witesoxfan

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Jan 29, 2013 -> 08:30 AM) There is no doubt that our drafting in the last three years has gotten much better the last three years. But we have been hurt by our inability to sign non-Cuban foreign free agents. Whereas most teams have those types of player littered throughout their system, we don't really have any top prospects of such. But we are most definitely pointed in the right direction drafting wise. The jury is still out on the foreign free agents as we won't know probably for 2-3 years whether or not we are doing good in that regard. That DR scandal really really really hurt us in incredible ways. Such a shame. Well, that and the cost of signing IFA's before last year was astronomical. Sano signed for like $3 million, didn't he? You can't make a signing like that and be wrong.

It's like if Toby and Michael were forced to have a baby. Or maybe Jim and Michael.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 29, 2013 -> 08:32 AM) Nope. If they could let him go for using PEDs they'd have done it before last season. They're stuck with him and that contract until it runs our or he retires in shame and embarrassment. He's essentially been found guilty twice now. His name has already been dragged through the mud, but now you have to imagine that he's going to be treated even worse than Bonds. I mentioned in another thread that he probably won't break the record at this point. I say the hell with that - he's probably not even going to get to 700. They're going to give him all the time in the world to come back from this injury, he's going to have to clear his name, yada yada...and then he still has to hit another 53 home runs. At his rate from last year, and the rate at which is body is degrading, he might not be more than a 15-20 homer a year guy. Really makes you reconsider those 450 foot blasts he hit now too.

God I can't wait until Flowers hits 40 homers this year

Not surprising, because there's not a lot of depth. I think they'll continue to rise over the next few years too.

QUOTE (Cali @ Jan 29, 2013 -> 12:33 AM) Yeah if Hawkins mashes I wouldn't be shocked if he spent the second half in AA. I think the Sox desperately want to produce a super star position player from their system and believe Hawkins might be the best bet for that. There's no one in the system who has his potential. If Thompson can further increase his contact rate, he could be a plus-plus power guy in the majors, but we'll see if he can ever hit for any sort of average. There are a lot of talented players, much more so than in recent years, but Hawkins' ceiling is limitless.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Jan 29, 2013 -> 07:22 AM) You can talk about contact vs. power, increasing OBP, or any other nuance of hitting. The Sox play almost half of their games against their division rivals, and they are not built to beat those teams. I’ve discussed how well the Detroit starters handled right handed hitters last year. The simple, unavoidable truth is that the rosters of Chicago’s A. L. Central opponents are comprised almost entirely of right handed starting pitchers. The two notable exceptions being Bruce Chen and Scott Diamond, both of whom were actually more effective against right handed hitters last year. This is just one more reason that should emphasize the need for the Sox to add a middle of the order left handed bat. What good left handed middle of the order bat is available? What are you going to give up? Where are you going to put him? Markakis doesn't count because the Orioles are not going to move him.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 06:05 PM) I do not like the 3rd to 1st rule change whatsoever. It may frustrate you to watch since it rarely results in a pick off, but it hampers the running game for the pitcher. That fake to third may induce a baserunner who plans to steal to take off early or have to wait longer before he goes, both of which are wins for the pitcher. What will this rule change do? Save a minute on average per game? Appealing to the lowest common denominator in viewership IMO If he wants to check the runner at 1st, he can either throw over or take his foot off the rubber.

We'll try and jump start this a bit. Anderson has the looks of Donny Lucy numbers wise. There just really isn't anything impressive whatsoever in the last 4 years out of him. Meanwhile, Gimenez has actually put up some pretty good power and discipline numbers, so depending upon defense, I would like to see Gimenez get it. All that said, I don't think I'm really going to mind who does win, so long as Flowers shows he appears capable of handling about 100 games from behind the plate.

QUOTE (Cali @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 04:03 PM) If Hawkins is in Charlotte this year he will have had an amazing season... He'd be on track for a Trout/Harper like early call up in 2014. Oh I thougth you were talking next year. I could still see this year for a legit cup of coffee, ala the 6 games that Thompson got, but I see him primarily playing in Winston-Salem and Birmingham.

QUOTE (Cali @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 03:39 PM) Hawkins would have to hit .500 with 40 bombs by June or something ridiculous for this to happen, but it would be awesome to see an outfield of Mitchell, Thompson, and Hawkins in Charlotte next year. Cause I like that OF, especially defensively. Mitchell and Thompson in Charlotte in 2013 is more reasonable... I don't think that's crazy at all.

I think Mitchell is the one who screams trade bait. He is a player whose value coming out of college was his speed. He tore his achilles and has slowly been making his way back from that, but there's questions as to whether or not he'll ever fully make it. He isn't a real powerful prospect, so you could legitimately be looking at a backup player in the big leagues with an outside shot at starting. When looking at his overall package, I just don't see a lot of value there for the MLB. The thing is, I still really like Mitchell, but there's a reason he's 11th on this list and he's fallen out of the top 10, and it's not just because of his age. Trayce Thompson is a legitimate CF prospect with LTP (for comparisons, we're looking likely MLB comp is Drew Stubbs, best case is Giancarlo Stanton), Courtney Hawkins is a legit CF prospect with an incredible all around game who could make the majors as early as next year. He's likely to end up in RF, but with comparisons to Matt Kemp and Justin Upton, I'd take that. And then you're looking at Keenyn Walker who, while I agree is still very hit or miss, I think compares well to guys like Austin Jackson and Coco Crisp statistically. I just think, given everything you see about him, Mitchell is going to have the hardest time breaking through and making a real impact. I also think that's why you see his name being mentioned like it is for him to be due for a break through. Perhaps he is and he'll be extremely valuable for the Sox, but I just don't see it.

QUOTE (balfanman @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 01:34 PM) I've always thought that the 1st to 3rd was a blatant balk as well however, I have a question about the whole pitcher & runner thing that maybe someone can help me with. Why is it that the pitcher is not allowed to decieve the runner while the runner can make false starts and jiggle around as much as he wants to decieve the pitcher, catcher, and infielders? It just seems a little unfair fair to me. I would think that it would be better to either allow both the pitcher and runner to try and decieve each other, or niether. Actually, even though it may make the game longer, it might be pretty entertaining to watch a pitcher and a runner try to fake each other out. My best guess would be that it's due to the fact that the pitcher essentially controls the flow to the game and can always throw over there no matter what. On top of that, the runner has to worry about fielders around him, the catcher after the pitch is thrown, and then what to do upon the batter making contact. At any given time, he has about 3 things he's worrying about. Meanwhile, the pitcher will likely have 1 runner (either 1st or 2nd, regardless of man on 3rd) and the hitter to worry about, and that's at the very most. Allowing pitchers to fake throw to 1B from the set position would virutally eliminate the stolen base because it would be way too dangerous to steal any more and there'd be no inherent risk in throwing to 1B. You'd also see 1Bman playing off the base because if you can fake it to 1B, there's no point in requiring a 1B to stand there the entire time too.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 01:32 PM) I was friends with a girl in HS that always said that if she got married she would request a ring made of wood (heh), if even that. Shoulda gone after her. I'd have asked if her she'd make a ring around my wood

The thing is, I bet Lovie has plenty of interest in the coordinator jobs in New Orleans and Philly, but both are switching to a 3-4, so they have absolutely no interest in him. I would have loved him in Buffalo, but I think they have a pretty good staff in place.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 12:17 PM) Same here, I think 25 to 30 is a pretty safe bet if he stays healthy. People need to realize two things about Viciedo, first he was extremely raw coming out of Cuba and second he was rushed through the minors. It took him a couple years to start putting everything together, but in 2011 at AAA he showed much improved contact ability and pitch recognition in addition to the power potential he had previously displayed. Unfortunately, people who look at his year end totals won't see the whole picture, as he broke his thumb in spring training and started off slowly as his thumb was still healing. Regardless, his K % increased by 5 or 6 percentage points in the majors last year. That number will go down as he makes adjustments, and as it does he'll make more contact and hit more home runs. Please post more often. You should have way more than 1,300 posts

3rd to 1st fake is still a blatant balk. It's obviously never used to attempt to pick the runner off 3B, so it essentially amounts to a fake throw towards 1st (which only works about 1% of the time). It's illegal and deceptive towards a runner that is forced to make a split decision on whether to run upon contact. QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 10:01 AM) Cue the "Rick Hahn is sleeping and/or dead" militia: Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal #Rays agree with free-agent 2B Kelly Johnson on one-year contract, sources tell me and @jonmorosi. Bummer. Rays make another good signing. Can't wait until Johnson hits .320 with 10 homers and then signs a $24 million contract next year.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 09:44 AM) Because he's old and, not to throw a log on a sometimes annoying fire - just because it pertains to your point, doesn't take the best care of his body. Oh don't get me wrong, for the most part I agree. It his style of play too - swing as hard as you can, 100% of the time - that creates some of these injuries too. I just think that, if handled properly, he's going to hit 40+ homers again with relative ease.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 28, 2013 -> 09:26 AM) That was kinda my point. Adam Dunn was more 2011 Adam Dunn (albeit with added power) once June rolled around. His OPS was painfully low over the last two months of last season. Now, he's a year older, and yet again coming off a putrid finish to the season. Because he was hurt, and then later in the year, he was hurt some more. I wish players on the Sox didn't feel the need to be superman and play through pain, and I wish and hope Ventura is better able to pick up on that pain this year so he can sit their ass. I honestly don't worry about Dunn in the least so long as he's healthy. That hasn't happened in a while.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jan 25, 2013 -> 04:05 PM) You better stuff that s*** just in case. Well, I wear a banana hammock while doing it, because I like my junk firm in one spot, but I hate jock straps. And then I stuff a sock down there too. A very long tube sock. Really enunciates the whole idea.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 25, 2013 -> 03:57 PM) Just shows you've never been to a yoga class. If you did, you'd realize that some of the best talent in town is in there, wearing skimpy clothing and contorting every which way. Keep laughing. I'll keep smiling. If and when I do yoga, I am also going to wear yoga pants. I feel like it will really show off my package.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 25, 2013 -> 03:12 PM) Royals claimed possible back-up catcher in Kottaras. Sox never would have had a chance at him.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 25, 2013 -> 02:51 PM) Take the last 3 games against Cleveland out, what's his OPS? Take out all his good games, and I bet his OPS is s***. Cherry pick all you want. BTW, it's probably the .730 as referenced earlier. That's still better than most of the team put up.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jan 25, 2013 -> 02:45 PM) I don't want a manager who puts development ahead of winning a division in August and September. Viciedo - September - .896 OPS, best on the team, excluding Dan Johnson's 31 plate appearances

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 25, 2013 -> 02:26 PM) A .730 OPS is "monster"? .896 OPS