get’z set in stone.

Look at almost every World Series winner blah, blah, blah

because otherwise they would have figured this shit out already.

Look who is the proud new sponsor of our little Larry (Dewayne).

And for the record, I still love Willie.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/28113659

Interesting last line in the article (re: Trib. possible bankruptcy) about trading with the Cubs. When is a contract not a contract?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-081208-ron-santo-hall-of-fame-cubs,0,4637106.story

Woman arrested after ill-timed smoke break
Associated Press
12:02 AM CST, December 8, 2008
MUNCIE, Ind. – Police say a Muncie woman was arrested after asking a state trooper whether she could smoke — and then trying to light up a marijuana joint.

Thirty-two-year-old Honesty Knight was a passenger in a vehicle that Trooper Eric Perkins pulled over for a traffic violation early Friday. While the trooper was talking to the driver, Knight obtained the trooper’s permission to smoke.

Police say Perkins then asked to see the cigarette, which contained marijuana, not tobacco.

Knight faces a preliminary charge of possession of paraphernalia. She was released from jail on bond, but couldn’t be located for comment because no home telephone number was listed in her name.

Viciedo update, etc.
By Mark Gonzales

LAS VEGAS — An announcement on the signing of 19-year-old third baseman Dayan Viciedo by the White Sox could come as soon as the end of the week.

Agent Jaime Torres comfirmed that the necessary paperwork was completed that would allow the Cuban to arrive in the United States.

Viciedo has drawn rave reviews from several major league scouts for his hitting, but Sox general manager Ken Williams revealed Viciedo was told to lose 10 pounds before the start of spring training.

Nevertheless, completing the paperwork will allow Viciedo to get acclimated to the United States.

Torres also reported that Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, the runnerup to Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria in the 2009 American League rookie of the year ballotting, took only two weeks off before resuming workouts.

Recently signed pitcher John Van Benschoten is represented by agent Joe Bick, who represents since-departed Nick Swisher and Sox farm director Buddy Bell.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/12/viciedo-update.html

completing the paperwork will allow Viciedo to get acclimated to the United States.

Which to me reads that Viciedo needs to get used to doing a lot more paperwork in the US. Which is probably true: 401K distribution, timecards, insurance forms, the 3 things you fill out when you see a doctor that all ask what you are allergic to and which they don’t read, and so on……

Patterson leaves Boras, hires new agents

Q. If the Detroit Lions go 0-16, will they qualify for a government bailout?

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/390086_chad01.html

:p

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Tribune-files-for-bankruptcy-apf-13773627.html

BWAHAHAHAHA!

Quick UZR/PMR Comparison
http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2008/12/8/684214/quick-uzr-pmr-comparison

Quick UZR/PMR Comparison
http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2008/12/8/679648/introducing-justvorp

are we the best team in the division? My answer is YES!

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8912072

I know GM Walt Jocketty has denied the rumors about the Reds sending young pitcher Homer Bailey to the White Sox for OF Jermaine Dye publicly, but don’t be shocked if Homer does get dealt at some point. Some folks have said there’s some truth to the Dye-for-Bailey rumor and here’s why: The Reds need a right-handed No. 3 hitter to put between the young guys (Votto and Bruce). Dye and Reds manager Dusty Baker know each other well and get along. The Reds are not sure Bailey will ever throw strikes consistently because of too much length in his arm action. That also might keep him from finding consistency with his breaking ball. Add into the mix that there’s pressure from Reds ownership on Jocketty to make something happen and it’s possible this isn’t done yet on the Reds end.

As for the White Sox, they have developed a bit of a track record in young arm “reclamation projects.” Gavin Floyd is the most obvious and recent example, a guy who struggled with his original organization (the Phillies), but clicked once he had a change of scenery. Bailey’s raw stuff is still outstanding and if another organization — White Sox or otherwise — feels they can help him harness it, it might be a worthwhile gamble.

— Jonathan Mayo

http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/12/dyeforbailey_not_dead_yet.html

10:39 a.m.: The Mariners have signed first baseman Chris Shelton to a minor league deal. This is one of those low-risk, potentially high upside moves. Shelton posted a slugging percentage of .510 and .466 with the Detroit Tigers in 2005 and 2006 with Detroit over 388 and 373 at-bats respectively. He posted an .801 on-base-plus slugging percentage (OPS) with Class AAA Toledo after that, then a .979 OPS in 256 at-bats in AAA last season. Shelton also had 97 ABs with Texas last season, posting a not-so-good .663 OPS. But that’s a limited sampling.

Shelton’s minor league totals scream of potential upside, including a career .401 on-base percentage. The trouble he’s had is adjusting to major league pitching and converting those stats into meaningful major league totals. He got off to a great start with Detroit in 2006, but the “once around” syndrome appears to have caught up to him. We’ll see what the m’s think. Obviously, they suspect there might be a chance he’ll turn things around. Shelton should get a shot at the first base or DH job, despite being a righthanded bat. This team needs power and Shelton is a source of power when he’s on. Nothing wrong with creating a little competition. Or providing a platoon partner at first base with Russell Branyan, as some of you have mentioned.

http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mariners/2008/12/08/let_the_dealing_begin.html

Q: Kevin, 
in regard to the Rangers being unable to produce good Major League pitchers, do you think that it would be a good idea for the organization to start teaching a featured pitch (such as the White Sox do with the cutter, thus making John Danks the pitcher he is today)? It would seem that if we told all of our young pitchers that they were going to develop a reliable change-up, it would improve their chances of reaching the majors and being successful. Not to mention that throwing the change-up instead of the slider would put a lot less strain on their arms. Do you know if the Rangers are currently doing this or have any plans to?

- Jeromy

Goldstein: You can’t have a feature pitch because there is no one pitch that every player can throw. When you get a young kid, you get them to focus on a single breaking ball; you have them throw a curveball or a slider instead of throwing both. That way, they can focus on one and make it a really good pitch. They don’t make that decision by flipping a coin. You look at the kid and you look at his mechanics and his arm action and where his release point is, and based on those factors you can say that he would be better throwing a curveball, or he would be better off throwing a slider. If you make your organizational pitch a slider, well, there are plenty of kids that shouldn’t be throwing a slider because they just can’t throw a slider. This goes back to the cookie-cutter mentality. I think that is one thing that the Rangers don’t do. Every player they have is treated differently based on that player — based on ability and make-up.

http://mvn.com/baseballtimeinarlington/2008/12/kevin-goldstein-qa-part-ii.html

A deft magician entertains some new acquaintances with card and other sleight-of-hand tricks by the front desk. The engaging young man is Jason Latimer, a renowned illusionist who happens to be represented by agent Dennis Gilbert.

Gilbert, a top players’ agent in a former life, now is a member of the Chicago White Sox front office as a special assistant to chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.

Gilbert’s dual-capacity appearance here, of course, ideally captures the transcendental nature of these Meetings, which could benefit greatly from Latimer’s influence.

Not so much because of Latimer’s ability to turn one-dollar bills into 20s … although that would certainly be a welcome way to stretch budgets.

But because of the teaser printed on his business card: “Impossible Is Merely An Opinion.”

A valuable mantra for baseball’s architects to chant for the next few days.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081208&content_id=3705913&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp

expect him to go after cc and tex now!

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/12/teams-intereste.html

could we be in on this?

Torres again insisted that if Viciedo does not make the club out of spring training, expect a call-up before the All-Star Game because "this kid is something special.’

http://blogs.suntimes.com/whitesox/2008/12/winter_meeting_day_1_news.html
 

Viciedo is a longshot to make the opening day roster, but his hitting ability could force the issue if Josh Fields doesn’t perform to the Sox’s standards.

Several scouts believe Viciedo is likely to end up at first base, but Paul Konerko currently occupies that position and Jim Thome is under contract as the designated hitter for 2009.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/12/guillen-viciedo.html

By Hal McCoy | Monday, December 8, 2008, 04:23 PM

So far, on this chilly Monday afternoon in Dayton, there has been no confirmation or announcement on the trade of pitcher Homer Bailey to the Chicago White Sox (with a couple of minor-leaguers tossed in) for outfielder Jermaine Dye.
…
Let’s hope there hasn’t been a snag in the deal. My source, reliable and an insider with the White Sox, says there is a deal in place. Or was.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/entries/2008/12/08/dying_to_hear_about_dye.html

Derrick Rose wore a large gauze bandage on his left forearm and a
sheepish smile on his face.

Rose missed Monday’s practice after he needed 10 stitches to close a
gash suffered when he said he rolled onto a knife while eating an apple
in bed.

“It was a silly incident,” Rose said. "I was cutting up some food and I
laid on a knife getting lazy in bed. I went to go get a bottle of
water, came back, forgot the knife was there, then sat down and sliced
my arm.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/fullcourtpress/2008/12/rose-injured.html
http://deadspin.com/5104510/derrick-rose-injured-in-freak-apple-peeling-incident

phew…

“That was a couple of weeks that they talked,” Baker said. "I thought those talks were kind of off because of economics and because everybody wants your young players, which we’re trying to groom and keep.

"Were we interested in Jermaine Dye? Most definitely. It’s just a matter of how much it’s going to cost the team. The economics ‑‑ whether you want to face it or not, economics is a big issue, and not only in baseball, but in the world.

“And he’s just not Patterson-y enough, you know what I mean?”

http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/12/dusty_on_dye.html

Having some lady hit your car on the way home… drivers side none the less. Could have been way worse