NorthSideSox72

Adam Lopez tells FS he's not going to pitch in PR this year, even though he's on their roster. He's going to work out state-side over the winter.

This is our last winter league preview - Puerto Rico, which opened last (on 10/30). Just three players going to PR this year, but a couple guys in particular are worth keeping an eye on.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 01:33 PM) I've actually considered it, but I don't want my family dragged into that arena. It's not an easy thing, even at the state level. That's partly why so few run, in either party. Think about the impacts: --Dragging your family and potentially others into the media spotlight to no fault of their own --Time demands are pretty huge, especially during campaign season --It is nearly impossible to keep up a "regular" job while serving --You are away from home and family a substantial part of the year --Even if you do your best to do the job well, you will be constantly criticized all over --You're forced into fundraising, which is something many people are not comfortable doing --You are pulled into the games That's a lot to take on, especially for people who are older and have families (and really, there aren't many 20-somethings who could make a legit run anyway). That's a hard choice.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 12:03 PM) How people like this even get nominated and are allowed to actually run is what's truly baffling. That's the main take-away on what I was talking about earlier. There have to be any number of Illinois Republicans who would be better candidates, but it seems no one wants to run. Maybe YOU should. QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 12:33 PM) John Oliver had a good segment on the importance of the local state legislature races, and how no one gives a s***, resulting in some truly bats*** candidates/legislators. And sadly over 1000 such people will win their election because they are running unopposed. Locals are key, and yeah, most people don't care. QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 12:41 PM) I still maintain that 3/4s of the races I voted on today should not even be democratically accountable. That too. Judges? Water reclamation district? LOL

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Nov 3, 2014 -> 09:14 PM) Due to being ineligible as a transfer til Dec 20 Ah, I missed that. So is he eligible to PLAY by that time? Or can he then register for the next semester at that time, and play in January?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 10:41 AM) Not as in "borderline socialist". She is an actual admitted Socialist. She advocated for completely unrealistic and failed realities. To you it isn't a big deal. To me, she has no grasp on reality or history. She might as well be viewing the world as flat and the sun revolving around it. And we're done. If you are going to conflate those things, then there is no political discussion to be had with you.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 10:35 AM) Not really, no. Honestly I spent most of the night trying to figure if she was actually being serious. She is a true wing nut. Yeah, WING NUT. As in, her views are borderline socialist. I am 100% sure you don't put that in the same category as someone who thinks the weather changes because of teh geyzzzzzz. I mean really, just stop. You want to try to paint the picture that both of them are politically extreme but from opposite ends. No one is even contesting that. What is clear as day in this case is that in addition to being politically extreme, Aransas has no grasp on reality OUTSIDE the political world.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 10:27 AM) Some of her views I consider to not be dealing with reality. Seriously, stop it. You know the difference, you're just trying for the scorched earth equivalency here. Its beneath you. Remember me? I'm not some party-line voter. I'm not defending Schakowsky in the slightest, hell I just said I wanted to see a better opponent. So please drop the act.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 10:03 AM) She is an actual Socialist. She said exactly that. I know because I saw her speak at an actual Socialist convention put on labor union leadership years back. Having heard her speak, she has no grasp on reality either. She is a true life wing nut. You really don't see a difference between "my political views are extreme" nuts and "I actually think the weather changes because of someone's social behavior" nuts? Come on. One is nuts in the political sense, the other is someone who is actually, societally, not dealing with reality.

QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 09:49 AM) I wonder if the Illinois GOP pick the most unwinnable seats and give them to Baar Topinka and Oberweis every two years. Keeps those two feeling important, keeps their money, prevents them from winning office. I said then and still maintain it... the Gov election between Blago and Baar-Topinka was the worst overall pair of options I've ever seen for a high office. I actually voted 3rd party, which I almost never do. I do vote Green Party on the Water Reclamation district every time though. Just seems to make sense.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 09:40 AM) Oh bulls***. Agreed. In fact in Illinois, generally the GOP runs more moderate candidates, i.e. Dold. QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 09:48 AM) Speaking of wing nuts... She's pretty darn far left, but she isn't living on another planet. I can't vote for someone like Aransas, who simply has no grasp on reality. But I generally plan to vote more red than blue for state level offices because right now that is more what IL needs. I just wish the state GOP would find more reasonable candidates in some races.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Nov 4, 2014 -> 09:24 AM) 15,000 people voted for her in a primary. That is scary. I wouldn't worry, she's going to get crushed in the general anyway. I'm just amazed the IL GOP couldn't field better (or at least non-psychotic) candidates for that district, which has enough well-off suburbia that it could be a solid pickup opportunity for them.

Scouting reports from AFL for Tim Anderson, Kevan Smith and Jefferson Olacio, via Baseball Prospectus. Anderson's reports on D continue to be inconsistent as to whether or not he'll stick. On Smith, that isn't an encouraging report. The longer swing was a concern anyway, but I hadn't noticed or heard about the pause-and-hitch issues. And the defensive reports are not good to hear. Olacio's report is also uninspiring. The analogy about his mechanics is pretty hilarious though, so there's that.

Get out there and do it, folks.

New 4th OF? Sierra and Taylor gone, want some competition for Danks I guess. Both LHB OFs, but Shuck is high contact and OBP with low power, kind of the opposite of Danks. Stats put him as an average-ish defender on the corners, has barely played CF in the majors. Unless they think he can handle CF pretty well defensively, I'm not sure I get this move.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Nov 1, 2014 -> 11:40 AM) No, BECAUSE Montes De Oca was so good, he didn't get drafted in the first 10 rounds. Sort of. It is a combination of him being very good, but also coming off arm surgery and therefore having greater value on the need to prove something first for a bigger payday. That's one of the classic scenarios for a very good prep arm to go to college. Let's put it this way. Because of the fears about his relatively recent surgery, he wasn't going to be a 1st rounder. So maybe he was more like 5th round. For his scenario, there's a potential for a much bigger payout if he goes to OU and rocks the house for a few years, potentially being a 1st rounder. For most teams, knowing he was looking for 1st round money (or close to that anyway), but not willing to take him in the 1st or even 2nd round, they let him go. The White Sox then took him in a late round, essentially as the backup plan for Rodon (and also sending a signal of interest as a side effect). If they had issues with Rodon and/or others, they'd lose the slot money, but have more of the potential past-slot pool money available (remember Rodon was over slot, as were others they drafted) and maybe, maybe, be able to entice De Oca to sign. He was the backup plan. I'm sure they probably made him a token 100k offer just in case he bit, but that's all they could do. So it isn't just because he was so good - it was because he was so good and had extra risk.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Nov 3, 2014 -> 01:16 PM) So what exactly is Danish's ceiling? Because he doesn't throw that hard but he has nasty stuff. If he has the stamina and stays healthy enough to start, and maintain current strengths over a full season? With the movement he has on his pitches, his control and heavy action, I think he's a mid-rotation starter. Which is a significant ceiling. Maybe even a little better than that.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 3, 2014 -> 11:16 AM) I got my number by adding up their July 2 signings and subtracting from the pool number. No idea if they have added others in the mean time. That's the difficulty. Here are the four guys we know they signed to significant bonuses. Did they sign any others to any significant amount since then? Maybe. I don't know, and no one outside the Sox seems to either.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 3, 2014 -> 11:10 AM) $1.6 ish million is what the Sox have left under the cap. I believe the Sox have the most to offer without going over the caps, but I can't find good figures on that. BA said they don't have solid numbers on that either. But if the White Sox do indeed have 1.6M left, that is likely near the top of the list.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 3, 2014 -> 10:38 AM) I don't believe you can sign a minor league deal for a number of years. That means the idea of a 7 to 9 year deal is wrong. Again, Balder flat out stated the kid CANNOT sign a major league deal. At that point all you are left with is signing bonus, which is fully taxable under the current international signing system, because of Morcada's age. Even a $10 million deal, becomes a near $20 million deal, as everything over your bonus pool numbers are getting taxed. If a team is over their pool already, like the Yankees, they entire deal would be taxed at 100%. A $50 million deal, really costs them $100 million. A $100 million deal really costs $200 million. And in addition to that, if you aren't over already, you lose the ability to sign guys for TWO years, just so sign this one kid. I believe that is all correct. You sign a contract on this kid, it is ALL bonus and hits the July 2 pool. They are then on a minor league deal - MLB deals are not allowed. If you go over your allotted amount, all those fines and penalties you mention kick in. No one will sign this kid for $100M, or even $50M. At $50M you are paying a $100M bonus and losing picks for two years.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 3, 2014 -> 10:11 AM) Hardin was the only guy I was disappointed to see on that list, but IIRC, he had a pretty major injury that derailed him, no? He missed time this year with minor injuries, but nothing that was a major problem from anything I understood. Maybe you are thinking of the Bears player by the same name?

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Nov 2, 2014 -> 08:47 PM) Iowa State scrimmaged Minnesota today (secretly) and apparently did quite well without their starting center (Jameel McKay). Iowa State 103, Minnesota 78 In Hoiberg's words, he wants to go much quicker than last year, when they were already 16th quickest in tempo. Why is McKay out?

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Nov 3, 2014 -> 09:22 AM) It was really long alright. More annoyed that we'd give up Sanchez for him and then release him when he overperformed expectations. I was intrigued by Sanchez, I respect NS72's opinion and maybe he is org filler, but he has put up really nice K:BB numbers everywhere, I would have been interested in shoving him up a few levels. Sanchez' numbers were good. But he was 2+ years old for his level, and the few scouting reports we got indicated there wasn't a ton there to work with. He's not a bad guy to have in the system - for every 20 like him, maybe 5 make it to the higher minors levels and succeed there, and maybe one might briefly see the majors. But at the time the Sox needed another MLB-caliber OF in the wings (as guys like Thompson, Mitchell, etc. clearly aren't ready), and if you can go get a guy with his pedigree in exchange for that pitcher, you do it. Now Taylor is looking for a legit major league shot, and the Sox don't have a need in 2015 for him. I'm sure they probably offered him AAA again, but he's going to look for a better opportunity.

The White Sox have released a whole slew of minor leaguers... RHPs Matt Abramson, Brandon Hardin, Jamie Patterson, David Putman, Juan Ramirez, Anthony Santiago, Charlie Sharrer, Kevin Vance LHPs Jose Bautista, Jeff McKenzie INFs Cody Yount, Dan Wagner, Grant Buckner OFs Patrick Palmeiro, Chevy Clarke, Michael Earley, Carl Thomore, Adam Heisler, Sam Macias Mostly not surprising. Abramson has a big live fastball and wasn't around long, thought they may have stuck with him a little longer. Putnam had a nice breaking ball. Vance has had some success over the years. Michael Earley performed reasonably well with the bat and was a good defender, thought they'd keep him around as a 4th OF in the higher levels. Hardin and Vance have even gotten votes in our T25 at points along the way, though neither was ever ranked.

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Nov 3, 2014 -> 07:43 AM) Bit annoying this, traded an intriguing prospect for him and then he crushes AAA and holds his own in the majors and we lose him Traded an org filler arm for him. And honestly, to me he's not a lot different than Jordan Danks or Moises Sierra in terms of role and likely impact. Nothing worth worrying about losing. Taylor's hit tool is better than Danks', but Danks is a better defender, can play all three slots well, and has a little more power.