DBAHO

Yikes for Zazueta.

QUOTE(quickman @ Jun 9, 2007 -> 10:20 PM) actually I am shocked you believed the hype over the years. of course they are overrated. They are horrible. Owens won't make it. He will soon be flipping burgers after spending some seasons pinch running for teams or filling there triple A roster. he is quite a horrible hitter and has a terrible arm. I hope all these guys do what you predict, but what have they done to have you draw these conclusions. What have you seen to help you make these decisons? They have proven nothing and if anything some have shown very little promise. I am not saying i don't hope for them and I have no personal feeling one way or another but just because the whitesox say nice things about them doesn't mean it transitions. I am not picking on you nor picking a fight I am just trying to udnerstand how you come to these conclusions. Well I'd sort of disagree with that bolded part there. I mean Gio's numbers this season show promise, Fields's numbers from last season and his improved plate discipline this season show promise, Sweeney's OPS has risen over the past few seasons (and he was always a prospect who was going to take time). Anderson and Broadway I will agree with you though, but BA still has the "potential" to post those numbers which maggsmaggs said (although right now it's iffy if he can actually do that in the future with his work ethic), while Broadway will be a bottom of the rotation starter at best.

QUOTE(quickman @ Jun 10, 2007 -> 12:19 AM) I completely agree with you but if GIO is truly a #2 guy like everyone on this board says he is, then didn't he get the max for him? You figure a #2 lefty (which I don't beleive) and a past #1 pick (who I think sucks) was pretty good for a guy who lost velocity and will want a 5 year deal next year. Now you and I most likley agree that what we got in return for freddie actaully sucked but the majority of the kids on this board Love the great GIO. Well considering how bad Garcia has looked this season at times (especially last night against the Royals), suddenly that trade doesn't look so bad right now does it? And quickman, has your opinion on Gio increased at all based on what he has done this season? I'm expecting a no answer here FWIW.

QUOTE(SoxAce @ Jun 9, 2007 -> 01:21 PM) De Los Santos is quickly becomming a sexy prospect. BTW, I really , really like Gartrell. As do I (he's my AAP of course, much to Dan's chagrin) , but really he should be doing well at that level considering he was up at B-Ham near the end of last season and he was a 4 year senior in college. But still it's good to see him doing well.

So who have been the best selections on the 2nd day if you had to pick a couple, value wise?

So with Shaffer on the outs, we saw more power pitchers being taken today;

Another hard thrower with lack of secondary stuff. The Sox brass must obviously be confident they can teach these guys to develop their other pitches. All in all, we really need to be taking some position players soon. Young pitching is a valuable commodity yes, but I think we're pretty deep in it now, and you can't certainly say that for our position prospects, especially up the middle.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 8, 2007 -> 09:29 AM) Wow, I called that, but in the 2nd round I thought. I know a lot about him. Good things I hope fathom.

I don't mind the pick. It's obviously annoying that Porcello was still on the board, and the Tigers got him, but I like this selection more than I have the Broadway and McCullough selections over the past couple of seasons, so at least that's a positive. And the Sox have done a pretty good job in teaching secondary pitches to their guys in the minors, so hopefully Pareda can do that. At least the guy can throw some HEAT, which is something we've been crying out for.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jun 8, 2007 -> 08:53 AM) ARE YOU KIDDING ME? NEVIN GRIFFITH! Oh Flash, this is definitely your day now. 2 power arms early, seems to be a nice change of pace from the Sox. Looks like KW was right in saying we needed to do a better job in the draft, and I think we've done a good job on that so far. Now who's the next best middle infield prospect left on the board for our next pick? Or the best prospect left ATM?

Thanks for sharing those pics Jim.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jun 6, 2007 -> 11:25 PM) So then you would not have acquired Thorton? McDougal seemed to be able to throw strikes last year. I think Sisco and Aardsma could be very good with some time in the minors. Massett could be outstanding with a little more time. If anything - that could be KW's biggest downfall - he was counting on too many younger arms producing in the bullpen. I think he may have needed a little more experience there and allow these young guys to develop a bit more. However, he should have been able to count on Jenks, Thorton, and McDougal. Plus - I would not blame a coach or GM for a lack of production from a player that usually produces. That is on the player. Counting on too many young players to come through in the same position - that may be on KW. However, 3 bullpen arms that you can count on is - in many situations - common and enough. I actually think Thornton is a bit overrated because of that stuff he posseses, and I still have a question or 2 whether he is a set-up man in the long - term. THis season his BAA is up to .270, and he's lucky the ERA has risen more as he's only given up 1 HR in 25G which is the major positive for him. Sisco I think should be converted into a starter. 2 lefties in the pen is enough for me, and Boone Logan has shown enough in the majors this season to keep him up permanently. And it's what Andy wanted when he was acquired. I still liked that trade for Ross Gload, and I think it'll pay dividends over the long - term, IF, Sisco can get his control issues straightened out. MacDougal's just been a bust this season, which I don't think anybody saw coming. 1.80 ERA in 25G for us last season, and in 2 more games he's pitched this season he's issued 11 more walks, and his BAA is up over .300. Can he get it back? Absolutely, but he's got to get everything working 100%, motion and throwing wise. As for acquiring a veteran reliever, well that's all well and good, but top FA veteran relievers such as Justin Speier and Jamie Walker from this off-season got pretty sizeable contracts. And if you sign a bullpen guy to a deal like that, and he doesn't produce, you're in trouble, because as we've seen, relievers are very hit and miss from season to season.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 6, 2007 -> 10:24 PM) They just need to give Joe the two weeks off and call up Fields. Exactly. I don't know if KW feels if he calls up Fields and he does well, he'll be under pressure to keep him up when Crede gets healthy, but isn't that a good thing considering how putrid our offense has been? But really Joe should of just had the surgery in the off-season, but he was probably too stubborn to think with some rest it could stand up, and now he's cost both his value to the team and value around the league.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jun 6, 2007 -> 11:18 PM) Don't you think the Padres pitchers can afford to throw more strikes and "allow" the batters to get themselves out? The ballpark is made for that - it is huge. If "strike throwers" worked for everyone then everyone would do it. There really aren't many secrets. Kevin Tower's philosophy works in SD. Would it work in US Cell? I don't think the Sox need so much a hard thrower, but at least someone that keeps the ball down consistently or has consistent sink to their pitches to reduce the number of fly balls hit. Wouldn't you agree? Well obviously the Padres can have more success because it's easier for their pitchers to do well in their ballpark. But I do think for the Sox it's something they should consider more in the future. Pitchers like Sisco and MacDougal have often fallen behind early in the count because of their control problems, and it puts more pressure on them in that situation then if you're ahead in the count. I don't mind acquiring hard throwers IF they can throw strikes. Unfortunately, many of our bullpen pitchers can't. Whether it's KW fault or Don Cooper's, I don't know, probably both are to blame.

So Alexei Yashin got bought out by the Isles. If Handzus leaves as expected, would the Hawks look at Yashin as a possible replacement on a short - term deal as that #1 center?

Eh, not really a big fan of this deal for the Phins. I wonder where Culpepper's going to end up now? You know which team could use a QB? Minnesota. But he ain't going back there.

KW's going nowhere. For the posters hoping that he'll be fired, that ain't gonna happen, because of what he's done for this team especially over the past couple of seasons. However he's coming up to an important time in his tenure as GM now. His motto has been an aggressive GM to make moves to help put us over the top, and our system has suffered because of that. Now he probably needs to do a complete 180, and build up that system and get this team younger and quicker. KW even said it himself when he said he wasn't happy with our system, and we needed to do a better job in the draft, hence why Duane Shaffer is no longer the man in charge there and Dave Wilder is. I think pitching wise we're getting better, but we need to stop taking safe college pitchers in the 1st round. We've hit on late - middle round picks such as B-Mac over the years which is good, we just need to do a better job earlier on in the draft, because our record there, especially over the past couple of seasons so far doesn't look too good. Right now I think if Ozzie would want our team to be modeled on anyone, it'd be the Angels. Good top of the order hitters, lots of speed, great pitching and a very nice bullpen. Instead we have a team that's loaded in the middle of the lineup, but when they're not producing our lineup is going to struggle to score runs because it's not that deep. And of course the bullpen has just been a MAJOR dissapointment. We acquired a lot of hard throwers, but they haven't gotten the job done. Compare that to a team like the Padres who always have a great pen, and Kevin Towes says the secret is to acquire "strike throwers".

That's a nice outing for Gavin Floyd.

So who won the over / under on when the final list was actually going to be released?

QUOTE(briguy27 @ Jun 5, 2007 -> 01:35 PM) SPOILER*** according to wrestlezone.com, the front running main event matches for wm24 are cena vs triple h, undertaker vs edge, and a possible hbk vs orton grudge match Undertaker vs. Edge would be a great match for WM24. Really would love to see those 2 work a program, and be sort of a "Battle of the WM Streaks" match, Edge would just say the WM23 Ladder Match in which he got taken out of doesn't count of course. And I think Edge may actually hold the belt all the way until WM24. Suprised that nothing is in store for Mr. Kennedy at this stage though.

The only way I consider this is if; a - The Yanks throw in a good prospect. Obviously not Phillip Hughes, but an arm like George Kontos, Christian Garcia or Dellin Betances would pipe my interest up. b - The Sox can get a cheap young bullpen arm such as Chris Britton (3.35 ERA in 52 games for the O's last season) get worked into the deal. Straight up, I'm saying no, because right now it doesn't suit us, because we need to get younger and we won't get the 2 draft picks for Dye. But if the Yanks can work in a part or 2 that could help us in the future, then yeah I'd maybe be interested.

Apparently he feels he made a "rash" decision, because the Magic gave him 24 hourd to decide after offering him the contract, in a take it or leave it kind of way. And I don't blame the Magic with that type of window, if Donovan refused in the 1st place, which he SHOULD have done if he wasn't 100% confident he wanted the Magic job, then the Magic can move on quickly and get another head coach. Now they've missed out on a couple if Donovan does leave, and our next main target Van Gundy could decide to just go to Sacramento, because the Magic snubbed him for another head coach. Really it's a messy situation, and it makes both parties look like complete jokes.

QUOTE(SoxAce @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 01:54 PM) I would like to see what DBAH0 has to think about this? Well Andrew.. If it's true, well, I don't know what to say. The contract must have been signed already, so he'd have to resign I presume in such a case. Pretty poor on his part though. And if Donovan does go, who's going to coach us? The next candidate, Marc Iavaroni's already gone to Memphis. Otis Smith better have Stan Van Gundy on speed dial.

The Sox look to win 2 in a row and start a streak today. Jose Contreras takes the mound against Dustin McGowan in what should be a favorable matchup. Let's keep the momentum from yesterday going and win 2 in a row.

Did we lose 59-0 today or something? And as for the idea, unless you want Javier Vazquez and John Danks becoming injury prone like Wood and Prior, well that's good for you, but I'll say no.