Balta1701

QUOTE (chw42 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 05:08 PM) Manny doesn't mean squat because he did steroids and those numbers are the result of steroid use. It's sad that I really believe with the 2nd half of this sentence.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 05:04 PM) He's a good hitter. I'm just pointing out his presence alone doesn't mean squat in winning or losing against the Cleveland Indians. It's no travesty if he doesn't play tonight. Though I'm of the opinion since we got him, might as well play him. Why no discussion of whether he will be on the team next year? Doesn't mean squat? Are you actually serious? It at least helps, come on man.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 04:56 PM) He has eight homers and 40 ribbies in 200 at bats. Over a 500 AB season...that's 20 HR and 100 RBI, and that's with plenty of time off.

You guys are making it sound like Manny is already causing issues.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 03:54 PM) I dont digest wheat nearly as well as animal protein. I believe that's true for most people...and for most people it's actually sort of a good thing.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 03:42 PM) Why did we acquire him then? Aren't we in a pennant race? Are we saving him for game 163 as a secret weapon? Not going to ask those questions. If he's not ready, he's not ready. Win the game and it doesn't matter.

Just win the game and it won't matter.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 03:10 PM) I haven't seen anything official. If Manny simply isn't ready to go today, they may find some way to keep him inactive for 24 more hours until the rosters expand, and thus not have to lose a reliever.

We're getting the band back together.

QUOTE (scenario @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 01:59 PM) Not sure we need him against Cleveland. We left 15 men on base yesterday in the first 10 innings.

I gave some thought today as to why there are always 2 different sides on this player in particular, but on other Sox players as well, and I think a big part of the reason is that the Sox as an organization haven't yet decided if they want to be a team that develops players in the minor leagues and brings them up slowly, fixing all their mechanical flaws and expecting them to contribute from day 1, or a team that pushes guys hard to the big leagues and expects to fix any issues they h ave once they get to the show. A guy like Anderson...or Fields, or Getz, or Hudson, or Hell, even Beckham...these are guys who, even if they came up somewhat slowly...had some things to work on that they could legitimately have worked on in the minors. Fields; fastball. Getz; consistent batting. Anderson; full swing overhaul. Hudson; throwing strikes. Beckham; consistent swing (see; earlier this season when his body flew open). If you're not going to fix these problems in the minor leagues, if you're not going to be extra-patient with the guys who legitimately need an overhaul, then when they do get to the big leagues, they're going to struggle at the start. Some teams are going to tolerate this...if you're trying to build like the Pirates, or the Marlins, whatever...you can live with a loss or two. Some teams are deep enough to let guys struggle and adapt (think about the Red Sox with their young guys). What the Sox keep doing though is playing it half-way. They push these guys hard to get them to the upper levels of their system...a lot of times their raw ability carries them that far, but they don't get the level of correction/coaching they need to fix problems that will get exposed once they reach the top level. Once they reach the top level they're then expected to perform immediately, and if they struggle, they wind up on the bench or traded. If you're going to bring these guys up without working on correcting their flaws, then benching them can't be an option. They're only going to fix things and learn if they are playing constantly. If, on the other hand, you work guys well enough in the minor leagues, then they get to the big leagues, keep doing what they've been taught, and they turn into Danny Valencia, Jason Kubel, and Denard Span, and they start performing a lot more quickly.

Thank Goodness that the food inspections bill is hung up in the Senate. And thank Goodness that the Reagan admin made it harder for the Feds to institute policy requirements and inspections in the first place. Otherwise, we'd have to do without rat droppings on our eggs...and I don't want to live in a world where my eggs aren't covered in rat sh*t.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 11:40 AM) In this case I believe he said Jackson was tipping his pitches. It would be interesting to hear exactly what he was tipping, because it could be many different things. Another thing that was specifically talked about was a change in body position on the mound. I believe that the talk was Jackson was slouching over more while throwing late in last season/early this season, and one of his first tasks was getting him to stand back upwards.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 10:33 AM) I hope at this point this is just a joke. (If he keeps pitching this way every time I say it, I'm going to keep saying that until he brings home the bloody Cy Young trophy)

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 10:21 AM) Typically fastball+hand+extreme pain = very bad. Glad that isnt the case this time. The thing that concerned me was that he let his hand go limp, as though simply moving it was causing severe pain, so I'm really surprised it's just a bruise.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 10:02 AM) Gio Gonzalez wasn't ready for the majors when the Sox had him. With him, it came down to the fact that the Sox really wanted Jim Thome, then really wanted Nick Swisher, and the only way to get them was to trade Gio Gonzalez. They decided that their chances to win in 06 & 08 were worth it to give him up both times. Josh Fields was given chances to succeed and failed. Chris Gets did play 107 games last year, but I just think he isn't good enough anyway to be given a full-time chance. He was a 4th round pick, and hes probably living up to that draft status in KC. Getz actually showed some legitimate promise last year and there was a time in July when it seemed like he and Beckham were the only 2 on the roster who knew how to hit. Reality with Getz though is...even if he topped out what he could do, he's a fringey starting 2b or a backup IF at best. Beckham belongs at 2b long-term and the org knows it, so Getz was basically the odd man out there. Fields was given chances and was a real drag. He had a great 2008, but struggled through injury in 2009 and by 2010 showed zero ability to adapt to hitting fastballs. He could have been given more chances, but giving him those chances meant waving the white flag, since the team flat out needed offense out of that spot.

Figure these studies might as well be highlighted somewhere, looking at the effect of immigration on the economy. Link.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 09:30 AM) Thing is, his velocity is still there, but it looks to me like he is STILL trying to be a precision pitcher, instead of just throwing the damn ball. His 95-98 FB has life to it, and his curveball is very solid. If he just threw those two pitches, into the catcher's spot, I really think he'd be his old self. I dunno...there were plenty of pitches in the 9th yesterday that absolutely sailed. I can't believe he didn't throw a WP with 2 outs and the runner on 3rd, he threw one over AJ's head and then the next one 3 feet outside and AJ had to jump to save both of them.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 09:47 AM) Right now, I seriously would think about using Jackson in that game, although I'm sure Ozzie would go with Danks or Buehrle if he had a choice. Game 163 happens on the first day after the season with no offdays usually, so I'm not sure you really get to set your rotation at all. The Twins had to kill their rotation last year just to get into game 163.

I dunno if I'd buy a car that supported the Nets...the Bulls always struggle against them.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 09:17 AM) He had more "real chances" with the Sox than most prospects get on arrival when they do as badly as he did. And yet, I'd still say it's equally true that the Sox never put him in a legitimate position to succeed. Some guys can thrive being used how Anderson was used, some won't. If the team continues to use a guy in a way that it's obvious he can't succeed, and at the same time, the guy doesn't adapt to how he's being used...who gets the blame? There's some for both sides.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 09:15 AM) Never seen that before. Wouldn't doubt it, but, I think it would be very hard to measure. I don't know if you can actually quantify it explicitly, but you can test people's reaction abilities both while drunk and while on cell phones.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 12:44 AM) I think De Aza is a major leaguer. He probably would be if he could stay healthy.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 07:10 AM) Was that before Threets got hurt? Yes