NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Jun 4, 2014 -> 09:44 AM) Will there be a predictions thread tomorrow or will we just post our predictions here? There will be a pinned thread in PHT tomorrow, with a link to the tracker in the OP and discussion, which can be used for that.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 4, 2014 -> 09:35 AM) Having just seen this now, I'm curious to know when your guy saw him. As of today, June 4th, 2014, Carlos Sanchez has played 44 games at 2B and 11 at SS this year. For his career, he's played 230 at 2B and 159 at SS. He's also played the previous 11 games at 2B with Tyler Saladino and Marcus Semien primarily playing SS over that time frame. Sanchez has been playing SS more lately. I don't have a recent scouting report on his D there, but the ones I saw a year or two ago, he was called either average or fringe-average there defensively. However, he was still quite young, so improvement may have happened since. He's called above average at 2B.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 4, 2014 -> 08:28 AM) So wait, I just noticed this by reading 2 threads back to back. Hawkins's K rate this year is almost identical to Kris Bryant? Yup. His K rate is down substantially. This slump he's been in for a few weeks was going to happen, as it does for virtually every prospect. The keys were - does he start flailing like he was strikeout-wise, or does he keep the contact rate reasonable even when he's down? And, does he bounce back eventually? He's answered the first in the affirmative. Time will tell on the second. But it is way, way too early for anyone to be giving up on him as a prospect.

QUOTE (ron883 @ Jun 3, 2014 -> 07:29 PM) Is Sanchez competent at SS? Last reports I saw were that he was average-ish there. But he's still young. QUOTE (Bruce_Blixton @ Jun 3, 2014 -> 07:52 PM) Lowry is looking at a rained-shortened no-no right now. Official game - he threw a (rain-shortened) no-hitter. QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jun 3, 2014 -> 09:11 PM) I'd like to see De Michele get called up to AA. There are two prospects in that line up. Very discouraging. He doesn't seem to be hitting enough for that. His contact rate has improved a bit, but everything else is basically the same or worse while repeating A+. QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jun 3, 2014 -> 10:19 PM) Keon Barnum with a .889 OPS over his last 10 games. That includes a 20% K rate and a 12.5% BB rate. Given that he's only 21, I think there's still reason to be hopeful with him. No reason to give up on him yet, but I'm not putting a lot of stock in him either.

My bigger question is, how the heck did Thompson make the all star team?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 3, 2014 -> 03:49 PM) Which matters why? Bryant plays 3b? Um... yeah I got that confused. Ignore me.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jun 3, 2014 -> 03:16 PM) Ravelo gets shafted. He plays 1B in a league with Kris Bryant.

Same writer says he'll be reporting on some other White Sox guys in Extended ST in a few days, so we'll track that. QUOTE (raBBit @ Jun 3, 2014 -> 01:01 PM) Well now, who does that sound just like? Except this kid is 17 and with less experience, and that kind of rawness is very much expected. Let's not sentence every power bat with some swing-and-miss at that age to being Courtney Hawkins.

I think we need some historical perspective here. For one thing, prisoner transfers have been done during wartime forever. For another, we did a lot of them in the Bush/Cheney years too - because that is what they all do. Finally, Congress, this President, and the public have all been screaming for years to close Gitmo. But Congress and the states have also been adamant that they don't want these guys in the US. So, what are the options? Pretty much what they did anyway - transferring guys out, ideally to another country (like Qatar, in this instance). Basically, these transfers out of Gitmo were going to happen anyway, we just happened to also get an American soldier back in return. Something for nothing. Makes it hard for me to get upset about it. The key issue here is the difficulty of the "War on Terror", or asymetrical warfare generally. The POW's aren't the same players - the guys we are holding are, in some cases, beyond just "soldiers". I don't know what the answer is, but, what do you do with them?

As noted in the PHT thread, just FYI, FutureSox will be doing a live Draft Tracker up on the blog as we do each year. And tweeting via @FutureSox.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jun 3, 2014 -> 09:45 AM) It was on the mock draft done by BP and Future Sox. "Alex Jackson - Paul Konerko comp coming out of HS- better athlete, more likely to stick at C but bat profiles about the same at same stage." http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2014/06...-for-cubs-at-4/ Specifically it was the lead writer from Through the Fence.

Flowers had an historically lucky month in April and isn't hitting anymore. If he goes back to what he was last year, I don't think he's earned anything. Nieto certainly hasn't earned anything, I mean, he hasn't really even had a chance to. Both have some absurd BABIP numbers. Will be interesting to see where they sit around July.

Trying to project 2015 roster spots is generally a huge guessing game. But for the catching position, things are a little narrower - the free agent class just doesn't have anyone likely for the Sox, and teams aren't trading away that talent if they have it. This means a strong likelihood that the team's catcher in 2015 is already in the organization. So I took a look at 5 players whose names might be in the hat, the pro and con cases for each, costs/status, and projecting what each needs to do to lay claim to one of the two slots. The article is here. It's kind of long, but since it involes MLB and MiLB guys together, I thought I'd post the link in PHT. Who do you all think gets a job? Or will they be so desperate that they sign a mediocre free agent?

Just a reminder - as we do each year, FutureSox will have a live draft-tracker up on the blog, and of course we'll be tweeting like mad. Draft starts Thursday night!

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 2, 2014 -> 02:34 PM) Yes, needs more chainsaws and bicycle riding bears. Have you seen the video of that guy riding a bike with a goat on his back? The Cubs should do that with one of their players, would be a perfect fit.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jun 2, 2014 -> 01:31 PM) Has there been any notes on how Saladino has been in the OF so far or too small of a sample size? His first game he made an error and had another bad play, but that is to be expected as he learns a totally new position.

QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Jun 2, 2014 -> 02:31 PM) And trade Hawkins soon please while he still has some value. You can't be serious. His value to another org is very low, while the potential value to the Sox could still be quite high.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jun 2, 2014 -> 01:12 PM) No way they cut Saladino. He is probably going to be that super utility player. They'll cut Michael Johnson. They'll demote Johnson, not cut him. And then when someone is traded/promoted to Chicago, Saladino can go back to being an infielder and get full time play. Until then they are just trying to find him playing time. That sucks for him, but he's behind Davidson, Sanchez, Micah Johnson (when back) and Marcus Semien for 3 skill IF positions.

You should also see Walker's Twitter timeline. Dude wears his heart on his sleeve, and he was saying he feels like no one has his back. That won't go over well with the Sox if they see that.

QUOTE (Bruce_Blixton @ Jun 2, 2014 -> 01:12 PM) I didn't realize Montas was such a thick dude, definitely looks the part of a workhorse. Keep in mind that the picture may have been re-sized. You can find some video of him on Nathaniel Stoltz' YouTube channel if you want a better look.

QUOTE (Bruce_Blixton @ Jun 2, 2014 -> 12:53 PM) Seems like trading from our middle infield depth for a Competitive Balance pick makes the most sense, I wonder if L. Garcia or Saladino could net a Comp. Balance B pick from a team looking for a pro-ready utility guy. Saladino seems like a good fit with the Rays and Cards style of play, nothing flashy but solid all-around baseball skills. Neither of those guys will get you a comp pick, not a chance. You need to talk more Sanchez to even be in that discussion, and I'm not sure even that would get it done.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 2, 2014 -> 10:00 AM) I would think if Johnson was hurt, the Sox wouldn't keep trotting him out there. Definitely, assuming they know for sure. Sometimes they don't. Erik could be hiding an injury, which is stupid but it happens. More likely he's got a "dead arm" or the like, combined with mental issues right now. Still puzzling.

Cubs Den did a mock draft where they brought in about 10 different people to do a round robin and see where people fell. FutureSox was one of the drafters, along with Jason Parks and other BP guys, a couple scouts, and a couple beat writers. Here is their mock, FWIW. Which isn't much.

I can't get my head around what is going on with Johnson. I'd like to see some video, see if anything has changed mechanically. The loss of velocity may or may not be injury-related.

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Jun 2, 2014 -> 08:22 AM) Justin Jirschele was robbed Haha, I actually considered putting a little note in there about him, but he had less than 40 plate appearances in May and I just couldn't do it.