caulfield12

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ May 17, 2011 -> 03:35 AM) From what I recall from last year, it took about 3-4 weeks for him to finally start clicking, and then he would tear it up until he peaked around .320 average or so. This is why I gaurenteed that Morel would have a much better May than April, but then of course he got benched about a week into May, even though he is hitting .292 in May. You don't think the shaky D has played an equal part in that? Along with the fact that Omar's been contributing something almost every game he's been in (I know, the Sunday game he made a couple of mistakes, but that happens and we still won, and Ozzie is usually pretty superstitious about breaking up a "winning/streaking" line-up).

And Dunn/Konerko were already onboard, thus no PT at DH/1B. Along with the acquisition and extension of Teahen, although it was pretty clear by mid 2010 that Teahen wasn't the long-term solution at 3B, either. But he always had the most value (by far) to the franchise if he could play an adequate 3B. I guess RF would be the next most logical, because of his arm.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 17, 2011 -> 01:06 AM) It's going to be great when Tank finally replaces Juan, but we're still going nowhere because our outfield defense is going to be gawdawful. Unless Tank hits .375 with 40 homers. Quentin's actually "adequate" in RF, at least better than last year. Having Rios in CF covers up for a lot of issues as well. Viciedo at least has the type of arm strength to keep other teams from running on him at well. Having watched Josh Fields and Mark Teahen in the OF, or Brian Daubach, I can't imagine it could get any worse and the offensive jolt he'll provide should make it worthwhile, if he's allowed to play at least 5 games per week.

6. Juan Pierre(notes) or anything. Exactly what Pierre brings to the Chicago White Sox anymore remains unclear. His offense is Tejadan and his defense Ibanezish. The one attribute Pierre retained until this year, his basestealing ability, joined his bat and glove in heaven. Even as Pierre's five-year, $44 million contract finally runs out, it's not a flop like Vernon Wells,(notes) or even a payroll squeeze, a la Chone Figgins.(notes) Pierre is just a guy whose career could well be over at 33, whether it's the White Sox ending it or other teams’ lack of interest going forward doing the same. The slow attrition that plagues all athletes may be... … Jeff Passan (Yahoo Sports)

QUOTE (Cali @ May 17, 2011 -> 01:20 AM) Man, the Twins being THIS bad is almost a crazier story than the Indians in first. They always have that team on paper that isn't very impressive and they would always find ways to get the best out of guys, play smart baseball under Gardy and beat up the Central division, but they are just AWFUL. They've lost 9 in a row, 15 games under .500 Just WOW... Of course they way they churn out minor leaguers I really don't want them to get a high draft pick haha http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/121966474.html The irony of all ironies is that they traded Wilson Ramos and they still might need to draft ANOTHER catcher #1 because it's looking more and more unlikely that Mauer will ever be able to stay healthy playing there 140-150 games per season.Vin Mazzaro(notes) made major league history. Royals reliever Vin Mazzaro gave up 14 runs and got just seven outs against the Cleveland Indians, who beat Kansas city 19-1 Monday night. He was sent down to the minors after the game. No pitcher has allowed 14 runs in fewer innings than Mazzaro, according to STATS LLC, whose database goes back to 1919. “It’s tough. It was a tough game,” said Mazzaro, whose ERA is now 22.74. “Some of the plays didn’t go my way. It’s a funny game.”

I think that makes 5-12 at home. For some mystifying reason, we were horrible in 2009 at home and now the same trend's continuing this year again.

QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ May 16, 2011 -> 03:49 PM) A LF version of Andy Gonzalez, zero tool player Gonzalez's tool was the versatility of sucking at 5-6 different positions. If Joe McEwing's the new manager, we'll have Jose Oquendo as our 3B coach and a team of Flying Gonzalezes and/or Molinas who have changed their names from Angel to Andy.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2011 -> 05:09 PM) Again, comparison needed. How many teams have gotten 2 starting position players, a 1 year wonder closer, and a top prospect OF/DH bat internationally over the last 8 years, and done so without a Kaz Matsui contract level bust? If I go to the roster of some of the top teams right now, do they have more or less than that? Same question, back at you. Can you think of any team that's been to the playoffs in the last decade that have done so without producing any homegrown players from Latin America over a 10 year time period? Either pitchers or hitters. I was thinking the last Dominican we produced...Jesus Pena? Ozuna doesn't exactly count. Clevelan Santeliz to represent Ozzieland? But I'm talking about a kid signed at 16-18 years old.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2011 -> 12:00 PM) Which of course, is our standard method of prospect development. 75 at bats or so is all the chance to adapt to the league that you get. Other than Beckham, how many rookies have just come in and been given at least 3/4th's of a season to prove themselves? It took Crede and Rowand 2-3 years to break the starting line-up. Borchard, Sweeney and Brian Anderson are examples that come to mind right away. Josh Fields, in 2007, I guess. Of course, we all know how that ended up. Ironic that the ONE year we actually had to let the youth play extensively and without any pressure that Fields/Owens/Gonzalez/Wasserman are all out of the game or in career purgatory no less than 4 years later.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 16, 2011 -> 12:54 PM) Except it means nothing out of context. I'd like to see a list of failed pitching draftees from other teams to compare it to. You'd have to index it to draft position/signing bonus, etc. Overall, our draft positions have been lousy because usually we're a .500 or better team. But the Broadway, Honel and Stumm picks (because of his bonus) were disasters. Of course, you could look at the Royals' first round draft picks for a 15 year stretch and find all misses. That said, they've (the Royals, not us) done a much better job the last five years. Yes, understatement of the year, there. Of course, the most grating failure is Borchard, but this whole situation has been covered exhaustively. When you're NOT drafting well out of the US, and NOT getting ANYTHING out of the DR, Venezuela, Mexico and Central America for a ten + year timeframe, then you're severely handicapping yourself. Basically, we have cut ourselves off from 35% of the talent load in the world. Really, it's a miracle we've been competitive at all. That's a testament to KW and some of the brighter moves he's made, which, along with the high payroll, have covered up largely for the mistakes but always put us on the precipice of disaster (because of contracts like Rios and Peavy). Internationally, it's basically Tadahito, Takatsu, Alexei and Viciedo. That's it. For 10+ years.

Imagine you're a Twins' fan. They want Gardenhire and Smith fired, two weeks ago. The guy's won 6/9 AL Central Division championships...almost 7/9. And yet the fanbase believes he's incapable of taking his team "to the next level," etc. The entire next 5-10 years of their franchise has been put in the hands of Mauer's health. Yet, had he left as a FA for the Yankees, the fans might never have forgiven ownership. Impossible situation for both sides to walk away from, as a hometown product. Not unlike LeBron departing for South Beach. I wonder if the situations were reversed, and we hadn't won the World Series but had all those division championships, if the patience would be less, more or the same? As bad as some of our contract situations look, the ones with Mauer/Morneau/Nathan/Cuddyer/Pavano/Liriano are arguably more vexing. The only Twins' player that a team would consider trading for is probably Kubel, and he's a FA after this year, so his value is limited. And Delmon Young pulled a play that would have made Milton Bradley proud yesterday....not hustling after a ball, then pointing for Span to get it when he had to run halfway across the outfield and Young was barely making an effort at all.

QUOTE (gatnom @ May 16, 2011 -> 08:34 AM) So, because the Sox are merely mediocre instead of horrible like they had been in the past, the entire organization should just get a lifetime pass? 2005 excuses a lot for the "old timers" crowd. For those fans in their 20's, it's more "what have you done for me lately?" and that's not looking so good for KW and Ozzie.

QUOTE (Paint it Black @ May 15, 2011 -> 02:39 PM) They raped us so bad that the following off-season they tried to trade him and couldn't find a taker. But you clearly admit Swisher had a bad year with us, and yet you expect KW to get something of value in return? Swisher is a pain in the ass to have as a teammate. The dude never shuts up. I also find it funny that the "proven player" only seems ok when it's used against KW or Ozzie. It wasn't acceptable when I argued this team would hit when they were slumping because practically the whole team is a group of proven players, but it works for Swisher? Who really hasn't been much better since leaving here. I'm not saying that was a good trade overall, but the only player who I really miss in that deal will end up being Carter. I could make half my starts in Oakland and put up the numbers Gio is. You can have that Ryan Sweeney garbage too. Two 850+ OPS years say otherwise about Swisher. He's a solid player. Not an All-Star or superstar, clearly, but he's never going to hurt the Yankees.

The only way it's going to happen is if Pierre pulls himself out of the line-up (like Posada) or gets injured. How many times has Ozzie benched a veteran position player in the middle of the season? He stuck with Erstad, Mackowiak and Kotsay. Nick Swisher is about the only name that comes to mind. I just don't see any way they trade Pierre out for De Aza. As Ozzie himself said, he still firmly believes Pierre will turn it around.

QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ May 16, 2011 -> 07:22 AM) I liked the other previously proposed option on another thread where we put Lillibridge at 3B and lead him off and bring in Dayan. This makes our offense so much better it's ridiculous. We have two easy outs batting 9 and 1 (Morel/Pierre) and that eliminates them both and still gives Ozzie a "speed guy" at the top as we all know he is so hell bent on having one. This is such a simple and obvious solution it is ridiculous to think that our management is unwilling to make this change. Except Lillibridge has never played 3B in his entire life.

I would give Williams a B/B-. What he's good at: Finding "undervalued" position players 23-32 that are hidden gems or have flaws and either providing them an opportunity to play or fixing them. This list includes Carlos Quentin, Jermaine Dye, Alexei Ramirez, AJ Pierzynski (although I won't agree he's better than when he played for the Twins), Tadahito Iguchi, Miguel Olivo, Scotty Pods and Juan Uribe, to name a few. Finding "undervalued" pitching talent that's major league ready or struggling: Esteban Loaiza, Matt Thornton, Bobby Jenks, Jose Contreras, Danks, Floyd, Humber, Sergio Santos, etc. Noted failures include Javy Vazquez, Mike MacDougal, Jeremy Sisco, David Aardsma and Nick Masset. The four biggest bones I have to pick with KW are: 1) Not the three-for-one Todd Ritchie deal, but both Swisher moves. 2) The complete failure to identify, develop/incubate younger hitters from the age of 16-23. This list includes Joe Borchard, Brian Anderson, Josh Fields, Jeremy Reed, Aaron Cunningham, Miguel Gonzalez, Michael Morse, Miguel Olivo (both lists), Chris Getz, Jerry Owens, Rob Valido, Andy Gonzalez, Francisco Hernandez, Chris Carter, Beckham, Viciedo, Mitchell, T. Thompson, Danks, Flowers, Morel, B. Allen=jury still out 3) Blown draft picks on pitchers: Honel, K. McCulloch, Royce Ring, Lance Broadway, Aaron Poreda, Matt Long (2nd round), Ray Liotta, Jason Stumm, Sean Tracey, Tyler Lumsden, Matt Ginter, etc. 4) The complete dearth of ANY prospects developed from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela since Ordonez and C-Lee. This is especially galling because no advantage has been taken (seemingly) of Ozzie's background as what amounts to a national hero in his native country. The fact that over 30% of MLB talent comes from Latin America and we've been left out in the cold is inexcusable and can't all be blamed on Wilder or Jerry Krause. By the way, what has Krause done since he was brought on board as a chief scout down there? On the plus side, having drafted and developed Gio Gonzalez, Brandon McCarthy, Clayton Richard and Daniel Hudson isn't such a bad track record. On the other hand, other than Chris B. Young and Ryan Sweeney, position prospect development has been a barren wasteland.

16 walks in 56+ IP. Seems like he's normally closer to a 1/4.5-5 ratio in terms of walks to IP. Maybe not.

36/41 success rate against the White Sox. 88%. Covelli has Buehrle read, according to DJ. Of course, one of those was Crisp getting thrown out at home.

Someone's going to have to merge about 5 anti-Pierre threads after this game. Another near Jean Pierre disaster out there. Ugly...could he get more twisted around on a single play?

QUOTE (fathom @ May 15, 2011 -> 03:42 PM) So I watched 2005 Game 3 of ALDS on DVD today. I forgot just how bad Chris Berman and Sutcliffe were announcing that game. Jenks' stuff was incredible, and Ozzie did a hell of a job managing. Berman was so pro-Boston it was nauseating. It was almost incredible how insulted he was that the White Sox would dare to beat his Red Sox/Yankees.

Great, another name-dropping conversation with Farmer talking about his friendship with Wayne Gretzky. I'm surprised he hasn't run for President yet.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ May 15, 2011 -> 03:32 PM) Interesting line for Aroldis Chapman today: 0.1IP 0H 4R 4ER 4BB That's gone from being one of the gutsiest signings from a small market club to a possible Rick Ankiel/Dontrelle Willis situation rather quickly. He really needs to go back to the minors. Why is Rios trying to pick that ball up with the bare hand and risk the runner getting to 3rd with a misplay? Pretty dangerous on the soggy turf. Well, they got out of it and Mark's ERA is all the way down to a season-low 3.90.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 15, 2011 -> 03:30 PM) Balta's threats of bringinb back Pierre is making me wish for an 0 for 100 stretch for him. Would he even be moved down in the line-up if that happened? Morneau turned 30 today. As bad as the mess KW has on his hands, the Twins' fiasco will be 10X more difficult to get out of for Bill Smith.

I can honestly say I'd ALMOST rather watch THE ROOMMATE with Minka Kelly and Leighton Meester again, possibly the worst movie ever, than this crap. Even though she can't act a lick, she's hot. Damn you, Jeter.

There's a surprise. A Quentin pop-up and another weak 4-3 groundout by AJ. Ugh. It's beyond Corpseball. Necrophilia Ball.