royoung

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2...nnant/25390839/ Great, now Nightengale is singing the narrative that the Sox are an upstart bully.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 7, 2015 -> 09:25 AM) This Barons squad looks like maybe the strongest of the full season teams. I am not sure if it is the coaching staff, competition level, or what but it seems like they load up Birmingham every year.

Well done White Sox. This is the right move developmentally and financially.

QUOTE (LDF @ Apr 1, 2015 -> 08:57 AM) you are soooo right, but the talent level of Rodon, that is a hard replacement. now the development of other prospects is a given and all the surprises that will make a name for themselves. i know i am being overly pro sox in the minors talk, but wow, the talent is there. they just haven't made a name for themselves. i see huge things coming from Fry. but on a bias side, i still wish they had drafted 1 of the 2 catchers that was drafted in that rnd. aside from that, Fry, in his profile reminds me of Gio. Fry was the first name out of Buddy Bell's mouth when I asked him about a "breakout" player. He is being overshadowed by Rodon and Adams but a good one to keep your eye on. Also I think we will see a few of the Latin guys emerge onto prospects lists in 2015 and 2016. Luis Martinez, Micker Adolfo, Amado Nunez, Jhoandro Alfaro, and Felix Mercedes to name a few.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/2015...alent-rankings/ Baseball America released a farm system power ranking of sorts, reposting their top ten and highlighting some sleepers.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 26, 2015 -> 04:08 PM) Chuck Garfien ‏@ChuckGarfien 35s35 seconds ago Don Cooper: "Expect to see Carlos Rodon this year sometime. I can't tell you when, and for many years to come." That's a mighty bold claim there Coop. Kidding aside, I would be shocked if he doesn't start the year in the Charlotte rotation with a goal to work on his change-up and fastball command. He will come up when the Sox inevitably have an injury or cut/demote an under preforming reliever.

QUOTE (bmags @ Mar 25, 2015 -> 04:54 PM) Pretty sure Jim at SSS took down the same info. That is bizarre because Hahn specifically said it is not an oblique during yesterdays call.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 25, 2015 -> 01:01 PM) Kenny Williams already told MLB network that Sale was out for the Opener. Sorry got ahead of myself there. But it is possible he could pitch at the end of the rotation schedule and not miss a start.

Another thing I found interesting that I did not include in my article due to relevance to the site content, is Hahn wasn't ready to commit to needing someone to start for Chris Sale. He said that Sale has hit every goal put out for him in his rehab and there is a growing optimism he wouldn't have to miss any starts. Perhaps that is why we haven't heard Shark being named the Opening Day Starter quite yet?

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Mar 25, 2015 -> 12:39 PM) The narrative on Hawkins has always been that he expected to just breeze into AA and the Sox aggressive promotions certainly didn't do anything to disabuse him of that notion. When he struggled the scuttlebutt at the time was yea, "he was humbled" so it makes sense. And props for actually using the word properly and not Lebron James style. But save me some time: why exactly did they keep Hawkins in spring camp so long? Just based on his performance or did they mention something else? Bell said Hawkins is still in camp because "basically he was doing really well and we wanted to play that out." Also alluded to his relationship with Hitting Coach Todd Steverson.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 25, 2015 -> 10:16 AM) A couple of really interesting things in there. First was Hawkins "needing to be humbled" The second is using Anderson as a lead off hitter, which to me means they are trying to get him to take more pitches, and not that they see him as a leadoff hitter. Bell repeatedly said that he didn't view the jump between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem to be that great then he said Hawkins needed to be "humbled." So I didn't really follow his logic there. He was equally confusing on what Anderson needed to do, mentioned that he needs to control the strike zone, but also swing at pitches to determine his strike zone. The only concrete thing I got out of what he said about Anderson is we should expect more steal attempts.

With all the Micah Johnson talk, I was surprised to see Carlos Sanchez rocking a .348/.400/.348 line into today.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Mar 20, 2015 -> 09:20 AM) Are you ready for baseball? Meet your new closer, @DRob30. http://t.co/ASawZD3Mxg #BaseballIsBack http://t.co/GozOYh1OqH https://twitter.com/whitesox/status/578921597723017216 there is also a Adam LaRoche video Guess they are catering to the casual fans...

"Unless Johnson blows everyone away in Spring Training, I expect the White Sox to stash him in Charlotte...." I think so far Micah Johnson is blowing everyone away. Wow

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 26, 2015 -> 10:01 AM) Anyone here listen to it? It's been downloaded a few hundred times, I figure some of those most be SoxTalkers. Give us your feedback! I liked the more casual feel to the podcast. You guys have a great rapport and it felt natural, like we were just listening in to a bar conversation, albeit a very specific one.

Frank Montas "just missed" Keith Law's 2015 top 100 prospect in baseball. Law said that Montas has a 80 grade fastball (a perfect score on a 20-80 scouting scale) and has the potential to be a number 1 starter. http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/...sed-top-100-mlb

Keith Law ranked Spencer Adams as the #94 prospect in all of baseball in his 2015 top 100 list. http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/...0-prospects-mlb

It's the highest I've seen Anderson and definitely the lowest I've seen Rodon. "Chi Chi" Gonzalez and Albert Almora ahead of Rodon? Nope

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jan 29, 2015 -> 09:15 AM) http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/...0-prospects-mlb White Sox with only 3 top 100 guys according to Keith Law. 12. Carlos Rodon 67. Tim Anderson 94. Spencer Adams I like how we go from being ecstatic to having a single top 100 prospect to now "only" having three. Keith Law has said Montas is a top 120 guy and I bet Micah Johnson and Danish are in some top 100 prospect lists. This is the best farm the Sox have had in years.

Sox have three guys in Keith Law's top 100 prospects, Rodon (12), Anderson (67), and Adams (94). I am surprised that Montas wasn't in there, as he has said previously he has top of the rotation potential. However, he was very complimentary on Adams, saying he "toyed with" rookie hitters and he could sit mid 90's on his fastball with two plus secondary pitches when it's all said and done.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 28, 2015 -> 10:26 AM) Almost has to be Adams. Danish was the other name I was thinking, but Adams is ahead of him on most lists.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 28, 2015 -> 10:20 AM) Wow, first top-half ranking of the system I can remember in a long time. lol Yeah I was shocked ha. He mentions that we acquired four top 120 prospects in the past 24 months, three via the draft and one via trade. It's say to safe the guy via trade is Montas, and two of the drafted guys are Anderson and Rodon, but any guesses on the 3rd? Adams would make the most sense, as I don't think he's very high on Danish.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ll30farmsystems It's behind a paywall, but Keith Law ranks the Sox system as 12th(!) this year. A huge jump from 27th last year, he noted that the Sox acquired four top 120 prospects in the past 24 months and didn't give up premium guys for Shark.

I am fine with our current rotation and window of contention. I am sure Hahn is doing is best to keep Shark around with the current core and I expect him to do so. I am not interested in a one year rental which would undoubtedly cost several of our top prospects.

QUOTE (Bigsoxhurt35 @ Jan 16, 2015 -> 01:36 PM) Has nothing to do with an extension. This is like wite said a formality. They'll continue to negotiate I know, but previous extensions bought out arbitration years. I was hoping they could do the same since they were at the table.