NorthSideSox72

If you want an idea of some key things to watch for this offseason in the Sox minors, here's a preview with some handy links.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Sep 15, 2014 -> 04:30 PM) Are these podcasts on TuneIn? Because I listen to baseball podcasts every night when I got to sleep, and it's always good to have another group to listen to once I listen to all the new Fansgraphs Audio and Baseball America. We use Pod-O-Matic as our server, and we also have them on iTunes. The last one was from May, we have a couple out there on either one, so feel free to download them from either place!

Good questions. LatAm is a good focus area, the younger pitchers are worth looking at, and Hawkins could be a whole discussion himself.

Alright, MiLB Twitter now saying they erred, and are fixing it. Great Falls is extended through 2018. Carry on.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 12, 2014 -> 01:15 PM) For anyone who saw the reports... the Idaho Statesman reported the White Sox didn't renew with the Great Falls Voyagers. In reality, last year they extended through 2018. Some other channels picked up the wrong story as well. The Statesman has since corrected their story, after we pointed out the mistake. This is getting weird. Baseball America now reported GF as 2014 expiration. And then so did MiLB in an article. Yet, MiLB themselves said in January that GF was extended through 2018. It's all pretty confusing. I responded to BA and MiLB, and reached out to a Great Falls contact I have. No word back from any of them yet. KAN PR guy says he thought they were 2018 too.

A few winter league assignments so far: Dominican: Rangel Ravelo, Escogido Dan Black: Cibao Donnie Veal: Cibao Jose Bautista: Licey Robinson Leyer: Licey Jose Brito: Toros Venezuela: Andy Wilkins (reserve, may not play)

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Sep 12, 2014 -> 02:53 PM) Oddly, there was a report this morning on SSS that GF was not being renewed, but the story is now removed, and was apparently wrong. Yes, see the Catch-All thread. We caught that and pointed it out. The newspaper that published it corrected their story, and SSS took theirs down.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Sep 12, 2014 -> 02:11 PM) Kid turns 20 today. Getting the twitter love from his fellow prospects. Obviously, valid concerns remain about his mechanics, but the slight-frame/durability issues need to be put to rest. He's 205 pounds on a six-foot frame and completed 130 pro-ball innings at 19. Here's a recent photo of him, looking stacked, with Courtney Hawkins, and a recent Dash photo - His frame looks like a slightly-downsized version of Rodon to my eyes. The issue should be a thing of the past, but you can expect to be reading it up until he's a stud in MLB. Meanwhile, the Cubs 23 y.o. CJ Edwards, who Tyler outweighs by 50 lbs., still ranks in the 50's in top 100 lists, with a profile that screams reliever to anyone who's paying attention. Been babied the whole time with pitch counts of 80 (less than TD despite 3+ years older) and still missed most of the season with throwing shoulder issues. This is analogous to the continuation bet in Texas Hold 'em, and is rooted in a similar likelihood of BS. #rankingsajoke The concerns about durability really haven't been (at least not primarily) about his frame. It's the delivery. Watch some video to see what people mean about that. His delivery is similar to Peavy's.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Sep 12, 2014 -> 01:50 PM) Nope. I hate the new stadium and I've only been there once. It's in a bad part of town that I grew up near and is too far away from where I live now. People have been shot and killed right outside of it. Birmingham annually makes the top 10 list of most dangerous cities in the United States. The new stadium has gotten universally very good reviews. Sounds like it's really just the neighborhood that is a problem? Too bad it ended up that way.

For anyone who saw the reports... the Idaho Statesman reported the White Sox didn't renew with the Great Falls Voyagers. In reality, last year they extended through 2018. Some other channels picked up the wrong story as well. The Statesman has since corrected their story, after we pointed out the mistake.

I wouldn't expect any Sox affiliate moves for at least 3-4 years. The top 3 affiliates all have new or near-new parks and are drawing a ton of people, with great facilities for the players. The Sox even took an ownership stake in the Dash last year. Kannapolis is extended through 2018 and likely getting a new park in the next few years. Great Falls also extended through 2018. The AZL club has the Camelback facility and is ideal for the club.

That would be great, but as SS2K5 pointed out, they just recently extended them through 2018. Also, Kannapolis is considering building a new park in their downtown area. Just not happening I'm afraid.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Sep 11, 2014 -> 06:38 PM) Has there been any clarification as to whether or not Bassitt can/will pitch? I remember people saying he couldn't because of being called out but I'm not sure that was confirmed nor has there been a replacement named. Being a call-up shouldn't effect his AFL status. I'm sure they still want him to get in some innings down there.

Now Merkin pointing out that Ravelo can "make some money" playing winter ball.

Emptiest game thread ever.

Scott Merkin reporting that Ravelo will be playing winter ball instead of AFL. Still no word WHY yet, but there it is.

QUOTE (LDF @ Sep 10, 2014 -> 08:32 PM) it seems as Basto seems to have some interesting stats. I would like to see how he does this fall. He's a mystery to me. Scout I talked to - and even another player, surprisingly - commented on his defense. Not in a good way either. He really struggled. But the bat, after being really bad too, suddenly took a leap this year.

That's a good idea, thanks.

Really? The definition of the word abuser is key to this argument? Come on. (waiting for the next /shrugs)

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Sep 9, 2014 -> 09:50 AM) How do you know the police or the NFL did not see it? If she will not press charges what relevance does the video do to the police? I specifically listed that as a possibility in my post - that they may or may not have seen it. Kyle covers your second part... QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Sep 9, 2014 -> 09:59 AM) The police can still choose to press charges even with a uncooperative witness/victim. They chose not to, presumably after believing that she fell and hit her head in the elevator This was changed decades ago in virtually every state, specifically to address domestic violence. The state can choose to bring charges even if the victim doesn't want to.

SoxTalkers- We're going to attempt to resurrent the Podcast, probably recording mid-next week. We have a general idea of some topics to cover, but, we'll take any of your questions! Let 'em rip...

Forgetting level of punishment for a moment... how pathetic is it that it took TMZ to dig up this video, when the police and the NFL either couldn't (incompetent) or chose not to watch it (frightening).

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Sep 7, 2014 -> 11:39 PM) Their value for trading is not as high as other positions. You sound like Greg, ridiculous and incredible. LOL

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Sep 7, 2014 -> 10:54 AM) I thought Beck did better in AAA than in AA. But, that just could be because the hitters are better in AA. A lot of AAA is replete with AAAA talent, whereas the real prospects are in AA. The better PROSPECTS are in AA, maybe (not even sure I'd agree there, but an argument can be made). Better HITTERS are in AAA. In other words, the more polished guys, who've been around longer and are more patient, are in AAA. It's a subtle but important difference. Because some key prospects either skip AAA or are only there briefly, the talent-driven evaluation puts AA on top. But as products at that moment in time, lineups in AAA will be harder to get through than those in AA.

Just to be clear, the Redskins/Washington Football Team/Whatever do NOT have a "right" to be called by their proper name by announcers, fans or reporters. If any of those people simply wants to say "Washington" or whatever, they can do that, and Snyder has no recourse. The only things Snyder could make a legal issue about, are: --If there is libel involved (like, they call the team some intentionally insulting or misleading name or something), and those are tough suits to win even if it does happen --If the person speaking is an employee of the team, in which case they cane be disciplined or fired or whatever --If a contract exists between the team and some entity that specifically states the team name must be used