TLAK

Haven't you been watching the kid playing there the last couple weeks? His range is improving every game and he has supplied a speedy left handed bat at the top of the line up. If you remember it took Willie about 20 games in CF last year to get comfortable and then he was very good. Below I compare him to Juan Pierre of the Marlins, I added 2003 to the fielding because Willie has so few innings. This team needs another starter and a left handed bat with pop and average. The hole in the team so far is 3B where one of my favorites, Joe Crede is playing his way to the bench. Keep an eye on switch hitter Scott Spiezio, it looks like his back is finally coming around, he's 4 for 13 with a homer and 6 walks this week and Seattle may become sellers. But Willie's good enough to win with in CF right now.

As long as it's raining I calc'd the top 10 OPS of all time. Bonds has had some great years but the steroid investigation has to play out before we can even be sure we're supposed to count them.

That's hilarious! If Bernie Mac was there would you have said 'Hey Kenny Williams'? Great night at the park!

Our WhiteSox, who art in Seattle Good luck with thy game, The Kingdome's gone, So lets go long, To right as well as center. Give us this day our daily thread, And forgive us our excesses, As we forgive those who excess against us, And lead us not into frustration, But deliver us from Icharo. Amen. CW: I'm counting on you to square this with the big guy for me.

Joe Cowley says Joe Borchard hurt his quadriceps again.

I just read the whole thread and send you my compliments. We don't know the whole story from either the Sox or Magg's side, this thing will play out. My other observations: 1. There is no more likely hood of a home town discount for a Venezuelan playing in the US, than for a US player in Japan, or the moon for that matter. I mean, what's the motivation? Closer to home? Shorter commute? 2. There is no more loyalty in baseball than there is in a Domino's. If you can't contribute comesurate with your wages you get fired. If you can get $9.75 an hour at Pizza Hut instead of $8.50 you go. 3. Reinsdorf, to my knowledge, has never lied to the media, but there are two sides to every story and he only tells his side. In this case Magg's side is keeping their mouths shut, probably because they know it wouldn't make any difference if they said anything anyway.

It was Sirotka and Fernandez. Incidently the Sox were shut out themselves the following night, Gubicza over Alvarez 4-0.

They should just televise Wills' pregame show. Not just Dave but all the features are good, baseball insider with Bruce Devine, Ed Farmer's player interviews, John Rooney's Ozzie interview and Rooney and Farmer's pitching match up. They pack more information and genuine news into each show than Fox does all season. It would also be cool on Bullpen Bar nights. The other guy who comes to mind is bring back Jim Blaney. He was fun even through the Hawks long, long, long season.

Quite right, on the Score they are calling tuesdays Half-Drunk night and from all these reports, they are spot on for a change. The Sox need to take draconian action to stamp this out, in my wild oats days at the old park, after Veeck sold the team, they had the yellow jackets roaming the stands. These guys were off duty cops and if there was any fighting to be done they were very happy to take the scene over. Guys still tried to make trouble but they were simply picked up by huge guys and taken off to the clink. Any conduct that is threatening, lewd or obnoxious should not be tolerated. These guys should not be warned, just tossed out and, if they give security any trouble, locked up for the night. Let them call their Mothers to bail them out of drunk court.

Belle was great while he was here, his contract is actually an arguement that the Sox will spend money for performance, they gave him a huge deal comming out of Cleveland and got what they payed for. I was referring to the Orioles signing him to a long term contract and getting stuck with it when his degenerative hip went sour. I think they're still paying him.

Ncorgl's comment from MLB.Com What Corg doesn't go into is any hooks in the deal. I can't think of any recent long term Sox offer to a player that doesn't include some kind of out clause for the team. I'm thinking of Franks' Diminished Skills clause or the non-guaranteed years in the offer made last year to Colon. The exception is the practice of buying out a players arbitration years, they've done that with several guys. I don't think the Sox management is cheap or afraid to spend money, but it is afraid to caught in a iron clad commitment to a player who can't perform anymore, such as Albert Belle or the past couple years with Ken Griffey Jr. From a player's standpoint, a contract with non-guaranteed numbers is worth less than a similar offer that is fully guaranteed or, at the very least, insured. Without knowing the hooks, if any, we can't say if the offer is poor, fair or generous. Magg's is the most level headed of stars, my neighbor (who's a Cub fan) has done chauffeuring and security for him and his wife at various appearances. He says Maggs is one of the few guys he's ever had that is just as kind and courteous inside the car as he is when he's outside the car with the camera's on. Maggs is a very even-tempered fellow, if another owner makes a demonstratively better net offer he would be a fool not to take it. From everything I've heard and seen of him, he is no fool. This thing will play out in time and Maggs will make the best decision for himself and his family, it won't be based on ego, emotion or any pie in the sky numbers.

Its unusual but not unheard of. Its the same thing the Sox did with Sean Lowe a couple years back (2001? the year of the Labrum) with decent success. Chuck Tanner did it a lot when he had Oakland, he'd try to get 3 or 4 from two guys and then finish with Rollie Fingers.

Joe's in a slump but you want to get rid of him for this guy? Going into the season Joe's BA is .266 vs .256 for Mackowiak. HRs 31 (.039 per AB) vs 26 (.033) Slugging .444 vs .426 Ks 129 (.161 per AB) vs 225 (.291) At 3B Fielding Pct .959 vs .952 RangeF 2.40 vs 2.13 I can understand your impatience with Crede who's hitting .207, but find a better guy than Mackowiak who can't play the position and is only hitting .261 this year himself.

I believe in Rowand. We've seen Aaron play well over parts of 3 seasons so we know he can do it, its not like he's a bum who's ceiling is .220. I see OG has him batting 2 tonight which is good. A 2 hitter can contribute with a sacrifice, he may have to lay off pitches early in the count for the runner, or take a swing to protect him if he goes; he'll be forced to hit to right. Lots of different things but they all get him thinking about helping the team instead of standing there thinking about his .220. But I have to say that in the long run, Willie Harris is an intriguing player in CF. He's got wide receiver speed, it took about 20 games for him to get comfortable last year, after which he was very good out there. If he keeps hitting you've got an AL Jaun Pierre. I think the organization wants him at 2B in view of all the young OF talent coming up and dearth of promising IFs, but sometimes players don't fit the master scheme exactly as planned and you come out better in unexpected ways.

From MLB.com I hated the Ozzie hiring because I thought he was a big BS'er and I doubted he would handle adversity well, but here he is telling it like it is. No sugar coating or excuses. He grows on me. He will make these guys compete for playing time, and it will work out.

Lineups with stats:

I only saw about two innings, one of them his bad one, and these in a bar with other stuff going on. He went through Tajeda and walked Palmiero throwing only crooked balls that were 81 mph or below. Then the same treatment to Lopez who singled. I was wondering whats all the hype about this kid? he looks like Jim Parque, then Gibbons came up and Felix blew a couple 95's past him before he popped him out to center. The next inning he started finding bats. Mora's in particular seem to break right into his swing, like he knew it was coming and followed the ball from Diaz' hand. Based on a whole inning and a half I'd say he certainly has the tools and is worth seeing again. I want to watch close and see if I can pick up if he's tipping pitches.

We've only heard half the story, but I am very concerned about an usher just shrigging these guys off, usually they just mumble into the radio and about 12 security guys show up. Glad to hear you are OK. I may have missed it in the thread but did they do anything with the perps, I mean what you describe is battery, they should have been given a free ride to 26th street in a luxurious blue and white. You should certainly write your letter, maybe even contact a lawyer. The usher's conduct is not reasonable. Make the Sox management get to the bottom of this to your satisfaction. Don't want to intrude on your privacy but it would be good to share what comes of this.

It was a poor attempt at wit, chiding the poster Rex Hudler who I consider a fine and knowing poster. Rex the player had a 13 year career in the bigs, no mean feat. You've probably already been there but for everybody else, here is Rex's BR stats. Rex

Happy to see Jimmy called up by the Mets. He'll start for them tonight against the D-Backs. He was 3-2 with a 2.90 ERA in Triple-A. Good to see him back in the bigs, he always showed a lot of heart when he with the Sox.

18th Picks who have made the bigs. Who knows, maybe we can find another Rex Hudler!

From the MLB site:

5/9 PITCHING LINES - WHAT'S DIAZ DOING ON IT?

Link

5/8 PITCHING LINES. Arnie has a nice outing.