caulfield12

•The Braves, Dodgers, Indians, and Rangers are among the clubs with the most interest in Shields...

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 10:58 AM) I like Walker better because he has shown dramatic improvement this year which gives me hope that he will be able to improve his contact rate in the future. I can see him being a guy who eventually gets you double figures in doubles, triples, and homers, and 40 SB a year. Gee, sounds pretty much like Juan Pierre. Not so sure about the double figures in homers. DeAza has more pop, and Mitchell.

I love the fact we're saying XYZ player can't play a corner when we've had guys like Pods and Pierre on the corners. Mitchell will probably be a LFer in the big leagues if he makes it...although it's possible he sticks in CF. With the Sox, they probably have him lined up behind DeAza rather than Viciedo, but he can play either. If anyone projects as a "pure" power hitter in our minor league system, among the outfielders, it's Thompson and Hawkins head and shoulders over everyone else. That's exactly what you need at USCF, not punch and judy hitters.

KW has to be scouring the rosters for ground out/sinker guys who have the ability to pick up 6-7 K's per game. A pretty short list.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 09:38 AM) Viciedo? OF corners is the one place they're set. Johnson will be pitching for Texas within days anyway. It seems they're growing frustrated with Logan Morrison, too.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 09:19 AM) So replace Santiago with Quintana. Bell has had a nightmare season but just a year ago he was damn good. Sox could have a lot of money coming off the books. And Johnson comes with his own risks as well. Obviously Sanchez is for future considerations. Still think it would take Viciedo to get Johnson.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 07:51 AM) Lol Axelrod had a great start against the Red Sox that Monday game, but there's a 50/50 chance that's his last start in a White Sox uniform. One would think he'll fall back into the 11-15 range of prospects in the offseason. Maybe 9 or 10. And that's a good thing that somewhat marginal prospects are getting passed and pushed out of the Top 10.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 12:13 AM) The rich get richer, but I'm happy if they were trying to rob the Sox. I don't like the idea of giving up a lot for a guy we have ZERO chance of signing. It would have been ridiculous. If we want to trade some of the guys we'd have had to trade for Greinke, do so in the offseason or do so now for somebody we can get to stick around. In the offseason, Zack will either be a FA or extended by the Angels. Either way, the Sox won't be a part of the discussion.

We'll be facing him next Friday or Saturday. Should be interesting, and great crowds next weekend. We miss Liriano by one game as he POSSIBLY starts this Sunday against CLE. REMATCH WEEK MON: De Vries vs. Quintana TUE: Blackburn vs. Peavy WED: Diamond vs TBA We're going to have to win those first two because Diamond has been super tough recently.

6'4" is very tall and rangy for a CF...but he definitely possesses more athleticism than most guys that size who play baseball because of his basketball bloodline. At any rate, it's our most OF depth since the days of Rowand, Chris Young, Anderson, Reed and Anthony Webster.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 09:01 AM) I'm not a fan of Thompson. I think it's an ominous sign that his development continues to be stalled 1,300 plate appearances in. Plus, not sure he doesn't grow out of CF and moves to RF where his bat would need to get better. But he struck out in just two games this week and that increased contact rate showcased his plus power. The 6-foot-4 Thompson hit four home runs, including longballs in three straight and a game-winning grand slam Thursday. More than half of Thompson's hits have gone for extra bases this season, giving him the second-highest isolated slugging percentage (.239) and home run total (21) in the South Atlantic League. His defense has improved this season and according to one scout, "That guy can play a big league center field right now." If Cespedes can do it, Thompson can.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 08:33 AM) Devil Rays/Rays...fine You burned me. Ouch.

QUOTE (SOXOBAMA @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 07:47 AM) I'd like to see the Sox get Vargas & League or Volquez & Street. Also I would like to add depth to our bench. Volquez is not available, supposedly. It's a bit of overkill to acquire League or Street when we already have Reed, Myers and Crain. Not to mention the fact that it looks like Street might stay put. Vargas is a possibility.

2. Rotation mortar: Matt Garza, James Shields, Paul Maholm Cubs president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer are looking to turn any short-term asset into long-term ones. Garza has pitched well in both leagues and in the postseason, bringing a level of security to a contender. Likewise, Shields is a valuable innings eater, but the Rays are not expected to move him unless it's a clear win for them in terms of what's coming back. Maholm is essentially the same lefthanded pitcher as (Wandy) Rodriguez -- only younger and hotter. Like Dempster, Maholm is a rising stock. Over his past six games, he is 5-0 with a 0.94 ERA -- looking a lot like the potential Fister of 2012. 3. Discount rack: Francisco Liriano, Kevin Correia, Randy Wolf, Jeff Francis How does a guy who allows fewer hits than innings pitch to a 5.31 ERA? The problem with Liriano is he looks great when he controls his slider and awful when he doesn't. "He can give you seven [innings] or 2 1/3 -- that's the problem with counting on him," said a scout. Said another evaluator, "There were a ton of teams there to watch him the other day (against the White Sox) -- and by the second inning they were all out of there." Correia is expendable because of the Pirates' acquisition of Rodriguez, and could be worth a flier for another NL team. His low strikeout rate is a warning to AL teams. Wolf, after an awful first half, has put together back-to-back quality starts. Francis may be the best bargain out there, with Toronto heavily interested in bringing the lefthander back to his home country. He's been so good lately that the Rockies let him blow through their 75-pitch limit in his last start; he threw 97. And get this: With that win by Francis, the Rockies were 8-2 with Francis since they signed him June 9, and 5-25 with anybody else getting the ball. Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writ...l#ixzz21rQs48tf

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 05:20 AM) I'd consider: Reed, Santiago, Sanchez to MIA for Johnson, Bell JR won't want to take on Bell's horrible contract. We've never done this, that I can remember. Sanchez isn't needed, they'll move Bonifacio to 2B supposedly. Santiago and Reed still aren't going to be enough of a return for a pitcher like Johnson, even if you consider the roughly $20 million they're saving on Heath Bell. Maybe if at least half that money was coming from the Marlins for Bell...but then we'd have to kick in much better players.

#8 Trayce Thompson Team: high Class A Winston Salem (Carolina) Age: 21 Why He's Here: .346/.433/.885 (9-for-26) 10 R, 4 HR, 10 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 1 SB The Scoop: Long known as a toolsy athlete with contact issues, Thompson entered the week having struck out in 14 straight games, nine of which were multi-strikeout affairs. But he struck out in just two games this week and that increased contact rate showcased his plus power. The 6-foot-4 Thompson hit four home runs, including longballs in three straight and a game-winning grand slam Thursday. More than half of Thompson's hits have gone for extra bases this season, giving him the second-highest isolated slugging percentage (.239) and home run total (21) in the South Atlantic League. His defense has improved this season and according to one scout, "That guy can play a big league center field right now."Trayce Thompson Player Card From BaseballAmerica.com (Prospect Hot Sheet) So we have Mitchell starting off well for Charlotte, Walker picking up his game, and Thompson getting raves now as well. It's all good. Castro, Molina and Axelrod are being pressured by those 3 guys excelling and will likely fall in the offseason ratings. http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=23376191 HR VIDEO April 30 K's/103 PA=29.1% (14 BB's) May 38 K's/112 PA=33.9% (12 BB's) June 29 K's/109 PA=26.6% (7 BB's) July 34 K's/122 PA=27.9% (8 BB's) Walks are down, by strikeouts and power numbers have improved appreciably from first two months to June/July. 741 OPS/April 703 OPS/May 888 OPS/June 854 OPS/July There's going to be a good argument he's your #2 prospect after Hawkins, especially if he finishes strong in August and then carries it over to the AFL.

Morel 0/4 with 3 K's for Charlotte. Mitchell 5/15 with a a hit in all four games he's played in so far. 2 RBI. Courtney Hawkins 2/5, 2B, RBI, sporting a 733 OPS. Haven't noticed Barnum back playing 1B even though he's supposedly been cleared to play again.

Here we go with the eye level thing again. That was up in Kinsler's eyes saying "hit me!"

Two line shot homers by Alexei this week. Dunn missed 3B on that turn, by the way.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 09:17 PM) You're the guy who tells everyone what they should think, and corrects everyone's spelling. Why are you popping off? I could care less what, for example, Caesar posts every minute of a game thread....I really could care less if someone is optimistic or pessimistic, it's up to them. I don't think you'll fine me jumping on anyone or picking a fight just to be ornery in a game thread.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 09:11 PM) And the game we are watching is a GAME. And the team you want to win is WINNING. Yet look at your posts. You would think they are losing by 20 runs and are 20 games out of first place. Once again, I think I have a right not to have much confidence in Jones and Thornton at this point. But, by all means, tell me how I should feel about them. Maybe you should be at WSI with that attitude... Maybe you can complain about Brett Myers while you're at it.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 09:06 PM) So he was just going to turn it on today and be lights out against better hitters. Gotcha. Quit your crying. The Sox are winning. Whatever, just ignore everyone else for 3-4 pages who was saying the same things. You're a tough guy, really. Big internet enforcer of everyone's feelings and opinions. Take a look at yourself in the mirror when you realize this is an INTERNET MESSAGE BOARD.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 09:02 PM) His last outing he went 2/3 of an inning and walked 3. The outing before he went 2/3 of an inning and gave up a homer, but don't let facts get in your way. It's still NOT worse than Thornton and Jones. Jones has put on over 30 baserunners in his last 10 innings. Crain was pitching in garbage situations, just trying to get back to his comfort level. Keep in mind, he rushed to get back onto the roster instead of taking the customary minor league rehab assignment like he should have. Maybe something to do with us being woefully understaffed and inexperienced in the pen now.

That's what Nathan Jones SHOULD look like, lol. Flowers with no hope in hell to hit that pitch.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 08:59 PM) Take a pill. First you say Beltre is going to kill Thornton, then he walks and you deem that as another reason Thornton has to go. He let one run score when he came in with the bases loaded and one out against the heart of the Texas Rangers line up. Did you see how hard he hit that ball? By all means, go ahead and make Matt Thornton the closer, if it makes you happy. You are probably the only White Sox fan in the entire country who felt comfortable in that situation with Thornton there. But go ahead and ignore everyone else's comments, lol.