caulfield12

Let's look at total chances per inning...another measure. Kinsler .658 A. Cabrera .625 Jose Lopez .601 (he's NOT a good defender and the M's pitching was very bad last year, so more opportunities, more batters per inning) Polanco .587 Cano .581 (also not a good defender, better than Soriano, but not a Top 5 2B) Kendrick .571 Alexei Ramirez .565 Mark Ellis .561 (always known as a good defender, probably moreso than for his offense) Brian Roberts .559 Grudzielanek .556 Alexi Casilla .545 (he's good enough the Twins were considering moving him back to SS) Pedroia .533 (this is largely a product of the Red Sox pitching staff giving him fewer opportunities, your 2008 Gold Glove winner) Iwamura .515 The reason he was lower among the qualified is that there WERE ONLY EIGHT OF THEM in the AL...NOT A LONG LIST. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/fieldi...umn=rangeFactor In terms of Range Factor, he's very squarely in the middle of the pack. Of course, who is #1? Ian Kinsler, one of the worst defenders in the AL. Kinsler, in fact, is the outlier, everyone else is bunched up. Pedroia, the Gold Glove winner, is down towards the very bottom (for reasons listed below). Kinsler plays on that fast infield, where there is a premium on opposing batters putting the ball on the ground and in play...and the Rangers' putrid pitching for years has given Kinsler and Michael Young more opportunities out there than Jon Daniels would prefer. Plus, there aren't very many high K/IP pitchers on that staff either, so more chances. There are so many other factors in these statistics... How good your overall pitching staff is (team ERA), how many strikeouts they accumulate (taking away fielding opportunities), the type of infield you play on (surface), the number of fastball "dominant" pitchers (which would result in more balls hit the opposite way) on the staff, etc. I don't buy any of these ratings, personally. It's one interesting measure. I would agree that Iwamura isn't a very good 2B, and every stat puts him near the bottom. Statistically, you know who would be #2, both in terms of quant rating and total chances per inning??? JUAN URIBE, .632, 5.66 That tells me something, because Uribe has LOST a lot of range over the last couple of the seasons, and the weight gain is a primary reason. Yet, according to two statistical measures, he's the 2nd best secondbaseman in all of MLB. Which probably explains why he couldn't get a major league contract. The quants thought they had the stock market risk figured out and we ended up with Long Term Capital Mgt group (two Nobel Prize winners for Econ) and then CDO's/derivatives. These statistical programs actually created more risk in the system. In terms of baseball, they might be a useful tool, but they put, for instance, Nate McLouth at the bottom too in CF and he won the Gold Glove. Because of his throw during the ASG? Trust your eyeballs. They'll tell you that Ramirez has a 70+ arm on the rating scale (behind only Furcal, Dunston, Uribe, Valentin in his prime) and that his arm will make up for any number of mistakes out there...is he going to be great? I don't know yet. But I think he'll be very good, just as he was a very good (but not great) 2B, playing a new position in a new country for the very first time in the heat of a pennant race, when he wasn't used to such a long season. But I guess we expect perfection.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 07:42 PM) Kroeger can play CF. He was called a good athlete and was a college WR. The problem with that argument is that so was Jerry Owens... Between his bad reads/jumps and noodle arm, he's definitely in the bottom 33% of CFers defensively, overall. If he had an average arm, you could argue he's close to the middle of the pack. There has to be SOME reason all these teams have never tried him in CF in recent years (like the DBacks, Cubs and now Ozzie in ST)...and why's he being referred to as a possibility for back-up corner infield and 1B (Ross Gload-ish) instead of as a competitor for the starting CF job.

Sometimes Anderson doesn't think out there...he's a very good athlete playing CF instead of a "natural" baseball player like Beckham who happens to be athletically-gifted...he misses the cut-off man or just has brain cramps, whether in the field or on the basepaths. (Yes, I realize he had a really good throw last week to nab someone trying to score at the plate). Still, it's the evil of two lessers (or three lessers) or the lesser of three evils argument, I suppose. Who will hurt the White Sox the least as a regular? If you stick him the 8 or 9 hole, I'll vote for Anderson at this point. Not because he has really "won" the job, but just because the other logical choices are worse.

The best defensive alignment is certainly Nix at 2B, Lillibridge (or possibly Ramirez) at SS and Anderson in CF. Offensively, you'd have to go with Beckham at SS, Getz or Nix (2B) and Ramirez/Kroeger in CF. Just from what little I've seen of both of them, I would prefer Ramirez over Beckham at SS because he has a little more range and a better arm. It's where he (Ramirez) most wants to play, feels confident and it should be his position to lose, as he waited for one season playing out of position for O-Cabrera. Guillen recently said that watching Ramirez at SS would make "White Sox fans forget about him (Guillen) at that position..." You're not going to hear him make that remark about Beckham. Read into it what you will. Putting Beckham in CF is not and never will be an option. He could arguably play a corner OF spot, but then his bat isn't as nearly as valuable a tool/weapon as in the middle infield. It's pretty obvious that Getz, Beckham and Ramirez are the most talented hitters to play at the top of the line-up. Probably, hitting Beckham first and Ramirez second and putting Getz (or Nix) down in the 9th hole would be ideal. I just can't see giving Getz 50-75 more at-bats in a season than someone as dynamic at the plate as Alexei. We can look at Owens, Wise, Lillibridge and Kroeger and say they're not ready to be regular players (either offensively or defensively) or they just aren't starters on a major league ballclub. Playing at USCF, the focus will always have to be on offense first, that's why we can get away with AJ at catcher. It's also why I wouldn't be surprised to see an almost "double-switch" approach with Corky Miller late in games to put him in a position to throw out opposing basestealers....and they certainly have to work with Floyd, Contreras and Jenks with holding runners on. I don't even like Brian Anderson's defense THAT much, but I'm willing to put him out there for as long as he can hit .240 with 15-25 homers and 10-12 stolen bases. I'm not convinced he can hit .240 going against the best RH pitchers as well...but I'm tired of hearing how he would be Torii Hunter, Jr., if he only received regular playing time and could get into a rhythm. I'm a little bit like Melton is on MacDougal...my patience is wearing thin, but I think Anderson will have one last legit shot to be a regular and that will be the end of it. Ozzie is smart enough to know Wise can't stand up over a full season in CF, just like it was obvious Mackowiak and Erstad couldn't it. If we had Quentin in RF, Anderson/Jordan Danks in CF, Ramirez at SS, Beckham/Nix/Getz at 2B and Viciedo at 1B (actually, I think he'll be fine at 3B, and his arm was as good as advertised) we'd have only average or below average defense from Fields (who looks like he could be at least "average" if 100% healthy and confident...you can imagine that his offensive game taking off would have a corresponding positive influence on his D), the catching spot (although AJ's handling of pitchers and game-calling isn't added into the equation by measurement/quants) and I'm sure we could find someone who would be better than Quentin in LF (maybe Shelby or a FA).

I agree, except I'd rather have the much more dynamic hitter in Ramirez in the 2 hole and put Getz at the bottom of the order instead.

It's also why Thornton and Poreda look better as relievers (as of today). Both of them throw pretty flat fastballs. If Poreda can keep improving his slider and change, then he might be able to make it as a starter...but he really has to have at least one pitch that's 10 MPH slower than his 93-95 MPH fastball. In the first inning of his appearance, maybe he was just overthrowing and his fastball had little movement. If he's just pitching with his fastball, well, we saw what happened to Danksie today and what happened to Thornton when he'd get behind in the count and have to come with fastball after fastball, even at 96-98. I think it's a case like many pitchers that when you let up just a little, the ball actually has more life, even though it's travellling at a slower rate of speed. Garland is a perfect example of this with his sinker. Contreras is best when he throws a mid 90's FB and then takes even more off his forkball and doesn't throw it too hard.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 06:10 PM) I was at the game today. I'm in a hurry so I'll just give you a few highlights (and lowlights)/ 1) Aaron Poreda, he had a shaky first inning, but his fabled slider really worked for him starting in the second. If he can throw that pitch consistently for a strike he could be nigh unhittable. Definitely the highlight of the game 2) Wilson Betemit cannot field AT ALL. He either has no range or is extremely lazy. Make of that what you will. 3) Getz has some serious wheels, and a nice level swing. 4) Vicideo will chase after any slider, no matter where it is. This really needs to be addressed. 5) Owens is awful. (Barring one great defensive play) moving on. 6) Michael Restovich finds it awkward that I knew his name. Deal with it, Restovich. I know everyone 7) Lillibridge, Getz, Walker were nice enough to sign autographs. Got a good picture with Lillibridge, and told him, "Keep hitting, man and you'll make this team". He smiled, good for him. 8) Kenny Williams looks awesome in his skybox. That's an intimidating figure. 9) Harold Baines looks oblivious when you call him out. Hilariously so 10) Jeff Cox is awesome. Actually, Viciedo laid off a couple of breaking pitches that he was swinging at earlier in the spring. He did have to defend the plate, because he got down 2 strikes in his 2nd and 3rd at-bats and had to swing at pretty much anything close, which is natural. On the plus side, all of those offspeed and breaking pitches, he fouled almost all of them off and kept his plate appearance alive, especially the 2nd time up. Where they will try to get him out is with slightly above letter high fastballs or busting him inside and trying to tie up his hands...and then down-and-away. The old stereotype, young Latin players will swing at anything that's remotely close to the plate. The FB he struck out Reyes with was a perfect pitch almost. Dotted the black. Viciedo needs to cut down on his swing a little with two strikes, it seems like he's taking the same approach and the only way he could have hit that ball was to the opposite field, but he's flying out with the front of his body a little too much with that violent hack he takes. He's not getting cheated up there, one bit. It's why we have seen 2 400+ foot balls off his bat already. The ball that Chulk struck him up out with was another tailing fastball, this one high and inside and a ball for sure. One he chased because he got too anxious. Should have took a walk in this appearance, his day would have seemed better in comparison in the end... If there's anyone I am worried about right now, it's Lillibridge, Owens and Anderson. Viciedo will get things figured out quickly in Birmingham. Viciedo looked TERRIBLE today at the plate. Out in front of everything and completely off balanced. Give him time, he's going to have to adjust to a steady diet of breaking balls because that's the standard first rite of passage for all young hitters who have some success against the FB. He's at least making contact with those offspeed pitches and fouling them off, and he and Brandon Allen actually run pretty well for such big guys...not in the AJ/Crede/Konerko/Dye/Thome slow guys' camp.

Ramirez is going to have a post a .850-.900 OPS and win the Gold Glove at SS to be clearly better all-around than Quentin. I just don't see how he can improve his OPS much from last year unless his walk rate climbs, which usually doesn't happen with swing first, walk later Latin players (born and raised playing baseball outside of the US). He does run better, but that hasn't translated into stolen bases as of yet. Quentin is kind of a work in progress in LF, but he has been getting better playing out of his natural position. He might be our "flashiest" or "most dynamic" player, although Beckham might give him a run for his money there too, along with Viciedo eventually.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 04:32 PM) OUR version of Darin Erstad was king of the 4-3 groundout. I think Thome has definitely taken over that title, at least unofficially.

"and stuff like that" C'mon Melton, are you serious? To say that twice in the span of 2 minutes???

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 04:20 PM) Apparently Erstad never left. At least Erstad was respected throughout baseball, and everyone admired how he gutted it out playing through numerous injuries. I don't think Owens will ever have a season of 200+ hits. What did Erstad have that one season? Something crazy...the season he was actually healthy for a full year. PROWESS TO BE WILD BILL? Prowess tends to be a POSITIVE word, with a good connotation, you don't have a prowess to be wild. Maybe proclivity/tendency.

Grim works for the White Sox, senior director of broadcasting.... Highlights of this game, Getz and Poreda, that's basically it. Bad game. No Bill, with two strikes, you DON'T want to put the ball in play....Flowers, Viciedo, Beckham, Ramirez....all showing the rest of the pull-hookers (that's you Jerry Owens) how to go to the opposite field in ST. Lillibridge does it, but it's because his approach has been so horrible this spring.

Bob Grim, Director of Broadcasting and Ranger Rongey's supervisor. Melton is truly about as bad as Bill Walton or Magic Johnson. It's hard not to listen...it's like The Love Guru, only the baseball version. ViceeADO or EYDO? Get it straight. Thank god he's not paired with Santo. Viciedo chased that one of the zone. That's the ball all righthanders think they can get to. The first strikeout, perfect pitch location for Reyes. This one by Chulk was just impatience on the part of Dayan.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 03:46 PM) 9-12 since 2002. That's not a bad record against another team's ace. We didn't beat him head-to-head more than once or twice though, like Johan Santana. Their bullpen has just been that bad the last 2-3 years, with the exception of 2007. At least Konerko tried to go the opposite way instead of the pull-hook with the head down in exasperation look. I think everyone will have a new feeling about the Sox when we finally break up Dye/Thome/Konerko and replace them. Not that I won't miss them. But tired of watching them. Nice story Melton, great insight!!! Gee, Marte and Josh Barfield have been disappointing. There's some news. Melton forgets ROSS GLOAD. who he already used as a comparison earlier. Jesus Flowers, catch the damn ball. Geez. Kroeger is a valuable "TOOL"??? What? Is he a John Deere farm implement?

Melton was right about one thing. We couldnt't beat Sabathia. And the fact that he can now pronounce Viciedo's first name. That's marked improvement there. It's official KW. We have no CFer. Just in case you hadn't noticed. Take that back...Wise 2/4 with a homer and extra base hit in the B game against the Dodgers in the morning. He's officially the first option right now in Guillen's mind at least. Bad jump by Owens but he finally gets there. Some of his sliders have been flat...the one to the third hitter was much more effective. Not quite as good as Marte's slurve from the side when he could locate it, but it could be at least serviceable. Still don't think he's close to starting at the big league level yet, though.

Poreda would be better served refining his offspeed stuff in the minors. No news there. He has almost the same exact approach and look as Thornton without quite the same velocity, just a tick slower. The Sox would be better off with the much different look/repertoire of Richard as the 2nd lefty at this point. Reyes looks like he might have a rebound year this season with the Indians.

Viciedo hung in there pretty well against the curveball...that FB to finish him off was perfectly located on the outside corner. Viciedo at .250 now.

Getting old. I guess this must be Mickey Brantley's son.

Viciedo 5/19 on the spring, nice approach taking the ball up the middle. Getz atones for his error...and Betemit. Lillibridge dumps a ball into RCF. Whatever Ramirez, Viciedo and Beckham have in terms of the ball jumping off the bat...Owens has the exact opposite.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 02:31 PM) Melton do your homework, Westbrook is out for quite awhile. Out until at least the ASB. The spots are for Pavano, Laffey, Sowers, Reyes, Jackson or S. Lewis. 3 of those 6.

Jesus, the infield defense this inning has been atrocious. I think I would rather see Viciedo at 3B than Betemit. I guess the only place we can play him is 1B.

How did Australia beat Mexico by 10 runs? That's a big surprise...not quite like the Netherlands over DR, but close. Don't know much about Randy Williams...I think he's pitched twice this spring and hasn't given up a run yet, lefty, non-roster invitee, will undoubtedly end up in Charlotte as roster filler.

Danks had 22 outings last year when he gave up 0-1-2 runs....tied for Cliff Lee for first. That's impressive. Looked like Lillibridge had that until the last hop...can't believe he didn't at least knock it down and keep the runner at 2nd.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb Bauman knows the White Sox very well and usually comes up with some pretty longer decent articles.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Mar 8, 2009 -> 10:28 PM) um, the name is pronounced the way we americans decide it's pronounced. Weren't you in Gran Torino?