Flash Tizzle

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jul 26, 2007 -> 11:10 AM) Honestly, yes, I'd be somewhat annoyed, if not pissed. To me, with a first round draft pick, you have to pick a guy who you think will end up as a starter or a closer. Middle Relief is just so iffy overall, there's so much of it available, and the performance of it so inconsistent (see, 2005-2007 white Sox) that you can't spend first round picks on guys who only project there. If they think he'll take over for Bobby in 3 years, ok, that's a different story, but Middle Relief in the first round has to be viewed as a disappointment. Considering how Poreda was drafted with the intention of starting, if his career is as a middle reliever someone once again failed in their assessment of a draft pick. Dbaho is correct in assuming some would flame the selection.

QUOTE(kwolf68 @ Jul 25, 2007 -> 10:16 PM) I am in disbelief over the prospects the Padres got for Linebrink. Linebrink is a rental middle relief guy and the Brewers dealt up 3 pretty nice prospects for him. Why can't we make a move like this? Oh, we will. Just wait until this upcoming weekend. I've set expectations so high, I can only expect Williams to come through.

If the appropriate package were offered for Konerko I'd have no problem trading him. I don't about how the fanbase would react, or the public releations hit thereafter. You look at Detroit, Minnesota and Cleveland, all have had either a high impact draft pick or a stellar trade change their franchise. At this point, looking at a potentially dismal future, we could meet one of those conditions by dealing Konerko. That would be the sole condition; a deal Williams can't refuse. If not, why bother?

I don't know how Williams could possibly trade Contreras, but I'd hope he wouldn't be the only person leaving the ballclub if such a scenario would unfold. Yes, his salary could be useful next season; as would not entering every ballgame expecting the offense to score 7 runs to win; but if we're looking to improve our ballclub someone with value has to be traded. I still believe Vazquez or Garland have to leave if we're looking for true offensive upgrades.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 25, 2007 -> 07:35 PM) Is DLS ok? He better be. Lord knows many pitchers possessing his ability don't come around very often in this organization.

Why didn't the Tigers just let Granderson attempt to steal second base before laying down a sacfrice?

According to Cooper, Floyd will be available out of the bullpen Friday. Hopefully ready to replace whichever starter is traded.

QUOTE(Sonik22 @ Jul 25, 2007 -> 05:44 PM) Does anybody else dread watching the games that Contreras starts? Go Sox! No, because I'm interested in another round of Guillen leaving in Contreras much too long and turning an acceptable start into a terrible one.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jul 25, 2007 -> 04:47 PM) I wonder though if people are going to continue having huge expectations for what we'd get if we moved a Dye, Contreras, or Iguchi. They're just not going to bring us back top-of-the-league level talent, unfortunately. None of those names concern me. It's for the reasons you've mentioned, which I understand are legitimate, that someone with value must leave. Jon Garland or Javier Vazquez need to be traded. Concerning their value, my expectations are sky high and nothing will bring them down. I know Williams has insisted he's not interested in rebuilding, but how in the hell is this team supposed to position itself for future success when the minor league system is baron of positional prospects? Moving Dye, Contreras, or Iguchi hardly helps us. We'll need to take a risk similar to that of Brandon McCarthy; except the return must provide substantially more talent. Williams can't screw this up.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jul 25, 2007 -> 03:28 PM) I think at that point I was one of the very few that supported him (and its funny cause even with all the crap I've given him from time to time I still like him as the GM...however that could change if he totally messes up this process for retooling or rebuilding in 08. A process which should begin within the next week. Williams has to know how vital to our future any forthcoming trades will be. I know I won't be the only one furious if he f***s it up.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 09:05 PM) What do you think of Hu or Escobar for SS. I'd love Hu at shortstop. Don't know if it's too reasonable to expect him. Escobar would be an interesting option. Prefer him to Renteria and his salary. With Escobar, in constrast with Uribe, you'd have shortstop capable of showing patience. Problem is, he's not exactly the high ceiling prospect I'd prefer from any starter dealt.

This is honestly embarrassing to watch. Floyd just isn't the recepient of bad luck; he's terrible. Williams needs to reassure everyone again how we're not seeing the real Gavin Floyd. Because from what I've seen in two starts, there should be some people within our organization sweating. Our future depends upon the return value of traded players. That's obvious with our draft results and reluctance to overpay in the free agent market. Receiving one dependable major league player for McCarthy and none (to now) for Garcia won't help us much. That's why I hope everyone doesn't just blow off this upcoming deadline. We desperately need a heist. I've seen quotes around here recently that echo that same sentiment. Productive, cheap players have to come up and balance out the cost of higher priced veterans. We can't do this from within, alone.

These last two hits have been crushed. Floyd isn't fooling anyone. Oh, and I sure envy other teams moving first to third on hard-hit singles to the CF. Rarely see it occur with this ballclub.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 08:42 PM) Either the coaching staff doesnt know how to setup the field to play to the strengths of the gameplan, or Prancer is blowing kisses to the crowd and is in his usual spot that he doesnt move from. I could understand not shading the direction a pitcher/catcher are setting up. Hitters would quickly catch on if a fielder was constantly moving depending upon a catcher placing their mits inside or outside homeplate. Anyways, there's no guarantee the pitcher throws to the spot the catcher has targeted. I have to imagine Podsednik was set up according to Polanco's hit chart. Problem is, his speed has practically disappeared and his arm is the suck

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 08:28 PM) Can we please put Hall on the DL? There's no reason to keep him on the roster right now. Every moment he remains on this club only delays his return next season. I don't understand why he continues to play in this pitiful season. Just have him undergo surgery, rehabilitate, and hopefully be full strength by April.

Owens has mastered the art of bunting directly into the path of an opposing player. Someone should tell him to do that every time, so by nature he'll do the opposite and find an open area of field.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 08:10 PM) is charlie not available tonight? Someone's going to have to get floyd out of there soon. He was warming in the afternoon game. I can only imagine he'll be up soon if runs continue crossing the board.

That's terrible for Fields to miss a flat 84 mph fastball. I don't know where the "cut" was that Hawk refered to.

QUOTE(Brian @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 08:00 PM) At least we got Gio back. Nice effort Mack. And if he fails? I have to say, what we're witnessing from the Garcia and McCarthy returns is percisely why Williams has to pray any upcoming trades net us several major league prospects. It's not enough to say, "oh, well we traded Brandon and got Danks. And Gonzalez/Floyd for an injured Garcia." The entire point of these deals was not to take the equivalent of one step backwards, one and half step forwards; but several steps forward. Make deals which provide several contributing pieces. I'm not exactly thrilled with the prospect of ultimately receiving two trades with a one-for-one result.

We're lucky Granderson didn't send Floyds hanging curveball into the stands. I don't care whether or not this is his second start for the White Sox, he's looked TERRIBLE from the innings I've seen him. And I'm not judging merely based on results, but his stuff. As Fathom noted, his fastball deterioated quickly after the first. Hitters are having good looks at his now 91 mph fastball and a curveball which bites only half the time. Another embarrassment for the White Sox scouting department it seems.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 07:55 PM) But Masset and Floyd looked awesome in the Arizona Fall League! Let's be accurate here. Floyd looked awesome in the Arizona Fall League. Masset looked good in the Mexican League. Together, they have proven our scouting department can scout other teams players anywhere in North America. And, at that, base a decision upon limited innings.

Let's see if Floyd can avoid embarrassing himself this start. It'd be great for him to show promise against Detroit's offense.

QUOTE(Jeremy @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 03:45 PM) I think it's entirely possible that we might be able to trade Contreras at the deadline but not in the offseason. First of all, teams are a lot more desperate at the deadline than in the offseason. Also, if recent trends on continue his numbers might be substantially worse at the end of the season than at the deadline. You wouldn't get that impression from the last several years. Teams may be desperate at a certain point near August 1st, but they're probably not going to give up too much for a rent-a-player. If we're looking to receive anything of value, someone with more than two months on their contract should be traded. Garland has to go.

QUOTE(shoota @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 02:16 PM) I don't think KW can trade Garland because of his injury. If KW were to trade Garland now, and his shoulder knot becomes worse, it would make KW an undesirable trading partner. Sirotka, Garcia and Garland? KW needs to keep Garland to ensure he has fellow GMs he can work with in the future. That said, I don't want him to trade Vazquez either, but for a different reason: Vazquez is good and has a decent contract. Trade Contreras if at all possible. A shoulder knot is different from an injury. He had the same problem last season and worked over it. That's no excuse for not trading him. Garland could and should command quite a bit in return. I know I'm not accepting any excuses to the contrary. If Williams is looking to improve our minor league system, rather than dump salary (as what would happen with Contreras), someone with value needs to depart.

QUOTE(shoota @ Jul 24, 2007 -> 04:18 PM) Crede's attitude problems don't stop at his selfish refusal to have back surgery, but include his refusal to play winter ball at the team's request. After his dismal 2004 campaign, (.239 BA .299 OBP) the Sox asked Crede to play winter ball to improve his regressing skills. Not only did the surly Crede shun the request of his employer to improve his game, but his response when asked by a reporter was something like, "There's no reason for me to play winter ball now because there's nothing more I have to learn." You're reaching quite a bit with these examples. See, where you look at refusing back surgery as selfish, I consider it a precautionary move. It wasn't as if he sat around all offseason in agony, all the while fooling the organization into believing he was fine. He conducted specialized weight training and exercise techniques to strengthen his lower body. Considering who is advising him, if Boras believed back surgery was in his client's best interest it would have been addressed in the offseason. There's inherent risk with any medical procedure requiring incisions in the back. I don't blame him for holding off. Crede cares about Crede; no different than any profressional baseball player. About his refusal to play winterball, it may be suggestive of someone shunning his employer to some, but I wouldn't consider it an attitude problem. The quote you referenced doesn't change much. If he believes there's nothing to improve in his game, what else can you say? Atleast he had limited success in 2002 and a full season thereafter of decent production in 2003 to fall back on.