RockRaines

Ask Zoom, he took about all of them in our league.

The A's guy said Masset is our 7th inning guy.

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 04:15 PM) I'm arguing that I'd rather have Thome up with 1st and 2nd, no outs. If there's one out, then I'd rather the runner be at 3rd, of course. With our pitching staff, it's hard to tell if it will mean much being up 1-0. In 2005, a 1 run lead seemed comfortable. Last year, a 1 run lead felt like a 2 run deficit a lot of the time. Alot would have to happen between those two circumstances. The 2 man would have to either walk, or hit a single with the runner on 1st and no have hit it well enough to allow the runner to advance to 3rd. Which is why if the runner doubles, I love the grounder to the right side or the bunt. Thome with a man on 3rd are pretty good odds, not as good as Dye up though.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 03:29 PM) I think he meant getting ousted by a team (xavier) in the tourney that didnt belong there, kind of referencing that it would be a sad way to end the year. I would hope he isnt saying that Xavier shouldnt have been in the tourney.

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 04:07 PM) I'll take my chances with none out and 2 on every time with someone like Thome. Thome doesn't hit into a ton of double plays (unlike PK, of course). In the first inning of the game with an offense like ours, I just hate giving up that first out of the game via the bunt. Now, if Thome, PK, and Dye are all injured, that's a different story. Just a plain disagreement on both sides. I would rather have a man on 3rd with 1 out than a man on second with 1 out or 1st and second with 0 outs. Heres why: Thome can score that run in many different ways because of the shift, he also can hit a fly ball VERY easy. 1-0 Thome k's around 160 times a year. PK is a DP threat all the time. Man on second 1 out, thome walks, PK DP. 1st and second 1 out, PK dp. During the first inning of every game I would like to avoid those dp's and give our pitching staff, especially this year, a 1-0 lead every time.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 03:53 PM) Rock -- my main point was that Thome Ks a lot, so having your #2 hitter bunt and give himself up when all it will take is a single to score the leadoff man isn't the best strategy. Then again, it sort of depends on the situation and pitcher. Obviously you're gonna attack Johan differently than Ponson. Thats the thing, thome can score the runner many more ways than just a single.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 03:50 PM) Bradley flies out to Terrero on the CF track. 2 outs. Of course, if Podsednik could still run...there would be no reason to bunt there, as he could just, you know, run. Well if stealing 3rd is your thing. Im talking about just getting a man over from 2nd to 3rd.

QUOTE(hitlesswonder @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 03:46 PM) I may be a baseball idiot (I probably am), but I just don't like playing for a single run in the first inning. I'd rather see the Sox play for multiple runs. I doubt anyone believes it but there's this about the value of bunting. It's a little harsh, as I think the chances of scoring a run go up by 3%. I would definitely bunt in late/close situations and depending on who is hitting and who hits next. Actually, if Erstad bats second, having him bunt probably is OK.... Bunting has nothing to do with it. If you have a lead off double or a single and an SB in the first inning. Playing for the lead is VERY important, and just good baseball. Sitting back and waiting for the 3 run bomb in the first inning is not nearly as effective. The early lead not only helps your offense squeeze the opposing pitcher, but it allows a little breathing room for your SP to work a little looser. This is one of the things that made our 2005 team so dangerous is that we held an early lead in so many games making it easier on our offense as well as our pitching staff. I would rather have Thome bat with a man on 3rd with 1 out than no outs and a man on first and second. He is capable of scoring that run from 3rd in so many ways, hit into the shift and it scores, fly ball and it scores, get a hit and it scores, hit a bomb and it scores.

Damn harden has 5 k's QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 03:44 PM) But this could be used for all 3 pitchers. Danks and Floyd have plus curveballs, that will break a bit more outside of the desert. Danks uses a fastball to offset his breaking pitches, and to set them up. While Floyd has a good fastball, and his issue is control and not the desert. Yeah but knucklers are much more effected, not to mention thats the pitch he throws every time.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 03:36 PM) Sacrificing an out in the first inning isn't the smartest strategy, IMO, as Thome is as likely to hit a double or homer as he is to strike out. I'm sure hitless would take the run every time, too, but that isn't exactly the point. If a guy doubles and we ground out or bunt him over to 3rd in the first inning, thats baseball, and winning baseball at that. Getting the lead in the 1st inning is one of the most important strategies in baseball and is a reason why we were so dangerous in 2005. You can keep waiting for the 3 run bomb, ill take that 1 run lead EVERY time. BTW, its not as likely. 2006 Thome had 26 doubles and 42 hr's. He struck out 147 times(which was somewhat good for him) Its MUCH more likely he will strike out.

pablo is god.

damn, 3 run bomb. It sucks for Haeger that he has to prove himself in the AZ air.

cancel the postgame show

QUOTE(hitlesswonder @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 03:22 PM) If the goal today was just to practice moving somone over that's fine. I just don't want to see it happen in the first inning of a regular season game. I'm hoping that's not a strategy the Sox will employ. im glad you are living in bizarro baseball world then, because I would love a run in every 1st inning of every game.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 03:09 PM) Balta - where are you seeing Gameday audio? mlb.com apparently they hired the local high school radio guy to do it. Fly ball.......caught

QUOTE(watchtower41 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 02:55 PM) If Ohio State doesnt get a 3 pt prayer, theyre on the couch right now, getting ousted in tourney that many didnt believe belonged. They dont belong in the tourney? I dont understand what you are trying to say there. If Duke doesnt get a miracle shot from Laettner they arent talked about as one of the best cbball dynasties of all time. Such is college hoops

QUOTE(Y2HH @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 02:22 PM) I agree. I like the idea of having a knuckler in our rotation somewhere, throwing off the consistancy of opposing batters. Although if things go wrong with knucklers, they get smashed or miss the K zone, when things go right, they can really mess with an opposing teams confidence and get their timing all screwed up. I think Haeger is going to come up big this season if given the opportunity. I totally agree. As much as seeing Danks pitch for the sox would delight me, I think many factors should make Haeger the best candidate. I hope today he proves he should win that job. He can eat innings at will, he can mess up alot of the timing for other teams, and having him start his career now will make him that much more awesome when he is 42 and still able to pitch effectively.

I dont understand how any big ten talk wasnt justified? They came in to the tourney as after thoughts and low seeds and pushed many of the better teams they faced to the limits. Ask Fla what they think of Purdue, UNLV was outplayed by Wisco in the 2nd half, Indiana gave UCLA all they could handle, even MSU gave UNC a bit of a headache. If it wasnt for Illinois choke job, all the teams would have made it past the first round of the tourney, that alone says alot about the talent in the conference. All the people talking s*** about the big ten should feel alot worse about it than someone who was saying how much trouble these teams were going to give obviously better teams. QUOTE(watchtower41 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 10:42 AM) Butch or not, UNLV is a flat out better team than Wisconsin. Much better defensively sound, and thats what won them the game on Sunday. Thats not what won them the game at all. A player who snuck in a loophole transfer before the rule was abolished hit 3 3-pointers late in the game to give it to UNLV. UNLV shot 50 percent from behind the 3 point line, leading the way was Kruger who hadnt hit a shot all tourney long. I would say that had much more to do with it than some phantom defense comment.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 11:49 AM) Ah...baseball season never truly begins for me until I read that sentance. MMM baseball: fresh cut grass, peanuts, ice cold miller light, polish with onions, Wood and Prior on the DL. Love it.

Apparently Prior and Wood are both starting the season on the DL.

my ass, its freezing outside.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 09:36 AM) FWIW, I think Dan Wrights problems were more from his arms falling off, versus lack of stuff. Also Jason Grilli has turned into an extremely good bullpen guy, and Felix Diaz OWNS in OOTP. QUOTE(Hideaway Lights @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 09:57 AM) Again, I like Danks for 2008 but he needs a few more ticks in the oven, no? Not really, he just needs some more experience and a bit more control. He has the pitches.

That explains the discrepancy between the BP article on Russell and his actual delivery. I thought his tailing fastball was confusing hitters yesterday, and he keeps his velocity up. If he starts in AAA, i expect big things from him

So, from what I read the knock on Russell is that his fastball has basically no movement and his breaking pitches arent exactly MLB quality. From what I have seen this spring he has been experiementing with different arm angles. Today he struck out I believe Emil Brown on a contreras-like fastball breaking in to RH batters. I like what this giant kid brings to the table. Also in the game today I was more impressed with Gio that I have been in quite some time. His control is obviously not there yet, but its a definite possiblilty that he can be a top of the line guy in the majors. His fastball does stay up at a good velocity. He has the ability to run the fastball in on righties and away from lefties. He also has a couple of good breaking pitches. I think in 2 years this guy is firmly planted as the #2 guy in the rotation.

Intervention because the ending is always, 3 weeks later she broke out of rehab and is whoring herself for smack. Also paradise hotel.