caulfield12

That's like saying if Courtney Hawkins plays like the MVP of the Carolina League, we shouldn't draft a bat even if he was the BPA and our team ERA wasn't 14th/15th.

If we have $40 million to spend in additional payroll next year, we have plenty of ability to add another starter, a veteran catcher (if Flowers/Phegley disappoint again, there's not an elite one who will be available like McCann this next FA class) and a big bat for DH. Or, a couple of veterans arms for the bullpen. They at least have OPTIONS everywhere....Davidson/Gillaspie at 3rd, Semien/Sanchez/L.Garcia at SS, Semien/Garcia/M. Johnson at 2B, then the possibility of DeAza and Viciedo BOTH returning in 2015, giving you those four outfielders to rotate at DH, along with another veteran hitter off the bench. They could also move Davidson/Gillaspie to 1B, and DH Abreu. In addition, they could decide they're better off holding onto Ramirez...as they control his rights through 2016. Cooper's going to be the best one to make the choice between the two higher schoolers and the two collegiate pitchers. Seems Beede is falling off the map in terms of going 3rd. Ultimately, they'll have two choices of those four, unless something changes dramatically in the next 6-7 weeks.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb Actually not half bad Phil Rogers article on Abreu/new Sox offense, Garcia injury, etc. Lots of quotes from Flowers on the difference that Steverson has made with him. Flowers: "For one, it starts with some new faces in here. Two, the energy level, the camaraderie, we started building that in Spring Training. I can tell you it's been a whole lot more fun. Our record's not where we want it to be at this point. But even the games we're losing, we're having fun, we're competing. We're having quality at-bats, putting 'em together." During their freefall in 2013, the White Sox averaged an AL-low 3.7 runs per game with a .302 on-base percentage, also last in the league. The smart guys will tell you it's too early to draw any conclusions, but Ventura is justified in being very encouraged about his new lineup. A 15-3 win in Colorado on Tuesday -- a game that featured two-homer games for Abreu and Garcia -- helped the White Sox be No. 1 in the AL at 6.0 runs per game through Wednesday, as well as third in the AL with a .347 on-base percentage. No one's happier than first-year hitting coach Todd Steverson, although he wants you to know he's not satisfied. "The approach, to this point, I've been pretty pleased," Steverson said. "I'm not a very complacent type person. There's always room for improvement." No one is making a bigger difference for the White Sox than Abreu, whom Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said is "as advertised." He's a disciplined hitter with power to all fields and hit the ball so hard on Opening Day that Gardenhire intentionally walked him twice in the second game, once to get to Dunn, who had already hit a home run in the game. Francona saw for himself as Abreu hit a 411-foot bomb to left-center off Salazar and a crushed liner over the left-field wall off reliever Josh Outman. He also scored Eaton from third base with a soft roller to second baseman Jason Kipnis, showing an ability to hit to the situation. Ventura also loves what he's seeing from some of his veterans, especially Flowers and shortstop Alexei Ramirez (.421, two home runs, nine RBIs in 10 games). The latter had a solo homer and double off Salazar, while Flowers got a night off. Flowers credits Steverson for helping him find a comfortable stance and a clear head. "[He] has been great with me personally," the catcher said. "Did he come in and reinvent the wheel for me, or anybody for that matter? No. He just seems to take what you have, what you do naturally, promote that and maybe tweak a little something here, tweak little something there. It's all about you being comfortable. I think that's something I've kind of missed in the past." Ventura had been platooning Alejandro De Aza and Dayan Viciedo in left field, with Garcia in right. The injury means that they'll both become everyday guys, with Jordan Danks promoted from Triple-A to become the fourth outfielder. It's a chance for him to prove himself, too. Unlike in recent years, the White Sox look to have a supply of reinforcements in their farm system. But Hahn says they won't rush power-hitting third baseman Matt Davidson (acquired from Arizona for Addison Reed) or speedster Micah Johnson to the Major Leagues to compensate for the loss of Garcia or anyone else. "One thing that's extremely important is not rushing anyone's development, not altering anyone's long-term viability, simply for a short-term, knee-jerk reaction of trying to fix something in Chicago," Hahn said. "What happens with Avi Garcia has nothing to do with what happens with Matt Davidson, Micah Johnson or anyone else. The guys who are going to be here will arrive here when they force the time frame, not the other way."

White Sox leading in the AL in runs by 15 and 14th/15 in ERA, haha (5.22). 61 runs scored, 55 given up.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Apr 11, 2014 -> 10:29 AM) Keenyn Walker is just horrible. That guy may never get a cup of coffee despite his burners. Good to see the big four at W-S all playing well. Glad Barnum got off the schneid. snide?

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 11, 2014 -> 10:30 AM) http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/league_leaders.js...id=mm_mlb_stats I can't express how nice it is to see a White Sox player with the top spot on this page. I feel like it has been years. Quentin, 2008

QUOTE (Lillian @ Apr 10, 2014 -> 09:34 PM) And to think that he was expected to be the center fielder, until Eaton was acquired. He has looked pretty lost and not very graceful in the outfield. He may have speed, but he doesn't seem to utilize it very well. He has flat out foot speed when sprinting after he's accelerated, but the initial first step quickness/burst/reads in the outfield have been pretty darned miserable.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Apr 10, 2014 -> 09:44 PM) Whenever our position players have major injuries, it's always worse than it actually looks. Avi was making good progress at the plate. It really sucks he had to go down, especially for a whole year. Recently, lots of bad luck with Mitchell's career totally derailed...Avisail now, Floyd and Crain last year, John Danks, Crede/Quentin in 2008. That said, we were REALLY fortunate/exceptional for the majority of the past 10-15 years with injuries...at least since the huge string of pitching injuries from 2000-2002.

It will be interesting to see if the White Sox let him play in Winter Ball in Venezuela, or if they completely shut him down until Spring Training 2015. Offensively, having the offseason to get back into a rhythm offensively would definitely help, but then you wonder about him hurting himself again before he's 100%. With this type of surgery, the chances for him re-injuring it again (swinging the bat) aren't MARKEDLY HIGHER if he starts playing again (winter ball), as opposed to waiting for spring, are they?

Semien has to get Eaton over to 3rd there. Oh, well. He'll learn. Gillaspie picked up Abreu and Viciedo in Colorado...and now does it again for Semien. Clutch.

You just wonder after the dive last week, and with his size, why the outfield instructor/s didn't start working with him on the patented Magglio Ordonez sliding catch? Or, more importantly, why the Tigers didn't as well? Letting Manny be Manny, maybe coaches nowadays just defer to letting the players do whatever they want. Doesn't make much sense from the club's perspective, though. Well, if nothing else, it turned out to be fortunate to have Viciedo and DeAza both on the roster instead of traded in the offseason. Maybe they both can relax now, knowing they're not fighting each other for playing time every day and every at-bat, even though they SEEMED like they were handling it okay so far.

"I didn't catch it," Garcia said. "When I touch the ground with my hand, it fell out. I feel the bone in my shoulder (go) like crack, crack." from yahoosports

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 10:32 PM) Yes, it's early, but we are 2-4 on the road, losing both series. The Sox are 2-1 at home. It is crucial the team keeps winning series at home, because if we suck at home again like last year, the record figures to be mighty similar to last year. Team is gonna have to at least win a bundle of home games IMO to avoid a horses*** year. Our pitching staff is way worse than last year IMO. Well, yeah, trade Peavy for Erik Johnson....and Santiago for Paulino, that's going to happen. However, if Danks bounces back, it's getting close to even (compared to last year). If he doesn't, they're 1 1/2 pitchers worse.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 04:51 PM) Thumb surgery for Josh Hamilton. 6-8 weeks. Sliding into first base. YOU HEAR THAT, ADAM EATON? Harrelson brought up Puig and Hamilton in the game today. "Dumbest play in baseball..." said he would bench players who did it.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 07:35 PM) Awful start for Beck tonight. This organization needs to continue to add a lot of pitching depth. That's certainly the case if Johnson tops out at 92 this season. We'll know by May. Danks might even be throwing harder than that.

They really need to shake up that bullpen, somehow. I would be tempted to start using Cleto or Webb as the closer, just to see how they respond. Cleto's never been trusted consistently even with 7th-8th inning leads, maybe he would thrive (as he's always been cut or the last guy in the pen for mop-up work at the big league level). He threw a nasty offspeed pitch when he got CarGo down in the count. The key was getting ahead. Cuddyer was fouling off those 98-99 MPH fastballs, and he wasn't simply throwing it by everyone like you'd expect at that velocity. That said, I actually like/d Cleto's repertoire more than Jones. Very similar pitchers, though. And, at some point, they're going to have to go with Veal over Downs until Scott can at least get lefties out. He might be at the end of the line.

Sounds like a new Toyota. Or relation to Tony Oliva.

if we get to the 8th with a tie it will be a minor miracle

QUOTE (Capn12 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 03:32 PM) All in all, looking back, it was really an acceptable game for EJ, in that stadium against that team. Damn shame el tardo in LF let him down there. de aza should have been in for defense

if viciedo makes that play garcia wouldnt be out now for an extended period of time

viciedo has got to go...

really got bailed out there by rosario

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 02:39 PM) I feel like Johnson has only thrown 2 pitches all game and it ranges from 85-91. No wonder why he has been bad. Does he not have a change up or curve ball? He flipped up a 71 MPH curveball at least once but it wasn't in the strike zone. If he can get an advantage in some counts, maybe he'll break it out. You could tell he didn't want to give Car-Go a BP fastball so he tried to get ahead with the offspeed stuff and got himself into a 2-0 count because of command issues and generalized fear of challenging him.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 02:36 PM) I don't think Hughes is really that much better than Paulino. And Johnson can never stay healthy. Nice play by Avisail. Nolasco, Maholm, etc. Someone durable who won't kill you and can give you the innings and rest your bullpen. Desperately needed to have an easier inning there to get some confidence back.

Even most of Johnson's outs are being pretty hard hit. Sheesh. Just hoping and praying to get through the 5th or 6th.