NorthSideSox72

No way he can be that dense. Its got to either be a joke, or he's just so desperate for hit count that he's decided to jump the shark for it.

April Monthly Update... Sergio struggled quite a bit at the plate in his first month of seeing High A pitching, hitting just .167. Here are his April numbers: In 51 AB's... AVG: .157 OBP: .218 SLG: .255 OPS: .473 H: 8 2B: 3 3B: 1 HR: 0 RBI: 4 BB/K: 4/6 SB/CS: 0/2 There isn't much to highlight in those numbers. He did go 2-3 with both to of the team's 2 RBI on 4/29. And his stikeout/walk ratio isn't bad, though its not as good as last year. Hopefully Miranda can pick it up at the plate in May. Defensively, Miranda made 3 errors on the month, which seems not too bad. I don't have access to any other defensive stats.

April Monthly Update... Donny started off hot at the plate this year, then slumped, then came roaring back again in the last game of the month. He went 3-3 with a HR, a double and a bunt single in yesterday's action. Of note, Lucy ionly played 12 of the Knights' 24 games, because of the presence of Paul Phillips on the roster (he is not a prospect per se, he's an experienced player, and he's hitting .213). Here are Lucy's stats for April on offense: In 41 at bats... AVG: .293 OBP: .341 SLG: .488 OPS: .829 2B: 2 3B: 0 HR: 2 BB/K: 2/12 R: 6 RBI: 6 SB/CS: 1/0 That BB/K number is a little disconcerting, particularly the strikeouts. That's a much higher ratio than we normally see from Donny. Hopefully that will reverse itself in May. But his overall offensive numbers on his first month are solid - in fact above expectations. If he can hit at around that level in AAA as the season goes on, he's going to make a very good case for being the Sox' backup catcher in 2009 (and perhaps even late 2008). Defensively, Lucy did not make any errors. As for basestealers, there were 9 attempts against him, and he threw out 4 of those. One of the SB's was off Haeger as well, so, give some leniency on that one. For all but Haeger's outings, Lucy is throwing out 50% of attempting basestealers (44% if you include Haeger). He also picked 1 runner off.

Charlotte @ Buffalo, 6:05pm CDT, Ohka (0-4, 4.60) tries for his first win for the Knights Mobile @ Birmingham, 7:05pm CDT, McCulloch (1-3, 5.19) tries to live up to his potential for the Barons Wilmington @ Winston-Salem, 6:00pm CDT, Ace Poreda (0-2, 2.95) is hoping for some damn run support and his first victory of the season for W-S Kanny @ Lakewood, 5:35pm CDT, Rice (0-2, 3.86) makes a trio of Sox minor leaguers going for their first wins

What is odd to me about these NC and IN polls is how all over the place they are. I cannot remember a state where the results of polls from reputable organizations (not Zogby or ARG), and virtually the same time, had such a wide swath. I mean, just looking at polls this week, North Carolina ranges from Obama +14 (which would be a jump up) to Clinton +2 (which would be a HUGE jump for her), and Indiana ranges from Obama +3 to Clinton +9. Trying to determine a trend from those is nearly impossible.

QUOTE (scenario @ May 1, 2008 -> 09:38 AM) Didn't JR say on the Mike North show that a pitcher is being called up? I thought the only question was 'who?'. He apparently said something like that yeah, I didn't hear it. But my assumption is that someone is going to the DL or going to AAA from the pitching staff. Though I have no idea who that would be. Its also possible that someone will be traded or released. I just think that carrying 13 pitchers and only Hall, Ozuna and Anderson on the bench, is a bit dangerous.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ May 1, 2008 -> 09:29 AM) Did you forget Ramirez visa problems? If a pitcher is called up he will temporarily take AR's spot not another pitchers. With Masset having pitched 4 innings against Minny we might need a long man against Toronto. Whisler just started so it has to be someone who's rested. You are saying you think they'll carry 13 pitchers? And only 3 bench guys? I think that's highly unlikely, especially if PK is sore.

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ May 1, 2008 -> 07:46 AM) We won't be in first place in about 3-4 days, I'd bet money on it. Not with the way these guys are playing, but I hope I'm wrong, maybe the day off will help these guys gather themselves for the toronto series. If the offense continues to be this weak, then yeah, they aren't long for first. But that's the question - when will it pick up? I think it definitely will, I just have no idea when.

I have to imagine that means we are sending down a pitcher. But who? Masset has no options left, so the only option with him is a release or waivers, and I'd think he would never make it through waivers. He wasn't horrible yesterday, though he had some control issues. The hits against him were mostly dinks, except for Morneau's backbreaker, which was on a shoulder-high pitch.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 07:57 PM) Now that Anderson is actually honest to god hitting the ball...I really want to see no part of Jerry Owens in the big leagues right now. Nothing against Owens, I think he could still be a valuable part if we opened up a slot for him next year, I just don't want Anderson to finally start stringing together some decent hits and decent at bats and then suddenly vanish back to the 25th man role. Who would you call up to replace Lexi for that series in TOR?

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 07:53 PM) not just this tread all of em. if there is a new 'no sarcasm' rule i suggest enforcing it on everyone. and they are the ones saying that requiring an ID is racist, which is pretty crazy. and guess what, my mocking of their complaints is legit. the point i was getting at is 'exactly what isn't a huge hurdle' to voting. is buying a stamp? is using a mailbox? is showing an id? is writing your name? Then ask those questions. Don't say everything is racist. You're being sarcastic for no reason other than to provoke them. No matter how crazy you think their argument is, they don't think so. They aren't saying that just to get a rise out of you, whereas you are. We're all adults here. Please try to keep it under control. Its not asking a lot.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 07:47 PM) dude you allow so much sarcasm for Tex, Balta and other lefties then try to reprimand me? please. might as well ban me now cause that is total bulls*** I just re-read the last couple pages, and I don't see Tex or Balta being sarcastic on this subject. I see them making a point, no matter how wrong you may think it is. You are the one who started being ridiculous with calling everything racist. No one is banning anyone. Just quit with the sarcastic hyperbole, k?

Mobile beating B-Ham 2-0 in the 2nd. Gartrell with an error (already has 4 in LF in 3 weeks of play) resulting in an unearned run. Potomac beating W-S 1-0 through 6, Ely doing well, but no offense for the Hogs Lakewood beating Kanny 5-0 in the 5th, Jones lasted less than 3 innings.

QUOTE (scenario @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 06:06 PM) I don't see him being a typical off-the-bench player. They could give him enough at-bats in a rotation resting Crede, Konerko, and Thome to keep him pretty active. And why would this be horrible for his personal development? Does he have something left to prove in AAA? I don't think he's going to be worse off working with major league coaches on fielding drills than our minor league coaches. I have to disagree. Ozuna is a decent defensive 3B and 2B, and can play SS or LF in a serious pinch. Fields can pretty much just play 3B, and that's where he needs to get work in. Plus he can indeed work on something in AAA - his trouble with fastballs. Plus his defense. Bourgeois or Owens would make more sense for a Ramirez replacement than Fields.

QUOTE (scenario @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 07:11 PM) The hard slide was in the first inning. They pulled him out six innings later. So, I don't think the slide had alot to do with it. http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....rez-likely.html That article says that was in fact the reason. Besides, to replace Ramirez with Fields is just about silly.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 06:05 PM) It's sarcastic as crap, yes, but then, seriously, where does the nonsense stop? While I happen to agree with you and Mr G on the subject generally, I do not think the other side of the issue is nonsense.

Calling up Fields would make no sense, unless PK is going to the DL. Its got to be just the hard slide.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 04:06 PM) you had to buy a stamp. you had to know how to use a mail box. such a procedure is unfair and it discriminates. next. You need to stop, sir.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 04:41 PM) This team is going nowhere if it has the kind of home record it has and goes on the road and drops series to the likes of the Twins. At some point this team needs to start doing something if it hopes to squeak into the playoffs. Yeah you're right, at "some point" they should start doing something. Like spending the month in first place. Oh wait...

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 06:47 PM) Okay, he gave the Sox something. Four innings, five hits and three walks. For you to suggest that is close to a decent start is wrong. I stand my my statement he gave the Sox nothing. If it makes you feel better I'll amend it to "little to nothing." Masset did his job - he kept the Sox in the game. The Sox lost because of the offense, not the pitching.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 01:50 PM) A random, absurd statement doesn't really make your point at all. This team looks pretty bad right now offensively. A lot of the players who are slumping right now are also past their prime. For them to hit their career average for the year means they're really going to have to start hitting the ball soon. Call me crazy, but, watching today's game, I think some of them are already coming out of it a bit. There were a lot of well-hit balls that didn't fall. Dye and Cabrera both had that happen, and Thome bit a few really hard.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 03:03 PM) What in sams hell made that cat wander into Chicago and just camp out. Thats just crazy I don't know, but that type of thing is not entirely unprecedented. Occasionally, an animal will start wandering, and just keep going. I remember when I lived in Iowa, some farmer woke up one morning to see a Moose wandering through his fields in north central Iowa, a few hundred miles from its normal range. Turned out it had a tumor or something. Anyway, sometimes I think something happens to an animal, and it kind of loses its natural sense of direction.

UPDATE... DNA tests show that the cougar killed in Chicago was indeed the same animal as the one who leapt over a farmer in southern Wisconsin (I was right on that one). And further, it is apparently originally from a population in the Black Hills of western South Dakota (I was wrong on that one - my guess was the closer population in northern Minnesota). Probably, it was also the one spotted in North Chicago and then Wilmette. That cougar travelled a thousand miles or so to get to where it died. That's interesting in itself, but its also important in that the appearance in WI and IL does not appear to signal a significant range expansion of the species south from Canada and Minnesota, but instead appeared to be a single aberrant animal. Linky.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 02:30 PM) Our ss's lack of hitting is growing tiresome. The Sox can't get a clutch hit to save their lives. As expected we just gave away today's game. Masset was nothing. Our ss needs to bat ninth. Maybe we should go back to the days of Pudge Fisk and bat AJP second. Didn't Pudge bat second for a while there? Like somebody said in a recent post. Our only wins have been dramatic pull it out of our asses late. Our losses have been frustrating. If this keeps up, the new clubhouse attitude (Swish, Cabrera) won't mean s***. Masset gave up 3 runs in 6 innings, which is pretty much exactly what the team needed from him. He isn't the problem.

QUOTE (SoxWS05 @ Apr 30, 2008 -> 03:24 PM) I would rather see them lose by 10 runs then lose the way they did today. OK, this I've got to hear an explanation for.