caulfield12

Nix, according to the Tribune, has an injury that will put him on the shelf for 2-3 days at least. If it wasn't already, it looks like it definitely is not Getz's job to lose. For the next couple of days, Chris Getz is the second baseman because Jayson Nix is nursing a strained right quadriceps and Brent Lillibridge was sent home Saturday with flulike symptoms. Getz responded with a pair of hits against the Rangers. … Ryan Braun, who was signed in the off-season after missing last year with the Royals because of elbow surgery, threw 55 pitches Saturday in the bullpen. Braun was 2-0 in 26 games for the Royals in 2007. … The Sox have added a B game against the Dodgers on Monday morning. www.chicagotribune.com/sports

QUOTE (Tony82087 @ Mar 7, 2009 -> 06:49 PM) Cabrera isn't going anywhere. If needed, you sell everything, and build around him. They have some terrible deals on the books. Carlos Guillen is making 13 million in 2010 and 2011, Bonderman is making 12.5 in 2010, Dontrelle is making 12 million in 2010, along with Inge making 6.6 in 2010. Ouch. Not to mention Gary Sheffield, a $3 million buyout for Edgar Renteria and Robertson's contract, which is maybe the worst considering he was one of the least serviceable fifth starters in all of baseball last year. Ordonez certainly isn't cheap, as he's basically just a DH playing the outfield, like Dye. They're starting to pay Verlander more and more, and he's far from being the ace we felt he would be in 2006. Granderson, Cabrera, Verlander and Porcello might be something to build around, we'll just have to wait and see. They've also traded away valuable pieces in A. Miller (good timing), but Maybin and J. Jurgens were (and will be) huge losses.

Owens is basically useless in the current Willie Harris/Pods after July of 2005 form...pretty soon, it's going to get into his head and he's going to start to getting more tentative and make even more mistakes, because psychologically he knows he has to run out there, that's the only way he can prove he's healthy and make the ballclub. If he's not capable of stealing 45-55 bases in a full season, he's useless. And he has to get at least 75% of them....which would mean he now needs 9 steals in a row to be effective. That doesn't seem likely. Forgot about Josh Fields, along with Kroeger, Viciedo, Nix and Beckham and the seeming health of Contreras/Colon and Marquez and Richard pitching well, the highlight of the spring so far. However, the CF situation seemingly is getting worse by the day. It can't be DeWayne Wise, can it? I just hope KW doesn't make some sort of desperation move like Juan Pierre.

The Rangers' announcers were very complimentary to Viciedo. Said that was as long a throw as you can make, and that his reactions were "quick" down there. He also made a nice throw to end the inning with the forceout at 2B. It's amazing how much more exciting it is when Beckham, Viciedo, Flowers, Nix, Kroeger, Jordan Danks, etc., are in the line-up instead of our "normal" somewhat boring line-up. I guess we have Getz and Viciedo, but Torres isn't the kind of hitter you stand around and watch in BP either. Richard seemingly learning from Buehrle how to work with a fast pace...good to see, that really keeps the fielders on alert and helps the defense.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 7, 2009 -> 12:34 PM) You're saying that we didn't have CF problems WHILE Nick Swisher was here? It has been a problem for sure since Rowand's 2004 season. We haven't had above MLB average production (offensively and defensively) since then from that position. Heck, I'll go all the way back to Lance Johnson to the last time we had a CFer I really liked...or Mike Cameron, warts and all. Lofton was good for six weeks in 2002. We've run through Jeremy Reed, Chris B. Young, Anthony Webster, Rowand, Ryan Sweeney, etc. One of the biggest miscalculations KW ever made was thinking Brian Anderson would be ready in 2006. Whatever he was doing in the minors (and he put up some good seasons statistically), they should have realized his swing has significant holes that would be exposed, especially to breaking balls and sliders low and away. Not only that, but he's a horrible players in terms of fundamentals and execution...hitting the cutoff man, bunting, baserunning (sometimes), hitting to the opposite field, shortening up his swing for contact (it seems like he's still taking some god-awful cuts up there that leave him with no chance of even hitting the ball). He's just a very talented athlete right now at age 26 still trying to figure out how to play. Like Borchard, he'll hit some balls that make you think he's a natural...or when he got Felix Hernandez twice out in Seattle, where for some mysterious reason 75% of his homers come from (of all MLB parks!). When you compare him at the plate with the presence of a Beckham or even Viciedo, it's like night and day. With Uribe gone, he's the batter that opposing pitchers would MOST want to face in our line-up, it's not even close for 2nd place at this point. Owens might at least put some pressure on the defense with the idea he will bunt or force the infield to make a play...most of the time the defense can just sit back on their heels with Anderson at the plate.

Well, no matter how we "spin" it, as Viciedo/Marquez for Swisher, it's going to be remembered for how Swisher and Marquez do respectfully...and perhaps for continued CF problems in Chicago as well.

Possibly, but maybe KW liked Nunez a lot better...so let's say the two minor league relievers are an even swap, it makes the deal Swisher for Marquez, Betemit and Viciedo, essentially. That's the other angle that hasn't been raised, and the way KW has consistently presented it this offseason. I guess it could have been Hudson instead of Viciedo and Colon, but we'll never know for sure...the market sure turned against Hudson...I wouldn't be surprised if the Dodgers beat everyone, if they could get strong enough starting pitching and Furcal stays healthy.

Ryan Roat they said...different guy I guess.

ViciAdo according to Melton. Nice. Swinging out of his a-- against Thomas on that high FB, but he made solid contact, just hit it right at the SS. Beckham took a walk. These last two lefties have had really good arms, albeit not so much control. This is their closer apparently. UMMMM...melton, whisler is the definition of AAA/AAAA pitcher.

McCulloch's motion is a lot like Brandon McCarthy's. Not very smooth or fluid. He obviously can't throw 93-94 like Brandon, but that last strikeout looked McCarthyesque. I was more impressed than I expected to be.

I'm starting to be less concerned with finding quality RH relievers. Omogrosso looks like a man against boys out there. With Nunez, Santeliz, Omogrosso, Harrell, Nathan Jones, Santos Rodriguez...a good collection of arms we're building up. Are they playing Ratt "Round and Round"? Haha. Liam Neeson/Michael Collins at 1B.

Nice to see Beckham and Flowers going to the opposite field. Anderson almost had a 2 RBI double with that approach.

Omogrosso with a secondary pitch and a little bit of movement on his FB would be devastating. He's an intimidating presence out there. Seems like he's getting a couple of offspeed pitches over. Quick worker, also.

Note to KW: Please stick Viciedo at catcher. Flowers looks really rough back there. Viciedo has the arm to do it...Allen and Fields each 3/3.

Snelling has some major league time. Larson. Hughes is a good prospect with the Twins. Nice swing by Beckham. I don't what's up with Fields' baserunning this spring...that's 2 silly outs on the basepaths. Now Kroeger. Link looked much better his seond inning. Wow Josh Fields is really locked in and looking much quicker on fastballs.

There are lots of interesting possibilities. This discussion hasn't even taken Lillibridge into consideration...as the assumption is that 2B is now a battle between Getz and Nix. If I had to pick the roster based on what we've seen so far, it would be Marquez and Richard to the bullpen...Corky Miller as back-up catcher....Getz and Nix starting in a platoon with Lillibridge, Kroeger and Wise fighting for the final two spots. Kroeger could be like Ross Gload, but with more power. Of course, it all depends on going with six or seven (more likely if Contreras and Colon start the year in the rotation) relievers. Maybe it's just me, but I am very tired of even talking about Anderson and Owens. BA definitely needs to play everyday at either the major or minor league level and we'll just have to see what happens. With Owens (I know he had a "good" game yesterday), I am willing to take my chances with Getz/Lillibridge and then Ramirez at the top of the order. It shouldn't be much worse than Cabrera/AJ. The final reason I'm souring on Owens is that he's not even really an effective basestealer...if not for that one hot stretch in 2007, his career statistical line would be atrocious.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 6, 2009 -> 10:15 AM) Well, first, know that some of those names won't even be in the organization come mid-April. Broadway isn't likely to go to AAA again, for a 4th year, that's like a death sentence. He makes the club or he's shown the door. Richard won't be in AAA nor will Marquez, they are both making the team, one way or the other (though I would prefer Marquez starting in AAA if Colon and Contreras are both healthy, it won't happen). Also, no way they have Cassel repeat AA after he not only spent a full season there, but put up some of the best numbers of any starter in that entire league. If I assume that Broadway is gone, and others are not (which is unlikely, but I can't say who might get traded), it looks like this: AAA: Egbert Poreda Cassel Van Benschoten Torres (possibly goes to pen, in which case, Harrell gets this slot) 'pen will include: Omogrosso, Wassermann, possibly Russell, possibly O'Malley, Link, Lujan AA: Harrell McCulloch (if he is still even in the org, if not, possibly Carter) Ely Long Rasner That's about as far as I can project it right now. You'd have to think Nunez and Link would be the two closers. I suppose it could end up being someone like German or MacDougal, but I would doubt it. Doesn't C. Santeliz probably have the best potential in terms of stuff and future projectability, certainly better than Long and Rasner? Are you going to have him starting in High A or relieving in Birmingham? I wonder if the Sox will start S. Rodriguez? I'm assuming they will, somewhere in A ball...at least until he proves he's better suited as a reliever. It's going to be the final passing of the Shaffer/Wilder Era when Owens (although that was a KW trade), Broadway, McCulloch, Valido, Gomes, Paulo Orlando, Rafael Rayes and Juan Silverio are gone (Andy Gonzalez, thankfully, was the first). If it weren't for the health of Contreras and the signing of Colon, I couldn't see any way they could waive or trade Broadway. That would be putting a lot of pressure on Marquez, Richard and Poreda, and Richard's the only one with any MLB experience. He's close to the end of the rope...and maybe they'll trade him or put him in the bullpen in Charlotte, but I can't see them waiving him quite yet. If anyone, McCulloch deserves to be released b4 Broadway.

We now see the first signs that Ozzie is at least pondering now about how Kroeger might make this team, and in what role. That would be starting off as the back-up outfielder and back-up 1B to Konerko, along with Betemit. Of course, all this hinges on the Owens/Anderson/Wise situation....and how they hold up over the next month. An injury or non-performance (or continued strong show by Kroeger) changes things, especially if Brian Anderson continues to struggle at the plate. Anderson has two things going for him, that he's the best defensive sub and he's right-handed. That's about it for now. The problem for Kroeger is that Owens and Wise are also LH. Still, if you look at what Quentin and Ramirez did last year at age 25/26, you start to also consider the possibilities with players like Kroeger, Van Benschoten (probably not this year), Getz, Floyd, Nix, Betemit, Lillibridge, Fields....then you have that second wave with Beckham, Flowers, Viciedo, Allen, Danks and Shelby, it's pretty inspiring in terms of some renewed hopes for the future. We're really becoming a much more youthful club over the next two seasons. One can easily imagine starting the 2011 (and possibly even 2010) without a single position player over age 30. It would be nice to see Kroeger blossom simply because he's another LH bat with extra-base power, something we're lacking in our system, with the exception of Allen, and a likely offseason target for KW going into 2010 to replace Thome if Allen struggles this year. Kroeger will really have to continue to work on his patience and making contact, but he's still ONLY 26, so it's just as reasonable to call him a "prospect/suspect" as Anderson or Owens.

Charlotte John Van Benschoten Jeff Marquez (depending on Colon/Contreras) Richard or Aaron Poreda Lance Broadway John Egbert AA Ely Anthony Carter (maybe) or Carlos Torres Santeliz Cassel Harrell Other names McCulloch Matt Long Zaleski Omogrosso Rasner would like to see Santos Rodriguez and what he's got but that will have to wait

The teams that were in on Viciedo and that had the ability to outbid the White Sox, well, that was the Yankees and the Red Sox. They have Alex Rodriguez and Mike Lowell at 3B, and Viciedo would have been facing even more unreasonable pressure and expectations in those markets. Torres knows this, and knows that having a Hispanic manager and coaches like Cora and then the other Cubans around would be the perfect situation for him. You don't think Cashman would be a little gunshy about bringing another Cuban into NYC to open a new stadium at the age A-Rod (already the best prospect in baseball) did the same thing? That's just not reasonable. It seems we're into these bi-polar discussions about Viciedo. It's almost like you believe he's the Cuban Babe Ruth (like Torres) or you're in the Peter Bjarkman school/camp where he will be just another solid major leaguer, more like Kendry Morales. I think we've seen with those two homers and kind of power he has....and he played very well defensively, although he finally went hitless. The thing is, if he's CLOSE to being as good as advetised, he will show it one way or the other, and the White Sox won't be able to hide him like teams used to do with their best prospects to keep other teams from drafting them (how Roberto Clemente was stashed away in Montreal...it seems impossible, as we live in the instant news/youtube/Internet age). No matter what happens with Viciedo, he will be getting a HUGE payday again at age 23, when most players have to wait until the late 20's for their first really big contract after their six years of mandatory service time. I think the Astros were the only other team really serious about Viciedo, and their budget prevented the spending on even "value" players like Wigginton and Wolf that didn't have huge contract demands.

I just don't see KW trading or making a play for Halladay. Maybe the time will come when he really does go after another "ace" caliber pitcher via trade or free agency, but his mode since the David Wells/Ritchie/Vazquez/Garcia deals has been to target younger pitchers with potential like Danks and Floyd and hope they develop into aces, rather than spending that kind of money and/or giving up the entire farm system to pull a move off. I won't say it's impossible because economics might conspire against the Blue Jays (and the almost unbeatable competition in the AL East) and force them to make a move, but they're not going to get anything back for the likes of Rolen, Wells and even Rios, so they simply HAVE to get something nice for Halladay.

I'm sure he'll look at the videotape quickly... Lillibridge looks like he's really too far away from the plate when he's hitting.

They did manage to make the idiotic comment that Reed Johnson was battling for the CF job with the White Sox, and were very dismissive of Brian Anderson because of his "sub-par offensive seasons" and that he was no longer a top prospect, lol. Egbert flirting with disaster but somehow he managed to get out of it.

2B-303, SS-52, OF-15, 3B-6 About 81% of Getz's career games have been played at 2B. I think it would be a stretch to put him at 3B, 1B or in the outfield more than in "emergency" situations. I was about to say that Betemit was superfluous, but he's really not, because he's the best back-up for Fields and Konerko at those positions, and his presence allows Viciedo to start the season in the minors as well. Obviously, Lillibridge would be the best back-up at SS, the question is how much better Getz is than Betemit at that position? Is Getz even viewed as better at SS? I know Betemit took a lot of flak after his two error game, but the guy has 10X the experience at that position than Getz does. SS-553, 3B-435, 1B-53, 2B-18, RF-1, LF-1, DH-1 If you look at Betemit, he obviously has more career experience on the left side of the infield, and at 1B. The guy was once the #8 prospect in all of baseball, even though it was 7 years ago (the same time Borchard was found on those lists).

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/magazine...amp;_r=1&hp Very good (long) article in the NY Times Magazine written about the housing crisis in Cleveland...by a NU professor. If you want to learn how so "speculators/investors" are still figuring out ways to make money in this crazy climate, it should be particularly interesting. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/opinion/05collins.html Lashing out at Countrywide Loans former president for continuing to make profits from the government...