caulfield12

I've been saying all along it will be Vizquel. 1) He's not far removed from this generation of players...the respect factor, especially from Latin American players. Other than the Padres, we might have the biggest collection of Hispanic talent in the game today. 2) Language fluency/communication skills 3) He has a lot of experience working on the staff with Leyland and even Lamont over in Detroit, and obviously played with the Sox in 2012 as well 4) One of the clear weaknesses of this team is defense...and that SHOULD be his specialty (not to mention he was quite effective in mentoring Alexei and coaxing some improvement out of him IMO) For a long time, it looked like Sandy Alomar, Jr., was the so-called favorite. Now, it could be McEwing (LaRussa protege), it could be Vizquel, and probably 50% betting odds for the remaining potential candidates.

Did the Cubs or Astros do that with their top prospects ahead of time just to impress Jon Lester? The fact of the matter is that Jimenez is about as close to a guarantee in terms of being a productive hitter as it gets. HOWEVER, we all know from watching the Mets in 2015 and watching them again in 2018 that "pitching dynasties" rarely conform to our expectations or can prove 100% resistant to injuries. In the end, money will win 90-95% of the FA bidding battles. And Kopech's got to work on his control and secondary pitches...there are too many pitchers (see almost every bullpen now) with guys who can throw 95-100 MPH and get lit up like a Christmas tree even at that velocity. It's all about his change and secondary stuff, getting ahead in counts and honing his control. To throw him to the wolves based on the number of minor league innings he has thrown so far in his career would be the definition of insane. It wouldn't make any fanbase happier...any agent...any potential FA who wouldn't want to see a year of control blown needlessly until both those players are 100% ready to hit the ground running and succeed/build confidence.

One thing is hard to argue. Renteria wasn't good enough for the Cubs...at least, not when they had the resources to get one of the top tier guys in Maddon. It does kind of get old when we're supposed to believe that Hahn is actually smarter than Epstein about staff/personnel decisions. What exactly would our belief be based upon there?

Fine, the Royals and Astros are better examples...

The majority of young players in those situations (Royals/Cubs) were promoted level by level through the minors...stayed together with their same draft class, experienced a winning culture together and learned to rely upon each other for 3-5 years in the minors as teammates. Moncada, Anderson, Jimenez and Kopech are the main guys who could theoretically be affected (by the overall lower level of talent and cohesiveness at Birmingham and Charlotte while they were moving up.) Hansen, Collins and Burdi as well. At any rate, we really won’t see this until 2020-21 when the Winston-Salem group hits the major league level together.

Wonder if we can break the trend of Sox managers being quite effective in their debut year (Ventura 2012, Renteria 2017) and then struggling thereafter to keep the team’s attention...?

WV GOP Senate primary continues to amaze and befuddle... https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/05/blankenship-polls-west-virginia-senate-primary-570752 His (Blankenship’s) scorching attacks have veered into deeply personal, even racially charged territory. This week, Blankenship began airing a TV commercial labeling McConnell “Cocaine Mitch,” an apparent reference to a 2014 report that drugs were once found aboard a shipping vessel owned by the family of McConnell’s wife, Taiwan-born Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. Then, a few days later, Blankenship began airing another spot declaring that McConnell’s “China family has given him tens of millions of dollars.” ... But after lining up behind losing candidates in Alabama and Pennsylvania races — electoral defeats that ultimately proved embarrassing to Trump — many Republicans are skeptical that he will forcefully repudiate Blankenship ahead of the primary. Particularly concerning to Republicans is Blankenship’s TV spending. Over the final six days of the race, the self-funding coal baron is set to spend over $640,000 on commercials, according to media buying totals — more than Jenkins and Morrisey combined. Blankenship has spent over $2.5 million on TV ads in total, far more than his rivals. Senior Republicans say they are also distressed that Jenkins and Morrisey spent nearly all of the campaign savaging each other. Further complicating matters is that a Democratic super PAC, Duty and Country, convinced that Jenkins would pose a formidable challenge to Manchin, has invested $1.8 million targeting him in an effort to keep him from winning the GOP primary.

The White Sox might be shut out of the playoffs for another decade if they go to that option...

On the plus side, we’ve produced 3 of the top 12 shotstops statistically in baseball this year. #5 Escobar (who might not be ranked so high without Sox pitching to feast upon) and #9 Marcus Semien. Plus yet another for AJ Preller. http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23424256/bruce-bochy-san-francisco-giants-laughs-brandon-mccarthy-reply-rare-tweet Next, hilarious Brandon McCarthy Twitter humor!!! And at least we’re not Yadier Molina about right now, so there’s that. Finally, passed the Royals for 3rd pick, closing in on Balt and Cincy!

Watching highlights now...why didn’t Yolmer throw home? Forgot there was only one out? He didn’t even look...he was playing in on the grass. Abreu was pissed, you could tell. Well, at least we brought the Twins right back into race. Indians are only 17-17.

Yeah, and Oakland padded their numbers as well with a free night (40,0000+) for the 50th Anniversary of the Coliseum. Strip those numbers away, they’re at 17,180 pg, not 19,055. White Sox currently at 15,732. Cleve should beat us, but Balt and Cincy are in sight. Detroit and KC will struggle all year long as well.

Basabe 6 for his last 26 before tonight...hardly en fuego.

At least one cause for celebration...but Basabe cooling off.

76ers teaching everyone the fragility of the rebuild process...Cubs and Astros made it look too easy.

Tied with Royals for third in tankathon...now, how to catch Cincy and Balt?

Especially with continuing uncertainty about Anderson...

The 2012 team was in first place for most of the year, but most knowleadgeable Sox fans knew deep down the Tigers were better. Tepid support even then...part of it due to Dunn’s 2011 and Buehrle departing.

At least that makes more sense than original joke by Benetti

Anderson can’t hit again...Escobar must be hitting .400 career wise against Sox

Call 3rd homer, Adolfo double (10) and a walk

Something off with the Cubs this year. Obviously, Baez, Schwarber and Almora are doing well...but the bullpen, Quintana, Rizzo (Parkland shooting effects?), it’s just incredibly difficult to sustain a World Series level team.

AJ Pollock is continuing to look like the most attractive option after Harper, Machado, Donaldson and Arenado (2019-20 class).

Cubs, Twins, Tigers/Indians (tie)

That completely depends on the second wave of talent now at W-S, Kopech, Jimenez, Cease, Hansen, Robert, Collins, Burger...these next two years of years of high draft picks.

Narvaez needs to get that tag lower on the body...