ThunderBolt

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 11:16 PM) http://www.baseball-reference.com/t/taverwi01.shtml He is a bad offensive player and the White Sox don't have a magical spell that will make him a quality MLB offensive player. ... Cooper can fix him.

QUOTE (santo=dorf @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 10:53 PM) Um, actually that's the only thing that could make it a decent deal. That's also assuming the Sox use those picks to get somebody worth a damn. Garland had a crap year, and Cabrera gave us a decent contribution. It was already a deal in favor of the ChiSox.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 10:44 PM) All in one game, simply amazing. Outside of LeBron James, I haven't seen a guy put up 3 plays that good in one game in a long, long time. Miller's gonna have nightmares over that cross for years to come. Move over Devin Hester. Derrek Rose YOU ARE RIDICULOUS

If we get the two draft picks then the Garland-Cabrera deal is full of even more win.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 09:56 PM) Wow the Cubs REALLY didn't want him back, or they are on some very tight budget restraints. I'm surprised they didn't even offer him arbitration. Cubs fans are pissed. The loser here is Kevin Gregg, he didn't ask to be one of the reasons for Wood's depature. He's going to get his ass handed to him by an unfavorable Wrigley crowd.

QUOTE (KevinM @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 09:48 PM) I'm still waiting for a compelling argument against luck. Luck? When your top offensive comparison is Alex Cole, and a series of no hit/speedy guys you make your own luck!

Rhinos? Seriously? That's the best we can come up with?

Here are the top ten offensive comparables for Rice if anyone's interested. Orlando Cepeda Andres Galarraga Duke Snider Ellis Burks Joe Carter Billy Williams Dave Parker Moises Alou Chili Davis Willie Stargell Thanks to B-Ref for list.

I think if we acquire Bailey we’ll have enough pitching depth to make any Vasquez deal be about acquiring young OF talent rather than more young arms.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 01:43 PM) The problem is that there is VERY LITTLE resemblance between BA's minor and major league numbers. They're basing Ramirez off one year in the big leagues or his Cuban League stats? Fields batting third is ludicrous. Thome getting less at-bats than most members of the team when he consistenly has one of the highest OBP's and OPS's??? Agreed. There are enough exaggerations and projections in the simulation to pretty much discredit it as a viable projection tool. It just serves as an example that in a perfect world,(where BA lives up to the hype, Nix plays solid at the majors, and Fields, Ramirez, And Q performing at the peak level) that seemingly a non-traditional lineup would produce a comparable result to a tried and true lineup. I’m not making a case for the system, but rather the differing views on the importance of lineup orders.

Astros Sign Mike Hampton to a one year deal. http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Sp...mp;pageId=6.1.1

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 02:28 PM) I'm trying to listen to the new killers album. I'll tell you one thing that's always bothered me about them, I've always felt they were trying to be british, and along with being adored by the british press, it is a knock on them imo. I think they write some good pop songs and I admire their attempts at progression, but as a whole I can't stand behind them with much support. I don’t like the weird (somewhat stilted) vocal looping they do, it’s just really manufactured. Also, about bands trying to be British, Does anyone find it difficult believing that the guys from The Shins are really from New Mexico?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 29, 2008 -> 07:12 AM) Not to mention Buehrle is.... 1) Much better with the press, and more likely to take responsibility for poor starts, show anger and emotion...not talk about his "comfy life" or "doing better next time" 2) World Series/playoff performances 3) Decade in the White Sox organization (last truly homegrown pitcher to make it from Draft Day to All-Star level success) 4) His leadership 5) His colorful personality, sense of humor and "tarp sliding" 6) A Good Pitching coach. John Danks has him to thank for that cutter.

QUOTE (BaseballNick @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 01:55 PM) Jocketty being a good GM has nothing to do with Jermaine Dye's contract being affordable to the Reds ownership. If KW is asking for too much, or won't take on any of JD's salary (which is something the White Sox are in no position to do) then maybe the Sox and Reds aren't good trading partners. Unless there’s something I’m not seeing the money issue doesn’t appear to overly significant. The Reds have a modest budget, that’s all but certain to grow in the next couple years with the emergence of their young players. I’m not saying that money isn’t at play here, I just think that it won’t be a deal breaker in this situation. Dye’s salary is large, but it wouldn’t be ridiculous for a franchise like the Reds to take a good portion of it on, and not suffer for it. I’d be interested in hearing more specifics on the money situation that Gonzalez mentioned. Also, what I meant by Jocketty was not that he’s some money wizard, but rather he’s pretty decent at surmounting financial difficulties, and getting a good deal out of it.

Jocketty’s a decent GM. If he thinks Dye’s the guy his team needs to succeeds there’s no money problem in the world big enough to prevent him from getting him

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 01:14 PM) what's the logic behind that thing? So BA is a better hitter than Thome? I’m not a big math guy so i‘m probably not the best one to analyze just how the generation is run.. It takes OPB and Slg into account, and basically factors it out so that the more balanced players are favored for the top of the lineup. I assume it sees a guy like Thome, and says that while he has massive pop, he does tend to chase bad pitches, which damages his value significantly. Also, the numbers the generator was using were Anderson’s, Fields and Nix’s minor league numbers, because the sample size was still too small to properly project a full seasons worth of stats. This is strictly an optimal thing, and while I don’t find it extremely accurate, I do find it interesting that it would suggest a lineup like this that seemingly defies rational logic.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 12:12 PM) I'd put Getz there because where you bat in the line-up isn't statistically significant. I put our current roster in an optimal lineup generator, and this was what I got. Q Konerko Fields Dye BA Ramirez AJ Thome Nix Statistically speaking this lineup would average about 5.4666 runs per game. You give a manager our roster of players, he’d be insane to put this lineup on the field. It seems ludicrous, right? But it makes sense. As soon as we shed the notion that lineup order has a profound impact on the game we’ll be better for it. You put your best bats in the position to get more at-bats, and you put your more-discipline players near the top of the order. Speed doesn’t matter, when the player who has it doesn’t get on base enough to use it.

I really dislike this team. Olsen and Forte are the only signs for hope.

God, i hate Ron Turner.

Devin Hester: You Are Ridiculous

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 30, 2008 -> 08:33 PM) Cuban, I really don't see us going "bargain" with the possible exception of the 5th starter's spot. I doubt it will be Randy Johnson, FWIW. As far as OF, Baldelli and Edmonds are the only CFers on that list. Is it possible KW goes after either one OVER Anderson and Owens? I'm sure it's at least a 25% chance that he would go after one or the other, especially Baldelli. Baldelli would have to be platooned, and given that he's a righty it would probably have to be with Owens. So, not an ideal scenario.

Here's the link to the Jocketty article if anyone's interested: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2008113.../811300417/1071

Just got the new Always a Bridesmaid: Single Series by the Decemberists. Good stuff, as per usual. Highlight is Valerie Plame a whimsical song with a Hey Jude-esque ending.

QUOTE (knightni @ Nov 30, 2008 -> 04:23 PM) Is Edwards hurt, or just ineffective? Hurt, he pulled a Jerry Owens. I mean a groin.

The Miami Dolphins are really fun to watch this year. They’re a team that’s perfectly aware of their imperfections, and are willing to do anything to win. Trick plays, the wildcat, Ricky Williams, whatever. It’s entertaining.