NorthSideSox72

Sort of fun that the Leyer brothers combined for a shutout.

By the way, in case any of you are always back here and not PHT, we started our FS pre-draft coverage. First article is up - Quinarvy makes a case for drafting Aiken or Matuella. We'll probably have close to an article a day for the next few weeks.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ May 22, 2015 -> 08:39 AM) Combination of a lot of stuff. Aforementioned Kris Honel local kid flashbacks. That he's a reliever. Probably the biggest thing though is how I think they would handle him. We don't want to take a reliever with a top 10 pick. So if we want him to start, we should take it slow with him. Yet were already seeing stuff on how'd he be the next Sale/Rodon and be up here quickly. That scares me. Those are reasons for me why I'd actually like to see them do it. The team is quite good at this exact path.

QUOTE (gatnom @ May 22, 2015 -> 09:44 AM) The link to the BR page for Spencer Adams appears to be incorrect. LOL, looks like the auto-linker from Baseball Reference is picking up the Spencer Adams who played major league ball before. He died in 1970.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ May 21, 2015 -> 07:18 PM) The barrier to obtaining a college degree or technical training is insanely low and the benefits are incredibly high. Not doing so is just a failure these days for young people. I could understand a 40 year old. But an 18 year old? Knowing what you need for a good job? It's just dumb and a sign of a lack of effort/drive. I personally don't tend towards either of the extreme arguments here, but I just wanted to point out that the bolded is patently false. It takes a large chunk of money to pay for a college degree. The part about also having to work to live I have no issues with, as that really is just being dedicated and motivated. But the reality is, even if you are dedicated and motivated, where do people find 15k/year or 25k/year for a 4-year school? Loans just make it cost even more later, and they aren't available to all, nor are they always enough to cover everything. I am not suggesting, by the way, anything beyond what I've said here. I'm simply stating that the barrier to obtaining a college degree (assuming you mean a 4-year degree, not a JuCo certificate) is the opposite of insanely low, it is clearly quite high. If you're talking short-term professional training or community college, now that's a little more realistic. Which if you learn a specific trade can work, but its not the same as a 4-year degree and we all know that.

QUOTE (Butter Parque @ May 21, 2015 -> 07:55 PM) Why was Jose Barraza released? I guess I could ask the same of Ayala in 2014... For a team with almost zero in the way of catching prospects, they sure are quick to release guys whop were supposed to have "tools" Those were both surprises to me as well, but I hadn't heard many reports that meant anything so who knows what was going on there.

As a kick-off for our pre-draft coverage, Quniarvy makes the case for why the White Sox should maybe draft Brady Aiken or Mike Matuella. Here's the story. What do you all think?

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ May 21, 2015 -> 11:57 AM) Never heard of this Harris kid, what's the scouting report on him? He's among the guys we will profile in the coming weeks.

Trayce Thompson. He started the season hot, but it was pointed out that his high BABIP and somewhat high K-rate meant he was due for regression. And he did go on a more-or-less 2-week slump, but the last 4 games he seems to have bounced back. Aside from the fact that it's nice to see him bounce back from a slump pretty quick, I wanted to throw out there his season line, because I think some of the peripherals are interesting. So to date... 39 G, 158 PA: .274/.323/.445 (.768), 10 BB (6.3%), 35 K (22.2%), .339 BABIP So, that BABIP is actually pretty close to typical for a .274 AVG on a power hitter, maybe a little high. But I think any luck factor there, especially with 158 PA now, has been minimized. Also that K rate is actually lower than he's had at any stop in his career, so the increased contact does help explain the higher average. I'll say again, I think we're seeing some real improvement, resulting from some real adjustments. He's making contact at a reasonable rate, the luck factor doesn't appear to be big anymore, he's hitting for power and a decent average. The only worrisome factor for me is the walk rate being lower than his more typical 10%. What do others think at this point?

Thanks for the update. I was pretty surprised he got released, with the stuff he had. I can only assume that after his injuries and surgery, he must have come back less than the original product. That said, I'd expect him to dominate a league like that.

Recap posted.

QUOTE (MurcieOne @ May 20, 2015 -> 09:37 PM) Can you (anyone) tell us about Ryan Plourde? He looks like a minor league free agent Catcher. Hitting well in a limited sample size. There is very very very little available on him online. QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ May 20, 2015 -> 10:12 PM) Undrafted free agent from Fairfield University, where he hit .323 with a .435 on-base percentage over 4 years with 14 homers (including 39 walks and 10 strikeouts as a senior). Hit .290/.436/.548 with the AZL White Sox last year, and now .350/.519/.450 with Kanny so far. His problem seems to be he doesn't have a position, he's listed variously as catcher/designated hitter and he played outfield as well as catching at Fairfax. Long road for a designated hitter with minimal power, especially in an org that doesn't seem to really value BB:K ratio. He's definitely a catcher, that's basically all he's played in the org and that's what they signed him as. As you said though, big college hitter at a small school. He's a backup, so he's an org guy and I wouldn't invest much there. That said, its worth noting that the org released or traded a whole bunch of other backup C's and even some guys that looked like starters earlier, during the offseason, but kept Plourde. And guys like Zac Fisher are still unassigned. So they clearly think more of Plourde than some others.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 20, 2015 -> 01:07 PM) There are other options, which aren't suitable to a father who wants to spend more time with his children and watch them grow up first-hand. Japan or Korea, for example. The independent leagues. Let's not pretend those millions of kids around the world dreaming of NBA careers have it any easier. What's the salary in the NBDL or was the salary before in the CBA for the average player? Basketball players, by and large, can make more money overseas than baseball players, but that's comparing apples and oranges again because there are literally half as many job openings. How many college football players can have an 8-10 year paid career after graduating (without going down to injury)? NBA D-League salaries are about double what minor league baseball players make. Football has no equivalent to compare to, but essentially college fills that role and they get a degree, housing and food. The clubhouse dues thing is something I think is unique to baseball. Also, pretty sure no one here is pretending anything, nor did anyone say the other sports were something great.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 20, 2015 -> 12:42 PM) Until he figures out how to get lefties out, he's going to have a tough time remaining as a starter when he makes the majors. He's the main trade chip the Sox should use if they want to add at the deadline, in my opinion. With his arm angle, the change-up will have to be very good, and probably he needs to add another angle on a breaking ball.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 20, 2015 -> 11:16 AM) Baseball is no different than any other industry that uses interns as cheap, or no cost labor. Similar, but not quite the same. In this case, being an intern is the only way to get a job in your field, and you're likely doing it for 3-4 years on average before you get a paycheck that takes you above the poverty line. There are intern programs like that in other industries, but not many, and all those industries provide many paths in the door.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 20, 2015 -> 12:19 PM) Birmingham getting their brains beaten in. Anyone starting to become at least mildly concerned that Danish isn't going to get away with 89-93 MPH stuff in AA, compared to A ball? 4-0 is "getting their brains beaten in"? Have you looked at the Kanny game? Yes and no on Danish. Velocity is one thing, but every scout who's watched him refers to the movement on all his pitches as some form of filthy. What that does mean though is, I'd bet he's a guy who has a few really good games, then one really bad one if his stuff flattens out. There won't be any in-between.

Kanny getting destroyed. Lowry got battered, but it was his first bad outing of the year. Eddy Alvarez falling back a bit, but doing so weirdly. Last 7 games (didn't include this one), he's hitting .150 (3-for-20), but his OBP is .346 and he's got just 2 K's in 27 PA. My guess is, with the rest of that Kanny lineup being pretty weak, they are pitching around him now. Jason Coats just keeps hitting, but no power yet. Combined AA+AAA so far this year: .319/.336/.409 (hitting .309 at AAA). 16.8% K/PA, but just 4 walks in 149 PA is worrisome. He's had this pattern before - last year in A+ he didn't hit a HR until the last game of April, didn't have his third until late May, but finished with 15. This year the early promotion may have delayed it a bit, but I'd guess that power shows up very soon. He also only walked 5 times in his first 30 games last year (into May), finished with 38.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ May 20, 2015 -> 10:19 AM) I believe he meant it more in jest, as he's going to be kept in great shape from raising his kids. Knowing Mike's personality, he was mostly joking, but underneath he's holding out hope of doing just that.

Recap posted.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ May 19, 2015 -> 02:53 PM) My god that salary is brutal. Am I reading that right that that is what he gets weekly? It's about in line with what I've seen before, so yeah. ETA: Actually that's every 2 weeks, as he puts it in there. Minor Leaugers make peanuts, unless they were among the very small % that got big bonuses (and don't blow them).

Every once in a while, we have a White Sox prospect or player (or coach or scout) guest-write a piece for Future Sox. You can see all the previous entries here, including some from players who made the majors. Each has a different topic. Our latest is from RHP Mike Recchia (who wrote once before for us as well), the #28 prospect in the system on our most recent list from January. He recently retired, and wrote for us about what it is like as a minor leaguer to have to make that decision. The article is here - give it a read! Bear in mind that these players aren't professional writers, but in a way that gives a refreshing perspective on things. It gives you an idea what they are thinking about. And this is stuff you just don't find on other blogs.

Recap posted. Lots of big nights on offense, and some good pitching from Guerra and Heidenreich too.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 19, 2015 -> 09:43 AM) Our one major necessity was a car that had captain chairs. It's just so nice to have that much more room and the kids can actually walk around a bit to their seats. Basically a SUV mini-van. Those work great for kids who are, say, age 6 or older. For littler kids in bulky car seats, captain's chairs (in my experience) just make things worse.

QUOTE (staxx @ May 18, 2015 -> 04:11 PM) Good. I think Beck is gonna be a major league regular soon. As a starter? I think he might start strong, but quickly will get shelled as a starter. Unless he's suddenly got reliable command of one of his breaking pitches. Without that he's still just sinker-change, and while both can be quite good, that won't get it done as an MLB starter.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ May 18, 2015 -> 01:15 PM) i am little behind on the times...how is Michalczewski glove-wise Most recent report I recall, he's a work in progress. Has the tools but still learning. Some mixed opinions on if he can stick there or not, but it's early.