caulfield12

What is Wittman's playing background? Is he more of a stats guy going out in the field (to back up his statistical/quant predictions)? Just reading all his observations, it's more like what someone at SoxTalk would write it they went to a game. I'm not buying his commentary as being all that advanced, compared to the professional scouts that work for the teams would produce for internal consumption, say, if Hawkins were being looked at as a trade target for another team. To say his ceiling is MLB extra at this point is asinine...and to base it on one season in A ball when he was pushed a level too high. Surely, he wouldn't have written the same ceiling at the end of the 2012 campaign.

Quintana battling his butt off in this game...elevated pitch count, a lot of pitchers wouldn't have come out after that 2nd delay. Battle of execution now with the 1st and 3rd, one out situation. Quintana with a great defensive play to prevent the run so far. "Like a magician. Give him the pointy hat and the cape."

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...os&c_id=bos Lester rejects 4 year offer for between $70-80 million, most Red Sox fans consider it a slap in the face for #1 Boston hurler.

http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interac...5:1?layers=0039 Big band of rain showers stretching from eastern Iowa all the way back to Omaha/Lincoln...not looking encouraging at the moment.

Other than Jason Stumm and Kris Honel, what other first round picks have gone to high school pitchers in recent memory? So there's Brian West, Bobby Seay (that one didn't work out so well), Gio Gonzalez (the one success story), Joel Davis and Tony Menendez since Steve Trout in 1976. A total of 7. Oops, 8, Daryl Boston was actually drafted as a LH pitcher but obviously became an outfielder (if you want to count him as a pitcher instead of OF). College pitchers: Grady Hall, Jack McDowell, Alex Fernandez, Scott Ruffcorn, Scott Christman, Chris Clemons, Kyle Kane, Aaron Myette, Jim Parque, Rocky Biddle, Kip Wells, Matt Ginter, Rob Purvis, Wyatt Allen, Royce Ring, Tyler Lumsden, Lance Broadway, Kyle McCulloch and Aaron Poreda. So 19 to 7, or 8 if you count Boston as a pitcher and not an outfielder.

Hawkins didn't strike out. There's that. Micah Johnson with a 956 OPS and .314 average, Trayce Thompson hitting the same but with a much softer 740ish OPS. But only 1 SB in 9 games.

1. Leury Garcia 2. Downs (4 walks in 1 2/3, not getting lefties out) 3. Paulino 4. Nieto 5. J.Danks 6. Belisario 7. Konerko 8. Veal

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Apr 12, 2014 -> 03:05 PM) I understand that but he isn't anywhere close to what he is without that 80 grade slider. If he keeps throwing that many sliders, you know TJ surgery isn't far behind. And for a team that is aiming to compete in 2015-2018, that's not what you want to deal with for your #2/3 starter. In fact, he's probably going to throw even more sliders and a lot more "high stress" pitches the next six weeks to up his strikeout totals.

Another reason for the "extra attendance" (actually 29000+ inside the stadium) was the redemption offer for the 3rd game of the KC series...that Thursday game with the terrible weather that we blew to the Twins 10-9.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 12, 2014 -> 02:22 PM) Abreu misses the hanger. Just couldn't believe he was getting a change instead of a FB in that location from a lefty.

Strikes out Abreu with the high change-up. Brad Radke-esque.

Now who do we go to next? Leave Belisario in? Webb? Cleto? With Swisher, Kipnis, Santana and Cabrera, the logical move is the lefty...Scott Downs.

Don't get it why Garcia is getting so many AB's at the top of the line-up...other than the fact they don't want to mess with Alexei Ramirez being so comfortable at the bottom now.

Luckily, Abreu didn't break his hand. That ball was killt.

You can't have five outs with the bases loaded and score just one run... Not with our bullpen.

You can't have five outs with the bases loaded and score just one run... Not with our bullpen.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 12, 2014 -> 02:03 PM) I agree. Conceivably, he could be on the roster all year, and then be in the minors for another year or two. Or three. Or never see the majors again. Although he has been pretty impressive throwing the ball.

Probably the ugliest way possible to score a run there, lol. Swisher should have thrown the ball to home right away. Dumb. Ramirez snuck in there with a hook slide...tag was missed. Force play was off at home, thank god.

Well...whatever you do Jordan, do not hit into a double play.

Still not convinced we're going to score here with Nieto and Danks coming up. Crosses fingers. Please, no DP ball or strikeout.

The White Sox have to be the worst team in the AL at bunting...SIGH.

Good news for attendance, finally....over 29,000 supposedly, according to Farmer. Tomorrow will be a much different story, if they can even get the game in.

Game on a tedious pace for four hours almost.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 12, 2014 -> 01:51 PM) Nieto Belisario/Downs...maybe Veal. Probably Lindstrom by mid-season as closer.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Apr 12, 2014 -> 01:51 PM) Seeing a lot of deadweight on this club: Paulino, Garcia, half of the bullpen. At least Axelrod throws strikes, much rather see his 5.00 ERA than Paulino's walk-a-thon. There's no way they go to Axelrod over Rienzo or Surkamp.