caulfield12

Can we wish death on the Indians’ mascot/nickname...but more in a resurrected as something more positive, Buddhist life transition form of walking into the light? That’s what was really meant about TLR earlier this week. Positive spin.

Well, that was predictable...except for not going out.

Better to challenge than give up two run homer to Ramirez.

Well, there has to be some O’s excitement other than Mancini’s return and waiting for Adley R.

Seems it will be Plesac vs. Giolito on Sunday, miss Cy Civale and unfortunately Logan Allen/LHP. Have already roughed him up twice, so that won’t be as easy this time around.

Yeah seems like this was decided after last weekend...before another Rodon win. But the stats were updated through Thurs...if he keeps pitching like this, no way he can continue to be ignored.

Sounds like a really bad starting CB combo for the Minnesota Golden Gophers...

Definitely not getting a Tom Cruise from Risky Business/Top Gun era vibe...

Why am I picturing Jack Black here? (And not McDowell/Black Jack.) Or Zach Galifianakis?

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-best-players-through-april-2021 Designated hitter AL: Yermín Mercedes, White Sox No offense to J.D. Martinez, Nelson Cruz, Franmil Reyes and Shohei Ohtani, all of whom are wowing us in their own ways, but at the end of the day, we’re going to go with the breakout player hitting .432 entering Thursday. TA Honorable Mention at AL SS.

JR thinking about a $340 salary commitment might put him directly into NW Medicine or the Cleveland Clinic. The best you get is Elijah or Daniel Fernando at catcher, the next Omar Narvaez or TA.

You’re actively trying to kill off Luis Robert. Let’s go with Buxton and Robert in the outfield with Eloy...Mercedes at DH, and Vaughn at first.

Pushing to get rid of Abreu, already? Good problem to have, see guys like Sheets and Burger and perhaps Adolfo as well.

Not sure the opportunity cost trade off is actually worth 3. Should at least be in the 5-8 range. The real gold mine/niche is in game threads, where likes fly so fast and furious you can barely keep up. This is Fathom’s particular comparative advantage.

Trying very very diligently for likes with that one...I think?

The Tibetan people don’t want their yaks to be misappropriated for sport...they are for ascending mountains with sherpas, or a source of daily dietary meat.

Except for awarding him with early playing time part...that said, this so-called patient approach and protecting him from facing the very toughest RHPers might actually be working.

If you’re blaming his weight for his original Achilles’ injury, that’s an argument. Foreseeable? Maybe... But that willingness to battle through injury and setbacks (see Rodon or Kopech or even Giolito after first two Sox seasons) is 90% on the player and his support system. For example, the Sonics even hired a personal assistant to keep Sean Kemp out of trouble, make sure he woke up on time fir practice, tried to temper his nightlife. Still didn’t work, not when someone isn’t willing to change their habits.

Covid-related, thankfully for the Brewers...who somehow beat the Dodgers with Eric Lauer starting.

He’s definitely one of the most exciting players to watch in the game. Top 3-5 for me. Huge amount of risk attached the higher the price tag goes, of course. That said, if you were to compare signing him sooner rather than extending Giolito after 2023 or giving TA that money beginning with his 2025 season (turning 32 that year, and weighing our experiences with players in that age range)...well, it certainly makes for an interesting debate. To me, taking him away from the Twins is half the point. Demoralizing for them and their fans. And you’d have to believe with Katz that we have at least four young pitchers that could take those massive strides forward in the rotation in terms of production/consistency...a lot easier than it would be to find another generational talent on the position player side If not Buxton, then a multi-positional player like Bryant or Baez. Which could also help with our battle to keep Carlos Rodon after 2021, yet another interesting subplot.

And $80 million higher payroll. It would be like the White Sox competing with a $210+ million payroll team.

Because certainly I had access to all his personal issues back in 2013...they were faxed to me by that guy who wore the hat behind home plate and always held a radar gun, Mike Brito. But I still predicted that, nonetheless. What I actually said was that I saw a lot of comparisons to a young Roberto Clemente, and that he had the ability to also play CF at a Gold Glove level. I would have said the same thing about Sammy Sosa when he came up, had there been an internet at the time. Our own General Manager said pretty much the same about Avisail Garcia at different points in time...maybe not quite so hyperbolically, but gushing with praise indeed. Who is paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their opinions? And now you’re somehow applying something like cancel culture to an impression of him solely as a player in 2013-14, as if I could possibly predict back then all his problems off the field. I mean, if the White Sox had anyone worth watching in 2013 besides Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, I gladly would have watched Sox players instead.

So you also have issues with Seager and Bellinger, yes? So only Acuna, Betts and Trout, right? Soto, well, he’s hurt now, too. Robert was torn apart around here for not being able to stay healthy.

When have you predicted a player’s eventual success...just curious? It’s quite easy to criticize opinions, like if we were all forced to name the Top 5 in the Rookie of the Year voting before the year starts. If you asked SoxTalk how many would pay/extend Buxton the next five years for $125 million, or Giolito, it might be a closer vote than you think. Obviously a lot can change in even one week (like Moncada’s fortunes)...but go ahead, enjoy yourself. For example, how many homers will Vaughn and Robert combine for the rest of season? Let’s hear your pick. I will then gladly provide mine.

In the end, scouts can recognize talent/potential. Buxton is the current AL favorite for the AL MVP. Ohtani has returned to God-like status. Moncada’s at least a Top 20-30ish player. Kopech looks great again, etc. The only difference scouts usually have is when this transformation to superstar will occur. Of course, we can go back to Broxton/Brinson versus Luis Robert comps as well. Baseball America has been ranking the Top 100 prospects in the game since 1990, when Braves lefthander Steve Avery debuted as the first-ever No. 1 prospect. In the years since, 27 different players have held the title of No. 1 prospect in baseball. They include future Hall of Famers (Chipper Jones), multiple-time MVPs (Alex Rodriguez), World Series MVPs (Josh Beckett), Rookies of the Year (Kris Bryant, Ronald Acuna, Corey Seager, Bryce Harper, Ben Grieve) and, yes, the occasional disappointment (Brien Taylor, Todd Van Poppel). A No. 1 ranking is no guarantee of future stardom. But more often than not, stardom does await the player crowned as the best up-and-coming prospect in the game. https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/all-time-baseball-america-no-1-prospects/