NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Boogua @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 08:19 PM) K State loses to TCU again. The first time K State will miss the tournament since 2009. He's pretty good at turning programs around. TCU is a better team than their conference record makes them appear. They lost a lot of close games to good teams. They're close to being a competitive B12 team.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 03:17 PM) Brantly having a tough time Chisoxfn was just saying earlier that Brantly really didn't look good defensively when he saw him live the other day.

I sure hope someone recorded the Melt-down on air. Otherwise it's all 2nd hand and we'll never know what really happened. Gawd I wish I had heard that.

For that matter, Saladino actually told Rob (another FS writer) that he was easing in a bit at the beginning of ST.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 01:07 PM) The team knew Saladino would have no restrictions at the start of ST back in January. Well no, the team said he was on track and it appeared that way. That isn't the same as saying they "knew" he'd have no restrictions. It certainly appeared that was likely, but they didn't and couldn't really know until he got out there. So it's good to see it coming to fruition.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 11:50 AM) Thanks, and that is indeed sad. Does TS seem completely healthy? I kinda thought the GB reacquisition might have been somewhat related to Saladino's recovery timetable. Would love to see him given a real shot. That Brooks data is freakin tremendous, imo, and I'll be checking it out for Rodon today and the other guys going forward, especially Montas. Did not know it existed for ST. The Brooks data and Trackman are experimental in ST right now. I am sure Saladino's health questions were some small part of the Beckham signing, but I am also pretty sure they just weren't comfortable relying on Saladino generally. He's been playing in Cactus League games, so I'd assume he's quite healthy at this point. QUOTE (bmags @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 11:52 AM) Cannot wait until we have that pitch data for EriK Johnson. Yes.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 11:41 AM) Great stuff NSS, as always. I hope that you are right, and that Gordo can potentially be left off the 25, depending on his level of suckage and the performance of those competing. BTW, is Saladino already reassigned? He's the guy I want to see replacing Gordo, sooner or later. Unlike Gordo and Sanchez, seems to kill LHP, making him more platoon suitable to the other personnel. And probably has the most pop of the bunch. Found some nice info on Danish's outing http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.ph...hamlb_kcamlb_1/ through through this article article on SSS, http://www.southsidesox.com/2015/3/11/8188...for-second-base talking about TD now throwing more of a slider ( "Coop calls it a cutter"), vs. the "slurve" type of pitch he had been throwing. Saladino is still in big league camp, but sadly, the presence of Beckham means his chances of breaking camp with the team are near zero. The only camp re-assignments so far have been Taylor's retirement and the addition of Engel Beltre to replace him in big league camp.

QUOTE (bmags @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 11:11 AM) Why would there be a first amendment issue here? Maybe you could stretch it because it is a state university, therefore an extension of government? Kinda pushing it though. Either way they were threatening a race of people, so it won't fly. No lawsuit grounds that would work here.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 10:41 AM) Beckham is on the team. I don't know why anyone would think otherwise. His roster spot is not contested. He PROBABLY is. Not definitely or definitely not. The real question though was whether he might sneak into a starter's role, which was already unlikely and now seems nigh impossible.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 07:45 AM) Engel Beltre is a minor league player that we will all forget about in a few weeks(most likely) QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 10:17 AM) Hes a guy. He could be a really solid 4th OF option. He missed almost all season last year with a broken leg and has a good mix of defense and speed. He will be good insurance in Charlotte. Engel Beltre Beltre is out of options so it's major league or waivers for the speedy outfielder. Beltre is recovering from a fractured right tibia and is on the 60-day DL. Dave Sessions reports: "Outfielder Engel Beltre (fractured right tibia) is "progressing ahead of schedule," Levine said. He is eligible to return May 29." He looked good in the Spring, swatting a .333 average. He had a mediocre year for the Rangers last season, appearing in 22 games and hitting .250. The Rangers like his speed and that he can play all three outfield positions effectively. Look for the Rangers to make room on the roster for him once he's ready. http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/04/r...ml#.VQBbs_nF8z4 I'd say between the above two posts. He's likely not a guy IMO, but he has at times been highly considered. At this point he is AAA filler and an emergency OF option.

QUOTE (bmags @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 10:27 AM) My prediction: needless handwringing about saying Micah's stock is up. Who would think it isn't?

Now a week into Cactus League play, we're going to start doing weekly stock reports for players that are NOT already locked into a 25-man job. Who has helped themselves? Hurt themselves, literally or figuratively? Here is Week One. Thoughts?

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Mar 10, 2015 -> 08:36 PM) As much as I think Taylor is a nobody, this makes the decision to sign Beckham over a legit 4th OF like Denorfia even more frustrating. We literally have no OF depth and if a starter goes down we're pretty much f***ed. Meanwhile, one of Sanchez & Saladino could fill Beckham's role without missing a beat IMO. Hopefully there's something I'm missing about J.B. Schuck. Taylor probably wasn't even first in line for the job, Shuck is/was. And Bonifacio can play all three slots. That's plenty of depth to start the season, plus you'll have Mitchell and Thompson in Charlotte, one of whom at least is likely to be decent enough to serve as an emergency backup 5th/6th OF certainly. Really not a concern.

With Johnson apparently running (lol) away with the 2B job, Beckham is really only considered for the UTIL INF job. And he'd be fine for that, hitting against LHP a lot. It's him or Carlos Sanchez in that role (theoretically could be both but not likely). I think they're both fine for that.

Beat reporters also saying Micah made a tough play up the middle iwth a backhand flip to 2B.

Trayce Thompson threw a guy out at 2nd. He's having a nice spring on both sides of the ball. Not going to make the OD roster, but would be nice for him to have a big year in AAA. QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 10, 2015 -> 04:05 PM) Any analysis on Danish today above-and-beyond the box score? His 4S was around 88-90 according to Gameday, FWIW. He's got tons of movement but that's been a fear with him, at least for me, all along. Then again it is ST and he may be getting stretched out.

QUOTE (flavum @ Mar 10, 2015 -> 03:08 PM) It was never an open race really. Yes it was, though with Micah in the pole position. If he struggles and someone else looks much better, Micah wouldn't get the job. I'm still most interested in his defense anyway.

QUOTE (Condor13 @ Mar 10, 2015 -> 03:08 PM) Micah with a double, he might be pulling ahead in the 2nd base job After first attempting a bunt.

Bosch are consistently rated very highly, they're just really good machines for appliances. Also I love supporting their business model. It's a for-profit business but they treat their employees extremely well, and the profits virtually all go into a foundation they use for charitable spending. Very unusual for a large business like that.

QUOTE (flavum @ Mar 10, 2015 -> 01:10 PM) Or barring an 8-man pen, which I think is a longshot. Also true, but I agree that is a very long shot.

That was sudden. I honestly had felt better about him than Shuck based on track record and tools. At this point, if the Sox even carry a pure 4th OF, Shuck pretty much has the job. I don't see Beltre or Thompson or Mitchell making a legitimate run at it, barring an injury to Shuck.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 9, 2015 -> 11:11 PM) Good to see him taking his weight "issues" seriously...as well. That can only help his stamina, endurance and fielding ability. Seeing a couple pictures from ST, he is definitely slimmed down from late last year.

QUOTE (shipps @ Mar 6, 2015 -> 05:58 PM) caulfield, old people do not have sex. shipps can confirm.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Mar 9, 2015 -> 09:28 AM) I will say that the even bigger picture is being missed here. it isn't JUST race, it is a government run amok, using law enforcement as a stealth tax system. It isn't about catching robbers and killers as it is shaking down peeps for tinted windows and making sure beauticians have the 'proper' licenses. There are towns all across the country that are infamous for shaking down motorists for the slightest of things, often just making them up, to provide revenue. I remember a story of a town that had only 250 residents but had a police force of 20, and had more tickets than most of their state combined. This is tyranny, and it doesn't matter the race. People rightly should be upset at the systematical targeting of citizens by police simply to feed their coffers. There are a number of Chicago suburbs like this. Near me, the one with that rep is Northfield. Population 5k, in a very safe bedroom community. They have 19 sworn officers. To put that in perspective, that's double to triple the officers-per-population ratio of the suburbs around it, even though those other suburbs are in very well off areas with tons of money to spend (and those other suburbs also have much more in the way of large businesses, malls and major roads to cover).

I just found out that for the first time, we as season ticket holders won't be getting hard tickets going forward. We will get printable tickets, or the ability to do smart phone tickets. How do people feel about this? For us being UD, I had a concern about getting LD access (which we used to get with the hard tickets), but I'm told the printable tickets will show that they are seasons, so that's addressed. But I do kind of miss the hard tickets, for example, for my kids to keep.