LittleHurt05

QUOTE (3E8 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 08:15 PM) No dude. It's definitely steroids. Never mind the fact that there's an obvious visual difference in the way he loads up before the pitch between this year and last. Which is what Bautista has already attributed to being able to see the ball better this season and hit with more authority. His isolated power has always been up there throughout his pro career knocking on the lower end of the "power hitter" range. He just wasn't making much contact. This season he's dropped his K% by about 5% and is hitting everything in the air. There's been a lot of luck involved too in reaching the magical 50 mark, but he's legit and looks to be a perennial 30-guy going forward That's the thing. I can see the change in his swing making him go from 17 homers to 30-35. But from 17 to 54 at the age of 29? Really? If you look at the list of 50 home run guys, they are either obvious roiders and just huge guys like the Fielders, Thome, Howard. Bautista is 6-0, 195, which is not too big. He had to have been luckier than almost any other hitter in history. Maybe he is 100% clean, but considering the era we are in, I just have such a hard time believing it.

QUOTE (J.Reedfan8 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 08:39 PM) Wow... Morel with 2 web gems in one inning. Considering the 2011 Sox should be above average offensively at 2B & SS, (not to mention defensively too), I am starting to like the idea of Morel at 3b to start the year. If he keeps playing plus defense, I think they may able to weather the storm if he has a tough learning curve offensively.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 08:18 PM) Houston, jump on it, jump on it, jump on it Quoting Mr. Sir Mix-a-Lot turns any thread into an instant classic.

With tonight's young lineup, could be good practice for 2011 Flowers

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 12:58 PM) I'd like to be the one responding the way you are...but my brain just can't be convinced that completely unexpected 50 HR seasons are clean yet. I'm with you on that. After what I have seen the last 20 years and knowing that there is still stuff out there that MLB won't detect in drug testing, I just can't believe that fixing a sudden hole in his swing can add that much power. I wish I could believe it, but the McGwires, Bret Boones, Clemens & Co. make it impossible for me right now.

QUOTE (knightni @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 10:45 AM) You're welcome! I think that you're due a new title. It's beautiful...brings tears to my eyes

Joe Morgan with the best reason yet why Felix should not win the Cy Young: sportsguy33 Joe Morgan is anti-Felix for Cy Young: "Felix had a fabulous year but his teammates didn't support him. And it's still a team game." What???

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 10:17 AM) I don't know, but I'll sure be glad when somebody beats these f***ers so people will quit talking about them. The Yankees do that in the playoffs every year. Of course not, the Yankees have the highest payroll in the league every year, I dont think thats considered the "right way" Totally agree. Those 4 guys have two WS appearances & one WS title combined. Thats exactly what the Sox are missing to pass the Twins and get far in the playoffs.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 10:14 AM) Nobody wanted him in June when the Sox tried to dump him before his 5/10 rights kicked in. Trading for a soon to be FA in June is different than signing a guy in the offseason. Not that many contenders were even looking for catching help at the time either.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 09:37 AM) It will have to be a paycut. The Sox have almost all of the leverage in this situation. Nobody likes AJ. Nobody wants AJ. I highly doubt that no team in baseball wants an experienced catcher who can still hit, knows how to catch a pitching staff, and can at least play close to adequate defense. He might not be the top FA choice of teams, but I wouldn't say NOBODY wants him.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 11:08 PM) After tonight's game, Jose Bautista has 54 home runs. Of those 54, 53 of them have been pulled, in some manner. His final homer of the night tonight was his first homer of the year to RF. Not just of the year, but of his whole career: Got this from Buster Olney's column: Here's Bautista's career HR breakdown: Left field: 103 Center: 9 Right field: 1

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 1, 2010 -> 07:39 AM) And the 03 team hardly worth mentioning. Did they show any of the 03 NLCS or at least mention the Marlins winning it all? I didn't watch that far.

QUOTE (J.Reedfan8 @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 10:32 PM) LittleHurt05 has pretty much sealed the deal. Doubt there will be any drama at all. Sorry guys. Thanks to knightni for running this and keeping track of everything.

Andruw Jones

Detroit is no one's kind of town

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 30, 2010 -> 07:49 AM) I'm still never going to be convinced that he was clean before 1999. He could just as readily have switched enhancers to Conte's stuff and been on something like the stanozolol that Palmeiro used, to just give him some recovery assistance. Stealing 400 bases can beat up a body, for example. I can definitely see where you are coming from, especially with what we know about that era know. Its just that his body went through such a massive transformation after the age of 30 that makes me think he might have been clean earlier. It could just be that he started taking stronger/better stuff and concentrated more on getting buff too.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Sep 29, 2010 -> 11:04 PM) My prediction for the opening day lineup Pierre - LF Beckham - 2B Rios - CF Konerko - 1B Quentin - DH Pierzynski - C Ramirez - SS Teahen - RF Morel - 3B I guess I could see all those guys staying, but knowing KW I have a hard time believing he doesn't make at least one move to the lineup. It would be disappointing to have all the same players as 2010, but that lineup wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, although I do like Pierre more than most around here do. My biggest concerns would be which CQ shows up and whether Teahen's defense in the outfield makes up for whatever he does or doesnt bring hitting wise. Also, I wonder who would be on the bench with this lineup as well.

QUOTE (MattZakrowski @ Sep 29, 2010 -> 11:07 PM) Really wish I could sleep right now. So true.

Watching this doc, the one thing that gets me is the reason Bonds became the mammoth he was. He was this incredible 5-tool player, definite Hall of Famer, but his jealousy of all the attention that McGwire/Sosa were getting turned him into the beast hitting 73 homers. He could have been a legend either way but jealousy made him do that. Looking at his stats though, his .609 OBP in 04 is still ridiculous, steroids or no steroids.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Sep 29, 2010 -> 02:35 PM) Viciedo clearly isn't ready despite the fact that he has outperformed Ozzie's hand selected DH for this year. Other than in BB & OBP, he has outperformed the late-season replacement DH as well.

I agree with everyone that kids come first, the dog has to go, but I think Sqwert makes a valid point as well. Why does the dog have to die?? If there are shelters out there, that will take it, why not do that?

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Sep 29, 2010 -> 03:26 PM) Golly, Bren called me Butt Mouth? Hahahahahaha

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Sep 29, 2010 -> 03:03 PM) Zero chance we get back to the Bears after a comment like that. Are you sure about that?

Marky Mark Kotsay

White Sox won last night when I started the game thread. If they go on a losing streak now and somehow don't make the playoffs, its all your fault!!!! Pierre LF Vizquel 2B Quentin RF Pierzynski C A. Ramirez SS Teahen DH Kotsay 1B Morel 3B De Aza CF Garcia P