mmmmmbeeer

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 01:45 PM) I wouldn't say Santos is a proven closer yet. He had one of the highest ERAs for a closer in the majors. Middle of the road in conversion% ....2nd in MLB in K/9 and BAA for closers....a solid 1.11 WHIP. I'm not a saber guy so not sure about advanced stats, but his overall numbers certainly put him in the middle or upper-middle tier of closers, imo.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 01:27 PM) Wow, that is an awful return. Amen. A proven closer at, what, $2.5M/yr over the next 3, plus team options for the following 3? And we get a single prospect back? Nestor's numbers look great but he hasn't thrown but a few innings in AA, albeit quality innings.

WTF?!?!

I think he's going to have a helluva year. I think he had issues with Ozzie from day 1....OG didn't like some rookie coming in and stealing attention from the "face of the franchise". Walker obviously was unable to coach Gordon. I think having a different hitting coach and an intelligent and level-headed manager will do wonders for Gordon's confidence. What we saw in '09 wasn't a mirage...he looked like a very impressive hitter...that didn't just disappear.

Preferably just move on but, if Reinsdorf gets involved, I hope they go no higher than 3/$30 I think the innings are catching up to MB. I think much of his success last season can be attributed to the 6 man rotation we had for a while. Granted he still finished with 31 GS, but he really tailed off toward the end of the season. Both his 2010 and 2011 Septembers he finished with ERAs over 6. I don't feel that bodes well for a 3 or 4 year deal.

It's so refreshing to read this board. I live in GA in the 19th most conservative county in the US (according to Daily Caller). I'm pretty much a centrist but to these people I'm a commie bastard. You would not believe how much Cain is loved and adored here...it's ridiculous. No matter what the idiot says or does, someone is there to defend him. These folks are going to be devastated when Romney takes the nomination.

Weren't there a couple of opposing pitchers that came out this year and said that the Sox are overly aggressive? I can appreciate what Manto is saying, and he's right, but I hope that he hasn't identified passivity at the plate as a major issue with Sox hitters...I think that's a minor concern.

It makes me sick to see a team with Nick freaking Punto in its starting lineup one game away from a WS win.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Oct 22, 2011 -> 10:48 AM) Who replaces Peavy? If Peavy pitches reasonably well this season and manages to stay reasonably healthy, I wouldn't be surprised to see him come back on a ridiculously cheap 1 or 2 yr deal. He's a competitor and seems to be a pretty stand-up guy. My guess is that he feels as embarrassed about getting paid what he's been paid by the Sox as we are angry. Kind of like folks think Dunn would retire if he can't earn his keep, I think Jake will try to make his lack of performance up to the Sox.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 12, 2011 -> 06:42 PM) Not that it really matters, but he's actually a good interview and very funny. The only bland thing about him is his delivery. If you listen to what he says, he's wise and funny. With Ozzie, he was all about the delivery. I was shocked and happy when they announced this move. I'm even happier about it after hearing Robin speak about the job. He'll make mistakes, every manager does, but I really think the players are going to love him and will play hard and be accountable. Once he gets a hang on using his bullpen, he may turn out to be one of the better managers in baseball. Well said. I remember when this was announced I was in a bad mood the rest of the evening....couldn't believe the Sox went cheap and this inexperienced. After letting this whole deal simmer in my mind a bit, listening to KW's reasoning, listening to Robin's approach and recognizing that he's a very, very sharp guy with a ton of experience as a player, I actually have begun to like this hire. I think the clubhouse was ready for a change...I think there was a whole lot of respect lost for the folks in charge of running the show last season. To have a guy like Ventura come in, a guy who's fought the battles on the field and had a solid career, a guy who was known by teammates for being steady yet extremely competitive, a guy who basically walked away from baseball to see to the priorities of his family (isn't that what every player wants to do?), I don't see how the Sox don't improve next season. If you can't respect Robin Ventura, well, you don't respect the game of baseball. He's the epitome of what I think of when I think of a baseball player....smart, driven, competitive, classy, and thoughtful.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Oct 7, 2011 -> 01:59 PM) I agree with you, he didn't really deny that he was going to KW with stuff, but as a company man watching the team/season go down the toilet, I don't blame him if he did. Absolutely. It was extremely tough as a fan to watch the games this year and know, without a doubt, that OG was essentially throwing games. I cannot imagine sitting on the bench beside OG and watching it happen...watching him essentially destroy what Coop takes so much pride in, what he teaches his pitchers to work so hard to accomplish, winning baseball games. And he's not supposed to say a word? He owes loyalty to Ozzie? C'mon.

Checked out Homeland after reading about it here.....I'll definitely be watching the next episode. Impressive.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 4, 2011 -> 08:44 AM) Yeah, but that was after he stopped. Why did he stop in the first place? I have no idea. Hopefully they explain it all better in next week's conclusion

It might be out there, but I wonder if Walt's glasses on top of his head didn't catch Gus's attention. That's a pretty basic military deal, look for reflections. The camera on Walt, at one point, did a slight zoom in on his glasses. I don't know, I may just be reaching for a justification for Gus's super-senses. I do like the idea that perhaps he turned around for a completely different reason.

I don't have the patience to peruse Red Sox forums being their fans annoy me, but has anyone who has the patience read anything concerning who they may be targeting? Take a guy like Martinez, if given the choice between a powerhouse like Boston or a kind-of-in-a-rebuild team like the Sox, it worries me that we may not get who we target as the best candidate will choose the situation with the best chance of winning.

After a tumultuous 2011 White Sox season, nights like this remind me why I love baseball.

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Sep 28, 2011 -> 10:59 PM) Rays get out of it. Incredible. To say the least. I find myself oddly infatuated by every shot of Martinez standing next to Maddon.

Epic choke the last couple weeks by ATL.

QUOTE (SnB @ Sep 28, 2011 -> 10:24 PM) Thank you MLB network, thank you so much. This has been such a treat. Outstanding night of baseball. Can't believe the Braves are choking so bad and the Rays came back from a 7-0 deficit. Unreal.

I can't think of a more fitting way to end this season than what appears to be happening now.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 27, 2011 -> 01:52 PM) Somebody should interview current managers in baseball like LaRussa off the record and find out what they think of the laughable KW. Wouldn't that be sort of redundant? You've already interviewed random people in Kansas.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 27, 2011 -> 09:26 AM) I don't think it was just Ozzie not fitting well with the roster. I think that Ozzie is a different person these days too. This is the appreciation thread so I'm going to stop there. This is precisely what I was going to say....Ozzie has changed. While not as vocal on this board, I've wanted OG gone for a few seasons but that's only because he changed. When he came on the scene he was hungry, enthusiastic, and had a great gut for when to open his mouth and when to keep it shut. He kept media scrutiny off of his team when necessary by making himself the story. He was never a great strategist, but an outstanding leader. He's just not that man any longer. I'm not sure what corrupted him, but I hope that Miami gets a hungry Ozzie....they'll have a fun season or two if they do.

I'm excited. I think OG's act wore thin on the clubhouse and the front office. I think he brought a toxic atmosphere with him these last couple of years. I think this team severely underperformed this year just as much due to Ozzie as the players. This has needed to happen for a couple of years. Next year we'll get to see what has always seemed to be a decent roster playing in a less toxic environment. I expect good things.

I can't shake the info that said that they're looking to hire someone currently managing in the bigs. Outside of LaRussa, I'm kind of at a loss figuring out who that could be.

I'm fairly sure his point was that the teams he's put together were good enough to be in first place. It's up to the manager to continue to milk the talent to keep them there.