Eminor3rd

For anyone reading this later, Rodon got hit around today. I don't feel like the thread really reflects that info, haha

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 02:12 PM) That doesn't mean he's better. And you said Beckham isn't one of the top 25. Hater's gonna hate. If Sanchez does have all this upside, I'd rather he be in Charlotte playing everyday than scattered ABs at the major league level. Sitting on the bench doesn't help your development. But that is just me. And if he beats out Micah this spring, the same for Micah. I don't think Leury's one of the top 25, either. I'm not backing off the of the "not one of the top 25" comment. Beckham is a well-established bad player. I do consider Sanchez as better, because his more well-rounded skillset is more useful to this team. I'd agree about the regular AB thing if it weren't for the fact that he doesn't seem to have anything to learn in AAA. He had a full year of 111 wRC+ there last year, which is probably his offensive ceiling anyway. I'd like to see him figure out how to hit ML pitching, and there's only one way to do that. Plus, if Micah gets the starting job, he won't have anything like an iron grip on it. There'll be room for plenty of reps for whoever the backup is.

Hanger, got lucky there.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 02:08 PM) How can anyone not get a kick out of Beltin Bill Melton? My wife is a lawyer and has to do these extra educational things every year. A couple of years ago she went to a sports law seminar and the guest of honor was Melton. My wife, who can be as proper as can be, thought he was hysterical. I guess she talked to him after the event and Melton said he was a little nervous because he was the only non lawyer there. A few weeks later I went with her to the season ticketholder party and she introduces me to him. Don't get mad at the mispronounciations. Embrace them. This guy is a treasure. He proved it today. I agree. I admit that, at first, I was psisy about him. But now I realize how hilarious it is.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 01:52 PM) You are saying Leury Garcia is a better player than Gordon Beckham? No. Nor do I know how you could have derived that. He IS faster and more defensively versatile, which is what I did say. QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 01:52 PM) Look at Sanchez's numbers last year. He's better than Gordon Beckham as a back up? Advanced stats will even say you are wrong. As a back-up, yes. Sanchez has upside. I don't believe Beckham does. I like a guy on the bench who has a chance to break out. Who wouldn't? Beckham might be a marginally better hitter as of last year, but Sanchez could easily eclipse him if he improves, which isn't unlikely given that he's 22 or 23 or whatever. They seem about equal defensively, Sanchez is faster, and Sanchez is a switch-hitter.

Ugh, how did I miss this?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 01:13 PM) And I am trying to get him to tell me why he isn't one of the top 25 players in the Sox camp. Why would someone like Sanchez or Leury Garcia or Saladino top him if it all has to do with past performance. Sanchez and Johnson have upside, Bonifacio and Garcia are fast and can play all over the diamond. All of those players are lefties or switch hitters. These are all great attributes for a bench player that Beckham doesn't have.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 10:11 AM) Shouldn't we all be worried about Duke? He's had a history of being terrible and on March 11th, he is terrible. Your hatred of anything Gordon Beckham is noted, but you can't have it both ways. If Beckham was 13-13 with 5 homers, you would say his numbers are meaningless. So saying he isn't one of the top 25 players in camp because he is 1-13 is ridiculous. I'm not asking for it both ways -- Duke, just LAST YEAR, had an entire season of elite dominance as a relief pitcher. Yes, there are question marks because one entire season isn't two seasons or three seasons or ten seasons, but that is so much better an indicator of performance than Gordon Beckham's one good half-season five years ago followed by 2500 plate appearances of garbage. My saying he isn't one of the top 25 players in camp is a result of THAT plus tiny sprinkling of "oh btw he has still looked like s*** in ST this year." If he went 13-13 with five homers, I'd be damn impressed, but you're right that it wouldn't make me forget about the massive, years long resume of bad that he has collected thusfar. And it shouldn't. When Beckham has a full season of top-five-at-his-position performance, I'll gladly support giving him a contract and a spot on the roster. I don't hate Gordon Beckham, but I do hate it when bad players soak up PT on my favorite team, especially when there are alternatives.

This could be huge, if it stands up to scrutiny: http://www.hardballtimes.com/fip-in-context/

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 10:07 AM) I know and the White Sox gave him a contract for $2.5 million to be a back up. He will be on the team. Care to bet? Even when I wrote two sentence posts, you still don't read the whole thing. QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 09:46 AM) Well, I mean it's easy to see why people might think otherwise -- because he doesn't look like one of the 25 best players in camp. I agree with you, though, that he'll probably be there anyway.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 09:49 AM) Neither does Melky Cabrera at this point. Judging people by their numbers in spring training on March 11, is like predicting who wins a golf tournament based on the very first hole. My statement was not referring exclusively to Spring Training. Gordon Beckham has a strong track record of being awful, so he needs to prove that he belongs on the 25 man. Melky does not.

Engel Beltre is Tony Campana.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 11, 2015 -> 09:41 AM) Beckham is on the team. I don't know why anyone would think otherwise. His roster spot is not contested. Well, I mean it's easy to see why people might think otherwise -- because he doesn't look like one of the 25 best players in camp. I agree with you, though, that he'll probably be there anyway.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/...ing-2015-season The Sox were ranked 21st just six months ago. Before you guys all ask, the Cubs are #3.

QUOTE (shipps @ Mar 6, 2015 -> 04:11 PM) Is Rodon effectively wild with how he pitches or is he pinpoint putting the ball right where he wants it? Not sure, there's no video stream today

Padres guy refers to the Forbes article mentioning that JR is a billionaire after saying, "and why NOT spend money (this offseason)?"

Avisail Garcia notably working the count to three balls before his "protect the plate" single. Progress!

Padres announcer, referring to Rodon after the third K: "This guy. Is. Nasty."

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 6, 2015 -> 03:18 PM) Padres radio announcer just referred to Ryan Braun as "That cheater in Milwaukee" Specifically in reference to him "robbing" Kemp of the MVP award.

What else could have happened?

Kemp with the single. Cancel the post-game show.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/03/no-e...samardzija.html

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Mar 6, 2015 -> 02:12 PM) And I think our best reliever from last year deserves to be in our bullpen as well... Adam Dunn retired.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Mar 6, 2015 -> 01:24 PM) So the AL is much harder then, as we would all have assumed. Yep, though I think the article states that the gap has been shrinking as of late.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-ou...lb-teams-030615