SoxFan1

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 02:49 PM) Which Jenks? 2005-2008, sure. His last couple of seasons with the Sox, not so much. All three of those guys have/had pretty straight fastballs, although I'll agree that Santos and Jenks were probably more explosive and had a BIT more movement. Yeah, and if you recall, the Jenks of the last few seasons hasn't been that good. See how that all comes together to make sense?

QUOTE (maxjusttyped @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 01:34 PM) So, he doesn't like to use video, and he puts minimal value on OBP. Almost makes me wish Greg Walker was still the hitting coach. QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 02:19 PM) Just...no. This entire post needs to go away. I have no opinion on this matter as he is now long-gone, but the Braves lead the majors in runs scored at the moment, and some beat reporters are calling the addition of Greg Walker their best move of the offseason.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 02:13 PM) With every young Closer we've had, AJ has tried to make them use the fastball to set people up and then saved the offspeed stuff to put them away. If the kid struggles to locate the fastball, AJ tends to keep calling for it. Santos and Jenks got that same treatment, even though both of them could use their great offspeed pitches (Slider, Curve) to get strikes earlier in the count if it was called for. I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but the only bullpen guy who immediately comes to mind as using something offspeed early in the count when AJ is behind the plate is Crain with that slider. Everybody else, I seem to recall AJ focusing on fastball first. Jenks and Santos both had more overpowering fastballs than Santiago though, so perhaps AJ should adjust.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 10:07 AM) Yes, very easily. I do a variation of this: I do that at the end of my upper body workouts, especially after I should the S&A P90 routine at the gym. If you can do that routine then this shoulder shredder you will see some good results in the form of the muscle. This looks like a nice little routine. Definitely going to try this. QUOTE (Y2HH @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 10:21 AM) You have to add more compound movements to your shoulder workout. Compound movements involve multiple muscles and are primarily used for "mass" gain as by definition these types of movements allow you to lift much heavier weight. Isolation movements, which are things like lateral raises, are better for definition and tone, but that's not to say they wont add size, too. Compound movements are simply better to add size, whereas isolation movements are better for "shred" or definition. A few things you can try: 1) Overhead presses with a BARbell, or a hammer strength machine, NOT dumbells, and not behind your head, either. Performing overhead press movements while bringing the bar behind your head/neck adds nothing to the workout and increases stress on the shoulder tendons. I commonly see people do this in the gym, and it's incorrect. 2) If a barbell is impossible for you, try "Arnold" presses with the dumbbells, while not quite as good as the barbell for mass gain, they are better than standard overhead presses. This is an "Arnold" press: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Rtakl0frk 3) Add upright rows to your routine. This is an "upright" row: 4) Shoulder shrugs. When performing shrugs, never "rotate" through the motion. It's a direct up/down movement. If you rotate your shoulder when performing shrugs, all you are doing is unnecessarily stressing the rotator-cuff. Performing this exercise is harder than people think as people often "cheat" through the motion. When you shrug your shoulder holding dumbbells, hold the top of the shrug for a few seconds, you should feel it in the traps, then, slowly go down to "rest"...rinse/repeat. Finally, some of this depends on your body type. Some people are NOT predisposed to having a natural \/ shape to their body, highlighted by bulky shoulders...if you are not one of those people, it can often be harder to "bulk up" your shoulders, but that's not to say it cannot be done...it just cannot be done very easily without slamming compound shoulder movements. First of all, this is all in-home and I don't have any barbells, so that's a no-go, but I'll definitely try the Arnold press. I toss in upright rows frequently, but I never really feel like I'm targeting my shoulder, moreso my traps. Ditto with the shrugs. That's all traps.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 07:55 AM) We gave 2 standing ovations to Dunn on July 4 last year at the Cell. Really? One was entirely sarcastic because he got a single.

I wouldn't put much stock into Phegley being the catcher of the future just yet.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 01:52 PM) Completely agree with all of this. At the moment I think Alex might be the right guy for that spot. I agree. He hasn't quite found the power stroke yet, but he's making good, consistent contact and going opposite field a lot.

Overall, I'm quite happy with Robin's performance as manager, but sticking to his guns with Morel in the 2-hole is really annoying. I understand why he's doing it, but it's hurting the team at the moment.

Going back to ST even, I wanted Reed as the closer, with both Santiago and Stewart in AAA getting regular starts. Reed closes, Thornton/Crain your 7th/8th inning guys depending on matchups, Ohman the LOOGY, Jones as a situational righty or 6th inning guy if necessary, and Infante/Axelrod used intermittently and as long men.

QUOTE (Jake @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 12:24 AM) What's your routine look like? Overhead pressing can do the trick, but doing it wrong might make your shoulders esplode All with dumbells: lateral raises, front raises, overhead press. QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 12:26 AM) I hate people that worry about specific muscles not being exactly right. I can barely stay at a healthy weight. f*** You I know you're just kidding, but I've had to work my ass off just to get where I am now. Lost 25 pounds since I started in January, now working on building the muscles.

So I've been having a lot of trouble building up my shoulder muscles like I want to. It's my main problem area. I'm not sure if it's technique or what, but anyone got any tips of a good routine to really hit the shoulders?

SALE! DUNN! BULLPEN!

We're half way there guys....

Ok, so, Hector Santiago is going to need to stop throwing meatballs.

So, is this Adam Dunn when he's locked in? I f***ING LOVE IT.

It's nice to see good pitching being combined with good hitting.

No problem on my end. I'd love to see him retire with the Sox, as long as we're working Flowers in over time.

I hate that this has fallen so hard on Crawford, but the two game winners he has given up are inexcusable. He's been phenomenal in this series otherwise.

I need heavy, heavy amounts of alcohol.

Devastated is an understatement.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 16, 2012 -> 05:57 PM) Who wants to play Battleship? One of the flimsiest game/source material/action figure connections ever made, trumping GI Joe and Transformers. So far, the movie has performed well overseas, coming out May 17th stateside. It's becoming known as one of the loudest movies ever made. Interesting cast, with the Rihanna supposedly holding her own, Brooklyn Decker (yes, last seen in an Adam Sandler movie wearing, who guessed it, a bikini?) and Taylor Kitsch, who went from FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS to two of the biggest and most controversial movies of the year, Battleship and John Carter. Interesting directing choice in Michael Bay...err, Peter Berg (yeah, the same guy who used to be on Chicago Hope as a doctor) and has gone on to a surprising directorial career. That's pretty much the only reason I'm going to go see it. More for the experience and mindless action than anything.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 19, 2012 -> 04:22 PM) For those that couldn't see the 9th, what happened with Rios? Bases loaded, 1-2 count, he takes a breaking ball off the outside corner, called a strike. Paulino drops the ball and it bounces away. Rios argues the call at home instead of trying to run to 1st.

Before everyone blames Rios for not running (which most will do), blame him for looking at a pitch that close with 2 strikes. It's not natural for a hitter to run to 1st after a strike out where he didn't even swing the bat.

What an odd ending.

He was right there on the first 2 pitches.