flavum

Just because it's funny....

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Jan 28, 2015 -> 12:51 PM) I think Hawk just ended his plan to take games off in 2015. That's already done. Bad team=more time with the grandkids. Good team=egomaniac can't miss a day.

If he comes back, there needs to be a "Your Love" ban at the Cell. Not allowed.

If he never played for the Sox, I'd say it's a good fit. But with his past expectations/failures, I just don't like it.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jan 28, 2015 -> 12:41 PM) Have the Sox gotten any compensation back from the Angels for him yet? Not that I've seen. I was going to ask one of the Soxtalk guys to ask Hahn or somebody this past weekend, but forgot.

https://twitter.com/ChrisCotillo/status/560507132953772032 oh boy...

QUOTE (Buehrlesque @ Jan 28, 2015 -> 10:11 AM) My layout would go: Opening Day: Monday, April 6. Final Day: Friday, Sept. 18 (24 weeks, 148 or 150 games) Tiebreakers and Wildcard game over the weekend LDS: Best of 7: starts (week of) Tue. Sept. 22 LCS: Best of 7: starts ~ Oct. 1. WS: Best of 7: starts ~ Oct. 12, ends no later than Oct. 24. I just can't see the owners giving up 6-7 home dates. It's more important to MLB to have the regular season inventory than it is more postseason games. I certainly wouldn't mind if they chopped off a week and go down to 156, but it'll never happen. My preference would be: Regular season ends on Wednesday Open date for 163's on Thursday Keep it a one-game play-in on Friday (both leagues) LDS Best-of-5 (2 vs 3 series starting on Saturday; 1 vs 4 starting Sunday) LCS Best-of-5 World Series Best-of-7 (starts on Tuesday, ends on Wednesday)

I'd make the regular season 26 weeks (which it is), starting on Thursday and ending on Wednesday. That year a few years ago was cool when the regular season ended on Wednesday night. Then Game 7 of the World Series exactly 4 weeks from the end of the regular season. Baseball for 30 weeks is good enough. Opening Day- Final Day- WS Game 7 March 29-September 26-October 24 March 30-September 27-October 25 March 31-September 28-October 26 April 1- September 29-October 27 April 2-September 30-October 28 April 3-October 1-October 29 April 4-October 2-October 30 I'd rather have regular season games in March than World Series games on Halloween or later.

QUOTE (Buehrlesque @ Jan 28, 2015 -> 09:03 AM) Or just chopped a week or two off the regular season and made the first two playoff rounds best-of-7. Personally, I like 162. No matter what the postseason series is, it's a small sample. I like the one game play-in, and then make the LDS and LCS both best-of-5, and the World Series best-of-7. It would tighten up the postseason more. When a team clinches the LCS early and they have to wait 5-6 days before the World Series, it takes a lot of momentum away. The World Series will go into November this year, and that's got to stop.

QUOTE (Buehrlesque @ Jan 28, 2015 -> 08:18 AM) Boras has brought up this plan before. The season (less games), playoffs (first round best-of-7 instead of 5) and World Series (games starting earlier so people are awake to watch them end) need a bunch of improvements, but a neutral site WS isn't one of them. IIRC, Boras once recommended a best-of-9 WS as well. Weird as that would be, I would actually consider that. Yes, and that's something that could work if they reduced the LCSs to best-of-5. Start the best-of-9 WS in a neutral site on a weekend. Gm 1- Neutral site (AL team home) Gm 2- Neutral site (NL team home) Gm 3- NL city (or whoever lost the All Star Game if that still applies) Tuesday off Gm 4- AL city Gm 5- AL city Friday off Gm 6- NL city Gm 7- NL city Monday off Gm 8- AL city Gm 9- AL city

Dumb. Baseball is local and regional, not national.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jan 27, 2015 -> 11:11 AM) I agree with this. Sox have 6-7 guys who have huge potential or is very proven in the minors, then the next tier of folks who either has limited ceiling but a good track record in the minors, or decent ceiling but hasn't put it together yet. The 20-30 tier folks are interesting because they are still pretty far off, but if they take the next step forward, they could crack the top 10 by the end of the season. I am looking at you, Guerrero, Fry, and Martinez. Pretty sure it will be Fry not Peter. Peter isn't the type of player that will get a lot of love after only half a season as he doesn't offer much besides above average hit tool. Yeah, you're probably right. I went through it pretty quick. Looking at it again, I'd probably change a couple things about my own list.

QUOTE (LDF @ Jan 27, 2015 -> 09:28 AM) maybe it is me, but i still see Montas as #3. That's fine. Prospect lists are more fun than fact. Hopefully Montas is healthy to pitch a full season now.

1. Carlos Rodon 2. Tim Anderson 3. Micah Johnson 4. Tyler Danish 5. Courtney Hawkins 6. Frank Montas 7. Spencer Adams 8. Trey Michalczewski 9. Carlos Sanchez 10. Jacob May 11. Matt Davidson 12. Micker Adolfo 13 Cleuluis Rondon 14. Chris Beck 15. Jake Peter I know Adams will be higher than Danish, but this is my list.

So Carlos Sanchez is eligible because he's still a rookie? Davidson? He'll be there, if eligible.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 27, 2015 -> 09:00 AM) This will be fun to watch people guess on. I can tell you that one of the six "other" names you listed there is in the top 15, and none of the rest made the T30 at all (though some just missed). Fry or Peter

So who's left for the top 15? Rodon, Anderson, Danish, Michalczewski, Beck, May, Adolfo, Rondon, Micah Johnson, Hawkins, Adams. That's 11 in no particular order. Coats, Richmond, Peter, Fry...who am I missing? Are Wendelken and Basto still on the radar?

10 weeks. The countdown has begun.

I was more disappointed to hear him say he likes the All Star Game determining homefield advantage in the World Series. On the DH thing...could you imagine that being first brought up these days with social media around?

97 wins. Sox will dominate the Royals and Twins. 28-10

QUOTE (South Sider @ Jan 25, 2015 -> 01:37 PM) This idea is going to be very unpopular, but i actually appreciate that its been brought up. Im going to play devils advocate here, but ive actually thought of this myself... Extreme defensive shifts to me seem ridiculous. To me, the whole idea of a 3rd basemen is that hes covering the area around 3rd base. To see a 3rd basemen literally playing 2nd base, and a short stop playing.... 1st and 1/2 base and your 2nd basemen playing right field... when theres already someoene playing right field just seems ridiculous to me. I appreciate the strategic aspect of shifts and since theyre legal i expect them to be deployed... but let me just say i dont hate this idea as much as everyone else will. You fill out your lineup card for the umpires to inform them that such and such player is playing 3rd base. To me, having that player literally play 2nd base seems like it should be illegal and warrant a lineup switch. I mean, if a manager really wanted to, he could place any player in any part of the field. Need your right fielder around 3rd base? Ok go for it. Need your 1st basemen to cover 3rd for some reason? Ok. Not that those things would ever happen... but the point is that they can legally move players into other fielding positions without having to change your lineup. That just doesnt seem right. Excited to read some responses. It does bug me when a lefty batter crushes a "routine single" to RF and the 2B is out there to throw him out. I also don't like it when the ball is crushed up the middle, only to have a middle infielder standing there to make the play. Those are the two plays that kinda bug me. On the other hand, it's been said time and time again that baseball is a game of adjustments. So hit the other way and lay down more bunts if you have to. Eventually the game will adjust back.

Dan Jennings on the Score. Sounds like good people. It's nice when players can actually string a sentence together.

If Geoff Blum ever wants to come back to Chicago to broadcast, he would be fantastic. Astros are lucky.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jan 24, 2015 -> 11:10 AM) Sox signed Engel Beltre, the once highly touted 5 tool prospect out of Dominican Republic. Could see him competing with Shuck for the 4th outfielder spot. As far as I've seen, he's not a non-roster invitee.

A true credit to the game.