Chisoxfn

He had missed the previous two weeks with a hamstring injury. He has played in two games since coming back (not counting Sunday's game) and last night hit 3 HR's. The guy is our best position prospect who hasn't gotten any major league action yet (ie Josh Fields).

We aren't even .500 and baseball superstitions indicate that this thing is getting locked (my first superstition of the new season).

I like Getz. I don't know if he'll make it as a every day player but he has a lot of good baseball instincts that can make him end up reaching his ceiling (which is as a .280, .350 type of guy who plays above average defense at 2B and just smart baseball). In fact, I'd consider his upside to be similar to a Grudz type player. At worse I think he turns into a serviceable sub. I would love to have him up. I don't mind Pablo even though he's struggled with the bat early (cause he needs AB's to get the timing down but Getz could be a good guy to lean on to see what we have (and than after he gets a bit of a chance, if he fails, Richar should be back and ready to get a chance).

Woot woot. Despite my struggles with my knee, which are apparently not as serious as they initially thought, I've gotten down another 2 pounds. Went swimming yesterday and jesus is swimming hard to do.

QUOTE (Molto @ May 3, 2008 -> 11:16 AM) You still like Furcal, jas? I say that to the point that you'd want the Sox to sign him this off-season? Wouldn't that take 3-5 years and $15 mil a year? Probably and it is a lot but with no prospects it may be the best choice.

Quentin is so freaking good. His development is another reason why I wouldn't mind moving both guys (pushing Quentin up in the order and getting him more and more ready to be a franchise type player) while you get Fields up here to start playing (he showed he's ready, he is still raw and has holes, but he can be a solid big leaguer).

QUOTE (Soxpranos @ May 3, 2008 -> 11:08 AM) I mentioned that a week or so ago and was jumped on how we cant trade guys with such good OPS and on their past accomplishments. I suggested, trade one at at ime and when one goes, be it Thome or Konerko.. bring up Fields and have play 1st or DH. That is what I would do. Get Fields up and ready and slowly turn to getting the next player moved. I'd be keying in on a stud SS prospect, a stud young outfielder, and a stud pitching prospect (who you could pencil behind Floyd/Danks). Oh, I would still have interest working something with the Dodgers involving Billingsley (he's not had that great of a start to the season). If you don't get a SS, move Thome/Konerko and than Contreras in the off-season (or at the deadline if the club is out of it) and make a massive push at Furcal to jump into the offense (cause this team can still compete next year, hell I think even with moving Paulie/Thome, you can compete this year, but you'd have to be able to get enough teams to help you out and be willing to trade relatively early in the season which is a bit tough).

QUOTE (Molto @ May 3, 2008 -> 11:08 AM) I don't like to assume I know what KW and Ozzie are thinking or aren't seeing, but I honestly feel that they don't see Thome and Konerko as part of the problem. I really think they are chalking it up to guys being cold and giving them time to come around, because if that wasn't the case, one of these two should've been traded/not signed to a five-year deal a couple years ago. I'm OK with Dye ... I think the problem is this team has a decent amount of outfielders that I'd rather see play. You're right. Ideally Dye is moved to left or put in a DH role, because I think he's easily the smartest hitter of the three. That is what scares me, they seem to like Thome/Paulie. I understand both are good guys in the clubhouse but there is more to things and this is coming from one of Paulie's biggest fans (me).

I think Poreda will eventually be the next Billy Wagner (and I say that in a good way because Wagner when healthy was pretty dominate for a good long time).

QUOTE (Soxpranos @ May 3, 2008 -> 11:00 AM) If the Diamond backs were only that dumb. Its too bad the only worthwhile guy the Pads really have to offer position wise is Adrian Gonzalez because I could see them having interest in picking up Paulie (problem is he plays the same position as Gonzalez). However, if the Sox dealt Paulie to some random team, I would have a lot of interest in acquiring Adrian Gonzalez, who is rock solid and will only get better moving away from Petco.

QUOTE (Molto @ May 3, 2008 -> 10:57 AM) I came to this conclusion after the first three months he was with this team. He can say all the rights things to the media and be a nice guy, his approach and the way he goes about the game is poor, and like you said, not that of a winner. What's a shame is the problem with this offense revolves around the guys making the most money and are in the middle (Konerko, Thomas, Dye, although I have less issue with Dye). A healthy Dye has a very good approach. He gets cold but he's really the least of the squads worries. I'd make moves to try and get building blocks that are major league ready and consider moving Dye to LF or DH after dealing Paulie/Thome (with the idea you get two young potential stars out of the deal and 1-2 B prospects). Dye/Swisher/Quentin becomes your knew 3/4/5 and you find a leadoff hitter. AJ stays at 6, Crede at 7 and you slide Fields and other guys acquired into the lineup. Clearly it is all speculative, but Kenny could do far worse than moving those two guys becuase if you clear them the team gets a lot younger and should actually get more talented (long term, short term you take risks but again I say they haven't produced nor have we won recently anyway so try to build a more defensive base/speed lineup with younger guys who should continue to improve (which will fit since you are building a rotation around guys like Javy/Mark who still have a couple years left, plus Floyd/Danks who are getting better and better and maybe one other young prospect like Broadway or someone acquired via trade). The Sox rotation is rock solid, so why not try to retools the offense to something that can actually improve as opposed to an offense that is only getting worse.

Somehow I hope Kenny is sitting there and realizing the Sox have a lot of pieces in place but he needs to make a significant tweak or two which really adjusts the entire makeup of the offense (and moving Thome/Konerko would do exactly that).

QUOTE (fathom @ May 3, 2008 -> 10:49 AM) Ha, I said the same thing last week. Thankfully we didn't give up anyone good in the trade for him. I don't want to say he's been a bust, but he's been a disappointment. With guys like him, I'm not surprised the Indians never won it all. I f***ing hate Thome. I mean hate. And I say that because I absolutley hate his style of baseball (ie, I'm going to either slug it 10000 feet or strike out or do something s***ty). He's not a hitter. Manny Ramirez, Pujols they both hit for power, but they also have tremendous approaches and that makes them dangerous hitters all the time, where as Thome has a horrid approach and just goes all hit or miss. The Sox need more legitimate "hitters" on this team and less pure "sluggers". Thome is also old and I still think he has trade value. I've been saying it for a long time too, this team will be better without Thome (because of what you can get by moving him and the fact that it should free up the Sox ability to move Swisher down and get a legitimate leadoff hitter which is something Ozzie needs). I know Thome will have top stats at the end of the day, but I completely don't buy into the bulls*** approach that OPS is king. I think it is important but also show me a hitters approach and how he's capable of coming up in the clutch. I also would have no problem if they moved away from Konerko (although Paulie typcially has a good approach, you can see his bat speed is slowing down and he has relied on that for a large chunk of his career). I'd say keep Dye cause he's signed pretty affordably. Oh and the pure slugging thing is one of the reasons I'm not as high on Josh Fields as most (because I don't see him being much different, but at least he has decent footspeed and can go from 1st to 3rd). You can still win by building around this rotation and making some more tweaks to make this lineup more athletic (and I don't just mean more speed, rather, more good baseball hitters and less pure sluggers).

I hate Jim Thome. There, I've said it again. It has nothing to do with him, he'll get his stats but he's not a winner. I f***ing hate "sluggers". Give me hitters who can also hit for power. Guys like Adam Dunn, Jim Thome are losers plain and simple. They don't know how to truly hit and because of that it is all "hit" or "miss" with them. I still say the offense has a lot of the tools, it just needs a bit of a tweaking (ie move Thome or Konerko and make some adjustments and try to get yourself a legit leadoff hitter so you can move Swisher down in the lineup).

Wow Jeff, you just gave me plenty of ammo to give you crap. My worse is I once had the Brian Urlacher zero on my head (I had never had a buzz and just decided one day f*** it, its all coming off). The second worse, although it was badass at the time, was when I had my hair dyed two seperate colors.

QUOTE (Steff @ May 2, 2008 -> 03:48 PM) No I didn't, but I can sure believe it. Maybe you were sending me video of the dancing... Thats the only thing I can imagine...which is why deep down, I was thankful that whatever video I sent didn't go through cause if it did, I can only imagine how embarassing it would have been

QUOTE (Steff @ May 2, 2008 -> 03:44 PM) From what I got on this end... mission accomplished. Haha, Did you see the drunk thread where I mentioned I woke up on Sunday morning with dollar bills in my pants (apparently I did a stripper dance at the bar for some girls).

We already have MacDougall and other guys that have enough trouble throwing strikes (whether in AAA/AA).

I think it works similarly to the bereavment list.

Masset just pitched so the long man is gone and I know for a fact that the Sox like Russel a lot so I'm guessing they'd rather have him up here, knowing that they really have a pretty solid bench with guys that can play many positions so the club was better suited going with the extra arm.

I may be screwed....really was on a roll and my knee is hurt, possibly very severly...waiting to finally get it looked at.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ May 2, 2008 -> 12:09 AM) The important question is...how are your pants? I miss those pants.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii..............Booooooooooooozeeeee...........WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIi. Sobering up by 7 AM..........f***KKKKKKKKKK

Russel has kicked ass down in AAA in the pen. He has shown a lot of velocity out of the pen as well (mid 90's). The question is who the heck does he replace or does he just replace Ramirez (with the Sox carrying an extra pitcher)?

Terrible...terrible. The guy leads the AL in plenty of offensive slugging categories and he's the guy you want benched. Wow.