Chisoxfn

QUOTE (daa84 @ May 25, 2008 -> 05:33 PM) it seems like a great majority of our baserunners in the last 5 or so games have been erased by double plays or base running mistakes Swisher getting thrown out at 2nd wasn't a base running mistake. Don't know what other mistakes there were. OC would have been safe on anything but a solid throw and had he not hesiated initially would have been safe. I'm not so sure i'd call it a baserunning blunder, rather an agressive out. In terms of DP's, most of this lineup rolls over on things (for f*** sake, half of the lineup is hovering the mendoza line) and as a result you have pretty good odds of seeing a DP. The Sox need to drastically adjust this lineup and add a hitter or two into it (and sacrifice a little power by moving two people like Thome/Konerko/Swisher/Uribe).

In terms of Lackey looking hittable. If you watch him throw one or two pitches you'd say, wow he's hittable. Than you watch him over the whole game and you'll see how he spots his FB in/out and up and down in the zone as well as moves his breaking stuff around the plate. That combination turns a guy who doesn't have eye popping stuff (his FB & Curve are both good pitches though) into one of the best pitchers in the AL.

Thome makes solid contact about 3 times a week now a days.

Quentin with a hard slide. Too bad Dye crushed it right to the 3rd baseman for a DP.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 25, 2008 -> 05:19 PM) OC finally gets a nice hit, and then shows terrible instincts to go for it. He's made his career by having good instincts but any player that is agressive will ocassionally make an agressive mistake. s*** happens, if he consistently made stupid mistakes thats one thing, but this is a guy that consistently makes good agressive decisions and he's widely regarded as one of the smartest baseball players in the game for a reason. CQ with a hit. His mini slump looks to be ending

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 25, 2008 -> 05:18 PM) Who's been the bigger bust? OC or Swisher? Swisher by a long shot.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ May 25, 2008 -> 05:18 PM) I am speechless on how stupid that was. You have an offense that is struggling, you get into scoring position and then pull that stunt. Dumb. Technically with an offense struggling I expect the team to be additionally agressive on the basepaths. Not saying it was the smartest of all moves given that the middle of the order is due up, but had he not hesitated to begin with he would have been safe at 3rd. Still, I'd prefer not to run ourselves out of things. On the bright side, it was the 2nd straight AB where OC hit the ball HARD.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ May 25, 2008 -> 05:13 PM) His forkball is just nasty again as well. Thats for sure.

3 1-2-3 innings so far from JC.

Wow, I'd have called that a strike on Rivera.

Morgan has brought up a very astute point regarding Jose Contreras telegraphing his fastball when he drops sidearm. 90% of the time that is all he's throwing from that arm slot and I'm surprised we haven't seen him throw more changeups out of that spot (to at least ensure hitters have to stay honest). For the most part he hasn't gotten too sidearm happy, but I've noticed it a bit more from him tonight. Luckily he's had pretty damn good command as well as velocity. He's really looking good.

You can see Anderson, on the pitch, he brings his hands a bit outside and than back in and it prevents him from hitting the ball with any authority.

Anderson isn't keeping his hands in and is going around the ball, which is really hurting him offensively.

Anderson with the usual, grounder to the 3rd baseman.

QUOTE (daa84 @ May 25, 2008 -> 04:33 PM) btw is anyone else as convinced as i am that the espn thing is set up so that the umps dont look bad? i know it showed one earlier was a ball that they called a strike, i feel like K zone agrees with the umpire way more than it should I have a big zone, but i haven't had any problem with the ump. I'm fine with his zone and i just hope he calls it consistent for both teams.

Irvine, CA

Great hook by Lackey. Tip your cap to that. Interesting comment from Morgan, I'll be curious to see if we start noticing a more upright stance from Swisher over the next week or so and whether such will level out his swing plane.

Hunter is so f***ing good.

First crooked number of the day coming up for the Sox right here.

I don't know why, but I also think Thome and Swisher will too (even though Thome just popped up weakly).

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ May 25, 2008 -> 05:13 PM) Well let's just say the first 7 picks are (in no specific order): Alvarez Beckham Posey Matusz Crow Beckham Smoak Then I'd probably scrap the "college bat only" mentality and go best player available which in my opinion would be Hosmer, but assuming they don't want to touch Hosmer I'd probably go for one of Skipworth, Yonder Alonso or Aaron Hicks. I don't think going the high school route would be bad it just wouldn't be ideal. If Skipworth is there, I will be furious if the Sox pass up on him. He doesn't have unreasonable signing demands (Hosmer does, so I understand and won't blame the Sox for passing on him) yet he has very good tools. While he is a prep player, these type of catching prospect is very rare and the Sox would be foolish to pass on it. I understand people like taking the college player (safer route) but it is hard for me to compare the value in a stud catcher and a stud first baseman (how many more stud first baseman are there in the game than catchers). However, given that route, I would say that I'll be excited with any of the three guys you listed as I think all are capable of turning into perennial all stars (and while none are guarantees to do such, the goal of your #8 pick should be to get a guy who is capable of being a perennial all star and whether its Skipworth/Alonso/Hicks you are talking about guys with serious tools).

Brian Anderson is going to have a big game.

I won't comment too much on the mock, simply because the reality is it is a total crapshoot so its kind of a best effort. Gerrit Cole to the Yanks is an interesting pick, considering Cole has an absolutely brilliant arm (top 5 type of arm). The problem is his mechanics are questionable and there are a lot of experts already scheduling his first arm operation. One thing I want to comment is a name I really like, Brandon Crawford. This guy entered the season as one of the premiere collegiate players in the country (SS, UCLA) and he along with his Bruins had a down season but he has legitimate tools across the board (he has a lot of offensive tools, atlhough he still has to put everything together offensively) and could be an impact type of SS. If the Sox do pass on Beckham in the 1st round, than getting a SS like Crawford in the 3rd would be a major coup. I do want to point out that I tend to disagree on your assessment of Danks. I think he is a much more pure hitter than you give him credit for (I've watched about 10 or so Texas games on TV this year and he has a very smooth swing, but I think he's the type of player that should garnish a decent amount of power (not 30Hr power, but 15-25 Hr's isn't out of the question). Definately think he has the ability to be a very very solid OFer.

QUOTE (Palehosefan @ May 25, 2008 -> 04:51 PM) I see too much Donny Lucy in Castro. Though my anger of drafting Lucy over Suzuki may still be affecting my judgement. I just don't see Castro as a top 10 talent. I think he's riding the coattails of Posey and Skipworth and doesn't belong in the same class. I would take Alonso if the catchers and Smoak are gone. I love Skipworth and keep hoping that somehow he falls to the Sox. I think he would be an absolutely tremendous pick. Aside from Wietters and Posey he is one of the best catching prospects to come out since Mauer (and that says something).

ACC has the top RPI in the country so they got that going for them. Of course the ACC hasn't had a national champ since 1955 (Wake Forest) and I personally hope that draught continues. I want to say that while Michigan has some talent (see Putnam) that it is a f***ing joke that they are getting a regional. I realize the midwest needs some representation but there were some more deserving squads. Below is the a list of the teams hosting regionals (per BA): ACC (4): Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State Big 12 (3): Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M Big West (2): Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State Pac-10 (2): Arizona State, Stanford SEC (2): Georgia, Louisiana State Big South (1): Coastal Carolina Big Ten (1): Michigan Conference USA (1): Rice