RockRaines

QUOTE (Brian @ Mar 15, 2009 -> 05:31 PM) Oklahoma vs. NC would be sweet. I don't like Michigan's match up. I think Michigan has a chance to actually go a few rounds where they are.

QUOTE (Brian @ Mar 14, 2009 -> 03:58 PM) Even with Evan Turner shooting like crap, he still does so much. I heard from a guy at the Suntimes that he is all but gone, but we'll see. He and Mullens are gone. Both should stay because their games arent ready for the NBA, but both will leave for the money. Im just hoping Buford stays at this point. If by some miracle all three stayed I would be very happy.

eat it sparty

I agree. He is a better option than Wise and Owens and could make a nice platoon with BA. He raked with the Cubs last year.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 05:19 PM) Probably about 1/10th of the time you hear BA's 2006 performance means he cannot play well at the major league level. These games mean nothing. I don't know how many guys tell management, " I hit .400 in spring training, I need a raise" I would imagine its zero. Right now, even the good pitchers don't want to be peaking. With Beckham, its just a matter of time. Who really knows if he's ready right now? But if his mechanics are good, and he appears ready, they probably will give him a shot. He's going to be at 2B or SS real soon anyway. What's interesting about Beckham is he changed his swing a little bit in the Fall League and changed the opinion of the scouts who thought he wouldn't amount to much. He may turn out to be one of the top 2 or 3 players from that draft. He's added a small hitch/load to his swing, kinda Sheffield-esque. I'm actually of the opinion this hurts his already solid swing.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 05:09 PM) Unfortunately that doesn't mean much. ESPN is terrible in the recruiting rankings, especially for basketball. But I think i'd rather be at Miami than Alabama. Both are football schools, but Alabama more so. Yes, everyone should stay away from ESPN if you would like actual recruiting rankings, they have zero clue on any sport.

Ah, so you are considering the long man spot as the "back of the bullpen?"

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 05:01 PM) There's a gaping hole in the back of the bullpen, someone needs to win that spot and if we're going off who's earned it with their spring performance it's Jack Egbert. No one is going to trade for Jayson (DFA) Nix and Chris Getz is the future utility player of this ballclub, both have been thoroughly outplayed by Gordon Beckham this spring, the job should be his. Where is the gaping hole in the back of the pen? Thornton, Dotel, Linebrink and Jenks make up the back of the pen. I dont see a hole in the bunch.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 05:03 PM) You coulda just left it as is and then you wouldn't know unless you were already thinking about the pitcher. Other than the fact that our Josh Fields is our starting 3B, and the fact he wouldnt be sent down, then it would have been believeable.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 05:05 PM) He'll come around. That phrase was trademarked in 2006

BA's swing right now is alot different that it was this time last year, that worries me.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 04:49 PM) Owens Grounds to short, Lillibridge out at 2nd, Bad throw airmailed to 1b, goes in to the seats, Owens goes to 2nd on E-4. Another uppercut shank. One thing we can ALL agree on is that we dont want Owens anywhere near this team.

Before today Fields is hitting .313 .353 .625

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 04:29 PM) The difference is that Lillibridge has two tools...speed and defense. He can play SS perhaps better than anyone in our organization (according to reports), 2B and CF as well (at least at Univ. of Washington). His minor league averages were strong/solid before the last couple of years, but he's a younger player that has more upside than Owens/Wise and probably Brian Anderson too at this point in his development. You'd have to say Lillibridge would be more valuable simply because he can play SS so well. We can debate if BA also has "power" as a tool. Dewayne Wise homers as the WBC 10 run mercy rule is about to be put into effect. Things are really shaping up to be a Wise/Lillibridge platoon with Anderson and Owens waived or traded or sent to AAA. Yup, looking more and more like BA and Owens being sent down. Both are below the mendoza, both are looking hopeless.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 04:25 PM) Lillibridge is also leading the team in Ks with 10. That's a 1/10 BB/K. And yet still is hitting 100 points better than Owens.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 04:21 PM) And Lillibridge hit .220 in AAA last year. Not sure how those 3 suck, but Lillibridge doesn't. Wise and Owens are both below avg defensively and offensively, BA and Lilli are plus defenders and cant hit. Lilli is a better player than both Wise and Owens, and probably equal value to BA because of their plus defense. None of the bunch is good, but Wise and Owens clearly suck. And FYI, cherry picking the kid's worst year never really shows anything. He may not be an offensive juggernaut, but he is better than he showed last year.

dont overlook the fact Wise plays a below avg CF.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 04:16 PM) Wise is hitting .350 this spring. What makes Lillibridge better? Talent for one. Wise is a 31 year old garbage fill in player.

we may have to take a look at Lilli in CF here. BA, Wise and Owens all suck.

Fields may have a great year for us.

Jerry Owens hasnt hit a ball hard all spring. I dont know how you can make a case for someone to be an MLB hitter when he cant even square up the ball.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 03:52 PM) They had plenty of chances this season to make sure that they were a lock for the NCAA tournament, I think that they will still be in, you just hate to leave it to chance. If they do get in, this loss may be a good thing as it will likely move them down from a 8/9 seed to a 10/11 which would mean they wont have the 1 seed to face. This game really brought me back to the classic game that was on a few days ago between our teams, these guys couldnt hold a candle to those teams so I think we are both in for a first game dissapointment in the tourney.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 03:45 PM) Anderson works a full count then pops to shallow right. Inning over. Maybe a month in AAA will give him time to get his swing/head right. He looked so much better in spring last year, and it showed in his #'s. Apparently Brian can only hit in the thin air of Tucson, in college and in the pro's. He is WAY out in front of the ball.

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 03:20 PM) To rattle us,I was in full panic mode when I saw that thread and thinking,what the hell are we gonna do about 3B? Considering he is the starter and has been raking this ST, I knew the min I saw it that it wasnt our Josh.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 03:33 PM) Wisconsin can just not put teams away this year. I dont know how many times theyve had leads in the final minutes only to not score any points. 10-1 run by OSU as of now, just unacceptable. Bucky had every chance to take that game. It was frustrating to see that most of the game was spent with key players from both teams in foul trouble.