iamshack

QUOTE (Sox72 @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 03:20 PM) Do you think he has a shot of actually getting it??? My guess is he will get it in 2011. The League is taking notice this year, will probably recognize him for it the following year...

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 03:04 PM) If I had that kind of money to spare, I'd take that bet, seriously. Concussion symptoms down for a month and a half already, no timetable for his return...in the NFL, you start talking about the concussion being career-threatening if they're no where close to coming back after 4 weeks. The difference is the liklihood for more jarring blows is extremely high in the NFL, whereas in baseball, it is relatively small. I'm certainly not going to argue that it won't become an issue for the remainder of his career, but to say that the odds are even that he'll never even play again? That's being a bit overdramatic in my opinion. I do agree, however, that this is very frightening for Twins fans, their organization, and Morneau himself. If you see the play that the concussion occurred during, it really wasn't even that violent of a collision.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 03:02 PM) Right now, I think there might be as high as a 50/50 chance that Justin Morneau never plays baseball again. Ok, let's bet $50k even money.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jul 22, 2010 -> 11:36 AM) We're staying at the newish Grand Hilton Resort. I don't even think they have a casino. We get a room for dirt cheap and I like using them to accumulate reward points. Hah, Sqwert....I honestly live right next door to the Grand Hilton...I didn't even see this until now.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 09:26 AM) I think AJ lost the count on that play. He turned around and was talking to the umpire after the play.I hope he comes back if Tyler Flowers is the answer as a replacement. AJ has been pretty brutal offensively this year, but has had a real good defensive season. Castro is a nice back up. He was very popular in NY as a back up, fans always wanting him to have the regular job. When he plays more frequently he tends to show why he is a back up, which is fine. I think the Sox have a cheap option on him next year. Looks like a $1.2 million option.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 08:56 AM) I guarantee if he bombs today Kenny and his staff will be scrambling to figure out a way to replace him. With the way Minnesota has now put together a solid 1-5 we can't afford to to battle for these last 6 weeks with a man short. Well, for 1, the Tigers offense sucks, so I doubt he bombs. But should he have a bad outing, I disagree. I don't think there is reason to panic, especially considering how well Edwin has pitched for us.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 07:42 AM) Well the IP number isn't going to be very high when you have to repeatedly get yanked in the 2nd or 3rd inning but it was for 5 games. And I was saying that I think they have to go another route if he tanks again today. Who do you go with? I dunno. Another #5 guy on waivers? We can't keep blowing out our pen when he starts. I think you've got to be more patient than that with him. He's given us a lot of quality starts this year. If you yank him now, there is no turning back. Unless you're seeing an option that presents a significant opportunity for improvement, I think it would be a mistake to pull the plug at this point. Granted, he can't be getting blown up in the second inning 2 out of every 5 starts, but he does have 3 quality starts among the 5 you're referencing. That is pretty much what you hope for out of your 5th starter...

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 07:32 AM) Since the ASB: K/BB ratio: 1.11 BA: .374 OBP: .427 OBPS: 1.074 ERA: 7.25 WHIP: 2.06 IP? In how many starts? Who will replace him?

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 07:05 AM) I sure hope so. And if Freddy gets shellacked again I think it'll be his last start for us this year. Why?

QUOTE (Brian @ Aug 14, 2010 -> 04:54 PM) His swing is pretty slow, or at least it was on Wed when I was at the game. Hah...somehow he has managed to make it to the big leagues with the dreaded "slow swing"

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 14, 2010 -> 04:42 PM) I don't know what it is but all of a sudden they're defeating some of the best teams in the league. Oh I know...but even if they win 40 games in a row you will not see me give credit to Buck Showalter. There is something about him that prohibits me from accepting that he could possibly be a positive influence on a ballclub.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 14, 2010 -> 04:33 PM) This new manager thing is really working out for Baltimore. Up against the Rays once again. It's too bad that they didn't wait until after our series to make that move. I refuse to believe any kind of success could be directly attributed to Buck Showalter, of all people.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Aug 14, 2010 -> 11:20 AM) Right, and now let's all go and talk about how great of a player Juan Pierre is because he is so good at sliding! This reminds me of Jimmy Kimmel's line in the roast of Flavor Flav - "Yes, that'll change the perceptions about you..."

My only issue with many of the more die-hard sabr proponents is that they are just as guilty as the community they criticize so much. Anything that is not quantifiable or is misquantified has no value or effect. Blind faith is placed in developing, but still flawed metrics. As ignorant as they claim old shool "baseball people" are because of their reluctance or refusal to accept sabermetrics, the hardcore sabr community often refuses or is reluctant to accept anything other than sabermetric approaches.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 14, 2010 -> 09:53 AM) I have no idea what that means. Ahh, nothing...a mistaken reference on my part from something I remembered incorrectly. Nonetheless, I hope Edwin continues to prove you wrong.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 14, 2010 -> 09:47 AM) (I've asked him to prove me wrong the last 2 game threads for him, and he's stood up and pitched. I think that's my line for him now). Make Earl the Pearl eat his words...

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 14, 2010 -> 09:37 AM) I want to see him legitimately prove me wrong. Forgot to say this; Prove me wrong Edwin. Prove him wrong, Edwin.

Interesting read about journeyman and current Charlotte Knight Luis Rodriguez, having a breakout year at age 30: Fangraphs

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 13, 2010 -> 11:31 AM) I would think that if a team claimed him, the Dodgers could also just say "go ahead and take him", like the Blue Jays did with Rios. Then his NTC would not help him, cause hes not being traded, he's being claimed off waivers. I could be wrong though. No, I'm pretty sure that is still technically a trade. And if it is not, for purposes of his NTC, I would think that exception was written into his contract. I cannot imagine an agent being stupid enough to bargain for an NTC but not cover that scenario as well.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 13, 2010 -> 10:15 AM) If Manny could block a waiver claim with his NTC (I still don't know what the rules are) then any other team that he didn't want to play for could claim him and block him that wya. As far as I understand, Manny can block a trade to any team, however, that does not prevent any team from claiming him. It just means that the Dodgers cannot trade Manny to any team that he does not wish to go.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 12, 2010 -> 09:23 PM) Our baby boy was born on the ever popular 8/9/10. Everyone's doing good. Tons of pictures taking of him wearing Sox attire, which surely pissed off the in-laws. Congratulations, Fathom! Glad to hear everyone is healthy and happy. Prepare for no sleep.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 12, 2010 -> 09:17 PM) Wow, what a choke job. Lots of booing at the park. Alexei tried way too hard to pull the ball in that AB. What's the latest from the hospital?

Where the he'll was the pitch on Thome that AJ threw to second on? Looked like strike 3 to me.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Aug 12, 2010 -> 04:03 PM) I've soured on KW considerably the last couple years, as I don't think his overall philosophy of building teams will ever be conducive to year in and year out success. Yeah, compared to other GMs of White Sox past, he looks like a genius. But take '05 away, and I know this is virtually impossible, there's just not much to get loud about. And it looks even less impressive when you consider we're not in the AL east, where we have to deal with mega giants every year. But even I will admit that Kenny has done a fabulous job, not so much recently, but during a 4 year stretch from I'd say '04 to '08 in plucking talent from other organizations. Now only if we could ever draft and develop our own. J4L, I don't want to get into this pissing match all over again, but I'm still really waiting for you to address the opportunity costs issue. None of the proponents of the "develop from within" strategy seem to want to address this. Do you realize what an advantage it is to be able to sign players at a relatively low cost that you have a very good idea of what kind of production you are going to get? Do you realize how frustrating and expensive it can be to try and develop and then ultimately live through the growing pains with young prospects? I've been asking this of the guys who complain the loudest about our lack of developing more of our draft choices, and no one seems to want to address it. There is a reason that you can't really point to any sustained success out of these "building philosophy" teams, other than perhaps the Twins, who have yet to win a playoff series under this philosophy - the odds of all these young players clicking together is extremely slim. By the time you can sort out the busts from the studs, the flash in the pan guys from the consistent performers, they reach arbitration and FA and get very expensive very fast. I really am a proponent of drafting over slot, developing at the minor league level, and then trading all but who your scouts believe are your best few prospects. With the market undervaluing veteran performance and overvaluing prospects because of cost certainty, I just think there is a lot to be said for drafting high-ceiling players that fall because of signability concerns, short development, and then trading for veteran performance. We really are pretty close to this model with the exception of JR being Selig's pal and our refusal to pay over slot money.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 12, 2010 -> 04:21 PM) Exactly one of those guys was drafted earlier enough to matter. And every team does this. Every manager and GM that has a kid that plays baseball gets drafted as a favor from the team his (or even her) father works for.