hitlesswonder

QUOTE(retro1983hat @ May 14, 2007 -> 09:15 AM) But Uribe needs to take pitches to give the leadoff hitter a chance to steal second. His Tazmanian Devil swing is not conducive to the 2 hole. Right, because Erstad is such a speed merchant. Maximizing Erstad's chances to steal 15 bases this season isn't a good way to pick a #2 hitter. If someone has a decent OBP, they should hit #2. Uribe was last(?) in OBP in the majors last season, so I can see not hitting him there. But his bat has shown as much life as anyone lately, so why not hit him #2 for a while. I agree with the poster who said when thome returns the Uribe would see a lot of fastballs. Anything is worth a shot at this point.

QUOTE(Wanne @ May 14, 2007 -> 12:30 AM) I can't see the Angels giving up Willits...that is unless you throw Crede at them. A team to possibly look at right now who is struggling offensively also is the DBacks. Sometimes change is good. Even though this guy has a handful of personal problems right now...it may be a good time to make a package for Alberto Callaspo. I'd still give my let nut to have Eric Byrnes on this team. So...a package that included Dye (home in the Valley), a pitching prospect (that does not include Gio) and maybe (fill in the blank) for Byrnes and Callaspo. Before everybody jumps down my throat...I'm not sure what specifics would be...but I just threw out the main ones. I'd trade Crede for Willits in a heartbeat. I think Dye's trade value right now is zero. Until he proves he can still hit big league pitching there's no way he, Egbert, and Russel will bring back Byrnes and Callaspo. Maybe Byrnes alone...

QUOTE(fathom @ May 13, 2007 -> 10:56 PM) Even when Thome returns, Sweeney should continue to start. When Pods is ready to return in 2009, then we can send Sweeney down if he hasn't earned the spot. That's absolutely true. But I don't see Ozzie doing it. He'll want to find a spot for Ozuna (cause of his mad skillz on the bases) and he's clearly not comfortable starting Sweeney in front of Mack for an extended period of time. Plus he really likes Terrero. It's possible someone (either Ozzie or KW) does decide to keep Sweeney up, but Ozzie clearly isn't big on rookie position players after his experience with Anderson.

QUOTE(BearSox @ May 13, 2007 -> 10:50 PM) It's just a lose-lose, isn't it? Well, yeah. I think there will be a lot of losing this year. Ozzie won't play Sweeney when Thome returns. That's all there is to it. Sweeney would be better off playing everyday in AAA.

QUOTE(BearSox @ May 13, 2007 -> 05:16 PM) Sweeney is a stud, and could be the top spect on a lot of teams, so don't diss him... Sweeney would not be the top prospect of any team in major league baseball. He would not be the positional prospect of any other team in major league baseball. I doubt he would even be the top OF prospect of any other team in major league baseball. And that's not any disrespect. I think the Sox should be starting him everyday. He may turn out to be a decent major league ballplayer. But I think people have unrealistic expectations because he's the Sox best positional prospect (or at least in the top 2).

OK, this is probably an attempt at a thread hijack, but what do people think of Iguchi's defense this year? Is it better than I think and just skewed by a poor sample size? Or are the numbers right and the Sox have the most immobile right side of infield in baseball? I'd really like it to be the former, since I like Iguchi. But it has been an inauspicious start of the year for him (not that he's alone in that).

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ May 12, 2007 -> 09:35 PM) That's one of the stupidest things I've heard all year. I'm surprised at you. Andy Gonzalez over Iguchi? Please. Tadahito has been garbage but let's not go nuts. I have to agree with fathom. Iguchi is worst defensive 2B in the major leagues from what I've seen this year. If he can't hit, and it doesn't look like he can, Gonzalez should start over him.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ May 9, 2007 -> 11:27 PM) Anderson 1/3 with 2 walks, 2 runs scored, and 2 strikeouts. Fields 1/5. Anderson is failing to do the one thing he really needs to do -- cut down on the Ks. From the numbers, he's the same hitter he has always been. Maybe his swing/approach just can't be fixed.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ May 7, 2007 -> 12:28 AM) Or it could be the fact from an offensive standpoint, he quite possibly had the worse swing of any position player in all of baseball. Timo may not have been good, but he had a role and was decent at it. I also didn't think he had a horrid swing. Albeit, he played way too much but I thought he had some valuable assets as a 25th man (obviously he should have never been a DH or gotten many starts, but he was a very smart player whose craftyniss came in handy at times). I'll go ahead and say it -- Timo Perez right now is a better hitter than Brian Anderson. And it's not close. Anderson was hands down the worst hitter I saw in the AL this season. Gustauvo Molina's swing looks better.

QUOTE(South Side Fireworks Man @ May 5, 2007 -> 12:06 AM) They should be buyers, not sellers at the trade deadline and give it one last shot with this crew this year. Next year, they should be big spenders in the FA market. They're drawing fans, and have high TV and Radio Ratings in a major market. They could afford it. Bring in Ichiro and Andruw Jones in the Outfield. Get rid of Cintron and Mackowiak and tweak the bench with some speedsters. Try to improve at 2B with a more "athletic" type player. Keep the pitching staff intact. The Sox need to operate like the major market team they are. Without Dye and Crede the 2008 payroll is apparently already at $100M. There won't be any big FAs brought in, though the Sox will probably clear salary to sign Rowand.

QUOTE(greg775 @ May 4, 2007 -> 11:42 PM) But how much does the team miss Thome? I'd say a lot. The danger in blowing it up is the team could be down for years to come. Being down for years to come is almost a fait accompli. The minor league system is so bereft of talent that unless the Sox make good trades this season, they'll be bad for much longerthan a couple years. Now actually isn't the time to blow up the team, although trading Garland, Buehrle or Jenks right now might be a decent idea as all are pitching well. The other players -- Crede, Dye, Iguchi, and Mack -- the Sox should wait on until they heat up and have more value. Really, if the minor league system had some talent in the pipeline I think there'd be much less urgency to have a firesale this season. But when Podsednik going down is a crippling blow -- when you can't find a hitter batting over .200 to play LF and DH -- there's clearly a crisis.

When the Sox do hold the firesale I hope they rip up the horribly constructed bench. There's no reason to pay mack $3.5M next season unless he's the starting 2B. If Gonzalez can play defense at SS (I've read good arm, bad hands), Cintron should be moved as well. I'm glad Ozzie keeps playing him though -- if he hits a hot streak maybe he'll be tradeable.

Alright, I'm not saying that I'd trade Danks for scrap but I wouldn't make him untouchable. If an offer came with a young position player that had proven he could hit major league pitching I think the Sox should consider it. I'm not saying that Danks hasn't impressed me -- he has. But I don't see him becoming an ace, just becuase he doesn't have that kind of stuff. Not that it matters, but Sickels projection for him wasn't great -- he thought he was an injury risk ans that his numbers had never lived up to the hype. That's probably excessive, but the bottom line is that he doesn't look like the next Johan Santana. Danks is valuable, and it should take a good deal to get him. But I wouldn't label him untouchable -- that's all I was saying.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ May 4, 2007 -> 10:55 PM) I'll believe it when I see, and yes I watched him play with the Mets last year. Reed was 22 when he put up monster numbers in Birmingham. There's no way in hell I trade a starting pitcher who is injured, has a questionable attitude, and puts up numbers down in the minors comparable to guys we have had over the past decade. If there's one strong point of the Sox's farm system, it's OF development. Milledge's AAA park is a terrible hitting park (is it Newark?). I remember reading an article about minor league park effects, and adjusted for that his numbers were significantly better. Milledge is a much prospect than anyone in the Sox organization.

QUOTE(fathom @ May 4, 2007 -> 10:29 PM) It will happen soon enough. Danks is the only person who I will lose a second of sleep over if they're traded. The talent level in our organization is frighteningly low right now, despite Hawk and DJ saying how much talent we have. Really? I would trade Danks. It's not like he's Liriano or Verlander. He has a Buehrlesque fastball. He's doing OK as a 22 year-old 5th starter in the AL, but I don't see any reason why he should be untouchable.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ May 4, 2007 -> 10:47 PM) The pro-rated deal would include $3.33M in savings from this season since he wouldn't be playing for the Sox in August or September. And yes, you are correct he has a full no trade for 2007, which is a damn shame and would probably prevent the Sox from sending him back to New York even if it is the other league. I really don't think the Sox could get much for him anyway. Watching the game on TV, you can see his stuff isn't anywhere near as good as it was in 2005. If he were pitching well, maybe he'd bring back a low level prospect of some sort. But as it is, the Sox would have to throw in more talent just to move his contract.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ May 4, 2007 -> 08:43 PM) Until his one meltdown game. I don't believe you're officially a White Sox prospect until fans begin to have faith in your abilities, then you have a game resembling Felix Diaz. What's important now is how Gonzalez rebounds. I'd feel a lot better if I heard his changeup or curveball wasn't on. I think there's a reason places like BA, BP and Sickels blogs rated Gio as a B prospect. And there's a reason why PHI gave up on him. He started out great last season and fell apart. Given his size, I think stamina/durability is a big concern. As is a propensity to give up BB and HRs. If the Sox could put him in a trade for a position player, I wouldn't be upset.

QUOTE(TLAK @ May 1, 2007 -> 06:23 AM) The White Sox need Anderson to get his swing and aggressiveness back in Charlotte. Erstad has had a wonderful start but his track record says he will go down for some injury sooner or later. Brian Anderson is still the best option in the organization. They just have to get him untracked. If Erstad goes down, Sweeney will be the starting CF for the Sox. Anderson is done in Chicago. So far, Anderson hasn't done anything to demonstrate that Guillen isn't right about him not being a major league player. Although I certainly wish he would have.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Apr 30, 2007 -> 06:31 PM) First off, I've never discounted Egbert. Second, to believe Broadway is destined for anything in the major leagues resembling an "impact" is to discount his minor league track statistics. He's essentially a soft-tossing righthander without control. I'm not optimistic about Broadway either. But if by "without control" you mean he walks too many people I don't think that's true. He was at 2.33 BB/9 last season. It's not terrible and compares favorably with what Garland did in the minors (although he was younger). Broadway unfotunately doesn't miss many bats: over a hit per inning and the K's people at a Gavin Floyd-like pace. I think PECOTA projected him as a 5.5 ERA in the bigs. Sort of surprising, but if true that's actually 5th starter material in the AL. Again, I don't see it happening, but there it is.

QUOTE(Wanne @ Apr 30, 2007 -> 11:58 AM) Dude...we're talking Rocco Baldelli....not Vernon Wells. He's good...but not giving up the farm good for god's sake. I'm just guessing what the Rays would want based on what they've reportedly asked for in the past, and what the Sox have to deal. I'm not saying that it would be a good trade for the Sox. As others have noted, the Rays have all leverage -- they don't have to make a trade. And they'll want players that are cheap and under control for several years. The thing is, the Rays really need bullpen help and the Sox have young relievers. It might be a good match. I'd rather get Upton than Baldelli, but he'sprobably playing too well right now.

QUOTE(Melissa1334 @ Apr 30, 2007 -> 09:20 AM) why would the rays want sweeney or BA. the reason they want to trade baldelli is because they have too many of'ers and hes the most expensive. The DRays would want 3 young pitchers. They don't need position playesrs. They would ask for a closer , I'm guessing MacDougal or Jenks, a younger relief arm like Aardsma/Sisco/Logan, and a good starting pospect like Gonzalez. Baldelli's contract is a dream and in the offsseason the DRays wanted Saltallamachia, Yunel Escobar, and Chuck James for him. It might not take a package that good, but something close to it to get him.

QUOTE(fathom @ Apr 30, 2007 -> 12:49 AM) The reason we're pissed off that Terrero got called up is because he's putting up horrible numbers right now, and has been especially awful over the last two weeks. If he plays well, then that would be a great surprise. However, I think it's embarrassing that this organization can't field a single replacement to have four at-bats a day and do nothing else. Needing a DH and being unable to find one better than Sweeney, Cintron, or Terrero is an absolute indictment of the management of the Sox. Those guys starting everyday wouldn't be able to muster up a collective OPS of over .680. For crying out loud , go sign Bucky Jacobson or something! This completely exposes the barren AAA team and horrible bench construction of the Sox. No team should need all 3 of Ozuna, Mack, and Cintron on a roster.

QUOTE(IamPabloOzuna @ Apr 29, 2007 -> 10:35 PM) 46 Ks in 31 IP... And he's doing it in the PCL -- a hitter's league. His numbers, small sample size caveat, are simply awesome. I'm not sure that King Felix posted better numbers when he was down there.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Apr 29, 2007 -> 09:45 PM) We absolutely need these kids. We need Brian Anderson to find his swing. He doesn't have to be dominant, but he needs to be a starting major league baseball player. Because we just don't have the money to find that many replacements. That may be true, but I think Anderson is done on the Sox. If you read Merkin's column, Anderson essentially says it's time for him to go to new organization and Walker says that Anderson doesn't want to succeed enough. Needing him won't make Brian Anderson a major league hitter. I would have liked Anderson to succeed in Chicago, but it didn't happen. I hope he gets another shot elsewhere.

QUOTE(caulfield12 @ Apr 29, 2007 -> 09:27 PM) That's still down to a 20-30% chance.....divide those players (and the jury's out on at least half of them STILL) by 7 years. I actually don't think the Sox have done that terribly drafting and developing pitching. They haven't excelled the way the Twins have, but the Twins have to be the best in baseball at it. It doesn't excuse it, but lots of other teams passed on Garza as well. And the injury attrition rate among pitchers is so horrific, I'm sure most other teams have pitching prospect lists that are as bad as the Sox (the Mariners, for example). Even though the Giants have had some successes (Matt Cain, and Lincecum -- who I can't wait to see), they had the trio of Foppert, Aisworth, and Williams flame out though all were highly regarded. Anyway, I agree the Sox need to improve and need to draft "stuff" pitchers more heavily. But the system's biggest failure is in developing position players. I see 1 decent position prospect in the Sox system. That's just atrocious.