fathom

So far this year, according to fangraphs, AJP's WAR is 1.0 and Flowers' is 0.2

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 12:38 AM) The season went to hell quickly. Loss after loss after loss. AJ may have been a piece to help prevent that crap. Our pitching is GREAT. No, it's really not. 6th in the AL in ERA is good, not great.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 12:34 AM) I'm saying it NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN to this point. We'd be four or five over .500 and in the fricking race. Our pitching is outstanding. AJ brought some intangibles, too, you know. Plus yes his bat would have been nice to have in this godforsaken lineup. I very much disagree. You could put Mike Trout from last year on this team and he wouldn't have a 15 game impact.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 12:33 AM) They would have been better if they kept him, but how much is the question. Obviously, offensively he is an upgrade and he is nowhere near the defensive downgrade he was advertised. The Sox wouldn't be in first, but they probbly wouldn't be in last. AJ did have an effect on other players. He used to ride Ramirez hard. Mybe AJs absence is at least a small reason for Anorexei's struggles in the field I don't doubt for a second that the AJ brought some added toughness to the Sox. With that said, you can't fault the organization for wanting to try and give Flowers a chance. If the Sox thought they were legit contenders this year, I'm sure they would have brought AJ back.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 12:19 AM) ESPN praised AJ excessively during Sunday night game. He's hitting over .300 and is doing what AJ does. Hahn or whomever who decided Flowers can play the game of baseball pretty much gets an F for that decision. Considering we are in last place with major holes in our lineup, I'd say the decision to not pony up and sign AJ was one of the KEY reasons our team is an everyday embarrassment, a last-place AL Central team. Yes, hindsight is 20/20 but these guys get paid big bucks to make decisions in the front office and the decision to let AJ go was PAINFUL. And don't say he could have signed. They didn't want him and everybody knows it. It was Flowers time and Flowers looks AWFUL (to this point). AJ is actually just what this lineup needs. Our front office frustrates me. There's no way that anyone who has watched this team play this year truly feels like they're a solid hitting catcher away from contending.

Triple for Anderson in his first AB

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Jun 24, 2013 -> 02:22 AM) In a period of time where there isn't much to be happy about with the ball club, its nice to read that and believe it. Matt Harvey is pretty close to that level, but I'll take Sale just due to the contract.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 11:39 PM) I have no reason to believe that Chris is any bigger risk than any other starting pitcher at this point. All starters are risky. You might lose a season to injury and/or ineffectiveness, but that's part of the deal. You'd have to get a Giancarlo Stanton++ type package to make sure you're getting another cornerstone in return and that makes you wonder why you would have dealt him in the first place. I said it the other day, but only way I'd consider trading Sale for anyone outside of Harper/Trout/Machado is if it's to the Cardinals with Crain or Alexei for a package like Taveras, Wong, Adams, Rosenthal and Martinez. Basically, it's not going to happen.

It is incredible how many games this team has given away due to their incompetent defense

If a team is willing to take his contract, you absolutely get rid of him for mid-level prospects . A truly terrible defensive season for Alexei

Great to see consistency from Beckham this year

So this means Axelrod doesn't have trade value? Haha, can't believe they thought he was better fitted to be a starter than Santiago

The Tyler Danish HOF career starts with a scoreless inning

Another single for M'zweski. Hawkins 0-4, 2K (2 outs are line outs, according to milb)

QUOTE (jthunder93 @ Jun 23, 2013 -> 12:02 AM) Believe it or not, the Padres are now in second place in the NL West. They seem well managed, would you agree?

M'zewski with another walk, Tim Anderson HBP, Hawkins 0-3, 2K

Jackson was always overhyped due to his inability to make contact.

0-1, 1K for Hawkins

Viciedo seems to be swinging the bat much better of late.

Crain's going to make for a great set-up man for Chapman

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 22, 2013 -> 09:50 PM) What is weird is he was fine until it came out he preferred LF. Now he sucks at both. Yep, very strange indeed

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Jun 22, 2013 -> 09:44 PM) Rios looked like he had it, De Aza was coming in hot, Rios turns away, De Aza never actually tried to catch it. It's a triple that landed within three feet of two guys that both could have caught it with some minor communication. Hawk go nuts?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 22, 2013 -> 08:42 PM) (Sees on gameday that Hosmer tripled, just assumes it related to the defense). haha, same thing here once I saw it said tripled to De Aza

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Jun 22, 2013 -> 08:41 PM) That sucks for Jesse. That clearly should not be considered a triple. I missed it, what did he do?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 22, 2013 -> 08:19 PM) Even with large chunks of this team removed...the Marlins are really awful. Marlins have decent pitching, but you have to think they'll trade Nolasco and limit the number of innings for Fernandez. I saw someone mention the Pirates should go after Stanton, and as someone that hates the Cubs, and outfield of Marte, McCutchen and Stanton would make me very happy.