southsider2k5

QUOTE (beautox @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 11:19 PM) Also I'm sure most realize Mahalanobis Comps are just for fun, but Cordell's comp is Aaron Rowand. a comp outfield of Aaron Rowand(Cordell)/Randy Winn(Engel)/Angel Pagan(Leury) sounds fun. IF we got a pre-power surge Aaron Rowand here, I will be thrilled.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 10:31 PM) He is the 8th best reliever by era of relievers who have thrown 30 innings or more. That is pretty damned valuable. He's done it all. High leverage, multiple innings, anything we've asked. This is absolutely not true. He is 31st. His FIP is 17th, and his xFIP is 59th out of 165 relievers who have thrown 30 or more inning this season. The ONLY stat he is top ten on is WAR amongst relievers. Of course by that measure he ranks ahead of Tommy Kahnle, which is just ridiculous and a perfect demonstration of what the WAR stat is worth for relievers. Anthony Swarzak is NOT a top 10 reliever. https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=...a&page=2_30

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 10:27 PM) Talk about misinterpretation of stats. Where does he rank in era and fip for relief pitchers that have thrown more than 30 innings this year? All of the relievers are qualified. That is why it is only out of 163. If it were a lower number, there would be even more. You can't honestly be telling me that there are only nine or fewer relievers you would take over Anthony Swarzak, because that is what you keep saying here by calling him a top 10 reliever.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 10:19 PM) From what we've read, all relievers have sketchy track records. You can't have it every which way. Robertson had a fantastic track record and he was worth s*** because he made some money. Kahnle had control, but his control was worthless because relievers are erratic and he will eventually turn into suck, no doubt, anyway. Swarzak has no money committed to him, has been dominant, has outstanding stuff, but is worth nothing because he has no control. These are all horses*** justifications for getting s*** value out of our relievers a week ahead of the deadline. Kahnle was the key piece to getting the White Sox a top 30 prospect, along with a package of others.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 10:07 PM) Imagine saying "the White Sox will sign a guy to a minor league contract who will go on to be a top 10 reliever in the league. They will then trade him for Ryan Cordell." Oh, how glorious! This is about as blatant as misinterpretation of stats as there is out there. While you might find a counting stat that puts Swarzak in the top 10, he is NOT a top 10 reliever in this league. There is no way on this earth that Anthony Swarzak is one of the 10 best relievers in the AL in reality. His xFIP is 59 out of 163 qualified relief pitchers. His ERA is 31st out of 163. His k/9 is 76th of 163. His LOB% is 52nd, or one slot better than Chris Beck. His advanced numbers all scream regression to mean, for a guy who is having a career year.

Another Cordell opinion. https://twitter.com/CSNHayes/status/890037838267514884

https://twitter.com/Crawford_MILB/status/889990095322857474 I like Ryan Cordell. Above-average tools with his run, field and throw, and there's some power in the bat, too.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 08:41 PM) Did you watch the playoffs last year? Anthomy Swazak is not Miller or Chapman. Not even close. He doesn't have the history, nor are his numbers THAT good this season.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 08:33 PM) No it isn't. Think about it this way. You say, Yo, Anthony, how about we allow you to close for us for the remainder of the year. We are also going to offer you a 1/$5 million contract for next year. Maybe he takes it. Maybe he continues to pitch this way. To me, it's a gamble worth taking. I mean, we will sign some relievers in the offseason. Not saying we can't sign Swarzak if we trade him, but you might be able to get him on the cheap if you do it now. But instead, we now have another 4th OFer. YAY! The alternative is nothing, and they can still resign the guy. If he keeps this up he will price himself out out the Sox rebuild plans anyway. Swarzak knows that he could be looking at a multiple year deal already. No reason for him to take a 1 year deal now anyway.

I appreciate that we turned a minor league free agent into a potential starting OF.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 08:25 PM) Fair point. Like I said, I should probably see Cordell a bit before spazzing out but I just see no need for him. We have 25 other guys with 4th OFer potential like this already. That's why we f***ing suck. Sounds like super sub is his floor, not ceiling.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 08:19 PM) Because he might actually be good? If you sign the guy and let him close for you (we still do need, like a closer and s***, even though we suck) and he does well, then you trade him for something more than Cordell? He is a free agent in three months. They can still resign him if they want at the end of the year. Not trading him for the best offer now is just flat out irresponsible.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 06:57 PM) While I thought the Sox could do better, I did mention Trayce Thompson a few days ago, and this guy seems similar, perhaps healthier, so OK. Looks like a better hit tool and a lot more contact.

Dude has some of the best stuff in baseball, of course he can be a quality starter.

We are getting a borderline starting OF or potential supersub for a guy that is a free agent in three months with zero track record? I am good with that.

Wow that is about as absolutely close as you can get.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 04:23 PM) But what caused it? If it occurs so often in non-pro athletes what do you do to stop it? Make all opiates illegal? Tell everyone not to hit their head during everyday life? controlling for all factors is nearly impossible but they can try. it is acceptable if they choose to participate. Football is a collision sport. they are trying to limit the exposure to concussions but they can't eliminate it. Players won't allow it. they'll lire about their head hurting and say it's their shoulder. When I was working in the NFL in the late 80's/early 90's, we asked players if they knew PEDs would take 10 years off their lives would they still take them. The answers were overwhelmingly yes. Why, because where else can they make that kind of money for their families. Something like this could spell the end of the sport. The NFL has already tried taken the Tobacco lobby road and pretending it doesn't exist and burying it into a lot of other things that it COULD be... so far it has cost them a billion dollars, and some horrible publicity. I already know of parents who aren't letting their kids play youth football because of it. The NFL has got to be proactive with this, especially at the youth level.

Another one that was clearly off of the plate.

The problem is that this is a number that is way above zero in a situation where anything above zero is a really bad thing. Even if we are talking something way less extreme like 10%, that is something like 150 people per YEAR that are going to suffer debilitating brain damage. That can't be an acceptable number.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 03:35 PM) I felt that Trayce Thompson reaching the MLB was a pretty significant accomplishment for the Sox minor league system. He came in as a high school with major contact problems, dealt with persistent strikeout issues throughout the minors, but slowly but surely got his bat to an acceptable level. It also made him one of the few draft pick position players to make the majors in a long time and look like a major leaguer. He's joined now by Saladino and Sanchez, who were lower on talent by quite a bit but still had to be developed in our system. Engel is looking like he might be another player who we can say we improved as a system. He is one who has undeniably been a better minor league hitter than college hitter in spite of his inconsistency. While there are still some red flags, the Sox player development has improved by leaps and bound in recent years. A franchise which couldn't produce anything is producing starting caliber major league players at a regular rate over the past couple of years.

Cubs Talk @CSNCubsBryant and Javy have combined for 6 Ks in 6 ABs today. Cubs have 12 Ks as a team in only the 5th inning.

And there the home plate ump missed an easy strike three call.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 03:17 PM) We are into the pen in the 5th with no Swarzak. Gonna get ugly no matter what. Ain't rebuilding grand.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Jul 25, 2017 -> 03:14 PM) that's well handled by beck and by barskdale. Glad to see he let the evening up happen without overreacting. Now you give the warnings and move on.

This is where I miss Chris Sale. You know he would be throwing at Lackey.