witesoxfan

I like Elvis Andrus, but that seems like a ton of money for a guy with a career OPS of .695, even if he is only 24 this year

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 08:11 AM) No April fool's thread? Chris Sale's elbow blown up in microwave this morning, details at 1

QUOTE (joeynach @ Mar 31, 2013 -> 08:49 PM) Giants learned nothing from the Mauer contract and how much that has hamstrung at organization's payroll flexibility now for years. And the Giants unlike the Twins dont have the option of using their stud catcher at the teams DH when he ages. Posey has hit for power at every stop, which increases his value. Mauer has hit for significant power literally one year of his career, and it so happened to be his contract year. Mauer is a glorified singles hitter, while Posey is a .320 25 .950 threat every year.

QUOTE (balfanman @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 07:39 AM) It seems to me that I have heard before that having a lot of assists for an outfielder is actually a negative thing. If an outfielder has a lot of assists it's a sign that runners don't fear them very much so they constantly try to take an extra base. Don't most outfielders with good arms actually have few assists due to runners being afraid to run on them? After scouting reports have been established, this is typically the case. I strongly doubt Viciedo will put up the same number this year.

Start us out with a W, Chris

QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 07:29 AM) Lock it up! I agree. Time to start anew

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Mar 31, 2013 -> 07:39 PM) We do, essentially, have a new ballpark, compared to the one that debuted two decades ago against the Tigers. It's not a new ballpark. It's a renovated ballpark. There Grand Canyon sized difference

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Mar 30, 2013 -> 08:48 PM) Lots of D's http://espn.go.com/mlb/preview13/story/_/p...baseball-season Experts are historically inaccurate, but all the guys at Yahoo predicted Detroit to win last year. They also predicted the White Sox to finish last, 4th, and last.

He was, admittedly, before my time, but I have to imagine Raines was pretty damn good in LF too

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Mar 29, 2013 -> 03:25 PM) Romo just got paid. lol And Jerry Jones continues down the Al Davis path of senility.

The philosophy regarding baseball and sports in general over the last few years is to not worry about it and not get upset. Be excited to watch at the beginning of the year. Greg, your post makes you sound like you're dreading Opening Day. As far as I'm concerned, that is the 2nd best sporting day of the entire year. If you get all pissed off about how the Sox are doing or when they get in a slump, it's going to affect your personal life and letting a baseball team that doesn't know you affect you in that way is silly. Being aware that guys suck and there are holes is no problem...that's just being an observant fan. Don't let it bother you. Just be a White Sox fan and get excited.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Mar 29, 2013 -> 02:53 PM) The oline is still bad. Tackle position is upgraded. Guard position is not upgraded. I hope one of the top guards is there in round 1. I hate drafting guards in the first round unless it's an absolutely elite talent. It's a position that's generally pretty easy to fill with later picks and tackles who don't make it. Honestly, for the Bears, there are a lot of ways they can go in the first, so it really is a matter of taking BPA. Ogletree is dangerous though. That is one I'd honestly stay away from.

I was primarily saying that, when Youkilis was in the 2 hole, the Sox 1-2 was perfectly fine and good. When it was Morel/Beckham/anyone else, yes, the #2 hole was bad. It should be good this year.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 29, 2013 -> 01:41 PM) Counting the whole season, the White Sox got a .221/.296/.354/.650 out of the #2 spot in their batting order. They also got .600 out of 3B, but that doesn't take away from Youkilis's all around production. He wasn't a savior by any means, but he was absolutely worth everything the Sox gave up in prospects.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 29, 2013 -> 01:32 PM) Van Pelt and Russillo, two of the brighter guys on sports radio, were discussing UCLA with Andy Katz and how these "mid-tier" jobs are really not viewed by many coaches as a lesser job than the first tier jobs...they might make 30% less or so, but they are able to win their league most years, they are comfortable with whom they work, they don't have the huge spotlight on them, and so generally they have a very high quality of life. Who needs all that pressure and scrutiny, and are those jobs really better? Going with what you're saying, the expectations at their current schools aren't winning 30 games and winning National Championships. For all intents and purposes, they're still among the best teams in the country, even if it's without top of the line talent, and they'll continue getting births and advancing in the tournament. The other thing, too, is that it's hard to uproot from one region to another. I don't see Stevens leaving unless it's to a B1G school (people talk Indiana a lot if Crean were to ever be let go, but he would have been a great fit at Illinois and would be a good fit at Ohio State and Wisconsin too and I don't see why he wouldn't fit in well at either Michigan school). UCLA never seemed like a fit for Stevens or Smart. I just saw it mentioned/speculated in a headline, but a guy from a mid-major power that atleast makes some sense is Mark Few.

The Sox last good 1-2 was...last year. De Aza-Youkilis was more than acceptable.

WTF

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 29, 2013 -> 09:56 AM) I think Kenny Smith made a good point...it wasn't even just the zone as much as it was Syracuse's length...they are just so much bigger than most teams. I have watched a lot of Cuse basketball and I don't think I've seen it that aggressive either. They play that zone incredibly well but I just don't recall ever seeing them be that aggressive with the double teams.

QUOTE (flavum @ Mar 28, 2013 -> 04:54 PM) That's probably the PTBNL for Cody Puckett. I bet you're right. Wipe your hands as clean as possible from the previous regime and get a guy who can hit minor league home runs to boot.

Reinsdorf IS 77...maybe they're going to talk about ceding control of the team.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Mar 28, 2013 -> 03:45 PM) I don't know what the optimal solution is. I know it was disappointing to see the Sox finish 3 games behind the Tigers while having operational income of $22.9M. Should have hired more churro vendors

QUOTE (CyAcosta41 @ Mar 28, 2013 -> 03:46 PM) A pitcher whose success is predicated on cunning, guile, deception, location -- or, the "pitcher" part of the pitcher versus thrower continuum. I've been an Axelrod booster since Day #1 with the Sox organ-I-zation. Changing speeds, changing eye levels, hitting spots, and generally making batters feel uncomfortable goes a long way towards pitching success. Talk to anyone who has played any advanced level of baseball (I played "club" at a a Division 1 school back in the stone-age; probably could have played at the D3 level), almost all hitters would rather hit against a guy with good velocity who had little clue about pitching (kind of human pitching machines) versus a highly competitive dude with inferior pure "stuff" who would do anything it takes to get you out. Axelrod has had some excellent starts against some tough hitting lineups in the past. Sure, when he's not on, he'll get rocked -- and big time -- but, overall, he can be an effective inning eating #4 or #5, and every once in a while will throw a gem. That's not to say that I'm not a Santiago fan either. Love him. Love his makeup and love his plus stuff. But, until he gets more consistent with his breaking pitches (including throwing strikes with his freaky scroogie), he's going to give up a lot of home runs. I think the Sox believe that 2013 Axe is a better fit for this rotation and US Comiskular than 2013 Hector. Wimpy, I love it when you analyze

This except White Sox

All the scouting reports I've read on Beckham have been positive. Hitting .300 in 68 PAs with a bit of power too. Not to put too much stock into ST, but there have been a lot of scout-types who have said that they think Beckham is quicker to the ball now too.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Mar 28, 2013 -> 03:30 PM) What is a smoke and mirrors pitcher? Short answer is that he's deceptive, not great stuff but good command ---- Long answer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_and_mirrors Gavin Floyd is a mediocre pitcher who gets by because he has great stuff. On a good day, he blows you away with a 94 MPH fastball, a hammer curve, and a change that falls off the table. He has decent control within the strikezone but no command, which is why he tends to give up a lot of home runs. He'll get a curveball up, it'll hang up in the zone, and a hitter will destroy it. Dylan Axelrod can barely touch 90, has a slow, a mediocre slider, and a solid but not great changeup (he can also take a little off the slider and throw a curve instead, but does this rarely). He has good control and good command of the strikezone. He will generally work a hitter into being uncomfortable by alternating fastball and slider and to keep you honest the curveball and change up. He will simply not blow anyone away but can get guys out by forcing ground balls and making guys swing at pitchers' pitches. He too is prone to the long ball because his stuff is not that good. --- One more way to think about it Gavin Floyd:Dylan Axelrod::Chris Sale:Mark Buehrle