Balta1701

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 10:23 AM) I define talent by the five tools and how good a player could be if he lived up to his max potential on all 5 (along with overall athletic ability). On the Sox that's probably either Brian Anderson or Alexei Ramirez. Note, potential and being a good baseball player are 2 different things. There are numerous cases of "talented" ballplayers completely flaming out or becoming marginal MLB players, or complete nobodies becoming solid All-Stars. If you're talking all 5 tools...then I'd take Alexei even over B.A., because of the speed. BA might well win on defense, I like what BA's bringing to the table with the bat now but it's hard to argue with the numbers Alexei is putting up, but the speed certainly seems to go for the missile.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 09:15 AM) He might've meant that Alexei is the most talented ATHLETE on our team. I wouldn't argue with that, but it doesn't necessarily mean that he'll become the next Hanley Ramirez. But the nice thing is...it also might mean that.

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 01:59 AM) i remember in the offseason when alexei defected, there were a lot of people (in general) saying he was a project that needed time in the minors to adjust during the game yesterday, Hawk made an interesting comment, saying Alexei is probably the most talented player on our entire roster. he said he might not put up the numbers of the other guys but overall talent, he's probably our best player. anyone else buy into that line of thought or do you think Hawk was making an misinformed comment? i found it interesting, i certainly can't argue that alexei isn't full of talent, the dude is just a damn good ball player Well...here's the thing...how do you define talent? Jim Thome is the most talented if you judge talent by how far he hits the ball and nothing else. Quentin right now seems to be our most talented overall player with the bat. But Alexei is solid with the bat and also is probably our best athlete I'd guess...seems to be both strong and very quick...Quentin couldn't outrun Alexei if his life depended on it.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 11:33 PM) I still wonder if they aren't fast-tracking him in hopes that he becomes a reliever/trade bait. This is, to my eyes, a move that could well be potentially making him more of a trade candidate. Moving to a pitcher's park, at a higher level, place where pitchers in our org have tended to thrive...that is kind of what we did with Gio last year...kept him in AA and had his value go up because of it...

The officiating yesterday has a hint of the "guys a 7 game series would really help us out a lot" vibe.

It depends on the gaffe. I'll laugh at "Fool me once, shame on, shame on you, 8 second pause, can't get fooled again" and ones of that order. But gaffes can hurt. The stock market took a brief dive early in Bush's term when he spoke about "Currency devaluation" when he meant to say deflation. Not having a clear understanding of the Sunni/Shi'ite split and constantly fouling that up leads to things like declaring that the Iranians are supporting the Sunni insurgents and leads to false strategies. And then there's the "The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa" level...

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 09:26 AM) lol. the guy has managed over 30 years....... Very true...but if you're going to give him credit for doing "More with less", I think that it's a valid point that when he's done the most, he's had some of the best, most juiced up players in history.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 09:03 AM) Much as I despise him personally, I think Tony LaRussa has to be in this discussion. Very few have been able to do more with less. Less than guys like Albert Pujols, Chris Carpenter, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Dennis Eckersley, Rickey Henderson, Dave Stewart?

QUOTE (The Beast @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 04:01 PM) I would trade Fields at the deadline in a package for our greatest need and make a run for the championship. Seriesly. Not unless somehow God touched the heart of Scott Boras, made his heart grow 3 sizes that day, and convinced Joe to be extended first.

QUOTE (scenario @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 03:01 PM) Goes back to my earlier question... When somebody ranks the top prospects, what are (should) the critieria be? For example: If it's potential (ceiling), then Griffith shouldn't have dropped since last year, should he? Clearly you have to take in to account everything. Potential ceiling is one thing, but also likelihood of reaching that ceiling, along with likelihood of simply making the big leagues. A guy who seems to have a 95% chance of being a starting player on a big league team might well have more value than a guy who has a 5% chance of turning in to Johan but a 95% chance of blowing out his arm.

QUOTE (103 mph screwball @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 01:38 PM) Has anyone ever seen Hawk and Balta in the same place? Is that you Hawk? No, no one has ever seen me and Hawk in the same place. But that's an autograph I'd love to get

Boone gets the 8th.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 02:34 PM) ozzie knows mack isnt a CF, he even said it...and especially with anderson on the roster i really doubt he would be in CF at all...either way it doesnt matter who it is...but if uribe isnt gonna play at all it would be nice to at least have a lefty off the bench I understand the logic. I just still have nightmares about those games in 06.

It's the weather.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 02:30 PM) i agree....i posted this in the diamond club but if we do drop uribe i wouldnt mind giving rob mackowiak who was released a shot....at least we would have lefty off the bench and he can play 1b, 2b, 3b, LF and RF I'm too afraid of seeing him playing CF to risk that... Seriously.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 02:26 PM) Good job, Gavin. Seemed like he lost a little bit of focus there for about 2 batters then snapped it right back. Just another one of those little lessons.

QUOTE (robinventura23 @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 02:24 PM) What is the point of having Uribe on the team at this point? Time for him to be DFA'd. Well, frankly it is useful to have 2 backup infielders on this roster, especially since Alexei can play some CF also. I'm honestly surprised though that we haven't say, tried Uribe at 3rd yet.

Hall in for Thome. Thome becomes the only starter to leave the game without a hit today.

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 02:14 PM) why not put quentin in RF and give JD the rest of the day off, seriously? put the youthful defenders out there and rest JD's legs, ffs. While JD does need a rest (See below) honestly so does Q. He's scuffled a bit more than JD the last few games and JD's had more time off.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 02:11 PM) We'll get an extended look at Alexei at SS now...Cabrera's out and Pab is at 2b While the time off for O.C. can't hurt...something tells me the fact that we keep seeing this substitution late these last couple blowouts is giving Lexy a trial at SS for, let's say, future years.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 02:10 PM) I think a lot of people wanted to see what Alexei could do after that spring of his. Then a few games in, everyone did the usual thing where you get hasty and give up on a guy. And we were so happy about Quentin supplanting him that we started saying things like "Alexei needs to develop in AAA" no. I wouldn't be surprised if it just was going to take Alexei a month or so to finally get the hang of the hitting, whether or not he was playing every day. I thought some AAA time would have done him good, and I'll admit this is a pleasant surprise I didn't see coming.

Alexei to SS, Ozuna in at 2nd, Anderson in to CF and I think Q takes a seat.

Why Chuck Norris is doing commercials trying to recruit more U.S. border guards. Wow.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 02:05 PM) Balta I think the Sox actually listened to you. Just have a quick inning in the 4th and go back to work. My plan worked perfectly.

I think it's really time to start bringing in the backups to the backups. Can Loaiza play 1b? Can Ozuna pitch? It's time to find out.