Princess Dye

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Mar 23, 2015 -> 10:23 AM) Sox acquire 1B/3B Neftali Soto from the Reds for cash. He's 26 and has around 30 professional at bats..... MLB atbats From the looks of things not a horrible bat, but it looks like positional versatility will cement him in MiLB probably for good.

Nice to see Melky in part wanted to come here b/c he was hungry to win. We previously got a picture of him as a guy who has taken shortcuts (and a guy who just geographically didnt want to be West) But it is good to see the fire is there and that free agency for him was several factors, with winning included. Some guys dont include it, period

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 26, 2015 -> 10:19 AM) Defensively, all indications are he's MLB-ready right now for all three positions. The issue isn't that he needs to be a year older - it's that his hit tool needs to translate into better contact/average numbers, particularly at AAA, before they feel like he has a chance offensively. The power is there, the speed, the defense... but he might also be Joe Borchard. This year will tell us a lot. Well not that he has to be a year older, but that 24 is still a play-everyday age whereas 25 gets you more into the conversation of being a Jordan Danks 4th-ish guy. And definitely by 26.

Former Sox/Current A's Taylor Thompson has a shoulder tear. In related news, he cites Mike Sirotka as a huge influence on his development

If he were a year older, wouldnt his glove and diminishing youth make him an all-out candidate to make the team? Question for those who know him inside & out.........is the defense easily MLB 4th OF quality if (worst case scenario) that's all he ends up offering as a top tool

Jabari Parker in the crowd with a sox hat on

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 10, 2015 -> 11:37 AM) Shuck and Taylor were already options ahead of him, especially with Bonifacio on the roster. Not a big deal, but always sad to see, especially for a speed-based player. Odds are pretty high that someone else will be added to the roster before Opening Day via the waiver wire or trade. I like Shuck. Also Trayce T. if we're just talking 4th OF. He's a prospect but we're nearing the point where midyear if we wanted we could sacrifice his everyday playing for organizational betterment. Is Matt Davidson as an all-bat LF out of the question? I bring all this up only b/c of how weak our OF depth is in the org

JJ Stankevitz calls Courtney Hawkins' athleticism 'elite' here http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/espns-...pth-farm-system Can we get to the bottom of this right now. Is Hawkins a CF in the future or is the more accurate assessment corner OF right now?

Kirk Hinrich hit that three last night so maybe Gordon can contribute vs. lefties

QUOTE (flavum @ Jan 28, 2015 -> 01:51 PM) If he comes back, there needs to be a "Your Love" ban at the Cell. Not allowed. ah, forgot about that. i'm now for this, actually.

I think Hawk just ended his plan to take games off in 2015.

This is like Kirk Hinrich returning to Chicago. Fans remember when they were banking a lot on a guy and it didnt result in great things. And they carry this feeling into the new situation, when the reacquired guy is low risk and ...not-meaningful...anymore. He should be treated on a second go around as simply what his new role is, no more no less.

i guess this ends that notion that K.Law was biased against the Sox. This seems like we were ranked too high (not that i'm dedicated to this study night and day, etc)

so the 4 added in the top 120 would be..... Rodon, Montas, Anderson..... Adams?

It's hard to imagine it being Kottaras. To be a bad defense catcher the upside has to be huge on the other end of things, and it seems to fall short of that.

Great person. Always positive.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 23, 2015 -> 05:14 PM) Stuck watching the Kaplan/Ventura interview on csnchicago. Of course, one of the first things Kaplan brings up is the Cubs signed Lester first. Wrong, wrong, wrong! sometimes i'd like to crack da yolk out of Kaplan's big old egg-lookin-head

The big bar/room with the crazy ceiling at Palmer House........that is an amazing room. But to get served there can be a giant hassle/time wrecker

Massive crowds forming around the '05 team, but even bigger ones forming at the Felipe Paulino Dunk Tank

QUOTE (Sockin @ Jan 23, 2015 -> 04:15 PM) Already completely disorganized. They're holding people who want autographs in the seminar room and not letting them go to the autograph sessions until after the opening ceremonies. Being held in the William Ligue Jr. Memorial Holding Cell

There's a chance this is the org's best catcher. Not saying a ton of course. I'm happy we have some depth now.

Absolutely love Soto's reaction here when Ozzie's kicks his mask lol http://m.mlb.com/chc/video/topic/8878834/v...sixth/?c_id=chc

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jan 21, 2015 -> 04:35 PM) I've been saying Conor since last July. I am sticking to it. Interestingly, we have some padding at 3b with Bonifacio and even Matt Davidson, who actually has MLB success...but has been nearly forgotten about What's frightening about Avi is that RF is so completely and thoroughly his. It's a situation where he will get every last chance...he'll go unchallenged all year for that slot and the only thing stopping his PA #s will be injury.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Jan 21, 2015 -> 04:06 PM) I do think he'll start to flash more power this year The power is actually one of the few things in the this-works-right-now category. The things we need dramatically improved are..nearly....all the rest of it.

The Avi thing has completely changed now. This is a below average fielder based on metrics (awful routes to balls....hideous-to-awful, roughly), and he's not an on-base guy. The positives are only the power potential and that ability to take the second base w/ his speed. This was all absolutely great to plug into RF before the recent acquisitions. But we're now win-now. What is frightening is that this goes from being a positive situation (we know how mercurial this board can be)........to becoming a scapegoat thing if next year falls short of expectations. 2015 expectations will be high, no matter what we tell ourselves. Conor or Avi are prime candidates for becoming the soxtalk whipping boy if things aren't going wonderfully. The hope you hold onto with Avi is that he's been young at each stage of the MLB/MiLB development. Sadly last year was really important. Something salvaged at the end. But to have our win-now track means expectations for AG are sky high now. Pressure is up and that's what the gig is, of course. But it's twofold now.