I expect nothing less winning the Division and going far in the playoffs. It's so easy to say I don't expect us to do anything and when they make the playoffs Sox blowhards puff their chest out!!! Kenny Williams is the best Spin Dr. in baseball.Dump salary
to make Jerry happy.I want to puke!

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

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Well...right now they traded Vazquez and Swisher. Nicks contract was a bargain, Vazquez contract not bad also, they didnt add a salary, right now, I dont see it as salary dumps...but if they trade dye and lets say Jenks, they are dumping salary with dye and avoiding having to pay jenks, then they are dumping salary, without a doubt, but right now, I dont think so.

I second that.

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Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

Of course they are dumping salary. But when you look at a guys like Broadway and Vasquez, you probably wind up getting similar production from the two and Broadway gives it to you for less than a million, whereas Vasquez makes 11.5 million. Kenny was fortunate to find someone to take him with that salary. Hell, Jim Hendry is looking at possibly trading for Peavy and having to cover about 4 million of Marquis' salary (Marquis is supposed to go in the deal, if it's made) So having someone take him and not paying any part of the contract, is pretty good. Swisher was another guy, who made too much money for the production he supplied. It's not that he made top dollar. Just that he made way more than his production (or lack of the same)could justify. Dye is gonna probably go too. But if the young guys Kenny gets in these deals pan out, in a year or two they might be in great shape again. But 2009, is likely to be a rebuilding year, where they slip in the standings.

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Go Cubs!!!!

[ . But 2009, is likely to be a rebuilding year, where they slip in the standings.[/quote]


A team that just won the division rebuilding???????????????????????????????

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

This off season is hardly complete.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Thank you. We've got a VERY LONG way to go before we know who the players are within the division, let alone on the White Sox! Can we hold off until March Madness starts before we start making MLB predictions for 2009?

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

A team that just won the division rebuilding???????????????????????????????[/quote]

Normally that might be surprising. But the AL Central was awful last year. Detroit was supposed to be great and sucked. Cleveland also underachieved. The Twins and Sox fought hard to give each other the division and tied with just 86 wins. They had to play 163 to finally decide it. So winning this division was basically the tallest midget award. Kenny is right to try to unload his older players, as most are on the downside of their career and making too much money for the production they provide. Dye has been an exception. He has been one of the most underrated players in baseball the past few years. But he has just one year on the contract and the Sox can get something for him. So it makes sense to continue the development of this team and trade him, to get more young, fast, athletic players, that can develop together. In a couple years, they will be done with Konerko, Thome and A.J. too.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Steve are you basing this off the Cub championship mountain theory?

The true tall midget award is having the best record in the league, but failing to win even a single game in the playoffs.

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The AL central went 58-32 in interleague play. If winning the AL Central is the tallest midget award what does it make winning anything in the NL?

For reference, the only NL central team to have a winning record against the AL was the Reds.

It's harder to get 86 wins in the AL than it is to get 90 in the NL since the teams are that much better.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

*Let the record show*

The Sox won 88 games during the regular season. The win against Minnesota was their 89th.

Good Catch...The E Steve band's post has already been strenously objected against by Cub and Sox fans.

Anyone paying attention to the ...race, down the stretch, had to laugh. The Sox should have had it wrapped up early, but then got beat by the Royals & Indians and swept by the Twins, before finally winding up in a tie with the Twins, who also choked down the stretch. It was the division nobody seemed to want. The Tigers and Indians will not be as bad next year and the Sox will be playing some young players, who will undoubtedly make some mistakes while gaining needed experience. But again, I think Kenny needs to make the changes he is making and in a couple years, it all may work out.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Losing the front runner for the MVP after the trading deadline will do that to a team.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

As will losing a guy like Contrares, who despite his age was pitching pretty well again.

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Despite his walker

If you think back to the 2005 World Series team, and look over the players, there will be almost nobody left from that team, by the time they open the 2009 season.
LF-Podsednik...He gone! The crucially important leadoff man and base stealer released.
CF-Rowand...He gone! Traded for Thome. Hows that deal looking today? Still looking for a CF
RF-Dye...He gone, very soon..
3B-Crede...He gone! Back problems made him to shaky to keep and rely on.
ss-Uribe...He gone. Played third base last season, but not a part of 2009 plans.
2B-Iguchi...He gone. Great at taking pitches and hitting behind Pod's. Big homer in game #2 in Red Sox series. Not retained. Team is still looking to replace him too, with Ramirez moving to SS.


Except for Konerko (who's been awful the last 2 years)and Pierzynski, the rest of the starting team will be gone. Hard to believe. I guess it's probably true for a lot of teams. That 4 years later, the majority of the team would be different. But it seems like there has been more change than usual here. Especially for a team that won. Seems like they should have enjoyed a bit longer run. With all the youth they will have, perhaps when they are good again, they can sustain it a bit longer next time.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Teams who evolve win SEE Boston. Teams that re sign old washed up talent (gaetti) do not.

Pure Cubbie analysis. That trade has been a steal for the Sox.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

How many players are left from the '05 Astros? Oswalt, Berkman, Rodriguez and Backe (who will probably be released). Try again retard.

I have never seen someone who claims to watch as much baseball as you be so clueless Elmhurst Steve.

Every team has a turnover of 1-3 starters in most years. Winning a championship doesn't change that fact.

Do you really think the current White Sox would have been better with Podsednik and Iguchi last year?
Do you really think that the Sox made a mistake by having Jim Thome for more years than Rowand? The Sox made a great move on that one.
Losing Dye will suck but you have to give up something to get something. We'll see what we get.
Crede is too injury prone.
Uribe is not irreplaceable.

Do you really feel that the same roster from 2004 would be a playoff contender in 2008?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

How many players are left from the '08 Cubs? 1908 that is. A Johnny Evers or Mordecai Brown would fit in nicely on the North side right about now right? I guess we can chalk it up to short-sightedness just like the White Sox.

Thome had a couple of solid years, no doubt. In 2006 he was really good. But last year, his bat was slow. He has to cheat on the fastball now, as his bat-speed has diminished. As a result, he strikes out much more, as he's way ahead of the off speed pitches and can't hold up. Meanwhile, Rowand is still a solid CF and hitter, with several years still ahead of him, at peak performance. Thome will long be retired, while Rowand continues. If the Sox did not have Thome, they would just put Konerko there and get a better first baseman to handle that position. Konerkp's skills as a fielder, have eroded even more than his skills as a batter. All this, is why I ask-How's that trade looking today?

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Go Cubs!!!!

Okay, since you asked- I think that when Carlos Quentin got hurt last season, they should have traded to get Podsednik back. He was healthy and productive when he played and can still run. Plus, they still need a leadoff hitter big-time. I liked Iguchi a lot. I never would have let him go. Having him hit #2, with Ramirex at SS, would be great. Uribe, I actually never liked. Crede-you can't help it. He just has a bad back and you can't depend on him. But Rowand is a guy that would help you a lot more today than Thome. Imagine Pod's in the DH role, batting leadoff, Iguchi second, Quentin in left batting third, Dye in RF bats 4th, Rowand in CF bats 5th, Pierzynski 6th, Ramirez 7th, If you could get a nice upgrade at 3rd and if by some stroke of luck, trade Konerko, I think its a good lineup.

It would be better if they would spend more money, but I'm trying to stay within the constraints of the Sox budget, which seems to have been reduced. Otherwise, I might suggest signing Furcal to play short and leaving Ramirez at 2B, or trading for Roberts. Either one, gives you the leadoff man needed. But they probably don't have the needed minor league/major league talent needed to swing a deal for Roberts. Unless they want to trade Floyd/Danks, which I would never believe prudent.

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Go Cubs!!!!

And seeing as this was WELL after the trading deadline, do you think the Twins would have just sat back and let the Sox improve? This was also after Sept 1st when the playoff rosters had to be said. So even if the Cell did turn into fantasy land and this did happen, Pods would have not been eligible to be on the playoff roster.

I did not even read the rest of your post. I've got 2 dead grandfathers who can talk more knowledgeable about baseball than you. The AL Central is so inferior, yet the Sox have won more playoff games last year than the Cubs did in '07 and '08 combined.

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There are any number of moves the Sox could have made at the trading deadline. It still doesn't mean that an underperforming player should have been kept at the time that Pods was sent packing.
Iguchi was alright, but I don't think it made much of a difference.

Your biggest failure of logic is Rowand. The Sox could have had Rowand last year had they wanted to pay him what he could get from another team. If they don't trade for Thome, they still likely don't have Rowand last year because he ended up changing teams. The Sox got at least one extra year of Jim Thome who has been productive here. It was a great move and the Sox still had the option of signing Rowand. The Sox still have a benefit of that trade as I think Thome is still valuable whereas they would have had no benefit from watching Rowand walk away.

The point is that you seem to have a problem with the White Sox not keeping a majority of the starters from 2005. When you compare the production of the 2008 White Sox players individually to how those players on the championship team are playing in 2008 you can't make an argument that the turnover wasn't a positive.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I don't know if it is a steal, but it was definitely an improvement for the Sox, no doubt about it.
The problem for the Sox now is that they have too many long ball hitters and not enough get on base guys. I'd much rather have more 20-20 guys than guys that are hitting 38 HRs and stealing 1 or 2 bags a year. You only need two power hitters, one lefty and one righty, and then the rest can just be on base guys.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

No thanks. Pods best years are long gone, and you don't waste a DH spot on a guy whose on base percentage is merely average. I would be hard pressed to use a DH on any OBP sort of guy to begin with unless it was someone extraordinarily gifted like a Tony Gwynn. I know you do not have them in the National League, but the DH is a spot to put a gifted hitter who can no longer play in the field. Pods could still play a servicable OF role, but even overall, he would be more of a 4th or 5th OF option in my opinion.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas