GreenSox

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Aug 20, 2014 -> 09:43 PM) Mostly stiffs are the 9th best offense in MLB. You seriously believe that this offense is the 9th best in baseball? What about defense? You think this is a talented defensive team playing behind Quintana and Sale? This team is tanking - now a season low point of 9 below .500. It is a bad team, with a few really good players. And the front office has shown an absurd lack of aggressiveness in moving players.

Just from a macro perspective, if this team is really improving and can seriously contend, I certainly would expect to see some sparks - some good play late in the season. I certainly don't want to see the patented Ventura September swoon. I realize that Sale and Quintana are losing their edge - kind of hard to to pitch 100% focused with this team of mostly stiffs behind you - and they are pitching against 100% focused teams like the Orioles. Still, I would expect to see lot more out of this club if they really are close to contending.

Danks has a career obp below .300. You cannot plan for a below .300 obp hitter to get any at bats if you are seriously trying to contend. But he's getting an extended audition. If he can keep up his 8 game run and produce, that' fine.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 18, 2014 -> 02:00 PM) The big difference is that Danks will make all of the plays that you ask him to make, and he isn't going to blow the routine plays. Spectacular? No. I'd say slightly above average. I agree slightly above average defense, terrible offense, which makes him below average. I just can't understand why such a limited upside player is getting playing time, when this org should be working on the future. It's like the Sox want another Dewayne Wise on this team. I hope the clowning stops soon.

Ventura certainly has a feel for a bullpen. Who could have thought that pitching Surkamp 4 days in a row could backfire.

With so many interesting hitters in Charlotte, they give the ML at bats to Danks. It would be nice to see if any of them can hit ML pitching, but some will likely be given away after the season.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 18, 2014 -> 01:09 PM) But Jordan is also significantly better than De Aza on defense, particularly if you count ability to be a backup CF. Danks isn't even a particularly good defender. He's okay. His offense is terrible. The Sox need to do better than Danks as a 4th OF if they are serious. DE Aza looks worse on defense than he actually is.

Really, I would think some teams could use Dunn or De Aza. Sox really need the room on 9/1

Last by mile.

What's the back-story on Bassitt? Bad injury at some point?

QUOTE (QuickJones81 @ Aug 13, 2014 -> 08:49 PM) Rodon, Montas, Adams, and Danish are exciting. We haven't had a collection of pitching talent like this in the system at once since 2000-01. Hopefully this group fairs better. And to think, not too long ago Erik Johnson was our prized pitching gem. Promising, but all A Ball and below. Take our time with them, please.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 13, 2014 -> 07:12 PM) Yeah, maybe. Just going by Sale's minor league year. He skipped over Birmingham. Yea, but Sale wasn't represented by Boras. There will be no extension. Wasting the precious service time with bullpen pitching or in another Ventura lost September, is foolishness.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 13, 2014 -> 06:54 PM) I still don't understand why Guerra wasn't the pitcher you bring in that situation, as statistically he has been better than pretty much anyone but Putnam the last couple of months. Oh, well. #drivetoprotecteddraftpick In the fury over the call, that aspect is missed - Belisario was basically the worst choice the Sox could have made.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 13, 2014 -> 05:19 PM) As far as Rick Hahn goes, he's done one good thing in the last year or so, and that's Jose Abreu. (I'm not even going to give him credit for Rodon, because the Astros are 50% responsible for bungling that one). Other than Jose, there would be a tremendous amount of pressure on him to keep his job for 2015. Adam Eaton is injury prone (he will have missed about 25% of the games this season by the time he returns), and the jury's still out on Avisail Garcia (whether he can hit, play the field or keep from getting hurt). Matt Davidson has been a complete disaster. You can add that to Jeff Keppinger, Scott Downs, Paulino and Ronald Belisario. If Hahn had any cojones, he would DFA Belisario and admit that signing has been a debacle as well before the bullpen returns home to be murdered by the Blue Jays and Orioles power hitters. I agree - DFA Balisario. Every GM is going to have some minor misses; he had a lot of them, but they can be overcome. He also had a couple of big wins. His biggest blunder (and it may have been forced by Riensdorf and/or Williams) was signing Robin Ventura to a long term extension. Didn't want to risk another team stealing that high-end managerial talent from us?

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 13, 2014 -> 05:00 PM) Nothing like putting your 5th best reliever in that spot. Incredible, isn't it.

It's hard to understand why Danks was called up. It's like the Sox have loyalty to these AAAA stiffs. Had to put up with the horrendous Wise for years, and this guy is his clone.

Another nice outing for my sleeper Kanny pitcher, Robinson Leyer.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Aug 11, 2014 -> 01:38 PM) Where is the math on this? What math? He's signed through 2016. They can't just Keppinger him - he still could rebound to have some value. That and he makes 4X the Salary Keppinger did. We don't have a lefty in the pen...put him there and see how it works out. They blew it in July. We were still in it!!!

The chance to dump Danks is long over. He's been pitching lousy for a month. Sox are stuck with him for 2 more years. Maybe the pen will work better.

Ventura's a terrible manager re strategy and he's cost this team several games. But they wouldn't be in the playoffs; and I'm afraid the last 7 weeks will attest to that (but I hope I'm wrong). I assume he's good with the players....that said, the team team has tanked in both of his years, and looks like they're working on a three-peat, so that may be a bad assumption as well.

To start Rodon's clock for Robin Ventura September mop-up ball would be ridiculous. He is precisely the player who should not be rushed. and you certainly don't waste his time as a bullpen pitcher. Surkamp is a strange send-back, with no other lefty available.

Every team lost tonight. It's amazing how the bad bullpen is not ust an issue with the major league team...the minor league teams can't hold leads either. Donnie Veal did was Donnie Veal does best.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 12:49 PM) Cubs acquire Turner for 2 low A pitchers So low A pitcher don't have to clear waivers?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 10, 2014 -> 09:57 AM) How is it going to be possible to improve the offense and defense at the same time? Since Conor's one of our two or three bright spots this year, can we say his defense has been compensated enough by his offense...and what if he doesn't hit 315 again but he's at 255-275, then his lack of power becomes an issue again. Gillaspie also appears to really be a platoon hitter. Perhaps a really good one, but platoon. That's why I want to try him in the OF; a little difficult to platoon 3B (that and his D is poor) QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Aug 10, 2014 -> 10:07 AM) Batting Leury Garcia leadoff should tell you all you need to know about Ventura. Yep.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 01:01 PM) We'd be giving up Rodon +. Does that interest you? Not in the least.