Flash Tizzle

Less than 20 hours remain before the draft. I'm excited!1!! We'll see once and for all whether or not the organizational philosophy concerning draft picks has been altered. Our draft position is not a death knell. Williams agreed as much in a recent article. Just for fun, I'll list my useless draft board. 1. BAP (Best Available Pitcher among Josh Smoker, Michael Main, Madison Bumgarner) 2. Nevin Griffith (Most likely available at #25) 3. Matt LaPorta 4. Joe Savery (has recently begun to hit 95mph. Yes, he's a Rice pitcher; but before the season began he was a Top 10 selection.) If I had to guess, I'd place money down we're choosing between Justin Jackson, Michael Burgess, and Nick Schmidt. The White Sox have found a way to irritate me with recent selections, so I'm guessing this year will be no different. Even with tough rhetoric from Williams. Also, if anyone is interested, last year's draft thread: http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...1&start=200

Let's see whether Fields impact is immediate. Don't forget, according to Williams, he'll be an All-Star as well someday. Let's hope these comments are proven more truthful than Masset possessing a fastball just below Jenks or the Garcia deal helping us in the present and future.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Jun 6, 2007 -> 04:45 PM) BP's Kevin Goldstien has the Sox taking Tim Alderson. Of course, he also has Rick Porcello dropping to Detroit with the next pick. That alone is enough to dismiss his predictions. Anyone familar with the draft knows Porcello dropping past the Cubs (#3) is ridiculous, yet alone 26 positions to Detroit. I know there have been concerns of him pitching in the Northeast with a shortened season and questionable competition, but he's practically a mold of Justin Verlander.

He's not trading for prospects, lol. Who does he think he is? Is there a wide array of blue-chip positional and pitching prospects that I'm unaware of? This appears to be nothing more than Williams' arrogance. It's going to run us into the ground soon enough. Trading for Rent-a-players is percisely what we don't want. Neither is acquiring "talent" if it's on the major league roster with several years of service. Why place unnecessary resources into salvaging this season? Even with slight improvements, are we any better than Cleveland, Minnesota, or Detroit? If we're going to improve it should be with the players we currently have. If not, it's time to begin looking towards the future.

Christ, this title needs to be updated. I nearly shat myself.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 04:32 PM) Ok I can agree with that. I like that plan and I like your idea. I don't watch Abreu enough to know that he is lazy. I heard that Texiera is kinda like Soriano last year - a whole lotta talk. Good prospects don't always pan out. That is the only problem I have with that. I want ML ready talent and teams are reluctant to give that up because it is cheap productive talent that they can keep for years. The major league talent you're receiving for Dye will only be here for 2008. Unless somehow Williams (or another general manager) is willing to extend him. We have to wait several weeks to see how this team fares against the National Leauge. If they're unable to make up significant ground, it's about time Sox fans realize this team likely won't contend in 2008. Abreu's addition, IMO, is uselesss if we're 8+ out of the division and 6+ out of the wildcard with five teams to jump. It'd just be Williams delaying a decision in RF. As I said earlier, I can understand it (if NYY pays a portion of his salary), but it's third behind trade and holding onto him in preferable options. QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 04:39 PM) I'm pretty sure there the new compensation is down to 1 pick, and not another teams first rounder. They're all Sandwich picks. This also limits a players trade value since the trading team doesn't have the option of holding onto him for two extra picks when they walk, they only have one. So that means holding on to a departing Type A player will only net you a pick from 31-60, instead of 2 picks from 16-75. Type B player get no compensation, right? I've forgotten already. I have to leave for work right now, so I can't validate myself, but I don't believe this is correct. I thought first round picks can still be obtained, in addition to a sandwich pick, for a Type A player. It's just the percentage of people considered Type A has decreased.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 04:04 PM) Boo Dye and Abreu - Hooray prospects! I really don't understand this logic. Unless of course this prospect is major league ready - but then why would the other team do that deal. Who cares why they would do it. People have this impression that bad deals don't occur across baseball. Apparently only other teams are allowed to have lopsided trades. Perhaps Dye has a tremendous two week stretch against National League ballclubs and a team such as Los Angeles believes his bat would be a valuable addition, at the risk of several prospects. I doubt it as well, but I'm not going to entirely dismiss it. It's not my concern one way or another why another team woould overpay for Dye. It's just Williams responsibility to wait several weeks, see how things play out with Dye, then shop him around July. If Abreu is the best Williams can receive, then hold onto him and hope for Type A compensation after 2007. You suggest in a later post the White Sox wouldn't rebuild under Kenny's regime, and you're probably right. But if we're not willing to trade anyone with value, additional draft picks are vital to the future of this organization. Especially one within the 16-20 range. This isn't even considering Iguchi, and whether arbitration is offered to him.

I'd rather Dye remain on the White Sox and lend us compensation picks than swap him for Abreu. It's rather impossible to build up a minor league system when no additional selections or players are entering. Yes, Dye's value is low considering his FA status and poor statistics, but from my perspective -- if we're not on the receiving end of a desperate general manager -- he should remain until the end of the season. Buehrle will certainly lend more. That is where Williams must receive an absolute killing in return. It appears to me Abreu's presence on this ballclub, and in the outfield, would only serve as an extension for Williams to decide on Dye's future replacement. How I figure is next years payroll will still remain substantially high. His salary should not be a burden if Fields replaces Crede and Gonzalez, Buehrle. If there is any substance to this rumor, Williams must be concerned about handing out long-term contracts and stiffling future teams. There's no telling how high the 2009 salary of the White Sox will be. Throwing 15+ million at one player when the overall salary is 75 million won't be too wise unless minor league production improves.

Griffith is my choice based upon the community mock draft posted on Sickels' site. Yes, we're void of projectable middle infielders, but then again, our general manager has yet to publically announce his desire to avoid long term deals with positional players. Even with JAG providing the ballclub with several options for the future, pitching remains a concern of mine because of those within our division. Until it's apparent we possess enough talent to match Minnesota, Cleveland, or Detroit, then the most projectable, highest ceiling starting pitchers should be selected early in the draft.

JESUS CHRIST

I agree with your initial assessment that several relief arms within the organization should be given an opportunity. I'd rather throw every reliever out onto the diamond than trade for one from another team. However, I completely disagree with the notion of inserting starting pitching prospects into a major league bullpen to salvage this season. If you're Williams, you just have to face reality -- this team isn't good. One arm alone won't make a difference. Several of the reasons you listed for opposing such a move aren't easy to overlook. We're supposed to start arbitration for AA pitchers, who could use further development, and place them into a position they haven't had recent experience with (aside from Russell) in the hopes of turning around the season? It's a lost cause, Beck. Admit it. I'd rather accept our fate than risk stunting the development of any pitcher. I should also add I absolutely HATE the idea of placing SP prospects in the bullpen. I don't care if Garland, Santana, Buehrle, others did it. Guillen just doesn't find these pitchers (such as McCarthy and Masset) consistent work.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 02:16 AM) If your a poster who goes by the name of "Flash Tizzle", I warn you about looking at the box score from Kevin Slowey's first major league start. All I have to say is uggggghhhhhh. Can't 2009 be here already with Johan out the door? If Liriano comes back fully recovered in 2008, I don't think we will score a run off of Minnesota pitching all year. Thankfully we have a collection of pitching prospects readily available to oppose Santana/Liriano/Garza/Slowey/scrub pitcher. And those of Cleveland and Detroit. Right?

Here's Aardsma's problem -- his fastball has no movement, his fastball has lost velocity since last season, and unlike earlier in the season there's no command or offspeed pitches to speak of. I thought this game was supposed to give us a spark -- what happened?

QUOTE(SoxAce @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 07:02 PM) Is it safe to say you like this kid? He certaintly has talent. I'll wait until DLS reaches Birmingham and replicates success before becoming too excited.

Down in the farm, Faustino De Los Santos currently with six strikeouts, 0 hits, 0 walks through three innings. Terrible.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 05:10 PM) In MLB.com's recent projection, they had him going 29, I think... But then again, the Baseball draft is probably the hardest to project. It's difficult to project exactly where each player goes, but unless there's a legitimate reason for his status drop on June 7th Smoker isn't falling to 29. Mayo's mock draft appears a bit off to me on first glance. First, Scherzer has already signed with Arizona. Next, NO WAY Schmidt is taken 10th overall. Arrieta likely won't be taken at 18, Noonan is slated more for the sandwich round, Brackman's stock is plummeting, Withthrow (selection for the White Sox) is not the type of pitcher you take this early, and Minnesota is associated more with Middlebrooks than Kozma.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 04:57 PM) I wouldn't mind Josh Smoker... Neither would I, but I doubt he's available at our position.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 04:44 PM) Apparently you all don't realize that Jerry Owens would be worse out there. Is that even possible? He'll find his moments in CF with Guillen at the helm. I guess we'll find out whether it's as bad as you suggest.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 03:19 PM) I'll say this, this call-up will shake things up a bit, but I expect we'll see him in left field because he's not a center fielder. The question is does that mean Mack goes to the bench and Terrero plays a ton. Personally I'm starting Mack in CF against all right handed pitchers with Terrero getting the starts in CF against lefties (Mack is hitting very well as of late and we need his bat). And Mackowiak is? Why not platoon Terrero and Owens in CF, Terrero and Mackowiak in LF? Atleast until we've fallen out of contention. I haven't seen Owens play CF, so perhaps he's comparable to Mackowiak, but we'll see within the upcoming weeks.

And now a fan has apparently ran onto the field as Ramirez hit a HR. Must be a Sox fan.

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 03:10 PM) The guy is an amazing pitcher, with a lot of passion, but his responsibility issues are disturbing. He always blames someone else HOT LATIN TEMPER! IT'S WHAT MAKES HIM GOOD!

The White Sox have to be thanking Zambrano about now. Distracts from their style of bad, bad baseball.

Just incase anyone didn't catch it, in between innings Barrett and Zambrano had what appeared to be a heated argument. Suddenly, Zambrano began swinging at Michael and other members of the team had to restrain them. All caught on video. Very funny and sure to be shown on highlight reels for quite awhile.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 11:50 AM) The Twins were 24-29 and 11 1/2 games back last year. They seem to have won the division if I remember correctly. Joe Mauer Justin Morneau Francisco Liriano Johan Santana Non-bed wetting bullpen We don't have any of the above.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 11:33 AM) I'm not a fan of much of what San Fran has so to make a deal with San Fran I think you do it simply to stock-pile parts to swing a deal for someone else that actually interests the Sox. And Crede to the Giants makes a lot of sense from there perspective, but I think they'd have to get another team involved (someone that likes guys like Lowery, although I'd have no problem with keeping Cain if the Sox planned on moving a starter, problem is if they moved a starter it would be one of Garland/Buehrle and those are two guys that should pitch in the southside for a number of years. If San Francisco ever humored themselves with trading Cain it'd probably take Danks and Gonzalez. From my perspective, if we're intent on replacing the weakest link -- while acknowledging his declining trade value-- Contreras will be shipped before next season. Of course, this means Buehrle will have to be signed; as I don't forsee two positions being filled with pitchers within our system. It probably won't matter, anyways. My feeling is Buehrle is gone in less than two months if this team continues to fall backwards.