late 30's. And while Pujols looks like he may be one of them, it's going to cost a franchise $100M to find out. I can see both sides of the argument here and wouldn't think that the Cardinals were insane for giving him the 10/300 deal that he reportedly wants. But outside of the health/diminishing skills potential towards the end of that deal, I'd also want better marketability for a $300M player. Pujols isn't Barry Bonds or anything, but he doesn't have the national appeal that Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, or Peyton Manning does. I'd bet that factors into the Cards' decision-making as well.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 17, 2011 -> 02:25 PM) I'd rather pay Pujols the $300 than Holliday the $120. You won't want to pay Pujols the last $100M of that deal when he's posting a .790 OPS and bad defense at 1B.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Feb 16, 2011 -> 01:41 PM) I think the Cardinals basically bid against themselves to keep Holliday to show him they were serious about contending. Now it seems he wants to be the highest paid player and they may not be able to afford him. Or they chose Holliday for $120M over Pujols for $300M. Can't say that I blame them for not wanting to give a 31-year-old a 10-year deal at $30M/year. Unless Pujols starts taking some of Barry's flaxseed oil, he's not going to be worth much over the last 3-4 years of that deal. Especially in the NL.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Feb 17, 2011 -> 09:56 AM) http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/spo...ra-arrested-dui And we all know Cabrera's home address and driver's license number now. They should have the decency to redact that information before publishing it on the internet. The Tigers and the MLBPA need to get him into rehab. He's not going to get better on his own.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Feb 16, 2011 -> 09:53 AM) Compared to the teams that get the air time, we just don't have enough fans. Networks need the viewership other teams provide, and we're just not first tier in that regard. Simple as that. Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! It may not be fair that a incompetently-run organization (from a win/loss perspective) like the Cubs can inspire sheep-like devotion, but that's life. You want more fans? Win more often.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 12, 2011 -> 07:16 PM) I strongly doubt that. QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 12, 2011 -> 09:59 PM) Mauer has a history of knee problems. It is the reason that they have been talking about moving him away from catching since he got to the majors.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 11, 2011 -> 05:32 PM) I think at some point they consider moving him, but until it actually shows an effect on his game - whether through injuries, or his game falling off, or another catcher plowing through the minors, or whatever - he should remain at catcher. By the time the years of wear and tear from playing catcher begin to affect his game, it'll be too late.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 11, 2011 -> 12:29 PM) Perhaps in 2014, but there have been plenty of catchers who have played throughout their age 35-37 season behind the plate and been just fine. I don't think you move him until you have to, even if it is "too late" at that point. Except that most catchers tend to not be productive hitters in their mid-30s. Look at Piazza, Johnny Bench, and I-Rod. Thurman Munson's numbers began to drop in his early 30s, a season and a half before his death. Fisk is the notable exception. If you have a decent defensive catcher who calls a good game and his "meh" with the bat (A.J.), then I'm cool with running him out there behind the plate until his knees crumble. Because that's where the vast majority of his value lies. But when you have a hitting talent like Mauer AND owe him $100M+ of guaranteed money, you make his health and longevity a priority.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 11, 2011 -> 04:06 AM) I don't know about Mauer. Those knees are a disaster waiting to happen. Agreed. He should be transitioning over to 1B at this point in his career, to take the stress off of his knees.

I wish that Alexei would hit a little more consistently, but I don't mind paying extra money for a guy in his prime who has been able to play elite defense at SS. That's not an easy position to fill.