caulfield12

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 20, 2015 -> 08:46 AM) IF it gets to the point where the Sox are out of it, you have to listen to offers on Samardjiza. If the offers are worse than a comp pick, you turn them down. If you get something that is better, you take it. I am sure Rick Hahn has a hit list of prospects he would like from each team, that his scouts are looking at on a daily basis. If the right combination of those guys where to come up, and the Sox were way out of contention, I am sure you would see Jeff moved. So what's that magic number? 8 games back around July 1st? 5 games out of the fifth wild card spot, and maybe 7-8 teams all ahead of the White Sox? Would it matter if they were 5-6 games back in the WC, but were trailing all four AL Central teams in the standings? This team, for all its flaws, it should play within 5 games of .500 at least for the rest of the season, barring a major injury. That said, there wasn't ever a feeling that last year's team was competitive/in the playoff hunt and they were in the same position for most of the first 3-4 months of 2014...stuck between 2 and 7 or 8 games under.

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 20, 2015 -> 08:39 AM) Colin Moran is not any prospect I am going to get excited about. I'd much prefer Derek Fisher. As much as I hate watching the team lose, I hope they are either very much in the picture, or far enough out where the FO can rationalize looking towards next year and making moves. While the run has been nice, I am still tepid about this team overcoming its weaknesses. I am sure the team is operating under a contingency like "If the team is X games out of a playoff spot on July 2X, then we will be sellers." The Samardzija situation is really the only intriguing one to see through. The team has a few options: 1.) Hold Samardzija and try to sign him long term. 2.) Hold Samardzija for the compensation pick. 3.) Trade Samardzija too top bidder. I think it's important to propose that some people are starting to overvalue the the value of the compensation pick. Yes, I understand it's the slot value and the potential for financial flexibility in the draft that is the true value but given the the team's window of contention, I think the team would be better served trying to adding to the young core instead of picking up the 32nd (guessing) pick of the draft. Except for the fact a majority will be constantly confusing him with the former Lakers PG, I'll agree... I'd go after Santana first though. At least try. They're in playoff mode already this season, and they can acquire a solid 2/3 guy for their rotation (he'd slot in between Keuchel and McHugh probably)...and they don't have to give up Correa or Appel to compete this season, not to mention their two first rounders looming (with the possibility of a collegiate pitcher bolstering their playoff run ala Sale in 2010). The Angels are big-time vulnerable. They have the pitching, but that offense is in shambles after Trout. The Mariners, despite adding Cruz and Cano the last two off-seasons, are at least a player short on offense and on the pitching staff (what the hell happened to T.Walker?)

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ May 20, 2015 -> 08:08 AM) He's a hell of a lot better than Micah Johnson. Just watching a game or 2 will tell you that. Just watching an inning and seeing their footwork will tell you that. I know that's not what this thread was about, but my god, that was a stupid trade. If Semien's legitimately an 800+ OPS guy at even 2B (compared to SS), it's going to hurt, because Johnson and Sanchez are unlikely to come remotely close to that. If he's more of a 675-725ish guy (typical for that position now, unless you're Altuve/Cano/Kinsler/Kipnis), it won't quite be the end of the world because his defensive shortcomings will largely erode his positive value. Of course, it also is dependent on what we eventually get in return for Samardzija.

Harper was supposedly available, haha. Now they're writing articles asserting there's a decent chance he ends up having an even better career than Trout largely because of the way he's started the 2015 season.

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 20, 2015 -> 07:45 AM) Nice probables today too. Chatlote - Johnson @ 09:35 Birmingham - Danish @ 11:05 Winston-Salem - Fry @ 9:35 Kannapolis - Lowry @ 10:05 Is that a rival of Chipotle?

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ May 20, 2015 -> 06:56 AM) Not Castro, but maybe that other kid they have (can't remember if he was called up). Max Stassi?

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miam...le21442941.html First Dan Jennings "gut" bullpen move goes terribly wrong. “We did not see the 3-11 coming,” Marlins President David Samson said. “So once it was in front of us we were not fooled necessarily by what happened after that, which was a 9-1 [run]. We saw things that were not the way we needed them to be for sustained winning. So we started talking. And like we do, we came to a conclusion which is a change has to be made and only if you have the right person. And there was only one right person.” Samson said Redmond, who was fired less than nine months after receiving a contract extension through 2017, wasn’t necessarily let go because he lacked leadership. Samson said it was simply time for a different voice. Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mlb/miam...l#storylink=cpy

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ May 20, 2015 -> 01:02 AM) Good, scout him. You never know when the season could turn sour again, may as well start making some connections. I'd like 3B Colin Moran and OF Derek Fisher are two realistic guys I'd love to get back. Why not just go for Domingo Santana or Tucker (one of them) while you're at it...? Tucker and Moran seems not too far off. Or Singleton (with 75-85% of his salary subsidized) and Moran OR Tucker.

I'm sure that's after tax, but it's still nothing. Unless you're selected in the first 3-5 rounds or one of those speculative drafts later on where they can entice you out of attending college.... Hope he makes it, but the whole idea of waiting again until age 35 sounds like something out of a Disney movie, and he doesn't throw 95-99 like Jim Morris of the Rays did when he came back from major injuries.

Seems the Kluber/Sale match-up was worth about 2,000 more fans. Not sure how many of those were purchased in the last 48-72 hours versus pre-purchased months ago.

Very entertaining game. Have to give credit for at least trying the header....I'm sure that will be on highlights for years to come, especially if the Blackhawks advance and win it all as an example of "intestinal fortitude" and the "will to win."

Don't see where the Padres can afford to trade Norris when he's playing so well and turn over the position in the middle of the season to an unproven rookie, no matter how highly touted Hedges is. Seems like an off-season move. Kind of the same debate the Cubs must be having internally about dealing Castro mid-season.

McFarland USA's a pretty nifty "made for tv" sports movie, predictable and formulaic but worth watching. (About an all Mexican immigrant/farm working community's cross country team surprising everyone in California about 25 years ago). Wonder how many sports-related movies Costner's done at this point in his career? Must be at least 10, starting with the very first movie I saw him in, American Flyers, about bicycle racing.

Wow, that was one of the worst misreads you can imagine (on the routine pop up off the bat of Kipnis) from Avi Garcia in the first inning. Set the tone early. (And the perfect example of a play that shows up as a triple in the box score and ER for Quintana but is more accurately reflected in DRS/UZR/dWAR, etc.) He giveth, and he taketh away...at least tonight. We gave Cleveland extra chances (at least one missed DP ball gave Brantley an opportunity with RISP) and gave them outs by sacrificing to get the slowest runner on the team into scoring position. Too early to play for the tie at home instead of the big inning there. I'm sure Robin was thinking we weren't going to score multiple runs there against Bauer, but it's at best an arguable managerial move.

Well, this wasn't completely unexpected. Bauer's a very tough pitcher this year, especially on the road (for whatever reason). Have had their opportunities and haven't been able to cash in. Wonder why Sanchez was giving himself up in the middle of the game....if that was from RV or his own idea? Because playing for a tie at that point at home is pretty ill-advised, especially when Flowers is running from 2nd. Guess we'll have the usual debate about PHing for LaRoche in the late innings when a LHR's on the mound.

Well, this wasn't completely unexpected. Bauer's a very tough pitcher this year, especially on the road (for whatever reason). Have had their opportunities and haven't been able to cash in. Wonder why Sanchez was giving himself up in the middle of the game....if that was from RV or his own idea? Because playing for a tie at that point at home is pretty ill-advised, especially when Flowers is running from 2nd. Guess we'll have the usual debate about PHing for LaRoche in the late innings when a LHR's on the mound.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 19, 2015 -> 03:35 PM) So are 29 other teams, mostly because those guys aren't easy to find. Easier to hope and pray for Cleto to "find it" than trading for him, lol. Actually, there's a ton of guys out there now who can throw 96-98/99. Most of them are missing two crucial elements, a second pitch and/or command/control in the strike zone. I have a feeling that our 2012 approach (using about 12-13 rookies) will have to do...someone like Sanburn, Montas or Danish will emerge by the second half as a viable option. The Ramirez idea is a lot like Youkilis in 2012. Remember, we didn't have to give up much of anything for Liriano, Myers, Youk and Orlando Hudson that year. Of course, none of those really panned out like they could have, at least on paper.

It's even murkier when you start talking about actors/actresses, models and singers/performers. Justin Bieber, for example. The Kardashians, Jenners and Hiltons. If you believe being a true superstar requires talent/ability and isn't from birthright, then no reality show person would or could ever qualify. It's just like defining the word "charisma." Who has it, and who doesn't? I don't really like Taylor Swift (especially as an actress), but it's next to impossible for me to argue she's not a superstar. Or Garth Brooks, even though I don't care one iota for country music. Others would look at "staying power," the ability of someone like Madonna to retain her place in the spotlight for almost 30 years... Going back to the Flacco comment, I grew up a Dolphins fan....nobody can convince me Dan Marino (and Dan Fouts of that generation) weren't superstars, but they never won the Super Bowl. By that definition, guys like Montana or Bradshaw will always get overpraised while the Mannings, Favres or Marinos don't get their fair due. There have been quite a few "no name" QB's who faded into obscurity after winning Super Bowls, too.

In the tv series, it seems like they're heading to the battle/confrontation over Winterfell between the Stannis and Bolton/Frey groups...one would think that both sides would be so weakened afterwards that neither would be much of a major player afterwards. Although not sure how it plays out with the real Sansa instead of the fake/imposter in play. And what in the heck are they going to do with Lady Brienne of Tarth?

QUOTE (raBBit @ May 19, 2015 -> 09:53 AM) The AL Central has four teams over .500. No other division has three. And no other division has a 5th place team picked by a few experts to make it to the World Series...when all is said and done, the Indians might have the best starting rotation (1-4 at the very least), the best 2B (Kipnis over Kinsler), not to mention an MVP candidate in Brantley and another dangerous bat in Santana, as well as the best catcher (when healthy) in Gomes. There are a lot of divisions where they'd be capable of 3rd place, 2nd or even 1st if things broke exactly right (which they haven't...the bullpen, the Gomes injury, Bourn and Swisher appear to be busted contracts, Chisenhall has regressed and Ramirez can't hit well enough to hold down SS in the long-term. They've got some interesting guys like Murphy, Raburn and Aviles who are better suited for bench play on a playoff team. However, if Lindor's anything close to the hype, that line-up can turn dangerous in a hurry with Santana and Gomes also contributing.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ May 19, 2015 -> 10:09 AM) Yep, thought he'd hit into at least one triple play. Not sure how many double plays...but the results have been pretty horrific when he's not bunting for a hit and just trying to advance the runners/sacrifice.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ May 19, 2015 -> 07:18 AM) Dragonglass kills the Others. One of the few "good" characters happens to rule an island filled with it. Stannis is good? Really?

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ May 19, 2015 -> 07:13 AM) - She's left every city she's conquered in worse shape than when she arrived. - Even in the show, she's gone from emphasizing the importance of a trial to burning an innocent man alive out of frustration. - She's barren. Even if she wins the Game of Thrones, her line is dead. - Her father was the Mad King, who happened to burn Ned Stark's father and brother alive. While reading the books, I always got the sense that we're witnessing the events of a young girl slowly driven to madness. If you view the Starks as protagonists, it's hard to also view any Targaryen as a protagonist too. They're completely opposite. Perhaps you're right. Maybe there's a subtle shift in the storytelling selections on HBO (to cast her in a more favorable or positive light), but one would be hard-pressed to imagine they're going to change her from a villain to a hero or vice-versa and go against the books. Metaphorically, her children are the dragons. She doesn't really need a heir, in that sense. You could also argue that there's a subtle shift for all leaders when they give up trying to be loved by all the people and realizing sometimes that fear is a more effective tool to have at your disposal. How many great leaders were universally loved and admired and never had to get their hands dirty somehow? In my opinion, none of the 7 families have improved the conditions of their territory/people very much. And you have the loyalty of Sir Baristan Selmy, Grey Worm, her other lover/protector and finally Jorah Mormont....not to mention the Dorne party that was out to win her affection/s.

Let's say this is all going towards a "darker" confrontation. Who the heck is going to stand up to the White Walkers, when all is said and done? It's not going to be red witches/sorcery and wizardry. Logically, the dragons and/or Danerys have to play a role...as pointed out above, fire and ice are the two primary combatants. Not sure about the sea/water/ice part....the Greyjoys/Victarion/Iron Islanders.

QUOTE (Brian @ May 19, 2015 -> 06:21 AM) I know he is hurt, but VMart looked slower than Paulie in his slowest years yesterday. He maybe done. How productive can you consistently be with his knees? He already went through one terrible half-season in 2012 or 2013 (one of those two years) we he didn't have his timing back, like Kendrys Morales last season. Then he came out of it. He's too good a hitter to just lose it completely, even as this age...but I do believe he's never going to come close again to those 2014 numbers, thankfully. And he's never going to give you anything on the basepaths or defensively, so his only value comes from that hit tool.