Chisoxfn

That was a better inning.

Dennis Raben (Projected to go in the 2nd to 4th rounds) is a nice looking outfielder out of the U. Tremendous ARM. Definately a guy I would consider. He also has great power potential (very fluid athlete who would be a tremendous pick). He probably goes somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd (Junior at the U). He is also a pitcher for the Canes but definately projects better in the field. Preseason, BA had him as the 9th best college prospect (his stock fell a bit, but I'm telling you, he's got the tools). Probably won't be available in the 3rd round, but if he was, I'd be all over him (just like I would be Danks).

That was a big k by Javy. 2nd and 3rd 2 outs now in the bottom of the 1st.

I'm cleaning up the last couple posts from this thread and closing it. The point of this thread was to answer the questions as to what happened to Bureau and I believe those have been answered. For any further comments, feel free to send any of the admins/mods PM's and we'll be happy to answer/respond to them. Note to Cheat: I would have kept your last post up but I think PM's between one member and another member should be private. If you want to make some edits and make any further points you want, feel free to shoot them to me in a PM and I can put that in a post (I don't want it to come off as if I'm trying to silence anything). More important than that, I don't want this thread turning into a public pissing match.

QUOTE (Gene Honda Civic @ May 31, 2008 -> 01:35 PM) So which is it? You guys seem to want it both ways You happen to notice that one of the posts is a member making a suggestion to you if you were having trouble accessing the site. He's saying if its your IP, just use a Proxy. I'm stating (an admin and the owner) that no IP ban was done. But again, despite me sending emails to you informing you about the situation as it was going on (which was me being nothing but respectful and sharing information I never had to share), you publicy try to berate Soxtalk based upon "baseless" claims.

Mizzu needs to come up with something here, otherwise they are toast. Miami has such a good offense and Hernandez ain't going to give up a ton of runs.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 31, 2008 -> 12:57 PM) He leads the Sox in warning track fly outs. The Swisher I remember from his Oakland days could hit it out to every different direction. The big reason his power has shifted to warning track power is because his swing has gotten far too upper cuttish. If he levels out his swing (still with a slight upper-cut) we'll quickly see those balls start leaving the yard with ease, but right now, his cut is so extreme (it was more so for the first month and a half of the season) that even when he gets it all, it dies close to the track. Joe Morgan (and I hate quoting Joe Morgan) indicated that he talked with Greg Walker regarding Swisher and Walker indicated that Swisher has gotten much more crouch happy this season and the end result is that the crouch has naturally caused him to add a more extreme upper cut in his swing. The Sox have been working on his batting posture and I've noticed he's been standing a bit more upright and that has enabled him to have a more level swing plane. He still has work to do, but usually all it takes is a minor tweak or two (plus some confidence) to get a guy back on track. I've noticed that since making the adjustment (based on Morgans timing, it started about 7-10 days ago) that Swisher has a lot fewer at bats where he completely hits the ball off the very end or just really weakly (there was about a 15-20 game period where Swisher, even on foul balls, was hitting things incredibly weak (to use a golf metaphor, it was as if he was shanking the ball consistently) and since than I've seen him consistently start hitting the ball with some authority (still not to the point where he's 100% correct, but where he's heading in the right direction (or at least I believe he is).

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ May 31, 2008 -> 12:50 PM) Is it raining by you today? What is with the 500 word posts? This is like the third one. I'm studying for my CPA exam and clearly I'm getting bored (I'm spending more time watching the Miami-Mizzu game and posting on here, LOL).

QUOTE (fathom @ May 31, 2008 -> 01:52 PM) Weeks reminds me of Ray Durham. Thats a good comparison and thats a very good thing in my book. One of the better offensive second baseman of our generation.

Soxtalk didn't ban or IP ban anyone. Note: To Any MOD/ADMIN, LEAVE CHEAT's POST UP. Soxtalk has nothing to be ashamed of and I want Gene's post to stay up (to further prove the point that we could give two s***s about your baseless claims).

QUOTE (fathom @ May 31, 2008 -> 01:42 PM) No kidding, amazing numbers for a freshman in such a good hitting conference. I agree its a good hitting conference. Weeks is freaking good. He's going to go in the teens to twenties in the draft and make a team quite happy. I'm going to be happy next year when the Sox probably have a few more 1st/2nd round picks (it will go a long way to restocking the system). The key this year will be for the Sox to get the best value on the board throughout the draft (and that means going above slot, which they won't do, but they should plan on it, especially given the absolute crap in the current farm system).

That lineup is a-ok with me. Nice to see Swisher further down in the lineup. I also like the idea of Ramirez in the two spot for the time being. I also agree with those that say Swisher should eventually fit into the 2 spot in the lineup (but that shouldn't be until he starts hitting a respectable rate for an extended period of time). I am starting to really sour on Swisher long-term. I thought he was a guy who was really hampered by playing in Oakland that would get better coming to a smaller park (he seemed to have a good swing and I figured he'd get his average into the .270 range, with 30 HR's and a 400 OBP) but the reality is when need be teams seem to have a good book on him (hence why he's never been a good career hitter with RISP and while RISP is a fluky stat on a year to year basis, when measured more long term I think its a semi-accurate matter of how you do when a pitcher is 100% focused on getting you out). Swisher has a very good contract and I still have very few complaints about the trade (namely because I couldn't see Swishers struggles coming nor could anyone else, plus he had a tremendous contract given his production and he appeared to be a guy entering his prime). Obviously he can still turn into all of those things because its not like his god given ability has dissapeared, but long term, I don't know if he is anything other than a poor man version of Adam Dunn (obviously he has a good attitude and is better defensively than Dunn, but Dunn at least slug). I'd put Swisher on my list of guys I'd like the Sox to go away from (this list includes two other Sox players: Jim Thome/Paul Konerko). I still like Konerko/Thome on the right team, just as Swisher is a good fit on the right team, but I'd prefer more guys in the Jermaine Dye mold of hitting (obviously thats easier said than done). Still with all the concerns I expect Swisher/Thome/Paulie to all play much better than they have and that will give a significant boost to the offense. Hopefully Kenny has realized that having too many pure sluggers makes a team susceptible to extended slumps (just like having a team purely reliant on speed can make you susceptible to slumps as well, and truly the best offenses are well balanced with a few sluggers, but those sluggers typically are solid average hitters). I think we'll see some more changes this off-season (again with an idea of getting younger and more athletic and recently that seems to be Kenny's MO, which is GOOD) offensively and that is regardless of the outcome of this season (because despite saying all this, I fully believe the Sox are capable of winning the division, although if I were a betting man, I'd put money on the Sox younger arms fatiguing down the stretch and the team falling a bit short in August/September because of it). Either way I'm very pleased with the amount of change we've seen to this lineup since the ASB of last season (Kenny has brought in some good young talent despite having a very poor farm system to rely on).

The stud Freshman Hernandez pitches past this double. God this guy is good. Great command for a freshman.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 31, 2008 -> 12:36 PM) DFA'd I can't imagine anyone picking him up.

QUOTE (29andPoplar @ May 31, 2008 -> 12:34 PM) Wise is being sent out today, isn't he? I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be. The next roster move will either be the acquisition of a 2nd baseman (Kenny is obviously wanting to get a legit top of the order hitter and unless he plans on moving Swisher for a different CF (Which isn't going to happen) 2B is about the only spot he can do that (or if he has plans to trade OC, which despite this big blow-up, I'd be stunned if the Sox dumped him). Plus I continue to say that OC will be exactly what the Sox expected out of him by seasons end (he hasn't been nearly as bad as some people have indicated, in fact, most defensive matrix/ratings have him as the 2nd best defensive SS in baseball this year). I know its hard to imagine, but obviously Uribe has the ability to do somethings OC can't do (but no one else, aside from Furcal could have done those things anyway) and OC can do a heck of a lot more at the plate on the paths. The other potential move I see happening at some point is Adam Russel being added to the pen. The Sox brass really likes this guy and I believe they feel he can develop into an upper echelon set-up man at some point in his career. Wasserman has been better as of late, but if he at all falters back to his first few outings, I wouldnt' be shocked to see Russel up.

QUOTE (daa84 @ May 31, 2008 -> 01:32 PM) granderson, carmona (but laffey has been better anyways), howie kendrick, aybar, Wasn't Arod out for that series against the Yanks?

The NL has horrible depth, but when I look through the all star ballots I think they'll have the better "all star" team. Heck, I still can't figure out whats going wrong with the Dbacks (they are much better than they've played as of late) and the Dodgers are in need of a middle of the order bat, but aside from that they are a pretty complete ball-club (albeit they have had there offensive struggles). The NL Central is a poor division and realistically the only team with the talent to go with the Cubs is the Brewers, who have a manager that shouldn't be managing (Yost has done a horrid job). The fun team to watch in that division is the Reds, who have a bevy of young, top notch talent coming up and what looks to be the makings of a pretty solid rotation (even though Harang/Arroyo haven't been as good as they have been in years past). Cuetto has shown he's still very raw, but the stuff is there. Homer Bailey really isn't even close to the prospect he once was. In fact, if I could compare him to anyone it would be Gavin Floyd (ie, a one time, premiere prospect who really had a bad major league debut and has continued to see his stuff decline since than). Who knows if Bailey turns it around because he has the god given ability, but you got to wonder what the heck has really happened to him.

Leadoff double, lets go Mizzu. I freaking hate Miami. I should say, a leadoff two base error (terrible play by Miami's 3rd baseman as that was as easy a play to 3rd as it gets).

For anyone with the U, I highly recommend watching the Mizzu/Miami game that will start shortly. I assume Miami will have its ace going (unless they were dumb enough to start there ace in game 1 and for a 1 seed, when you play a 4, you should be able to use a lesser pitcher to win) plus they have as many top 3-4 round prospects as any team in the country (and that includes Yonder Alonso who could potentially be the Sox draft pick). Mizzu has a rock solid rotation and at one point in time I expect all three of there starters to get drafted (everyone knows about Crow, but the rest of that rotation has some talent). Offensively Mizzu isn't near as talented as Miami so they'll have to get another strong pitching performance.

If somehow Alvarez fell to the Sox, they better not be cheap. Getting that sort of prospect at 8 would be an absolute steal. I still think there are enough big money teams at the top that negotiate with Boras on a regular basis that would take there chances (that even includes the Royals, who have had good luck negotiating with Boras draft picks). I also don't think San Fran would pass on Alvarez (they have the resources to sign him).

Got off my ass and looked up the player on Ole Miss that impressed me, Jordan Henry. He's a Sophmore (not draft eligible sophmore based upon my understanding of the age rules). He was the SEC Freshman of the year last year. That season he reached safely in 62 of 65 games. He hasn't been good this season and has shown very little power (so he won't be an early round pick thats for certain, but I think he'll get drafted next year in the 10-20 round range, just my guess based on the tools he does possess, ie "SPEED"). Other guys to watch on Ole Miss are the closer Scott Bittle (who could be around in the 3rd round when the Sox are on the board, and if he is that would be a good value pick), Satterwhite (very taletned, despite posting not so impressive numbers at Ole Miss;

QUOTE (fathom @ May 31, 2008 -> 10:27 AM) Question...which of these guys are Boras clients? At the top of the draft Hosmer is the one guy who teams are scared to death about (reports are that his demands will be in the 7M range) and because of it a lot of people are projecting him to fall in the 10-25 range in the draft (even though he's a top 4 talent). Not sure if Alvarez is repd by Boras, but I don't think Wallace/Smoak/Beckham (Collegiate Version)/Skipworth/Crow/Matsuz are Boras guys (and these are the main guys that would potentially be tied to the Sox).

Knight, I agree with you in the sense that Atkins is just not a good fit. If the Rockies were interested in moving Barmes (I'm assuming that won't be the case until Troy T. comes off the DL) than I would have a problem picking him up and considering him as an option at 2B (of course my preference is for a more proven guy or one of Richar/Ramirez to flash the tools and play solid baseball while they continue to develop and get better and better). I'd rather find a way to resolve the black-hole of highly paid hitters that are struggling (ie, the Thome/Konerko/Swisher "Triangle").

The discussion in the topic, involves the Sox and whether they'd have interest, so I feel its worthy of being in PHT.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 31, 2008 -> 11:21 AM) Why would the Reds take a SS? They have Phillips, Frazier, and Keppinger up the middle. The Reds have been for all intents and purposes considered a lock to grab Crow if he falls. I know BA has indicated that the Reds already have pretty much given a guarantee to Crow that if he's there, they will take him.