caulfield12

Ravelo reminds me of a guy from the past named Mario Valdez. Was laughing about the Korean star's description of being handsome...so we've got Davidson's red hair and K-Pop/soap opera or drama matinee idol down at 3B, haha. Actually, it would be a great get, and I would prefer that to dumping tons of money into Shields or Masterson. The Korean infielders are always quite capable fielders and fundamentally sound/team-oriented hitters. One advantage, having Tanaka (impossible now, of course) and getting that Korean kid, we'd start to have an attendance impact in the Asian community we're not reaching right now.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Apr 28, 2014 -> 06:17 AM) Count me in the group of people that were all on board with trading Alexei and Dayan and are reluctant now. Alexei I need to be blown away, Viciedo I'm holding onto due to his youth. I don't think it's a coincidence that the three Cubans are all mashing. I think DV and Alexei have to be of some help to Abreu adapting, while he might be having some type of positive effect on them and teaching them things that a hitting coach couldn't. Makes me want to get Yasmani Grandal all the more if the FO thinks he'd be an upgrade on Flowers. You can tell from watching Abreu get interviewed that he's very down to earth, yet very confident. Keeps mentioning "thanks to God" for his hitting gift, and the very simple philosophy of "staying inside the ball and good things will happen if you make solid contact." Seems like it has rubbed off on both Viciedo (look at the majority of his hits being to RF now) and Ramirez, it can't be a coincidence. (Now why DeAza isn't listening is another story, haha). There has to be a lot of reluctance to turn over the entire middle infield, especially the SS position, which is of utmost importance.

http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/scott-...feel-good-story

QUOTE (LDF @ Apr 28, 2014 -> 05:46 AM) with all due respect, I don't buy it. let's called it what it is without soft-soaping with excuses.... it was horrible drafting and scouting if that is where the blame goes. when was the last first rounder amounted to anything between the late 90's - 2009? and where should the blame falls on? Laumann and Bell, mostly. Paddy now, will be held accountable for results (or lack thereof) with guys like Nestor Molina, Zapata and the Latin American connection, which isn't draft-related. The problem is that everyone missed with/on Mike Trout. And then Mitchell getting seriously injured didn't help matters at all. Combine that with the fact that all their athletic/toolsy guys (Thompson and Walker) have struggled mightily, well, trends are hard to ignore. They've done very well with the 2nd round draft picks for the last five years, Addison Reed in the 3rd, etc. Ultimately, they're judged by their first round picks, and Beckham busting after starting out so solidly...they really need for Courtney Hawkins to continue his career resurgence and eventually become an All-Star middle of the order bat.

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Apr 28, 2014 -> 01:38 AM) If I were Rick Hahn I would definitely be shopping around Alexi to contending teams that are in need of a bat, Seimen has showed how expendable he is this year with the way that he has played. And I would be shopping around Danks to contending teams as we get closer to the deadline, but I would only trade him if I got a good package of prospects back. The problem is that they can't see Semien playing SS at the major league level without trading Ramirez. There are a TON of doubts about Marcus' ability to handle the position defensively on an everyday basis. 2B, fine, no problems, 3B, same thing. He's athletic and has a strong enough arm, although not comparable with Alexei's arm strength. I am starting to think because of Ramirez' body type, he can play into his mid 30's without a significant dropoff...and that keeping him together with Abreu and Viciedo is the right play, unless the return is amazing in terms of prospects (like a bonafide potential ace starter, Top 35-75 guy).

QUOTE (oldsox @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 09:17 PM) I don't recall ever seeing a post saying I demand a high risk high reward guy. Is that what Walker was when Sox drafted him? Or was he just a bad choice for #1 supplemental round? Sounds like you are defending somebody. He was more noted for his football exploits than baseball ability in Utah when he was drafted, fwiw.

What is it with B10 QB's? We already had Michigan's Clayton Richard, haha.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 08:38 PM) Scott Carroll went to Purdue for football, but transferred out b/c he could not get playing time over Kyle Orton Aha, knew that name sounded familiar as an Iowa football fan. We also have Kevan Smith, former Pitt QB.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 08:56 PM) Also, what if Saladino doesn't come back down to Earth? Sanchez, L. Garcia, Semien, Saladino- how are they generally ranked at SS defense? I guess he's a bit like Miguel Gonzalez...he's been passed by quite a few prospects and wasn't on the majority of Top 25 lists after being #5-10 a couple of years ago. From everything I've read, his overall fielding tools are not enough to merit an everyday position unless he really brings a 725-750 and above hit tool at the major league level, which is doubtful (but not impossible).

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 07:22 PM) What kind of question is that, the Sox don't currently have any of those 3 options? It's simply a hypothetical, "what if" question... If you could get Santos OR Reed, Peavy and Rios (undoing all those trades/moves) back under their current contract conditions right now, for the 2014 season (and beyond) OR Tanaka under his $175 million deal, which would you choose?

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 06:33 PM) Carlos Sanchez had three singles and is quietly moving closer to .300. Forgotten man with Semien and Johnson, but he could be a solid utility guy. Ultimately it's going to be a battle with him and Garcia for that final utility spot...depending on what happens with Keppinger eventually. The only way Sanchez could be a starter would be at SS, playing nearly GG defense and OPSing 650-675 (essentially what Alexei was giving us the last couple of seasons). He doesn't have enough pop for 2B.

QUOTE (ChrisLikesBaseball @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 06:58 PM) I was wondering why the "late bloom" on this guy, this makes more sense now. I was one section over from his family and friends and as the game went on, I found myself keeping an eye on them during the White Sox defensive halves. They were so excited and it added a very cool human element to the game today. This will be one of those cool human-interest sports stories that I hope continues. Carroll seems like he's got his head on straight, he just took some tough breaks. He was dealing in AAA this year before coming up and he dealt today, I'd say there's no reason not to see if he can't figure out how to be an MLB pitcher. Only stories that come close in recent years were Humber's redemption/no-hitter in SEA and then Santos making the Sox...the reality show coverage of that team with Ozzie still at the helm. When Abreu's family is 100% reunited in the U.S., that will be a huge moment as well.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 04:53 PM) Starting Axelrod will surely kill every bit of momentum we have had this season. Not really but still Cotts>Buehrle in NYC in 2003...nightmare. Not QUITE an equivalent situation, however.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 03:15 PM) Damn right. If they win tomorrow, the Sox hit the 1/6 mark at 14-13. And that's with Sale missing two starts and a terrible bullpen. If they get healthy, and the pen settled a bit, their best baseball may be ahead of them. You're doing your schedule/timeline thing again...must be a positive sign! By the way, would you rather have Reed OR Santos, Peavy and Rios OR Tanaka? It's an interesting question. For this year, definitely you'd pick having the better bullpen and the starting pitched shored up. Long-term, of course, Tanaka...assuming he's healthy in years 4-7 of that deal.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 06:22 PM) Yes, and as a first baseman it's very tough to make it. How about Joey DeMichele today though? He was 10-60 entering tonight's game and went 5-5 with 2 doubles, a homer and two stolen bases to boot. Scored five runs for a Dash record. Good for him. He's really faded off the prospect radar, but maybe there's still some life in him. .167 to .231 in one game when you're almost in May is pretty darned cool. That said, we have five million middle infield prospects, so it's not really anything to get that excited about, except for his career personally. Maybe he can turn things around and make a run up into BIRM.

How many times are we going to wonder/dream what it would have been like to have Tanaka paired with Abreu as rookies? 38 K's, only 2 walks on the season so far...he's getting his opportunity right now in prime time against LAA. Took out the side in the top of the 1st, of course, Trout got a single off him. Tanaka with four walks tonight already, only had two in all of his previous starts. Topping out at 93...mostly 91. Not the advertised mid 90's stuff, but obviously he has been successful at lower FB velocity so far.

Even if Carroll doesn't come close to do something like Humber or let's say Cal Eldred for the first half of 2000, it's already an amazing story of persistence and redemption, kind of like THE ROOKIE 2 (the Dennis Quaid/Disney movie about Rays' high school teacher turned pitcher Jim Morris). from chicagotribune.com/sports story today... "I mean, it starts with what Scotty did today coming in, and it's special," Ventura said. "You have a guy that gets his first opportunity in the big leagues and takes advantage of it. At 29, being up there, it's special. He was throwing strikes, ground balls. Even when guys got on, he had a sinker that you can use to get double plays and get out of innings. It's big. He showed everybody what it's like when you throw strikes." Carroll benefited from another productive day by rookie Jose Abreu, who hit a two-run homer and a two-run single. "We are all together, we're very happy," Abreu said through an interpreter. "I feel like the whole team contributed. We played well, and just getting to know the process and the steps that Scott has had to take to get here … it's a great thing and well deserved." Carroll, who outdueled former Cy Young Award winner David Price (3-2), threw 100 pitches and left with one out in the eighth to a standing ovation as his mother was shown on TV shedding tears of joy. "I had to hold back some tears and fight through that because it's been a long road for my family and (me)," he said. "For me to finally achieve my dream, my mom … she's an angel, and she's put in a lot of hard work taking care of me through two surgeries. It was pretty awesome." After the long-awaited victory, Carroll said it was time to celebrate. "You know, I have 36 friends and family here. We're going to try to meet up and I'm probably going to get a lot of hugs, a lot of kisses and stuff. It's awesome. Go grab a few drinks and have some dinner and just soak it all in."

8 walks and 7 homers on the season for Hawkins... From what I've seen out of Hawkins, he does have more of a pronounced hitch in his swing, but that was more last season...haven't seen many of his at-bats this year. Not about bat speed with him, but pitch recognition and adjustment. DiMichele had a heckuva game, 4/4, two doubles and a homer, to go along with an RBI and BB. Still only hitting .219, though.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 02:47 PM) Missed that, no chance we get Rodon unless we trade picks. I know you can't trade picks, that's the point. Or if was the NFL movie DRAFT DAY...

QUOTE (raBBit @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 02:44 PM) Got the chills with Carroll exiting. Just a great day for him. Undoubtedly of the best days of his life. Beat a Cy Young winner handedly in his MLB debut as a 29 year old. single-handedly or handily....

QUOTE (Charlie Haeger's Knuckles @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 02:39 PM) Santiago pitched yesterday, didnt he? Against the Yankees, yeah. He did shut out the Tigers the previous start, but 2 unearned runs did him in. 0-4, 4.44 ERA.

White Sox now 15 runs up on the Angels for most AL runs scored heading into tonight's game against the Yankees. (Hector Santiago 0-4 with a mid 4's ERA, btw). Oakland's 4th, showing how good of a combination of pitching/hitting they have going right now. Twins are 4th, still lacking pitching, what new?

Courtney Hawkins with a (pleasant) walk and CS. Micah Johnson 1/4 with 2 RBI's. Trayce Thompson free-falling right now.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Apr 27, 2014 -> 02:30 PM) AR single 9-1 And he was robbed by Desmond Jennings, or he'd have another double or triple up on the board on a ball he tattooed.

What next, a Nieto PH homer?