ptatc

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 15, 2014 -> 03:25 PM) If every one of his other skills is average or better and he has the ability to play premium positions, then possibly. I agree that possibly is the answer. I don't agree with the post that stated he is definitely a top 100. He looks like a possible good player in the MLB. Not necessarily one of the top prospects, nothing jumps out as "this guy is going to be really good."

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 15, 2014 -> 07:39 AM) I have always wondered why having someone around you hope you never have to use and if he's used he will most likely be terrible is considered "depth". My definition of depth would only include useful players. From Axelrod's stand point, there are worse jobs than pitching and living in Charlotte. Beats having to work for a living.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Jan 15, 2014 -> 02:52 PM) I've been there but haven't had a burger yet. Speaking of Plainfield, Moe Joe's has a wild boar burger that is unbelievable. It has pretty much becaome my staple meal when we go there. That is the only thing I've had there and it is outstanding.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 14, 2014 -> 06:38 PM) He had a .420 OBP in AA with more BBs than Ks. Plate discipline may not be a tool, but it is a skill and Semien demonstrated it extremely well last year. Given the value of OBP, I'm not sure why this skill is less important than any physical tool. Is one good skill worth being in the top 100? This is the question you need to ask. That is what they look for when making the list.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 15, 2014 -> 10:26 AM) I'm sorry. Jammin' song that it is.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 14, 2014 -> 09:32 AM) While I don't agree with his #2 ranking, I do think he's being underrated by a lot people. The kid absolutely dominated AA in an age-appropriate season, while demonstrating incredible plate discipline. Maybe I'm wrong, but prospects that can show that kind of plate discipline at the higher levels typically fair better against major league pitching. Also, in terms of comps, he was better offensively than other top 100 prospects like Joc Pederson & Arismendy Alcantara. Unfortunately, John Maneul said in his Sox chat that Semien won't be cracking this year's list. It really bothers me that Baseball America believes there are 100+ prospects out there that are better than a 22 year old middle infielder that posted a .903 OPS & 167 wRC+ in AA. Semien doesn't really have any outstanding tools. He is above average on just about everything. These types don't generally make the list.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 14, 2014 -> 11:31 AM) I agree. Get the next one. I think it's obvious to everyone on the board that the Axelrod signing was an indication that the Sox weren't getting Tanaka. Move on to the second best pitcher on the market. They will not sign a major free agent pitcher if it's not tanaka.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jan 13, 2014 -> 03:55 PM) Second kid was obviously an 'Oops' Just re-married a younger woman and stared the little blue pill.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jan 13, 2014 -> 03:54 PM) Damn man, how old are you? I've been around longer than I thought.

QUOTE (staxx @ Jan 13, 2014 -> 02:13 PM) really cool, thanks for sharing. remember the days of going to the mothership of USCF when it first opened Yeah, the seat I was in for the very first game doesn't exist anymore. They were in the far corner of left field where they took down some of the rows.

QUOTE (dasox24 @ Jan 13, 2014 -> 03:49 PM) St. Patty's Day? And yes, might as well travel as much as you can. I tend to do plenty of spur of the moment trips. One of the nicer benefits of being single. Just do whatever, whenever. The one piece of advice I give to all young single/couple is to not make yourself house poor so you can travel. My kids are 15 and 13 and have been to 36 states and Canada. edit: still not good with numbers after all these years of research

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 13, 2014 -> 03:31 PM) Going to Denver/Keystone next month, Zion/Bryce Canyon in May and my wife is still trying to convince me to do Olympic/Mt. Rainier in August. You need to do Mt. Rainer. We stayed at a B&B near there and stayed in the area awhile. It's worth it. You sound you go to places similar to what we like. Have you been to Crater Lake? It is a definite must.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jan 13, 2014 -> 01:58 PM) Has any team ever tried running a substantial amount of Cover 2 out of a 3-4 base? It's tougher to do as the two LB's in the middle may not have the athletic ability to get to the deep middle zone. They can do it at times but it would be tougher to do as much as the Bears have in the past.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Jan 12, 2014 -> 11:12 AM) You realize how ridiculous that is right? I'm 27 and I still get acne on occasion. Why have none of those reports come from teammates? Why has no one gone on the record? Anecdotes are anecdotes - likely coming from someone who just didn't like Piazza very much. My point in all this is what's the difference between Piazza and Biggio? Piazza and Bagwell? An anecdote from an off-the-record somebody about back acne? Really? You realize a LOT of things can cause you to break out. Maybe he drank like crazy one night and ate a whole pizza! Listen, frankly I don't even care if he used or didn't because I've moved past caring. If everyone used then the playing field was level right? It's just inconsistent to say "no one from the era should be in the hall" but then want Frank in. However it's also inconsistent to say "i wont vote in anyone who was suspected of PEDs" and then vote in Bagwell/Biggio... or frankly ANYONE not named Frank Thomas. He's literally the only person in baseball who has remained consistent in his stance against PEDs. I don't even know how you can vote in Maddux and Glavine. Why are they immune to suspicion? At the end of the day, Piazza played in NYC. If he'd stayed in LA his whole career or gone to a media market not named NYC he'd be a hall of famer right now. But there's always someone looking to "get ya" in NYC when it comes to pro sports figures. As for Andro - first off it was legal at the time and secondly I will refer back to my position about Hank Aaron, Willy Mays and Gaylord Perry. All "cheaters" who are still in the hall. Explain? You've never seen the acne from someone abusing steroids then. It's not occasional acne. It's worse than most acne you've ever seen. It's really obvious.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Jan 13, 2014 -> 10:52 AM) Honestly I doubt he was 100% clean, but the problem is you can't make HoF votes based on doubt and suspicion, because that's a slippery and clearly unfair slope. The hall is FULL of cheaters - why are steroids any better or worse? They aren't. It's simply our mass media and access making it such a big deal. Do I wish players had never used? Yep. Do I hate Barry Bonds? Yep. But there's literally no fair way to say who should and shouldn't be in the hall, so in light of that, I don't see another option besides voting the players with the best stats into the hall. They are worse. It is the variable which significantly makes you a better and different player. The other variables may help you play up to your potential (greenies) but steroids change your potential in an unnatural way. The other aspect is health. If you concerned about head injuries in football that is nothing compared to what these will to your body.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 12, 2014 -> 05:11 PM) The Sox have already chosen to rush this rebuilding by choosing to trade for near-ready prospects. The Tanaka signing 4 years down the road will be the least of this team's worries if Abreau, Garcia, Eaton, et al flop. I disagree. The Sox are trading for prospects not MLB level players. We will not have all of these young players coming through early in their careers. You are still looking 2-3 years down the road with all of the young players already acquired.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jan 12, 2014 -> 02:47 PM) Wow horrendous roughing the passer call. Um I'll take it though. Carolina deserves it I guess. Just the makeup call so it doesn't look too one sided. This is an awful game from the refs stand point.

QUOTE (G&T @ Jan 12, 2014 -> 02:25 PM) They also host baseball camps all summer so the place is teeming with people from NYC. Finding a place to stay won't be easy and actually seeing anything will be even harder. Still cool though. Make the trip to ommegang if you go. One of my favorite breweries. Definitely, worth it while you are there.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jan 10, 2014 -> 02:06 PM) If everyone is allowed to "vote however they damn well please," how is taking a poll for your vote any sort of infraction? Gurick decided he wanted his vote to make some asinine personal statement, Le Batard decided he wanted his vote to reflect the opinion of the fans. Right. He voted the opinion of the fans, not his opinion. I can see why his vote was taken away. Gurick voted his personal statement. I agree is was asinine but it was still his reason not a different person or group of people as Le Batard did. He basically put the vote up for sale as a publicity stunt or he really didn't care. Either way I can see why they revoked it.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 10, 2014 -> 01:00 PM) I do too, I don't think it was wrong at all. I think these people who vote for 1 or 2 in a class like this are absolute moron pieces of s***. Merely stating that, in the eyes of the BBWAA, if they view LeBatard in the wrong, they should view these other guys too. It's wrong on just the basic premise of voting. He didn't vote for who he wanted, he voted for who others wanted. People may have a dumb rational for why they voted but at least it was for who they thought deserved it.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 10, 2014 -> 12:37 PM) Fine. Then admit it, and use it as a bully pulpit for changing the ballot. I agree. I think it is a stupid reason as you should just vote for your top 10 and not manipulate the vote (maybe hehas Illinois roots). I'm just stating what someone said was their rationale.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 10, 2014 -> 10:21 AM) Not from what I have always understood. The big thing that stuff is good for is quicker recovery from work outs and injuries. When you do get injuries it is more of the kid that results from your body not being able to handle the muscles you got. Griffey always seemed like a nagging something, or an playing field injury. There is some anecdotal evidence that steroids caused tendon and bone-tendon injuries. The theory is that the muscles are so abnormally strong that the other tissues can't handle it. Some examples were the chronic tendonitis in McGwire which included knee, ankle and elbow,. The weirdest one was Tim Krumrie (sp?) a DL for the Bengals. He fractured his leg running with no contact. Again these are just speculation but you do see a fair amount of it.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 10, 2014 -> 09:14 AM) So 15 of the 16 who didn't vote for Maddux won't admit to it. This coming from the group whose job it is to report on things. That makes sense. I heard one person theorize that some did it because they knew Maddux would get in so he saved his vote for one of the more borderline candidates. His complaint was the limit of 10 players for which he could vote.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 10, 2014 -> 12:25 PM) I don't recall his delivery being noticeably different now versus any time in the past. Any video evidence or something to gnaw on? I was watching pretty close last year to see if his motion changed after surgery and I didn't notice much. However, I was watching mostly shoulder and elbow position and wasn't really paying attention to his wrist/hand.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 10, 2014 -> 09:20 AM) Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 19h Justin Verlander underwent core muscle repair surgery, injuring himself in December workouts. The #Tigers expect him to be ready for season Verlander will "undergo physical rehabilitation for the next six weeks and will be reevaluated at the end of that time," Tigers say. Justin Verlander’s streak of Opening Day starts obviously in jeopardy. He will be in rehab mode until 1 week after spring training begins. Tigers say Justin Verlander should be ready to participate "in" spring training; release did not say "the start of" spring training. They must have talked with the Red Wings medical staff for the press release. What in the heck do they mean by a "core muscle?" It's really odd to have surgery on abdominal muscles for tears.