caulfield12

QUOTE (MIZ-SOX @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 04:38 PM) You should let Hahn borrow your crystal ball. So, in your opinion, Rick Hahn is worthy of a 3 year contract extension? And you would also commit to him rebuilding the team in 2017-2018 if they don't make the playoffs in 2016 and 2017?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 04:36 PM) They need to be back in the business of signing guys like Paulino. Too much logic in this one-- Caulfield12 in the Sox sign Felipe Paulino thread. Yes, and I can pull 2-3 mods' comments that were VERY VERY GLOWING. That said, you have to be RIGHT occasionally (let's say, 25% of the time) when you go dumpster diving. Otherwise, it simply becomes a matter of wasting resources. And that was at a time when Hahn "appeared" to be committed to the idea of rebuilding...which quickly got thrown out the window. Remember, we were all pitched that idea by the front office that guys like Downs, Paulino and Belisario could be flipped at the deadline for young prospects when they performed well...? The other was the former Cardinals' closer, and maybe Miguel Cleto.

QUOTE (Dunt @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 04:00 PM) He hasn't walked anyone in the minors yet and didn't really do walk a bunch at Louisville. That fear seems somewhat irrational. You really think it's going to be a walk in the park for him to just "show up" in the big leagues so quickly? Addison Reed was one of the best collegiate closers in the game at SD State (w/ Strasburg also there) and he didn't progress nearly that quickly with his two pitch, FB/slider combination. It has taken him until the last couple of years as a set-up guy in NY to really start to figure some things out.

QUOTE (MIZ-SOX @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 04:27 PM) You are absolutely insufferable. The notion that Hahn is somehow a good GM because of that list is equally insufferable. You can take any GM or manager and roll out their greatest hits, ignore the rest of their body of work, remove context and make it look better than it appears to be.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 01:14 PM) Faker on my team would rip him apart before he even had the nerve synapse firing to think of a move.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 02:39 PM) Hahn had 3 drafts in the top 10; of course he's going to add talent. But is this anything special? Maybe it is. And then the opportunity cost of Keppinger, Beckham, Bonifacio, Turner and Laroche. What could have been done with those dollars? The weakest part of Hahn's arsenal are his trades for veterans and low-rent signings. Don't forget Downs and Paulino, lol... Latos and Rollins at least contributed to some win shares, especially Latos' first four starts and eating innings in the string of mediocre ones he had afterwards. Of course, if you take Danks' money, Shields' money...and look at their combined results this year as the 4th/5th starter (not sure where you fit Latos, Gonzalez and Johnson in), that's over $20 million for below replacement level pitching.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 03:55 PM) does anyone still have a link to this? or classic examples of the other "beefs" Honestly I was half-expecting this thread to be about the best Italian Beef just from the title what was this one I have to give you credit for being the most persistent, passionate member of the political threads...and Balta, when he deems to grace us with his presence. Which reminds me of JenksIsMyHero/GodLovesTheInfantry vs. the rest of the political spectrum Rock inadvertently hit a sore nerve on a bad day indirectly referring to (the idea of) Hickory's child/daughter, which set him off...sometimes we have to watch the examples we make in hypothetical arguments. They become too real, especially for those older posters with children.

Southsider2k5 vs. Apathetic, Excuse-Driven Sox fans who don't like the blue seats and want green ones or, better yet, the back surgery inducing old ones from Old Comiskey Ditka vs. A Hurricane GSW vs. Jordan4Life Basically everyone in the NBA threads vs. J4L Current Jays' ownership/Mark Shapiro vs. J4L/Alex Anthopolous SoxTalk vs. Jake Arrieta/Joe Maddon

I'm honored to have 3 rivalries, lol. We need to bring back Marty34, TheUltimateChampion and LDF. I'd add "GreenSox/Heroes and Anti-Heroes" rivalry with many. Greg vs. Las Vegas Back in the good 'ol days, Ncorgbl/Sat46 vs. Everyone at chisox.com For my money, Disappearing Balta vs. the Collective Conscience of the Remaining, More Pro Sox moderating team...because it encapsulates the fight for A CLEAR direction to be set by Sox organization in and for the future. LIP vs. Younger Generation who don't have as much respect for "traditional" journalism Greg vs. Hillary Clinton (pretty sure he's losing that one) Hickory Huskers vs. Rock (sad misunderstanding, and a good example why taking any of this online stuff TOO seriously is probably bad for your health) Thad Bosley vs. 35 Years of Sox history under Reinsdorf/Einhorn Fathom vs. the Cubs

You're right, you are such a great fan...so you're in favor of giving both of them 3 year extensions RIGHT NOW for the great work they've both done so far, yes? And Ventura's HoF plaque is surely on its way, as soon as he leaves the White Sox, that is. PS: Please PM the 38 who don't think the White Sox will make the playoffs and call them out for being "bad fans," that should keep you occupied.

Core Chris Sale - pre arb Jose Quintana - pre arb Addison Reed - pre arb Veterans worth their contract and worth something via trade Jake Peavy Alexei Ramirez Prospects in the top ~200 range Erik Johnson Courtney Hawkins Carlos Sanchez Dayan Viciedo was on quite a few All-Rookie team lists and was a productive player in 2012. I also guess that Trayce Thompson, Marcus Semien, Josh Phegley, Chris Bassitt, Micah Johnson, etc., weren't in the organization at the time. Hector Santiago has mysteriously disappeared as an asset to go along with Addison Reed. Tyler Flowers statistically is better than our current catching combo when defense is factored in, and for a cheaper price. Pitch framing/pitch calling strategies have slipped with Navarro, not to mention throwing out opposing baserunners. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- White Sox roster now Core Chris Sale - Hahn locked up on a team friendly deal Jose Quintana - Hahn locked up on a team friendly deal Jose Abreu underperforming his career WAR from 2014/15 by 125-150 points, should be DH, in ideal world Adam Eaton - Hahn locked up on a team friendly deal Carlos Rodon is there a single poster here who would have picked anyone else with the 3rd pick? and still not close to All-Star status, work in progress Tim Anderson would feel a lot better if Hahn had anything to do with targeting him Avisail Garcia Matt Davidson Nate Jones Veterans worth their contract and worth something in a trade Todd Frazier (I would hope he's STILL worth the equivalent of Thompson/Montas +) Brett Lawrie Melky Cabrera James Shields (SURE!!! Get on the phone right now and see if someone will assume that $27 million) Prospects in the top ~200 range Zack Collins Carson Fulmer Spencer Adams (has gone from near the Top 100 to closer to 150-200) Zack Burdi Alec Hansen at some point, results/ability is trumped by performance....in 2012, this was the equivalent of Chris Beck Trey Michalczewski (really?)

Beltran and Bruce (because of their respective price tags) continue to make a lot more sense than Cargo, Braun and some of the other big names out there. Dodgers also have some decisions to make with their overload of outfielders (but complete uncertainty with Ethier's injury comeback/effectiveness, Thompson slumping but still coming up with big walks/HR's/RBI's, Pederson platooning, Puig, Van Slyke, Hernandez, Venable). One or two of them have to go. Once again, focus remains on expiring contracts or players who will become free agents after 2017 (another reason the Shields deal was questionable, he's going to be completely pointless on a rebuilding team in 2018).

From the 2015 All-Star team... Cain, Hosmer, Perez missed more than a week with a thigh bruise/contusion where Butera had to play, Davis and Moustakas. 1-2-3-4-5.

Bad outfield defense has been a killer for Arizona. Last year, Diamondbacks outfielders recorded a combined defensive runs saved of plus-37. This year it's minus-30, according to Baseball Info Solutions. That's a natural outcome when the team has given so much playing time to veteran discards (Michael Bourn and Rickie Weeks Jr.), a converted catcher (Pete O'Brien), a converted infielder (Chris Owings), a player whose best position is probably designated hitter (Tomas) and a prospect (Socrates Brito) who had to be rushed to the majors. In other words, Peralta's not going anywhere. "It's only natural to review the roster from the top down, which is fine, but you also have to view it from the bottom up," said an NL executive. "If you're weak in certain positions or innings or spots in your lineup, you cannot hide it over 162 games. It kills you. The top-heavy roster doesn't succeed." "You hate to use the term 'misfits toys,"' said an NL talent evaluator. "They have good players that other teams would like and want in most scenarios. But as a group, it wasn't a great roster construction, from my perspective." http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/16765660...er-winners-flop From an article about "offseason winners" who often flop in the regular season...thankfully they didn't include the 2014-15 White Sox on their list, although they certainly would have been well within their rights.

Balta for the win. Psychology of how you go about preparing for starts versus the mentality of coming in for a single inning out of the bullpen, completely different. Not to mention the number of different pitches you're focusing on, with starters working on 3 or 4 pitches and relievers focusing on only one or more likely two.

I think we're all being a bit overly optimistic about Morneau. There's a reason he signed for only $1 million. Let's not forget what happened to Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales in 2014 when they were both forced to wait until June to sign because of QO's being attached. Maybe he can fight both Father Time and the concussion syndrome simultaneously, but it's far from a sure thing. That said, while at least the financial risk is quite low, but they STILL need another bat to be honest.

Herrera gets his chance to "early audition" for the role he will eventually take over anyway. Five All-Stars out for a significant period of time and counting.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 06:55 AM) Really, no one cares about Junior Guerra. He's 30 years old and having a good year, not the first to do it. How do you think the O's feel after Arrieta's success? What about Loaiza and Contraras to the Sox? I'm sure there are many more examples that I can't think of right now, but teams miss on players all the time, and it will keep happening. They feel like idiots, and kick themselves at least once a week. The problem is when teams miss 60% of the time or more, instead of being successful hitting 50-60% of the time. Do you honestly believe that more than 50% of the moves that Hahn has executed since becoming GM were "hits"???

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 5, 2016 -> 06:49 AM) The only one on this board who would have a beef about Guerra is Feeky. Other than that, no one said anything when the Sox let him go. He will go south at some point. I wonder how Dayton Moore missed on that one. He could have saved the $70 million he gave Ian Kennedy for some of his free agents. I don't think Feeky is responsible for who stays on the White Sox 40 man roster, any more than he was responsible for scouting Quintana with the Mets and Yankees in their respective systems. But, if he spotted something, more power to him. Maybe the White Sox need to sign him to a contract. And that kind of "everyone else missed it" thing was no comfort to Cashman on Q or Contreras, nor was it to all the teams who passed on drafting Mike Trout.

http://www.brewcrewball.com/2016/6/23/1201...f-junior-guerra There’s really no indication that Junior is going to slow down anytime soon, either. While some might point to his low .262 BABIP, fly-ball pitchers like Guerra tend to have a lower than average BABIP and he’s shown to be adept at producing an above-average amount of pop-ups. He generates plenty of swings-and-misses, especially with his devastating splitter, a pitch that can catch throw hitters for a loop since only 43 of the 582 pitchers that have appeared in the big leagues this year have been recorded as throwing one (according to Pitch F/X data from Fangraphs). Junior’s walk rate, which has plagued him on occasion during his ascension to the big leagues, has been kept well under control. He has great poise and composure on the mound and has certainly carried himself as though he belongs near the front of a major league rotation. It’s not altogether unreasonable to think that Juni G may improve upon his already impressive numbers, as well. Guerra has certainly followed a non-linear development path, originally signing as a catcher in 2001 and not converting to the mound until 2006 at age 21. Not only did Guerra need to learn an arsenal of pitches to come after hitters with, but he needed to find proper mechanics, had to be taught how to control the run game, how to field a new position, etc. The bulk of this development, including the addition of his split-finger to his repertoire about five years ago, took place while Junior was pitching in independent ball. Now that he’s found a foothold in the major leagues and gets to work with some of the best coaches on the planet on a daily basis, Guerra should be able to continue refining his process and improving his performance. In spite of his relatively advanced age, Guerra is still a “young arm” in terms of workload, as well. Since he’s only been pitching for about 10 years, he has much less mileage on his right arm than the typical 31 year old would. According to his pitching register at Baseball-Reference, Junior has thrown less than 780 innings during his professional career, or roughly the same amount of pro innings as Wily Peralta had logged by age 23. That should no doubt bode well for Guerra’s chances to defy the typical aging curve and stave off father time while remaining effective as he enters his mid-30s. Something about the 31 year old with four big league innings piqued the interest of Slingin’ David Stearns back in October, when he was claimed off waivers from the White Sox with Stearns’ first transaction as GM. Thus far, the move has paid off in spades. Guerra has ascended from waiver claim on the fringes of the big leagues to a workhorse starter that is occupying the role of #2016BrewersAce, and there is a distinct possibility that he’ll continue to improve at the major league level. One never knows where exactly a team will find valuable talent, and perhaps Junior Guerra is on his way to becoming the Brewers’ version of Jake Arrieta - a buy-low pitcher who morphs into an unexpectedly dominant front-line starter.

If the White Sox are going to get a ton of credit for Jose Quintana (actually, quite similar circumstances to Guerra, except Junior's age and even more traveled history), then they should have to answer for why they didn't see Junior as having a future with the team. He's got a 2.1 WAR right now. Now we can't guarantee those same results were he pitching with the White Sox, but looking at all of the other pitchers the White Sox were protecting on their October 5th 40 man roster...it's a bit befuddling. The Yankees/Cashman always said Quintana got caught up in a numbers game and that they had a number of better, more highly touted prospects than him in their system...but who exactly from the White Sox system so badly needed to be protected?

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/white-sox/...ept-dream-alive Where was Paddy's assessment??? Venezuela is supposed to be his first country of expertise. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/331117601.html The pickup of Guerra is interesting in that he'll be 31 years old by the time the Brewers open spring training, and he was out of affiliated baseball from 2009-'14. Neither would seem to mesh with a team in the midst of a rebuild. Guerra, a native Venezuelan, made a total of 31 appearances between Class AA Birmingham and Class AAA Charlotte in Chicago's system – including 11 starts. All told, he went 4-7 with a 3.13 ERA and a WHIP of 1.10 with 105 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings. From 2008-'14, Guerra played in the Venezuelan Winter League as well as a number of other foreign and unaffiliated leagues. He began his career in 2006 and spent that year in the system of the Atlanta Braves, then spent the 2008 season in the New York Mets' system before being suspended 50 games for PED use. The White Sox signed Guerra as a free agent last October, and he went 6-4 with a 3.46 ERA in 15 starts in the Venezuelan Winter League.

It's one thing to use Wilder as the Dominican excuse. It doesn't or shouldn't have anything to do with Puerto Rico (which is part of the June draft now anyway), Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Central America, Asia/Australia, etc.

If I really need to WRITE OUT TB IS SEEKING ONE OR TWO OF THOSE THREE, SPECIFIC PLAYERS, AND ODORIZZI'S ALREADY ON THE RAYS...this "gotcha" thing is getting old. Shouldn't you be castigating the majority of SoxTalk for not believing their team will make it to the playoffs? Calling them all "bad fans" for being pessimistic/realistic/pragmatic?

Time will tell whether the Shields move was the right one. That one did feel a bit desperate at the time....and their situation wasn't like the Indians with a 5-7 game first place lead. He's still given up 27 runs in 26 1/3 IP for a 9+ ERA with the Sox. Even his "good" version the last 2-3 starts might not be worth $22 million over 2 years (please, no references to how we were paying Danks even more to do about the same).