Big Jon "saw the light"!

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

It's amazing what a little reality check will do for a pitcher's outlook on life. After signing Mr. Vazquez to a multi-year deal, Jon Garland has come around and inked a 3 year deal that will pay him 29 mil. I think the prospect of pitching for the Baltimore Orioles did not look so rosy to Big Jon who figures if he put in his 3 years with the White Sox and wins another 2 or 3 World Series and logs 18-20 wins each of those seasons, he can write his own ticket in 2009. The only one left is Jose Contreras and if he inks his deal, the American League will cring everytime they see the CWS on the schedule. Consider having to face Jon Garland, Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia and if you're lucky to get to the tailend of the pitching order you face Jose Contreras and Javiar Vasquez. Things just keep getting better and better here in the Windy City, and that should get even better when our Beloved Bears...DA BEARS! enter the Motor City for a Super Bowl repeat against the New England Patriots. Could the score repeat itself? 46-10???

DA BEARS and YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES!

[Outdoors_guy]

That would be a tough repeat to match considering the bears roughly score 10 points a game. They won't even make it after there bye. Don't get your hopes up.

[NAPAFISH]

I think Garland is laughing to the bank. With a career record barely over over .500 64-61 and a LIFETIME ERA of 4.42. Everybody say it with me O-V-E-R-R-A-T-E-D!!!

Lifetime ERA

Buehrle 3.63

Garcia 3.93

Parland 4.42

Radke 4.22

Silva 3.84

Johan 3.31

For you non-arithmetic thats 3.79 for Twins and 3.99 for Team Ego er I Pale Hose.

I wonder who has a bigger ego Windy or The Sox

[Corey Bechtold]

Radke isn't going to be able to play much longer because of all the neck problems he is going to be having...

from watching HR balls rip over his head.

I'm not serious. I really like the fact that he likes playing for the Twins. He also is an avid fisherman which makes him easier to like.

Just thought I'd rip on him a bit, sorry if I offended anyone.

Corey Bechtold

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Therefore, according to Napa, the Twins should have won the division by...how many games?? Oh wait, they only finished second...er...make that third! As for ego, with a team that did not have a player who batted .300 and whose forte (sorry about those fancy words) was Ozzie "Smart Ball" I think the majority of egos would fall into the baggie dome. True you dumped Jones onto the hapless Cubbies but you still have Tori and Johan who have to order larger chapeau's every year! Now that we have everybody signed sealed and delivered, the only thing we have to worry about is where to have the victory parade, last year drew 1.2 million fans, this year should be about double. Maybe we can have the celebration on Lake Michigan and we can charter some party boats and then...wait..somebody already did that, right? YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES!

[soldoncass]

I think I remember the Yankees talking about their "dynasty" the last few years ,just like Windy is now. Anyone else remember the results of that? That is why they don't give out bb championships in January- they have to "play" the year out. If the sox don't sign Contraras, they don't have an "ace" and they aren't "scary" at all to me. An injury here or there (lets say- Kinnerko, Uribe,and Crede) and the era's will BALLOON, with little firepower left to "scare" anybody. I believe it will be a competitive year in the AL central, when they PLAY the games out.

I have noticed that something that is rare, or out of character, in Minnesota gets reported everywhere, while in the big cities the same thing is so commonplace that it wouldn't be reported there. (ie: the boat incident) That is why I'm not a big fan of picking up players via free agency, unless their character is scrutinized also.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Soldon,

You have got to be kidding, right? No "ace" without Contreras? Until he did so good the last half of this year, he was considered the number 4 on our staff. True, he had a great run in the second half, which we needed, since Garland lit them up in the first half, but come on, no "ace". The Sox argueably have 5 "aces" on their staff and one up and coming "ace" in McCarthy. You mean to tell me that Mark Buehrle does not get the title of "ace". Freddie Garcia would be the "ace" on 75% of teams in MLB if he were not on the Sox. Same could be said for Garland and even Vasquez on maybe 50% of the teams. I hope this is just the jealous ranting of a frustrated Twinkie fan who sees his team floundering and going nowhere while the Sox have made leaps and bounds to improve what is already the best team in baseball. The Injuns are not just sitting on their duffs either, acquiring Paul Byrd from the Halo's. All the Twinkies have done is dump one of their semi-power hitting outfielders with a head case on the hapless Cubbies and then sign some washed up played from the Japan league, or whereever he was playing. As for a few injuries and lack of power, I can only say one word, actually two, Jim Thome. Try adding a lefty who annually produces upwards of 120 RBI while playing a pretty good 1st base and I see the power catagory tipping in the Pale Hose's favor. Also adding Rob Macoviak did not hurt, in case we do have, as you say a few injuries. I can not wait till spring training to "UNLEASH THE BEAST" on the American League. Pitching, defense, hitting, running the Sox have it all and as usual (let me wish everybody a safe and Happy New Year as I say it for the last time in 2005) YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD....YES!

[genegodawa]

And now we know why what they say about opinions is true.

"Argueably", Windy? "Jealous ranting"?

Still like to stir the pot, don't you?

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Hey Geno,

The "stew" has been getting cold lately so I thought it needed some "stirrin". Just sitting here watching the replay of Sox Pride special on Comcast, getting ready to go back to work tomorrow after being off since Dec. 23rd. Oh well, the fishing shows should begin soon and I just booked a trip to Florida for a week in April, fishin and golfin with my father in law should be fun in the Gulf (Tarpon Springs area). Oh well, hope you had a safe and happy New Year. And as usual...YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES!

Windy

[Down to Earth]

Hey Windy, assuming the Sox resign Contreras where is that going to leave Mccarthy? He dang near pitched himself on the staff last spring training and looked pretty darn good for the Sox from August on last year. Are they going to end up sticking him in the pen for a year or two? He's definately starter material. Do you think they'll let Contreras go simply for that reason?

[genegodawa]

Anytime you can get on the course is a good day Windy.

Have a nice trip. Me, I'll be chasing gills and probably only catching a cold in April which we all know is the start of the Cubbies championship run.

I have to I agree with Soldon - it's a long season and no matter how good a team looks on paper, it is the performance that counts. Last year was the Sox year to perform - but it is very difficult to start a dynasty these days so we'll all just have to wait and see.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Hey DTE,

What a problem to have, huh? Wondering if you can squeeze in the hottest prospect in baseball pitchers into the 6th spot on your starter roster!!! I think that when the Sox do sign Contreras, and they will, if they keep him and Garland, they will let McCarthy stay in the minors to start and get some seasoning. Plan B would be to have him up with the big team and in the bullpen, not a bad option to have. Plan C would be to package either Contreras or Garland with Uribe who will all be signed to the O's and welcome in the new shortstop of the World Champion (I can't say that enough) Chicago White Sox....MIGUEL TEJADA! I still think that this is an option. The O's are just waiting for the right combo and they want all the players signed when they trade for them. The Sox will then sign Tejada to about a 4- 5 year deal for around 50 mil and the rest of the league can fight for second place for the next 5 years! Ah, the dreams of winter, when does spring training start????

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD....YES!

[buzzsaw]

Quote:

---

What a problem to have, huh? Wondering if you can squeeze in the hottest prospect in baseball pitchers into the 6th spot on your starter roster!!!

---

Is he REALLY the hottest prospect in baseball amongst pitchers??

Did you hear that from Peter Gammons or are you just hyping him up?

[vikingtom]

Remember Joe Mays. Had 1 good year Signed a big contract. Hasn't done nothing since. He too was like Garland, a 500 pitcher. So watch now. Garland might just be the next Joe Mays. Put that in you're pipe and smoke it.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Buzz and Tom,

You could be right about Garland, that's why Kenny Williams went out and got Vasquez, a nice insurance policy. Even if Garland slips back to his usual 13-14 wins you still have Buehrle with about 18, Contreras with 17, Garcia with 16-17 and Vasquez with 15. That's over 80 wins out of your starters and that is not even counting McCarthy or any of the relievers who usually win 15-20 total. That puts us at the 100 win mark again. And Buzz, yes I do believe what I have said. I have seen this kid up close and he is the real deal, a little skinny right now but when he adds 10-15 lbs of muscle, like Prior did, he is going to be a stud. He has real pop on his fastball, his curve is a real "Uncle Charlie" and his off speed ain't bad. His command is good and the kid rarely gets rattled and he doesn't mind doing it from the pen either. I think you will see in the next 3-4 years that he is the real deal and the Sox have him locked up on the cheap for the next 3 years.

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES!

[soldoncass]

If the Chi dirty sox want to stay in contention in 06, I have a few recommendations for them: Put Contreras as #1 starter, McCarthy as # 2 starter, Buerlee as #3 starter, and split the other starts between the other "average at best" three. If they do those things, they probably have a chance at 85-90 wins this year, otherwise good luck ( oh that's right they used that up in 05). I think they signed Garland so he was tradable. It sounds like your "big deal" with the Orioles Tehada is out.