caulfield12

I'd just like to see evidence that Anderson is maturing as a player (I won't get into off-field antics or attitude/cockiness for now). Sometimes, I think BA's evil twin William Katt (Greatest American Hero) would have a better chance of scoring with Shannon Tweed in a Skinemax Friday night movie than BA does with the curveball or offspeed stuff off the plate. Maybe you can blame Greg Walker (whatever), but I would like to see some baseball smarts....at least occasionally. The ability to hit to the opposite side and not get pull happy (Rowand fell into this, too). Being able to bunt and give yourself up. Considering he'd probably be the 9th place hitter, the ability to really bear down (like Uribe) and get RBI's when they are most needed. Hitting the cut-off man and throwing to the right bases. While he's a gifted defender, he makes lots of mistakes mentally in terms of fundamentals, and that just drives me crazy. His baserunning could also be better, although he's getting better in that area, and he's one of our few runners that you can count on with his long strides to get the extra base (1B to home on double, 1st to 3rd on single, 2nd to home on single, etc.)

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 11:27 AM) I am slowly and painfully real;izing the Sox trade away or allow to walk via free agency players that are ready to make money and start over again. Well, you can go along with that idea in the case of Durham, Ordonez and Lee. Before that, Robin Ventura or Alex Fernandez. More recently, you could add Rowand and Crede (not so much, the back and Boras were too problematic, plus we have depth there now). But they kept Frank Thomas long-term...as well as Buehrle. And was anyone HORRIBLY upset when we left Ordonez go...I mean, he made $14.5 million in 2004 and was coming off a couple of major injuries that led many to believe he might never be the same, plus he was having medical procedures in Switzerland, it was crazy to think the White Sox would offer a deal like the Tigers (to their credit, although they might have been bidding against themselves) did in the end. I guess for this generation of Sox fans, the only name that really HURT to lose was Ventura, because he was such a fan favorite and all-around good guy. It's really what all MLB franchises, with a few exceptions (like the Yankees/Red Sox/Cubs/Dodgers/Angels/Mets) have to do these days. Maximize the value of players in years 1-4, and then get the best possible return. I think Jenks, with his many risk factors, will also fall into this camp. You have to also keep in mind they've kept Konerko, Dye and Thome around as the "core" of the line-up. You can take issue with letting Chris Young go (if KW had a choice) instead of Anderson to the D-Backs, but does anyone want to assume Aaron Rowand's contract right now? I don't think so.

Any rating for Viciedo at this point is VERY silly, at best. Flowers also seems to be getting the short end of the stick, compared to where he's normally at...which is 3rd or 4th, especially if he can stick as a catcher, he'd be #3 behind Wieters and Posey probably in MLB if he has another season like last year (plus the AFL.) I also don't see how Lillibridge can be completely out of the picture (well, "sleeper") after one injury-riddled season.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 12:37 PM) The wife and I saw Revolutionary Road on Friday. It was basically 2.5 hours of why marriage is bad, and the rumors that Winslet gets nekkid were unfounded. There really was no purpose to watch this movie. I didn't hate it, but I didn't feel like I'd been to see a movie afterwards. Also, I can see why the performances of the main characters did not warrant nomination. A lot of the arguments really seemed forced and contrived. The only guy nominated (supporting actor, crazy guy) had like 10 minutes of screen time. Meh. Stick with The Reader and Titanic, lol. Or just watch Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler.

What was the deal with the new Transformers preview/trailer? Does anyone know anything about the plot/synopsis? I wonder when they will start showing AVATAR previews?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 08:38 AM) This kid is my sleeper for the CF job. He would be a perfect fit if he could approach his pre 2008 numbers. He gives you more of the little things (I hate to say scrappy/grindy) that you won't get from an Anderson...maybe like Iguchi with more ability but less refined at this stage of his career. I don't buy KW's comment about BA hitting .275 with 25 homers. If he played everyday, he'd be hard-pressed to hit .240, going against the best righthanders in the game, day in and day out. Of course, his defenders will argue that consistent playing time would fix all the holes in his swing...that his approach would improve and he wouldn't miss every single slider or curveball low and away. Well...the reverse argument is true too, getting the most favorable match-ups available in most games, he didn't even challenge hitting .250 for the season. Anderson's a very good defensive player, sure, but the holes in his offensive game can be more than overcompensated for by Lillibridge repeating anything close to his minor league norms prior to 2008. Of course, someone will cite BA's norms in the minors and say why would we expect Getz/Nix/Lillibridge to hit as well as they did in the minors at the major league level?

I don't think you can argue that 2003, 2005 and 2008 were years that DIDN'T end up better than MOST predicated b4 the season, even though 2003 turned out disappointing in the end. I think our expectations got too jacked up in the middle of the 2003 season...thinking we MIGHT have had the best team in the AL for at least awhile. And then you're not considering 2000, which was a HUGE surprise to everyone (I know, not part of KW's regime exactly), but almost as big of a surprise as 2005 in many ways, maybe moreso. 2001 and 2006 stung coming off division championships and the World Series title, but 2001, we were decimated by injures and started 14-29 and struggled all season to get back to .500. 2002, 2004...we were probably around what was expected. 2007...once again, injuries decimated a team that most thought would be 5-10 games over .500, but had dramatically faded down the stretch in 2006 and also a team replacing some key parts from the championship team already. By this "disappointment" metric, though....every season in NY, Boston or on the Northside without a World Series title is a major disappointment. That's a pretty high barrier/standard for the White Sox to live up to, if you consider where this team was for large parts of the past 50 years.

Indications are that prized left-hander Aaron Poreda has an excellent shot at making the Opening Day roster, even if he doesn't beat out Clayton Richard or Jeff Marquez for the fifth starter's spot. Guillen said his son Oney raved about Poreda when they played together in the minor leagues. Poreda also struck out five in three innings, including a called third strike on Colorado's Todd Helton, in a 'B' game last March. "Pretty soon he'll be in the big leagues, and you will enjoy the way this kid pitches," Guillen said. "He's got great stuff. Whoever scouted this guy should be proud." www.chicagotribune.com/sports

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?i...ce=MLBHeadlines Article that says the White Sox are done with FA's for this offseason. The most interesting thing was hinting that DeWayne Wise was the favorite for CF, but I haven't seen that reported ANYWHERE else. I guess in that scenario, Wise would be batting 9th? If Lillibridge or Getz are legitimately targeted to hit leadoff, you'd have to think that Anderson behind Fields as the 9th place hitter would make the most sense. But it seems more like they would prefer Owens to hit first against righties and Lillibridge against lefties.

If they can teach him to master the crossover step without taking the crowhop or bunny step (when stealing bases), that would be great.

Brian Anderson is still around, and so is Dewayne Wise. Anderson has obvious ability and has culled a cult-like following among Sox fans despite getting limited play the past two seasons. In 2006, Anderson played in 134 games and batted a subpar .225. Last year, he started only 39 games but appeared in 109, often as a late-inning defensive replacement. "I think he grew up a little bit as a player last year, and I think he grew up a little bit as a man," Guillen said. "He will get a legit shot to win the job." Guillen said the same about Wise. The battle at second base is even more crowded, with Getz, Lillibridge and Jayson Nix set to compete. General manager Kenny Williams said top prospect Gordon Beckham needs a full season in the minor leagues. Lillibridge is a product of the Atlanta Braves' system, and Nix comes over from the Colorado Rockies. Much like Williams, Guillen is eager to see Lillibridge when camp opens in Glendale, Ariz. "I think this kid is going to bring a lot, because I talked to (Braves scout) Jim Fregosi and he's really high on him," Guillen said. "He's a player; he shows up every day trying to beat you. That's what I hear." from dailyherald.com

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/1340 Notice he didn't say anything about Yadel Marti, just Gomez?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,1145510.story Yet another story on Owens. You would think he was Jesse Owens or Terrell Owens, as much coverage/ink as he's gotten this off-season after not even being recalled last year.

Then, the every-day lineup could be viewed as a wonderful blend of veteran and youth. You also could argue there are only a couple of – if any – players in their primes (depending on your definition), leading to the kind of offensive inconsistencies the White Sox endured last season. from cbssportsline.com

QUOTE (Markbilliards @ Jan 31, 2009 -> 01:50 PM) I think Mark Shapiro is awful. Particularly because of Borowski and then the follow up, Kerry Wood. Awful. Getting Kelly Shoppach (20+ homers from catching position) has been one of his best moves, and one of Epstein's worst...on the other hand, you have the likes of Andy Marte, Josh Barfield, Jason Michaels and Joe Borowski as a closer...which most were quite skeptical of. Totally rearranging the infield with DeRosa, the bloated Peralta (is now a 3B/1B/DH) and Cabrera should definitely help offensively. Garko's also a butcher, and they need to find space for Martinez and Hafner as well. A lot will come down to the contributions of LaPorta and the pitcher they got in return for Sabathia...that will be telling. I also think that the pick-up of Reyes could turn out to be as good as the signing of Pavano turns out badly (from a clubhouse perspective). Also think that the trade of F. Gutierrez was a puzzling one and they're really depending on Choo to be an everyday player when he hasn't been for the last couple of years at the big league level. Shapiro seems to always coast because of the Sizemore, Brandon Phillips and Cliff Lee deal. Of course, he definitely missed the potential with Phillips and gave up way too quickly on him, creating a hole that took 2-3 years to fill.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-remingt...l_b_160456.html

Adding intrigue is the supposed/rumored "relationship" between Evan Rachel Wood (who also dated Marilyn Manson, 19 years her senior) and 56 year old Mickey Rourke.

Well, players like Tony Gwynn, John Kruk and David Ortiz have had pretty "decent" careers (to say the least for 2 of them) at least less ideal body weights....same with Manny Ramirez.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:30 PM) Depends on how desperate we are. Based on last year and the AFL, I think both Danks and Beckham will probably start off the season in AA this year. If they continue to hit there, and a position opens up due to, I dunno, Matt Wise not being the best leadoff hitter...You could see Beckham this year and maybe Danks this year to next year. More time is obviously better, but if you need a CF... I think you mean DeWayne Wise, not the pitcher...or Rick Wise.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:10 PM) Quite frankly, yes. For the 2nd half, Anderson had an OPS only 11 points below Mackowiak and a batting average .001 below him. And I swear, every time he was in CF, Mack missed a play Anderson would have made that would have cost the team at least 1 run. The problem with measuring BA's statistics is they were almost always put up against the most favorable match-ups possible....whereas Mackowiak faced a steadier diet of top pitching. I know that BA somehow managed to hit two dingers off Felix Hernandez, but typically he gets owned by dominant/ace-caliber pitchers.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 12:01 PM) Agreed. Unless his demands are ridiculous or he wants to leave for some reason, Kenny will be with the Sox for a while. I realize that anything can happen in baseball, but this appears to be the last year that the Sox will have a really good shot at the playoffs again, before losing a number of vets to FA this winter. If that turns out to be true, the Sox are going to have to begin somewhat of a rebuilding phase next year. So if they start slow, I wouldn't mind seeing guys like JD or Thome (if he'll agree) dealt mid-season. The money saved this year can be spent at a later date. Would anyone trade Jim Thome's homer against Minnesota in the play-in game if they knew they could exchange his 2009 contract of $13 million for $6.5 million and Bob Abreu/Adam Dunn AND another veteran starting pitcher at the back of the rotation (like Wolf, Byrd, Looper, Glavine, Pedro Martinez, etc.)?? Interesting question. That's going to be the memory of Thome that stays with most White Sox fans when he retires...vanquishing the Twins. Psychologically, losing the Central to them for the 5th time in 7 years really would have sucked, I almost can't imagine this past offseason, as boring/frustrating as it has been.

I think this all depends on how good Minnesota's rotation becomes (have they peaked or will they regress?) and how healthy Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez are with the Indians. The Indians have improved the most, on paper, and the Tigers and Twins basically stood pat, particularly the Twins...who are hamstrung by having to commit a significant sum of money to their new stadium (in fact, the big issue going forward will be keeping Mauer in the fold). I don't know if Edwin Jackson, Brandon Lyon and Adam Everett are enough to make the Tigers anything more than a 3rd place ballclub...and their revenues will dwindle with the Michigan/Detroit economy in tatters. If Beckham, Poreda and Viciedo all step up and play as expected, and Flowers can put up a line of .260, 25, 80-90 in 2010 or 2011...then we should remain very competitive. Allen, Shelby and Danks could all make an impact before the end of 2010 as well.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jan 30, 2009 -> 11:58 AM) Trying to make a player into something he is not, never has been, and never will be? I agree. What choice did Guillen really have that year...to keep running Anderson out there every day in July and August when he wasn't even sniffing the Mendoza Line? We can hate on Mackowiak, Erstad, Swisher, Griffey and Wise all we want, but KW was the one who provided those players to Ozzie and traded away Chris Young. You're only as good as the talent you have on your team...or as bad. If anything, Ozzie had to cut the cord before Anderson got to the point where he would never recover as a ballplayer. He still has a chance to be a regular somewhere else, but probably not in Chicago...maybe with an NL team. One could certainly argue Felix Pie had LESS of an opportunity than Anderson, in fact.

I think this is definitely dated/old news. Juan signed a minor league deal with the possibility of making $1 million if he makes the major league club...and Crede's workout is being hyped by the Boras Machine, but the likelihood of getting guaranteed numbers over $5.1 million is pretty laughable at this point as a concept. Adam Dunn and Abreu might not even get $5 million the way things are going right now.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/01...d?currentPage=5 Interesting article in the New Yorker about movie marketing today and opening numbers... Also, saw The Mist and could have done without the downer ending...then again, it was atypical, I'll give it that. What I really expected was for the survivors of the store to go by Thomas Jane and taunt him...but that didn't happen either.