caulfield12

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/reynaldo-lopez-changing-place-white-220331008.html Love the quotes from Lopez. "It's not about what people say or what they are talking about," Lopez said through a translator. "It's about the confidence I have in myself, and I have plenty of confidence in myself. For me, I'm the best. I'm not saying the other guys are not. I'm just saying that's the confidence I have. When I'm on the mound, I'm the best and I don't care about the rest." Sunday marked the best start of Lopez's young career, so said the pitcher himself. He was terrific in shutting down the visiting Texas Rangers, holding them to just two hits over eight scoreless innings. It was one heck of a bounce-back performance considering what happened last time out, when he was roughed up for six runs in just two innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The difference? His attitude, his focus, his intensity, his conviction. "I just changed my attitude in the game," Lopez said. "I was more positive today than I was in my last outing and that was one of my biggest differences." "I do think he came out a little bit more focused, to be honest," manager Rick Renteria said. "The intensity level was a little higher today. I think he threw the first couple pitches 97, 98 miles an hour, where his last outing they were at 93, 94. There wasn't a whole lot of commitment or conviction to his pitches (against the Pirates). I think, as we talked after the last outing, (pitching coach Don Cooper) spoke to him a little about making sure he brought that intensity that he has the ability to do, to bring it from Pitch 1 and he did today." Renteria liked it all, and he saw something different in his pitcher when he went out to talk to him with two outs in the eighth. Lopez issued a two-out walk, and Renteria considered lifting Lopez from the game. Lopez made sure his manager wouldn't pull the plug on this outing. "I hid the baseball in my glove because I didn't want to leave the game," Lopez said. "I asked me, ‘How are you? Are you good?' And I told him, ‘Yes, I'm good.' Then he asked me again, ‘Do you think you are able to get him out?' And I said yes, ‘This is my game, and I'm going to finish it.'"

The problem is what would the White Sox possibly do with Puig for one year? Hope and pray he blew up in the AL and then sign a "team friendly" extension before hitting FA, in lieu of keeping Abreu/Avisail Garcia long(er) term?

It's not LIKELY. I just said they don't HAVE to play Jimenez there. For the majority of players, they're better off (especially as youngsters) playing a position everyday and being involved in the game and studying how pitchers approach hitters from that outfield perspective (as opposed to in the dugout or clubhouse).

Interesting that the Lt. Governor didn't mention one of the biggest and MOST LOGICAL issues to consider...SCHOOL BULLYING, both at school and via social media at night and on the weekends.

Casey Mize knows the knocks are coming as the MLB draft looms Mize has a unique profile, but he continues as the smart choice for the number one overall pick. https://www.blessyouboys.com/2018/5/18/17359544/mlb-draft-2018-casey-mize-detroit-tigers-joey-bart-alex-faedo In an excellent piece from Katie Strang of The Athletic, Mize recently addressed some of the nagging concerns about his injury history and splitter usage. As he explained, he doesn’t characterize his version as a true splitter, but as more of a hybrid split-change. What people don’t really understand about it, like who haven’t seen the grip or haven’t seen me throw it or talk to me about it — the first thing is I don’t have very big hands, and so I don’t split the ball, like, almost in half like a lot of people think,” Mize explained in a conversation with The Athletic’s Max Bultman this past weekend. Research continues to correlate velocity and usage with arm injury. As to various breaking balls and change-ups, there is basically nothing concrete to suggest any particular concerns with off-speed pitches. ... Mize did have a bit of arm trouble last year, but as he detailed to The Athletic, he and his coaches at Auburn did a lot of video analysis, concluding it was actually his old slider grip that was the culprit. Mize revamped his grip and approach to throwing the slider this year, and the results were an improved pitch with sharper tilt to it. After a monster campaign for Auburn this spring, he’s also got results in the form of 89 innings with a 124:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio to say he’s clearly the best amateur pitcher in the country. It’s perfectly natural to have injury concerns about a pitcher who is about to command a bonus of $7 million (or more) and a premium draft pick. However, worries about Mize seem like much ado about nothing. He just wrapped up one of the better college seasons you will ever see in a tough SEC, and could doubtless get outs in the major leagues as he is. If you’re worried about the splitter, take comfort in the fact that his new cutter and improved slider should mean he can use the splitter as another out-pitch almost exclusively. If there’s an actual issue left to discuss, it’s the debate over just how well Mize’s fastball will play in the major leagues. The heater is rated as plus by just about everyone, so this is still hair-splitting for the most part. But for some observers, seeing a college pitcher using a cutter to keep hitters off the fastball leaves a lingering concern as to whether the pitch is too straight, too often. These are the kind of details where a team has to rely on it’s data, and on experienced sets of eyes to evaluate the nuances of a pitcher’s delivery. Mize doesn’t have a Justin Verlander caliber fastball, but it’s hard to knock a guy for having developed a cutter graded as a plus pitch by most sites, and an improved slider over the past year. Sitting 94-96 with precision, the fastball may not feature explosive late life, but there is some deception and two-plane life out of his high arm slot. More importantly, Mize already has the command to make all his offerings play up, and the development of both the cutter and slider over the past year speak to a dedicated young pitcher with some ability to make adjustments and groove them relatively quickly. Still, when you’re projected to go 1-1, the intense scrutiny just comes with the territory, and Mize seems to understand this better than most. Get ready for a wild few weeks ahead. When the smoke and chatter clear, you’re still almost certainly going to see Mize wearing the Olde English D.

I think any MLB GM will take an outfield of Pollock, Robert and Basabe/Adolfo/Rutherford over one with Jimenez on a corner.It's not a HAVE to...but it's not impossible to end up with that type of alignment, either. The Royals, for example, had Gordon, Cain and Dyson together, all three Gold-Glove level defenders. It was (unarguably) more necessary for Kauffman than it would be playing 81 home games at USCF, but we've seen this year and in the past what a huge difference outfield defense can make.

If he keeps his weight down (while maintaining similar power numbers), then he's much less of a concern at ages 33-35 than he would have been a couple of years ago. His defense is still a hot mess, so he realistically should be at DH. The problem there is that so should Eloy Jimenez, although they can live with one of them out on the field because of the offensive trade-off.

Well, Puig has finally started to hit in the last two weeks...so they're probably not going to make that kind of trade without exploring other options that won't cost a Top 75-100 talent, unless they can trade Puig (+ money) for Abreu, which makes little to no sense for the Sox. The ONLY one that would make sense for the Sox would be Joc Pederson for Abreu...as there's no way they would trade Verdugo for him. At any rate, they already have Puig, Kemp, Chris Taylor, Joc Pederson, Kiki Hernandez and Verdugo (DL) in the outfield. The biggest problems for the Dodgers have been in the pitching department, now that they have Justin Turner's bat back at 3rd. And yeah, Taylor and Pederson haven't graded out as "very good" CFer's defensively. That much is true.

There's no such thing as "free healthcare." In any country of the world. It has to be paid for by taxpayers, SOMEHOW...or corporations/salary withholding, SOMEHOW. Or government subsidies. Or charitable contributions.

Well, sure....he's named Anthony Rizzo.

Where are you going to play Bellinger if Abreu was traded to the Dodgers...?

Healthy Avi (unfortunately have to wait another month), healthy Cordell...bring up Collins and Zavala with Jimenez and Kopech. Add one more bullpen veteran in Jeanmar Gomez. Finally, throw Dylan Cease, Hansen and Burdi into that pen and we're set after we pick up a veteran arm at the trade deadline (taking on his contract's final 2 months). Definitely have a shot at the 2nd wild card or more likely the AL Central. (Teal needed?)

Some of the FA's this past off-season who were FAIRLY similar would be Carlos Santana and Jay Bruce. Pretty sure Santana was 3/$60. Bruce was 3/$39 for age 31-33. You have Moustakas' one year deal, when his market dried up. He and Logan Morrison were 1 year/$6.5 million. Yonder Alonso, 2 years/$16 million. Average those (five deals) all together...2 years/total of $21.6 million ($10.8 million per year) If you want to go on the high side, you have Brandon Belt for ages 30-33 (4 years), $64 million. We also have the evidence that Jose Bautista's last effective year was age 35 (and can compare body styles).

https://www.yahoo.com/news/nra-links-school-violence-ritalin-experts-deny-224138205.html This theory from the NRA/North about overprescription/s of ritalin being the reason for the shootings takes the cake... https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/20/us/texas-lieutenant-governor-dan-patrick-reasons-for-school-shootings/index.html Texas Lt. Governor adds to the parade of excuses, adding five more reasons 1) Prevalence of violent video games 2) Removing religion from schools (apparently, we should forget about separation of church and state) 3) Abortions and "broken families" (foster homes/orphanages) 4) Irresponsible gun owners (but not the guns themselves) 5) Too many school entrances 6) Teachers not armed to the teeth to deter potential attackers

With Cease and Giolito already having had TJS, just not sure you can add more risk with such a high pick. Better to go with a TJS guy in the 2nd or 3rd imo. We've been drafting "high upside plays" like Beck, Adams and Hansen in the second round and hoping that ONE pops. Now if they're absolutely convinced Singer is the next Aaron Nola/Buehler/Michael Wacha and NOT the next Carson Fulmer, go for it.

That would be a pace for 49-113. Just don't see that happening with Rodon, Lopez and (a hopefully improving) Giolito...along with reinforcements in JImenez, Kopech, Cordell AND Avi (actually hitting at the end of JUNE), etc. The outfield production with Thompson, Avi, Engel and Delmonico has been historically bad....so any slippage from Moncada/Davidson/Lopez should be balanced out somewhere else on the roster. It also feels like the bullpen is more or less sorted out now with Jones, Rondon, Fry and Soria (6th/7th only).

They're not going to say it, but not only will Jimenez and Kopech looking like they can hold their own be MORE attractive to potential free agents, it will 2) Help convince fans the worst is over and to jump back on board buying tickets for 2019 instead of waiting until 2020/21 3) Improve tv and radio ratings, which will be nothing but beneficial for the organization (of course, the other theory is that if they TOTALLY bottom out in ratings in 2018, then any improvement in 2019 and especially 2020 will be statistically significant) as they look to the huge (for this franchise) broadcasting rights deal they'll be negotiating in 2019 Not to mention that the (rest of the) AL Central looks eminently vulnerable. One caveat, of course, is that if BOTH of those projected star players struggle (or get seriously injured), it will be a huge setback. Obviously, injuries can happen at any level and are perhaps slightly more likely in the minors due the inferior playing surfaces, but that's more true of A-level fields and below, compared to AA and AAA. Finally, anytime you have a top prospect (especially Top 20-25 in MILB), if you want to hold them in the minors because their projected trade value is MORE likely to take a hit if they have a setback at the next level...that would be ONE thing, but we're not in a position to trade either of those guys. They pretty much have to succeed with the Sox for this rebuild to work, so we're not going to be "hiding" or protecting them by keeping them in the minors.

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/20/politics/donald-trump-sunday-tweets/index.html Only 11 demonstrable lies in the span of 5 tweets!!!

He has all five tools...if he can realize his potential. Hoping he’s not the next Ben Grieve.

The consensus #1 right now... https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/bobby-witt-jr-shows-off-five-tool-package-at-tournament-of-stars-despite-youth/

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-dismissing-top-voter-concern-202845232.html Health insurance the single biggest issue to voters as November elections near...

If you look at how much we spent on our 2006 rotation, it was the most expensive in the majors at that time with Garcia, Contreras, Buehrle, Javy and Garland. We also developed (and traded) Gio/Hudson/McCarthy. Traded for Danks and Floyd, although you can certainly put Gavin into “Cooper’s success” checklist, overall. Spent a ton of money adding Linebrink and Dotel to limited success. In general, our set guys and closers have been mostly inexpensive guys like Jenks, Sergio Santos, Howry/Foulke, Marte, Thornton, Crain, etc., that were acquired cheaply, with the two exceptions above and Robertson. Besides Sale and Buehrle, if there’s ONE area he has done extremely well (other than years like 2007 when we threw a bunch of garbage at the wall and hoped some would stick), it’s the bullpen. 2003-2012, there’s no doubt that Cooper was one of the best. The question is how “great” he has been since 2013, and how much of it is just lack of talent. That 2012 team used what, about 12-13 rookies (mostly in the bullpen, along with Q) and somehow hung in there with the Tigers until the final two weeks. Recently, it’s a story of health struggles like Danks and Rodon (obviously we let Buehrle walk due to cost)...discovering Q...and trying to make water out of wine from 2013-2018. Before, you could easily argue he was a Top 5 pitching coach (based on criteria like that listed above), right now it’s very difficult to say how effective he is based on a lot of factors that are out of control, such as Rodon’s health and Fulmer’s mechanics and Giolito’s “missing stuff.” For example, I don’t know if anyone made a mistake letting Junior Guerra go and not noticing his potential, but that happens with every organization from time to time (now we can give unlimited starting time for 1 1/2 years to nearly anyone, we weren’t in that position previously).

So what should we judge his effectiveness on then? Neither the scouts that drafted him nor the coaches who work with Fulmer...it’s just “bad luck” that projections haven’t matched up with reality? We heard the story over and over again how he took Matt Thornton and “fixed him” after one day (actually knew the fix that was needed before they traded Borchard to get him)...but we haven’t “fixed” many pitchers recently. The only examples that Sox fans can point to are Swarzak and Kahnle in the last few years, basically. So we fall back to the old argument that the talent level is just bad...which somehow isn’t blamed on the front office or scouting staff and the conversation just goes around and around in circles and we end up with the same owner, same GM’s, (and usually the) same coaches year after year.

There’s no way to PROVE anything he says...that’s the beauty of a conspiracy theory. It’s all about perception. If someone is led to believe something they’re already “suggestible” on...it’s not much of a stretch to push them over the edge into a full-fledged zealot.

So that statement I made automatically means he’s “ineffective,” or maybe it is simply that he’s just living off the reputation that he developed mostly from the 2003-2012 teams? Based on the last 5-6 years, what evidence can be presented that he’s one of the best pitching coaches in the game (still)? Maybe there’s no point in questioning any coaches or talent developers until after the end of the 2020 season I guess. And I don’t remember saying that 100% of the pitchers will make it...I’ve consistently maintained 30-40% would be a relatively high success rate (of the better pitching prospects).