caulfield12

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 09:03 AM) Lots of good discussion on this thread. Many people on the compete next year side. Many people on the true rebuild side. I think it will be somewhere in the middle. I don't think this is a good baseball team. However, the White Sox have good young starting pitching. Most teams with pitching don't have to truly rebuild. The problem is, who are the position players on this team the next time the Sox are good? Gordon Beckham? While he is having a good year, he is a #8 hitter probably. Hopefully Phegley is the catcher but there is an equal chance that he's bad. That is it. They have some intriguing options on the farm but none that will be ready to go soon. I also don't think going into the free agent market next year is the right move or the move that this team will make. I don't think keeping what the Sox currently have and adding a FA Of and 1B automatically puts this team into contention. They have to get younger. That won't happen with just Lindstrom, Crain, and Thornton getting moved though. This is the opportune time to move Rios, Peavy, De Aza, Ramirez, Dunn and whoever else you can. Obviosuly, you don't have to trade any of them though. The relief pitchers are the only guys that are essential to trade but those guys just aren't going to bring back a monster haul. This is a tough rebuilding process. The Angels wouldn't make that trade, IMO. I have seen Santiago mentioned a lot. Ideally, they could move Danks and keep Sale, Quintana, and Santiago. Probably can't happen though. What would it take for you to trade a Santiago? Unlikely but would you trade Santiago to LAA for Trumbo? Do you the Sox need more than that? I feel like they need to get 2 position players that will be starters and a young live arm in return. Santiago is a valuable piece that I hope they don't just dump. Because of Dayan's age and potential, he'll be around next season...they would be pretty crazy to give up on him right now...and they'd be selling way too low. Also, if Conor can hit 15 homers per season, that's enough to be an adequate or average MLB 3B, along with Keppinger (if he's not dealt) in a platoon, that should be good for 725-750 overall OPS. So while that's not exactly a position of strength, but it's not the biggest weakness right now, either. And then the ongoing Phegley/Flowers situation.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 08:59 AM) I don't get why everyone seems to think De Aza is having a crappy season offensively. His whole approach at the plate, his K rate, his walk rate, the fact that he seems more concerned with lifting the ball into the air and pulling now instead of accepting the pitch where it is thrown....his total inability to make good decisions on the basepaths, etc. He's just not a leadoff hitter anymore, and he shouldn't be playing CF, either....so he's a defensive liability and his enigmatic mental game has offset anything he's contributed offensively. He's the perfect 4th outfielder on a great team...or a playoff team, even.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 08:52 AM) I am a big believer in the truth lying in the middle somewhere. This is a team that was in first place as late as two weeks to go in the season last year. Now they are one of the worst teams in baseball? That sort of decline isn't right. That isn't natural. Age decline happens in stages, not in a lemming style cliff jump. Also it hasn't just been the old players. That only works for Konerko and Matt Thornton as an excuse, really. You can blame age for the disappearing pop from Alexei's bat, but Viciedo at age 24 and DeAza at 29 or 30 are hard to figure out, especially Dayan (granted, his OPS is almost back to 700 after the last two nights, but 775-825 was the goal for this season). Then there was Dunn's "aggressive approach" debacle, the Floyd and Beckham injuries, Keppinger looking more like a AAAA player than a major leaguer and then Flowers, but what Tyler has done was predicted pretty much across the board by most Sox prospect skeptics.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag...-151144161.html John Rocker: Baseball was better with steroids

SF Giants unforgettable season of defending the World Series trophy just keeps getting better and better. Looks like Matt Cain could be dealing with a serious injury, now this with Chad Gaudin and public lewdness charges...in a hospital of all places, while drunk. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag...-201028225.html

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 08:01 AM) Oh boy. My first thought is hell no, you don't trade Sale. He's under team control for quite a while with a pretty friendly contract. You can build around this guy. The rotation next year could be Sale, Danks, Quintana, Santiago, and another guy (Floyd?). That's pretty good. However, after reading this thread and the posts by members more informed than me, I can see the rationale behind trading Sale for an absolute haul. But it would have to be just that, a haul of epic proportions. I don't know much about other teams' prospects, but I've looked up a few that have been mentioned here. The Sox could put themselves in a position to compete for years. Overall, though, I'd like to see Sale stay. Floyd probably won't pitch at all next season in a big league game...would make more sense to sign him to a minor league deal with some type of incentives and try to talk him into staying for 2015+. Or just wait until 2015.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:38 AM) He can play SS, and has this year (and in previous years) - he and Saladino have both played SS for B-Ham. But it isn't clear if they think he can stick there. The fact that both have played there is interesting. If one goes to Charlotte at some point, look to see what position they play, and what position the person left in B-Ham plays. That could tell you something. Here's the thing. The bloom is definitely off the Saladino rose. So if they believed Semien could actually play big league SS, why wouldn't they flip them right now? (Is it because they think Beckham is easier to replace than Alexei, for example?) Does Beckham's new-found career resurgence change their thinking again, as well as a possible Ramirez trade coming in the next two weeks? Saladino, in the games I've watched, has been nothing special defensively...he's an okay AA shortstop, that's about it. He won't kill you, he won't make many spectacular plays and his arm and range are just average or a tick below average for that position, compared to the rest of the Southern League shortstops.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:49 AM) $6 million is not the price of a free agent closer. $6 million is the price of a very good set up man. Maybe going forward now with all the media contracts changing and the $25 million surplus money, but how many 8th inning guys are making $6 or 6.5 million this season? When Matt Thornton signed that deal, it was with the idea he would definitely be given first shot at being the Sox closer the following season...and maybe even for the length of the contract. Crain certainly isn't.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:44 AM) I don't think they will sign 3 guys, no. The reason I don't think they will is that I don't think teams will come through with offers that make trading Rios and others worthwhile. But I think if they're smart, and they get a little lucky with development from Phegley, they can sign 1 guy, hit the jackpot, and be right in this race next year. Then you're also willing to gamble that DeAza and Ramirez get their heads out of their collective -----, too? Along with Dayan... But having watched the developments of this season for nearly 90 games, what reason is there to believe that this will actually transpire? Magic? Luck?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:41 AM) where's ptac? I want his opinion on this...Johnson was taller and therefore had more leverage behind his pitches and stress on the joints...in his opinion, why didn't the Big Unit break down? And does he feel that Chris Sale's motion/delivery is a TJ waiting to happen? He's probably discussed it before when Sale was hurt last year...just can't remember his specific comments.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:39 AM) Santiago has better raw stuff and is young. Maybe some GMs will like to work with that. I would assume that the Sox will trade which ever one another team will offer the most for. One of the young pitchers is going whether it's Quintana or Santiago.1 Unless they find buyers for Peavy AND John Danks, a left-hander who has been pitching much better recently and is an experienced veteran with Game 163/playoff baseball experience, as well as the 2010 season.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:33 AM) I wish and pray every day that people will stop pretending the marketing department is a good reason to do or not do something. You want to market the team? Win ballgames. You want to hurt the team? Lose. You want to destroy the team to the point contraction gets talked about? Lose for 8 years. You spent the better part of the first half of the season campaigning against rebuilding. So you're essentially advocating, despite all historical evidence to the contrary (with the notable exceptions of Albert Belle and Adam Dunn) that they're going to give 3-4-5 year contracts to at least 2 and as many as 3 big-ticket free agents coming into 2014? What if that's the plan, and they don't end up signing anyone but retreads/cast-offs/players coming off injuries? If you're any of those FA players we keep mentioning, there's no other reason than money for coming to Chicago...so why would you choose Chicago instead of a contender if the money was fairly even? If we get into bidding wars, we lose every single time because at a certain point, Hahn's conservative/risk-averse nature will kick in and they'll drop out of the bidding.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:32 AM) I really don't think his motion is that much different than Randy Johnson's, and RJ stayed healthy pretty much his entire career. He's much thinner than the Big Unit...that's another part of the concern. Johnson was always THIN, but not RAIL THIN.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:28 AM) Floyd, Konerko, Thornton, Crain off the books. $25 million in additional TV money. There will be plenty of money to spend on hitters. But that same $25 million from every team (but the Marlins) will also be chasing that same small group of elite players and driving the contracts for Ellsbury, Choo and McCann into the stratosphere. That's the downside. Then you get stuck with a so-so contract for Granderson when you didn't even really want him in the first place, but you have to take SOMEONE to give hope to the fans and marketing department.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:04 AM) What's funny is, he's appeared like 3-4 times in that same recurring series - five fringe guys. When you are there 4 or 5 times, I don't think you qualify as fringe anymore. I think he's a real prospect. But that word has many meanings for many different people. If he could play SS with those numbers, he would have 5X the value. Unfortunately, he MIGHT end up getting stuck behind Beckham....and then Micah Johnson and Anderson are charging from behind, with Carlos Sanchez in front of him (maybe not minor league position-wise, but logical big league destination).

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:21 AM) If they're wanting to compete next year, I'd rather have Sale, Peavy, Danks, Quintana, player X than Sale, Quintana, Santiago, Johnson, player x. And you really believe they're going to commit to an additional $30-50 million per year in free agent contracts this offseason to make that happen? Even if they WANTED to spend that money, there's no guarantee they can get that package that makes sense for us to compete from among Ellsbury, Choo, Granderson, Utley, Morales, Lind (he'll probably stay in TOR) and McCann. And this whole concept of trading Santiago for a so-so or decent return vs. a bounty for Sale...they're going to end up regretting it, IMO.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 11, 2013 -> 07:14 AM) It's the second time in a few days I've read about Santiago being a part of a trade. The Sox obviously don't hold Hector in as high of regard as many on this board. Maybe they don't think his style will translate into long lasting continued success. Maybe they think he is an injury risk. It obviously is something other than results. Where did you get the trade part? Because they were hesitating to name him in the future rotation and putting Erik Johnson's name out there as well? I don't understand why they would ever want to hold onto Peavy and Danks ($30+ million per year, 25% of payroll) when they already have Santiago and Quintana...?

PHOENIX -- The details of Yasiel Puig's childhood in Cuba, the journey from his homeland to Los Angeles, and all of the joys and the sorrows he experienced before joining the Dodgers and becoming one of the most popular players in the game might eventually reveal themselves. Perhaps the pieces of his life when tied together will provide some insight into the man who has taken the baseball world by storm. The details may provide greater insight into the mind of a younger Puig, the loud boy who nobody -- not his father and certainly not any of his coaches -- could control when he was on the bases or catching a fly ball with one hand. Maybe one day everyone will understand what it takes for a baseball player like Puig to leave his friends, family and entire life on the tropical island behind and start over in a big city in a foreign country, because the mercurial outfielder will tell them. But maybe the mysterious case of Puig -- why he plays the way he does or acts like he has spent more time in the big leagues than he has -- will never add up because he doesn't want anyone to solve the riddle of his life. There's a chance Puig knows exactly what he is doing. What is known about Puig: He is an extreme talent who loves playing baseball. He's not fond of all the media attention, and his unique style is driving the baseball world crazy. Puigmania is just over a month old, and there's a real possibility it could crescendo at the 2013 All-Star Game if he wins the National League's Final Vote. Puig is currently in second in the NL voting behind Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman. In a span of more than 30 days, the 22-year-old has become a household name. His exploits have been compared to Joe DiMaggio's feats on the field and Barry Bonds' relationship with the media off of it. "This month has been unforgettable," Puig said in Spanish in an exclusive interview with MLB.com. "I'm grateful that this has happened in my life. I'm happy for myself, my teammates and all the fans of Los Angeles. They've all supported me in this month. I'm really happy with all the fans out there." Since Puig arrived, the fans have had plenty to cheer about. He has multiple hits in 17 of his first 34 games and, according to SABR, Puig is the second player since 1950 to maintain a batting average of .400 or better through at least his first 130 at-bats. Since making his June 3 debut, the right-handed hitter leads the big leagues in hits with 55, and he ranks among Major League leaders in batting average, home runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The rookie finished June with 44 hits, second in history in the first month of a career to DiMaggio's 48 in May 1936. The Dodgers are 21-13 since Puig made his debut, and they're racing up the NL West standings. They've won two of the first three games against the first-place D-backs this week and trail the division leaders by only 2 1/2 games. Puig is also experiencing the price of fame, and he's handling the media requests from reporters who want to share his story with the world in an unorthodox manner. Unlike most players, Puig refuses talk before games. He is elusive after the games are over. Puig says part of his distrust of the media stems from his days as a member of Cuba's national team, when reports surfaced that he shoplifted during an international tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The outfielder was also stunned to hear he was being characterized as a hot head following last month's scuffle with the D-backs in Los Angeles -- a game in which he was hit in the face by a pitch from Arizona starter Ian Kennedy -- and that's helped shape his opinion of the media. "In Cuba, there wasn't much press. Here, I have a lot of press on me, and it's not something I really like. Maybe they don't understand the situation I'm in," Puig said. "I'm not bad, I just don't like the press and I don't like the fame. I'm having fun and I want my team to get the attention. There are a lot of guys in the bullpen or in the dugout waiting for their turn to talk. It's not that I don't want to give an interview, I just don't want all the press all over me." The fans love Puig and he loves them back. He's a showman, full of bat flips, gestures and flair rarely seen outside of Caribbean-style baseball. "He's a good guy," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. "Yasiel is a good kid. It's a lot for him to handle. You've got to look at both sides. He just wants to play. It's not fair to throw all this at him and say, 'Handle it perfectly.' You'd like the guy to handle everything that comes with it. You [reporters] have to be patient." Puig is high energy, equal parts effort and style, but he has been prone to falling victim to his fervor, sometimes running into an out on the bases or trying to throw out an advancing runner instead of hitting the cutoff man. It's also a good bet that he will swing at first pitch during an at-bat if the ball is anywhere near home plate. There's also a good chance he'll make contact. "I've been an aggressive player since I was a little kid, and I thank my father and all the trainers who worked with me over the years for that," Puig said. "It's my style. But in this game, I'm learning you have to let guys like Hanley Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez do their jobs. I feel bad about messing that up sometimes, but they help me when I make errors. That's something I'm working on. I'm always going to give maximum effort, but I'm realizing I have to be calmer." Now in its 12th year, the 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote sponsored by freecreditscore.com gives baseball fans around the world the opportunity to select the final player on each All-Star team. Balloting began immediately following Saturday's Major League All-Star Selection Show presented by Taco Bell and ends Thursday at 1 p.m. PT. The winners will be announced on MLB.com shortly thereafter. Mobile voting in the U.S. and Canada is open to everyone. In the U.S., to receive the 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote sponsored by freecreditscore.com mobile ballot, text the word "VOTE" to 89269. To vote for Puig, simply text message N5 to 89269. In Canada, fans should text N5 to 101010. Standard message and data rates may apply. For the second consecutive year, the Final Vote will include a social balloting element as Twitter support from the candidates' fans over the last six hours of balloting will count toward their final vote totals. The 84th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM also will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. "It all depends on the fans," Puig said. "I always give my best and I thank the fans that like the way I play. If I make it to the All-Star Game, it's because of them. They can expect the best from me and I'm always going to out there and give maximum effort." Puig will join fellow Cuban stars Aroldis Chapman of Cincinnati, Miami pitcher Jose Fernandez, and Oakland's Yoenis Cespedes, who was recently added to the American League's Home Run Derby team, in New York if he wins the Final Vote. "We've all been working every day to get to this point. We've played all over the world and in different leagues," Puig said. "In Cuba, we played because we loved baseball. Here, we play for the fans, too. We know how to play the game, and that's why there are so many of us here. www.mlb.com Another article arguing for his inclusion in the ASG, comparing the situation to Brett Cecil, of all players. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?g...mp;mode=gameday

Still talking about Santiago NOT being in the future rotation, possibly...c'mon. They need to do more than just trade 3 relievers...otherwise, they'll be forced to spend big-time in free agency, or they're going to punt on 2014 (making the presence of Peavy, Rios, Ramirez, Danks and Dunn basically dead weight, and the reason for not dealing them now an enigma). Choose a path though, being in the middle isn't a good place. General manager Rick Hahn paints a rosier picture for the White Sox's future than many observers and fans can see. Hahn believes the team can be strong because its rotation is under contract through next year and ranks first in the American League in opponents' batting average (.244) and third in ERA (3.89). That was before Dylan Axelrod was peppered for seven runs Wednesday night in an 8-5 loss to the AL Central-leading Tigers. Hahn wouldn't address questions regarding potential trades leading up to the July 31 non-waiver deadline before Wednesday night's game. But from his comments to four beat writers after spending most of the afternoon on his cellphone, it appears the Sox are looking for young hitters in return as part of any deals that likely would involve relievers Jesse Crain, Matt Lindstrom and Matt Thornton. Many teams also are interested in right fielder Alex Rios, who could command two bona fide prospects. Hahn has dispatched several scouts to evaluate prospects from minor league organizations, including the Braves, Blue Jays, Rangers and Red Sox. And Hahn emphasized the Sox won't rush any of their prospects just because a position may become open. The 2014 rotation could consist of All-Star Chris Sale, John Danks, Jose Quintana, Jake Peavy (who will pitch Sunday for Double-A Birmingham in a rehab start) and either Hector Santiago (if he isn't dealt) or Triple-A Charlotte standout Erik Johnson (if Axelrod's struggles continue). “You are going to compete in this league with pitching, and we feel we have the nucleus that is going to help us compete,” Hahn said. “The bulk of our struggles this year have been on the offensive side. That's something we are going to have to improve. “We are not going to rush guys up because there is an opening at position X. We aren't going to put our best guy in the system in the big leagues because there's a need. We have to be careful these guys develop at their natural pace. We tend to be aggressive and give guys opportunities as soon as they prove they can handle it. “But when a guy is going to make that jump is going to be dictated more by their personal development case as opposed to our need.” Offense is a priority because the Sox entered Wednesday's game ranked 10th in the AL in batting average despite their 23-hit attack Tuesday and because of the overall struggles of top prospects Carlos Sanchez, Jared Mitchell and Trayce Thompson. On the bright side, Sanchez, 21, was 8-for-19 in his last four games for Charlotte. “I think he is still the youngest player in the International League,” Hahn said. “You have to judge his performance a little bit through that prism.” The Sox haven't settled on a permanent position for Sanchez, who can play shortstop and second base. “We are leaving things open,” Hahn said. “There's no need to decide yet, so we won't.” [email protected]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/co...rue/order/false In the bottom 6 in MLB ERA for qualified starters, only 5 pitchers are lower. 121 hits in 98 IP, 32 BB, 55 K's. Edwin Jackson and Lucas Harrell are also right there...along with a name that doesn't belong, Matt Cain. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,2596690.story "Velocity was down for some reason," Ventura said. "It didn’t look sharp. I don’t think it was anything physical or anything like that. But I’ve seen him sharper." That was a long time ago. In Axelrod's past 28 innings, Axelrod has allowed 29 earned runs - including 11 home runs. "I didn’t feel like (the velocity was down), but I noticed it out there," Axelrod said. "I feel fine. I don’t know if the (radar) gun was right on or if it was low or what, but I felt fine. It’s just one of those things, you can’t throw 84 or 85 mph to big league hitters and expect to throw it by them. "I don’t know if that was really what I was throwing or what. I’m kind of scratching my head with that one, too." Axelrod, whose ERA swelled to 5.33, will stay in the rotation at least until Jake Peavy returns from a left rib fracture.

Yes, Hanley Ramirez has been even better than Puig. That said, he has been better than Miggy Cabrera, Trout, Harper, Machado and Freddie Freeman, too. THURSDAY: "We're not inflicted with that disease," Jay-Z said in reference to other agents' belief that a person can only do one thing, speaking yesterday on The Breakfast Club Power 105.1 (hat tip to Forbes contributor Darren Heitner). "It's insane to even say that, 'What does he know about sports?' Uh, everything. More than you," he added. In regard to other agents, he said, "They've been sitting around for 20-30 years just not doing anything, so me coming, that's a problem for them. Now they have to go to work, now they have to wake up." The agency talk begins around the 10:20 mark in this video (see below). https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...jTgT8CrA#at=397 Jay-Z seems like he is preparing for war with agents...while not naming Boras specifically, it's pretty obvious his intention is to say those guys only care about the contracts and traditional media/endorsements, don't think outside the box in terms of marketing and don't really care if that player eventually goes broke or not. No beating around the bush, he's trying to get Cespedes and Puig (especially) to jump ship so that he can test that marketing prowess starting in New York City...obviously, the marketing of baseball star over the last 30 years (compared to NFL and NBA) leaves something to be desired. http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?topic_id=4214343...ent_id=28792089 Good job, DBacks fans....Dodgers are sweeping you, so you have to push someone into the hot tub, classy.

QUOTE (Knuckles @ Jul 10, 2013 -> 09:21 PM) I have no interest in Pacific Rim simply because I'm tired of the high budged, special effects movies as of late. Give us something of substance. The Lone Ranger, White House Down, Oblivion and After Earth would tend to agree with you...with only World War Z barely breaking through well enough to launch a sequel. But if you've watched Pan's Labyrinth, you'll have reason enough to understand why this director is worth checking out...to me, he's much more talented than Zach Snyder, Michael Bay, Emmerich, etc. Despicable Me 2 was disappointing, and Grown-Ups 2 hasn't even been released to critics. AND NOW WE KNOW WHY. Critic Reviews for Grown Ups 2 All Critics (7) | Top Critics (3) | My Critics | Fresh (0) | Rotten (7) Yes, it's time for another visit to the Adam Sandler Death-of-Cinema Fun Factory, the big-screen version of a terrible sitcom where laugh tracks are replaced by the co-stars chuckling at their own awful material. Throughout, gags are cartoonishly broad and afforded so little time for setup and delivery we seem to be watching less a story than a catalog of tossed-out material. A phoned-in ode to lazy comedy and staggering stupidity. Almost aggressively more of the same. If you hated the last one, you'll be in misery all over again. If you took to the predecessor, you'll find this one a fitting continuation. The most horrifying depiction of inhuman behavior since That's My Boy. Or maybe Jack & Jill. Or maybe Blue Velvet. Another lowbrow make-work project for Sandler's jock cronies, SNL has-been hangers-on and Dan Patrick.

QUOTE (Dizzy Sox @ Jul 10, 2013 -> 08:35 PM) I disagree with keeping Micah Johnson out of the top 10 but OK, I get the concerns about his D and age. Ranking Sanchez (presumably) above him...you lost me there. Sanchez hit for a nice average last year and he is a solid fielder, but I just don't see the upside. He has no pop (2 HRs in over 1000 pro ABs), he isn't particularly speedy on the bases (CS rate of around 40%), he doesn't walk all that much and he has done exactly squat in Charlotte so far this season, with little to no signs of progress. At this point you have to say his profile tops out as a utility middle infielder, or at best a light-hitting, barely marginal nine hole SS. Not terrible necessarily, but certainly not the kind of player you'd expect to see starting on a playoff-caliber team. Everything falls into place and you've got a, what--.700, .725 OPS 2B/SS who doesn't kill you with the glove. Johnson on the other hand is having one of the most exciting seasons of any Sox minor league infielder in a long, long time. The pedigree is there--he was well regarded in college, slipping only due to injury. He hit .312 as a freshman with 11 HRs and then .335 as a sophomore--give him that same stat line as a junior and he's gone the first 5 rounds (ask yourself if your perception of his performance this year would be different if the Sox took him in the, say, 4th round). Despite missing most of his junior year he hit well after turning pro later that summer...IIRC he was over .300 most of the season at Great Falls until he ran out of gas the last few weeks (something we'll need to look out for as this season winds down incidentally). He has dominated the Sally league this year, improved each month, shown a good eye at the plate, displayed decent power, and he has been consistently over .300. Yes, his D has been shaky, but it is not uncommon for infielders to rack up the errors their first season or two in the lower minors. Examples abound: Derek Jeter had 56 in the same league, Juan Uribe 38, Joe Crede 33 and even Ozzie racked up 79 his first two years in full season leagues, and all went on to be considered plus fielders (though I admit Jeter's fielding has always been overrated.) That said, even if he can't stick at 2B he still would have value in CF--contrasted with Sanchez, who has zero value anywhere but as a middle infielder. The Reds moved Billy Hamilton from 2B to CF, and Micah hit just as well at Low A as he (yes, I understand Hamilton did it at 20 vs. Micah at 22. Still, the point is that he has shown the ability to hit for average, with speed, some power, etc. from either position) In fact, it is true Micah was slightly old for Low-A, but not excessively so, and through an admittedly small sample size at High A he is more than holding his own. Plus, chronologically he may be a bit old, but from an experience level he is right on track if you consider that he missed half a season of games last year due to his injury. Put another way...most of the prospects we have are just that--prospects, meaning they have potential but haven't necessarily shown they can deliver yet. Micah is one of the few that has actually excelled in real live games. All else being equal, I'd much rather take my chances with a player who has shown the ability to dominate even if they have a few question marks (within reason--age, D, etc.) than one who could possibly dominate at some point in the future. To recap...Sanchez's upside: singles hitting middle infielder who is solid if not spectacular with the glove. Worst case: utility infielder who lives around the Mendoza line. Johnson's upside: Top-of-the-order threat with decent power, an ability to get on base and score runs, average to slightly-below average glove at a premium position--think Ray Durham with more speed but less power. Worst case: fast CF/4th OF who can steal bases and is a lefty bat off the bench. Personally, I'd put Micah only behind Erik Johnson, Hawkins, T. Thompson, Anderson, Phegley and maybe, just maybe Barnum and/or Beck. If he does as well at W-S as he did Kanny I'd consider moving him to #3 or #4 on that list. Micah has played basically the equivalent of a full season of ball. Check out his stat line over that period: G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR BI SB CS BB K AVG OBP SLG OPS 152 695 600 129 187 28 17 10 70 82 27 83 145 .312 .398 .465 .863 Not too shabby. That paints the picture of an exciting player, the type of which we haven't had in our system in a long, long time... Last quick comment: I'd probably try to sneak Kevan Smith in the Top 25 somewhere--possibly booting Rodriguez, his control is shaky, and lord knows we don't need another Donny Veal out of the pen. No way Johnson is faster than Durham, not even close. Micah has developed a very efficient technique for stealing bases (at the Low A level), and he's quick, but he's not flat out 0-60 MPH fast. And I don't see his SB/CS numbers holding up in Winston-Salem and BIRM.

Jay-Z's Roc Nation Chasing Puig, Cespedes By Zach Links [July 10 at 6:16pm CST] Jay-Z made waves earlier this year when he entered the sports representation world with his Roc Nation Sports venture and lured Robinson Cano away from Scott Boras. Now, the company is wooing Dodgers star Yasiel Puig and also has an eye on Athletics slugger Yoenis Cespedes, sources tell Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. When the Yankees hosted the Dodgers in mid-June, Puig was invited to a party at a club owned by Jay-Z after a Dodgers teammate passed along the rapper's contact information, one source said, and Puig left the meeting intrigued. Puig has also talked with at least one other marketing agency in New York, but the prospect of joining Roc Nation remains a possibility. Jay-Z is also known to be interested in signing A's outfielder Cespedes, who will be in New York for the Home Run Derby. Puig could be in town as well if he wins the Final Vote for the last slot on the National League All-Star team. As the MLBTR Agency Database shows, Puig is currently represented by Jamie Torres and Cespedes is with Adam Katz of Wasserman Media Group. Puig is in the early portion of the seven-year, $42MM deal he signed in June 2012. Meanwhile, Cespedes' four-year, $36MM deal will take him through the 2015 season.

QUOTE (bbilek1 @ Jul 10, 2013 -> 08:07 PM) I was excited seeing this thread having four pages. Should have known there would have been a couple posts on Semien/Thompson and mostly Caulfield rants about Puig/Freeman equaling Hilary/Obama. Caulfield is seriously starting to run with his shtick. He never seizes to amaze me. Your astute minor league knowledge also amazes me. I've noticed that 90% of your posts are telling us what someone did on a particular night, yet you somehow think I should be precluded from mentioning someone's batting average on a daily basis, for example. Interesting. And I would LOVE to see all these supposed PM's supporting your position about Hawkins. Wonder who those came from...lol.