RationalSoxFan

AJP was not a good signing. He's a clubhouse cancer (it takes a lot to be a bigger jerk than Barry in SF and AJ pulled it off), and if he wasn't buddies with Hawk Harrelson he would never have been sniffing a Sox uniform anyway. Iguchi I can give Williams credit for, he was pretty good for them, although it's worth noting that he struck out 114 times this season and was nothing special in the field (14 errors). The fact remains, though, that he unloaded a 35-home run hitter for a mediocre leadoff hitter in Podsednik (.313 OBP in 2004) and then plugged in Dye to fill the outfield spot, who hadn't had a good season this millennium and somehow ripped off a .274/31/86 for them. Calling Williams a "clown" is probably overstating the case, but his moves this off-season really weren't that good. He was made to look smart because all those moves came through in spades with Dye having his best year since 2000 and Podsednik having the best of his three seasons in the majors. This Sox team really had marginally better talent than the 2004 version but had the advantage of about 10 players having their best years ever. How do you know that AJP is a clubhouse cancer? SF was the only place he's played where he wasn't loved by his teammates. He is still well liked by guys he played with in Minnesota, and is loved in Chicago. He isn't a cancer, maybe more of a edgy guy, something the team needed. And if you think AJ is a cancer, look at your "35 homer guy" Carlos Lee. He has no hustle on the basepaths, in the field, and he walks about as much as Tony Womack. How do I know? AJP was literally run out of San Francisco. He kneed a Giants trainer in the balls during his one-year tenure. The Sox teammates like him because he's like most of the rest of them and the SF teammates were not. The man almost approaches the personality of Barry Bonds, except that he doesn't put up ludicrous steroid-influenced numbers in the process. His smartass comment about not feeling lucky about the Game 2 ALCS win was a pretty good indicator. Maybe the smartass comment had a lot more to do with him being hated for running down to first, when it was the umpire that had everything to do with the blown call. And, if he's a cancer, what does that make Carlos Lee? SARS? Bird Flu?

AJP was not a good signing. He's a clubhouse cancer (it takes a lot to be a bigger jerk than Barry in SF and AJ pulled it off), and if he wasn't buddies with Hawk Harrelson he would never have been sniffing a Sox uniform anyway. Iguchi I can give Williams credit for, he was pretty good for them, although it's worth noting that he struck out 114 times this season and was nothing special in the field (14 errors). The fact remains, though, that he unloaded a 35-home run hitter for a mediocre leadoff hitter in Podsednik (.313 OBP in 2004) and then plugged in Dye to fill the outfield spot, who hadn't had a good season this millennium and somehow ripped off a .274/31/86 for them. Calling Williams a "clown" is probably overstating the case, but his moves this off-season really weren't that good. He was made to look smart because all those moves came through in spades with Dye having his best year since 2000 and Podsednik having the best of his three seasons in the majors. This Sox team really had marginally better talent than the 2004 version but had the advantage of about 10 players having their best years ever. How do you know that AJP is a clubhouse cancer? SF was the only place he's played where he wasn't loved by his teammates. He is still well liked by guys he played with in Minnesota, and is loved in Chicago. He isn't a cancer, maybe more of a edgy guy, something the team needed. And if you think AJ is a cancer, look at your "35 homer guy" Carlos Lee. He has no hustle on the basepaths, in the field, and he walks about as much as Tony Womack.

Maybe, but not in spades. Chicago will still be a Cubs town, the media will be talking about the Cubs more than the Sox in a few months, the Cell will return to it's nominal half-full status next season, and the Sox will still be the bastard stepchild of Chicago baseball. Actually, I think your terribly wrong here. I teach 7th graders, and I'm seeing an entire generation fo kids becoming Sox fans. Yes, kids are fickle, but our "loveable" failures, personalities and better ball park all fade when a team 8 miles south is holding up a World Series trophy. Despite the "edge" in popularity and the better environment and history, people are going to flock to the White Sox because they're winners. Heck, the Bulls sold out for 3 years after the last Championship, as bad as they were. I really believe that this is terrible for the Cubs. Unless we start off hot next year, and build up a mojo that we can follow the pair of Soxes that broke their long droughts, I don't see us having any of the attention that the Sox will get. And even if we start off hot, guys like Wood, Baker, and Patterson will buckle under any pressure and destroy the possiblity of anything good happening. This could become a fundamental change in the way Chicagoans view baseball. Hell, the Southside may become even further revived because of interest in the area. It won't be Wrigleyville, but maybe it gets better. I'm not just guessing, but I'm SEEING children fall in love these guys. Hispanic kids, black kids, Asian kids are all talking about the Sox. It's cool to see them all jacked up, but heartbreaking that it can't be our Cubbies. The tide is turning more than you realize. :cry: Funny thing about a bandwagon: people jump off as quickly as they jumped on. Especially with kids. Unless they sustain for a few years, I wouldn't be too concerned. And with that clown Williams making ther personnel decisions, I don't think that's likely. Could you elaborate on why Kenny Williams is a clown? Keep in mind that the trade of Lee was to free up payroll for signing Iguchi and AJP.

Dye just stayed healthy, El Duque was very average, Everett was aswell, and Pierzynski batted well below his career average.

I think he was caught with alcohol on the team bus one time, and he had major elbow issues. Anaheim tried to convert him to a starter and his arm broke down, the Sox picked him up.

Yea...because going when you have no interest in either team is a heck of a lot better than a fan of either team going.

I'm more interested to see the reaction to a certain White Sox catcher. Since he was the one who made the call in the first place. Get off his tail, it's not his fault the ump messed up. If Barrett made that play, you'd all be lauding it as a great heads up play.

How did they cheat? They got the benefit of a bad call. Last time I checked that's hardly cheating.

Also, Lee is pretty hated among the players. He was more of an egotistical jerk than Frank was in his a-hole prime.

The trade had more to do with freeing salary. Obviously, it's a steal for the Brew Crew but it let us get El Duque, a true fifth starter, and AJP and Iguchi. Lee>>>>>>Podsednik. El Duque, AJP, Iguchi, Pods>>>>Lee

He's an awful center fielder these days. Maybe 5 years ago, but not now. Rowand has him in every single department.

Not really, it's been reported he actually approved the deal that was orignially "done", and would not veto a trade.

Marte really isn't so great, he allows way too many inherited runners to score. He's a good lefty, but I'd trade him in a package for Burnett/Lowell. If we get rid of him for Huff, I'd be fuming. Huff is a butcher at 3rd. I think we're looking at Scott Eyre and Guardado to fill Marte's spot after a trade.

Yes, in the form of Scott Podsednik, Tadahito Iguchi, Jermaine Dye, and A.J. Pierzynski. Yep, it's a real murderer's row. Completely compatible with Pujols, Edmonds, Rolen, anyone. Those 4 combined lines (assuming my math was correct) 271/333/418 I meant in general, not in any comparison to the Cards.

Yes, in the form of Scott Podsednik, Tadahito Iguchi, Jermaine Dye, and A.J. Pierzynski.

It's already begun. Ozzie/the team is a fraud. :shock: How can you say a team that is almost 30 games over at the break a fraud? They have won 57 games and lost 29, last time I checked that means something. It's not like they're the Fathers, who are 5 games up in a horrible division. The Sox are in a good division and are something like 26-5 against the ALC.

Not yet, I'm not a fan of their stadium. When the new one is open (mid-July), I'll go all the time. It's pretty good baseball and hopefully they can get an affiliate again.

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