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QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 22, 2008 -> 04:51 PM) so I take it there were just a ton of freaks in the 60s and 70s too, eh? The problem is that with expansion since that time, pitching has been diluted. There are many pitchers now who, if tried to pitch more often would have blown their arm out in the minors and never made it to the majors. That is why pitchers in the majors cannot do this. There are pitchers capable of throwing on a 4 man rotation. They are capable of throwing 150 pitches a game. The problems are that there aren't enough pitchers who can throw often enough for a four man rotation and if the pitchers haven't conditioned their arms to throw the 150 pitches regularly it will catch up to them. And because pitchers are paid so much no team has their better pitchers condition properly to throw that many pitches for fear of losing the investment. I personally have never been afan of the House/Ryan philosophy of mechanics and the art of pitching. I think if Ryan gets too involved it will be a detriment to the pitchers on the team.

QUOTE (heirdog @ Dec 17, 2008 -> 08:26 AM) That's a signal...JR is a smart business man. If you lower payroll and cry "recession" and then increase ticket prices, well, then you lose your fanbase as they cry "recession." So for a product that has been gaining momentum from 2005 on, you don't cut off the fans at this time. That would be suicide for the club and would set them back for years. I really think we are trimming payroll in order to reinvest it into more players. I'm not saying we will top last year's payroll or equal it but it won't be substantially less. I think the hold up in the Dye-Bailey deal is that we are looking to have a contract worked out with Abreu first so that we don't have a gaping hole after trading Dye. The "financial" matters in that deal is that we are looking for Bobby to come down to about $9-10 million per for a max 2 yr deal, maybe an option on a third year. i think another factor is that KW is waiting to see where Texiera goes. If he doesn't go to LA, KW may be able to unload Paulie instead. Paulie's deal is longer than Dye's and the changing of the guard for the slow , slugger team accelerates.

I for one have never heard of this. So I went through a number of research articles. The consensus is that these channel disturbances cannot be fully reveresed. The highly treatable part means that it's not fatal, although some of the articles suggests it can be. I'm not sure the fatigue and injuries are a part of this syndrome that can be treated. It's really a syndrome not a disease in that it's a group of symptoms that are related but the cause of the channel ddisturbance is unknown. KW should not even consider giving him a guaranteed deal unless it has alot of incentives and is a minor league deal.

QUOTE (heirdog @ Dec 17, 2008 -> 07:57 AM) I lost all faith in "mechanics" arguments with Mark Prior. Well there are teo aspects to sports performance: physical and mental. While I disagree with the mechanics philosophy of the people he worked with, I think his problem is more the latter.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 16, 2008 -> 07:21 PM) I guess it's a pretty good sign of progress with our farm system that neither Marquez nor Ely are Top 10 prospects, and yet are realistically viewed as options for 4/5 starter down the line. Gone are the days of Juan Silverio, Andy Gonzalez, Adam Russell, McCulloch, Broadway, Tracey, Francisco Hernandez, Arnie Munoz, etc. We also have a good group of pitching talent just coming into the system (like Carter and Hudson) that aren't in top 10 either. Link didn't make the cut as well. Same with Nunez, Gilmore and Rodriguez. I still think Broadway will be an adequate starting pitcher in MLB. No better than a 4 or 5 but I think he has a future in the league.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 16, 2008 -> 03:49 PM) I'm not counting on anything from Contreras this season. Older players usually don't recover quickly, and his injury was pretty brutal. If anything, I see him as a Carrasco type from about the trade deadline on, and that might even be stretching it. My guess is Contreras will be back around the All-Star break. That is a very conservative estimate based on age and getting his arm in shape.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 11:02 PM) Thoughts? I will be taking it sometime soon. It seems as if I will not have to set the world on fire, just do OK for the program I am applying. We require it for admission for our program. The advice I give students is to get hte CD-ROM review and practice. It gives you practice exams, analyzes your weakness and tailors the pratice to your results. I am doing interviews for our program over the next two days. About 80 interviews for 30 spots. I love to make applicants cry! (just kidding)

QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 04:36 PM) damn, i just assumed nobody read my posts. Big Brother is always watching.....

QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 04:27 PM) Yeah, also this site, one page back. i was referring to the site from which that information was taken.

QUOTE (BaseballNick @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 03:43 PM) Hopefully it's something of significance. I'm going to bet it's not Furcal. One site said that the A's are offering a 4 year deal. I would go near him for that length of a deal and his injury history.

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 04:05 PM) Best case? Tough call. I'd be very happy if he wins 10 games, wins more games than he loses, pitches >150 innings, has better than league average ERA (4.50ish), and consistently goes 6 innings or more. That would be good production for a #5 starter. (Think Glen Perkins). I think that's fairly realistic. But who knows? I will be reasonably happy if he just doesn't suck, pull a Boone Logan, and forget how to throw the ball across the plate without getting killed. That would be bad unless other guys really step up. My dream scenario is that he comes to camp with a cutter and better command of the changeup. If he does, he could be the #4 starter in the rotation rather than 5. In that case, I'd want to see 12+ wins, 175+ innings, ERA in the low 4.00's (4.30 or lower). I think that is possible, but optimistic. (Think Nick Blackburn.) Of course, anything better than those numbers would be outstanding. But I think would be too much to hope for from a first year starter. With that lower arm angle a cutter should work real nice for him. I hope he can get the feel for the grip because I'm sure they'll work on it with him. Especially with those RH hitters stats against him. LETS BUST SOME BATS!

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 10:50 AM) I know the Dye/Bailey deal looks dead but found this about Bailey's mechanics http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/2008/12/...chanics-homer-b . In short his mechanics don't look so good. that article is based on at least two conflicting theories of pitching mechanics. I for one don't agree that scap loading is a bad thing. It can be bad when combined with the fact that his pelvis drifts too far forward before his trunk begins to come forward. I haven't seen him pitch much but it's obvious someone tried to alter his mechanics. He's using some of the old "drop and drive" mechanics in the lower extremity and the House/Ryan theory with his arm and the curveball grip. He looks to be trying too many different things at once and succeeding at none. If he listens to advice and gets one input, i think he can be straightened out in a short period of time.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 14, 2008 -> 10:07 PM) Really inexcusable to have this lineup combined with our likely 4/5 of Richard and Marquez. That's all that needs to be said. The more I think about it the more I'm convinced this is the perfect year to do something like this. Regardless of the lineup, you win with pitching. The Wihte Sox will not sign an MLB FA starter because they won't sign a 4+ year deal (which I happen to agree with). So you need to build the pitching staff with trade and the farm system. There looks to be some options we need to sort out here. I think we all agree that last year's team wasn't that good and had a number of holes. We won the division because Det. and Cle. far underperformed. We have a number of younger players ready for their shot at the MLB: Getz, Lillibridge, Fields. the rotation is young with another couple of pitchers ready for their shot at the MLB Marquez, Richard. The bullpen seems fine with Jenks, Linebrink, Dotel, Thornton as experience with Nunez seemingly ready for his shot. Dye and Thome will be off the team in the next couple of years. With these players I think you have one year to find out what you have and then your ready for the WS run in 2010.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 14, 2008 -> 08:28 PM) "if you play for one run, that's all your gonna get"-Earl Weaver. There is never any excuse for bunting in the 1st inning, never. Sure there is in a cerain match up of pitchers. Scoring early puts pressure on the pitcher. Can lead to an early exit of the pitcher etc. I don't expect you to agree. There are two camps. We will never see Eye to eye. But the discussions are fun.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 14, 2008 -> 07:01 PM) I imagine we would have scored more if we had full seasons of at-bats from Konerko and Q, and league-average production from CF. Probably. However, it was the inconsistency that drove me crazy. Win 13-1 one day, lose the next two 2-1. I want an offense less dependant on power. I know we still need power due to the park but we still play 81 games on the road and we struggle against the Rays and Min.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Dec 14, 2008 -> 04:21 PM) http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statisti....php?cid=204022 the only stats available there are individual stats. It doesn't really tell you the situational stats. The only way to do it without having a high covariance coefficient is to analyze individual in tandem and in trio probably using a linaer stepwise regression. hitter 1 followed by resluts of #2 and #3.

QUOTE (Felix @ Dec 14, 2008 -> 01:25 PM) Incorrect. When you have a runner on first and no outs, you are expected (based on empirical data from 1999 to 2002) to score .953 runs. That number drops to .725 with a runner on second and one out. Simply said, you are more likely to score with a runner on first and no outs than you are with a runner on second and one out. you're using a false assumption in your data. Both situations start with a runner on first and no outs. The bunting the guy over is included in those results. To have a logical progression you need to start with the runneron first and no outs then start the analysis. Does the batter bunt next: this is one possible scenario, does he hit inot a doulble play, this is the another scenario. Saying a guy on first with no outs scores more often isn't valid because that includes all of the subsequent scenarios

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 07:21 PM) But then why does the first team to score first in baseball win a huge majority of the games, even if that first inning run is only ONE run? All you need to do is look back to 2005 and 2006 (first three-four months) to understand why...whether it's with "small ball/execution/fundamentals/stolen bases" or by pounding the opponent into submission with the big boppers. You need balance, and we haven't had enough of it recently. I really think had we lost to the Twins in 2008, had their "Piranha/Twins' Way" philosophy once again "won out" over ours...that many more fans would be open to this, instead of the Earl Weaver-ish three yards a cloud of HR's approach. That would have given the Twins five AL Centrals in the span of eight seasons. As it is now, they have 4/8 and we have 3/9. But 5/8 versus 1/8 would be very difficult to argue with in terms of needing a change in offensive philosophy, especially considering the disparity in payroll. And, the "trump card" often cited, 2005, that year had ALMOST nothing to do with offense and much more to do with spectacular/consistent starting pitching. Yes, you will always need to be overweighted towards sluggers playing in USCF, but to be completely overloaded or one-sided results in 2001-2004 and 2006-2007 campaigns more typically, especially without the pitching to fall back on. you'll never convince the majority of the people on this board that bunting is a good thing let alone bunting in the first inning. I've tried for the last few years. They don't believe that putting that type of stress on a pitcher early in the game does anything to the pitcher.

QUOTE (jenks45monster @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 01:13 PM) Who cares? I'd NEVER take a flier on a guy who's had TWO Tommy John Surgeries. the two surgeries aren't an issue. The poor mechanics which lead to the surgeries are the issue.

QUOTE (jenks45monster @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 01:38 PM) Getz, Alexei, Beckham, Lillibridge. Take your pick. Beckham will not break camp with the team. I'll be very surprised if he is up before Sept.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 08:37 AM) What about Saito? I want to know more about the platelet injection procedure (see LA Times article on other thread). Can we use it on Jenks or at least Cal Eldred to bring him back from the dead to start? I found the article to which you are referring. It is a different use of the platelets. In this case they are using it as a form of "concentrated" blood and material for repairing tissue. They immobilized the elbow and injected they cocktail into the area of the injured tissue in an attempt to facilitate the healing process. It is experimental and I've never seen it done. They obvious drawback is there is no way to know if it will hold up for any length of time. It could re-tear the next time he throws or last awhile. The key is to modify the mechanics to prevent the stress in the area. this procedure will not work with the bones and stress fractures as the healing process and material is different for bones. This procedure is strictly for soft tissue in this case a ligament. It will be interesting to follow and could revolutionize they way we treat injuries.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 08:37 AM) What about Saito? I want to know more about the platelet injection procedure (see LA Times article on other thread). Can we use it on Jenks or at least Cal Eldred to bring him back from the dead to start? I'm not sure what injury saito has? I haven't seen the LA Times article but the studies I've seen on the platelet injection were mostly on superficial stress fractures in small bones. In Jenks and Eldred's cases the stress fracture is in the distal elbow near the supracondylar ridge (just above the large bump on the inside of the elbow). This is near where the growth plate is as a child. There was speculation that each of them had minor growth plate injuries as young pitchers and this weakened that area. That is only speculation but from a biomechanical bone stress perspective it makes sense.

QUOTE (shakes @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 12:47 AM) I was assuming it was a simple injury the Sox doctors would look into. If not, you move on. I know you have more knowledge on the subject than I do. Is this something that could be a long term concern? Not normally. however, it's definitely worth looking into. A hitter should not get stress fractures unless there is a problem in the training program. Or if the surface they play on is the old cement hard artificial surface. It shouldn't be a long term problem but it's always good to check on it with these contracts.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 10:01 PM) Sure he'll pitch but how well would you expect him to perform coming off a second TJS? It won't make any difference physically. A replaced ligament is a replaced ligament. Unless he didn't have an autograft tendon to use. If they had to use an artificial ligament, it could make a difference. The key question is why he ruptured two of them. Will he need to make drastic mechanical changes to prevent it from happening again. This could make him ineffective. Another possibility was a failure of the first surgery. I'm not familiar with his case but I'll find out.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 07:26 AM) Don't forget Jose Contreras factoring into the equation possibly as well. He has a great work ethic, I think he might actually make it back this year. Having all that extended rest should definitely recharge that arm of his...as long as he loses a bit of weight (he's a HORSE!) and manages not to blow out the Achilles' again. Don't forget, Cabrera had back stiffness and an elbow strain. That PROBABLY accounts for the lost/missing velocity. Read through the Orioles' board for some additional thoughts/insights. http://www.topix.net/forum/source/baltimor...GP0354OSD8EPQVG I don't think they'll let him throw until May or so. I believe they used an augmentation device when they did the repair so he should come back earlier then an average surgery. However given his age, size and the normal healing process, I would bet May. So, it would be about 6 weeks or so to get his arm in shape. Barring any set backs, I would say sometime toward the end of at the earlier before he could pitch in a game for the Sox.