Chisoxfn

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Apr 10, 2006 -> 05:17 AM) I wuz robbed!!1!111!! I voted for ya Heads, just cause I think it would be funny for you to go undefeated and win this thing

Barney pushed me over the top. that was just creative. Overall I thought the bottom one was a bit cleaner, but creativity won out.

Huddy/Smoltz Mulder/Carpenter Pettite/Oswalt (I could buy this) Zito/Harden Those all I can buy. I can even buy Zambrono/Prior just because Zambrono is so dominate. But If I subscribe to that same philosphy Johan/ANYONE as well as Contreras/Buehrle would be on that list. Beckett/Schill #1, what the hell did they do last year and Glavine/Pedro well I just don't think Glavine is that good anymore, however Pedro is still pretty freaking great. Johnson/Mussina is a joke, just about as big as Beckett/Schill. I think Colon/Lackey could round out the list for sure (Colon is pretty damn good). I could maybe buy a Halladay/Burnett if both were healthy, cause each have a lot of potential and well Halladay has been one of the better pitchers over the past few years.

Tribe made things interesting in the 9th, but LOST to the Mariners.

I got to vehemntly disagree with Arod. I watch quite a few Yanks games on TV(I absolutely love Michael Kay...great announcer) and he is about as good as it gets at 3rd as is Crede and Chavez. When it comes to an almost even tie, obviously guys with more hype will get the award. However, if we stay in this playoff race and win our division like I think we will, Crede will be getting a whole lot of love and I'm sure you'll have some voters voting for him as a combo for not getting it last year and being damn good this year. However, Arod was just as deserving of the award as Crede or Chavez. Now Jeter, thats another story, he's not a great defensive shortstop. However, I now feel he is a great player. I learned that in the WBC. He does all the little things and is a flat out winner. Winners aren't selfish instead they take whatever the pitcher gives you and do it, they hustle, they get guys over, and play good defense. Jeter does all that, but not GOLD GLOVE DEFENSE.

Blake just had his 3rd hit and knocked in Belliard. 11-8 in the bottom of the 8th.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 01:13 PM) ^^^ I'm so sick of everyone annoiting them this unbeatable team. Folks, they GOT WORSE, not better over the off-season. We beat em last year and if healthy we'll beat em again.

I'm just going to agree to disagree, but there is a reason why the teams that win are still routed in scouting and not stats that pop up out of a computer. I'm not knocking stats, they are important, but way overdone. And anyone that doesn't realize how over-rated OBP is well whatever. Its great to have a nice OBP but more important is a hitters ability to HIT. Having a good eye makes him a more complete player. And having good STUFF has nothing to do whether you can throw strikes or not. Thats COMMAND, not STUFF.

I'm not positive, but I thought Smith left the system. Fields is in extended spring training. He had shoulder surgery late last season and is healthy, but is still in the midst of his rehab process. From what I know he should be in Charlotte within a month or so.

I've long said that these stats (unless proven similar over a long period of time) are biased to how teams play. For example I've long felt that there was a period of time where US Cellular rated as a more extreme hitters park than it may be because we have a lineup full of HR hitters and a pitching staff that was prone to the long ball. The same can be said of a team like Mil which for a long period of time has lacked many good hitters (and Power Hitters).

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QUOTE(watchtower41 @ Apr 11, 2006 -> 12:18 PM) Cutting to the chase, I thought a professional photographer used to advertise with soxtalk, but couldnt find a a link anywhere. I'm looking for a nice 16 x 20 Crede photo for his signing this weekend. Anybody have info on where I could find some nice pics?? I even tried to google a few vendors from Soxfest, and no luck. Websites would be fine too, but I waitied a bit too long and need this by Saturday. mlb.com photos takes like 2 weeks to deliver. thanks. Look at the bottom of the posts, you should see an advertisement for the Soxtalk Picture Store. They should have it.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 01:21 PM) Okay, without even looking at PF numbers (which can be a mindf*** from year to year in some cases), I'd say that these are the 12 best pitching parks in baseball, in no particular order: New York (Mets) Washington Florida Milwaukee Pittsburgh Chicago (Cubs) Los Angeles San Francisco San Diego Oakland Seattle Detroit Who am I missing? Wrigley Field is a hitter's nightmare when the wind is blowing in, which is seemingly more often than not. And you know what? I should have brought up Danny Kolb when we were discussing Miller Park before. That dude is Exhibit A. Christ, how about Luis Vizcaino? Don't tell me that it's all Mike Maddux. Seriously, I just can't trust anyone on their pitching staff unless they kick ass elsewhere, like Sheets or Turnbow. Did you notice that Viz wasn't bad for the Sox last season or that Kolb had a career year. He wasn't the same pitcher with the Braves. So because Shingo suck in YR 2 does that mean it was all because of US Cellular.

Sox can hit good FB pitchers. Verlander is a studly prospect, but he's not invincible. If this team is patient they will be able to draw walks and sit on his fastball. However in a year or two him and Bonderman are going to be really tough to beat.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 10:42 AM) BTW Ohka has 11 IP in Miller park, nice sample size. And once again, what is the problem with them being good at home and worse on the road? Is it too out of the question to think that they follow the norm of being better in their home park? As far as rotations in their divisionm they are probably the 2nd best only to ST Louis IMO, which could win them the division or the wild card no problem. Hell some of Okha's numbers have came from Boston which is not a pitchers park.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 10:19 AM) Yeah, but the guy who allows the fewest baserunners is the best. If you're walking too many guys, you're playing with fire, and it doesn't matter how good your stuf is...you're gonna get hammered at times. You can't be pinpoint with every single pitch, and even if you are, there are a lot of unbelievably talented hitters in this league that will get to you. And if anyone learned anything from the Top 20 WHIP list I maintained last year, the best of the best show up on that list ALWAYS. Now, on a Top 20 ERA list, that is never the case. ERA is influenced WAY too much by the stadium that you pitch in. No the guy who wins 20 games and puts up a good ERA is the best. I realize Wins are an elusive stat but thats what you get paid to do...WIN Games. Sure you can make a point that a guy who wins 22 with a poor ERA got a little lucky, but he still got the wins and thats what this game is about. You don't award Cy Youngs on WHIP.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 10:09 AM) Zoom, all three were Top 15 in the majors last year: Zambrano 1.15 WHIP Buehrle 1.18 WHIP Oswalt 1.20 WHIP I must say that I'm stunned by your post. WHIP is so much better than ERA that it's not even funny. My ass. A guy whose a damn good pitcher may walk more than the usual batter and therefor his WHIP may be higher, but he could have stellar stuff and therefor people never get the key hits off him. Look at Millwood last season, he had runners on but he flat out pitches better with runnres on. Sure ERA tends to fluctuate year to year based on luck in a sense, but you don't need a very low WHIP to be a good pitcher. It helps, but its definately not a necessity. Bottom line what wins games, ERA (Runs allowed) or WHIP. You don't get a W because you gave up just 5 hits but also 5 runs. However if you give up 15 hits/walks and only give up 3 runs, well thats the result that matters and if people are posting a consistently good ERA year in year out, than I could give two s***s about what there whip is. I also think people drastically overlook home road splits. Fact is guys sometimes pitch better at certain places than others and there are plenty of people who have better stats at home becuase its there home park and they are more comfortable pithcing in front of there fans, etc. Other pitchers may struggle at there home park because for whatever reason the way they pitch doesn't fit in well for a ball park (maybe a pitcher who really like hammering the ball inside would struggle at Fenway because right handers would be able to get a lot of pulled homers, however at other parks he wouldn't suffer from that. Fact is I can tell people if someone is a good or bad pitcher with my eyes. Stats only back up whether he's actually succeeding or not and some people drastically overlook stats (in fact I think most statty guys do exactly that). And because of it they oow and awe stupid things. For example they appreciate a guy with a .400 OBP yet a .240 AVG over someone with a .300 AVG, a .350 OBP, and a lower OPS than the prior hitter (or at least some do). Thats just stupid, fact is while walks can get you on base, hits are what drives guys in and they don't always go for just one base (plus walks can move guys one base, hits can move guys 2 bases quite often, sometimes more, sometimes less). Hence the reason I think statiticians everywhere over-rate OBP and underrate AVG. If OBP was such a tell all you'd have some different teams in the playoffs this past few years. The Sox wouldn't have won the world series, the Angels wouldn't have made the playoffs, Jeff Francouer wouldn't be a solid player (with a lot of upside)...etc etc.

Indians aren't as good as most of you seem to think. That pitching is mediocre at BEST.

QUOTE(SoxAce @ Apr 11, 2006 -> 08:17 PM) I will never understand why the sox didn't get him instead of Lucy. Nothing against Lucy, but I watched Suzuki in college and he is a stud. If someone here can even attempt to explain it then that's fine, but I don't think I'll buy any of it. As Randar said, Lucy had the physical tools to be a stellar defensive catcher. There are some questions as to whether Suzuki has that. But considering I got to see him play a lot at Fullerton, I too was at least a bit surprised because Suzuki is such a good hitter and leader.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Apr 11, 2006 -> 09:17 PM) Hitting-wise, the guys I'd really like to see "breakout" this year are Valido and Hernandez. I've heard rave reviews (at different times) about both guys, and what I like best is that they are supposed to be pretty solid defensive players (I am correct in saying that, yes?). Defense is becoming more and more sought after, as more and more comes out on how exactly to measure it. It'd be nice, for a change, to have the Sox develop some good-fielding, good-hitting middle infielders (and catchers) rather than outfielders. Obviously, there's a lot more value if you can hit and play catcher than if you can hit and play RF. It also breaks down nicely with Hernandez and Pierzynski, too. The three year contract to Pierzynski gives Hernandez a pretty decent amount of time to get through A-ball and AA (and, if necessary, Charlotte). One more question about another catcher, Chris Stewart. He had a pretty decent year at Birmingham last season, and he could prove to be pretty valuable as a backup catcher in the near future. But, how's his defense? Very good. Its why he'll have a good shot at replacing Widge next year.

QUOTE(Felix @ Apr 11, 2006 -> 02:52 AM) His splits from 2003-2005: Home: 841 AB, .321/.408/.606/1.014 54 HR, 200 RBI Road: 790 AB, .271/.357/.594/.951 68 HR, 188 RBI So yea, he's been helped, but he's still a hell of a player on the road. His pre-Boston numbers were because he was likely undeveloped. Mainly it had to deal with him being injury prone. The people in Minny loved him at the plate and while I don't think they ever saw him becoming the guy he has, he was let go for financial purposes as well as the fact he couldn't stay healthy in Minneapolis. They always loved him as a hitter and I think they could have seen him putting up pretty good numbers had he stayed healthy (probably not this good though).

QUOTE(BlackBetsy @ Apr 11, 2006 -> 07:58 PM) Heck of a game for F. Hernandez (forgot his first name) down at Kanny. 4 for 4, hitting .353 to start the season. It's good for him to get off to a great start. Derek Rodriguez put up a great line for Kanny, too. With the exception of Redding, excellent pitching for the Sox minor leaguers tonight. Definately watch out for Rodriguez. That Kanny rotation has some good FB's.

Get Back off the Ledge By Alex Bozich Senior Writer, Soxtalk.com It's only April. Let me repeat...It's only April. Sure it wasn't the start we all imagined coming off of a World Series title, but let me say it again, it's only April. I'm going to break this article down into two parts. What's gone right and what's gone wrong thus far in the season that's just a week old. Click Here for the Rest of This Story

I haven't seen anything about Alfords contract but than again I am not one that follows the off-season of college sports that in depth. Seems like this guy is a total homer though. However i remember Alford raving about how Thompson plays in practices and he kept hinting that we'd see big things from him this upcoming season. Sucks we lost Carlton Reeve, I guess he's pissed that Freeman got his minutes.

QUOTE(Whitewashed in '05 @ Apr 10, 2006 -> 07:41 PM) Wes was a first basemen at UCLA right? From what I've read he could handle the bat pretty good too. Any specific reasons for the switch to SP? He did both, but the Sox liked his upside more as a pitcher. He excelled as a hitter in the cape cod league a year or so before he was drafted though. Did not have a good final season at UCLA (as a hitter or a pitcher).