Thad Bosley

QUOTE (Sox-35th @ Jan 23, 2017 -> 09:34 AM) This is such a non-argument. Attendance is terrible now. We have literally nothing to lose by rebuilding. Houston had horrible attendance mid-rebuild in 2013, but they have shot up the list and added like 750,000 tickets by 2016. This is a rebuild. The future in a rebuild is younger and more exciting. That's it. As in, we are still only in the beginning stages of this rebuild, and we already have the #1 prospect in all of baseball, and three of the top RHP prospects. Cause for genuine excitement I should think across the fan base, with attendance being the least of concerns at this point.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jan 17, 2017 -> 11:39 AM) It's not that. Solid article actually. Basically just said Hahn wrecked the market with his outstanding deals. Never blamed him. "Wrecked" the market would mean Hahn set the bar so high and demanded so much that he couldn't get any deals done. But the fact that he was successful in completing two "outstanding" deals sounds to me that he established a market, vs. wrecking it.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 11:20 AM) If Meadows and Bell are really off of the table, I'd much rather try to get a deal done with ATL. I continue to find this hard to believe. I think eventually they won't be off the table. I mean, how often do the Pittsburgh Pirates get to acquire a player of Quintana's caliber, a TOR starter who isn't making a gazillion dollars a year. When was the last time anyone remembers the Pirates provided this opportunity? I think this "off of the table" stuff at the moment just continues to be negotiating leaks out there, similar as has been mentioned here about how Moncada was untouchable until he wasn't. Not to mention, but if Gleyber Torres was "touchable" for three months of Aroldis Chapman, in what bizarre universe is Meadows and/or Bell untouchable for four years of Q?

QUOTE (shipps @ Jan 11, 2017 -> 10:12 AM) Rum Bunter ‏@rumbunter 17m17 minutes ago Rum Bunter Retweeted USABEvents White sox fans this guy is going no where This was in response to Austin Meadows being on the cover of Baseball America. Well, that's fine, but then Pirates fans should not hope to see Mr. Quintana with a green parrot sitting on his shoulder anytime soon.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Jan 10, 2017 -> 04:11 PM) I am not certain I am following your analysis of Cabrera. There were time Melky was the only one really hitting the ball. He is a line drive hitter not a homerun type of guy, but he still has some pop. Which is one of the many reasons the team is undergoing a full-on rebuild.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 10, 2017 -> 05:59 PM) Not to mention there is an element of backbone to these type of deals. If other GMs know they can just wait you out, they won't ever give you their best deal because they know you will knuckle under. Sometimes you have to walk away to show that you will wait out the best offer. If ever there were a team positioned to do just that, it's the Sox right now.

I love this article from the New York Daily News, where Cashman was very candid with his thoughts about the negotiations with the Sox. In this article he states: - Sox are where the Yanks were last summer in terms of "pressing the reset button" - The Yankees set the bar high then in terms of expectations on trade returns for prized assets - Their results for the trades of Chapman and Miller ultimately led to the returns the Sox received for Sale/Eaton - He's willing to put high-end prospects on the table to get a deal done, but ironically, his trades from last summer and the Sox' current trades have established a new sticker price that the team who created this new market value in the first place is now not in a position to meet http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball...ticle-1.2941444

With the extra year of control, does that make the expectation on the return for Q equivalent to that of Sale, or in excess of it? Or does it not matter, and we should expect something slightly less? Can't quite gauge what this outcome ought to be, when all is said and done.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 9, 2017 -> 12:30 PM) I agree that lack of pitching has been a major problem in this organization, but I can't help but feel we've loaded up on pitching already, to the point that if we're not getting position players back as the key ingredients there's no reason to make this deal. Glasnow + Keller + 2 other guys might be fair return on total talent, but we simply can't start this many pitchers. There is something tantalizing at looking at a rotation featuring Rodon, Giolito, Glasnow, Kopech, and Lopez/Fulmer.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 04:06 PM) Lmao at people in here taking shots at Vin Scully. Don't know what thread you're reading, but nobody's taken anything remotely resembling a "shot" at Mr. Scully throughout this discussion.

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 03:46 PM) But when you really think about it, Hawk is the worst part of any broadcast in baseball. He's the signature piece of a perennial loser. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2016-broadc...ntro-and-31-32/ And I have really thought about it, and what I've concluded is that there's not one announcer out there that's for everybody, not even the venerable Mr. Scully, and therefore everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the matter. You are not a fan of the Hawk for whatever reason you've drummed up in your head, and that's fine. You've made that clear. But there are those who thoroughly enjoy his style of broadcasting, and that's fine as well. That really is all there is to it. No one person's opinion prevails on this one.

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 03:42 PM) Most great broadcasters limit their partiality in order to not lose sight of their jobs. A play-by-play person is meant to give play-by-play, not cheer along with the fans or curse umpires. Of course you don't understand. You want your announcer to be your best friend. The rest of us deserve a real broadcaster for both home and road games. That's a career-long award, but the Hawk they wish to honor no longer calls White Sox games. He's been horrible for a decade. In your opinion. There are many others who respectfully disagree with this view.

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 03:27 PM) I don't know why people 1) Require their announcers to love the team 2) Don't understand that the broadcast team is meant to be professional and reasonably inpartial 3) Think Hawk is a broadcaster ESPN announcers with no affiliation to either team should be impartial during a broadcast and have no obligation to "love" the team. A team's announcer broadcasting to the team's fan base has no reason to be impartial, none whatsoever, and ought not to be. 162 games of impartial broadcasting would be dreadfully boring. Give me the Hawk or Harry Caray any day over that kind of a snoozefest. Meanwhile, those in the know responsible for administering the Ford Fricke award seem to think the Hawk is a broadcaster, given that he's been nominated a couple of times now for that prestigious "broadcasting" award.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 02:13 PM) Or that moths fly out of Steve Stones wallet. My problem with that schtick is that it's not original. Both Carays - Harry and Chip - used to fill in the gaps during a broadcast with the "Steve is cheap!" routine. It's been done, and for several years already.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 01:48 PM) I'm pretty sure it's insight like this that is why Hawk is still around, right? He can tell you that hitting ahead in the count is better than behind. What a tremendous, rare insight into the game of baseball. More insight gathered there than in playing "Sox Math" every single game with Benetti.

QUOTE (Al Lopez's Ghost @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 12:53 PM) Then you must not have the volume on for road games. Dick Allen is right. This has become the lazy man's critique of the Hawk. I watch most games, and if there was a mention of either of those icons by Hawk last year, they were so few and far between that it's not worthy of calling it out. Same goes for his complaining about umpires. Nowhere near as much of that going on in the past season or two as in the past, like during the Joe West/Billy Wegner glory days.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 12:44 PM) I never once heard Hawk mention Yaz or Catfish during a 2016 telecast. Hawk offers a lot more insight than his detractors want to admit. He was talking about Frazier pulling off the ball. Many would think if you are pulling off the ball, you might want to stand closer to the plate. Hawk told everyone he should back off about 6 inches, all about the thought dictating the mechanics. Yes, he has slipped a bit, father time catches up to everyone. And he goes overboard on umpires, but the guy has been terrific. He was advanced before anyone had ever heard of sabermetrics. He has been yapping about working a count since he began. No one else did. He knew the importance of having 2 hitting coaches 30 years ago. Now most teams have 2. I hear about his huge ego. I doubt anyone who thinks his ego is so gigantic has ever met him. Truly one of the nicer most pleasant guys to fans that there is. He also says all the time the players today are a lot better than they were in his era. He really isn't as stuck in his ways and he and others want you to believe. He doesn't imbrance sabermetrics consciously, but everything sabermetrics embraces, he has embraced forever. He goes a little further believing there is also a human element to the game, which most people would agree. Hawk and Stone were better together in 2016. I just find it funny that without really knowing the issues between the 2, it's always assumed it's always Hawk's fault. Yeah, Stone works well with Jason, but Hawk works well with Stone's substitutes, and many people have mentioned meeting Steve as not being the most enjoyable experience. I read here a few years ago, he wouldn't sign baseballs on the sweet spot because he thought people would sell them, like there is a huge market for a Steve Stone signed baseball. Hawk has been great. He is slipping, but still gets the job done. If he wants to work 4 more years, the Sox owe it to him as long as he's able, to let that happen. Well said. Bravo!

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 12:09 PM) I disagree. This is Benetti's dream job having grown up a White Sox fan. I don't need any faux excitement from Hawk. It's all completely phony.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 11:12 AM) The only thing that stands out recently about Hawk is his embarrassing moments. Like running downstairs to check on Frazier in the middle of an inning, calling out conspiracies against the sox, TWTW. He is past the time to put him out to pasture, unfortunately it seems he will get his wish of dying in the booth (which will be absolutely horrifying if/when it happens). Now I won't remember him for when he was awesome but rather as a forgetful, domineering, overly opinionated and behind the times announcer that never could let anyone else stand in his light. Ok, then! You have made your point in no uncertain terms! We will put you down in the "Don't like" column and move on.

QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 08:22 AM) I guess when you're winning 65 games, it's only appropriate you stick with the worst broadcaster in baseball. Too bad, too. Benetti/Stone is actually listenable. Of course, some of the meatheads would cry tears of joy if Hawk took a literal dump on television. "I have been in the baseball business for 75 years, Stoney, and I gotta tell you that was the best s*** I have ever scene" You make such a salient point here. No doubt I'd rather waste calories trying to figure out "Sox Math" and get all giggly about what gifts are to be had on the table behind Benetti and Stone than listen to a guy who's actually played the game and can and still does lend insights that just about every professional cookie-cutter announcer cannot do.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 4, 2017 -> 06:11 AM) Frankly, I'd rather listen to Harrelson hype all the young prospects than put up with Benetti questioning Stone over and over and not providing any of his own insight. Hawak can also tell you more from hanging around BP for a week of spring training than we'll get all season from some "voice" announcers. Taste in announcers clearly varies from person to person, but I'm with you: I'll take Hawk and his unique style, even now in the twilight of his career, over the cookie cutter stylings of the so-called "professional" announcers.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jan 3, 2017 -> 11:44 AM) As things currently stand, I think some of you guys are going to be disappointed with how the Sox play this. The offseason still has a long way to go. There are still a bunch of a FA available, which makes guys like Frazier / Melky / Lawrie more difficult to move. Perhaps once the FA pool continues to dwindle, we'll see a market develop for those guys, and they're ultimately moved. But if Frazier, Melky, Lawrie, Abreu and Quintana are on the team in April, I fully expect the Sox to try to compete. Stop gap OF, DH and C signed. Still plenty of options for the first two. Lawrie plays everyday at 2B until he gets hurt or Moncada pushes him to bench. Saladino (if healthy) is the super sub. The young arms come up in June. Sox to reassess in late June, and move the impending FAs at that point if they're out of the race. Honestly, at this point, that is what I expect. I would have to respectfully disagree. I don't see how it can even be remotely realistic for the Sox or anyone to think they can compete with the current roster that, with Sale and Eaton in tow, were unable to win more than 78 games in the past four years, and that was with stop gap measures in place. How can they now be expected to even get close to even 78 wins, never mind compete, without their best pitcher and position player, and with yet another set of additions of the stop gap variety. It doesn't compute.

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Dec 29, 2016 -> 02:45 PM) Personally, Laurie is the perfect sell-high guy at the deadline this season as long as he can stay healthy. I don't think there's much to sell high on, unless in addition to staying healthy he takes his game to somewhat of a higher level. To date, even a healthy Lawrie has been mediocre at best.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 28, 2016 -> 12:41 PM) This rebuild has hit cult-like proportions, and it has just begun. Not surprising. Turns out just about everyone is finding that acquiring players like Moncada, Giolito, Kopech and Lopez is far more exciting than the acquisitions you lauded as "surreal" back in February/March, those of Rollins, Jackson, Latos, et al.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 28, 2016 -> 10:54 AM) This still has nothing to do with enjoying a baseball game unless your enjoyment is tied to winning. Of course it's tied to winning. See, this is the problem with a team like the Sox that rarely wins - fans start rationalizing away the emphasis on winning. How much White Sox baseball have you "enjoyed" watching these past four years, when winning has been in such short supply? The long-term hope on this rebuild is that for the first time in this team's long history, some sustained "winning" will begin to happen, such that comments about enjoying baseball without the need for winning go away.