fathom

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 23, 2014 -> 05:35 PM) You went off the rails here. The system graduated around a third of it's top 25 prospects, without any new blood from the June draft, the July Int'l signings, or any trades. Of course it feels more empty - IT IS. Yeah, Beck and Thompson disappointing are also factors - but then there are guys like Micah, Danish and (to an extent) Hawkins doing well, and some pop-up guys like Montas and Ravelo. Semien hasn't been much of a disappointment at all, he's done OK and barely had a chance yet - and he was never a T100 type guy, for most people. EJ is the biggest disappointment, and he's a puzzle to me. They are still very much developing though. If this system was 30th (or 29th) in baseball a couple years ago, and got up to say 20-25 range going into this season, it should be no surprise it fell back now. Did it fall back to the very bottom? Hard to say, probably not though. But if you want to talk about Buddy Bell's job, you have to compare apples to apples. See where it stands in January this coming offseason. A lot of the new LatAm development in the past year or two will take another year or two to really come to fruition. There was no bigger fan of Semien on this site than me last year, but his ridiculous contact issues seem to have come out of nowhere. You don't want to see him become another Josh Fields, where the player can't make the most out of their ability due to not being able to make contact. The strike out rates for far too many players in this system are ridiculous (Davidson, Anderson, Thompson, Hawkins, Trey M., Barnum). Buddy Bell has been with the Sox since 2009, and it doesn't seem like there has been any improvement in the system and the players don't seem prepared even when they do make the majors.

1. T. Anderson 2. M. Johnson 3. C. Hawkins 4. T. Danish 5. M. Davidson 6. F. Montas 7. R. Ravelo 8. T. Michalczewski 9. C. Beck 10. T. Thompson From that list, only Anderson has a chance to be ranked in the top 100 in all of baseball, and that's more due to preseason hype than his actual performance. As I'm sure you've seen me mention, this has been a disappointing first few months for a majority of the prospects. I'm really not sure how Buddy Bell has kept his job, especially with the awful performances by Semien and E. Johnson.

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 23, 2014 -> 06:21 PM) Hypothetically, if on opening day 2015 we have a 3B-2B-LF combination of Gillaspie-Johnson-Eaton, could anyone say there wouldn't be a spot for Semien to play at least 2-3 times a week? Great point, especially with how weak all 3 of those main guys are against LHP.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ May 23, 2014 -> 04:35 PM) Gordon completely whiffed on a double play to the bag before any run scored That was Carroll, not Noesi

QUOTE (flavum @ May 23, 2014 -> 03:53 PM) Sale is great. Hopefully he'll get to a point where he can be relied on for 32-33 starts on a yearly basis. Honestly, I'll take 25 starts a year from him for next 5 years and be happy with it.

Rodon to Sox http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2014-...mock-draft-3-0/

I'm not sure these numbers are that great, but in Sale's last two starts (vs Boston, NYY), he's gone: 13 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 20 strikeouts. That 0.39 WHIP could be improved.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 23, 2014 -> 02:42 PM) Not to take away from Sale's performance at all, but that was quite the s***ty lineup put together by a $200 million payroll team. Their strength is all the lefty hitters they have. Their lineup will look much better tonight against a RHP.

Whew!! Catch the ball

His off speed pitches have been awful tonight. Not a good match up here

Yikes, keep Tex in the park

ADA with three good plays in last few innings

Big hit for Dunn

Good defense by ADA

Nice job by Ventura and Cooper in handling Sale tonight

QUOTE (flavum @ May 23, 2014 -> 02:38 AM) Say he's through 8 at 101...then what? Go get 'em Belisario

QUOTE (Baron @ May 23, 2014 -> 02:21 AM) Take Sale out in the 7th....put Scott Downs in and lose the lead Fine with me if he's at 100 pitches. His health is much more important than one game

No way Sale goes over 100, regardless of performance.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ May 23, 2014 -> 02:07 AM) I disagree Marlins have 7 of the top 10 prospects are pitchers, they need position players. They like Jackson a lot and are leaning heavy towards drafting a hitter. Rumors the Cubs might take Pentecost

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ May 23, 2014 -> 01:00 AM) I like our pick. We get whoever's left of Aiken, Kolek, and Rodon (and maybe Beede). It's kind of like how the 76ers get one of Parker, Wiggins, or Embiid. Beede? His stock is plummeting.

QUOTE (Baron @ May 23, 2014 -> 01:59 AM) Sale is nasty....it'll be nice to pair up one of the big 3 pitchers in this draft with him at some point Learn to love Nola

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ May 23, 2014 -> 01:54 AM) I thought Hawk said they were going to have huge crowds this series. Apparently not tonight. They said Saturday and Sunday are the biggest

QUOTE (Baron @ May 23, 2014 -> 01:50 AM) Looked like the same pitch he struck out on last time up Extremely long swing tonight

Supposedly Nola didn't look good in the 1st inning. BTW, didn't notice that Reinsdorf is supposedly there also. Seems like Nola has a great shot of being picked by the Sox.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ May 22, 2014 -> 11:08 PM) Potentially. He's not a top 3 talent. More like top 10. To me, he should be in the top 6 with Rodon, Kolek, Aiken, Gordon and Jackson. FWIW, Kiley McDaniel continues to report that all the Cubs brass has been in to see Pentecost of late.