scenario

Oney is going to scout school this fall.

Just playing the numbers game... We have 13 games left. The Twins have 12. If we go 7-6, we'll have 90 wins. The Twins would have to finish 8-4 to tie us.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 03:11 PM) But aren't all our "prospects" at the lower levels? IMO, you're not really a prospect until you atleast start producing at high A. I think that quite a few of our top draftees from 2007-2008 will be in high-A or AA next year. I'm really interested in seeing how those two teams look next spring. I want to see how the core of this year's Birmingham pitching staff (which was very good) looks next year at Charlotte. Brandon Allen made huge strides this year and may start 2009 in Charlotte. John Shelby was one of the top offensive players in the Carolina League and gets to show his stuff in AA next year. A couple of other position players look promising too. So some talent is starting to hit the upper levels.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 03:22 PM) The system has improved? What have I missed? I'm being serious. We had a changeover in management of our minor league operations last year, hired a new group of scouts, and have had two consecutive good drafts... with 2008's being a very good draft. (Minor league systems can turn around pretty quickly if a team has a couple of good drafts... and doesn't trade the players away.) The dividends were pretty clear this year with 3 of the Sox 6 minor league clubs reaching playoffs in their leagues. Probably the biggest change has been the improvement in our pitching. The pipeline has gotten much better and deeper. And we have a couple of very good position prospects who look like they will move through the system relatively quickly.

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Sep 15, 2008 -> 12:30 PM) Aren't there 50 rounds in the draft? What's one late round pick? For every Mike Piazza and Mark Buehrle...there are 100's of Oney Guillen's. Exactly. He was a 36th round pick. Not exactly a big deal. 5th round?? Different story.

Here's a good reason not to pass out at a baseball game Hilarious 9-minute video of fans at Shea Stadium stacking beer cups on the head of a drunk passed out guy.

If the Sox make it to the World Series... I WANT them to play the Cubs. I hate when people say 'we can't play them, because we might lose'. That's loser logic. The series starts in the Cell. Advantage us. I say "bring it".

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Sep 14, 2008 -> 09:46 PM) I havent been paying super close attention when Linebrink's been in recently. Is velocity down? What seems to be his problem? The Sox dont seem to want him out there in the same 8th inning role he had before. The Sox have been weaning him back into the bullpen rotation. He's almost back to full speed. Most of his pitches are working, but he's still struggling a little with command. I expect we'll be seeing more of him and that he'll be resuming his 8th inning role before the end of our upcoming road trip.

QUOTE (Jake @ Sep 14, 2008 -> 10:08 PM) f*** YOU OZZIE HIT BA HERE NOT PIECE OF s*** WISE SCREW YOU AND YOUR GOD DAMN MATCHUPS. LOL. Feeling a little better now?

Dear God. Give us good Dotel tonight... please.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Sep 14, 2008 -> 01:20 PM) I don't think anyone said they're not a fan of getting Stone into the booth. That is clearly an improvement. I think people are angry that DJ is the one to go, and Hawk gets to stay and continue to suck. OK... I can buy that.

The story of the game from milb.com... (shortened and edited by me) Voyagers crowned Pioneer champs The Orem Owlz didn't face Dan Hudson during the regular season. They probably could have used the practice. The 21-year-old right-hander matched a career high with 12 strikeouts over six innings Saturday night as the Great Falls Voyagers held off the Owlz, 8-5, in the decisive third game of the Pioneer League Championship Series to capture their first title since 2002. "It was definitely a team effort to get this far," Hudson said. "I put it in my mind that if we were going to get into the playoffs, we were going to need a strong pitching performance. It was unbelievable." The Voyagers, who squandered a pair of leads in Friday night's 4-3, 13-inning loss in Orem, came out swinging in Game 3. After Hudson struck out a pair in the opening frame, Great Falls put up six runs in the second. Zach Larson started the outburst with a two-run single and Lee Fischer, who committed a costly error in the 13th inning of Game 2, added a two-run double as the Voyagers staked Hudson to a big early cushion. Drew O'Neill followed Hudson with a scoreless seventh but ran into serious trouble in the eighth. Enrique Lechuga replaced him with the bases loaded and Orem shaved the deficit to 8-5. Daniel Albritton came on with 2 outs in the 8th and yielded a deep drive to center field off the bat of Michael Wing, but Jordan Cheatham made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in front of the wall to end the threat. "Usually. the dagger is on offense when somebody gets a big hit or a home run," Cheatham said. "But I pretty much thought that was the dagger right there." "It was one of the best catches I've ever seen in a clutch situation like that," Hudson added. Albritton made sure there wasn't any suspense in the ninth. He struck out league MVP Roberto Lopez, got Jimenez on a liner to short and fanned Giovannato to record his first postseason save and set off a wild celebration by the visitors. Doug Thennis went 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored and Tyler Kuhn also collected a pair of hits and drove in a run for Great Falls, which avenged a two-game sweep at the hands of the Owlz in last year's Finals. Orem starter Jeff Boshers (1-1), who went unbeaten in his first 14 appearances as a professional, lasted 1 1/3 frames and surrendered a season-high six earned runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Tyson Auer went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Owlz, who were denied their fourth championship in five years.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 14, 2008 -> 09:33 AM) We sent 3 teams to the playoffs this year. The system has improved significantly in the past year or so. Absolutely. I think it's particularly significant that the core of the 2007 Great Falls team (which played in last year's Pioneer League championship) made the 2008 playoffs with Winston-Salem. It will be interesting to see how they do in Birmingham next year. So... AA Birmingham made the playoffs (best team ERA in the Southern League) and sends several players to Charlotte next year. W-S made the playoffs and replenishes Birmingham. And Great Falls (with league ERA champ Dexter Carter and top 3 strikeout pitchers in the Pioneer League) will send players to both Kannapolis and W-S next year. Add late season additions like Jordan Danks and GBeck to the mix... Things are looking much better folks... Not great yet... we could use some more quality position depth at AAA and AA... but much better.

Thought it was worth mentioning here... More info in the FutureSox forum. Star of the game... starting pitcher Daniel Hudson... a dominating performance. 6 innings; gave up only 1 run on 4 hits; struck out 12 and walked 2. I listened to the game and the announcers (for the other team) said of the few guys who did get wood on the ball... that no one hit the ball hard off him. Two relievers made it interesting after an error opened the door to a big inning... until Daniel Albritton came in and put out the fire in the 8th... aided by a great over the shoulder catch by CF Jordan Cheatam on a blast that could have potentially tied the game. Congrats to manager Chris Cron and the Great Falls Voyagers... 2008 Champions of the Pioneer League.

Bottom of the 9th. Still 8-5. Great Falls is 29-4 when they lead the game entering the 9th this year. Roberto Lopez up first... facing Albritton. Lopez strikes out. HUGE. One down. Next guy line out to the SS. Two down!! Strike one. (0-1) Strike two. (0-2) Swung on and missed. (0-3) It's OVAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! Great Falls players pour onto the field. The Great Falls Voyagers are the Champions of the Pioneer League

The first guy batting against Albritton creamed a ball to center, sending Jordan Cheatam to the fence to make a fantastic catch over the shoulder on a dead run. If we win, it's the play of the game.

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ Sep 13, 2008 -> 09:21 PM) Anyone listening to the radio broadcast? These guys are terrible but oddly amusing. They're not too bad for minor league announcers. They're pretty complimentary of GF, and they sound like they're having fun, which makes it easier to listen to. Meanwhile Drew O'Neill is making me nervous in the 8th. Time to get him out of there. 8-2 in the bottom of the 8th. Orem has the bases loaded and nobody out. Gap closed to 8-5. 2 outs. GF is bringing in their second new reliever this inning right now. Daniel Albritton... one of our best relievers enters the game.

I can't believe what I'm reading in this thread. IMO the quality of the booth just improved 1000%. Not only is Stone MUCH more interesting than DJ (not even comparable)... He seems to make Hawk raise his game... no small feat. Count me as a huge fan of this move.

QUOTE (Brian @ Sep 13, 2008 -> 10:05 PM) I was just making a "Major League" reference. I know. And I was just making a weak joke that pitching in New Jersey was no better than being in prison.

Drew O'Neil takes over for Hudson to start the 7th. GF up 8-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning.

QUOTE (Brian @ Sep 13, 2008 -> 07:11 PM) California Penal? Independent league in New Jersey... same difference.

Hudson with 2 more strikeouts in the 5th. 12 strikeouts in 5 innings!!!

Hudson strikes out the side AGAIN in the 4th. He now has 10 strikeouts after 4 innings.

Hudson struck out the side in the 3rd after giving up a harmless single. GF up 7-1 after three. Hudson with 7 strikeouts in three innings.

6-1 Great Falls at the end of two innings. Hudson pitched out of a tough situation by striking out two batters with the bases loaded.