Re: Mariotti's columm this morning <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>You knew, in the end, that Jerry Reinsdorf's romance with White Sox fans would have all the staying power of Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson. The honeymoon couldn't possibly last, not when this man insists on going to his grave prioritizing stubborn business principles over the thrill of winning. The Sox were positioned for a dynasty, as I once foolishly wrote, and I actually believed the extraordinary influx of money into a stinking-rich industry this year would prompt Reinsdorf and Ken Williams to take one last serious shot at a World Series.Silly me. I forgot who Reinsdorf was, a cold businessman first and a tearful winner only when convenient or lucky. Like the Bears of the mid-1980s, these Sox will be remembered as one-and-done underachievers, all because management decided to focus on the budget and the future instead of a wonderful adventure in 2007. Here are Jerry and Kenny, presiding over a big-market franchise, swimming in black ink after a 2.9 million attendance season and spectacular TV ratings, flush with money like everyone else from the new national broadcast contracts and an early settlement of the collective bargaining agreement. Here they are after a 90-win season, a piece or two away from another championship banner.But, stunningly, they've decided to go cheap and backward again, all to prove a Reinsdorfian point about fiscal responsibility while the Cubs and Red Sox and other teams prove a point about spending available resources and appeasing the paying customers. I thought Reinsdorf was past his spite-the-spenders phase of the last decade. I thought a championship would entice him to exhaust all possible means in winning another, especially after Sox fans who once disliked him started filling the ballmall while chanting ''Jerry! Jerry!'' during his suddenly frequent batting-practice appearances.Nope. He'll try to win his way, which has worked once only in his 26 years of baseball ownership and arguably only worked in 2005 because of a peculiarly fortuitous postseason. And anyone who wants to tell me Reinsdorf won six NBA titles is being comically oblivious to the powers of Michael Jordan, who could have won with Bozo the Clown as owner.Garcia trade a bad signIn trading proven 17-game winner and innings-eater Freddy Garcia for two kid pitchers, the Sox are riding the hope train again while saving about $10 million. If they'd also acquired a big-time leadoff hitter and center fielder, folks might have understood the Garcia move, but now Williams has dealt his one poker card and wasted it on unproven Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez. Worse, there were rumors he was ready to trade his most consistent starter, Jon Garland, to Houston for a kid pitcher and outfielder Willy Taveras in a deal that would have saved them another bundle. I'd rather think this was a case of Williams having no clue what he's doing. Yet the signals he and his boss sent out of the winter meetings confirm a general disgust over the rampant competitive spending, which is not where their minds should be when (a) Sox fans are demanding big moves for their 52-sellout support; and ( the American League Central is loaded and easily could lock the Sox out of the playoffs again.First, Reinsdorf told the Yahoo! Sports Web site that he's ''already lamenting'' the spending spree created by the collective bargaining agreement. Such is the mind-set he had back in 1994, when the Sox were in first place and Reinsdorf was more interested in beating Donald Fehr in the imminent labor wars. It took a World Series title for Sox fans to forgive him, yet just a year later, Jerry and Kenny are being skewered again. It just reconfirms what we've thought all along: The Sox are too hung up on money and not interested enough in making the fans happy.''A lot of shell shock,'' Williams told reporters. ''General managers went into the offseason, I think, with a certain amount budgeted and, because that certain amount now has been inflated to the point where it's not even realistic to start talks about some of these guys, you're left scrambling.''This is no time to be cheapThe Sox should not be scrambling. They should be spending plenty and taking advantage of a championship window that has only one season left. In Chicago baseball, you win when you have the chance, regardless of whether you beat the Cubs to the holy grail in '05. Never, ever forget that someone gets the money. With commissioner Bud Selig saying baseball made $5.2 billion last season, the parameters of spending have changed to the point Reinsdorf -- armed with full houses and a family-of-four cost index of $191.26, which ranks ninth in the majors according to Team Marketing Report -- should have a $130 million payroll. He should want to go for the jugular. After all, in baseball's new world, an extra $30 million in payroll doesn't mean too much.The Sox will hold onto it, thank you. In Boston, they have the will to spend $51.1 million simply to bid on Japanese wonder pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. On the South Side, you're hoping pitching coach Don Cooper can work a quick miracle with Floyd, a 23-year-old project with a 7.29 ERA.Naturally, Williams wants to regale us with reminders of the fantastic job he did in 2005, forgetting some of the shaky deals he made in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. Yes, everything he touched turned to gold in the championship year, but the Jim Thome and Javier Vazquez deals -- much as we all liked them at the time -- didn't bring a playoff berth. And I still can't believe he did nothing of note at the July trade deadline, which contributed to the Sox' second-half slide.He preaches nonetheless. ''I've tried to explain our mission statement over and over, but I'm kind of resigned to the thought that whatever we do isn't going to be good enough or understood,'' Williams said. ''I could go through my roster, and virtually everyone on that roster, at some point in time -- whether it be through the media, writers, talk-show hosts and fans -- have said, 'Get rid of this guy.'''In the case of Joe Crede, how many times did you hear that? 'Get rid of Jon Garland. Don't bring in A.J. Pierzynski. What are you doing with Scott Podsednik? Are you nuts? Aaron Rowand, he can't play center field.' Then when I trade Aaron Rowand, they say, 'What are you doing?' I can't combat all of that. If you do, you're just going to be squashed by the pressure of it all.''We're not questioning the past. We're wondering why he isn't spending and trying to win in 2007. This shouldn't be a crusade to prove you're smarter and thriftier than everyone else, but a mission to build the best immediate team, beat the Tigers and Twins and win the Series.Instead, the Sox are ''lamenting.'' That's a recipe for 87 victories, third place and another full-scale youth movement in '08, hoo hoo!</div>http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/166581,...T-jay10.article :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :LMAO: :beerbang2: :beerbang2: :beerbang2: :beerbang2: :beerbang2:Looks like the White Sox will be going home in October!! :bigfinger: :bigfinger: :bigfinger: :bigfinger:
Re: Mariotti's columm this morning In third place behind the Twins and Tigers. Maybe even the Indians if they don't watch out.
Re: Mariotti's columm this morning <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MaroonNGold @ Dec 10 2006, 05:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>In third place behind the Twins and Tigers. Maybe even the Indians if they don't watch out.</div>I'm not sold on the Twins yet. I think we could be fine with our batting (put Kubel in LF, and bring up Garrett Jones to play DH). But then pitching is still a problem. Santana/Silva/Garza/Perkins/?? Yeah. I'm not too sold on that. I read that we are talking to Steve Trachshel (sp?) to replace Radke, and I guess he's not the worst if we can get him cheap. But I'd rather go with someone in our minors than him if he's going to cost a lot.
Re: Mariotti's columm this morning Yea, trading Freddy Garcia will just sink us. Please. KO 18, we're smart with our money. We don't overpay for clowns like Soriano, DeRosa, Marquis, Lilly. Maybe, when you get a CLUE on baseball one day, you'll know what i'm talking about.
Re: Mariotti's columm this morning Actually, I have to agree with Mariotti's take on JR. JR only cares about how much money he makes. He also owns the Bulls for those of you who don't know, and I have to pay $40 for nosebleed seats at a Bulls game, 3rd level. WHAT A RIP OFF!! The reason he ordered the breakup of the dynasty is so he could pocket even bigger sums of money.Just a few months ago the White Sox brass said you can't win 2008 in 2006. Maybe KW has something bigger up his sleeve, but if he doesn't, then he has hosed the fans. They got nearly 3 million asses in the seats, and this is how they reward the fans?? At least the Tribune is starting to reward us for bringing our asses to the park through so much shit, for feeding the cash cow for many years.And Soriano is not a clown. Weren't you the one bitching when KW refused to deal B-Mac for him and when the Sox wouldn't put B-Mac in the rotation if the White Sox brass held him in such high regard?? :nuttkick:
Re: Mariotti's columm this morning <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rex Grossman 8 @ Dec 10 2006, 07:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yea, trading Freddy Garcia will just sink us. Please. KO 18, we're smart with our money. We don't overpay for clowns like Soriano, DeRosa, Marquis, Lilly. Maybe, when you get a CLUE on baseball one day, you'll know what i'm talking about.</div>Really?? I was bored, I came across THIS from you last year:http://www.southsiders.net/index.php?s=&sh...indpost&p=20301
Re: Mariotti's columm this morning Doesn't the White Sox Manager hate Mariotti? I thought those 2 were talking shit last year or something
Re: Mariotti's columm this morning <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KyleOrton18 @ Dec 13 2006, 08:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rex Grossman 8 @ Dec 10 2006, 07:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yea, trading Freddy Garcia will just sink us. Please. KO 18, we're smart with our money. We don't overpay for clowns like Soriano, DeRosa, Marquis, Lilly. Maybe, when you get a CLUE on baseball one day, you'll know what i'm talking about.</div>Really?? I was bored, I came across THIS from you last year:http://www.southsiders.net/index.php?s=&sh...indpost&p=20301</div>haha, Ted Lilly is a proven winner now? :LMAO:
Re: Mariotti's columm this morning <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xpostxscript @ Dec 14 2006, 10:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Doesn't the White Sox Manager hate Mariotti? I thought those 2 were talking shit last year or something</div>Mariotti and the White Sox have had a beef since Mariotti started writing for the Sun-Times. It just boiled over in June when Ozzie called him a fucking fag.
