caulfield12

I guess I'd have to go with the standard "pretty good but not great" comment on Planet of the Apes. They spent a long time in the lab and building the relationship between Caesar and Franco. Not sure if the payoff in the end was worth it...felt like it was bridging to a sequel too much, maybe not. Frieda Pinto is super super hot, but she was terribly underutilized as "eye candy" and the romance between the two of them seemed like a total afterthought. No chemistry at all between them. By the way, is there a rule that Olivia Wilde now be in every movie? Sheez. Or Emma Stone? And that "In Time" movie with Timberlake does look like it has the potential to be decent...I'm still at a total loss on whether Amanda Seyfried (also in In Time with Wilde) is hot or not. She has the curves going, but I'm undecided. She's like a lesser version of Scarlett Johansson before she started to get a bit annoying. The Losers with Saldana, Chris Evans and Jason Patrick, not a bad little action flick at all. Can't wait for COLOMBIANA. Basically, this movie's a better version of The Expendables with 1/10th the budget. Next movies are Hesher, Midnight in Paris and The Beaver (Mel Gibson/Jodie Foster)

Wonder if Shirek will get a look in September? Possibly. Who's K. Thompson? Just joking...you had a ton of names to write there, maybe you were combining Keenyn and Trayce. God, we really need Mitchell or Thompson to show something these final 3 weeks to give some renewed hope for 2012. I'm guessing we'll see Mitchell in the AFL again, won't we? If his injury has healed 100%, there's no reason not to get a better gauge on him against some of the best pitching prospects in the minors. Let's see exactly where he stands.

Maybe Rosethal was on to something. He was already projecting that either Peavy or Humber couldn't make it all the way to the end of season...it was "implicit" in his line of reasoning because of Humber's workload (or lack thereof) the last five years and Peavy's continuing injury/stamina concerns. We'll see how Stewart does. Jackson's been his normal self, one really good start and one bad one.

NObody saw Planet of the Apes or The Change-Up yet?

When you think of Sandberg, intellectual heavyweight doesn't come to mind. We worry about strategy/tactics with Ozzie all the time, but he's not going to be confused with Scioscia or Maddon in this regard. Why not just get Dave Martinez, the one Sandberg's wife pick too?? Okay, bad joke. But how many true Sox (or former/waffling) Cubs fans will come onboard or go to a game because of his presence in the dugout? Only if he produces the same winning teams that Scioscia has with the Angels. Otherwise, he's just a sideshow for the media and that won't last long but will have a sad ending for both sides. I'd rather they made Omar Vizquel player-manager than bringing in RYNO.

Or good sign of some postiive/PR "spin" to get the fans off his back at least a little bit. We're past Swisher/Wise point now already with this situation.

You'd almost have to argue that Gavin Floyd might have the same value (or greater value) as Danks going forward because of his quite reasonable contract and being under team control for two seasons. $7 million for 2012 and $9.5 million for 2013 (club option) is a very good contract for the equivalent of a #3 guy and maybe a #2 with a lot of NL clubs. Giving up a ton to control Danks for one season (about the same situation we were in when we brought in Freddy Garcia, except Ozzie/KW knew the extension would get done) without anything guaranteed beyond 2012 would be pretty foolhardy for most medium-revenue franchises. That leaves no more than 5-7 teams that he realistically could be traded to and get back the return KW is seeking. But not if he pitches like he did against the Yankees this week. That didn't help. Sure, he was great for 6 weeks, but that's been the story of Floyd and Danks for most of the past 3 years, a bit inconsistent and unpredictable, with Danks being the LH and a BIT more consistent but not by much. Normal KW logic would be to offer Danks an extension that's realistically going to be "decent-looking" to fans but, in reality, with budgetary restraints, won't come close to getting the job done. Then he shops him to the highest bidder. No choice. Not with our projected loss of season ticket holders and Dunn/Peavy/Rios/Konerko soaking up so much of the payroll going forward.

Yeah, 2-3 seasons. After reeling off 17 consecutive quality starts, there's no way he's getting under $10 million per season, since he's always been very durable and shown no signs of any arm/shoulder problems. If he put up those numbers with AJ Burnett's stuff, he'd arguably be getting $15-18 million per season. So probably around $10-12.5 million per season, over 2+, perhaps with a mutual option for 2014? Plus there's the MB "premium" in the sense that he's worth more in goodwill and ancillary revenues staying on the White Sox (from the standpoint of JR and the marketing team) than losing him to the Yankees/Red Sox/Cardinals/Rangers, etc.

Maybe there really isn't the Thornton market we thought there was....wouldn't the Yankees be the perfect candidate with only Boone Logan in their pen? You'd have to guess they were willing to take Matt's contract extension without giving very much back in return. How many MLB teams besides the Yankees/Red Sox can afford to have a set-up guy (even LH) at over $5 million per year. Well, I guess the White Sox too, since we paid Dotel and Linebrink huge money. And the obvious problem with dealing Quentin is that you're basically telling your fanbase that you're throwing out your 2nd most productive hitter for a prospect who might be great or might just be an average MLB hitter with subpar defensive abilities. If you could go back to 2009, would you rather have the equivalent of two future Quentins (comparing it to the Pomeranz/White deal with COL for Jimenez) or one CQ? Knowing that it's less than a 50% chance that either of those pitchers will/would put up WAR numbers close the value you would project Quentin for at 2010, 2011 and 2012. Of course, the real life situation for teams (in 2011) was only 1 1/3rd seasons of Quentin, and a price tag of $7.5-9.5 million for CQ. Just have a feeling that if you take Quentin and/or Konerko out of that line-up, unless Dunn REALLY comes to life in 2012, there's going to be TON of pressure on Viciedo to hit (and high in the order at 3-6) and we don't know how he'll respond in that situation.

Mitchell and Thompson both struck out 3 times each. 146 on the season now for Jared. 737 OPS. Keenyn Walker is kind of muddling along as well. Charlotte continues to be the most interesting box score most Knights...Omogrosso is another guy to follow in that bullpen, along with Remenowsky.

http://www.purplerow.com/2011/8/3/2341147/...o-jimenez-trade Very good analysis of Jimenez trade and why it doesn't make any sense for the Rockies....J4L, do you agree with him?

http://thebeanball.wordpress.com/2011/08/0...-michael-morse/ Lillibridge the next Michael Morse? I think not. If they do plan to go into next season with Lillibridge/DeAza, Viciedo and Rios as the new outfield...well, I don't know what to say. But 2012 would suck. At least the better the stats that Quentin ends up with, the easier it will be for KW to deal him....IF IF IF he can stay healthy the final 2 months of the season.

Ozzie certainly went with the non-traditional approach of using Sale to get the save tonight. We all would have complained if Sale gave up the lead and Sergio didn't get into the game (let's say it was a walkoff)....but he definitely played the percentages against Mauer and Kubel. Too bad Thornton doesn't have (and never will) that nasty slider of Chris'. And it would be nice if he told Carlos it's not too classy to look at the scoreboard so obviously on a play that SHOULD have been a double play ball and out of the inning had Nishioka made a decent throw to the bag. Carlos, do you really think any official scorer's going to give you a hit on that one?

“Let me explain to the idiots out there, the geniuses,’’ Guillen said. “They say I don’t bench Rios, but the only player I benched because he didn’t hustle, it was Rios, for two days, OK? “Tell these people out there, they think they know baseball more than I do, then send me the lineup that was better without Rios in [it]. Is Rios not playing well? Of course he’s not. He’s brutal everywhere.’’ But he was still Guillen’s best option in center field on the days he played, Guillen said. Pointing out that he has benched Rios for not hustling, Guillen also strongly objected to the notion that he favors Latino players. “You know how many Latino players I got rid of here?’’ he said. “A lot” was the answer. “Thank you, OK!’’ Guillen said. ‘‘Every time the people talk about it . . . it’s a bunch of crap." I hope he's not counting the likes of Luis Terrero and Jhonny Nunez. Let's see, did he get rid of Uribe? I guess. Was that a mistake, probably. Is Ozzie the GM now too, apparently. Cabrera? Yes. Smart move? Money-wise, but O-Cab has won almost everywhere he's gone and we haven't the last three seasons. Freddy Garcia? Colon? I guess...but there were lots of other extenuating circumstances involved. Contreras, I don't think you could say Ozzie "got rid" of him. Just off the top of my head. I'm sure there a lot of more examples that posters will recall. Magglio Ordonez and C-Lee? Yeah, Ozzie "got rid" of them, lol. Jose Valentin, too. Luis Vizcaino? Ozuna? El Duque? Javy, well....you forced the hand of KW on that one and we've gotten back a utility player and a catcher who can't hit or catch very well.

Fathom is always concentrating on the negative, haha. Still am sensitive to that "audit" we did where it listed who posted more frequently in Sox losses. My only explanation is that Friday night games we suck and those are always on at a decent time but not Saturday/Sunday games (Asia time).

JoeCoolMan, I'd guess?

No, I'm not crazy. I have only been to two games in Wrigley Field in my lifetime. Once was my first game (ever) in 1979, Cubs/Cardinals. And then one other time when my best friends were going to school at Northwestern (must have been 1990-1992) and there wasn't a Sox game that day so we just rode the EL down from Evanston. I am ONLY (and very theoretically) going to a Cubs' game because 1) I miss baseball, haven't been to any game in person since May, 2009, 2) the Cubs are actually playing well, 3) I will wear my original "Sosa 25" authentic Sox road jersey, lol. Actually, I have to get pages added to my passport for the 2nd time (11 am appointment) and then go to the Chinese Consulate on East Erie Street for my work visa...so I was thinking I might be waiting around all day/afternoon with nothing to do. Otherwise, it's shopping I guess on Michigan Avenue. Or to see a movie like "Change Up" or whatever's coming out tomorrow. I've also never been to games in Milwaukee or Minnesota. Everyone I know says the MIL ballpark doesn't feel like a real outdoor game/experience (even with the roof completely open), so I was thinking of doing the crazy/insane and road tripping to Minnesota for Saturday/Sunday games. I would like to see TARGET FIELD at least once, but I'm not sure how easy it will be to get tickets since they're technically always sold out these last two years, especially weekend games against their hated rivals (that they're 29-7 against since May 09) the White Sox. But since the Twins are 8 games back and just lost 2/3 to the Angels, it might be possible to get decent seats. If anyone is insane enough to do either, call me (563-359-1504, I don't have a cellphone in the US) or leave me a private message here or e-mail me at [email protected]. Maybe nobody wants to see another White Sox loss (on the road in "Twins Territory" to boot), but it would be better to suffer with fellow White Sox fans, haha. Or Greg and I can report live from a Royals/Sox game next weekend. Greg, up for a game? Haven't been to a Royals/Sox game either since 2006 or 2007. Want to see how that stadium looks like after all the renovations, especially the outfield concourse. Was going through my old baseball card collection and found two Kenny Williams autographs and one of DJ with the Quad City Cubs from 1982, haha. At least they signed my cards, there's that. Of course, so did Bonds, Sosa, Palmeiro, Canseco, Roberto Alomar and Gary Sheffield. I guess it's cool to have Tony Gwynn, Gary Carter, Willie McGee, Lance Johnson, Brooks Robinson, Jimmy Piersall, Claudell Washington (1979 Topps, the very first one and what turned me into a White Sox fan), Sweet Lou Whitaker, Dunston, Andre Dawson, Cecil Cooper, Saberhagen, Ivan Calderon (favorite player in late 80's), Andres Galarraga, Harold Reynolds, Devon White, BJ Surhoff, Benito Santiago, Barry Larkin and Ellis Burks. Memories. And, for some reason, I had about 50 Hensley Bam Bam Meulens rookie cards. That turned into quite the bust. Typical Yankees' prospect. Ty Griffin, what was I thinking? Steve Sax? Cory Snyder?

Okay Greg.... With KW and Ozzie and Walker all still around, what percentage of faith do you have that Beckham will ever again look like the same hitter as 2008-2009 with the Chicago White Sox Professional Baseball organization?

Lindsay or Reed or Infante, just try ANYONE else. Thanks!

Fat chance of that happening. Rios, in the end if he actually sticks around all the way into 2012 and is named opening day starter/leadoff hitter...will end up doing more damage to this franchise financially than the $38-40 million it would cost to buy him out. Just watch.

We were 9 games under last year as well, but that 26-5 stretch really evened things out. We've been between 5 and E for almost 2 1/2 months now. Just stuck in neutral but going backwards on a steep hill. Last year, at this same point in the season, we were 62-47 and probably in first place still (for a fleeting moment).

QUOTE (Brian @ Aug 4, 2011 -> 09:05 PM) Well, I thought THE CHANGE UP was hilarious but it is getting ripped to shreds by critics. Oh well. Not boxoffice.com, they love it. Cowboys & Aliens is worse than Wild Wild West. What the hell were Jon Favreau and Spielberg thinking?

Except Bruney ended up tiring Crain out from having to go two nights in a row and he (Jesse) just wasn't as sharp with his stuff. Crain has really hit a bad patch again at the worst possible time for it. Sunday's loss really killed all the good vibes this team had going at that point. And then he got pummeled yet again by his former team in the 9th tonight. Time to move on and bring up a youngster who's legitimately a part of the future of this organization.

Jordan Danks and Tyler Kuhn with good games today. Viciedo at least got his first hit since coming back. Rienzo pitched well as a starter....must have been on a pitch count. Addison Reed continues to pile up numbers.

Darn you Cliff Pennington and Juan Pierre. You were both the downfall of that 7-4 team.