CaliSoxFanViaSWside

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ May 1, 2013 -> 05:34 PM) I'm SOOO over tyler flowers. Give me Gimenez Platoon time.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 29, 2013 -> 07:20 AM) Umm he said they are without their ace. Danks is far from their ace right now, even if healthy. At best they're missing their #3 or #4 starter. Arguing semantics. Last time Danks was thought to be healthy he was our opening day starter, our #1 starter , the ace of the staff even if not considered a true "ace" . Now while he was injured Sale and Peavy proved better than Danks . I'd even put Quintana ahead of him at this point if he can come back.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 28, 2013 -> 04:58 PM) Let's not make this stretch. Umm opening day last year Danks was our ace. He was the opening day stater. How fast you forget after a good year by Sale and Peavy after the fact.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 27, 2013 -> 01:19 AM) The Braves weren’t the most surprising victim for (Anibal) Sanchez’s feat. As David O’Brien wrote in Friday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the Braves’ attitude for this season: “They were going to hit home runs. And they didn’t care if they struck out. A lot.” The Braves arrived at Comerica on Friday night leading the majors with 35 homers. They were fifth in the majors in strikeouts. They’d already struck out 16 times twice this season — and they’d won both those games. “There’s different ways of scoring runs,” said hitting coach Greg Walker, in his second season with the Braves after 8 1/2 as White Sox hitting coach. “This is what the Atlanta Braves chose to do. And I’ve coached teams like this before, and answered all the questions, and seen what works and what doesn’t work. “Last year we had probably as good a combination of leadoff and No. 2 hitter as there was in baseball (leadoff man Michael Bourn and No. 2 hitter Martin Prado), especially in the first two-thirds of the season. Bourny scuffled down the stretch. We did get a lot of early leads, but we didn’t score any more runs than what we’re doing now. It’s just a different style, and we have the potential to get better in (this style).” ... According to Fangraphs, Braves hitters have swung and missed at 11.2 percent of all pitches, the highest percentage in the NL and the second in the majors behind Houston’s 12.6. Twelve teams have swung and missed at 8.6 percent or fewer. Braves hitters have made contact 75.1 percent of the times they’ve swung the bat, the lowest contact rate in the NL and second-lowest in majors ahead the Astros (72.8). Fourteen major league teams were above 80 percent. The Braves’ homer pace projects to 270, six above the record by the 1997 Seattle Mariners. .... Walker was hitting coach when the White Sox led the majors with 236 homers in 2006 and 235 in 2008, and set a franchise record with 242 in 2004. But the White Sox also led the American League in sacrifice bunts and bunt hits while hitting 200 homers in their World Series championship season in 2005, and in 2006 they led the league in average with runners in scoring position (.307) while having four players with 30 or more homers. The Braves rank 22nd in the majors with a .223 average with runners in scoring position. http://www.myajc.com/news/sports/baseball/...btomyajcpremium Other than Jeff Keppinger being acquired, have we seen any changes in the Sox approach? We won another game last night largely on the strength of the home run. There's traditionally been a VERY strong correlation between Sox victories and the games in which they homer at least once. Essentially, the Braves are like the current White Sox, with the exception of having the best player in baseball (for the first month) in Justin Upton. Otherwise, not too many differences. Teams based on pitching first, I think the Braves' ERA was leading the NL, in the 2.6 range. Four of our minor league outfielders are leading or close to leading their leagues in strikeouts (Walker, Hawkins and Mitchell....with Thompson not so far behind). Is there evidence at all in the minors of a changing or evolving philosophy, either in drafting or development? Dick Allen is probably right. There's pretty much ZERO appreciable difference between what Walker and Scott Fletcher (assistant hitting coach with the Braves) and Manto are/were doing. In fact, our OBP has actually gotten worse, led downward by the likes of DeAza, Dunn, Keppinger (so far), Ramirez and Viciedo. Have the White Sox simply ended up "rebranding" the same exact model they've been using for the past decade, and now we're calling it "The Will to Win" all of a sudden, but it's still largely homer-based to win games for the Sox, especially at USCF? Is there a clearly-defined, differentiated offensive approach now with the White Sox? I think Hahn wants more guys on base in front of our HR hitters. We just know he's got too many of one type but as his regime broadens it will become more clearly defined. If anything maybe Hahn will be more aggressive in this regard since I have no idea what he thought or how strong his input was in the hiring of Manto.

Hickory Huskers for the wins !!! Nice job no names, Gimenez, Gillaspie and who ? oh yea Greene !

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 08:02 PM) No Come Sale Away ? You get a choice of songs for Kyle Long . (I've Been) Searchin' So Long , by Chicago or It's a Long Way to the Top if you Wanna Rock and Roll by AC/DC . And I always use Do Ya by ELO for a Johnny Odouya goal.

I was just about to post based on Dunn's 1st 2 AB's against Hellickson we might expect something good .

QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 05:35 PM) Stop, hawk. Just stop. Oh c'mon Hawk gave them TWTW today .

That was close !!! Nice slide/tumble.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 05:27 PM) This is where Dunn needs to not be a rally killer. Great minds .

C'mon Dunn the HR walker guy and not Dunn the rally killer !

AT least Kepp s getting his stroke back the last 3 games

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 05:21 PM) Who says Keppinger doesn't create runs! That and Sales huge discrepancy between the way righties and lefties hit him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 10:12 AM) WAKE UP BATS. And fielders.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 08:26 AM) Handzus with two more points? Not bad. LeBlanc looks like a real player to me. 3rd period LeBlanc seemed to be flowing much better .Him and Kane worked a little magic together a few times though it didn't result in a goal.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 01:49 PM) As if we didn't know this already, Hawk is clueless. This is absolutely ridiculous, he doesn't even make any sense. You need to hear it, but for those that want a short summary... Some notes: Hawk saw the movie Moneyball but didn't read the book. Baseball is all about defense. Sabermetrics isn't ready yet and won't be for 40-50 years. Sabermetrics doesn't address defense, bunting, speed. TWTW is the most important stat. The Will To Win. Leadership is the most important thing, aka Peavy throwing 120 pitches or Konerko's leadership, not stats. Again, he emphasizes THE WILL TO WIN. That trumps all. The only thing that counts is a W. Wins are the most important stat for a pitcher. Gotta have the W. Pitching and defense is how you win. In case this hasn't been mentioned, TWTW is how you win baseball games. ********** He never addressed any good counter argument made, just kept spewing nonsense. Of course Hawk can't make an intelligent response to sabremetrics because he doesn't study them . Much like myself especially defensively, I don't understand how defense can be measured taking all things into consideration. Anticipation can't be measured or positioning or response to the ball off the bat , poor routes that a fielder can make up for with pure speed, how an outfielder plays a long deep fly ball as opposed to how he plays a line drive and those same things off a RH bat or LH bat. A defender can be good at some of those things but not all and until you measure the kind of fly balls he's tracking how can you accurately measure his defense ? If a teams pitching is poor could be someone rated as a poor outfielder is seeing an inordinate amount of hard hit balls as opposed to a good pitching staff and routine plays or has a good coaching staff who positions you better . Or maybe I have no idea like Hawk

Emery removed with 6 minutes left in 1st period most likely tweaking his lower body injury. 2-1 Hawks on goal by Toews and Kane after one.

On his 2nd shift Oilers score.LeBlanc promptly dropped to 3rd line as he was out of position.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Apr 13, 2013 -> 12:48 PM) So what line is LeBlanc playing on, Sunday? I don't know anything about him. Offensive minded forward? Defensive? Physical? Speedy? http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/drew_leblanc/ LeBlanc is a 6’0”, 195-pound playmaking center that plays an intelligent two-way game. He also possesses some of the best hands in all of college hockey. His superb passing skills and great vision allow him to make plays that few other collegians can make. And it’s an attribute that hasn’t been lost on scouts, either. LeBlanc’s decision-making is excellent. He makes few mistakes and thinks the game remarkably well. He also has the ability to make those around him better. Although LeBlanc is known more for his playmaking ability, he has shown a knack for scoring timely goals, as well. One attribute that sets LeBlanc apart from many other collegiate players is his ability to create time and space for his teammates. He can control the tempo of the game and, with his tremendous patience with the puck, can allow teammates the time get into the best possible positions. LeBlanc is an excellent skater that moves exceedingly well with the puck. While he isn’t exceedingly fast, LeBlanc does have good speed, acceleration and can transition quickly. LeBlanc, who is one of St. Cloud State’s co-captains, also possesses strong leadership qualities. He went undrafted out of high school.Broke a leg in college so got a 5th year at St. Cloud St. So he is 23 already.

Sharp is back tonight and Drew LaBlanc,( pronounced LeBla ) the Hobey Baker winner, is centering for Kane and Sharp.

Nice to see some good pitching not wasted even though the Sox only got 5 hits again.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 01:20 PM) Sox shouldn't be in a situation where they can't have PH for the 25th man on the roster when a LOOGY comes in. I was just thinking that. With the injuries and call up of Danks and Tekotte now we're too left handed .

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 10:51 AM) Danks has also fanned 3 times in 7 AB. He's really not the answer. Maybe a good 4th or 5th OF some day, and really playing sporatically is something he will probably have to learn to do anyway. Odds are really against him being a regular player. I agree but still a better option than Tekotte and so is Wise.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 10:30 AM) Keep in mind one of Danks' "hits" was a pop up to the pitcher. All line drives in the box score. It's contact and getting on base which is more than I can say for the majority of the lineup. And limited sample size ,I know, but I want a string of wins with some runs.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Apr 24, 2013 -> 10:15 AM) He said Dunn should bat 9th and that Flowers should bat after him, so that would make Flowers 10th. Was my fault. I left a catcher out of my proposed lineup. I fixed it since.