Buehrle>Wood

Just once I would love to hear from you guys why you believe Beckman can be successful as a coach at Illinois. The list on why he cant be is certainly long and laid out. All I here ever in this discussion is excuse after excuse to the point where we are justifying 28 point home losses to WAC teams.

Cutting 15 million off our spending should never be considered a good thing but it's understandable.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 06:51 PM) I also don't understand blaming Beckman for last year, those weren't his players and they were expected to suck, how is that his fault? They weren't really expected to suck that year. They had a top 15 defense the year before which they lost some talent off of, but had three guys get drafted and a fourth who would have been (but had to return due to injury). Maybe they were meant to suck, but not let's give up 52 points at home to a WAC team suck.

We traded the most humbled pro athlete out there for one cocky dude.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 05:36 PM) They didn't improve? OK then. What were your expectations for this year? Not what I said. I said Beckman being credited for improving his dumpster fire coaching job in year one is ridiculous. Probably what they did. Those expectations were thanks to a terrible coach.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 06:08 PM) And Beckman has always been a defensive coach.somethings offensive coordinator was the only oactually who earned their paycheck. Yeah. It's kind of funny we hired the defensive coordinator from Oklahoma State, who is far from known for their D, and a guy who was most famous for his 60 something to 60 something battle with NIU as a head coach. Who actually looks at him and goes, "yeah, that's our guy!"

My favorite part of the Beckman disaster is that people are actually crediting this year's team as improving. It's amazing. That is to say Beckman is actually being credited for being such an incredibly terrible coach his first year and has somehow benefited from this.

Kenny doesn't leak...yeah

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 12:45 AM) Don't buy it all you want. No one's taking that job knowing you're immediately fired if you walk into a s***storm and don't immediately turn it around. I'm pretty sure we offered Sumlin more money and he said no. Money isn't everything to some of twon't guys, especially when they can wait for a better fit and situation. Y This stuff is just false. Plenty of midmajors coaches and coordinators would jump on the opportunity of the Illinois job. One year isn't going to make a difference in their mind. Kevin Sumlin is a terrible comparison since he had a lot better job offer in Texas AM. Yes, if a better program than us offers a coach we want, we won't get him. But it's terrible to somehow think that changes by giving an extra year to Beckman.

QUOTE (Jillian Michaels' Abs @ , 2013 -> 04:38 PM) If the Sox acquire a legit major league catcher (Castro, etc) then Flowers and Phegley have to know they are ticketed for AAA. So assue the Sox do acquire Castro (highly unlikely, but).. MLB: Castro Nieto AAA: Flowers Phegley Gimenez Narvaez If we acquire a legit catcher, Flowers and especially Phegley are going to have every right to the backup job ahead of Nieto.

QUOTE (BigEdWalsh @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 04:34 PM) May the best two hopefully win. Hopefully none of them win and it's someone else.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 03:51 PM) Apparently you are uminisculeiar that Tyler Flowers is currently our starting catcher. As I have proven over the years, my hate for Flowers has no limits. But I'll say this guy has very miniscule chance at taking his job. I think the 5 percent was generous, barring injury.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 03:48 PM) Everyone drafted in the Rule 5 portion is a longshot True, though pitchers still have a lot better chance at sticking than position players, hence why there are always so many drafted.

Moran went fifth. Would have preferred him to add to our collection of dismal LH arms instead of adding to our collection of dismal catchers. Mateo from the Cubs was the 8th player selected. Little surprising there. He seemed to be the top of everyone's list. Two position players drafted compared to seven pitchers. I imagine the position players are both longshots.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 03:30 PM) Unless the Sox go out and get another catcher, there's a decent chance this guy replaces one of Flowers or Phegley. I'm the biggest critic of our catching position and even I think that's a big longshot.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 03:14 PM) Bizarre. Yeah. Would he have been eligible for the AAA draft? Would have made sense there. Here, not so much. Oh well.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 02:32 PM) When is the draft today? Half hour from now

I do like the sound of Mateo though, even if he is another righty. Unfortunately there's a good chance he goes number one, which in that case I want Moran.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 02:06 PM) I find it incredibly hard to believe the Sox would draft anyone, let alone a catcher, who has never played above A+. That just seems like a ridiculous idea. If they really like the guy, they can probably trade for him without losing much. Why go the Rule V route and put him in a position where he'll almost certainly fail? And then end up back with the other team anyway? I really don't see it. I DO think the Sox will take someone though - either a LHRP or, maybe, Carlos Perez from HOU. I agree with this. Drafting an A ball catcher is too massive a burden even for a bad team. Don't see them doing it.

QUOTE (farmteam @ Dec 12, 2013 -> 02:09 AM) I saw a tweet connecting uit's o Adrian Nieto. Cuban catcher who just turned 24, hit well this past season...in Hi-A. That's interesting. Unfortunately catcher is probably the hardest position to stash someone, but it's of course our biggest need too.

Well not really exciting but we have the second pick so it's something to watch. Pitchers also go heavily in this draft and I suppose that is the route we will go, if anything. Personally I see the obvious pick for us a LOOGY or Catcher. A major league catcher is probably impossible to find, so yeah, that leaves a pitcher. Here's a preview from Southside Sox saying mostly what I've stated thus far, but they specifically suggest Houston catcher Carlos Perez: http://www.southsidesox.com/2013/12/11/520...5-draft-preview He's righty and also just not very good so I'd pass and try to find a pitcher. Here's a more general Rule V preview from Baseball America: http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/rule...some-late-buzz/ Cubs RHP Marcus Mateo is apparently the star of this draft. The potential LOOGYs are Brian Moran, Freddy Lewis, and Alex Sogard. Moran is a relatively decent option.

QUOTE (Brian @ Sep 17, 2013 -> 10:39 AM) I'm just not Ron Howard fan but the reviews are hard to ignore. Been on a documentary binge on Netflix. Liked "The Imposter" and "Shut Up, Little Man". Still haven't watched "The Invisible War". Feel like I need to be in a specific mood for that. Watched Shut Up Little Man tonight. Thought the documentary was a mess and mostly pointless but it was worth it alone for making me aware of those.audio tapes. Incredible stuff there.

I hate Boston. I wouldn't have minded DC again. I guess Boston isn't terrible since it's the next great historical city, but I still hate that city.

"If you fire him now, NO ONE is going to take the job knowing they have 2 years to fix everything, and even if they show improvement in year 2, they are still gone. No coach walks into a situation knowing tIt now." I dont really buy this. Our candidates would be the same now as they are a yeaaren'tm now. Pretty much no non-bcs level coach is going to turn us down since the job is still a step up from where they are at. It's either that or pay big money for a tarnished name like Petrino or Tressel and they aren't saying no to the payday either or would they have any concern over what their inept predecessor did.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 11, 2013 -> 07:47 PM) Why does everyone think Seager sucks and can be had so easily. He is a nice player and Seattle isn't moving him. Don't we pick 3rd like the amateur draft? Or am I missing something. Nope. Wite: "I don' think anyone has said ADA sucks." Me: "JoshPR only posts to say ADA sucks." Marlins 40 man is full so we pick second unless.they decide to clear a spot by draft time.