balfanman

Wasn't Carmen DeFalco the guy rumored to be pairing with Hawk in the booth prior to Stone coming over? Anyway, in general I don't mind Chicago sports radio as long as they talk sports. They get to talking about stupid stuff alot and that's when I turn them off. The same is true with most radio dj's though, especially drive time. They pair up 2 or 3 dj's and go over how cool they are, or what they did last night or something like that. Can't stand it. I don't care one iota about their stupid life. Either talk sports or play music, that's what I tune in for.

The term "last place Yankees" has a real nice ring to it!

I know that he was just drafted last year, but Barnum sure does seem to be injury prone. I hope by mentioning this now he has a great career with the Sox and never hits the DL, even once!

QUOTE (SAVVY18 @ Feb 28, 2013 -> 02:46 PM) Snodgress gives up a 2 run homer to Davis. Sox down 2 -0 going into top of 3rd. NOOOOOOOOOO!...don't ruin our undefeated February!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 27, 2013 -> 04:35 PM) And why would another team give up something valuable for him if they think his back might give out again? The fact that he had a back injury isn't exactly a big secret. I don't know, but if there is a team desperate for a 3rd baseman they might do some stupid things.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 27, 2013 -> 04:26 PM) That's entirely fine. So why can't he play 3b in Charlotte? (leaving him particularly useful if someone else in the IF gets hurt or struggels and Keppinger, with a utility player background, winds up moving). I could agree with this, but on the other hand, Morel is a guy with back issues. If he has a good spring, but doesn't make the team, I think that I would rather take what I could get for him before his back gives out again.

QUOTE (flavum @ Feb 27, 2013 -> 03:26 PM) How can Phegley be a hard name to learn and remember how to pronounce? I was just going to ask if it is supposed to be the unusual Melton pronouciation of Fee-gle or the normal pronounciation of Fay-gle. After listening to Melton how can anyone say that Farmer or D. J. are unlistenable?

Does anyone know if the offensive success that the Sox have seemingly had so far this spring has to do with anything in particular they are working on? Are they trying to hit the other way? Sacrificing power to make more contact? Taking more walks? etc... Are they just facing bad pitching? Just curious.

QUOTE (Cali @ Feb 26, 2013 -> 12:55 PM) Well his personality didn't seem like an issue is NY... It had something to do with Ozzie, but I'm willing to bet it also had something to do with guys like Konerko/AJ/Dye running the clubhouse in a more quiet, buttoned up way and Swish didn't mesh with that. I'm a firm believer in having some personality in the clubhouse to keep it loose. I don't think Paulie et al agree with that. I was not in the clubhouse (not that anyone here was) so I can't say definitively but I don't think it was the fact that Swisher has "personality" that was the problem. The clubhouse seems to have plenty of "personality " now with guys like Peavy, Beckham, Thornton and I'm sure several others who we haven't even heard about their stories. I don't think that Konerko, Dye, A.J. etc, were against having fun and playing practical jokes on teamates, I think that Swisher must have taken the fun in a direction that no one else cared for. I'm thinking along the lines that maybe Swisher made it a little "nastier" or "dirty' (like the blow up doll) that his teamates didn't care for it. Just a hunch. It's not that it was a locker room full of saints, Lord knows Ozzie wasn't, but some people just rub others the wrong way. New York has so many other distractions that it may have been a little easier for Swisher to "fit in". Who knows, the leadership in the Yankee clubhouse (Jeter?) may like Swishers "personality". Of course the fact that Swisher wasn't performing well and pouted when asked to sit didn't help the situation either.

I really appreciate all of the responses here, you've picked me up. I guess I'm just in a down mood this morning and worried about the future if none of these guys ever amount to much offensively. Maybe I should rephrase my original point. "It sure would be nice if at least one of our younger guys turned into a solid middle of the order hitter this year". Now, can the season start?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 26, 2013 -> 08:40 AM) It is a poor point to assume that the Sox will get zero contribution from their minor league players. Especially when the Sox got big contributions last year, and all indications are that the system has better quality in it that it has in a long time. I agree, but I'm really talking about a bat that is more than just a contributor. We really need at least one of our younger guys to turn into a real impact, top/middle of the order bat. Ordonez and Lee, even Crede as short as his career was are good mentions. Konerko wasn't really a product of our system, but you're right, we can always trade for pieces.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 26, 2013 -> 08:15 AM) Of course, but assuming that none of them develop into major league hitters is just as naive as assuming all of them do. I could agree with this, but how long has it been since the White Sox have developed a solid, middle of the order bat? A core type offensive player? I should point out that I'm not meaning just a major league hitter, I mean a solid middle of the order bat.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Feb 26, 2013 -> 08:09 AM) So you think that when Konerko's contract expires after this season and Rios & Dunn's contracts expire after the following season, Hahn isn't going to use any of the $40 million in savings in free agency? You think he's just going to go young across the board? I think it's quite clear that Hahn is waiting for those three big contracts to come off the books before making any moves with signicant, long-term financial implications. By then, we'll probably have a few more cost-controlled guys in the offensive mix (Sanchez & Thompson) and a couple more hopefully pushing the door (Hawkins, Walker, DeMichelle, maybe Barnum). Plus we should know in the next year or two if De Aza, Viciedo, Beckham, Morel, & Flowers are part of the core or not. This will allow Hahn to spend more wisely and only have to fill the orgnaization's biggest needs in free agency. You're kind of making my point. In your scenario you have a couple or more of the youngsters succeeding. I'm saying that if they don't succeed then replacing our current core with equal or greater talent is going to be cost prohibitive.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 26, 2013 -> 08:01 AM) Depends on how you define a "Boatload". On paper, the Sox have Konerko, Dunn, Rios, and Peavy's contracts ending within the next 1-2 years. That clears $40 million on just the offensive guys, $54 million counting Jake. True, but if none of their current crop of youngster turn into anything special then you're looking at essentially replacing Rios, Dunn & Konerko with free agents of equal or greater offensive value. At the current rate of inflation you are talking a lot more than 40 million. If you don't replace all three, and no younger stars emerge, then you're going to have a struggling offense at best

I think that the Sox need at least one of their younger offensive players to step up and act like they belong as an integral part of a Major League lineup. Meaning that one of (preferably 2-3) Viciedo, Beckham, Morel, Sanchez, Flowers, Mitchell, Gillespie or maybe an "out of nowhere" minor leaguer need to prove that they can be a solid 1 - 5 place hitter. If this does not happen then between age and expiring contracts I think that we will have a struggling offense for several seasons to come. That is unless they spend a boatload of money on free agents, which isn't likely. JMHO.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 25, 2013 -> 12:51 PM) Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin Lars Anderson claimed off waivers by Toronto Do you mean to tell us that Texiera is no longer the best 1st baseman in the AL East?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 24, 2013 -> 05:54 PM) The Yankees miss the playoffs this year. You heard it here first. I think that it gets even better than that. I will predict that the Yankees and Red Sox battle it out this season.......for last place!

"You have to step up and say something," Dotel told Yahoo! Sports. "Miggy's more about his game. I don't see him as a leader." I did not read this as Cabrera is a selfish team mate and only cares about himself. He may be, I don't know him. I read this as Dotel thinking that Cabrera doesn't have the leadership mentality that other players might have. I'm thinking of someone like Frank Thomas who many thought was a bad team mate and only cared about himself. For all we know Cabrera may be a pretty good team mate, just not a "leader of men".

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Feb 21, 2013 -> 10:39 AM) Sounds to me like some people would rather have Morel starting if he has a strong spring. That's the concern right there. Let's not let somewhat meaningless spring stats skew our decision-making. Keppinger was brought in to be the starting 3B and he should have that role on opening day, regardless how he or Morel performs in Arizona. A couple months into the season, you can reevaluate the situation and if Morel is deserving of the starting job, maybe it makes sense to move Keppinger to the super-sub role. While I think a super-sub role is the ideal spot for Keppinger long-term, I'm not convinced Morel is the guy to push him there yet. No one wants to just hand Morel the 3rd base job; and spring stats, while a factor, don't have as much to do with it as how his back is feeling. Personaly, I'll let Rick Hahn, Robin Ventura, Herm Schneider and the rest of the Sox brain trust decide who plays 3rd base, mainly because they know a lot more than any of us here do. Even though it is a small chance, I hope that Morels back is completely healed and he becomes a solid 3rd baseman, offensively & defensively for years to come.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 21, 2013 -> 07:35 AM) Want to guess what the most games Keppinger has played at 3B in a season is? Let me put it this way, Morel has almost doubled it. I agree with this. While Keppinger is most likely a huge upgrade from the garbage that we had at 3rd base last season, he is far from a sure thing to be solid 3rd baseman for a whole season. IMO, Brent Morel, if healthy (BIG IF) is a better solution for 3rd base than Keppinger. Keppinger is a fantastic choice for a back up infielder, a role he performed quite well in Tampa last year.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 20, 2013 -> 02:44 PM) Spring training health will not convince me that his back issues will not recur. That's why I would prefer him everyday ing it for a good log time before the big league team even thinks about a callup. Yes, I agree. Rick Hahn, Robin Ventura and Herm Schnieder really need to rely on the long term prognosis in this case. I would hope that they don't just keep him for any short term hope and then he's gone in 2 months.

Buddy Bell seemed to be impressed with the development of Jared Mitchell this offseason. What specifically was he impressed with? Where is Mitchell at in the development process? Will we see Mitchell on the Major League team this year (September even)?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 20, 2013 -> 12:36 PM) I'm the guy who kept defending him, and I have no urge to see Morel as a starter in the bigs any time soon. Hitting .450 in April wouldn't be enough to convince me unless someone gets hurt. Give him more than a short time at AAA to both feel healthy again and to try to get his swing in order. If Brent Morel hits 450 in Spring Training and demonstrates that his back is fine I would hope that he is the 3rd baseman for this team. If he is going to have reoccuring back issues then no thanks.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 19, 2013 -> 12:06 PM) Angels finish 3rd again[/b], closer to 4th than 2nd. Listening to the Score on my way home from work last night they mentioned that Mike Trout reported extremely overweight to camp. Anyone know if this is true?

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Feb 18, 2013 -> 07:38 AM) This is why, unfortunately, Giambi retained the MVP award that belonged to Big Frank True, while I do think that Frank is clean, can you imagine the firestorm if MLB took the award from Giambi and gave it to Frank, then Frank turned out to be dirty.