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That's an interesting Law tidbit. It makes me thing that maybe DH'ing has allowed him to focus on developing one specific thing to great effect. Maybe making the game smaller will pay dividends as he works on defense later.

One reason I advocate for moving up Booker is Birmingham will clarify all of that (and quickly) and remove one more question from our crowded outfield.

Thanks! I know I'm on the internet and could have googled it, but you know, in the middle of writing and easily distracted already. Totally agree on Edwards. Low power but totally a profile we are lacking. Should add that Torres was 55 on BAs list.

This turn of events for Basabe is just so awesome.

That BA list has some great names to watch around the white sox second round pick. At 49 (which is where I think we pick? I may screw this up) they have will banfield listed, the top HS catching prospect. Up and around it include JT Ginn (i like a lot, but big project), Griffin Conine, Joe Gray, Alek Thomas, Seth Beer, etc.

Bored with outcome oriented nba watching. Utah/Rockets has been very fun, celts/76ers has been fun, rapts/cavs has been a drag. The playoffs have been great, not sure it redeems the tanking.

Well wasn't it that he just got hit in the groin?

Series of owners that have stripped all of the cash out and left it to dry, general contempt for the product. They are working to update it but in both cases would need to invest again to change it.

There is a common thread between those two papers.

It's actually why it's a problem. Granted, we're still a little less than 100ABs in, so I'm not that concerned as others with promotions this early. But you can work out getting Robert back, but it's this huge block. You either have those guys move up together and swallow up like sharks anyone developing too slow ahead of them, but also block anyoen developing fast behind them. Not the worst problem, but it sucks when you want to push someone and can't because of bodies, I don't reallyw ant that problem until they hit like AAA ideally.,

You are forgetting about rutherford.

I don't think the trib website is bad I actually like it on specific articles. I mostly get to it via twitter. I like the sun-times sports section a lot more than the trib (which is basically paul sullivan and david haugh at this point), but the sun times is so much usa today stuff. I have always liked that the sun times has shown a propensity to be a bit more creative in finding odd, big stories, especially with corruption in the city. The trib more resource-intensive and straightforward, like their excellent lead poisoning and county assessment stories. Both, imo, are so valuable to the city. Shadows of their former selves, though, no doubt. But they have had owners for the last 5 years actively trying to sabotage them, so I have hope.

It's sad, but his career ended a long time ago for me.

sun times in a tough spot and asking for online sub sign-ups. https://chicago.suntimes.com/imagine-chicago-without-the-sun-times/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top-stories Edit: since this has come up a lot: " Last month, we greatly improved our website user experience by removing ads and designing pages that are easier to read. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. We hope that you, too, like what you see."

That's a shame. Law is usually first to identify when there is much higher industry consensus on a player than media consensus.

Not that surprised, the writers will have different team sources they trust. It will be interesting to see how kiley's mocks fare this year after leaving a team/scouting again.

I hope this is the case but the things giolito builds on seem to fall apart so quickly. Honestly just doesn't seem to be the same incremental process as with everyone else. It's like he's trying to hold as many cans as possible, and as they add another to the pile he doesn't just drop one or two, they all fall out and he starts the process over.

That seems so dumb to pass on madrigal if they have a higher grade on him just because of our infield. As others have said, just as possible a top prospect madrigal helps the white sox equally by being shipped off for MLB talent. I also just don't think sox would truly pass because of that. Not buying it (As rationale), totally possible they value him equally to others and going a different direction.

He did play 1b in college that last year. And while our catchers are cycling, they are still getting days off which is often where Barnum has filled in. So I think there can be enough at bats with mostly 1b, DH on catcher rest days, and LF once in an Eloy off day.

I see more of a need to prioritize bookers defensive development in the outfield over Fisher, whose development has to be offensive for him to have value. Letting him try corner infield positions, dh, and LF occassionally lets him get at bats while building versatility (and he's moved around before). If his bat shows in AA, he'll likely have a lot more room prospect wise to work out his LF skills (a la delmonico).

The thing is is that the claim is that they did measure the change with spin rate and pine tar now (as above), and it's indicating it is a much bigger advantage. Your anecdotes are about using it to get extra bite on a curve, but spin rate is just as important for a 4 seam fb which is likely used much more often, so it could pose a significant advantage to pitchers who know. And as bauer said, then just legalize it and make it above board so there isn't a haves and have nots situation. Let people know exactly how it works.

Bauer's pretty reasonable response: " “We know how it affects spin rate and we know how spin rate affects outcomes and pitches and movements that have a big difference in a game, in a season and in each individual player’s career,” Bauer said. “It’s my opinion that it’s the same argument that was used when steroids were going on in the game. If you just look the other way and you let some people do it, the people who choose not to do it are at a competitive disadvantage, and that’s what’s going on right now.” So, that’s Bauer’s plea: Create an even playing field. “I don’t see that there’s a way to enforce it,” Bauer said, “because you can’t go check a pitcher every single inning, every single pitch or whatever. That’s currently how it is. You can get thrown out of the game and suspended for it if the umpire comes and checks and finds out, but it doesn’t happen. So, pick a substance that’s sticky, that gives you all of the performance benefits, and just put it on the back of the mound. That way, if you want to use it, you can, and everybody knows it’s being used. And then, if you want to use other substances and skirt the rule, whatever, have a certain amount of outlawed substances: Vaseline, or whatever. If you want to use sticky stuff, it’s right there on the mound. Put your fingers on it and throw. “A lot of hitters are fine with it, because it’s been said they don’t want projectiles thrown 100 mph at their head when the pitcher has no clue where it’s going. Over 69 percent of the league probably uses it anyway, so there’s not really a whole lot of difference. But just make it legal so that way it’s an even playing field, and that way, when I want to use surgical grade stuff on my stitches on the backside of the pinkie finger that’s never going to touch the ball and has no effect on the game at all, I can use it and not be thrown out of the game or whatever. Meanwhile, while I can’t just use that stuff so I can pitch for my team in the postseason, you have guys using sticky stuff every single time they pitch, increasing their spin rate by 200 to 300 rpm and having a massive competitive advantage.”" https://theathletic.com/339360/2018/05/02/sticky-situation-trevor-bauer-makes-clear-his-message-about-the-astros-and-pine-tar/?redirected=1

? the reason they are being moved is because other, better players are in their otherwise set positions. So getting upset that they are moved to 1b is odd, since it’s just an attempt to let them develop their offensive profile without stunting more priority players growth.

Oh. My. That Donovan Mitchell dunk just now was in. Sane. Maybe one that is better live since it was so unexpected, but gnarly

I think that will be a little too aggressive for mendick, but considering his age I wouldn’t be that upset. He’s a great story. He feels like a new Saladino.