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QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 09:20 PM) wow, the whole organization had great pitching today... all of the minor league affiliates and the White Sox gave up a total of 9 runs. However, all of them combined only scored 8 runs. We need some hitters! That can't be right. Our minor league system sucks and we have zero talent in it.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 13, 2008 -> 01:53 AM) Actually, I'd say Cleveland is a weird bunch...they booed Jim f***ing Thome. The only reason I'd ever boo Thome is if it were late in a season, he were on the Indians/Tigers/Twins/any other team preventing the Sox from a playoff appearance, and he had a clutch hit. It's not as if he did an inhumane thing; he took a much, much more lucrative offer from the Philadelphia Phillies rather than resigning with an Indians club that was in the middle of a rebuilding period, and then accepted a trade to the White Sox. He didn't ask to go to the White Sox, he just said he'd be OK with it. When the Sox traded Garland to Los Angeles, I'm sure he got a standing ovation for his previous experience with the Sox. I'd say, in that regard, the Sox are like the norm. Boo current players who suck (or any other number of circumstances), but if they did something very good for the team at one point in time or another or just left the team on good terms, they'll cheer them when they come back. If Scott Podsednik put on a Sox jersey tomorrow, I'd boo him out of town, but with a Rockies jersey, I'd cheer my ass off. Jim left the team on his own for more money. That will get alot of players boooed. Most fans don't like players who seem greedy and leave. It's mostly just Sox fans who blame management when guys like Ordonez leave for more money. Most fans on other teams blame the player. Like someone said earlier Sox fans are a fickle bunch. I for one don't boo anyone who is working thier rear off. I my boo a bad play but not the player everytime.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 01:46 PM) Well, let's think about the OF situation next year. Assume Ozuna and Uribe are gone, that creates a slot for Getz, and presumably we still need 1 more backup infielder. In the OF...well, the big elder 3 of Konerko, Thome, and Dye matter here. If one of them is moved, then presumably Anderson slides back in to the full time starting role, and then we're left with Owens and Cook as 2 obvious options for the backup OF role. If we were to only carry an 11 man pitching staff next year to start the season, that would create room for 2 backup IF's and 2 backup OF's. i wouldn't assume Ozuna is gone. I think both Ozzie and KW like what he brings to the team. However, I think you're right and Uribe is gone and Getz could take his place.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 11, 2008 -> 11:45 PM) I kind of agree. I mean these guys still do pre game workouts, still take a million hacks in the cage, they just don't play in the games when they get "rested." A baseball game isn't that taxing physically, especially batting. Ripken was an all star every year and never took a day off. I don't know about this rest thing. But I do think what you say about Fields makes sense sort of. It's more the travel and the schedule that wears on the player than the game itself. Flying every three days with packing, buses to hotels and getting everything ready is taxing. as the trainer I would be at the park at 11-12 for a 7 game to take care of injuries and stretch or help the players work out. Get the players ready and the game lasts until 10 or 10:30. Spend from 10:30-11:30 looking at various minor injuries. Then need to get the players who work out after ready, if we were staying in town. Get back to the hotel at 1-2 to be back at the park at 11-12. If we had a midnight or 1 am flight to the next city we had to pack everything up quickly and get to the next hotel around 6-7 am depending on the length of the flight and get back to the park in only 4-5 hours. A day game after a night game is murder. What I'm saying is that while it isn't physically taxing or rough as football, ask anyone who travels for a living it is mentally taxing and the focus you need to hit a baseball is not there all of the time due to the schedule. this is where the amphetamines or "greenies" were effective.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 12:01 PM) I may be in the minorty, but I think Getz is ready. I'd like to see him on the bench instead of Pablo at this stage. It can be very difficult for a player with no MLB experience to play only once a week and be effective. I don't know if I would do that in a season where we may be able to contend for a playoff spot.

QUOTE (whitesoxmanager @ Jun 11, 2008 -> 06:15 PM) man this season is utterly rediculous. isnt it amazing how you dont have to be great to win championships anymore. as long as you are not worse than your opponent and you got a shot. the NBA championships are pure evidence of that. i am assuming that Jim Thome will be the MVP of the world series at this rate. They're fixed anyway

QUOTE (whitesoxmanager @ Jun 11, 2008 -> 06:15 PM) man this season is utterly rediculous. isnt it amazing how you dont have to be great to win championships anymore. as long as you are not worse than your opponent and you got a shot. the NBA championships are pure evidence of that. i am assuming that Jim Thome will be the MVP of the world series at this rate. I would ok with that.

I was sitting in the scout seats for Javy's last start. He couldn't get a breaking pitch over for a strike. This is looking like the same. Everyone sitting on and killing the fastball. He was lucky the offense scored 10 runs the last time. It doesn't look like he will be that lucky this time.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jun 11, 2008 -> 09:43 AM) On a bruise? I don't believe the injury is a bruise. If you look at another thread, I believe the injury is a tenosynovitis called DeQuervain's Syndrome which is an inflammation of the synovial membrane and tendons of the thumb and wrist. It is also a condition that does not require surgery but can take a substantial amount of rest to heal.

One thing to consider is the decrease in PED use especially amphetamines. The older players stats will be worth watching for a decrease in performance during August and Sept. The energy drinks that are now prevalent in the dugouts will only go so far. These factors may require a closer look at rest but closer to the end of July and August. The nagging injuries may take a greater toll on the players.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 11:00 AM) The main person who questioned his mechanics was someone on baseballprospectus or something along those lines who discussed his mechanics and questioned them. I also recall Bureau mentioning briefly Poreda's mechanics and how they would get in the way of him developing any additional secondary stuff. However, I don't think his mechanics would prevent him from adding a changeup to his repetoire as well as finding out additional ways to gain movement on his FB (he has a pretty good slider already). The one thing that could concern people are his very pedestrian strikeout numbers. For a guy who throw in the upper 90's, that is quite puzzling, but I am at least thinking the Sox player development people told him something and he's working on that (pitching to contact) as opposed to trying to blow away guys. Bureau discussed that fact that he doesn't reach the "7" during his arm swing. This is one way to evaluate mechanics. Others (including me) believe that it is not necessary and may actually be harmful to stress this during the throwing motion.

It seems the major criticism about KW is the farm system. The farm system only exists to make the major league club better. Whether that's by calling up players or trading them to acquire talent. We have young players for the near future at most positions with Swisher, Fields, Ramierez, Richar Quentin and the picthers. What do we need a stocked farm system for if we have young MLB talent. Players will sit in the minors. They are there for trade bait. As long as the MLB club has the talent the minors becomes an after thought. This comes from someone who watches the prospects as much as the MLB team.

Had breakfast at a table next to Harold Baines at a place in New Lenox last week.

I like the major league comparison of Smoak. A switch-hitting Paul Konerko [insert your own joke here]

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Jun 2, 2008 -> 05:16 PM) i sure hope the guy in your av is union. Yes, I work for a public university. EVERYBODY is union.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Jun 2, 2008 -> 04:03 PM) if right now Walk is unlocking a lot of things Alexei has never seen before, firing him tomorrow and bringing someone in with a whole new set of principles could derail that work. And Alexei's growth could be stunted. This is what not doing anything (on that front) could accomplish. People are missing the entire basis of my argument, which is that Walker is doing some good to really good things. Alexei, Quentin. The fault lies in the vets who are already set in their ways. It doesnt sound all that well thought out to say, "Just do SOMETHING." It's as if you're admitting that exasperation is taking over reason. Wrong don't you realize it's the coach's fault. Players have no responsibility and fans always know more than coaches. Coaches never realize that players have problems and never under any circumstances give them good advice. This town more than any other really seems to blame the coaches/management. Maybe it's because Chicago is such a union dominated city. The players need to be held more accountable.

QUOTE (RME JICO @ May 29, 2008 -> 02:39 PM) It is utterly amazing how many White Sox pitchers end up flaming out, have surgery, or get hurt after leaving the organization. It is like a kiss of death. What can this be attributed to? Conditioning? Workload? The elbow issue usually comes down to mechanics. It is a ligament that becomes stretched to the point of being useless and needs to be tightened up and reinforced. The ulnar nerve which sits under the ligament also becomes stretched which causes the "funny bone" pain or tingling going down the forearm. It's not a muscle that can become fatigued. Although too much workload can fatigue the forearm flexors and pronators which will put excessive stress on the ligament. Fortunately with the advent of more efficient and effective surgical procedures most of the pitchers who get this come back healthy. The problem normally lies in can the pitcher be effective with different mechanics and that is a crapshoot.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ May 27, 2008 -> 01:58 PM) Outside of the mainstream ( drugs and surgery) there's another method to actually heal musculoskeletal injuries called prolotherapy. It's not a bad option. It might even be able to help with his chronic hip problem. It won't help the hip problem as hyaline cartilage doesn't regenerate. you never know with the tenosynovitis but that type of thing requires alot of rest and would probably be better suited to the off season.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ May 27, 2008 -> 01:53 PM) I don't think it's that at all. I've personally observed this, as have many others, and I think this is a mental and/or vision problem. It's become a regular thing that he will swing at a pitch 18 inches off the plate in the dirt and the very next pitch watch sail over the dead center...that's not hip issues, it's vision or mental issues as far as I'm concerned. Probably, just another thing to watch with him. Some of the poor swings are due to the wrist/thumb. If he begins a swing, it will really hurt to check it. I'm sure he just let's the swing go due to the pain. This may account for many awful looking swings.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ May 27, 2008 -> 01:44 PM) Yea, I think PK just needs a rest and to heal up...there is no way he's actually this bad all of a sudden... one thing to consider is his chronic hip problem. This was discussed when he signed a long term deal. Watch for his hip rotation. Is it decreasing? Is he using more upper extremity and causing wrist and maybe other problems? Hip rotation is a key to hitting and his will decrease with his hip problem. it's just a matter of when it begins to decrease.

QUOTE (29andPoplar @ May 27, 2008 -> 10:43 AM) Great stuff. So it's fair to expect this whole year to be a struggle for him, quite possibly very subpar numbers wise. Yes, it depends how it responds to interventions such as ultrasound and iontophoresis which are more conservative interventions to decrease inflammation. He may do well if these modalities keep the inflammation down with an occasional injections. However, the is the best case scenario.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 27, 2008 -> 10:45 AM) Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's on his left thumb? Wouldn't it also bother him when catching throws at first base? Also, is this injury different than the gamekeeper's thumb that some catchers get? Gamekeeper's thumb is a torn ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb. It's like any torn ligament the joint is unstable until surgery. You could brace it and play because it involves only the thumb. The problem with the one paulie has is that it involves the wrist as well because the tendons cross both joints. it doesn't really matter which thumb it is for hitting as it hurts to grip with either. He could brace it for the field but hitting is where it will bother him the most.

The problem he has is called DeQuervain's Syndrome. It's a tenosynovitis near the base of his thumb by the wrist. There is a synovial sheath which surrounds a couple of tendons and the function is to move your wrist toward the thumb side and grip with your thumb. This is why it hurts to grip the bat and swing. the tendons become inflammed andpush on the membrane which in turn produces more fluid and causes swelling in the area. this problem will not heal unless you rest it for around 8 weeks. the little rest and injections will improve the function and pain but it will be around for the rest of the season to some degree. He cannot have more than 3 injections to the area otherwise the tissues will start to degenerate. The question will be how much improvement is there with short period of rest. Bracing will not allow sufficient motion to hit properly.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 23, 2008 -> 11:13 AM) Good read on the future of steroid testing. If I was a MLB Player, I might seriously consider asking my agent if I could take part in this type of program. End all doubt. Longitudinal testing has long been thought to be the only way to catch the cheaters. The downside is that it is very time consuming, very labor intensive and assumes the athletes are clean when the baseline is taken. But most agree it's probably the best option right now.

The NFL surveys the players on a yearly basis about this very topic. Usually it has other conditions as well such as: would you use the PEDs if you knew they would take 10 years off your life. The response is overwhelmingly that they would use the PEDs. The most common reason is: where else can I make this type of money for my family. I have not worked in that area for awhile but I'm sure they still do it but the questions are different.