caulfield12

Has anyone see "Man On Wire"? I thought that movie was very bizarre/strange...it won so many good reviews, but I would watch Borat, Bruno, American Movie or Waiting for Guffman about 100 times before watching that movie again.

4.37 if Contreras had an ERA of around 5.50, and SIXTH in the AL. However, even at 6th in the AL, we have one of the worst offenses (currently) in baseball. Yes, that will turn around and come back to at least league-average (barring any more injuries, or Quentin/Thome/Dye/Konerko missing extended time), but that won't be good enough. Assuming (a big one) that Contreras had 3 quality starts in a row, then you're also going to expect Buerhle and Colon to continue pitching so well? That Colon won't miss a start for most of the season? It looks like Floyd will be inconsistent and around .500, and that Danks is starting to press a little bit because of the lack of offensive support. It will be VERY interesting to see how this team responds psychologically to the challenge of facing Greinke and Davies (Sox killer since 08) on the road. KC's back in first place by 1/2 game, along with the Tigers. Will we get any clutch hits or continue to struggle?

Jenks isn't worth that kind of money, although I think he'll probably end up closer to $8 million next year in arbitration. This is just going to be a "muddling through" year, which is unfortunate, but necessary. Nobody is going to run away with the division, because all of the teams have numerous weaknesses. In all likelihood, the team that gets that best starting pitching (probably KC or DET) will take the division. Having watched a game in DET this past weekend (versus CLE), I have a sense that the Tigers will win it, because their bullpen is much improved with Zumaya back, Seay has been very effective, and then they have Rodney, Perry and Dolsi in the minors has a great arm, too. Verlander is finally starting to get himself straightened out, and they still might get contributions from Robertson, Willis and/or Bonderman. What we DO need to find out this year: 1) Are Fields and Anderson everyday, reliable players? Ditto Getz. 2) Can Ramirez be effective at SS? 3) Where will Beckham end up playing? 4) Do we have any starters capable of solidifying the back end of the rotation next year? Poreda? Richard? I've given up mentioning Marquez, Egbert and Broadway. Replacing Contreras won't be difficult at all (hard not to improve on his numbers), but getting Colon's numbers (so far) from one of our minor leaguers, doubtful! 5) Can Viciedo field well enough to stay at 3B? 6) How can we blend playing time for Allen and Konerko...since the Sox don't want a rookie like Brandon to be the primary DH, do they? 7) Is it too soon to add Shelby and/or Danks into the CF conversation, or will KW have to make another move? Is there a future for Jayson Nix with this organization, and where would it possibly be?

2000 4.67 ERA, 4th in AL, 95-67 2005 3.61 ERA, T1st in AL, 99-63 2008 4.06 ERA, 6th in AL, 89-74 2003 4.17 ERA, 4th in AL, 88-74 (arguably one of our best teams this decade) 2006 4.61 ERA, 10th in AL, 90-72 (3rd in AL runs scored, but not enough to make up for pitching) 2001 4.55 ERA, 8th in AL, 83-79 2002 4.53 ERA, 8th in AL, 81-81 2004 4.91 ERA, 12th in AL, 83-79 2007 4.77 ERA, 12th in AL, 72-90 2009 4.71 ERA, 8th in AL Conclusions: 1) Recent Sox history would indicate we're a team that will top out at 83 wins. 2) We're an abysmal 13th in the AL in runs scored, and we are leading OAK only because they have played 2 less games. Not to mention the fact that we simply don't have the type of offensive firepower to compensate for below league-average pitching like we did in 2006. KC and Detroit are the two teams most likely to win the division, IMO, unless Minnesota sees a dramatic improvement in their starting rotation (Liriano/Baker). One could argue that 83 wins will be enough to take this division, but that hasn't typically been the case that a team in our division finished first with less than 85 wins, maybe it was the Minnesota Twins one of the years they won the World Series (1987/1991). Realistically, we're very fortunate to be at .500 when you consider Contreras, Ramirez's struggles, injuries and all the line-ups with Lillibridge, Miller, Owens and Pods. We could just as easily be 11-13 or 10-14.

The problem is, you sacrifice a lot defensively with Betemit. OTOH, Nix has very little experience at other positions...and Betemit was pretty good against RHP last year. We just don't have very many complete offensive AND defensive players on this team. Betemit was one of the few players to look good batting yesterday (even against a LHP), and yet he's going to sit again tonight against Greinke, unless Thome doesn't play again. Then you have the "benching" of Getz against all LH starters, which isn't terribly logical either, especially with how ineffectual Lillibridge has been offensively (yes, I realize he slapped two more singles to RF last night, but that's all he can do).

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...,0,254400.story Kind of an interesting move, as Getz has a lot more experience at that position over his recent career than Nix...Fields will sit one game as a precautionary move due to swelling throughout last night's game. Also, possibility that Dye might come back today...

Nix is getting love 1) because he's "new" to many, 2) everyone is sick of talking about Pods/Wise/Owens/Lillbridge, and 3) he was raved about on the ESPN national broadcast tonight and looked good at the plate. It's fine to play the likes of Lillibridge and Nix against a Zach Greinke, when the score very well might be 1-0 and you need all the defensive help you can get. The problem is that the likelihood of stringing together 3-4 singles in one inning against Greinke...well....it's not that high. It's not like Lillibridge and Pods can get on and you automatically assume they're at 2nd or 3rd on their own. No way. Brent hasn't refined his SB technique and Pods is/was done a long time ago in terms of being a real effective basestealer. Therefore, you just have to take your chances with players like Ramirez and Betemit, based on their offensive track records and the fact that with the weather heating up, there will be a tremendous amount of slugfests. Not to mention the fact that with Contreraras seemingly done, and whoever starts in the fifth spot very iffy at best, we'll need to outslug our opponents to win 60-70% of the time, and then rely on the pitching 30-40% of the time. Last year, that formula was reversed, with the pitching being the dominant factor. If you look at our best teams recently (2003, 2005, 2008), our pitching was around an ERA of 4.00 or less in all those seasons, and it was very good in the first half of 2000 before it broke down in the 2nd half. None of this talk about our line-up really matters if we don't get consistent quality starting pitching.

Nix has almost no experience at SS in his career...Getz has played SS (a little, but he lacks the arm for regular play), 3B and the outfield a little bit, I think it was predominantly LF. Lillibridge had two hits tonight, which is more than I can say for the likes of Josh Fields. I think there are still significant concerns about Fields being an everyday player. In that case, I'd almost rather see Getz at 3B and Nix at 2B. For those counting on Fields hitting 20+ homers this season, whatever he's changed in his approach, he's still striking out and just swinging and missing an extraordinary amount for an opposite field singles hitter. It would be fine if Fields was going to put up Brandon Inge numbers this year, but I think he won't come close offensively, and certainly not from a defensively standpoint. As for throwing in the towel because we look pathetic and we're facing Greinke tomorrow without Dye, some people here really need to snap out of it. We were 14-15 at this point last season, and the division exhibits even more parity that last season even. Unless something dramatic happens (like Dontrelle Willis returning to Cy Young form), then any team can win this division, with the possible exception of Cleveland. Cleveland just seems to have too many holes in their rotation and middle relief to be taken seriously at this time. Our defense didn't help at all...Fields had a ball go right past him he didn't make a play on, Lillibridge is an embarassment in CF (from all standpoints) and Betemit can't even seem to play 1B at an "adequate" level. There's just no reason at all he shouldn't have snared that ball Nix threw from deep in the hole. None.

Why wouldn't we want to face Padilla, he has a 7.43 ERA and a WHIP near 2? He hasn't been very good for a couple of years now, although he has beaten the White Sox at least once.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Apr 29, 2009 -> 08:54 PM) "Wake Up, Alabama" was conceived by my friend who produces the show. They specifically hired ditzy women to host the show, there's like 5 of them. The original ad campaign was billboards that said "Wake up with ____" and it had one of the women on it with their name. I guess it's supposed to be the Alabama-ized version of "The View," essentially.

Is that the same Joshua Fields who used to pitch for us (on West Tenn)?

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?g...oakmlb_texmlb_1 Sweeney made an amazing, Hunter-esque catcher to rob Kinsler and save the game today for the A's.

Diamond Jaxx finally scored an unearned run. C Price (who's the Corkaroo of that team) had a passed ball with runners at 1st and 2nd and then whipped a throw past Viciedo into LF (trying to get the advancing runner), so kind of a double-error on one play. 6-1 going into the 6th.

QUOTE (TLAK @ Apr 30, 2009 -> 08:05 PM) Them SOB's charged me for FOUR parking spaces in a half empty dirt lot the day I brought my RV, $20 in spring F'ing training! Then they hit me for $26 a ticket for equivelent seats I paid $10 for in Oaklands park. I did one date at Camelback and 2 on the road (Clevelands facility is also nice and parking with a shuttle was free). If I go again I'll likely avoid Camelback altogther. Its a wonderful trip that I recomend to everyone but stay away from the bandits at Camelback. Stick that in your budget and smoke it, Jerry. You're doing it to yourself. I wonder if that's the policy that came from the White Sox or was a joint decision of Reinsdorf and McCourt/Dodgers? Because the Dodgers' parking and ticket prices aren't bad at all, nothing like what you would expect of LA. I'm sure everything is more expensive at USCF. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if prices were lower (parking) during Dodgers' ST games, although I'm not sure how they could do that...especially when there are so many dates when the teams played each other with them trading back and forth the home and visitor status.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Apr 30, 2009 -> 08:20 PM) His numbers are like a rich man's Brad Radke. If Dan Hudson could win 148 career games (Radke played for some horrific Twins' post World Series team with an ERA of 4.22), I think the scout who signed him and KW would definitely take it. Not only that, but Radke didn't believe in pain...a true gamer that any team would love to have. He pitched the final season of his career with his arm barely held together with duct tape...but gutted it out somehow and then promptly retired.

Shelby has been picking it up the last 7-10 days. 5 doubles now, 4 stolen bases, batting average has risen to .264, around 730 OPS. Beckham with an RBI single (10), back up to .295. Nine doubles for Gordo, pretty impressive. Exactly the type of hitter we need to have in our line-up.

I think you really have to start paying attention to numbers once pitchers reach Winston-Salem and Birmingham. Almost all pitchers have reallly good numbers in Low A ball (SAL, Midwest League) because the quality of hitters and line-ups is just not that deep. It's always breaking through from A ball success to AA that's the hardest jump for most prospects.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Apr 30, 2009 -> 06:03 PM) In about 2 years Who will be our DH next year? It's easy to see a situation where they would rotate Allen and Konerko at first and DH.

Ryan the "legend" that noogied Robin Ventura like a loose calf on his ranch is greater than his reality as a pitcher. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, even though I pretty much hate the guy. As far as Greinke goes, and I've seen him (KC resident) since he came up, he's nothing like Ryan. Ryan was much more of a fearsome, intimidating presence on the mound. Zach's not that big, and he's not known for being a headhunter. Nolan Ryan was mean/ornery, he wasn't afraid to knock down anyone, especially if that player had homered off of him. As for Greinke, he normally throws 92-95, but he can really throw it 95-97 when he really needs it or wants to (like Colon in his prime). He also has a much better repertoire of pitches (think Vazquez) and isn't particularly known for just one, in Ryan's case, the fastball. I guess I am getting old. When I saw the line about Johan and Doc, the first name that came to my mind was Doc Gooden, not Halladay. As far as Ryan being a thrower, I think he really became a much better pitcher the last 5-7 years of his career, when he lost his knockout fastball (a bit). He learned you didn't have to strikeout every single batter, he learned to mix in his offspeed stuff effectively, he wasn't a Greg Maddux or Pedro Martinez, but he wasn't just a thrower exclusively.

Maybe the comparison is because of the size and frames, although Jordan will end up being bigger. Danks is definitely more of a natural CFer and has the edge in overall athleticism. I think you would have to compare their K/BB ratios in their first few years in the minors, although that would be unfair to Ryan, because he came out of an Iowa high school.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 30, 2009 -> 02:32 PM) He needs to clear again. Problem with putting him in Charlotte is he takes up roster space for, say, outfielders in B-Ham that deserve to be promoted and have real potential. Gartrell is a marginal/fringe prospect. Shelby needs to be there for the full season, in all probability...he's still developing as both a hitter and settling into playing the OF now. Lee Cruz and David Cook probably aren't ever going to make the big league roster in the future, although arguably Cook deserves the chance to see how well he could do in AAA, but he's certainly not tearing it up in AA now, hitting .214.

What were the revenue splits for Game 163 with the Twins? Is it exactly the same as a "normal" or regular playoff game?

Though regular-season ticket sales are "ahead of last year's pace for the White Sox despite a slumping economy," White Sox Chair Jerry Reinsdorf is "bracing for 2010, when several of the team's corporate sponsorships expire," according to Mark Gonzales of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Reinsdorf: "I'm worried about 2010. We lost a number of sponsorships coming into this year, but there are more deals that expire next year." But Reinsdorf added that the "potential dip next year ... might not hurt player payroll because of [GM] Ken Williams' three-year roster projection." Meanwhile, Gonzales notes the "anticipated spike in ticket sales" at the White Sox' new Camelback Ranch Spring Training facility has "fallen short because of the recession as well as delays in building the complex that prevented the Sox from selling tickets and marketing the team in advance." The team will "review their entire spring operations and revise their plans where needed." Reinsdorf: "But the place is terrific. It's really functional" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/15). Reinsdorf said of renegotiating with the team's sponsors, "There are people who are out of the business in sports marketing. Bank of America, for example, is a big sponsor. They're gone. We lost Pontiac this year. I assume we'll lose Chevy next year when their deal is up. This is going on all over sports" (Illinois DAILY HERALD, 3/15). Meanwhile, when asked what the "average fan's perception" of him is, Reinsdorf said, "Nobody wants to be vilified. Based upon the mail I get and the people that stop me, it's probably pretty good, whereas there was a time when it wasn't so good" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/15). Some things we don't know: 1) How much the buyout of Tucson and relocation of ST facilities and pretty dismal attendance affects the bottom line 2) How they're considering Viciedo's signing bonus 3) If they have replaced any of the Pontiac and Bank of America sponsorships...I noticed there was an LG sign now covering Pontiac? 4) I think the Pontiac/B of A sponsorships totalled around $3-4 million total, something like that 5) Luxury box revenues year over year 6) Of course, we lost another $3 million on MacDougal 7) Possible increases from MLB (radio/tv/broadcast) rights 8) Increased souvenir sales because of Obama around the world

please delete, double post

I think you really need to wait until May and maybe June before you start making comparisons in terms of attendance to previous years. Last year, the weather was seemingly the worst in history, but the White Sox were coming off a horrible season. On the other hand, they jumped into first place and were at the top of the standings from about this point on. Of course, we're in first place again, but we haven't been playing (especially pitching) nearly as well as last year. Fans this year are naturally a little skeptical after this off-season and they're all being hit more in the pocketbooks. Where we should be making some comparisons are in terms of sellouts/crowds on weekends and special promotional nights, and you have to take into consideration the opponents as well. But sure, KW was taking huge risks at the back of the rotation (imagine if Marquez, Broadway, Poreda or Richard started in place of Colon) and with the CF position, as well as overestimating the offensive (improvement) ability of Lillibridge. We can complain about the 7th reliever spot, others will complain about Corkaroo or Wilson Betemit's defense, but the team we left ST with was certainly not AS GOOD as the one we ended the season with. Maybe the chemistry is better, clubhouse, etc., but it would be almost impossible to argue we'd improved for 2009. I don't disagree with what's been done, we're in a transition year much like the Twins were last year when they lost Santana and Hunter, it's just that this division is filled with so much parity, it's frustrating right now to watch the team muddle along. But the future, at least for now, looks very bright because of Birmingham. To show how far we've fallen, Pods wouldn't have come close to the CF position in 2005/06, and yet he's now being considered a starter (with a straight face) by some, despite the shadow of his former self Pods was after he returned from his injury in 05 and then 06. Even if he was in pre-season 2005 form, he would be such a defensive risk (and arm) that he would negate anything positive he gave to the offense. Problem 2, we don't have an Iguchi type that's guaranteed of moving him around the basepaths. Who is our Iguchi now to do that? Not Fields, Ramirez or AJ. Getz? Unless Pods is starting every game and leading off, do we really want to now take Chris Getz out of position he's comfortable with? Pods, if he is starting, really should be hitting last, with Getz leading off.