caulfield12

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 26, 2013 -> 08:13 AM) This game is a great example of box scores lying. I'm sure this "blown save" and the one where he had the 5 run lead will be used to drive his trade value down by opposing GM's. Not unlike Crain's last game against KC, even though it wasn't 100% his fault, he should have gotten out of the inning with lead at least.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jun 26, 2013 -> 07:52 AM) It really depends who is left on the roster at the end of the year. If you move two starters along with Rios, Ramirez, and Beckham, there are additional holes to fill and the offense will take a step back. If the Sox do sell like that, I think you will see them sign some guys to 1 year deals on the cheap so that they can re-build value and the Sox can have a semi competitive team. Like perhaps Corey Hart and Ryan Madson if they have to sit out the year, allow them to build value and trade them at the deadline next year. They can fill some holes, but are they going to fill enough to catch the Tigers, Rangers, Yankees, Orioles, Rays, Blue Jays, Red Sox, and probably the Angels once they get things figured out? The danger here is being in no mans land, just good enough to be competitive but not good enough to make the playoffs. If you are going to be bad, be bad. Accumulate talent in the draft and through international free agency and bank money to trade for established players. Free agency has never been real kind to the Sox, partially because the team has refused to work with the agent that represents a good percentage of baseballs elite players. This sounds exactly like the position the Mariners find themselves in. Two aces in Fernandez and Sale. Some pieces, like Iwakuma or Peavy, but nothing that would threaten the Rangers or A's. They added Morse, Bay, Morales and Ibanez...and yet they're still miles from competing. Smoak, Ackley, Montero and Saunders have been disappointments. Seager is about the only one who has held his own, and now Nick Franklin at 2B.

So if you had to choose between Curtis Granderson for more money per year but 2 years and a club option for 2016 (w/ buyout) or Kendrys Morales for 3 guaranteed years at the same total amount as Granderson, which would you choose?

Supposedly, Reed was calling for Gillaspie to take it. Reed also acknowledged he could have gotten a few more steps out of the way....but with the way Beckham was charging into the play, it might not have made a difference (tripping over Addison's foot) in the final result anyway. Has to be better communication, clearly. More Little League/Tom Emanski fundamentals drills highlights. I guarantee a play like that would never happen in Japan or Korea.

By Kevin Kaufmann, June 6, 2013 at 4:49 pm (www.chicagonow.com) I don’t blame any White Sox fan for not paying much attention these days. The Hawks have been exciting to watch, the NBA playoffs even without the Bulls have been pretty good and Game of Thrones in making people scream with horror and delight. In all honesty, though not much of a better team, the Cubs are more compelling viewing these days. The White Sox aren’t just bad, they are boring and predictable. Going through the (fairly) regular line-up, the White Sox currently have three automatic outs each time they are up in Dunn, Keppinger and Flowers. Considering that is one third of the at bats in a game, just by virtue of putting those players out there, the Sox have conceded three innings, making a win a lot harder than it should be. Seriously, when Adam Dunn gets two strikes in an at bat and you need a cookie are you pausing the DVR? Waiting for the at bat to end? I doubt it and why should you? Adam Dunn with two strikes is like watching a wave approach the shore; it may take a little time, but inevitably it is going to crash. When I look at the White Sox in the field I’m reminded of a conversation a friend and I had about women’s sports and sport viewing in general. My argument is that people refuse to watch women’s sports not because the participants are women (I’m sure some idiots reason that way, but I digress) but because we, as humans, like to see the best at any endeavor. Given the choice, do you go to the Bolshoi or the Joliet Community Ballet? It is the same reason that Simon Kuper quipped in one of his books, “American soccer interest is alive and well and sitting on a couch watching Manchester United.” The MLS is a fine, fun league. It is also light years below the best leagues in Europe. I bring this up in regards to the White Sox because if, according to my proposition, we like to watch excellence, then we are not getting excellence watching the White Sox play defense. The error count is high, but that is a pretty arbitrary decision. It is just the poor play in general that is hard to watch; the missed throws, bad positioning and poor decisions made on a nightly basis are just painful. I’ve seen and heard a few people who are still optimistic about the White Sox. Feeling assured that it is not too late because over the recent eight game losing streak the Sox only lost two games in the standings is fool’s gold. Even before the streak, when the team was at the airy heights of .500, what aspect of the team inspired confidence that they could make a push for the division? The offense has been the worst in the American League for the better part of the season, same goes for the defense. The starting pitching has been a small beacon of hope, but now Peavy is out for four to six weeks. Dylan Axelrod currently leads the team in games started. That isn’t good. Between him and Hector Santiago they have seventeen starts and they have done well, but I don’t think it will last. Even if they do keep it up, the offense and defense are so poor, it doesn’t really matter. The other sort of optimistic, or at least fantasy thinking tact some White Sox fans have been taking is that the White Sox should have a fire sale and start over. There is a couple things wrong with this thinking. First, which players are attractive to other teams? Alex Rios might get some interest, but he has a bit of a burdensome contract so maybe not. I can’t imagine anyone taking on Adam Dunn and I highly doubt he will move on waivers either. And don’t expect the White Sox to outright release him. I don’t think Reinsdorf is cheap, but I also don’t think he will be willing to eat the remaining two years of Dunn’s contract. I’ve seen a few comments that Alexei Ramirez might be moved, but his one home run and downturn on defense isn’t going to get much in return. A few pitchers could be attractive, but that would thin the already skimpy staff. Before the injury, Peavy was mentioned, but missing up to six weeks really seems to hurt his “help right now” appeal. The overall strategy of “trade the underachievers for prospects” doesn’t seem that plausible. Actually calling the White Sox players underachievers is being kind; they simply aren’t very good. Getting much in return for bad players doesn’t usually happen. So what are the White Sox to do? I think exploring the trade market isn’t a bad idea, knowing full well there won’t be much coming back. Next, and here is where it gets complicated, the White Sox need to give up the strategy that Kenny Williams espoused during his tenure; the rebuild on the fly while trying to compete model. It can be successful (2005!) but it doesn’t build a sustained success. The next time the White Sox make back to back post seasons will be the first time (yes, 1994 they finished first, but no playoffs that year, thanks Bud!) The White Sox need to rebuild and I think it needs to go beyond just players. Honestly, thus far the Rick Hahn regime hasn’t shown much. Hiring Buddy Bell inspires no confidence in me. A long baseball pedigree with a lot of bad teams doesn’t seem to be evidence that he knows how to rebuild a farm system, let alone create a championship at the top level.

mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @ChrisRongey @Diesal3426 U have no business having the job u do. U must give great head to whoever ur superiors are. View conversation Reply Retweet Favorite More mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @ChrisRongey @Diesal3426 @scottmerkin Watch your mouth, Rongey. Im not afraid to b**** slap you like the sally you are View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @Diesal3426 @Chuck_Lief @ChrisRongey At this point, they are so pitiful, its fun bad. Who will screw up next !? View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @Diesal3426 @ChrisRongey @scottmerkin Its embarassing to all those who have put on that Sox uniform though View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @Diesal3426 @ChrisRongey @scottmerkin No...Black Jesus had nothing to do with that View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @chisoxbarstool no one can bunt on this team. They execute like 5 year olds View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @ChrisRongey @scottmerkin and grow a set of balls View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @ChrisRongey @scottmerkin Farmer...DJ...Hawk...Stone, ALL RIPPING this bulls***. How bout it Rongey, take the Corporate hat off View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @ChrisRongey @scottmerkin How do u like them apples, Rongey !?! View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @DomeSki22 Worst team in MLB View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @chisoxbarstool @ChiSoxFanDan @scottmerkin This is the worst team in baseball. I dare u to prove otherwise. They are now insulting the game View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @scottmerkin OK Merk....This is now Bad News Bears. This is humiliating to the game of baseball View conversation mike slusarz ‏@MickerFP now @scottmerkin Maybe he should have kept the locks View conversation

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 26, 2013 -> 04:54 AM) Now the excuse is by people who weren't there that they just laid around and drank beer for a month and a half and the reason it isn't being reported is the writers feel sorry for Robin. LMAO. And people rip Greg about AJ. Just find one source other than Balta's speculation that the White Sox were lax towards fundamentals during spring training. If it was anything near the country club atmosphere it has been described with no work being done, it would be out there. There are more than just beat writers in Glendale. (this article was written on May 13th for the DAILY HERALD) By Chris Rongey I'm aware there wasn't a wealth of White Sox fan excitement entering the 2013 season. At best, the majority of any upbeat opinion of what this team would be was best defined as restrained confidence. The idea that it all might just be all right if most things went well. But they haven't. You see, the White Sox this year always have been — going back to February — a team that would have very little room for error if they wanted to truly compete. Unfortunately, all we've seen this season is too many of those. Errors. Thus, I'm led to the first of this past week's concerns of the fan (and me, too): Are they going to start playing better defense, because, gaaaa, my eyes??? First, errors don't mean everything. Having more than most other teams in baseball (as the Sox do), does not necessarily mean that the defense, or the team itself, is a bad one. In general, teams with better overall fielding range are able to reach more balls in play, and consequently have more opportunity to accumulate a greater total of errors. So, on occasion, more errors can just mean a team simply gets to balls that other teams don't. In the case of the White Sox, though, the errors do mean something. As you know, a team that is as poor of an offensive team as this one has been does not have enough equity to be able to afford and withstand extra outs and gift runs. Just this past week on at least two instances the game-tying/winning runs scored directly as the result of bad fielding. I've estimated that the Sox have costs themselves 4 wins on defense alone, and I'm probably coming in short on that. Originally, I figured they wouldn't suffer from defensive disorders all season, but the longer this goes on, the more worrisome it becomes. They just have to make sure it doesn't metastasize into an incurable disease. I still have a difficult time thinking this will go on all season, but it has been happening for far too long. •Should this team consider "blowing it up"? No. Not now. And even if the White Sox did want to see what they could get in return for the likes of Jake Peavy, Alex Rios, any reliever, etc., it's not automatically the case that they'll receive a haul in return. Modern team philosophy around baseball is that prospects are to be protected, and acquiring another team's good young players isn't nearly as easy as it once was. So the dream of selling off well-paid veterans to stock up on cheap, young talent is just that: a dream. •How much will the return of Gordon Beckham and John Danks help? Hopefully Beckham's return will greatly improve infield defense for a unit that desperately needs to get better. Quite a few of the miscues on the diamond have been instigated by the second base position, including misplayed popups, booted double-play grounders and turns to first. The rotation still has done nice work in the absence of Danks, but his addition to the staff should solidify it. At minimum, it gives them an option for the final spot in the rotation as they chose between Hector Santiago and Dylan Axelrod. •Chris Rongey is the host of the White Sox pregame and postgame shows on WSCR 670-AM The Score. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRongey and at chrisrongey.com. Subscriber Total Access members can email him questions each week via our online link.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/videogallery...on-error-in-9th Gordon giving a pretty heartfelt apology/explanation. Ramirez, who also has received support from his teammates after committing some costly errors, also downplayed Beckham's error. "Things happen in baseball," said Ramirez, who ripped a game-winning hit down the left field line off LaTroy Hawkins to score Jeff Keppinger with the winning run. "It’s a game. Good things can happen. Bad things can happen." (another meme/theme/tagline/motto for this season) "But for him (Beckham), the most important thing is we got the win." Both Gordon and Reed expressed how upset they were about Chris Sale not getting the victory.

The Dodgers definitely have to trade Ethier or Crawford, and eat contract dollars to do so. Probably, they will replace Uribe's bat at 3B in the next 5 or so weeks, so that does block Dee Gordon (at least until the end of the season) from playing SS if Hanley Ramirez can actually stay healthy. If we were to do that trade, it would make MORE sense to keep Dunn, get back Ethier or Crawford (BOTH with a ton of cash) and Gordon AND a solid prospect. Then trade Alexei in a separate deal. Instead of making the focus of the deal Ramirez, it should be a starting pitcher instead (Peavy, Danks, Santiago, Quintana), which is the bigger/biggest need for the Dodgers right now with Billingsley out the whole season.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jun 26, 2013 -> 12:13 AM) Post of the week. I know the first post was a joke but I can't believe anyone here would seriously think Coop will fix Marmol. I think Coop has lost his magic wand or some of these guys are just really, really bad. He couldn't fix the former Twins dude last year. Danks and Floyd are not a testament to Coop's greatness. And Liriano's doing just swell this season with the Pirates, who are currently 17 games over .500 and having their best season in over 20 years.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 26, 2013 -> 04:54 AM) Now the excuse is by people who weren't there that they just laid around and drank beer for a month and a half and the reason it isn't being reported is the writers feel sorry for Robin. LMAO. And people rip Greg about AJ. Just find one source other than Balta's speculation that the White Sox were lax towards fundamentals during spring training. If it was anything near the country club atmosphere it has been described with no work being done, it would be out there. There are more than just beat writers in Glendale. Maybe they were all focused on Yasiel Puig and forgot the White Sox, lol.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 06:35 PM) http://whitesoxpride.mlblogs.com/2013/03/ It says they still were working on fundamentals the day before the season started. When they called for the practice 5 hours before a game last month, Dunn said they worked on things they were working on the first day of spring training. You found a ton last year because the defense was stellar. They don't write about it now because the defense has been bad, but if they had a lax spring, the play would have produced at least a couple of articles about the lack of preperation. That hasn't been the case. Sometimes guys just play terribly. Or the beat writers are covering for Ventura because they feel sorry for him and believe it's not really his fault, that the team is just either getting old (Konerko) or lacking in talent. It's pretty rare that beat writers step out and openly confront something like this unless they have some inkling the manager's days are numbered and he's going to be leaving soon...that the tide/momentum has shifted enough to give them cover. Maybe with the Ozzie/KW war, it would be less unusual because it was much a PR/spin war in the media (and social media) than anything else.

Mr. Marte on the Pirates got game.

QUOTE (lord chas @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 10:12 PM) Yep. Had some parts you had no idea what was coming next There was one moment I almost jumped out of my seat. Wasn't ready for that turn in the plot.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 10:05 PM) Any chance of Thompson being ready next year? Move ADA to LF and Viciedo to DH/1B. Maybe 20-25%? Wouldn't count on him until at least July/August, 2014. Then again, they might trade DeAza/Viciedo and force the issue, although Danks and Wise (and possibly even Tekotte) would be more likely to receive that playing time. Who knows what they're thinking.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 08:58 PM) Let's just remember that tonight's blown save for Addison doesn't count. They will use that blown save against him in arbitration, lol.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 07:37 PM) Damn. The End of the World was pretty damn amazing. I enjoyed it. It was so different. It was very clever and so "insider Hollywoodish," like a cross between Entourage and The Player with a disaster movie like 2012/The Day After Tomorrow thrown in for dramatic effect. I'm sure they had a TON of fun making that one, especially Michael Cera. Credit to James Franco for being able to make fun of himself. It was also a bit like Grown Ups, I Love You, Man, Horrible Bosses or the Hot Tub Time Machine, buddy/bonding picture.

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 09:40 PM) Needs to have a higher SLG%. He won't sniff the bigs if he can't slug over .475. Unless it's Carlos Sanchez and he can play SS at the big league level.

It's like one of those videos where the irate football coach trips the opposing player who's going all the way in the other direction on an interception and pretends like it wasn't intentional, lol.

Well, we can't bench Tyler for another week. He had another homer. It was hilarious how Hawk was calling stolen bases before they even happened....poor Harrelson.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 09:24 PM) 5 walks for Dan Black tonight Haha. With our RISP tendencies, he'd probably never score. That almost equals Ramirez, Viciedo and Keppinger for the season. Let me guess....he's as fast as one of the Molina brothers?

If Earley, Wilkins and Black ever start for the White Sox, we're looking at 95-115 losses, lol.

QUOTE (mike89128 @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 09:08 PM) Totally tired of listening to the METS announcers talk about NL play superior to AL. Happy to have Alexi shut them up. Anytime you're throwing LaTroy Hawkins out there in that situation, you deserve to lose. It's not 2001-2003.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 25, 2013 -> 09:06 PM) Would have been fitting if Alexei forgot to touch first base Trade value is skyrocketing. At least he'll be able to talk to the reporters after tonight's game. You could see his teammates were happy for him. It would have sucked to be Gordon, if they'd lost. The entire story would have been about the season-long bad defense.

And the Mets gave the game back to the Sox by not turning that DP ball against Tyler. Two bad teams trying to outdo each other in badness.