caulfield12

This next half-inning could be a lowlight in Sox offensive history. (Crosses fingers reverse-jinx is in place and we put up a crooked number somehow.)

Dunn all the way up to .175. 16 points higher than he ended 2011. And the same number of homers (actually, he would have 12 if not for the Hicks robbery).

Now what is Dunn going to do? Sometimes it helps to have teams who are unfamiliar with Konerko and his problems this year (although the advance scouts should be covering it) thinking it's better to work around him to face Dunn (especially lefties).

White Sox "Offense" Last in the AL in runs, doubles and triples, OBP (.293, so scary, in fact, the closest team is the Astros, a full 10 points higher) and OPS 2nd to last in total bases (Minn), AVG (one point ahead of SEA) and SLG (Minnesota)

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51937226/ns/sports-baseball/ Great Posnanski article on what happened to the Albert Pujols who was one of the five best hitters in baseball history...?

This should be a pretty short game thread, with everyone watching the Blackhawks/Red Wings. Well, Axelrod made it out of the first inning 1-2-3.

Would be interested to hear the impressions of anyone watching Charlotte how well Beckham does there at that position. It's a bit strange when he's going to come up to Chicago that they would NOT be having him at 2B every game. There's a 75% chance that Carlos Sanchez never becomes anything more than a super-utility guy, so it's not like it really matters in the overall scheme of things where Beckham plays in AAA rehab, but it's worth remembering. Words back from 2008 Beckham also is a finalist for USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award. Sox scouting director Doug Laumann scouted Beckham heavily this season, and this pick shores up the Sox's depth up the middle. "In my mind, I think I'm capable of playing shortstop in the majors," Beckham said.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ May 20, 2013 -> 04:19 PM) I would be suprised If they trade in the division usually does not happen. The Tigers have six starters, they don't need a 7th. As for the Indians, well...anything is possible. The Twins made some moves in recent years that helped (or could have helped) their opponents (Delmon Young, for example, to the Tigers, Liriano to the White Sox).

What happened to the days when he would throw in a Click, Funny People (although most consider it way too dark) or Punch Drunk Love every once in a while? Reign Over Me was another different one for him. At one point, Sandler was in talks to star in Quentin Tarantino's World War II film Inglourious Basterds, which he confirmed, but he did not appear in it due to a scheduling conflict with Funny People.[14] Following the release of Funny People, it, along with Punch-Drunk Love were cited in the June 2010 announcement that Sandler was one of 135 people (including 20 actors) invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[15] He was initially cast in the bachelor-party-themed comedy/thriller Very Bad Things (1998), but had to back out due to his involvement in The Waterboy (1998), one of his first hits. At one point, Sandler was considered for the part that went to Jamie Foxx in Collateral (2004). He also was one of the finalists along with Jim Carrey and Johnny Depp for the role of Willy Wonka in Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). wikipedia

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 20, 2013 -> 02:24 PM) A team like the Rays just has to make those kinds of deals. They can't let their guys walk, particularly since the new CBA made draft pick compensation harder to get. They have to do the best they can to avoid trading for a guy who will bust on them, but they have to take their guys close to FA and try to trade them for the league's best prospects. If they bust, they have to do it again. They really don't have a choice. If they went "all in" and then started shedding guys to FA, it might take them a decade or more to be competitive again. That's why a team that doesn't need to be in that mode...shouldn't want to be in that mode, because your franchise rides on whether or not a couple guys bust or hit the big time. (Yes, I know you're referring more to "top prospects" here.) Of course, that's part of the reason we're in a bad place for now....at this exact moment, Dunn, Danks and Konerko are 3 of the biggest issues with this year's team, and Dunn/Danks are still going to be pretty big factors in 2014 as well. We might be shedding a lot of salary, but there's going to be a VERY leaky bullpen if Crain, Lindstrom and Thornton are all gone. That said, we should want nothing to do with Thornton going forward (unless his salary was cut in half at least), blahhh about Lindstrom and Crain's worth a lot more as a trade chip (if we fall out of the race), as overpaying him based on his results this year would be the reliever equivalent of Jeff Keppinger, or buying high on Dotel/Linebrink.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ May 20, 2013 -> 01:37 PM) Morgan Freeman certainly isn't above making bad movies for money. It's a competition with him, Samuel L. Jackson and Adam Sandler at this point...aren't they making a "Grown Ups 2" when nobody really liked the first one THAT much? He (Samuel L.) really is ubiquitous. You have the popular culture movies like the Avengers series appearances, Snakes on a Plane...then every once in a while, he'll throw a Django Unchained or Black Snake Moan at you. As an aside: No wonder all these B list celebs like the girl from Veronica Mars, Sabrina The Teenage Witch and Zach Braff are going to Kickstarter...although there's a backlash now forming, as the original idea was to provide a voice and funds to unknowns, kind of the "American Idol" version of film-making or Project Runway, etc. Interesting that Kickstarter's spin on the whole situation is that all the exposure and controversy is gaining them market share and exposure for same artists...a "rising tide floats all boats" explanation.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ May 20, 2013 -> 02:08 PM) I've seen this movie before. It doesn't end well for Cleveland. Not saying I would bet on CLE. The time they were hottest last year was in April and May last year...then everything went south. They must have won 60% of their home games (2012) those first two months in exciting, walk-off fashion. FWIW, the mathematics of the division is changing with CLE and KC improved, it's not just the White Sox and DET again. However, keep in mind, as we saw with Ventura....sometimes a new manager really can change things, at least temporarily. Don't discount the only manager in baseball with two recent World Series rings on his fingers out. PS If Odorizzi and Myers becomes stars for the Rays, they might yet end up regretting that Shields trade if all they get out of it is a .500 team that's at least not a joke, but not competing for the division title, either.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 20, 2013 -> 12:33 PM) Initially I think Reinsdorf owned a very small percentage, but had all the power. I believe his stake has increased over the years. We probably will never know, but I have heard many investors have wanted to sell for years, but their requests were rejected by JR. He made them more money as the price of the franchise has skyrocketed. It has to be peaking here shortly, so if they were to sell, that would probably be the time. One would think when they get their new regional broadcasting rights deal, the ones that are boosting future revenues by the billions (LA Dodgers, Texas, etc.) around they year 2019, that would be the time to sell. Part of the value of the franchise has already been inflated in anticipation of that, with most insiders valuing the Sox between $800,000,000 and 1.1 billion.

Callaspo? He mainly plays 3B for the Angels. We already are going to have two players there in Gillaspie and Keppinger (albeit not a good one, we have to keep/play him). Callaspo's second best position is probably 2B, and Beckham's over there. Makes zero sense. Except for the Angels perhaps wanting to go with Luis Jimenez at 3B and go younger for the future. I don't think they're quite ready to give up on the wild card spot at this point in the season. The trade works out well for them to add pitching, I guess, but it's an insane trade for 2 teams.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ May 20, 2013 -> 10:11 AM) If you are looking at games back the only team to look at is Detroit. That is at four. Weird game in CLE. Both teams blow leads in the 9th, SEA takes the lead by one in the 10th (Smoak homer) and then, three batters later, little heralded Yan Gomes wins it with yet another home walkoff for the Indians (this time against former Tiger Charlie Furbush, who has no business trying to close a game even in extra innings). 6 1/2 behind CLE now, the hottest team in baseball, 20-7 their last 27 games and playing the best of any team in the majors during this current stretch.

Star Trek was very good...would put it in the Iron Man 3 category, maybe just a tad bit better. Not quite the equal of its predecessor, but . Benjamin Cumberbatch is getting lots of rave reviews for his performance, "stealing" the show from the main cast and crew. For some reason, he reminded me a little bit of Michael Fassbender. And Rachael Taylor, hot hot hot with the short hair and shorter skirt, haha. (Extra bonus points for a gratuitous scene with her in her VS, and thank god for Australia).

AL Central has everyone lined up with even numbers now... CLE -- DET -2 KC -4 CHW/MINN (five game losing streak) -6 Eight or nines game back is the "magic number" for this season being in jeopardy and a return to "rebuilding/restructuring/reloading" conversations.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 19, 2013 -> 06:51 PM) Really in the grand scheme of things, the team went 4-3 on the last leg of a stretch that had 15 of 18 on the road, and we finally saw some signs of life from the offense. Hopefully they can keep this momentum going at home. Except that a LOT of that so-called momentum was killed off Saturday and Sunday afternoon. We're just treading water again. Last year, we were able to go on that 13-1/14-2 run at the end of May to get into first place on the 29th. This time, we're probably going to be looking up in the standings at four teams at that same time.

Hernandez is really learning how to pitch now. He isn't trying to strike everyone out or throwing in the mid to upper 90's...whether it's from wear and tear or simply letting up a little on the gas and only going with maximum effort fastballs when needed in key situations. Felix was one of those pitcher profiled earlier in the season whose velocity was down quite a bit from previous seasons.

Don't know what to make of this team. In the end, we've gone 3-4 against the Angels. Just when you think things are turning, the game and series got away yesterday and now it seems like we're back to square one again. Beckham coming back will (should) help, but that still doesn't address the Dunn/Konerko issues OR the catching situation. Plus, many of the relievers last year that were so good (Jones, Veal, Omogrosso, Septimo) have gone south. And, looking at the box score yesterday, still not sure why Ventura went with Veal there and didn't use Matt Thornton.

If Sanchez actually becomes a starter, the only ones cheering will be those advocating for a higher first round draft pick in the future.

Konerko's flaring more balls to RF this year than Frank Thomas or Joe Crede ever did. SIGH.

QUOTE (kapzk @ May 18, 2013 -> 04:20 PM) Nate Jones is overrated And he inherits the title of #1 RH reliever after Reed next year... Jones better get himself straightened out. Granted, he did a good job to limit the damage the previous inning, but he's been a disappointment this year.

I hope this isn't the game that becomes the high water mark for the White Sox this year...almost getting back to within 1 game of .500. After not scoring last inning, seemed like there was a 95% probability of the Angels scoring there. Only a 9 pitch inning, 5 batters, but 2 runs. It takes us 50-60 pitches to score a couple, lol.

These are the games when you look back at what went wrong this season and it's a microcosm for both teams dissecting all the respective problems. Angels with a productive out there, actually moved the runner to 3rd. It's possible to do.