Kalapse

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 08:19 PM) I don't believe this will effect the price of other starting pitchers, either. Buehrle's contract next season, if he pitches comparable to 2005, could easily meet 16mil/5 years. It's not going to help is the point. If Zambrano signs a deal in the range of 18mil/8 years that would be 2 pitchers in back to back seasons to get enormous contracts and would be just a little more firepower for all the agents of soon to be free agent starting pitchers. It may not kill any future deals but it's not going to help at all, if I'm a prospective free agent pitcher I'm hoping and praying that Zambrano signs a mammoth deal, it could only help my case.

I really don't know what the f*** Carlos Zambrano is thinking if he does sign a deal like that, what a complete failure that would be for him and any other prospective free agent pitcher.

Tim Raines: career 123 OPS+ Ricky Henderson: career 127 OPS+ (greatest leadoff hitter ever) Barry Larkin: career 116 OPS+ Even Kenny Lofton is a 107 and Jose Reyes was a 118 last season. All of the guys listed above also had numerous seasons with OPS+ numbers much higher than the career number. It appears some of the best leadoff hitters of the past couple 20 years have had some pretty impressive OPS+ numbers. QUOTE(scenario @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 06:51 PM) What's the role of a leadoff hitter? Get on. Get over. Get into scoring position. Period. Then wouldn't a leadoff hitter who could skip step 2 and already be in scoring position without having to steal a base be even more valuable? Hence someone with a more inflated SLG%. Singles and stolen bases are fun and all but someone who has a higher slugging percentage is in scoring position without having to go through all that crap and without risking outs like a speed guy with a s***ty SB% such as Podsednik would tend to do. I'll take a Jimmy Rollins over a Scott Podsednik every day of the week and like 6 more times on Sunday.

Dye. Crede is a pretty ridiculous choice unless he learned how to take a walk over the offseason. He'll get demolished by Thome, Dye and Konerko in most all offensive categories, especially OBP/OPS/OPS+.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 05:30 PM) not in 03 through 05. Someone better talk to Ozzie about this, he seems to think Pods needs a platoon partner. 2004: .224 BA, .294 OBP vs lefties So 2003-2005 while excluding 2004 and ignoring 2006.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 05:26 PM) Oh yeah, and if you thought the players we have now suck vs. lefties, you should look at Dellucci's career vs. lefties... It is scarey bad. Because Podsednik isn't a platoon player?

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...soxnt01.article http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...tesox-headlines Ozuna is the obvious pick, yes but with Guillen the obvious move isn't always the one that is made.

Terrero was on the 40, yes. Perez was not.

I like the fact that Ozuna will be starting and all but I don't think it was for the right reasons, Ozzie has been saying for the past few days that a 100% healthy Podsednik would be his Opening Day starter in LF so instead of starting Ozuna in LF because there's a lefty on the mound, he's putting him out there because Podsednik still isn't healthy.

I count 40 currently on the the 40 including Molina.

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 01:15 PM) Ugly? Never noticed that. Looks pretty average to me. And is he still sporting the 'stache? One of the most badass 'staches in the league... Jorge Cantu? Average? I wish I could find his rookie mugshot, I used it as my avatar for like a week but had to take it down because it was so disturbing. Sadly all I have is his mug from this year.

Those option years could be pretty big if Thornton becomes the next Brandon Donnelly or something, it's good to have any pitcher under control for 6 years especially someone like Thornton.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 12:43 PM) What kept Hafner in the minor leagues so long? Nothing really, he just put in his time at the lower levels like most players, played at every level for atleast 1 season and made his debut with Texas as a 25 year old. So instead of being rushed through the minors and promoted in his early 20's he improved every season as he moved through the system and go his shot at a perfectly acceptable age. A lot like Crede or Utley. '97 - 20 - RK - pretty damn good '98 - 21 - A - struggled big time '99 - 22 - A - improved, performed well '00 - 23 - A+ - breakout season, huge numbers '01 - 24 - AA - really good once again, still improving '02 - 25 - AAA - adapted to the new league and was looking ready for the bigs '02 - 25 - MAJ - struggled in cup of coffee He was also trying to find his position in the minors, 3B, 1B and finally becoming a DH.

He averaged about 23 HR and 496 AB per season in Japan.

Well he is one of the ugliest players in baseball along with Aaron Harang, Ezequiel Astacio, Jay Gibbons, Brad Wilkerson, Yuniesky Betancourt and possibly Gavin Floyd.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 11:22 AM) 7-10 years ago, Thome would probably be better. But Hafner vs. Thome right now, it isn't even close. Hafner is also younger, which also makes him better. QUOTE(BearSox @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 12:22 PM) It's pretty close, but Hafner's youth and ability to hit lefties puts him over the edge, IMO. We have plenty of guys who can hit righties... Heh.

QUOTE(knightni @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 11:55 AM) Let's get him for a 3b option. I'd rather move Konerko to 3B and find a new 1B.

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 11:44 AM) Has Ozuna improved in LF at all since last year? I haven't been able to watch any ST games. He looks about as shaky as ever out there in LF to me. I'm not sure if they guy just can't read the ball off the bat or what but it seems like he can't find the ball until it's on it's way down. That being said, I hope he's out there on Opening Day.

QUOTE(Mr. Showtime @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 11:41 AM) BJ Ryan. Well, we do have Sisco, but who knows what he'll bring. I don't put much stock in what Gullien says anymore. None of it makes any sense. Brian Fuentes is also a lefty, I don't even count Andy Sisco as a bullpen arm, I figure he's only in the bigs so he can be kept close to Coop and pitch in blowouts, I really think they're working with a 5 man pen.

Just for the record here are the final spring numbers for the 3 outfielders fighting for starting spots. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS PLAYER A: 80 10 24 4 0 1 8 31 4 14 2 0 .300 .329 .388 .717 PLAYER B: 52 6 16 2 0 2 5 24 8 8 2 0 .308 .393 .462 .855 PLAYER C: 19 2 4 0 0 0 1 4 3 0 2 2 .211 .304 .211 .515

Who uses their best lefty reliever as their closer, especially when they have another guy at the backend of the pen who is right handed, was your best/most reliable reliever last season and has closer experience? How many left handed closers are there in baseball? Billy Wagner? Anyone else? When you find yourself a reliable lefty reliever you don't thrust him into the closers role, especially when he's your ONLY lefty in the pen. I hate it that I so often have trouble understanding what the hell Guillen is trying to do with this team. QUOTE(CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Apr 1, 2007 -> 10:47 AM) I won't argue over who's spring production has been better. Frankly its pretty much of a tossup. I think Erstad and BA have both shown enough to be in a platoon with Pods. Erstad can play left and center .Pods only left and BA only center. I'm surprised its never mentioned especially by as knowledgable of a guy as yourself but Erstad is coming off a year where he hardly had any AB's. Since you mention his strikeout totals , I think its only fair to say he's rusty. I'm sure its the reason why he led the team in AB's and his K totals are up there. Once he gets his batting eye back a little more we might be looking at close to a .300 hitter if he's injury free and not overused. I understand that he may be rusty, then wouldn't a spot on the bench, a hole lot of BP and the occasional start in LF or CF be the best situation for him and the team? Why is a rusty 32 year old who's coming off major surgery and a season in which he only had 95 ABs trying to find his batting eye as the starting centerfielder and 2 hole hitter? Why have such an unreliable hitter batting in such an important spot in the lineup? Seems pretty silly to me.

Liriano made it eventually and everyone knew he would, Mussina was better but Schilling was equal to Buehrle at best.

So wait, are you saying GMail won't send me 100,000 copies of an email at the touch of a button? I got all excited for nothing.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Mar 31, 2007 -> 05:34 PM) I personally think center is easier then left or right. Usually a team sticks their worst defending OF'er in LF but that isn't because it is easier then CF, but because either their arm isn't good enough or they aren't fast enough, IMO. Ozuna would make a decent fit in CF. The ball is easier to judge (again, IMO), and Ozuna has the speed and arm to be able to play a decent centerfield. I'm not saying he will automatically become a stud OF'er, but he should be better then Mack out there in CF. And you are right about Ozuna at SS. He plays a pretty good overall defense at SS, IMO. He has good range and an arm to make all the neccassary throws. His glovework needs some addidtional help though. He was once a top 10 prospect at SS. If Uribe falters again this season, I will be the first one to call for Ozuna as the fulltime SS. I'm just wondering if you've ever played centerfield at a level higher than Little League because from my experience centerfield is a whole lot harder than you make it up to be. There isn't a harder ball to read than one hit directly at you in centerfield. It's probably the hardest position I've ever had to play outside of catcher, reading the ball off the bat is especially tough considering the amount of ground you have to cover and the incredibly small window you have to make your read. I personally want no part of Ozuna in CF, EVER. I watched Podsednik play out there for 2 seasons in Milwaukee and I'd much rather not see that relived through Pablo on the South Side.