caulfield12

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jul 4, 2017 -> 07:32 AM) Good work. The 2nd half I'd like to see more straight steal attempts especially with 2 outs from Anderson, Hanson, Leury especially ( Sanchez not so much ) I mean it's a rebuild year let them take their base stealing lumps now . They may even learn a few things.. Moncada whenever he comes up. That's a lot of speed and each guy should be capable of the 75% minimum steal rate. There's no reason the Sox as a team can't steal more than 100 bases . I know the steal is #2 to the bunt in ancient baseball tactics but it can get that extra base or 2 without giving up the out. The one weapon KC had that was unstoppable was Dyson or Gore pinch running late in a close game. It was almost an automatic run with 0 or 1 out. At least against the Sox. That's the primary reason I want Dyson...because he will be cheaper (than Cain), can play all three spots and his age (32 next year) and overall wear and tear will depress his value somewhat despite the fact he will be a 3-5 fWAR player by the end of this year. We haven't had that type of threat since Pods in the first half of 2005 before he got injured. The rest of the team can follow his cue, and foster an aggressive baserunning mentality for Moncada, Leury, Hanson, Engel, Anderson, etc. We will never have the high contact rates, nor a team of Gold Glovers, but the other area is the lockdown bullpen. Hochevar, Herrera, Wade Davis and Holland, paired with Collins as the lefty, that was a nasty pen in 2014/15. Hopefully Kahnle, Jones, Burdi, Beck, Fulmer and maybe Lopez/Guerrero/Adams/Danish can have a similar amount of success in 1-2 inning bursts.

Saladino played last night for Charlotte, Leury is working out in AZ.

Trump's unpopularity makes it much more difficult for them politically to support him. The recent Pew Global Attitudes poll showed Trump with rock bottom approval ratings across the world. Only in Russia and Israel did more people trust him to do the right thing than former President Barack Obama. The former President, meanwhile, has stayed mostly out of the limelight. But Monday, Obama couldn't resist during a Seoul conference organized by South Korea's Chosun Ilbo media group, saying the Paris climate accord won't vanish despite the "temporary absence" of American leadership. "The Paris agreement," Obama said, "even with the temporary absence of US leadership, will still be a critical factor in helping our children solve the enormous challenge in civilization." ... The US has significantly stiffened resistance to Iran in the Middle East, a reorientation that was the underlying theme of Trump's first stops in Saudi Arabia and Israel. But at the same time, there is no real clarity on the Trump administration's strategy on Syria following the apparently imminent eradication of ISIS strongholds. Iran envisages a future Shiite crescent of influence, that would stretch from Tehran through Iraq, Syria and into Lebanon, backed by Russia, and would change the balance of power in the region. It is unclear how actively the Trump administration plans to resist such a scenario, in concert with allies like Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Egypt and Jordan. http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/04/politics/wor...rump/index.html The world looks past Donald Trump

QUOTE (beautox @ Jul 4, 2017 -> 12:11 AM) Yeah if they've got something with him better to get him even more PA, I know hes split time between SS & 2B and some 3B I would love for them to ship him to AA and start him everyday at SS. If he continues his hitting ways at AA he could land at AAA at the start of '18 and be right on curve age wise (24). That'd be a nice get for a round 22 pick and the scout that recommended him. And bench/dump our Olympian speed skater or push him up to Charlotte when he's struggled pretty much the entire season offensively?

I think I figured it out tonight. Renteria simply wants all the young players to buy into the concept of sacrificing for each other...always trying to advance the runner (Did you do your job or not?) and moving the line one batter at a time. Could be a one run lead, or 3-5 runs like tonight. Team over individual results, camaraderie, chemistry, etc. They seem to be buying into Steverson's approach now as well, they're working together instead of going up to the plate without a plan of what they're trying to accomplish like for much of the Ventura regime. Realistically, this team should be 2 games under .500, but we've been killed by our defense and all those unearned runs and mostly plays not made (double plays not finished, for example.) Going forward, that's the biggest concern organizationally (along with OBP and starting pitching development), and removing Melky Cabrera from the roster will be a first big step in the right direction. In my idea, it feels like we're trying to create a hybrid of the Cubs, Indians and Royals. Future elite pen. Check. Speed and athleticism. Check. Moncada, Robert, Adolfo, Engel, Tim Anderson, Leury, Yolmer Sanchez, Willy Garcia, Saladino, Hanson. OBP/contact...addressed last two drafts, hopefully. Defense, ummmm....not yet. Versatility...the examples are guys like Jose Ramirez, Josh Harrison, Zobrist, Baez, Whit Merrifield. The Sox players above have many of these qualities already, particularly Leury, but Moncada and Anderson should as well. (Of course, in this lively ball era, you also can't afford to carry a guy like Tilson who has no power playing 81 home games at Guaranteed Rate.) In the end, I don't think we're as far off as some here. This is a .500 team in 2018, quite easily. Get the best possible draft pick for 2018, but don't go out of the way to hold players back if they're truly ready. If for no other reason than Detroit and KC being terrible next year, and that representing nearly 40% of the schedule. They might need an anchor for their defense during this transition period. Unsurprisingly, I would pick Dyson (cheaper version) or Cain on three year deals and change the team's mindset by having an elite defender with World Series experience in CF. At any rate, by this October 1st they'll know a lot more about what they have in Engel and Leury. Maybe they logically then decide those guys are good enough to be part of the long-term plan and no further move is needed. Somehow, they also need to convince Abreu or Avi to DH. That potentially gives Asche and Delmonico a shot at first. Maybe Avi's traded? Then they eventually need to find an elite defender at catcher to back up Collins 2-3 years from now...trade deadline, someone like Severino with the Nats. Offense isn't as critical if Collins realizes his potential. 2018 LF Engel/W.Garcia/Asche CF Leury Garcia/Engel RF Willy Garcia/Asche/Hanson 3B Davidson/Y. Sanchez SS Anderson/L.Garcia 2B Moncada/Yolmer/Hanson 1B Avi Garcia/Davidson DH Abreu This would block Delmonico and Saladino, but dramatically improve the overall defense...perhaps Saladino stays and Hanson goes? You'd have three CFers in the outfield (well, Willy's pushing it). Avi's a lot more athletic than Abreu, but obviously that idea might not work. Certainly a good sized target over there, though.

Greg, what can complaining about the rebuild actually accomplish? I post all the time in the Filibuster now, but have no illusion it really makes one iota of difference. More for self-preservation of sanity, lol. But is there any sense in having the same arguments day after day? Thad, myself, Balta...were pretty critical the last 3-4 years, but I would go bonkers tilting at windmills like Don Quixote and obsessing about every single Chris Sale start or Giolito/Fulmer/Collins struggle. Nobody can force Reinsdorf to sell the team when it's value increases on a yearly basis no matter how well the team is led. A rising tide floats all boats, and that's the case in MLB today. Focus on the positives, like winning a recruiting war with the Cardinals for Luis Robert.

QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Jul 3, 2017 -> 06:44 PM) Send Hanson down. Doubt someone claims him, but if it happens oh well. And Willy Garcia still has options left no? Send him down again, don't see a particularly bright future for him anyway. Hate to be That Guy, but really all of these guys are nothing but bench pieces. Not that a bench player capable of backing up multiple positions doesn't have some value, but if we are serious about being WS contenders in 3-4 years I don't think any of these guys mentioned in the OP will be starting players. Leury was a top 40 guy in all of MLB fWAR when he got hurt...

Between Engel, W. Garcia and Hanson...? Don't we have to keep Hanson or risk losing him if they send him down? Engel deserves to stay, but then him sitting on the bench for Leury makes little sense when he could get everyday at-bats in Charlotte. W.Garcia is more roster filler, but "expendable" comparatively. Does the organization see Leury as an important piece or simply a trade chip? With him putting up such impressive fWAR numbers, there's a debate to be had about Engel vs. Leury (CF) in terms of biggest upside, and also the fact that Leury is our best back-up SS since Saladino can't ever seem to stay healthy. Of course, Saladino/Leury/Yolmer/Hanson all have overlaps in terms of positional versatility. Who stays, and who is gone by this time next year? Leury would seem to have the most trade value, with Yolmer a close second. IN your opinion, is Saladino or Leury Garcia the better SS at this point in their respective careers? Lots of questions.

Moncada homer, #11 283/843

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movie...0703-story.html LA Times critics discuss best movies ofv2017 so far Fwiw, The Lost City of Z and Raw are both excellent..."Raw" is about as tough to watch as it gets. Everyone seems to love Baby Driver and The Big Sick.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Jul 1, 2017 -> 10:58 AM) Both houses of congress and the presidency are all controlled by the same party and they can't even get anything done. And SCOTUS...

35+ years has suddenly morphed into 40 now, lol. Progress?

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/201...-the-diminished America, The Diminished We are diminished when the rest of the world comes to doubt our leadership and reliability. A Pew poll of 37 countries ranging from Sweden to India to Brazil to Ghana shows attitudes toward the United States have collapsed since Trump took office. At the end of Obama’s presidency, 64 percent of people in these countries said they were confident in the US’s president. Today, that has fallen to 22 percent. Opinions of America overall have fallen by 15 points. The chancellor of Germany warned that Europe could no longer depend on the US.

Trump is destroying his credibility with the world http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/03/opinions/tru...izer/index.html

Can we retroactively get Devers now, too? Greg hates that trade!!!

Illegal? We have this thing called the First Amendment, even for sitting presidents. It's not even a violation of Twitter rules. Pretty much every adjective thrown out there to characterize it fits, though.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jul 3, 2017 -> 03:07 AM) Kid gonna have some pressure on him. Chris Sale has been EASILY the best pitcher in baseball. Sure, if the Cubs traded for him, they hadn't won the World Series (yet) and he was expected to be the equivalent of Kris Bryant. And it's shaping up to be another interesting discussion which cap Chris Sale will choose for the Hall of Fame plaque after two more years pitching at such an even higher elite level. Another Red Sox hat will sting just a bit, but he deserves an opportunity to final pitch in the postseason.

https://sports.yahoo.com/10-biggest-snubs-2...-014051925.html Kahnle, Cain and Devenski some of the Top 20 snubs

Double Arm Bar... Arm Bar this... BK Double Double Quarter pounder....50% of the way to home. Beef Burger A Beef for Burger The Big Beef (golfing reference)

All comes down to JR wanting cost savings (to offset Robert bonus) or best possible prospects for Robertson, Frazier (lesser extent), Holland, Shields and Cabrera. Logic would say they get best possible deal for Robertson (being flexible on cash subsidy), but who knows how it will break. Would the Rangers, for instance, push all cards in and keep Darvish and acquire Robbie? What about the mental health situation in TOR with Osuna? Do Giolito and Lopez struggling make it easier for Rizzo, or harder because Dunning looks better than anyone expected as third piece (compared to, say, Basabe)?

QUOTE (flavum @ Jul 2, 2017 -> 05:19 PM) AL 2nd Wildcard based on first 81 games for each team: KC 41-40 -- LAA 41-40 -- TB 41-40 -- Min 41-40 -- Tex 40-41 1 Bal 40-41 1 Sea 40-41 1 Tor 37-44 4 Det 36-45 5 Sox 36-45 5 Oak 35-46 6 http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Standings Projected to finish 69-93, 3rd pick, two games behind Padres LAD, Wash, Cubs, Ariz, Colorado Houston, Boston, CLE, NYY, TB Two divisions with three playoff teams. Cardinals, Toronto, Angels, Mets at 81/82 wins. Huge separation to get to that final AL wild card spot. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/fantasy/dc/ Sox and White Sox to both go 37-45, would put Sox at 72-90 Rays battle Jays for final Wild Card spot. BP must not be counting on Trout return for their numbers.

QUOTE (The Mighty Mite @ Jul 2, 2017 -> 05:34 PM) Actually we are competing with the American League and we need to be as good as the Yankees, Red Sox and for now the Astros. The White Sox are a big market team and need to step up and bring in big market players. Are you related to Thad Bosley? Let's just hope they are a very exciting team to follow by the second half next year.

Maybe we can give three more games to the A's again?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 2, 2017 -> 04:12 PM) But the other teams have the same issue ands they go to Chicago which is rhe worst attendance in the division Well, Cleveland was in the World Series, so there's that...KC the two previous, Detroit has a fun offense and Minnesota has Dozier, Sano, Mauer (big name) and Buxton. Throw all that out, lol. Road attendance last four years CWS 27 24 24 24 (slide for rebuilding franchise) Average=24.75 KC 23 27 30 30 (two exciting WS teams among worst draws, even after winning only #27) Average=27.5 Minn 24 29 19 29 Average=25.25 CLE 25 30 21 19 (draw for second place WS team with exciting young roster not good either) Average=23.75 DET 30 22 16 (last good team-'15) 21 Average=22.25 Moncada will fix it, and Robert. Burger Beer and Fry, haha. Flyover territory isn't relevant, except Cubs and Cards?

QUOTE (The Mighty Mite @ Jul 2, 2017 -> 12:21 PM) Disagree on attendance not having that much of an impact, the Cubs for example are going to outdraw us by about 1,500,000, at an average price of a seat at around a conservative 40 bucks that comes out to 61,000,000 dollars, that comes out to having enough money to sign 3 or 4 pretty good free agents. Sure, but they're not going to need to spend until after 2018 at the earliest. That money will be there when they need it, because they have to look pretty similar to the 2014/15 Cubs heading into the new tv contract negotiations. They look like a .500 club at best, with the farm system stalled, then is the time that $60 million becomes quite critical. Keep in mind, we're likely competing with CLE and Minnesota then, NOT the Cubs. That's a much lower bar than the Cubs or even the Cards, and we still beat St. Louis for Robert.