caulfield12

QUOTE (scs787 @ Jun 20, 2014 -> 04:32 PM) Problem there, if it really is a problem, is Eaton and Gillaspie would be the only LH bats. (Assuming we're talking Tomas/Eaton/Garcia with Dayan at DH) That's another reason to look at Frederich Cepeda (to balance out the line-up), if they're close to being in "win now" mode for 2015. He's a little long in the tooth, but a 2 year deal with an option would be plausible and much cheaper than Tomas. Plus, Tomas almost means Thomas in Spanish, and we shouldn't trust those with two first names, like Ricky Bobby. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb This article about the continuing downtrend in offensive production would highlight why the addition of Abreu was so significant and also why they might think twice/thrice before throwing in the towel on Viciedo.

Yeah, he's more likely to be a Boggs than a Putnam at this point. When a team as bad as the DBacks are willing to give up on you...that says a lot. Then again, Webb hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire. But I don't think they're to the point with Daniel that sending him to Charlotte would be of any benefit to his career, for example, making him the full-time closer down there and seeing how he would respond (and since they lose 2/3 games, he wouldn't get so many opportunities anyway).

Switzerland was ranked 6th coming into the tourney, right? Crazy World Cup so far. Can't wait for that Uruguay/Italy winner-take-all game. Interesting match-up. Wasn't that impressed with Italy at all watching them in the first half. Might as well have been watching the 2009/11/13 White Sox highlights.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jun 20, 2014 -> 04:22 PM) I've been a Viciedo supporter on the board for a long time but he just doesn't offer enough offensively to justify him playing in the field and he really doesn't hit enough to be a primary DH. He's just not very good. And yet we've been saying similar things about Gordon Beckham in 2011, 2012, 2013...and here we now are with about 25% of the fanbase or more wishing to keep him around. Fwiw, Beckham's now 26 or 27, Viciedo just turned 25. There's ZERO doubt if Viciedo ends up with a 650ish OPS, compared to 750ish...that the writing will be on the wall in terms of his White Sox career, and there will be considerable justification for moving on. That doesn't mean he doesn't end up later on becoming a Bautista/Encarnacion/Morse/Melky Cabrera/Pedro Alvarez when he's 27-30, etc. But the odds are not in his favor, either. And for all of those examples, there are plenty of guys like Domonic Brown who were even MORE hyped...struggled...put together a career year and then failed to make adjustments to pitchers readjusting to him (which may be the case with Dayan since the middle to end of May this season).

It goes back to that effective velocity article that someone linked. When Danks is throwing nearly every pitch within 4-6 miles of the previous one, and the spotters aren't able to distinguish between fastball/cutter/two-seamer/four-seamer/slider and change-up, then there's a huge problem. As we all know, when you can push that difference to 8-12 MPH, then you have something. With movement and tricking the batter's eye into seeing 87-88 as 92-93, then you can pitch quite effectively...but, as mentioned before, you can't come after hitters when you're behind in the count with your fastball and expect positive results start after start unless your location is just pinpoint.

QUOTE (ewokpelts @ Jun 20, 2014 -> 03:49 PM) You want a rich man's plaything? Look at 1060 w Addison and tell me if that's better for you. I think that reference is to the Detroit Tigers.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jun 20, 2014 -> 09:09 AM) Pitch perfect. Except for Anna Kendrick singing Titanium in the shower... The funny thing is that's exactly what Marty or Ayn Rand would also say. Since 2005, maybe there is this idea coming from ownership that the fans "owe" the White Sox their loyalty/allegiance and discretionary dollars, as if they were Shakespeare in the Park or a ballet company operating as a non-profit/501-c-3. Well, as all research proves, you lose the goodwill from a World Series title after about 5 seasons, and that's exactly what happened...despite that 26-5 run in 2010, not making the playoffs that year and then the disastrous 2011 season with Rios/Dunn/Ozzie becoming a joke and the running feud with KW turned off a lot of fans who were willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I think there are some other issues here that make the comparisons harder to make. One, the feud between KW and Ozzie Guillen, and JR's attempts to pacify both, which ended up frustrating them and causing them not to be able to do their jobs. As far as keeping Reed, Peavy and Rios and "going for it" in 2014, what would the argument have been why that team with the same players would go from 63 wins to 90 wins? It's just not a credible or realistic position to take. Now in 2007, the circumstances were quite different because that team was only 2 years removed from a World Series championship and the core guys (AJ, Crede/Fields, Buehrle, Dye, Thome, Konerko, Jenks, Garland, etc.) were still in their primes or fairly close to them still. You could argue that 2007 was a blip or aberration...whereas now we're going on six years without a playoff appearance, so the desire to "stick with the plan" doesn't make sense anymore because it hasn't been working for so long. Plus, there's sentimentality of holding onto those core guys from 2005. Did anyone really get upset when we traded Peavy, Rios and Reed? Not really. I think there'll be more fans upset if Beckham is/was traded than those three guys, particularly Rios and Reed.

From the write-up, and questions about the injury he suffered in this last season (referenced to the fact that his playing time was cut and he struggled a bit for Industriales)...I'd guess he will be somewhere between Soler on the bottom end and Abreu on the top end...$45-60 million should be the range. According to this report (BA), he has below average speed (which runs counter to Bjarkman), and he looks more like Viciedo in terms of frame than someone with the athleticism of a Puig or Cespedes in the OF.

So would you rather spend $60-75 million on this guy or double that on Tanaka? We definitely need help in the outfield, not only this but 2015 and beyond...but it also seems that it's about time that one of these guys flopped. Soler hadn't really been that disappointing before the injuries hit this year, but 22 year olds aren't a sure thing. Then you look at the type of deal that Cespedes signed, where he can become a free agent after four years (2015 season), you don't want to give that type of deal to a 22 year old because you'll miss out on his prime of 27-30.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jun 20, 2014 -> 09:27 AM) I think Hahn and KW are very similar and would do very similar things. KW always said that there was a time when the Sox were going to have to re-tool and start trading veterans for prospects. However, with what he deemed the core players still doing well he was sticking to the "go for it" plan until the organization felt iut was time to switch philosophies. I don't think it is a coincidence that once the organization decide to "go in a different direction" that KW stepped aside for Hahn. KW did his time and didn't want to go through the "re-tooling" process. He went back to what he always said he liked the most' scouting. I have no doubt that if KW had stayed the GM that he would be on a similar path as Hahn. Maybe not the exact same moves but a similar philosophy. Remember who the primary scout for the big players is for Hahn, KW. Other than Jeff Keppinger, most of the moves would have been pretty similar. We'd already traded a closer in Santos, so doing the same thing with Reed wasn't a surprise to anyone. Abreu, check. All the bargain basement relievers, and Paulino. Check. We can't sit here and say KW would have already become impatient with Flowers and went out and spent money on Salty, etc.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 20, 2014 -> 09:17 AM) Dave Dravecky is the only thing that comes to mind. But that was cancer-related bone breakdown, right?

This thread has just gone awry. As far as David Wells helping Buehrle significantly, it's possible...but Sirotka was also a left-hander who came into his own in 1999 and 2000 and was the leader of that pitching staff, in many ways. I'm sure he also had a positive influence on Buehrle.

Finally found a copy of The Fault in our Stars online, with Spanish subtitles, haha. It's been pretty tough here in China not being able to watch Neighbors, The Other Woman, Chef, The Grand Budapest Hotel and 22 Jump Street, Million Dollar Arm. Pretty sure How To Train Your Dragon 2 comes out next month. Transformers 4 next weekend... Just to keep Greg happy, I've watched Noah, Son of God (not my favorite telling of that story, The Passion of the Christ or even The Last Temptation of Christ were much more compelling viewing), Heaven is for Real (always enjoy Kinnear), Blended (Chinese students love this movie, showed it the final week when we were done with reviewing for finals). Edge of Tomorrow and X-Men are still playing here...along with Godzilla. And then episodes of the new 24/Live Another Day season. Never watched the original, but am enjoying it.

http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/2014/06/19/...ss-gets-a-boost Here's the whole Carroll story...about his "doodle" hats that you can erase and write new messages on them every day. Points for creativity...they sell for around $20. Yeah, that number is Liberty, Missouri, Kansas City north suburbs.

http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/2014/06/19/...pts-for-college White Sox happy their 39th round pick (part of their ACE/RBI program, Public League player from Morgan Park) is going to university. Phil Rogers "feel good" story. Kid seems like the Public League version of Adam Eaton. Lives in Dolton.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Jun 20, 2014 -> 01:51 AM) Baseball isn't like other sports. Your odds against a team can change drastically game-to-game because the pitching match-ups change each day. If other sports played 3-4 game sets like baseball does, there would be TONS of sweeps. But in baseball, it's hard to sweep anyone. I put it at like 5% chance we get swept. Like the recent Royals/Twins 4 gamer...all the momentum in the world was on the side of KC.

Eaton with another bad throw. Caught it flat-footed and then had a little hesitation/"look first" in his attempt.

Morales 0 for this last 16 Why do we have Scott Downs on the roster again?

Colon gained velocity and movement on his fastball as the game wore on.....just like Verlander. From what I've seen from Colon, his 93-96 isn't in quite the same ballpark in terms of effectiveness.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jun 19, 2014 -> 10:19 PM) Maybe Carlos Sanchez ought to be in some of those top 100 discussions again That's just not going to happen unless he ends up with 15-20 homers on the season. Even then, like Hawkins, he's fighting coming off a down season, so the recognition really doesn't come until 2015.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Jun 19, 2014 -> 03:41 PM) not trade related, but what do you guys think about getting melky for lf in the offseason since hes a free agent? lefty, has speed, great arm. dont know how good his defense is. trade viciedo or dh him Beware the free agent coming off a contract drive season...and regression to mean.

QUOTE (Feeky Magee @ Jun 19, 2014 -> 09:26 PM) 37 at-bats. Would you judge a hitter on 37 at-bats? I'm just going more on the impression over the last 3-4 weeks. It does seem that he falls apart more easily this season...especially when there are defensive miscues. Just can't seem to bear down and pitch through it like he did in 2012 and 2013.

Q was the definition of mentally tough in 2012. With all the no decisions last year and the defense falling apart behind him on at least 2-3 occasions this year, you have to wonder if it's gotten to him a bit. Those numbers with RISP/2 outs are scary. Pretty soon he'll be our newest version of Gavin or Javy (sorry to hear Floyd had another serious injury, btw).

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jun 19, 2014 -> 03:10 PM) Really, they're playing a game of chicken, and Boras will eventually lose. If Rodon returns to school, he's risking $6 million to try and potentially earn an additional $2.5 mill, and he could lose as much as all of that $6 mill (though it likely be closer to losing $2-4 mill). Had this been prior to the last CBA, there's no way the Sox would have drafted Rodon because Boras would have been asking for $12 mill and he could have let it known well before the draft. The Sox likely would have taken Nola or Hoffman. With the slot, the Sox are likely offering the full slot value to Rodon while Boras is asking for $6.5-7 mill (or something along those lines) and both sides say "we're not moving." Boras realizes how important it is for his client to get the most and safest possible contract, but he also realizes that the White Sox badly want his client under contract. The Sox could likely wait until the very last second and Rodon would eventually sign, but they may cave a little to get him under contract sooner("if he signs by July 4th, we'll give him $6.25 mill, but that offer will be withdrawn beyond that date and will revert to a slot valued deal beyond that"). Either way, there's still a 99.999% chance of getting it done. It would be interesting to see how much the policy that Scherzer took out against that $144 million he passed on would pay him if he went down with labrum/shoulder surgery and never was the same again...there's just no way that Rodon could get an insurance policy (let's say, worth $7 million) where it would make sense to ensure against injury for a rate that wouldn't cost more than what he's going to lose if he doesn't sign for $6.1 million, for example. Let's say the insurance policy was $900,000 against that $7 million in future salary/signing bonus and he ended up with a career-threatening surgery next season at NC State. That would still be a pretty crazy risk. According to Boras' research, most of the pitchers going down with TJ surgery are in their first four years in the big leagues. Once a pitcher passes that point without having had an major problems, the odds are dramatically lower for a 1st TJ (at least that's the argument he's selling teams interested in a long-term deal with Scherzer).