caulfield12

QUOTE (FT35 @ Jun 21, 2016 -> 06:36 AM) You can see the logic behind most of what he does...but the team is far from benefiting from anything he does. It's the logic that JR is looking for to keep him in his position. Now, I don't like bringing in washed up vets to take playing time away from younger players, but Hahn did that in positions of need (SS, till Timmy was ready), starting rotation (because none of our prospects have exactly taken their MLB opportunities by storm quite yet and Fulmer isn't ready), and DH (because chances are you're not going to put a top prospect in the DH role unless they trade for Kyle Schwarber!) So far Hahn has fallen in love with the MLB roster band aid fix. He's throwing money at the positions of need. I get it...but I think he would be well served by CUTTING the MLB roster payroll and dumping a good chunk of those dollars into his scouting and MiLB talent/player development personnel. Think how far 25 million would go in assembling a team of some of the best scouts, talent evaluators, player development coaches etc. Think about it...we've got 27M being invested in a James Shields project right now where the payoff is he rediscovers his form and wins 9 games for us from here on out. How many wins could we generate over the years by beefing up other areas of our organization besides our MLB roster? It's fun playing GM. haha JR has always firmly disagreed with this type of philosophy, believing for the most part that almost all revenues should be plugged back into the major league payroll (compared to higher salaries for managers/coaching staff/development/scouting). The only areas where he apparently is willing to spend above an average amount are 1) Don Cooper, 2) Hahn's assistant GM salary and 3), Herm Schneider.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jun 21, 2016 -> 06:06 AM) Your idea was to have them sign Desmond like a week ago like no teams would have gotten desperate to sign him between when he signed and now. Because I knew Hahn would never do it...unless it didn't cost him a draft pick. And that Hahn's ego would never allow him to admit that trading for Shark was a disaster, but at least he had that draft pick that he could hang his hat on and push the analysis of the overall impact of the trade 2-3 years into the future. From my perspective, I though JR would look at it as $2 million saved from the draft pool so Desmond would actually cost only $6 million net...but, to Hahn, the Burdi and Hansen picks and the ability to sign both of them were going to be what he partially staked his position on (now it seems that the James Shields Death March is causing this to be completely overlooked). It's not what I would have done, I was simply trying to predict what our front office would do. Maybe I should make separate statements in every post for my own personal thoughts/ideas/recommendations and WHAT THE SOX WILL ACTUALLY DO, even if it's illogical/inane. From the moment they didn't trade Samardzija last July, the die was cast about not giving up that pick for anyone but Alex Gordon/Upton. I was HOPING he would last until June, but obviously that didn't happen because the Rangers understood his versatility and athletic ability. I must have posted 150-200 times over the offseason why I thought he would be a good signing, IN GENERAL. Why I thought he would be fine in the outfield (and he has been) and why it made perfect sense for the White Sox to sign him for one season to hold down the fort for Anderson while helping to make this year's team more competitive. I posted about it again and again and again until I was blue in the face, and the majority of posters were against it 1) because of his defense at SS, 2) because of his offense falling off the last year or so 3) because he was a NL player, etc. I would say it was about 15-20% for, 80-85% against. I also argued that Desmond could not only play LF/CF but he also might be able to play 2B or 3B in a pinch...he's just a very good athlete, and all the pressure of passing on that $107 million/7 year extension just got the best of him and it led to a disaster of a season because he was distracted by off field issues. Sure, that's an excuse, and it SHOULDN'T have happened, but that doesn't mean it doesn't or can't happen to pro athletes when hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. I thought the motivation of playing for a similar contract to the one he turned down would be the spark he needed...and that the line-up in Texas would give him a ton of protection to put up some really good numbers without expectations for him being so high or as high as they would have been had he stayed in Washington with that contract extension around his neck and the attendant expectations that went with it.

Hahn has a somewhat similar background to Quin Snyder (educationally). It took Quin a lot of personal struggles and fighting through demons to get back to where he is today...but he's much better for having gone through that adversity. I don't get the sense "adversity" is a word that has the same meaning at 35th and Shields under JR.

I mean where he was before the last four starts...I suppose they take everything off the table until he proves he can move past it and not give up 7+ runs every outing. Thursday afternoon will be a HUGE challenge in that quest.

QUOTE (soxforlife05 @ Jun 20, 2016 -> 11:51 PM) It didn't look like they wanted it in the 9th. Luckily for them the Red Sox choked. At least El Dukie did (at least)...and that's all that we needed, and a very nice play by Avila on the errant Saladino throw into the ground. Fortunately, Alex was able to corral it AND keep his foot on home plate at the same time. The strikeout of Pedroia was the most surprising of that sequence, by far.

Pre 2013, you would have been able to say premiere starter. Pre 2014, maybe... 2016, not so much. He's a so-so 3 or a very good 4 on most contending teams at this point. Premiere should be reserved for aces and #2's. But Hahn is doing a nice job of "creating an aura of mystery" with the term unprecedented evaporation of talent. That's called covering your own ass, but not sure JR will be buying it. For under $5 million, no biggie. On the hook for this much (not unlike KW's Rios and Peavy acquisitions), it's an issue payroll-wise going forward.

QUOTE (CB2.0 @ Jun 20, 2016 -> 09:42 PM) Losing to the Yankees this year says a lot. Ummm...what? That Q keeps getting screwed. Look at Sabathia's ERA for a moment. And that bullpen. They're not bad at all now. Plus, it's never a cakewalk to win at Yankee Stadium in any season. And the Rangers are on a 21-6 run right now and closing in on the Cubs as the best team in baseball. Who took 4/6 and should have been 5/6 from the Rangers? Yeah, the White Sox.

Upton with two bombs tonight, the second wins it in the bottom of the 12th. 8 on the season and finally heating up (typically streaky). CLE +9 KC 1 GB (travel to Mets for two games) DET 4 1/2 GB CHW 5 1/2 GB

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 20, 2016 -> 07:23 PM) The ironic thing about it is Coops biggest success story was Matt Thornton, and when he lost a couple of MPH he wasn't nearly as effective. Loaiza/Contreras. And Contreras ALWAYS had more movement on his fastball AND forkball when he wasn't overthrowing it. Putnam, the same. And some pitchers, even if Nate Jones throws his fastball in the 93-96 MPH range, it's not suddenly going to jump all over the place. It will still be pretty darned straight.

Right now, I'm hoping they fire Hahn and keep Ventura. Just because it would be the opposite of the Bulls' situation...where the blame rested just as much if not more on the front office. I think most NBA followers would put Thibs in the Top 5-7 coaches in the game today. Otoh, nobody could put Ventura or Hahn in the Top 20 even.

CONSPIRACY THEORY II

Hahn is great at two things. 1) Contract negotiations with younger players in pre-arb. 2) Speaking to the press without saying anything at all, which comes from his Harvard Law School training Everything else, not so much. What's going to be really hilarious will be Hahn getting fired and JR deciding to "save" Ventura because the team's playing relatively well in the other games NOT started by Shields.

Let's not quickly forget the outing of Miguel Gonzalez....he was at his best, at least what we've seen out of him. He just might have saved Hahn's job, too. At least until Thursday and James Shields against Porcello at 12:35 p.m.

Everyone can relax at least until Thursday afternoon. Jones saved the game on a ball that would have given Boston a 3-1 lead, Avila saved the game twice defensively, Duke literally saved the game and then Robertson. Abreu with the big hit off an ill-advised Kimbrel fastball in a situation calling for an offspeed pitch off the plate for the wipeout. Ventura Patented Five Fielders in the Infield with a 50% success rate. Wonder who pushed that idea on him? Kimbrel with the classic closer in a non-closing situation disaster (mid 4's ERA vs. sub 2 in closing situations). Avi Garcia walk, advances to 2nd...Shuck with a huge hit as well. Rusney Castillo DFA'ed today. He signed RIGHT after the Red Sox come up short on Abreu, ironically.

Duke earned at least $1 million in salary tonight, lol.

"And this is the fish that got away..." Poor Red Sox Nation.

LOL. Of course, there needs to be some drama with Robertson out there. Routine pop up to shallow LF, overshifted....that's where shifting can hurt you. Hanley Ramirez with a chance to tie it.

Bogaerts probably checked that swing...Sox catch a break. 0/19 for the first five hitters. Crazy. They must think Robertson's pitching for the Yankees, instead.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jun 20, 2016 -> 08:36 PM) Red Sox manager in the 9th over managed. Normally, you expect Pedroia to win the game there...after that, it wasn't a surprise because of the inexperience. But using Kimbrel his 3rd straight day. Non-save opportunities, 4.35 ERA. Nearly unhittable in save situations. 17 consecutive scoreless outings at Fenway.

How was that 2nd pitch NOT a freaking strike? You've got to be kidding here.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jun 20, 2016 -> 08:31 PM) How many times will we read this over the next few weeks lol After the Albers Miracle Double game...wins against the Mets, and also taking 2/3 against the Tigers.

Marlins beat the Rockies 5-3, ALL EIGHT runs were scored on solo homers...now that's baseball for you. Great job by Abreu....he's proving he can hit fastballs again, even if he's still swinging at too much pitches outside the zone. Dubious pitch calling there by the Red Sox. Offspeed stuff off the plate and he's a dead duck.

And now the Red Sox can't use Kimbrel tomorrow against Sale. What the heck was Cabrera swinging at there? Would have hit him if he didn't swing...

Betts/Bogaerts/Ortiz/Ramirez/Bradley due up in the bottom of the inning. Robertson will definitely earn this save tonight.

White Sox saving Ventura's job for another week or so. Assuming Robertson can convert the save, that is. Red Sox fans must be going crazy. Robbie Ross, Jr., in now.