Chisoxfn

I look at things from the perspective we have average to below average defenders at 3B, LF, and RF. We don't know who is playing 2B yet. That is quite a few guys that are below average in an era where defense is being far more critical as in lower run producing era, the benefit of a saved hit / saved run is more important then back in the steroid era. Unless we have elite pitching to overcome it or a well above average offense, you are going to have struggle overcoming poor defensive performances. I think we should not have poor or below average defenders unless they can prove that their offensive production is worth it or we think they can develop into that type of player. I also have no idea if some of our middle infielders will be utilized as chips to upgrade other positions either. Bottom line, if you see value in moving one of our guys we don't necessarily see as a long-term starter, and can sign someone like Callaspo for cheap who can have steady production and fit a niche, might be a solid move. Again, not one of those moves you make right away as the focus should be finding two outfielders who can hit, and ideally one can play above average defense while the other is at least average defensively so you can be flexible). We also have to absolutely fix the bullpen. Whether that is via FA or trading for pieces, I don't know, but I think it probably involves a bit of both (as well as some existing parts we have). You absolutely have zero shot at contending with a bullpen constructed like ours was last year.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 3, 2014 -> 10:46 AM) If I remember though, it turns out that was done with her involved in the decision, and there were reasons it was better to do so. Not quite the same. Article even has a quote saying doctor did it so she could receive unemployment benefits and thus still receive payments while fighting the treatment and then would potentially re-employ. I think even by stating that he probably violated some sort of labor law, but in theory, what he did would have been something that would have been very beneficial to her (especially if she was involved in the decision).

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Oct 3, 2014 -> 08:30 AM) Here's an interesting Kiley McDaniel piece on Cuban INF Yoan Moncado. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/yoan-moncada-game-theory/ Interesting. It would seem that if you are his agent, you are getting him declared sometime before next July 2nd. If they can't, then it is great for the Sox as the Yanks / Red Sox are out of the race and the other big international spender would be the Dodgers.

I wonder if Hahn would look / consider someone like Callaspo as a potential platoon guy who can play 3B against LHP and also play elsewhere in the infield. I presume not, given the glut of infielders we have, but in general, he could be a nice value signing.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 3, 2014 -> 10:21 AM) My feelings as well. But I still like reading this thread and seeing some names and reports. Yeah. Especially since some of these guys will likely be names that are potentially there in the 2-6th or 7th round even. Great to see so much excitement so early.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Oct 3, 2014 -> 09:40 AM) or the Rams coming back home Discussed very lightly. I haven't heard much about it other then the typical chatter. I dont' want a team here cause it means I'll have another team that I'll be forced to have their games on local tv. I already get stuck with enough Raiders / Chargers games. If they add an NFC team it will be brutal cause it will mean I get less nationally televised Bears games. Only upside will be if the Bears play said local team.

I give you guys credit for putting so much efforts in this early but my views on draft are that until you get in March / April, you really don't have a good read. Guys will get hurt, guys will emerge (especially in the high school ranks, but also in college).

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Oct 3, 2014 -> 09:00 AM) Oregon is missing their top 4 tackles on OL. That hurts any team. No doubt and you could see the poor oline play but Mariotta was not very accurate in the game.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 3, 2014 -> 08:45 AM) How is the area reaction to a playoff loss like this? When the Sox lost to the Angels in 05, it was just a kick in the gut and radio/tv was so down about it. Local radio doesn't start until later today, so not entirely sure. Morning radio on both stations are national syndicates (Dan Patrick or Colin / Mike & Mike). In general though local radio will probably spend most of its time talking about the Dodgers.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 3, 2014 -> 06:30 AM) I understand the importance of defense, but good bat/below average defender at 3B is better long-term than a good bat/above average defender at 1B. They'll stick with him at 3B until he shows he can't play it. I think that sort of comment is pretty premature given that he is a solid athlete. Guys can improve defensively.

That was a fun game to watch.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Oct 3, 2014 -> 05:27 AM) I thought you were a Cowboys fan? No, he's just a bandwagon fan.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 10:50 PM) And down goes Oregon. Tied late 4th, Arizona gets stopped on 3rd down to force a FG try...but on the way off the field on that stop, Oregon gets an excessive celebration penalty. Touchdown Arizona after that. Oregon gets ball back with under 3 minutes left, Mariota is tackled and stripped of the ball in their own territory. Arizona gets a first down, game over. Arizona is improving (although they haven't played anybody and have had a lot of games go down to the wire). Ole Rich Rod doing good things there and it looks like they have a QB that is going to be pretty good. They looked like the faster team, which you never say when you watch someone play Oregon. Oregon's oline was awful but Mariotta as a #1 pick, he better go to a team with an excellent QB coach because he is an extremely streaky passer and it was evident. Despite the pressure, he missed a lot of guys down the field. You can see that he has a lot of great tools but in the NFL the margin of error and need for accuracy goes up significantly. Also, in Oregon's system, there isn't a lot of reading you have to do as a lot of it is all about getting guys in space and hitting guys when they are in space, and ultimately it doesn't work quite that way in the NFL.

Also, for all I know this was posted somewhere, but below is a snippet, including a question answered from NS (FutureSox):

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2014...prospects-chat/ BA had a chat on the South Atlantic league top 20. Below are the relevant excerpts:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/gett...-loving-gloves/

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 04:48 PM) Something to consider as a general FYI, ...going forward, I believe the team will eat $ in the right deal more than they typically do. Tied to them being more aggressive in moving Danks, I'd presume. As always appreciate the insight!

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 02:47 PM) New York is gonna be so pissed It's gonna be held at the Auditorium Theater in Roosevelt University NY had been eliminated over the summer. It would have been in NY but with them changing dates, the typical venue wasn't available and thus Chicago and LA became the alternative sites. Although I'm sure that is partially an excuse. I don't know why you'd always have it in the same place. Seems kind of stupid to me.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 01:24 PM) I know the Sox are stacked with right handed hitters but I would love to know what the FO thinks about Tomas. He's young and at the age that fits into the core they are looking for. Going by the link ss2k5 provided ( thank you again), Tomas doesn't sound like much of an outfielder so I'm not sure how much interest the Sox would have unless there was a platoon with he and Abreu switching off between 1B and DH. Defined stacked? We have Jose Abreu (and Alexei but it isn't like he's a middle of the order bat). We don't have a lot of good hitters so I really don't understand why we are going to be so picky. I could understand if we had this good lineup and needed a lefty because it was all righties but right now we still have plenty of bad hitters. Garcia is young and right handed, but obviously we like his upside. We should be finding good hitters and good players period.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Bushrod will be out for the year or a very extended period of time.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 11:07 AM) Is this really the case though? Maybe in the modern world it is but it used to be very, very common for hitters to change their swing and approach and technique and positioning depending on how they were feeling, recent results, even the situation they're in/count. From the conversations I've had with various coaches and players, which are albeit limited to a handful which talked at all about adjustments, the understanding I garnered was it was easier for a pitcher to make adjustments, learn more/new pitches, change approach, then it is for a hitter. You can teach a pitcher a new way of throwing something and help them. You can't teach them velocity but you can teach them nuances / tricks / ways to throw pitches better. You really can't teach a hitter a new swing. It is extremely difficult, given that we are talking about actually changing how you swing when its been ingrained over significant years. With pitching, you have difficulties teaching guys to repeat deliveries, but a motion is more simple then swing mechanics and a lot of things can be adjusted by grip, ball spin, etc. I also think if you asked pitchers and hitters and guys that even played college / high school baseball, what was easier to fix, a swing or pitching mechanics, most would tell you pitching mechanics and aspects like that are easier to correct. Maybe that is just my own personal view as I always felt it was easier to make changes to my grip, follow through, use of lower body, etc, then it ever was to make any sort of major change to my swing. On a sidenote, I'm referring to higher levels of baseball. Also, just think through results. How often do you see a guy come up to the majors and have a significantly different swing or different results then he has had in the past. How often do you see him have significant increases in walks, decreases in strikeouts, etc, which didn't correlate to minor league projections. Now go to pitching, I can think of far more examples of where a guy came up, scratched one pitch, cleaned up his mechanics to make them more repeatable, developed new pitches, and / or better learned how to pitch.

QUOTE (Jake @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 11:00 AM) Ideally, as a hitting coach you'll have more inexplicable successes than inexplicable failures. Most importantly, you should have as few proven MLB players fall off the map as possible. Pitching coaches have a much greater ability to impact players then hitting coaches though. It is much easier for a pitcher to make adjustments, be taught tweaks to a pitch, etc, then it is to do anything major to a players swing.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 10:15 AM) And haven't developed any hitters. It seems everyone they ever call up winds up with a 20 to 1 k to walk ratio their first stint. As much as the major league coaching staff gets blamed for players' gaffes, it has amazed me that when the Sox call someone up, they seem to struggle with almost all aspects. Hitting, fielding, dumb baserunning. I know there are nerves in play, but these guys have been playing baseball their entire lives and should have had plenty of instruction. They should have some idea of what they are doing on the field. Well I think a lot of it, is outside of Beckham, they haven't exactly called up guys that have been great prospects. Semien would be the only other guy who is a good prospect but we aren't talking about some elite prospect here. So I don't think we should be surprised. We haven't brought in good hitters and have done little to develop them within our organization.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 10:07 AM) Gillaspie has been a nice find too, even with the struggles against LHP. I won't put Gillespie in the same sentence as Abreu and Eaton but at least he can handle a bat against righties, problem is he hits for limited power, doesn't have a high obp (in a larger sample size) and plays poor defense. I do like his general swing and the fact that he tends to hit a lot of line drives, etc, but if he can't improve defensively, his value is much more limited, although at his cost, still productive.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Oct 2, 2014 -> 10:02 AM) Your facts are a little wrong. Walker took over midseason 2003, when Paulie turned it around. Alex Rios was acquired on waivers too. You are missing Quentin. Paulie's comeback in 2009-2011 when most thought he was done. You ignore the obvious. The team loved his work. They were switching hitting coaches like crazy before he got the job, and have already made a change since he was gone. The beat writers, who actually see what is going on praised him. The players praised him. He got the Braves job right away. You just sometimes have to see what he had to work with. When the team ranks near the bottom, much like when Chris Sale goes 12-13, the numbers don't tell the entire story. The only people who say he sucked are fans. Our front office has done an absolutely atrocious job of finding new hitters since the younger core days of the early to mid 2000's. We have done nothing but add bad hitters, by and large, over the past 5 or 6 years. This offseason was the exception where we added Eaton and Abreu.