Chisoxfn

I second that. To all those that have joined recently, welcome aboard. Its great to have more Sox fans here

SN Report: Sox Place Wright on 15-Day DL By Mario Scalise March 28, 2003 SoxNet.net

How about we give him a fifty cent cd?

Well, he had as good if not better stuff and maturity than Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. Just say you've never seen him pitch healthy and avoid embarassment. Besides, I never said he was a "HOF player", just that he had "HOF ceiling". Too bad his arm fell off. You only mentioned a FEW pitchers from different organizations. I mentioned no less than 12-15 quality prospects from just one. Not such an aberration. (Look at Cubs: Kerry Wood is still relatively healthy and Zambrano, Cruz, Prior are looking great. And we had BETTER, deeper for sure, pitching system) Quit yer extrapolatin' in other words. Embarassment???? What are you talking about. I saw him pitch in 2000, but even then that was after one surgery, from him screwing up his arm with the GIANTS. You talk as if all our top 10 prospects are going to become stars. They are called prospects, not stars when you talk about them because most of them will fail, and some will come out of nowhere and make it. I understand a lot of them put up good numbers in AA, AAA, etc, but that doesn't guarantee anything. You also need to make do with many things. Also, look at Wood, healthy??? Look at the injuries he had, now he's healthy, one season over 200 innings though in his entire career. You need to realize not everyone is a hall of famer until they prove it. If everyone that had HOF potential lived up to it, then the hall of fame would be useless and everyteam would have 9 hall of famers on it.

Dellaero gave up pitching. He's either going to make the majors as a shorstop or nothing.

Oh ya with Kris Honel. I think there are some reasons to worry, but I wouldn't worry too much. I think the big reason people are afraid are because of his so called velocity drop, but I think scouts overhyped the fastball from the get go. He's pretty much always thrown 90-91. Its his secondary pitches that are phenomenal, but his heater has good movement too. Then talking about Stumm, that guy is talented, but the arm couldn't handle the stress. He will be pitching again this year eventually. Also, since you mentioned the Cubs, they lost Christensen, Will Ohman, Scott Chiasson, and a few other prospects with arm injuries that they were counting on. Steve Smyth too.

Brando, as far as the prospects, your really overhyping them I think, something White Sox fans are very used to now a days because of the high amount of prospects that have been overhyped over the years. Only the Yankees hype more prospects. Now back to Barcelo, there is no way that the Sox screwed this guy up. If I recall he had arm surgery back when he was in the Giants organization, then came to the Sox and pitched great, but then needed another surgery. The reason was, he never changed his mechanics and some guys just put too much pressure on their arms. Remember that guy with the Devil Rays that broke his arm pitching like twice, same type of thing. Barcelo was amazing, but HOF? I don't think so. The Sox didn't know if he'd ever be able to start and when they acquired him he was mainly considered closer material, but they had some hope that eventually he could make it to the rotation. Someone can check me on that, cause I didn't know as much about baseball at that age. Lets talk Malone. First off, Malone came out of nowhere two years ago. Before that he had always struggled with control and him struggling with it this past season wasn't any shocker. Injuries were the big reason, but he's still a very "raw" pitcher and he's extremely young. Look around the majors and most pitchers don't become "studs" until they are much older, with quite a few year development process. Some shoot up and just stick from the get go, but thats rare. To be honest the Sox don't have the prospects like Wood or Prior those guys were extremely special guys. Malone, don't give up on this kid. The Sox aren't rushing guys anymore, so he won't be seen this year (Not likely, maybe in September), but he'll reach AAA this year and could fight for a job next year, but may end up having more like a year and a half in AAA, which is a good thing. 2 years in AAA can be very good for a young pitcher. In regards to Rauch, once again, I think you look way too much into his injury. Before the injury the guy was good, but overhyped, at least I think he was. Take away his height and he's not quite as special. The guy doesn't have an amazing fastball, but he does throw a very good curve and slider, unfortunately he isn't throwing the slider right now as he's not 100%, imo. I'm not at all the games, so I'm not positive on that, but its what I've heard. Rauch also has a change up that he's working on and his fastball is solid. He's not someone to forget about, but arm injuries take time to get back. This guy was a nobody when the Sox picked him and look what he's turned into. Now talking about Sirotka, the guy was alright, but we didn't screw him up. Him pitching in Japan in the summer did him in, and he wasn't an ace. He was solid, but gave up too many baserunners per inning to ever be a true #1. He was more like a good #2. In regards to the whole coaching thing, I go with Brando. When your in AAA making crap for money and you have a shot at the majors, you listen to your coach, thats what they are there for, to help you. You can say your things, but you can't just refuse. They are going to do all they can to make it to the show and they have to make a good impression on the coaches so they can earn some money as well as fullfill their dream.

I think once his time is up they will decide whether to give him surgery or not and will base it on how Loiaza and Stewart are pitching.

Ya, Herges had very good numbers.

I'm a so-called expert (hey, I call myself an expert, therefor I'm a socalled expert) and the Sox are gonna win the series.

Damn, I love your sig Ian.

Well, I need to see Loiaza and Stewart/or/Wright prove ready before I am pleased with the starting rotation now. I like our chances, but I wish Wright was healthy. I'd like another starter in case (Finley/Reynolds)

Lol, witesoxfan, like your quote this week.

When you were a kid you never had a cap gun or acted like you were GI Joe or anything like that? My buddies and I would always have water fights with squirt guns and act like we were commandos. That was the s***

Cool, I can listen for like the first 15 minutes.

I'm not going to put a penny down. Before the football season my friend said the Bucs would win it all and he said he wouldn't put a dime on it because it would jinx him. Well he didn't and they won it all. I'm following his approach, and the Sox are going to win it all.

Yes they did. I like Herges. Real good a few years ago with the Dodgers, BUT, I'd only sign him to a minor league deal. He's had injury problems and the bullpen is set. That being said, Herges has handled a closers role, can pitch quite a few innings and is a hard thrower. He's pretty damn good when healthy.

Rob, I really enjoyed this awesome. Very entertaining and full of good tidbits. Loved the Vitalisms. Looking back it definately has been an interesting spring.

Commentary: The Real March Madness By Rob Knowles March 27, 2003 SoxNet.net When people use the phrase “March Madness” the first things that come to mind are basketball, brackets and Cinderella teams. This March though, White Sox Spring Training has been as muddled as anything in sports. Madness is the only way to sum up the string of events that have taken place in Tucson. White Sox spring training has had its share of Cinderella’s, upsets, and crazy events. If Dick Vitale was broadcasting the Sox games this spring he would have come up with more catch phrases then he has in the previous ten years. Need some Cinderella’s this spring? Look no further than Tucson where underdogs have been fighting boldly for roster spots. Who could foresee Aaron Miles holding a .300 batting average for the majority of the spring and a rather high 61 at-bats? Miles, an undersized 26-year-old second baseman, may have only been in Double-A last year, but this spring manager Jerry Manuel is likening Miles to David Eckstein. The Cinderella slipper fits and Miles is wearing it. It doesn’t end there either. Josh Stewart, a 24-year-old lefty starter, was dominating in Birmingham last year, but a shot at the big league roster looked slim in 2003. Stewart apparently didn’t know this, because he has been blazing through spring training lineups. Stewart has posted a 2.05 ERA in 6 games, which has given him attention and a spot. Incumbent 5th starter Jon Rauch was sent down after he lost his control, and Dan Wright, a 14 game winner, went down with a swollen elbow, these events have opened the doors for Stewart--Its upset city, baby! Kelly Wunsch has provided more madness than Bryce Drew did in 1998. When camp opened Wunsch was being looked at as the odd man out in the Sox pen. Jerry Manuel, even openly questioned Wunsch’s chances of securing a spot in the bullpen. Wunsch was un-phased. Wunsch has in fact been the best reliever this spring, holding opponents to zero runs in 10.2 innings. Wunsch has also created a stir off the field. Wunsch organized a movement in the Sox clubhouse to refuse steroid testing. Had the 16 White Sox players gone through with the plan, there would have been an increased likelihood of mandatory testing in the future. Wunsch’s move created a rift throughout the league. The latest quote from Manuel on Wunsch, “It would be very difficult to leave him off the staff with the experience he has and the way he’s been pitching”—it’s March madness, baby! There was plenty more madness in Spring Training. Frank Thomas sent Tucson ablaze with his rants of the White Sox. Thomas also said he was going to surprise some people this year. So far, Thomas is on the right track, posting a .400+ average. It seems as if Mark Buehrle and the White Sox went through a couple hundred rounds of contract negotiations only to come up empty. Aaron Rowand started playing baseball again after his dirt bike injury. Free agent pick up Esteban Loaiza, has proved himself to be valuable by posting a 3-2 record and a 2.80 ERA. And the most maddening thing of all this spring, more maddening than the injuries, rifts and Cinderella’s, the hitless wonder Jason Dellaero is batting .500 (granted, in two at bats). The odds of his inconceivable start can only be compared to a 16-seed knocking off a one-seed--Unbelievable, baby! How will this incredible madness come to an end? Will Aaron Miles be playing second sometime this season? Will Josh Stewart be a rookie of the year contender? Will Jason Dellaero tear apart big league pitching? All of the above may seem like unattainable endings but, with the way March has gone so far for the Sox, nothing is impossible.

I like Miles, but he had some major set backs. I think I'd be interested if we could do a Miles/Ricky Davis for Erob/Jay Will swap. Not sure if it would work salary wise and I do think we'd be robbing them blindly.

Breaking them up could turn into a very good thing. Man I hope Stewart does good and I hope Wright gets healthy.

Well Bulls could desperately use a good shooting guard that has a good size body and can play defense. Who is potentially out there that could fit that bill?

Actually even before this war, many Arab companies have come out with their own fast food chicken enterprises and their own soda companies to lower their dependence on western influence. Yeah gimme a crab juice over Mountain Dew any day. (Hypocritically I drink a Dew as I type this.) How bout some Kokolash?

I agree with you Chris. Had Wright been 100% I wouldn't worry, but right now I am going to look at it as we have Loazia and Stewart. Loiaza pitched great, but isn't really anything special although we can all hope and there is a good shot that he pitches much better now that he's matured. Then Stewart, who knows. That leaves two big ?, why not sign Reynolds as a backup plan, cause when he's healthy, look out, he'd be tremendous. Not saying he needs to be with the team right away, but give him a contract where if in 3 weeks he isn't on the roster, he can go elsewhere if he wants.

I was just going to post this Chris. Nice find. I'm all in favor of Reynolds. Really good veteran. He's coming off an injury, so he may take a little time, but the Astros expected him to be their 3rd starter. I like Shane a lot, and as a veteran he should be able to get back. Very good signing, imo, if we got him.