ILMOU

Here's a scale to use: 0 = never plays in the Bigs 1 = cup of coffee/outright bust 2 = useful role player or specialist for a couple years 3 = very useful bench/backup/utility/MR option 4 = borderline starting position player OR high quality setup man OR 5th starter, several seasons in the bigs 5 = average starting position player all around OR quality closer OR #4 type of starter, several seasons in the bigs 6 = above average starting position player all around OR dynamite closer OR #3 starter 7 = generally an All-Star level position player OR #2 type of starter 8 = perennial All-Star position player OR true ace SP 9 = HOF candidate Here are the names, no particular order: Jose Abreu-8 Keon Barnum-2 Rangel Ravelo-4 Marcus Semien-4 Micah Johnson-5 Carlos Sanchez-3 Leury Garcia-2 Clelius Rondon-0-1 Connor Gillaspie-3 Matt Davidson-5 Trey Michalscaweersdfski-too soon, but 4 Avisail Garcia-5 Dayan Viciedo-4 Adam Eaton-6 Jordan Danks-2 Jared Mitchell-1 Trayce Thompson-1 Keenyn Walker-0 Adam Engel-4 Jacob May-6 --- Chris Sale-8-9 Jose Quintana-6 Erik Johnson-6 Chris Beck-4-5 Scott Snodgress-3 Daniel Webb-5 Nate Jones-5 --- Courtney Hawkins-4 Tim Anderson-6 Andre Rienzo-4 Tyler Danish-7

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Mar 12, 2014 -> 12:57 PM) You and me both. This was on my mind a lot at the end of last season, but it seemed cruel to rain on everyone's parade by whining about it on here, since we all had so little to be excited about. Unfortunately, it might be that he has to crash for a couple months first before he's willing to really listen much. I'm jsut as worried that HE thinks he needs to change nothing than the management. I'll third this. At least he's very young and can work through it in time, if he's committed.

QUOTE (fathom @ Mar 12, 2014 -> 11:53 AM) Here's another mock draft that has recently been updated http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-ml...-41-picks/41590 I think this one is more accurate. I would love for us to be able to get either Medeiros or Mac Marshall if one is available for our round 2 pick. Lefties are currency. Only caveat is if there's a C available that we love.

Melty is perfect. If it ain't fixed, break it.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 11, 2014 -> 02:54 PM) How well each of them does depends on how well each of them learns. You cannot learn how to teach, until I teach you how to learn. -the Conundrum

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 11, 2014 -> 01:52 PM) http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,3209872.story Doesn't sound good.

QUOTE (BigEdWalsh @ Mar 11, 2014 -> 09:16 AM) I haven't heard Cowherd in a few years but c'mon we're losing to the f***ing Indians. Good, that means our fans are smart enough to stay the hell away from Colin Blowhard. (or do you prefer Cowturd?)

QUOTE (Knuckles @ Mar 11, 2014 -> 11:04 AM) Is Beckham coming out as a favorite to hit 2nd in the lineup? Just showcasing him for the inevitable midseason trade.

All groundouts, pop-ups and K's for Sale. Nice.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 03:06 PM) I really don't think the Nats would fall for that sort of game. The whole world realizes the chances of this guy, or any other A-ball catcher, of making the majors, are incredibly slim. Sox just need to decide if they see Nieto as a potential future starter, and if they do, offer a prospect of similar value (someone in like the 20-25 range in our system, give or take) at a different position, and the Nats would likely take it. Sure, and that is most likely. But Rizzo may decide to be a prick, and we're semi-punting the season anyway.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 02:55 PM) Making Nieto a backup doesn't make any sense. If you think he's a prospect, you want to make a trade to keep him in the minors where he can actually play and develop. If on the very, very, very slim chance you think he can start in the majors, go for it. If you don't think he's a prospect, he hasn't played above A ball and will be terrible in the majors. There is no scenario where keeping him as the backup is a good idea. But we may need to work the system a bit by making the Nats think we're willing to keep him on the roster, so that they're more willing to trade for very little. A game of GM "chicken", so to speak.

QUOTE (Jake @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 02:51 PM) I think this is the right call. And if Nieto looks capable of handling 150 ABs and not letting too many balls to the backstop, I'd go ahead and keep him and put Phegs in AAA. If Flowers can't keep his head above .200 after a few months, Flowers gets released and Phegley gets called up, probably to become starter ...until he quickly proves he isn't up to it, either. I'm not confident, obviously, but your scenario is definitely plausible.

I think we're looking at JefCon9 (translated as Gillaspinger platoon, batting 9th) to start the season. Get hot Matty.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 02:16 PM) He murdered LHP in 2012 and couldn't hit RHP. He improved vs. RHP last year and slipped a bit vs. LHP. It's cherry-picking, but cherry picking is fine when you are looking for anything, but if you take his 2013 vs. RHP and his 2012 vs. LHP, you are talking about a guy hitting close to .300 with a .332 OBP and an .820 OPS. Plus he can hit the ball 500 feet, and is still very young. There is a lot more there than some of the crap you wanted the White Sox to acquire. I think today is his birthday. You should at least be nice to him on his birthday. Happy Birthday Tank!

Dunn strikes out w/bases loaded, then Lexi out on 1st pitch. I need to get accustomed to this again.

Johnson, Mica, 2B Keppinger, DH Gillaspie, 3B Garcia, A, RF Dunn, A, 1B Ramirez, Al, SS De Aza, LF Flowers, C Danks, Jd, CF Sale Segura, SS Lucroy, C Davis, Kh, LF Ramirez, Ar, 3B Reynolds, Ma, 1B Maldonado, DH Schafer, L, CF Halton, RF Gennett, 2B Gallardo

Micah doing what leadoff hitters do.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 12:47 PM) That's from MLB Pipeline. He's walked five batters in 25 innings this year, which is very good. So it looks like at least early on he has harnessed his stuff. Based on the scouting report, does not seem like he would be considered an "Ace" but more so a No. 2. Aces generally have two elite-level pitches. But if the Sox are looking for the best combination of stuff and production at No. 3, you figure Beede might be the guy I wonder how different he is from a guy like, say, Michael Wacha. I'd take that.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 08:47 AM) If Hoffman isn't there, I think the Sox call on Beede. He's more polished than Kolek, has similar upside, and has dominated thus far this spring. His command was a knock on him previously, in 2013 he had 63 walks, 14 wild pitches and 10 hit batters in 101 IP. But thus far this spring he 5 walks to 33 strikeouts over 25 IP and a nice .129 batting average against. If he keeps that up, he might pass Hoffman as the 2nd best arm available. This is what I need to be convinced of regarding Beede. Does he have Ace stuff?

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 11:40 AM) I think the need for power at first is overblown in this offensive environment. There were exactly six 1B in the Majors last year that hit 30 or more homers, for example, and that includes DH Adam Dunn. The low offensive environment is perfect for the Loney school of first basemen to thrive, because you can't just fling a dook against the wall and expect it to splatter on a 25 homer 1B like you could in the steroid era. The entire league, us included, is starving enough for OBP that anyone who can avoid outs has a place on a team. They just aren't making replacement-level first basemen like they used to. QUOTE (oldsox @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 11:54 AM) Mark Grace hit a ton of doubles, not many homers. not much speed. Great career. If RR hits over .300 again this year with a bunch of two baggers, he should pass a lot of players on the White Sox prospect list. ^

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 11:19 AM) I've felt all along that this season is designed for exactly that. Yes, if absolutely everything goes right, they can compete, but figure out what you have at several of these positions. Which young guys are going to pull through, which will need to be replaced? Is Paulino an actual option or will the Sox be in the market for a starting pticher? Which young arms in the pen will break through and become studs? Next year, they free up money and can have as much as $20 million available to them without any other moves being made - say, Alexei or De Aza getting trade this year. Yep. Paulino's another guy that dovetails with this line of thinking for the season. Well find out if we do or don't have the pitching depth to warrant trading a resurgent John Danks, which of our MiLB infielders is the best replacement for Gordo, etc., etc.

Just looked at some videos. The hard swing is Pedroia-like, though he's obviously a much bigger guy. This guy and Micah need to find a position.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 11:02 AM) I think we pretty much see eye to eye on this, and I'd rather give Viciedo a chance this year, I just don't hold high hopes. I feel the same about Saunders too. Nor do I, but there's at least as good a chance at him figuring out, probably better, than there is one of our projected catchers for this season emerging as starter-quality. Perhaps that's what this season is meant to be, in our pseudo-rebuild. The Yankee's Cashman has heaped praise on DV in the past. That's a team that also needs RH power, and moreso after Soriano's reported retirement after the season. Trade him there during his next 5 day "hot streak". QUOTE (Jake @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 11:03 AM) UZR isn't a big fan of Saunders's CF defense Is MS really better than Jordan Danks? If we had made the bad decision two years ago that Jordan was an everyday player, would their numbers be a whole lot different? I don't think so.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 10:47 AM) Saunders can steal bases, hit for power, and play reasonable defense. He has a much better all around game. Compare Carlos Lee at his peak to Alex Rios. Lee was putting up better offensive numbers, but you'd say that Rios was the better player. Same thing. Viciedo is also 25, has shown virtually no signs of improving, is weak defensively, and has no speed. And just because a guy is 27 doesn't mean he's at his ceiling. Plenty of players improve at that age and beyond. I just don't want Saunders because I think his addition to the club would increase redundancy, which isn't bad when we're talking about really good players, but Saunders isn't a really good player. Not nearly enough of either to be a real asset. Beckhamlike. Nowhere near peak Rios in either category, and I'm aware you weren't comparing him and MS. I'm all for trading Tank for a real return, or, even if they're flat out pissed at him, just giving him this season, to see if Abreu's influence can turn the guy around.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 10, 2014 -> 09:12 AM) Ravelo is a player very much on my radar. While Barnum has the highest ceiling of all 1B prospects, I honestly think Ravelo is the most likely to be a regular. He has the essential hit tool, it would appear. Needs to HR more at 1B, obviously, but they say power develops last, sometimes. Too bad he couldn't stick at 3B. Hope they try him there again.