caulfield12

QUOTE (tommy @ Apr 16, 2009 -> 02:54 AM) Aaron Rowand would look great on this team right now. Ummmm...no. If we can't sign Orlando Hudson and Bob Abreu for less than Rowand makes per year (combined they'd still be lower), why would we add a player we wanted to get rid of three years ago who is no longer in the prime of his career and is declining from all the wear and tear on his body? Not to mention he's not a leadoff hitter either. Let's face it, our best option at leadoff is not Milledge, Pods and Rowand...it's Gordon Beckham. The sooner KW and the FO give in to that notion, the better off this team will be.

And miss "swang" through the ball, Cubby love and three different pronunciations of Viciedo in one game...no way! Besides, I always have problems with that silverlight program and the Barons' feed on my computer for some reason. Beckham is 1/2 (the out was almost a HR in the LF corner) with 2 walks in his last two AB's. Now 1/3...he ripped a groundball up the middle but was thrown out on an excellent play by the 2B. Flowers out...Allen gets his first hit of the game. Viciedo takes an 0 for 5 and Cubano is distraught I think, K-ing to the end the top of the 9th.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 06:43 PM) I wonder if the Sox have ever sent MacDougal to a sports shrink. I know I would. Maybe they can send BA there together with Ozzie/Walker and also Lillibridge, Ramirez and Owens for some needed interventions. Maestri (Italian, but not related to the "Maestro" from Seinfeld) has now walked Mr. Beckham twice. This time, Beckham didn't even have a pitch to swing at. Fear THE Reaper/Slayer.

I blame all of Beckham's errors on Wise and Owens. FWIW, Derek Jeter had 56 errors in the summer of 1993 for the Greensboro Bats. Not that we want to set our sights for Mr. Beckham so low defensively. And, in all fairness, the SAL infields were much worse than what players have to deal with in the Southern League in 2009. The Greensboro field was notorious for being one of the worst...or maybe 2nd worst, ours in Augusta was THE worst in 1993/94 before we built a new stadium for the 1995 season. Beckham makes one of his best plays of the season....makes a stellar diving nab of a grounder ("somehow he got to that ball, it looked like it was going through for sure") and makes the flip to Retherford from his stomach. Nice work...Omogrosso through six now, that might be the end of his night. Maestri (Italian, but not related to the "Maestro" from Seinfeld) has now walked Mr. Beckham twice. This time, Beckham didn't even have a pitch to swing at. Fear THE Reaper/Slayer. For the second time of the game, Beckham was almost picked off base on a pop-up...this time on the infield. Maybe the bad baserunning at the major league level has rubbed off on our minor league system, too. The Smokies' announcers are still in amazement, wondering what Beckham was doing.

I am sure Cubano will be starting a thread on Beckham's fielding percentage! Minnesota with a quick 2-0 lead on the Jays, looks like there will be a 3 way tie for 2nd place in the AL Central tonight. Take that back, Rolen homers off Baker, just off the DL, 2-2 game. Retherford and Beckham team up for 2nd double play of the night...4-6-3. Omogrosso settling in a bit now...not a bad candidate to replace MacDougal. Beckham, Flowers and Allen due up in the top of the fifth. Top of the the 5th: Beckham walks, Flowers hits a blooper/Texas Leaguer for a gift single to RF, but then Allen hits a soft liner to RF and finally Viciedo flicked one into RF as well...for some reason, Beckham was running at the crack of the bat (not sure if he was stealing, hit and run or just had a brain cramp) and got doubled off second. BOT 5th: Liner to John Shelby that he couldn't quite get to, but he made a very nice recovery and got the assist, nabbing the runner who was going for a double right out of the box...another note, Flowers has his first passed ball of the season. Not good...Flowers one bounces a throw on a steal attempt into CF, but the runner is stranded at 3B.

Yeah, I was looking at the wrong column. It was his 6th RBI of the season. He has 3 doubles and 1 homer...and has just barely missed a couple of more homers. Cook now 2 for 2. Gartrell with a bomb to straightaway CF that was a no doubter on the berm...2nd homer of the season, 5 RBI's.

Shelby with a double, Flowers continuing to pile up walks...Cook with a two out, two RBI triple (since changed to 2B and error on outfielder). That's Beckham's sixth double in six games (in other words he has as many doubles as Ramirez, Lillibridge and Anderson have hits). Unfortunately, Beckham has error #3 (fielding)...putting him on a pace for 70 errors. Of course, that won't happen, but wouldn't be surprised if he had 30-40 errors this season at all. Top of 3rd: In his second AB, Beckham ripped a ball into the corner that he didn't hit squarely but it almost went out...Flowers walked (second in the game)...Allen grounded out and Viciedo fouled out to catcher on the first pitch...needs to be more patient. They bunted on Viciedo now (Vee-suh-dayo, nice pronunciation Cubs' goon!)...no play Retherford made a really nice playing on a DP ball to get out of 1st and 3rd and one out for Omogrosso, barehanding a relay from Beckham and completing the play at first to Allen. 3-2 Barons going into the fourth, bottom of the order coming up. They will continue to test Viciedo defensively.

Danks up to his normal tricks. 0/2, BB, K (.214). Wonder if he wouldn't have been better off starting at Kannapolis and really building his confidence, but he played in the AFL and Big 12 so he should be ready for this level. No other way to find out. Carter has pitched well so far, only 3 hits in 5 IP, one run and 3 K's. Looks like we have a real dearth of candidates to take the place of MacDougal (Russell being one of them)...not that many teams have dominant 6th and 7th relievers, though.

Kerry Wood gets a big save today for the Indians to stem the bleeding in a game where LHP Aaron Laffey unexpectedly pitched the game of his life, the Tribe bullpen almost gave it back (middle relief) but they hung on to win 5-4. Looks like all the AL Central teams will be bunched up at the top with DET up 1/2 game on the White Sox, Royals and Minnesota (unless the Twins lose tonight at home to the Blue Jays).

BA as a starter so far Walk (caught stealing, but Lillibridge missed hit and run contact), K (critical AB) and 4-3 (at least he didn't K against Perry, who had just knocked down Alexei twice) 1/8 on the season (.125)

Shades of Cabrera versus Grant Balfour with Josh not getting his revenge. I'm still kind of amazed Brian hit the ball, even. If he threw anything offspeed, it would have been brutal.

They will have to start Betemit at 2B or SS tomorrow to get some offense, especially if Getz isn't ready (which it appears he will be back). Ozzie might think about Betemit at SS for Alexei...not sure if he will take the risk defensively.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 02:33 PM) How many games have the Sox won the past 3 years scoring 1 run? There were runners on 2nd and 3rd, it would have been 2-0 with a single in all likelihood.

Now we get to see BA against a real right-handed power pitcher that throws 94-98. Well, he made contact, but he wasn't exactly short and quick, it sounded like he broke his bat almost.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 02:23 PM) I think we should all blame the game on BA. Anyone else out in CF today batting ninth and the White Sox probably win this one going away. If BA (or Lillibridge, or Quentin/Thome) managed to bring in those two runs early, then they had at least a 50/50 chance to win this game. BA is even more important, because they can pitch around him to get to Lillibridge...so he HAS to make contact in that situation. Well, JD just saved one run there with his height, unfortunately it's too late to matter except for the highlight shows.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 02:15 PM) How bad is the Tiger bullpen if they don't trust taking out Gallaraga with a 5 run lead? Hawk's pet peeve, the dreaded pitch count. Actually, this is a good test for the Tigers' pen to see if they can shut down the White Sox...Leyland needs to know what he'll get out them in the late innings. Room service DP ball...typical of how this game isn't going. 90% of the time when you miss those two early scoring opportunities against a good pitcher, you can put a fork in that game. Plus our defense is one of the worst in the major leagues...in terms of errors AND range (yes, you JD and Fields)

Contreras really didn't deserve to give up 4 earned runs...he has been much better than a 6.97 ERA. I'm not drinking Hawk's kool-aid, but I think Jose will be much better when we get to "Cuban" weather, same thing with Ramirez. Somehow Aaron Laffey, after getting bombed out of ST and his first AAA start, has shut down the Royals for 4 innings. I guess the baseball gods had to come down on the side of the Indians eventually, but still only a 1-0 lead for CLE going into the 5th. Long way to go.

The thing is that Josh Anderson won't even play that much when Carlos Guillen goes back to LF. He'll be mostly a once or twice a week player and pinch runner.

PUT THIS GAME ON THE DEFENSE, COMPLETELY. JD gets to that shank down the RF line, and Josh completes the double play, it's still 0-0 and we're in it, although with Galarraga our offense might need 18 innings to score.

We were due for this type of game. Against their best pitcher, with three helpless RH hitters in the line-up right now...and the momentum gone with the rainout. Not the best way to get into the hornet's nest down in TB. Josh Anderson with 4 hits against us in this series...and looking like another LH in our line-up with Pods' speed from 2005 wouldn't be a bad thing to have.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 01:55 PM) I just hate how Ozzie seems determined to have a fast player leadoff, no matter how awful they are. If Carl Lewis was on the Sox for a game, he'd leadoff. Betemit desperately needs more playing time against RHP...or else the Swisher trade looks even worse. But Betemit was our "hedge" against Fields failing in ST and Option B. He's fine at 1B and 3B, but we can't play him at SS or 2B. Although I wouldn't be shocked to see him at SS in the Rays' series because of the way Ramirez has ben hitting since Game 1. Essentially, Betemit is superfluous on this team. And Josh Fields, you pretty much have to play him everyday at this point in his career to see how well he can do against both RH and LH pitching. Well, now the entire game is completely falling apart. And we can't project Viciedo down there at 3B with the rate he's making errors in Birmingham, even if Josh completely went in the tank.

In fact, this game "felt" over just with the fact that Lillibridge was leading off. It's one of those games where we wasted our two big scoring opportunities, but we're still not out of it if we get to face Brandon Lyon b4 we get to Rodney. Unfortunately, not much patience in that inning, so Galarraga will get the 7th now as well. Hopefully, this is the last game Lillibridge starts in a week and Getz can get back and prove effective leading off. If not, we've still got a huge problem, as Pods or Owens are not the answer either...certainly not long-term. Lillibridge should spell Ramirez every couple of weeks at SS (or Sundays) and PR. That's it. He's not capable of anything more. Realistically, they should send him to Charlotte and work on his stroke and putting the ball onto the ground more often...same issue as Jerry Owens.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 15, 2009 -> 01:45 PM) It sucks knowing that with an extra 10 mil to spend, we could have signed Hudson to play 2B and have Swisher in CF this season. Those two holes are so glaring. Would never want Swisher in CF. Hudson in CF would have been fine with me...although I don't think he would have signed here in the tougher league and having to play a new position on a one year contract while waiting for the economy to improve.

We don't deserve to win this game, honestly. We really didn't deserve to win Monday's game with all those walks, either. The only way he can win this game is with homers or beating their pen. We turn that DP or we have an average RFer in terms of speed and we're out of that inning. It doesn't show up as an error in the box score, but it prolongs the inning and gives Polanco another pitch to take advantage of, and Polanco won't fail twice in one game with runners in scoring position. Not against the White Sox at least.

Well 28 MLB rightfielders would have had that ball I think.