scenario

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 12, 2011 -> 08:34 AM) That's the hard part. You have no idea the marching orders that the team left him with. They could have told him work on the fastball or something like that which could be affecting his numbers. They could have changed an arm slot, or a grip or something else that he is working on. Or it could be the layoff. This

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 11, 2011 -> 01:59 PM) Blair Walters story... http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/ar...;vkey=news_milb Throwing lots of strikes and dominating in a hitters league. Good to see.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jul 28, 2011 -> 02:34 PM) But had been a reliever for 2-3 seasons already, so that doesn't mean he had more VALUE. For example, I wouldn't have traded Hudson for Drew Storen because Hudson is a starter and has more value than a reliever, albeit a good one. The issue determining whether Stewart can be a MLB starter is going to be the quality/consistency of his changeup. Same issue that Hudson had when he was drafted by the Sox. Reports from Toronto suggest that it has come a long way which is why he is considered a legit starter candidate.

From the Post Dispatch after the trade... Scouting Report on Edwin Jackson, the Cardinals new starting pitcher: I really don't think people realize how much Jackson improved during his time with the Chicago White Sox. Pitching coach Don Cooper made a positive impact. In 131 career starts before joining the White Sox, Jackson had a 4.68 ERA. In 30 starts with the White Sox, Jackson's ERA was 3.66. His strikeout rate went up. His ground-ball rate improved. His rate of baserunners per nine innings fell. His rate of allowing home runs decreased. His walk rate went down ... According to STATS, Jackson's fastball has averaged 94.5 mph this season. And his sharp slider averages 87 mph... Jackson had a 3.02 ERA in his last 8 starts for the White Sox ... against RH batters, Jackson almost exclusively throws the fastball and slider .... against LH batters, he mixes in a changeup ... his best swing-and-miss pitch is the slider; batters have whiffed on it 34.5 percent of the time... batters are hitting only .240 against the slider.... Jackson's ground-ball rate, which was stuck at around 50 percent in the middle of his career, has jumped to 63 percent this season. Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ber...l#ixzz1TbxbgX1w

"Stewart will be optioned to Class AAA Charlotte." From the Sox press release on the trade today.

Game summary of Stewart's major league debut on June 16th. And here's some info from an article about him being called up (to replace Kyle Drabek who was struggling at the time)... Last season, the six-foot-two Stewart was 8-3 with a 3.63 ERA (eighth in the Eastern League) in 26 starts with New Hampshire, forming a nice 1-2 punch with Drabek. Stewart's fastball-slider combination had many thinking he would develop into a major league closer, but an improved change-up appears to have changed the thinking of Jays management. "Zach was very close to a call-up last year and he's done everything we've asked him to do," Anthopoulos said. "He hasn't been up here before and his last three starts with New Hampshire he's pitched well. "Just being down there and speaking to the staff there they feel he deserves an opportunity. It's really a good time to give him a shot, to give him a look and see how he does." Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/story/20...l#ixzz1TMjEowno

Cards fans can complain all they want about the perceived value of Rasmus, etc. But they significantly increased their chances of winning the NL Central, this year, with this move.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 12:43 PM) So you guys don't think Rios will get traded than? Not sure what the market is for underperforming overpaid slackers these days.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 12:24 PM) So the Sox save like 4 million this year and 5.5 next year? Yes. In terms of what Jackson and Teahen were going to get. But the savings are less of course when you factor back in what we pay Frasor (about $1.2M this year). If we decide to keep Frasor next year (club option, he'll cost us $3.75M for 2012.

QUOTE (dmbjeff @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 12:19 PM) sale would need to be stretched out big time in the minors. he wouldnt be a starter until next year. He prepared during the offseason to be a starter. Came to camp ready to compete for the rotation. So, I don't think the transition would be huge.

QUOTE (dmbjeff @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 12:13 PM) trever miller is a solid LOOGY, adds some bullpen depth, tells me thronton is going bye bye or sale back to the minors to work on being a starter Or that Sale could be moved into the rotation if other starters are sent packing.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 27, 2011 -> 11:33 AM) Indians are hard after Beltran. The Indians would do the deal now... but Beltran is refusing so far... doesn't want to go to Cleveland.

fwiw, Frasor's contract has a 2012 club option at $3.75M

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Jul 26, 2011 -> 11:23 PM) CWS get Rasmus STL gets Jackson, TOR prospect TOR gets Teahen I really have no clue. This simply doesn't make sense. Why assume these are the only guys moving in a 3-way deal? I know this is all wild speculation at this point, but... if there is some truth to it, there could be other players moving too.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 26, 2011 -> 10:59 PM) Maybe its a 3 way trade. That was my first thought when I saw the thread. According to the Rasmus story in the Post Dispatch last week, the Sox and Cards may need a 3rd team to get a deal done because the Sox did not have the prospect(s) the Cards were looking for.

Axelrod loses perfection bid in the eighth

He's in the pen for the Detroit series. Still slated to start against Boston.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Jul 23, 2011 -> 12:22 PM) That's not to say making guys temp. starters is a good practice. Why?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 23, 2011 -> 10:53 AM) Up until Reed, that has been the Sox philosophy. They try to build repeatability and arm slot before moving them to the pen. Exactly. It's a fairly common practice. It allows them to give guys they consider promising more innings of work for development purposes. It doesn't mean they're waffling between using them as starters or relievers. The number of quality pitches they have determines that.

Nice night for Trayce. 4 plate appearances... 2 homeruns... 2 walks.

Charlotte Birmingham Winston-Salem Kanny Great Falls Bristol

IMO, you write off the year after a major injury. If he continues to suck next season, then I'll be concerned.

obligatory old guy "you young guys don't realize how good you have it... how the white sox used to suck all the time and we never complained... and how we used to have to walk to school 10 miles in the middle of winter with no shoes and we were happy about it... and what were we talking about, I forget" post.

QUOTE (PorkChopExpress @ Jul 19, 2011 -> 12:28 PM) So we'll be trading him for a more expensive player that plays the same position but is a veteran? And throwing in another prospect to boot? LOL. Painful because it's so true.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 19, 2011 -> 08:28 AM) I don't see any similarities between them, other than they are relievers. Different pitchers, different histories, different movement through the system. Agreed. Not really comparable. Reed has much better control... and as a result is putting up some sick numbers.