It seemed that way to me too. I just figured he wanted to play at home, he had enough money, and he was going to do an Andre Dawson deal with the Diamondbacks- whatever you want to pay me. Everything he said made it seem like there was no way he was coming back.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

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This is my signature...

Heard an interview on NPR a few years back with the main BALCO PED DR who was (likely still is) in prison and he explained in detail how that's always been a myth about various PED's, that all PED users would gain muscle. You only gain muscle if you train/lift. You can still gain most of the benefits of PED use without weight training and bulking up. It's the HR guys who wanted/needed to bulk up.

Go back and look at the list of players confirmed to have tested positive for or admitted to PED use. Half of em were not at all ripped during the times they tested positive or admitted to using. The PED's do help with that, by it's not necessary to weight train to gain the benefits of faster recovery time between games, faster recovery from injuries as well as faster reaction times and overall better athletic performance. Even hand-eye coordination and muscle/task memory is improved by PED use. For the most part (late career Clemens an obvious exception), pitchers who did PED's never got bigger, just better.

How bleedy Ivan gets in the vaginal area when someone makes an observation that career power numbers from a 34 year old in a contract year should raise eyebrows.
He has a heavy flow...
If if your poon gets drippy
Don't be sad!
Get a plug and
flollow up with a pad!

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

I'm not upset. I'm quite happy today. One of my favorite players on my favorite basebal team is back. The team is better because of it. Kenny made a huge move with Dunn, also making the team better. I'm sure he's not done yet, either...


Oh, and Year Two should be exciting....

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This is my signature...

How many bullpen guys have they lost this offseason? (I realize some are addition by subtraction - but those spots still have to be filled....)

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Since no one answered this part of my earlier question, I will ask it again. How is having Dunn and Konerko any different than having Thome and Konerko a couple years ago? Those teams did not get it done, why should I believe a lineup with Dunn and Konerko will?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Even though that has nothing to do with Konerko, I will indulge you in this...
Year two will be awful.
I am sure that year three and four and so on will bring similar misery and feelings of abandonment. I can't image one of my favorite teams being in a position to begin building a quality team for at least another 3 or 4 years, and then, they're still going to have baseball decisions made by the [dennis hopper] the Whims of a MADMAN! [/dennis hopper].
I think I am on record as saying something to the effect of McPhailball or Green style seasons in the future. Enought to make me want to turn in my W flag.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

It will succeed because Beckham will hit .100 lower ahead of those guys than he did when Thome and Konerko were here.

That doesn't make sense to you?

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You own a W flag?

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I guess Paulie discovered the Flinstone Vitamins about mid-May of 2005 as well then. He started off very very poorly that season, also a contract year.

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I believe a couple of those teams had Brian Anderson in centerfield.

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Yes. It was a gift from my Mom. Came with a flagpole too. Its nice.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Hmmmm, then it sounds like a pattern of performing better in contract years.

Thank god next year is a contract year for him then. MVP!!!!

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Dewayne Wise was the leadoff man at the start of a year.

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

A younger, somewhat faster Thome who has another solid hitter in front of him (Rios). Starting pitching is better than it was when Thome was here.

They are better than they were last season (if and when they get a few more arms in the pen), but I don't think anyone is saying they are definately going to "get it done".

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This is my signature...

I believe the year after Paulie signed his last contract he hit 40 home runs.

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

Thome/Konerko didn't have other parts that are here. The OF is very different. Rios, Pierre, Quentin/Teahen is better than Swisher, Quentin, Dye. Beckham, Ramirez, Konerko, Morel is better defensively than Uribe, Crede, Cabrera, Ramirez (out of position) and Konerko. The pitchers are more matured. The bullpen bothers me, but other than that, I feel better about this team.

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Arguing about it on Dec 8th is silly anyway.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

true dat...

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This is my signature...

Never thought I would hear Dunn described as "somewhat faster" than anyone. But anyways, the starting pitching may indeed be better, but the bullpen is worse (I realize things are not done yet), and the defense still appears rather shaky.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I know this isn't exactly a huge revelation but a lot of those players are gone and they have new players.

They were an 88 win team last year and the biggest hole was the failed DH experiment by committee. They upgraded that in the biggest way possible without a trade. They even did it in a way that gives them some more money to spend on other upgrades.

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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!

What is the bullpen made up of right now?

Thornton
Sale
Santos

It looks like they will have to move either Quentin or a pitcher for some relief help.

That Jackson trade really sucks right now, as I expected. That extra 8 million would solve a lot of problems.

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

I thought Sale was going to be transitioning to a starter next year?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Depends on the other moves that may or may not happen. Way too early to tell...

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This is my signature...

Sox should give the younger Dunn a chance to platoon @1B and split time with Konerko @DH.

Dunn wasn't nearly as bad defensively @1B in 2010 as he had been years prior. And 2010 he actually played the entire season @1B. I think he played as many games @1B in 2010 as he had played over his prior 7 seasons combined.

Konerko was the worst regularly starting defensive 1B in MLB last season. Dunn could be ok defensively at 1B.

In 2010, the first season Dunn played 1B exclusively rather than playing mostly OF with some 1B thrown in, he rated a bit better defensively than Cabrera in 2010 and a lot better than Konerko.

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?p ... 10&month=0

maybe playing there everyday improved his glove work.

Course, those stats might not account for Dunn as receiver, but at 6'6" you'd think he'd get you a half a dozen extra outs a season due to his extra reach vs most 1B's.

I expect Kenny to trade a starter for relief help. There are also a good chunk of solid relievers still on the FA market. Bullpens from year to year are a crapshoot anyway.

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Who do you think the contenders are in their division?

Twins haven't done anything except sign a Japanese infielder. Those don't have too good a track record. Pavano is talking to like 15 teams. Nobody knows what to get from Liriano year to year. The rest of their starters are meh, and they could have some defections in the pen. Nathan is coming off major injury. Morneau could have lingering concussion effects.

Tigers have 1 good starting pitcher and a bunch of question marks. Their non- Cabrera infield is suspect. They did sign Vmart, who is pretty good but a terrible catcher. They have huge holes in left, right, and 2B.

KC and Cleveland are still crappy.

Anyone can win this division, as it is not as strong as it was even a few years ago.

But again, we are barely into the winter meetings so arguing about it now is ridiculous.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

This.

A lot can and will happen between now and when pitchers and catchers report.

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I assume the Quentin and others for Rasmus deal is dead.

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