BlackSox13

The cross town rival should never be the motivation. Put a competitive team on the field and fans will begin to show up, win some games and more fans will show up, so on and so on. Prove to the fans the team is a legit contender and they will come out to watch regardless of what the other team is doing.

Castro being in that mix is rather perplexing?! Possible impending trade with Houston? Hahn did say they won't do anything else until after Tanaka has made a decision.

Some interesting tidbits here... http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/chicago_white_sox/index.html "Let's round up the day's rumblings on Masahiro Tanaka, who will have chosen his new club by this time next week: Both Chicago organizations are real contenders for Tanaka, Dan Martin and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post wrote yesterday. An industry source says that the Cubs and White Sox have serious interest in the Japanese ace. Seven teams met with Tanaka during his trip to the U.S., the pair notes, though the Sox are the only ones to have publicly acknowledged a face-to-face. Those meetings have not yet resulted in feedback, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com (via Twitter). Teams had around an hour to pitch Tanaka, but have not heard back. "Nobody knows where they stand," says Sanchez. The Cubs have withheld cash thus far in order to keep a sufficient war chest to make a real run at Tanaka, says Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. But with a "debt-strung, skittish-to-spend ownership," in Wittenmyer's words, the club may not be a real player in the sweepstakes. The Dodgers are actively involved in talks with Tanaka, reports Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. This report confirms what many had suspected (and the front office had indicated): the club will not be precluded from another massive investment after extending Clayton Kershaw. As Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com further reports, GM Ned Colletti has had discussions with Tanaka's reps at Excel Sports Management all week long. "We're still, first and foremost, concerned with the quality of the team we can put together, and adding it up comes second," said president Stan Kasten. "This is a long-term strategy of ours. After five or six or seven years, it will make a lot more sense than it does to people looking at today's snapshot." For his part, MLB.com's Ken Gurnick is not so sure that Los Angeles will go all out for Tanaka, though it is interested if he values the chance to play on the West Coast and is "willing to make his decision on factors other than total financial package." But with interest that has been only "lukewarm at best," says Gurnick, the Dodgers would probably not look to win a bidding war absent intervention from the ownership group. A Hanley Ramirez extension is, in Gurnick's estimation, a higher priority for the L.A. brass." One thing to consider about Chicago is they must have a respectable level in the Japanese community since there is a Mitsuwa Japanese Market Place in Arlington Heights and there's only 4 of these grocery stores throughout the US. Didn't Iguchi live in Schaumburg while playing with Sox? Point is, Tanaka doesnt have to live in Chicago, he can stay in the burbs like Arlington heights, Schaumburg and Elk Grove where there are Japanese communities and a stones throw from the Mitsuwa market place.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jan 18, 2014 -> 10:57 AM) I find it interesting how MLB teams tends to place high value on Japanese players. Most tend to burn out after a few seasons of MLB. How fortunate for the Sox that one dude (I can't remember his name) signed for less money to play Wrigley. Fukudome

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Jan 18, 2014 -> 12:25 AM) I think people writing with a different hand than they throw with may be more common than you think. I write left-handed, but I throw balls with my right hand. I toss trash in the trash can with whichever. Ya got me on this, first time I've seen this to be honest. Just never knew anyone that did it.I'm not that talented.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Jan 18, 2014 -> 12:14 AM) poop. dick. vaginal squirting. anus. vulva. urethral probing. Sorry, I'm just trying to make someone's head blow up in anger. Waaaaawwwww, cry away. You forgot Hershey squirts, circle jerk and yeast infections. " alone I sit broken hearted, I came to poop but only farted" Tanaka better sign soon, were obviously juuuuuust a bit anxious for some news. Sox news that is.

QUOTE (jamesdiego @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 11:52 PM) This post just made me want to go jerk off Put that s*** up on YouTube for Mr.Abreu.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 10:44 PM) Is it just me or have dicks and balls been discussed in every topic this week. This is a f***ing White Sox site. If you're looking for a place to chat about the sex organs, gtfo Easy peasy lemon sqeezy!

QUOTE (hi8is @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 09:55 PM) Just sign tanaka already. I gotta bust a nut and get ready for the '14 season!! Should we issue a flash flood warning because you won't be the only one busting a nut? Edit: Rock, where are you? Info is needed before the flood begins prematurely.

QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 09:20 PM) ^All those guys aren't going to pan out, but I was just thinking, if we get really lucky and Eaton stays healthy & is a productive CF, Semien is a quality 2B, and Mich Johnson makes it as a LF, that's one pretty nice looking 9-1-2 in terms of speed and contact. I did read somewhere ( I think an article on the Sox site a few months ago) that Micah could be moved to the outfield due to his speed and suspect defense at second. It still leaves Leury, Sanchez and Semien to fill open holes with Anderson hopefully ready down the line too. For now I wouldn't trade a starter til we know what we have between Johnson, Surkamp and Rienzo to fill out the 5th spot.

Regardless of where Tanaka signs I would still draft a pitcher in June since there's supposed to be so much talent available at both the college and HS levels. If we sign Tanaka it just makes our future rotation look that much brighter with the #3 pick.

I liked the Swisher trade, thought Flowers would be the answer, thought Fields was our long term 3B, thought Leifer would be good, even thought Caruso would be around longer than he was. That's all I can think of for now, probably forgot a few.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 10:24 AM) So hypothetically let's say that the Dodgers pay 1/2 his contract, which is probably unrealistic anyway. He'd then be due $36 million over 4 years. He's still an aging platoon OF and the Sox are still a rebuilding team. What good does he exactly do? Take at-bats from a young player who might be part of the future? Dunn's contract expires and you just want to replace it with a similar player, no thanks. What younger player? Assuming Tank becomes the next DH which is very possible who takes over LF? ADA and Danks are not the answer and the Sox don't have anyone ready in the minors to take LF so Ethier wouldn't take at bats away from anyone really. Ethier would give the Sox a a lefty bat that can actually hit above his weight while drawing walks. Like I said earlier, I admit Ethier is not ideal and there are other players I would rather have but I wouldn't bed against Ethier under the right circumstances.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 10:11 AM) Real good point. If any organization is going to get the cultural intricacies, it should be Seattle. Absolutely. Ichiro has always had good things to say about Seattle and I haven't heard anything bad from Iwakuma either so I think the Mariners rumor is bs for now. LA and the Yanks make much more sense.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 10:06 AM) I did, it sounds like he is a Dodgers fan trying to rid his favorite team of their OF logjam, because for the White Sox Ethier makes zero sense. Again, he is due $71.5 million through his age 35 season. And he also exlained money would be coming with Ethier. There's no way I would take that contract as is, there would have to be plenty of money coming back.

QUOTE (Frank_Thomas35 @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 09:50 AM) Tanaka update: Apparently, 1 team that was considered a favorite completely BOMBED meeting w him/reps. Came in 'unprepared', 'unorganized' Ty Youngfelt- Pioneer press- https://mobile.twitter.com/TyYoungfelt/stat...977208458141696 Most people are speculating the Mariners. I'd guess either the Dodgers because of the Kershaw negotiations or the Yankees due to the ARod fiasco. The Mariners have a good history with Japanese players so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 09:51 AM) Tanaka would have to be absolutely stone cold stupid to do that. They most he's going to get in Japan is like $8 mill a year. I never said he would do it, just think the idea itself is funny.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 08:57 AM) Trading for an of is literally the last thing this team needs to do. QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 09:40 AM) Not to mention an old platoon OF with a long, expensive contract. Its obvious neither one of you bothered to read Paulstars post.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 17, 2014 -> 08:27 AM) And also if we take 1/2 of Ethier's contract off the Dodgers' hands, it clears things up for them to sign Tanaka and pretty much removes the White Sox as a legit contender, which is great since we're Dodgers fans. Paulstar said the trade would be after Tanaka decides on who to sign with and not before so the Sox wouldn't be helping LA sign Tanaka at all. Paulstar also said he's just throwing ideas out there so for those with the attitude of here we go again, feel free to take your favorite ant-acid and abstain from the conversation. You won't be missed. I admit there are other players I'd rather have (younger/cheaper) but if LA sent the right money I wouldn't be against it either. Yes Dunn would have to be moved a yes this would be difficult if not impossible and again, this was brought up more for the sake of something to talk about. It has been rather boring outside of the Tanaka speculation and that's starting to get old.

I would laugh so hard if in the end Tanaka said screw this and resigned with his old team the Golden Eagles and left everyone holding their pricks with their jaws on the ground.

Paulstar. I see what you're saying and agree that Ethier makes the most sense out of the Dodger outfielders. Left handed bat with some power would fit well on this team. Like you said it depends on the amount of money the Dodgers would send with Ethier. Hes older than what I would prefer but could help accelerate the contention process.

Yeah, moving right along. An obvious Yankee fan.

Oh wow that's great! Thanks for the laugh Jose.

Interesting, looks like JayZ has two baseball players now. Even more interesting is the southpaw signing with his right hand. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/01/cc-s...ion-sports.html https://mobile.twitter.com/CC_Sabathia/stat...ame=CC_Sabathia

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 16, 2014 -> 07:53 PM) I hope not if it's 20 million per year or higher So the price of beer and nachos goes up to ten bucks each, big deal.

Lol, if Tanaka is interested in playing for a team that has a chance of winning during his contract he won't be signing with the cubs.