caulfield12

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Mar 22, 2015 -> 09:02 AM) I just looked at Bryant's numbers from last season. Would be HUGE for our system if Hawkins somehow puts up similar numbers to what he did. As I posted earlier in the thread, when he's ready (assuming Eaton and Garcia hit the way we expect), we may have to trade Avi or Melky or go with a rotating OF/DH since the DH spot would likely be open at that point. Also, I'd love for Thompson to have a breakout year as he is still just 24 (could be enticing to a team looking for a young OF in exchange for a catcher or another pitcher). The odds are pretty high we're going to have to put together some minor league pieces to trade for a more reliable (youngish) catcher.

I feel a trade for Yasmani Tomas to play 3B coming on, lol. NOT. Hawkins as a legit corner outfield power threat takes some of the pressure currently on Garcia...at least from a long-term perspective. Short-term, there's not much help in the outfield, other than a trade/waiver move or Trayce Thompson. Of course, there's probably a 50/50 chance we see Tim Anderson shifted out there (eventually)...but first they'll put him at 2B, barring any devastating injuries to Cabrera/Eaton/Garcia (or Micah Johnson) at the major league level. For as awesome as Courtney (and his beard ala Tyreese from Walking Dead) has been this ST, if he was on the Cubs doing this, there'd be almost as hype as there is for Soler and Russell IMO.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 22, 2015 -> 08:34 AM) Studies have shown that the big trade deadline acquistion rarely pays off. I just hope there isn't White Sox pitching available. You mean other than Danks? There's no way the Sox are going after Hamels and emptying the farm....that would be insane (Crosses fingers). Now, those incremental improvement guys like an Edwin Jackson, they COULD be of interest short-term. But there's just no way the budget has any room to push up another $5-10 million at this point in the proceedings. There's also a possibility Noesi becomes expendable with Rodon moving into the rotation...assuming he has "decent" value to another organization in need of some stability at the back end. By that point, Montas, Danish or even Erik Johnson might be in the picture as legit candidates (ala Brandon McCarthy late 2005).

QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 22, 2015 -> 08:20 AM) Just cause it was a close game doesn't mean both teams played well. Butler didn't make a jump shot past the FT line until 16 minutes was left in the game. Neither team scored in the last three minutes of regulation, including Butler missing the rim on their last three shots. If Roosevelt Jones was playing on two healthy knees and had his normal level of explosiveness, it might have been a different conclusion. Was impressed with their center (really a small forward in the NBA), Kameron Woods. Really good set of game-impacting skills...great length. Needs to fill out a bit, but I would love to have an athlete like that on Iowa. Olaseni's SOMEWHAT similar, but...a poor man's version.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Mar 22, 2015 -> 12:03 AM) I know it's a cliche, but Notre Dame really wanted it today in a game against an equally fiery Butler team. We will find out Sunday how much Kansas wants it. Will their sometimes zombielike turnover prone team play balls out basketball as Butler and ND did? We shall see. From what I've seen, ND is a FAR superior team over Kansas. How did all five IND teams end up in the same bracket (Purdue, Valpo, IU)??? It was cool, that aspect, State Championship, like Iowa, Iowa State and UNI being in the same bracket (Iowa could have played Iowa State in the 3rd game (regional semi-final) theoretically. From having spent ten years in Kansas City and following both KU and Missouri sports very closely, this KU team is a SHADOW talent-wise from those former teams. I'm not even sure what players on the current team are sure-fire NBA players or even first round draft picks. Before, some of Self's and Williams' teams were so deep you had NBAers coming off the bench, like a Cole Aldrich type. I haven't been able to watch a single NCAA game before this past weekend (because of being blocked out in China), but ND really was impressive, they've got the inside presence with Auguste, strong guard play (Jerian Grant), Connaughton....Jackson, Vasturia, very well balanced IMO.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/sports/b...mc=rss&_r=1

http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/ba...ut-the-red-sox/ Including Cole Hamels...

Bonus points for the use of dandy.

Or zombie Humber.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/113942384/mi...y-speak-volumes Bryant story from Baumann/MLB.com

QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 21, 2015 -> 08:28 PM) Good grief, is this a home game for ND football Ed Farmer is probably there. The UNC/ARK game is being played at the historic Nolan Richardson/40 Minutes of Hell pace...fun stuff.

Waive Cabrera...then with Hawk and Avi,two biggest corner guys surrounding the tiniest CF in MLB

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Mar 21, 2015 -> 05:43 PM) Go after Ben Jacobson from UNI. Lickliter concerns...not every mid-major coach can transition. Look at Weber and Groce.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Mar 21, 2015 -> 05:55 PM) It's amazing the money in the TV contracts. Are TV networks the only businesses that are thriving during the lean economic years/current recession? All you hear about are the huge network contracts. Live action content is a lot cheaper to produce than House of Cards, for example. But, as pointed out, theres a point where the numbers are so out of whack that subscribers resist and you end up with situations like the Dodgers where the majority of fans cant watch their team play. Unless they declare bankruptcy, like in Houston, youre going to end up alienating 50% of your fanbase. Remember the SportsVision diasaster, while the Cubs were using WGN and Braves TBS/TNT/sports south to build up their brands? Just put it this way....if the White Sox werent avail on tv at all but were getting $225 million per year for tv rights, and consistently were in the playoffs and highly profitable, would u still be happy? Or would u migrate to mlb.tv...gameday audio, etc.? Mlb extra innings?

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/03/20/justin-ve...njuries-surgery Oops

Just trying to get a rise out of ISU fans... There was a time every offseason we'd think the NFL would poach Ferentz. Now we couldnt give him away.

Gutierrez was more the main idea....defensively

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/3/21/8269...rs-fred-hoiberg

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariner...ms-latest-cuts/

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 21, 2015 -> 11:53 AM) I remember watching him toddle around the Manchester College during during Steve's first coaching job. Crazy. I once got to ride with "baby" and future American Idol star Jordin Sparks (it was fall of 1995) to a NY Giants football game...the NFL player I worked for at the time, Arthur Marshall, Jr., was very good friends with CB Philippi Sparks and his wife. Now he's in Federal prison in Miami for real estate fraud. Crazy story. He even cheated his late father's American Legion out of $77,000 for a new site. My best Iowa memories, though: Writing 2 papers for Roy (Marble) and getting to sit behind the bench at the peak of that basketball program's popularity....getting locked out of Carver Hawkeye Arena (in the outer vestibules) and having the opportunity to speak to Dick Vitale at the top of his fame for 10-15 minutes while we waited to get in...when Dr. Tom and Chris Street came to Daum (dorm) and I was able to pepper him with questions about his PhD dissertation on pilgrim athletics Chris, unfortunately, would be killed in a car accident less than two years later...

Verlander blames coddling for spate of injuries and TJ surgeries.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 21, 2015 -> 08:39 AM) Brady Aiken isn't hurt. He just has a small ligament. But being pulled from a game is never a good sign. http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/brady...es-start-early/ http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/back-...s-kolby-allard/ Allard out for 6-8 weeks, back.

Depends on the likelihood of a repair actually taking...not quite like Giolito situation, or Hoffman.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 21, 2015 -> 08:22 AM) My god that's a long post about Iowa bball. Larger than Ferentz's playbook I'm guessing. Waiting 14 years to write it... Like it used to be for a White Sox playoff appearance.

First Iowa tourney win since 2001 (Creighton) 14 years Last three times in the tourney, 2006 (bounced by NW State on last second shot after blowing 17 point lead as a 3 seed against 14, First Four against TN in 2014), 2005 lost to Cincy in the first round Biggest win margin of any NCAA game in Iowa history....31 points (before only going to the tourney 5 times in the past 15 years, Iowa had made the NCAA's 1999 was last time in the Sweet 16 (Davis' lame duck season, after missing out of LaFrentz, Collison, Hinrich, to KU) 9 Tourney appearances in 13 years under Dr. Tom Davis 2/3 Raveling (1983-1986) 5/5 Lute Olson (1980 Final Four, as well as 1955-1956) 16/21 years in NCAA's....then just 5 out of last 15 (Alford/Lickliter/McCaffrey) Biggest victory margin by a 7 over a 10 seed in NCAA tourney first/second round history What I wouldn't give to see Iowa face Alford in the Sweet 16....but I think Gonzaga's due to make a run with the favorable home court advantage. On the other hand, Iowa has now won 7 of their last 8. Opposite last season, finished up losing 7 of their last 8. Also, Iowa just signed Christian Williams out of Decatur St. Theresa (Peoria Irish), to go along with Isaiah Moss and Hutton (Chicago Public League), Andrew Fleming (Oak Hill) and Ahmad Wager (OHIO). This is the first time since Raveling they brought in five athletes and nobody from the state of Iowa in a single recruiting class. Next year, they have Pemsl already, and McCaffrey's son Connor in 2017... With their final scholarship (Trey Dickerson transfer), they're looking at a F/C....Russell Woods from John A. Logan CC, Caleb Swanigan (Ft. Wayne, IN), Shandon Goldman, Ikenna Okwarabizie (Tyler TX CC), Lamous Brown (Morgan Park) and Brady Ernst (Dubuque)...anyone know any of those players??? Swanigan's clearly the top ranked recruit of this group. NEXT YEAR Gesell Jok Uthoff Dominque Uhl Woodbury Sapp Clemmons and Brady Ellingson off the bench, Okey Ukah, then the five freshman and hopefully one more big man (see above)...a month ago, I would have said they weren't an NCAA tourney team next year. Now, I expect Uthoff to score at least 18 per game, Gesell and Woodbury to provide senior leadership and Jok to crank up his scoring to 12-14 per game....and also to be able to play up tempo/attacking/pressing style with all the freshman wing players. Also expecting big things out of Dominque Uhl, who has shown glimpses of talent this season as a freshman.