Calderon

QUOTE(BigEdWalsh @ Oct 27, 2007 -> 11:39 PM) Just stumbled on this news. Unfortunately, no pictures. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/ar...b&fext=.jsp For a photo check out the Barons site. There's a picture of Paiml, Wasserman and Hollis modeling the new uni's. http://www.barons.com/welcome.shtml I guess this means Wasserman isn't in Venezuela? Sharp look.

I might be wrong, but I don't think that article talked about Egbert being officially placed on the 40-man. I see the line that says, "Egbert pitched his way onto the 40-man Roster with...", but I think it should actually read, "Egbert pitched his way into contention for the 40-man Roster..." I just don't think the White Sox would make that decision any earlier than they have to.

For the most part, aces don't sneak up on anyone. Rarely do you get a front-line starter that everyone says, "Where the hell did this guy come from?". Even a guy like Fausto Carmona, that the average fan looks at as a surprise, was dominant in the minors. That said, look at these Double-A numbers, both for pitchers in their first year at that level, which I think is more important than age in some ways... 23 yrs old....26 starts....10-6....3.14 ERA....152.0 ip....141 h....4 hr....59 bb....122 k 24 yrs old....28 starts....12-8....3.06 ERA....161.2 ip....138 h....3 hr....44 bb....165 k It's a totally unfair comparison to the second guy (Egbert), to put him in the same sentence as the first guy (Webb), but its interesting to look at where they were at similar points. The next year, Webb made 29 big-league starts and posted a 2.89 ERA. I don't have the park factor for Webb because El Paso is no longer in the Texas League, but we know Jack pitched in a pitcher's park. Maybe someone with more knowledge of El Paso can give some idea of how the park shapes the numbers. I'm not surprised that Egbert isn't on the Southern League list with so many front-line "prospects" in the League this year. I can't imagine he is one of those players that you see once and say, "Wow", which is the case with most of the representatives on the list. Just my $.02

How is Jack Egbert not on this list!?!? I'm appalled.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Oct 10, 2007 -> 03:11 PM) As does the Birmingham media guy. Well, if he's the one that conducted/monitored the interviews this year, he's probably parroting what Egbert had said. Either way, it's good to know this isn't a decision year. A season of ball in the International League will either prove the doubters wrong or right.

From some of the interviews I've read/heard with Egbert, someone should probably inform him of the rule change, because he seems to think this is his Rule 5 year.

I'm not even sure if 'big' is a strong enough adjective to describe Pope's arm. That's a big-league cannon right there. He came on strong in the second-half of 2006 with the bat, and I think the questioner was dead-on with the point about playing in front of family and friends. I don't know if the bat will come along as he moves up the ladder, but playing to impress isn't going to help anything. Just look at Dewon Day's performances in Mississippi this year, compared to the rest of his tenure in the Southern League.

Sinkerball pitchers will consistently be undervalued as prospects relative to power arms. Sonnanstine isn't a totally apt comparison because Egbert's groundball rate is 10% higher, and he's had to battle through a higher BABIP than Sonnanstine at a similar point. I don't believe Egbert will be an ace, and all 20 players on this list have more "upside", but considering his makeup I'd bet the bank on him contributing soon at the Major League level.

Baseball America's list of the Southern League's Top 20 prospects was released this afternoon. The only inclusion from Birmingham was LHP Gio Gonzalez at #9. Jack Egbert was left off the list entirely, and judging from the following quote, wasn't even in the 'Honorable Mention' category, if such a thing existed. "The pitching was deeper than the hitting, even with talents such as lefthanders Clayton Kershaw (Jacksonville), Jake McGee (Montgomery) and Scott Elbert (Jacksonville) and righties Chris Volstad (Carolina) and Josh Roenicke (Chattanooga) failing to qualify." Montgomery's Chris Mason (TB) the Southern League Pitcher of the Year, was also omitted.

QUOTE(WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Oct 5, 2007 -> 02:26 PM) Well, I think it's pretty obvious Shines didn't get along with somebody. An unfortunate fall guy. Did nothing to deserve this. Just shifting the deck chairs....

Considering Kyle Kendrick's age and where he started this year, is it crazy to think that if not for the trade, Gio could be starting Game 2 of the NLDS today against the Rockies?

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 4, 2007 -> 08:46 AM) I agree they wouldn't bump any of those. I am saying if one of those 5 isn't there, I think Wing gets in the rotation. I think its telling that they moved Wing to the rotation, and that he flourished there, in 2007.I might be wrong, but wasn't that a move made out of necessity when Honel crashed and burned and (late in the year) when Russell went to the 'pen? He certainly did have success, both as a starter and a reliever, I guess the crucial point will be whether the Sox think his arm will hold up under a 150 inning burden. You hear great things about him character/makeup-wise, so I hope he stays healthy and succeeds.

Wing had a pretty serious shoulder injury and then followed that up with Tommy John in...'04? The organization has been really, really careful with him as a result. He's best used as a long/middle reliever, and had a darn good year this season. None of the five listed above would be bumped to give him a rotation spot in Charlotte, but he might be a good weapon out of the bullpen, more than most because of his versatility. The only place I could see him opening the season in the rotation would be in Birmingham if they have holes.

I'd guess that since Birmingham presented a Pitcher of the Year award, and an MVP award, that pitchers were eliminated from consideration for the latter. Otherwise Egbert or Gio would have been a no-brainer for the honor.

McCulloch was a waste of a first-round draft pick, not to mention more than a million bucks.

Actually, "our Clay Buchholz" tonight was Birmingham's Ryan Wing, who took a no-hitter into the 8th.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Sep 1, 2007 -> 10:31 AM) you can't argue with the numbers. Egbert has put up some of the best numbers in MiLB over the past 2 years... I really think Egbert will be in serious contention for an open rotation spot next year, and would not be surprised at all to see him break the 25 man as our 5th starter. He's more ready, today, than Gio. If I needed a starter in Chicago tomorrow, I'd take Egbert. Gonzalez has more upside, of course.

In case anyone hasn't yet seen the brawl in Greensboro last night between the Grasshoppers and Intimidators... And here is the game story from MiLB.com: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/ar...b&fext=.jsp

Gio currently leads the Minors with 185 strikeouts, 12 clear of Montgomery Biscuits' starter Jacob McGee. Nobody has more than one start left, but will the playoffs count towards the MiLB strikeout crown? (Not that I think there's an actual award, it'd just be a nice distinction for Gio).

QUOTE(BearSox @ Aug 30, 2007 -> 05:39 PM) Doesn't Egbert kinda have to be placed on the 40 man? Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this his 4th season now in minor league ball? After this season, yes. He'll be exposed to the Rule 5 in December if not on the 40-man roster.

According to MiLB.com, six White Sox minor leaguers are confirmed to head to the Arizona Fall League this October, with another spot TBA. Dewon Day, Jack Egbert, Fernando Hernandez, Adam Russell, Donny Lucy, and Chris Getz are all listed on the roster for the Phoenix DesertDogs, the two-time defending AFL champions, who will be managed by Rafael Santana. There is an outfield spot listed as TBA for the White Sox. Who could it be? Sweeney? Collaro? Former White Sox farmhand Jay Marshall is on the roster as well.

I think any serious worries about Gio's maturity, whether or not they were warranted before, have been put to bed in the two seasons since he was last in the organization. Gotta remember, this is still just a 21-year old kid, and I don't know about everyone else but I did a lot of growing up between 19 and 21, and I had college to help me. Seems like he's grown up nicely.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Aug 19, 2007 -> 11:31 AM) Only 1 earned for Egbert. Eggy is top 5 for ALL of professional baseball in fielding independent pitching, trailing only such names as Beckett and Peavy. Where'd you find this information?

Well, neither of these two teams (Mobile, Huntsville) have a scouting report on him, nor do they have an affiliate in the Carolina League where he came from. That said, this is a pretty unbelievable start.

How/why is Santana managing in the AFL? Hasn't he done a pretty terrible job in two years as a manager? Now they're going to let him screw with other team's prospects? Maybe the Sox think he'll learn a thing or two? How are these coaching staffs chosen that he would wind up out there?