Balta1701

Joe Cowley mentioned in fewer threads.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 03:52 PM) That, to me, is the best argument for taking him out of that slot. Not because of the slow start. He's got SOME 2 slot hitter skills (uses all fields, looks at some pitches, can bunt), but he doesn't get on base a lot, and strikes out a fair amount. And I have noticed too, he seems awfully hesitant up there, and maybe that's because of his slotting. Robin even said, I think yesterday, Brent needs to go in there and let it fly. That probably makes him the better hitter we saw late last year, but may not be a good fit at #2. De Aza might work well there, but then who leads off? AJ works OK there, not great but OK... but he's been so good at #5 so far I'd be hesitant to move him. Wierd thing is...Brent Morel hasn't been a high strikeout guy in the minors. A full season he's averaged ~75. Last year, if he'd gotten 600 PA's, he'd have been right about that number. This year, he's on a pace for 225 K's over 600 PA's.

Neither Rose nor Deng participated in a shootaround today. Luckily the Bulls face the bobcats, who everyone is beating...but the Bobcats are also desperate for 1 win to avoid the worst ever record in NBA history. Link

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 11:28 AM) And this happens in large part because they report it 24 hours a day and therefore have to come up with new ways to spin the same old things...so it gradually changes from factual to editorial and no one seems to realize it. And because money. Actual reporting expensive.

LF, you asked about the new refinancing HARP 2.0 program a few months ago and I said to at least be wary at the time. Here's one plausible ripoff coming from that program (although I can't vouch for the source, these small independent journals have been the places that told much of the original story about the mortgage market frauds so I wouldn't be surprised if they were on to something). The banks are doing the refinancings in the HARP program and taking government money to do so, but in this version, the only place that can refinance your mortgage is the bank that already holds it. Thus, there's no ability to have competition for mortgage rates...and as a consequence, a bank forcing a higher than necessary rate on its customers through that program could be one possible ripoff to watch out for.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 10:29 AM) That's a very interesting bit of insight. If that's true, maybe the Angels don't have the prospects I assumed they did, to trade for the bullpen help the Sox could supply them with Thornton and Crain. Thanks Don't get me wrong, the Angels have the prospects to make that deal, but outside of Trout, they aren't sitting on anyone who looks like they're a star. Mid-season, if the Angels wanted to make that deal and the Sox have fallen out of it, a couple of their non-Trout pieces ought to work, but yeah, Taylor Lindsey putting up a .987 OPS in rookie ball doesn't mean he's the next Robinson Cano just yet.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 10:21 AM) I didn't know that the Angels' Minor League Parks were so hitter friendly. However, Isotopes Park, where he played AAA ball in the Marlins organization is a big Park, 340 down the lines and 428 to right center, with a long embankment in right center. He had a great year there in 2008: 42 HR and 98 RBI's in just 127 games, with a .379 OBP. And, he's been hitting AAA pitching, especially RHP ever since then. The hitter-friendliness of the Angels minor league parks and the leagues they play in (Particularly the PCL) are, IMO, one of the big reasons for how guys like McPherson and Brandon Wood wound up so highly touted and then had such huge issues translating to the big leagues. Even guys who succeeded for them, like Kendrick and Morales...needed a ton of time to really shine through. Kendrick hit .360 with a .972 OPS coming up through the Angels org, had people predicting he'd win batting titles in his first year, got to the big leagues early, but then last year, his 6th big league season, was the first time he put up a >.800 OPS in a full big league year. Mike Trout...I don't know if he's on this path or not, but it's one we've seen before.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 10:09 AM) what a horrible thing to know your death is coming like that, and to also know that the stubborness of your own government will deliver you to that death. It's not exactly the same thing, but there is a similar story from the Apollo 1 fire involving a lemon.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 10:05 AM) When he freaked out about the Sox not keeping him around. He talked a lot of s*** and eventually gave a half assed apology I cant wait until Ozzie starts talking contract extension (yay, someone other than me missed a joke!)

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 09:49 AM) I'll say it again. Andy Gonzalez's career minor league OPS is well above 700. Escobar is at 666. Even when we were atrocious in 2007, nobody was clamoring for Andy to become a full-time player. Andy Gonzalez was 24 when he first got to Charlotte and 25 when he first got a callup. Escobar hit .266 as a 22 year old in Charlotte last year and is 23 this year. Like everyone else, he's been pushed rapidly upwards. That age difference really is big.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 09:41 AM) Wise Guy!! Neither of those players were ever the kind of prospect that McPherson was. Moreover, neither of them ever put up the kinds of numbers Dallas has in the Minor Leagues. He has had a very difficult and long struggle to get back after a couple of very serious back surgeries. Give him a break, and me too, while you're at it. Joe Borchard got to AA a year younger than McPherson got there and put up an .892 OPS in a big park in birmingham (not the hitters paradises that the Angels prospects wind up in).

Warren Buffett announces he has prostate cancer. However, the version he has is treatable and the 5 year survival rate is close to 100% from this cancer type.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 09:13 AM) I've never suggested benching or platooning Viciedo, much less sending him back to Charlotte. I agree that he needs to play almost every day. And, Dallas McPherson cannot be considered a failed prospect. He's only had a total of 386 at bats in the Majors, and that's spread out over the last 7 years. Even then, his split stats aren't that bad. You have to account for his having a couple of back surgeries. It's probably just a question of health with him, much the same as with Jackson. No, it's also a question of McPherson generally being considered pretty bad in the field, not just health. And I won't be surprised if Viciedo's in something of a slump soon. He's back in that "Struggling to hit or lay off the high fastball" mode.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 12:02 AM) Kuhn has played second or third, but I don't think he's very good at either spot. He could probably out hit Morel/Beckham, then again who couldn't? Escobar is the best bet. If we thought Escobar had long-term potential as more than a backup, then he ought to have been starting at AAA to give him another year to work on the hitting.

QUOTE (dasox24 @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 12:28 AM) Alabama should sell the shattered pieces. I guarantee you they'd make a killing off of their fans wanting a piece of the trophy. Impressive. Not the worst idea I've ever heard.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 08:53 AM) If this keeps up, would you be in favor of some changes then? Honestly...aside from almost everyone agreeing on Beckham being sent down...no. The only good reason to bench Dunn or Rios is if you think they'll retire if you do so. Until at least the end of this season, they're dead weight if they can't contribute (rios of course did have a couple hits yesterday). Otherwise, you might as well try to get lucky and have them find a groove. If a couple days off helps, fine, but if playing them loses games, so what? Morel and Viciedo...those guys are in the spot where playing time against MLB pitchers is still the biggest thing they need. They both were moved up to the major league level pretty quickly. If that's the way we're doing things in this system, then we need to stick with that until the early struggles are worked through. If playing them loses games, so what? Their replacements won't win the Central, won't be here next year if anyone else wants them, and won't get us anything of value in trades.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 08:54 AM) Or 1997 Wait...there was a 1997? When did this happen?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2012 -> 08:46 AM) Been there. Done that. Wait, you mean that quote isn't from 2006?

Can't speak to whether Adam Dunn's strength is still where it was, but the Orioles announcers and replay made it painfully obvious last night that he's not close to timing anything, and that's his biggest problem right now. His swing starts way too late on the fastball and he's way out in front of anything offspeed.

Great...attendance talk. Stop caring about attendance. The team barely does at this point. They cut $25 million from the payroll of a profitable team last year anticipating an attendance drop. Rebuild and then get to a point where games are won.

QUOTE (Capn12 @ Apr 17, 2012 -> 09:56 PM) Wow...that move always fails, unless against the Sox....blockheads. I think the last time I saw that work was Black Jack.

Holy f***, the fake to third worked!

Crap Lexi. Least it wasn't a gidp.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 17, 2012 -> 09:51 PM) Still pulling everything. When he got off to that great start in 2010 was he going the other way much? I feel like his power was cf and LF, and I'm on my phone so I can't find the spray chart.

1run game. AJ does it again.