Wrapping up loose ends: the last SSS round table of 2011

It seemed like a decent enough time to do another one of these (also known as U-God is having writer's block and feels bad about not creating any content in two weeks) so here we go. Today's rotating guest chair belongs to friend of the site and fellow White Sox blogger Tom Fornelli of South Side Asylum. We'll cover such interesting topics as the Danks extension, the hottest new thing out of Cuba, hatred, and the impending new year.

1. What is your initial reaction to the John Danks extension?

Tom: Shock, then anger, then confusion. Shock because when the rumors first surfaced on Twitter it came out of no where. Anger because after spending a few hours chasing down more on the story Chuck Garfien beat me to it 5 minutes before I could publish my story. Then confusion set in because I'm just not sure what this means. Were the trade offers just not enticing enough? Did Jerry see a decline in ticket sales so far and put the brakes on this rebuilding business? Is this move solely to get a larger return on a Danks trade? By actually signing Danks I think the Sox managed to create even more questions.

Tdogg: Pardon my French, but I told you mother turkeys.... (editor's note: not his original word, but replacement word of choice). :-) I like it, I love it. Williams is really not the rebuild type. Danks in my eyes is still underrated and I think this deal will ultimately be a steal.

U-God: Shock. How Kona keeps pulling this off is beyond me. I'm happy with it, since it won't take Danks much to match the monetary value and it lets me keep treasuring my sweet autographed 8x10 glossy.

KenWo: My initial reaction was surprise. I figured one party (either Danks or the Sox) didn't want an extension and that he would likely be traded. I wouldn't have been against trading him, but I'm not against this deal either. The Sox have a lot of money coming off the books after this season. They have the cash going forward. I just figured they'd get prospects for Danks and make a splash next offseason. It will be interesting to see how the deal breaks down.

Jim: Retaining the services of a good pitcher isn't bad, but I'm distracted by not knowing what it means.

larry: That I don't believe it's really 5 guaranteed years. I want to see the details on this because I'm skeptical that it's so simple as 5/$65M. I had often wondered on the site about why the White Sox reportedly hadn't approached Danks "seriously" for a few years about an extension. Part of the answer to that may be his year demands. In any event, of the starting pitchers, Danks is, and has been for awhile, my favorite so I like it on that level.

2. The White Sox apparently had a private workout with Yoenis Cespedes. While it seems unlikely that he'll wind up in Chicago, what would you think of it?

TF: I'd be happy with it. Seems like Cuban refugees are the only thing this organization has been able to do right the last few years.

TD: Bold, Brass.These things are required with the lack of a farm system. That said I doubt its true or will yield anything.

EG: I'm more than OK with the White Sox signing every Cuban baseball defector from here on out. I highly doubt they get him, but I'd be fired up if they did. Furthermore, if they do land this guy, the next statue on the concourse should be El Duque for starting this whole Cuban pipeline thing by bringing us Alexei Ramirez. (It was El Duque and not Contreras, right? That part of my brain has melted).

UG: Gus, I'm pretty sure it was Contreras since El Duque had been gone for a few years at that point. I worry about Cespedes, but mostly from the money angle. I don't doubt he'll be able to play, but I'm scared the contract he gets from whatever team he signs with is going to be entirely too massive. We've had success in Cuba, but the initial contracts for Alexei and Dayan were nothing close to what Yoenis is looking for.

3. I can predict the obvious answers, but what is/are your least favorite team(s) in baseball?

TF: I don't really have any least favorite teams. I suppose if I had to pick one I'd go with the Yankees or Red Sox.

TD: Covered this earlier but I hate the Central rivals. Twins and Indians in particular. Hate em. Hate their players, hate their fans, hate their cities. Hate the Yankee fandom. Whine about everything. I've mellowed on Cub nation. I actually feel a little sorry for them.

EG: I would have said the Marlins up until Buehrle signed there. Now I'll actually root for them every 5th day. I think the team I dislike the most right now is the White Sox for letting Ozzie phone it in for an entire season. In retrospect it feels like they were trying to spray paint a turd gold for over two years now.

UG: Minnesota and Detroit. I love that as a White Sox fan, I get to hate the same cities for every sport. I don't know how Cubs fans adjust to only hating a city for one team. My Detroit hatred had slipped until this year when a drunk Tigers fan decided to heckle me on my birthday by screaming "Frank Thomas f****** sucked!" at me repeatedly. Jack can vouch for this.

KW: I know its not stylish anymore... but I can't stand the Cubs. I hope they lose every single game or if they are decent they can repeat 2003. That was magical.

JM: I'd really like to see the Marlins fail, and fail hard.

l: I find the Padres extremely boring. I have a visceral distaste for the Mariners. The Orioles are obnoxiously pathetic. In the AL Central, the Tigers and the Indians. Their fans are dirty and poor. I don't like them near me.

4. Any New Year's resolutions?

TF: Nope.

TD: Unless I personally test a player I won't ever believe anything from an athlete's mouth regarding PEDs. After watching I Hate Valentine's Day several times I've instituted a 5 date max (genius). I'm not betting anyone a pot pie or worse money on SSS in 2012.

EG: I have turned into typical-middle-aged-man-guy. My New Year's resolution is to shave a few pounds off the spare tire this year. A far cry from my 2006 resolution- To give up exercise completely.