beck72

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Mar 31, 2005 -> 05:19 PM) I just want to say I curse the day KW traded E-LO for Contreras. He's such a F"g waste of space. He's more likely the reason why Widger has been given the nod over Burke. As a #3 he should figure to get 33-35 starts. He's such a wild-man that it would be a miracle for him not to throw any pitches in the dirt in a start. The fact that he does it with RISP is a cardinal sin. He's just so F'g clueless out there & he didn't look any better in ST. I've been a bit concerned about Jose coming into this season. But seeing how adamant you are that Contreras is hopeless, that gives me reason to be optimistic. Thanks.

It's interesting that Jenks is in the bullpen in AA. Is he still injured? Looking at his stats, he's only given up 5 HR's in 163 1/3 IP pitching in AA and above. Though he has a high BB total, that he's not giving up the long ball certainly helps keep his ER's low

I noticed Antoin Gray also jumped from low A to AA at 2b. With his 31 errors last year mostly at 2b, is he going to be moved to another position? I can't see the sox looking to add a guy in the Alfonso Soriano mode, minus the speed.

QUOTE(mreye @ Apr 1, 2005 -> 03:38 PM) I think we should kidnap Leo Mazzone. Someone should at least have some good blackmail material on him so he can "volunteer" his advice

Looking at Joe's spring stats, what stands out most is his OBP at .368. With 11k's and 8 BB's, that kind of balance has been lacking with him. This is a very good sign and what the sox need to see him do this yr.

QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Apr 1, 2005 -> 01:47 AM) That Trib article takes Stones comments way out of context, making Stone look bad IMO Listening to the whole interview Stone was asked by Boers and Bernstein, which Stone is a paid analyst for the Score now, about Kerry Wood's mechanics. Stone then said numerous scouts and people in the Cubs organization have told him he most likely needs to change his mechanics to have a long and healthy career, and then Stone said something along the lines of; "if you want to take all the money you made and not change your mechanics you can go sell cars, but if you want a long career you have to change your mechanics." IMO he was asked a legitimate question about Wood's mechanics, and he basically said he needs to change them or he will be hurt all the time. I thought the same thing in reading the article, having heard Stone on with B+ B. Stone had a lot of praise for Wood. Yet if Wood doesn't think he needs to change his mechanics [or something] in order to start 30 games a year, he's crazy. what he's been doing up to now hasn't worked. Isn't that the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result? that's what Wood has been doing since he came up. I think Stone used more tact than Wood deserved. The guy has to learn to pitch, not just throw.

QUOTE(MONT @ Apr 1, 2005 -> 04:58 AM) Why isn't Brandon in the starting rotation? welcome to Soxtalk Because the Sox have five proven starters ahead of him. If they traded one, and he moved into a spot, the sox wouldn't have a reliable starter as backup. If a starter struggles badly, BMac will come up. But that won't happen until at least May or later, to give the veteran some time to work out his problems. Yet with BMac waiting to start, Ozzie and co. won't let a SP struggle too long before making a move for Brandon

We'll know after the first month. spring training isn't a true indicator of how well or poorly a player will do during the reg. season It's possible though, that one of the three---contreras, el duque or Jon-- may struggle as the season goes into May and nears June. Yet with BMac likely to be able to step in and give the sox 6 IP and 3 runs nearly every start, the worries are minimal. Many other teams don't even have 5 strong starters, let alone a 6th guy who could step in. Even teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and Twins would be hurting if they had to go to their 6th SP. The sox are in better shape rotation and bullpen wise than they have been in years

QUOTE(YASNY @ Mar 31, 2005 -> 04:00 PM) Their outs have been consistently tough on Sox fans. :headshake

QUOTE(CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Mar 31, 2005 -> 03:02 PM) It's funny how on a team thats supposed to be build around speed and defense that our most speedy guy (Harris) and some of our best defensive players (Crede and Harris) seem to be on a short leash. In today's game lack of offensive production at any position gets you benched. Someone like Mark Belanger ( a light hitting, great fielding shortstop of the Orioles great teams of the late 60's to mid 70's) would never make it in today's era of smash mouth baseball. It's not just about poor offensive numbers with Willie and Crede. If they could make productive outs, Ozzie and Co. wouldn't be so hard on them. For Willie, its about the easy 2 hop GB to 2b, the lack of bunting ability, the pop flies. For Joe, it's about the pop out, and the 3 pitch at bat strikeout. Even if players don't have great offensive numbers, if they can move runners over, hit to the opposite field, and consistently have AB's where they make the pitchers work, that kind of offense is needed. I think hitters who are consistently tough outs are granted a longer leash than those who aren't. So far, Willie and Joe haven't been consistently tough outs for the Sox.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Mar 31, 2005 -> 02:36 PM) This just goes to show that if KW didn't relent and sign AJ, the catching situation would have been brutal. AJ falling into KW's lap is one of the luckiest things that has happened this past off-season. Great point. That's what is most overlooked in the whole Davis-Burke-Widger debate.

FWIW, Davis was waived and no team claimed him. He can now either accept his assignment to AAA or waive his $1 mill contract and become a FA and sign with another team for prob. near the minimum. Davis' has no trade value, even if some of us thought he did, as teams could have had him for his salary w/o giving up any players.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Mar 31, 2005 -> 08:02 AM) I cannot understand how anyone can say the Sox have mistreated Jamie Burke. This is a guy who spent about 10 years kicking around the minors and the Sox gave him his only extended opportunity to play major league baseball. Damn. I wish someone would mistreat me like that. The Sox dropped Burke off the 40 man roster just before Soxfest. The poor mistreated guy had no other option but to sign a minor league contract with the same team that had mistreated him. Someone had to have been holging a gun to his head. There is no need to keep Burke on the team for his versatility. We have three capable guys that can play 3B much better than Burke can dream about. We have a solid starting 1B and a very capable backup that is very good with the glove and hits from the opposite side as the starter. So, it boils down to catching skills and offensive production as to who stays with team as a backup to AJ. Widger wins the battle over Burke and Davis. But, it's good to know some people here are so much smarter than the baseball professionals who have been down in AZ watching these guys perform.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Mar 31, 2005 -> 01:00 PM) Hell, I'd settle for his power numbers from last season and a .265 average like Chisoxfn said. Hitting that in the 8th spot, would make this offense pretty solid from top to bottom. Esp. with the guys in front of him on base a lot [AJ-7th, Rowand-6th]. Two .300 hitters batting in front of Joe will give him a lot of RBI chances.

Ozzie has always liked Burke. That he chose Widger over Burke tells me the coaches think Widger can bring a lot to the Sox [i'm guessing vet leadership, experience, solid defense, some pop with his bat off the bench]. This doesn't mean the Sox are down on Burke. Just that they like Widger more

I wonder what he's been hitting in the last week or so. Maybe the first half of spring Joe needed to get the kinks out of his new swing. Yet he certainly has caught fire at the right time. Let's hope he continues it long into the season. Having him hit .270-.280 down in the order with the power he has, would help this offense tremendously

Any SS's out there on the waiver wire or sent to AAA by their teams who could play for the sox in AAA?

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Mar 31, 2005 -> 06:07 AM) Another reason Widger could be a good pickup is because he has alot more pop in his bat than Burke. He could actually hit a few homers at the Cell. Having another RH bat off the bench with some pop also prob. played a role.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Mar 29, 2005 -> 01:33 PM) I don't think Mauer has any knee cartilage left. I doubt he will be behind the plate for very long in his career. I think he will end up being a DH sooner or later. But even if he gets injured again this season, the Twinkies still have two very good backups in Mike Redmond and Matt LeCroy. I don't think he'll catch much this yr. he'll DH. But that will take Lew Ford's bat out of the lineup. Or the Twins will be forced to trade Jones [which will piss Hunter off]. Oh, well the sox win and whatever Minn. does won't even matter

From yesterday's Pioneer Press: "Mauer did not make the trip here to play Baltimore; the former Cretin-Derham Hall standout rested back in Fort Myers in preparation for a big week. The plan is for Mauer to be behind the plate on consecutive days twice this week. He has not been behind the plate on consecutive days this spring, having suffered a setback to his surgically repaired left knee in the middle of camp." ---Yeah, right. Mauer's knee is stronger than before he got injured. Even though he can't play 2 games in a row, for 5 innings. Mauer's knee is the issue here rather than the Sox' relations with AJ.

QUOTE(EvilJester99 @ Mar 29, 2005 -> 01:17 PM) Minny more than likely trying to stir the pot in hopes it will piss AJ off and he will become a distraction... I don't see it working. With Mauer likely to miss a lot of time this year with his bum knee, Walters might be trying to stir the pot for Twins fans to think AJ could be an option to return. Mauer's health has to be a big concern for Twins fans and the team. In the same paper, Walters even mentioned that Mauer was telling friends his knee is "even stronger" than before he got hurt [with the same lame no quotes method that he used to report AJ's "news"]. Bulls***. If the knee is in good shape, why is Gardenhire saying Mauer likely will only catch 3,4 games a week?! Walters sounds like a Cubs apologist, who gets paid from the Twins owners to do damage control and PR.

Charley Walters is the writer

QUOTE(YASNY @ Mar 29, 2005 -> 01:12 PM) I believe it is either a MLB or a CBA rule that free agent signees cannot be traded until June 30. Thought so. Like I said, this "report" is crap. I have to go back and see who the writer was.

From today's Pioneer Press: "• Word in Chicago is that the White Sox are having second thoughts about their acquisition of ex-Twins catcher A.J. Pierzynski, and might try to trade him soon." --I don't buy it at all. From all accounts, AJ's fit in. He's learning the pitchers, playing cards in the clubhouse, playing solid defense, hitting a bit [that will come around--he's always hit]. More crap from Minnesota. Let the games begin so this speculation bulls*** can end. Also, isn't there a clause in the players contract that FA's can't be traded until later in the season?

Davis has been hurt hasn't he? Isn't that the reason he's missed some games?