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QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 04:49 PM) He was good enough in CF last spring to win the starting job out there. We can't really say he's a good SS either but as of right now it certainly looks like that's where he's going to start the season. I don't KNOW Getz can leadoff, I just know I'd rather see his high contact approach, moderate BB rate, low K rate at the top of the lineup than the atrocious Jerry Owens. agreed with all of this. And in fact, the defensive metrics Alexei had at 2b last year suggest he might actually be a BAD shortstop. At least just looking at him at CF IMO is something that needs to be done this ST, even if he doesn't play there come April 6, why not explore the option when CF is such a hole, and it appears that we might have a strong candidate to play SS by June, if not right away. Besides, according to Cubano, Alexei is most experienced playing CF anyways....and Kalapse is exactly right, if he was good enough to start in CF last year, why not this year?

BTW i know ozzie basically ran him out of town, and I do like Marquez Betemit and Nunez quite a bit, but wouldn't Swisher look pretty damn good penciled in at CF this year? Maybe I'm the only one, but I didn't hate Swisher nearly as much as soxtalk nation did, and I personally think a .340-.350 OBP with 20-25 HR and passable defense would look good in CF right now. (with the potential for that obp to be quite a big higher)

ah yes the inevitable "The organization (aka Kenny Williams) wants jerry owens to play CF, but he sucks so we can't keep him there" article. I love KW and think he's a great GM who makes alot of astute moves, but i'm gonna criticize him a bit here, because I think this is all his doing. He didn't pursue a CF after we dealt Swisher (though I blame Ozzie for swishers departure), because he liked what we had. We have jack there. There is absolutely 0 excuse to not look at Alexei there now, especially now that it appears that SS isn't quite his "natural" position and CF might be. I'm still worried Owens will be handed this job, as ozzies comments certainly look like he is trying to light a flame under his butt to go out and win it.

the other problem with my proposed lineup is that Owens, Nix and Wise would all be left off the team, and maybe out of the organization as all are out of options. Now maybe thats not that big of a deal...I know Nix cleared waivers twice last year, but something tells me in this economy relatively young guys might get scooped up. Owens I could care less about. He's awful, I'm 100% sure that we can find someone else to do what he does. Wise...we could manage to lose him i believe, especially if Kroeger is in AAA.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 11:15 PM) I like that one too, the only caveat is that I hate that OF defensively. Alexei wasnt that great in his short time in CF, and I honestly think he is a better SS than Becks on really nothing more than short time seeing both. Beckham would see a ton of fastballs in that spot. The one thing I have liked about him so far though is that he seems to recognize breaking balls fairly quickly and can lay off the breaking s*** they will throw him in the lead off spot too. i agree thats its not our best D...thing is, i'm not really convinced Ramirez will be any better than Beckham at SS (alexei's metrics weren't very good at 2b last year, and usually the shift to SS doesn't improve those)....and CF we just don't know at this point what Ramirez is like out there, which is why i want to see him there this spring. I think Alexei could give what Owens and Wise would in CF, but the only way to find out is to try him there. Obviously Brian in CF would be best, but i'm just not confident in his ability to hit at this level. Truth be told, I'm actually not crazy about rushing Beckham this quickly, but the alternative is Anderson in the lineup, and frankly i think Beckham will be better than Anderson right now in the majors. I really hope Brian proves me wrong, cuz he has enough power and certainly plays D well enough to be a pretty effective player if he can get on base at say a .330 clip

i'd wait to start beckhams arb clock and then have this as my lineup when they want to start him Getz 2b Beckham SS Quentin LF Thome DH Dye RF Konerko 1b AJ C Ramirez Cf Fields 3b Bench of Betemit, Anderson, Lillibridge (PR and Def. replacement) and Lucy MB, Gavin, Danks, Colon, Contreras Jenks, Linebrink, Thornton, Dotel, Richard, Carrasco, Marquez/Broadway/Russell/Wasserman/Nunez (I am intrigued by nunez, but really like broadway in that mop up, nick masset role. Would like to see Marquez starting, don't think Wasserman has what it takes especially for multiple innings, and russell has been brutal) won't happen though, as the organization seems pretty stubborn at keeping alexei at SS even though its possible he would be a better CF than SS defensively (see BJ upton) and we have a gaping hole in CF right now

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 05:55 PM) How so? Purdue is clearly better than Ohio St. or Wisconsin and there isn't really any major difference between facing Michigan or Minnesota/NW in their first game. i dunno....you are probably right, but id rather face michigan than minnesota...the other teams purdue is clearly the best of, but illinois seemed to play them well

QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 09:53 PM) That was a crazy ending....VDN continues to draw up terrible plays at the end of games. im fairly certain that wasn't designed for salmons like that ....at least the way things looked out of the inbounds it wasn't

unbelievable

uh ok 1.) wade traveled before he dished to beasley 2.) offensive basket interference on haslem 3.) how was that not a fast break TYRUS! no matter the outcome this has been the most entertaining game all year

the same can be said for just about any player, but man salmons is so much better when he plays within himself and doesnt try to force the issue

btw i love stacey king and love the energy he brings....but does he really need to say "WOW" when gordon hits a wide open 18 foot jumper?

if he has the band aid...that goes in

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 09:32 PM) He missed those FT's on purpose. Can we find someone to guard Marion? I don't care if he's in Toronto, someone guard him this time. lol wow wade just choked big time.... the NBA in bounds at half court after the time out is arguably the dumbest f***ing rule in all of sports

QUOTE (BearSox @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 08:45 PM) What's the velocity on his fastball? He's got really good movement on it, and that slider is really good as well. high 90s...can touch 100...olenys article on espn said one scout had him between 100-102 at times...

QUOTE (rangercal @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 09:29 PM) are you guys seriously ripping gordon? Without his 18 4th Q points, where would we be? But if Rose did the same thing he would be God. Meanwhile BG hits his 8th 3 i just said hes a bad defender. which is an extraordinarily difficult statement to argue with. what a game so far...i just know wade is going to hit a game winner in these last 3.7

nicely designed play by vinny out of the break.....rose doesn't hit many game winners because everyone knows he is going to go to the basket and they never call fouls at the end of games...and also rose is a bad shooter so he cant pull up well for as bad a defender as beasley is....gordon is close to as bad

barring major injury theres almost no way he doesn't go 1

i got tickets for the whole event...illinois got the much easier half of the bracket than MSU IMO

nice job to go the other way by flowers with 2 strikes

owens with 3 weak grounders to the right side and a K looking....good news

Lillibridge honestly deserves to be nowhere near this team his defensive versatility might win him a backup role though

nice slider there to leadoff that AB for poreda

my buddy is at the game and told me that the scoreboard at the game had the getz hit as a HR the entire time...

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 04:26 PM) Well Melton said his birthday is sometime this month, apparently he doesn't own a media guide. Didn't Chris Getz fracture his wrist last year? According to Melton it was a knee injury. He's so f***ing clueless. it was his wrist...melton is arguably the worst announcer i've ever heard Poreda in