scenario

I say we nix the Jayson/Chris debate before it getz ridiculous.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 5, 2009 -> 11:59 AM) The part that kills me is that I honestly think Mark would have been non-tendered. He has some tools and potential but in five years he hasn't lived up to it so why pay a premium for it like the Sox have. This really is a bad trade and I rarely hammer on Kenny. I completely agree with all the points you made above. Teahen came very close to being non-tendered last year. Seems like a classic overpay to me.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Nov 5, 2009 -> 11:55 AM) What don't you like about Nix? That he struggled at hitting RHP in his rookie year? That he can hit for pop, steal a base, field the damn position better then Getz? The raw data works in Nixs' favor. I think you have a great potential career as an agent for marginally talented players.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 5, 2009 -> 11:51 AM) Why do you assume Teahan wouldn't play 3rd? Why not have Teahen play 2B? I mean... Anything is possible in our infield... We currently have a 2B playing SS... And a SS playing 3B... Why not have a 3B playing second?

I am not excited by this move... or potential move/rumor... whatever it is... Mark Teahen is not the kind of player who helps this team get over the hump.

I find it interesting that Sergio Santos leads the Javelinas in games finished. Grooming him to be a closer maybe?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 3, 2009 -> 07:18 PM) Beckham wasn't striking out 40% of the times he came to the plate. That's a huge difference. Danks only struck out 25% of the time in Birmingham... still too much but improving.

Gotta love that he is leading the AFL in OBP. Very nice to see against minor league all-star type competition.

Thanks!

QUOTE (danman31 @ Nov 2, 2009 -> 09:44 PM) Nothing was expected out of Contreras this year. Rios was having a bad year when the Sox got him. The Sox were trailing most of the year and only flashed signs of being a good team, before Dye and Linebrink went into the tank. Regarding your comment about "the Sox trailing most of the year"... yeah... technically... but they were competing for a long stretch. For example: They were 2.5 games out of first during the first week of July. They were only one game out on July 21st. They were one game out on August 5th. And they were only 2 games out on August 19th. In other words, they hovered around 1-2 games out of first for 6 weeks... and kept it going until almost the end of August. But lack of production by vets late in the season... Dye batting .179 after the allstar break... Rios batting .210 in August and .173 in September... Quentin batting .236 on the year... Linebrink with an 8.49 ERA in August and a 10.29 in September... etc... simply killed their chances. Also, Rios wasn't having a horrible year when we got him... he batted .264 for Toronto. The problem is that he batted .199 after we acquired him. Bottom line: it was not a lack of talent problem. We had some talented players who simply did not produce.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Nov 2, 2009 -> 08:20 PM) Any blame for 2009 should be assigned for a lack of talent on the team. Not sure I agree. The problem, IMO, was a lack of production from key veterans... specifically Quentin, Dye (in the second half), Linebrink, Rios, and Contreras (who melted down after having a brief hot stretch). That, and a cold streak that sucked the life out of the team at a time where we were right on the brink of competing.

QUOTE (League @ Nov 2, 2009 -> 05:25 PM) Kyle has been added to the AFL roster and projects to be a fast riser through the Sox system. Excellent. I've got him as my longshot to come north with the team next spring.

Friday's Game Scoreboard Gameday

C.J. Retherford opening eyes with bat and glove October 29, 2009 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- C.J. Retherford is not tall, lanky, graceful or swift. He can hit the long ball but lacks a true power stroke. He can field his position, though it's not always pretty. But playing for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, the White Sox infield prospect continues to thrive on the intangibles that have propelled him to Major League Baseball's finishing school without much in the toolbox. "I want to prove to myself that I can do it even though people doubt me," said Retherford, a stocky 5 feet 10 inches, 190 pounds. "Deep down I know I can do it." Only lightly recruited out of high school, Retherford spent two years at a junior college before landing a spot as a utility player at Arizona State. He never became a regular, and his numbers were underwhelming. The size of his heart wasn't. "I don't fit the typical image of a ballplayer," said Retherford, 24. "But I was always taught to have a work ethic and play the game hard for all nine innings." Retherford went undrafted after his senior year but signed with the Sox as a free agent in 2007. "I wanted to play every day, and I went out and played and have done well since," he said. That's for sure. He has hit at every level -- rookie ball, high Class A and Double A -- averaging 35 doubles, three triples, 13 homers and 65 RBIs. He led all of minor-league baseball last summer with 46 doubles. And last week in Arizona, he homered in his first at-bat against superstar-in-waiting Stephen Strasburg. "The White Sox said I deserved to be here and wanted to see me up against the best of the rest," said Retherford, hitting .364 with four multiple-hit games in nine starts and just four strikeouts in 36 plate appearances. "So I'm trying to get better every day, offensively, defensively, in all areas of the game." But can he find a position? He played primarily third base his first two pro seasons but spent most of 2009 at second, where he put up a .981 fielding percentage. "I've felt more comfortable at third, but now that I've been playing more at second, I feel good there," said Retherford, who has made three errors in Arizona. "There's a lot more responsibility there. I feel like I'm locked into the game better in the middle of the field. It sort of highlights my ability to help the team." Retherford is a classic overachiever. And Sox fans love grinders. Stereotype, meet generalization. "I feel I can prove myself at every level," Retherford said. "I want a shot."

If we traded Fields (plus someone else) for Hermida... I wonder if it might just be the first time in baseball history that two guys who each hit homeruns in their first major league at-bat were traded for each other.

CJ's on Twitter... @CJRetherfordAFL

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Oct 27, 2009 -> 10:31 AM) It really doesn't matter what hand he hits with. If Nix truly is the better hitter and fielder (as all viable metrics suggest) he deserves the job. What.metrics.please? Be specific. QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Oct 27, 2009 -> 10:31 AM) Would it really kill us to have another 20 homeruns on the stat sheet? Not much good to hit 20 homeruns if a guy hits in the low .200's and has a sub .300 OBP? Low OBP means more outs per at-bat... which is death to an offense. QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Oct 27, 2009 -> 10:51 AM) The thing is, he won't be productive and he has shown no history of being productive. Getz has. And I'm not saying Getz is going to be a star but he's a much better baseball player than Nix. Exactly. It took Nix 3 attempts to have a good enough AAA season to get promoted to the bigs. Getz nailed it in his first try.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Oct 25, 2009 -> 12:32 PM) I have no problem with being in the minority of opinions. I like Chris Getz, but when every reputable metric points to Jayson Nix being the better player, I can’t help but be swayed in one direction over the other. In the end, I don’t think either is the ideal option. Hell, I’d kill for CJ Retherford to win the job, but if defensive really is a priority for this team then Nix is your guy. Every reputable metric? Please list them. UZR for one season? Which means absolutely nothing... andddd... what else? I am rapidly coming to the opinion that Jayson Nix is the new Brian Anderson for Sox fans.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 23, 2009 -> 12:33 PM) I could care less how short he is. I just think its funny that you and other posters are so very, 100% sure, that he's not the height that he is listed at, based on one video. ^^^^^ That

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Oct 23, 2009 -> 12:19 PM) I just said he look 5'6" from the video, was that not clear? No. But you did say there was zero percent chance he was 5'10". On that point you were very clear.

Actually I was wrong. He's listed as 5'11" in his ASU bio.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Oct 23, 2009 -> 11:39 AM) There is zero percent chance that CJ is 5'10" He looks about 5'6" and yes that is a midget How is it that his JUCO team roster had him listed as 5'10", ASU had him measured as 5'10"... and the Sox have him measured as 5'10"... and that you've never seen him play... but you know he's 5'6"?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Oct 23, 2009 -> 09:25 AM) Man, he is a midget. Any video of Danks HR? 5'10" 190 is a midget? Not sure most people who see him on the field could tell the difference in size between CJ and either Jayson Nix or Lillibridge (both 5'11" and around 190). And fellow former SunDevil Dustin Pedroia is shorter than CJ.

QUOTE (son of a rude @ Oct 22, 2009 -> 01:45 PM) He has bad range.... He has a UZR of -5.8. I'm sure you don't believe in UZR though. Please explain how Getz is a good defensive player. Let me guess, you use your eyes? 2009 UZR for MLB 2Bs... Second Base: 1. Dustin Pedroia 10.7 2. Placido Polanco 9.1 3. Chase Utley 8.7 4. Felipe Lopez 5.9 4. Freddy Sanchez 5.9 4. Ian Kinsler 5.9 7. Brandon Phillips 5.1 8. Clint Barmes 4.3 9. Aaron Hill -0.8 10. Jose Lopez -1.5 11. Kaz Matsui -1.8 12. Chris Getz -2.8 13. Orlando Hudson -3.8 14. Brian Roberts -4.1 15. David Eckstein -5.1

QUOTE (WCSox @ Oct 22, 2009 -> 01:38 PM) Please explain how Getz is a poor defensive player. Inquiring minds want to know. Seems like people have been ragging on Getz's defense ever since the two bad-bounce plays he mishandled vs. the Cubs. Funny, but I remember more plays this year that Nix mishandled than ones Getz did.