caulfield12

The problem is that Chris Sale learned how to pitch in the mid to lower 90's so he could handle a starter's workload...and only use his mid to high 90's stuff when he really needed it to bail him out of a jam. Don Cooper 101 The problem here is that it seems Crochet is just going out there throwing full bore like he's coming out of the bullpen in the 9th inning. And he's not using his secondary pitches nearly enough...just relying on blowing away hitters, especially those on the LH side of the plate. But that's just raw stuff and not with a refined slider like Sale had. Whatever it is, he has to come close to developing at least one secondary off-speed pitch that might not ever be "plus plus" but is at least major league average and that he can control confidently enough to throw it for strikes and get hitters off the fastball.

March 27th looks like pretty much the same weather as currently in Chicago... Maybe JR is trying to get the most relievers possible into the game with one of the best opportunities of the season to sell concessions and souvenirs.

Any early weather projections? Anything below 40 degrees seems dubious at best...

Well...this is the diametrical opposite of the SoxTalkers consensus of holding him down at Charlotte to claim back a year of control.

It's like they're messing with Iowa. They've already split with K-State...playing a team three times in one season is never easy. Could potentially end up with in-state rival Drake if they somehow beat Colorado and KSU. That's unlikely. LSU and Reese/Mulkey again. Then you have Princeton underseeded as well if they can get past WVU and into the second round...thankfully that would be at home. But Chen is a really tough guard matchup. Finally Creighton in the same group...knocked them out of the tourney two years ago with an Iowa transfer playing a key role in that big upset at CHA. https://sports.yahoo.com/march-madness-what-the-ncaa-womens-tournament-selection-committee-got-right-and-wrong-020446625.html

White Sox: LHP Garrett Crochet Crochet expressed an offseason desire to take on the starting pitching challenge, the White Sox agreed and the southpaw has been a man on a mission during this month in Arizona. His talent already was known from parts of three seasons in the bullpen, but Crochet has attacked the strike zone during this starting opportunity, with his fastball touching 100 mph. He has struck out 12 without a walk and allowed seven hits over nine scoreless innings. Crochet could end up anywhere from the White Sox starter on Opening Day to working as a multi-inning hurler out of the bullpen when the team breaks camp. -- Scott Merkin Seems like Garrett has definitely made the team and killed off all chances of clawing back another year of control...just have to wait and see how long it all lasts.

OU Indiana Ole Miss Memphis St. John's and Pitt turn down NCAA invites...need to double check on Seton Hall. Looks like they are playing St. Joe's.

McCarthy was the other player offered. Garfield and Getz went with Fletcher instead. Peterson a utility guy the last 4-5 years. Grichuk not much better.

Somehow I would dare to say the technology in Korea in a domed stadium is 5x more accurate. OTOH Sox games all spring long haven't even had live game data on the MLB Gameday app. Just gave up a homer. Fastball down just a tick. Time zone adjustment not very fun...always the worst on second day. Out after two. 30 pitches.

Cease with two strikeouts in the first...97.2-97.4 with fb slider at 86-87. Curve around 80ish. HaSeong Kim just hit a two run homer... in his homecoming.

If they are just "neutral" moves in terms of team talent level and 40 man roster competitiveness from last season...that would be a massive victory.

But you also know Bagent is going to put them in a 1-3 or 2-4 hole to start off the season. Unless he has problems with picking up the offense, Williams will be the starter from Day 1. That is just who he has always been...unquestionably, THE MAN ever since high school in MD.

Still don't see Thorpe making the Opening Day roster. We'll see.

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/padres-vs-lg-twins/2024/03/17/764837/live/box Cease is pitching tonight...well, really Monday morning around noon against the LG Twins. https://www.mlb.com/news/dylan-cease-seoul-series-journey?partnerId=zh-20231210-1114120-MLB-1-A&qid=100000033&utm_id=zh-20231210-1114120-MLB-1-A&bt_ee=XdOis68Hwf+taANdA+wsDiihduAg7wuYjGKw4oqaF7+skL+IFkUiXI1JItadl+am&bt_ts=1702238468981 Logistical scramble to get Cease to South Korea...

Ortega and Phillips just as bad if not worse. Btw ... let's see how popular Cease acquisition targets Warren and Jones (Yankees) and Stowers (Orioles) sustain their ST accolades. Way too much emphasis on a limited number of at bats...but they are usually utilized by managers as "evidence" that youngsters like Fletcher aren't 100% ready when a vet could easily take that spot.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it...

Not a bad idea....as Hill is more of a specialist. Then you have Berroa and Iriarte as well that they might attempt to stretch out (obviously Berroa has already gotten hurt, but upon his return)...they're just going to have to throw lots of darts against the wall and see which ones can stick, simple as that.

UVA as well because of the program's "name" without that last second collapse to NC State, who ended up at 11 despite beating UNC, a 1 seed. Iowa is going to have a tough draw for Clark's final rodeo...WV/Princeton, then KSU (already lost to them this year before Lee got hurt)/Colorado winner (beat them in NCAA's last year, would have been a #1 seed a month or so ago but nosedived), then if they make it that far, likely against the winner of LSU/UCLA (the dreaded Reese/Clark match-up #2 if everything holds to form, which wouldn't be a surprise despite LSU's slightly disappointing season overall coming off a title and adding two big transfer stars.) On the opposite side of the bracket from South Carolina, at least.

Usually it's early to mid May...

Pham is a FA. Thomas is going to start again in CF. The issue there is that Fletcher's not capable of playing that spot...and the hit tool becomes questionable for a corner spot.

Didn't really believe they were ever going to give Iowa State a one seed. Oklahoma started out eight spots from the cut line on Friday and TCU loss/5-9 finish to the season doomed their bid despite being in Top 25 for about 2/3rds of the season. Four bid stealers doomed their efforts. Didn't see a single projection with them out, though.

That's something you worry about a lot more with legit Top 50 guys...Montgomery and Schultz. But we will see how long they hold back Thorpe and Nastrini to a lesser extent to get some type of indication.

That's why they have all those guys like Keller Toussaint Deivi Garcia etc. stacked up behind...and likely another final addition or two, either FA signings or waiver claims, in the final two weeks. Crochet and Kopech piggy backing each start is one certainly possibility...or flipping positions as the season goes on to limit Crochet's innings pitched totals.

Pham definitely can't play RF.

B 3.11 average GPA