Boopa1219

QUOTE (oldsox @ Dec 17, 2014 -> 07:42 AM) Josh, fill us in on Instructional League stats/comments. Go through Fangraphs, Kiley McDaniel's twitter, Bill Mitchell, even the Sox did a couple write up on him on the website.

QUOTE (flavum @ Dec 16, 2014 -> 12:03 PM) If the Sox are 35-19 when the draft happens, totally worth it. I'll take the pick, and better chance for sustained success.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2014 -> 04:44 PM) For a kid who struggled at rookie ball in 2014. Yes, Micker did struggle but his season was promising and a success when you consider the circumstances. Micker was a 17 year old kid last year playing pro ball, while the AZL is rookie ball that's still a challenge for any 17 year old as he had to face completion with more experience and polish than what he has ever faced. Micker did tail off at the end of the year but that can be contributed to exhaustion, he came from the showcase circuit of Latin America to playing a 30 game season with no off days. And before his end of the year exhaustion, Micker was on a tear. And if I remember correctly, he lead the league in HR with 5. I assume that you haven't been following the Sox in the instructional league, if you had then you would have heard all the glowing reports back from Arizona regarding Micker and the progress that he has made. He has shorten his swing and made it more compact, while showing power to all fields and an ability to make more contact. Micker is a legit superstar prospect in the making, he has a very high ceiling, maybe he highest in the system. Even if he struggles next year, it wouldn't hurt his development, as 2015 is his age 18 season. I believe that Micker will be knocking on the Sox door sooner than most people think in 2017.

Wouldn't be surprised if Micker is knocking on the ML Team's door in 2017.

Hopefully this team can bond together very well, 2005 was so special because the way all those guys bonded together. Hoping this season follows suit.

QUOTE (ron883 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 01:02 PM) I just can't bring myself to support this team fully. Sure, they will be good, but it is full of cheaters. Melky, Q, Flowers. Signing Melky was the final straw for me. I can't support a team full of roiders. I hate the Bosox championship teams with Manny and ortiz. Its going to be tough to support them because I can't stand cheaters in baseball, and I know a championship will be marked by an asterik if they DO win it. Anybody else feel that same way as me? I wish Melky was not signed. Leaves a poor taste in my mouth. I agree with you in regards to Melky. I know that there have been other players on the team with PEDS but guys like Q took their punishment, but Melky make a fake website to save his ass and I dont like that. I really didn't want the team to sign him and I still don't like the move.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 04:45 PM) 90+ and the division crown. This is the year Detroit dies. The implode of the Detroit Tigers is right around the corner. All those bad contracts and no farm

Welcome

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Dec 15, 2014 -> 10:02 AM) They need to go out an acquire as many quality players as possible, putting all your eggs in one basket to get one guy is way to risky. This organization needs depth, there will be a time to bring in some elite level talent to the system, like when the Sox get two picks next season, but this year the focus should be on getting as many guys that have high ceilings throughout picks 4-10 and a guy with a higher floor and a lower draft pool hit with pick 1. I am not saying that they should over way over slot to get their guy at 8, I am saying that the team needs to make sure that they're drafting player who projects to be a solid major leaguer.

What prospects do you think are going to break out in 2015? I personally give my vote to Micker, Luis Martinez and Trey M. Who needs to have a big year? How does Spencer Adams project? Is this the farm has been in recent memory, even with the Shark trade? When does Carlos Rodon join the rotation?

87 - 75 (Makes it to ALCS) The team wins the central, the black and blue division of MLB. Sale, Abreu, Shark, Robertson will be all stars. Sale wins Cy Young, with 20Ws, +250K, and an ERA below 3.00.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 11:30 PM) Many more if you want to go by rumors and speculation. Those guys didnt try to create a fake website to hide their guilt.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 10:59 PM) He's now the 3rd White Sox player who has been suspended for PEDs. I know but none of those were involved in the biggest PED scandal in recent memory.

I still don't like this, I know that it solves a issue and it's a short term deal but I do not want any players tied to PEDs on the Sox.

QUOTE (mmmmmbeeer @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 04:39 PM) I read a lot of concern on here about Avisail....I don't get it. I'm a huge proponent of his and think he's going to be an excellent bat. With that said, we all have different ideas of what needs to go right for us to succeed or is making us doubt any chance of succeeding...What are your 3 keys to this season? Here's my 3: 1. Robin Ventura needs to show that he can manage an ML team with talent. He had an excuse last year with the roster being what it was but I think it was more than obvious that he was making many poor in-game decisions that had nothing to do with a lack of talent. He needs to step up this year or folks are going to be calling for his head early and it will disrupt the clubhouse. 2. Tyler Flowers showed flashes of the offense he achieved in the minors last season. Our stats gurus on here were quick to point out his absurd BABIP during his streaks, but from the eye test he was making more consistent contact and seeing the ball well during those stretches....no surprise that more contact leads to a better offensive contributor. We really need Tyler to feel comfortable most of the season if the Sox are going to make some noise. 3. Carlos Rodon and how management decides to manage his innings. The kid has the ability to be dominant and make an immediate impact on our club leading to easier victories out of the 4th spot in the rotation. I was a fan of bringing him along in the pen out of ST and ease him into a starting role....we know that isn't happening now. My next hope is that we milk those 130-140IP during the regular season being, outside of a possible BP role, we don't need him in the playoffs with our top 3 starters. We need every win we can get and I don't want to see him handled with kid gloves...give him a job and an innings limit and let him do his thing. I agree with mostly everything here but I disagree with Robin, he's the least of my concerns. I think he's a great manager.

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 10:18 AM) I hope they don't. I think it would require a significant overdraft in order to save the type of money you would need to make this strategy work. The only significant under slot signing in the first round last year outside the top 3 was the injured Kyle Freeland at #8 (~800k under slot). Even the injured Jeff Hoffman signed for slot at #9. Unless you have one of the top 3 or 4 selections or target an injured pitcher I'm just not sure how workable a strategy it is. Personally I'd rather they just go all in on the #8 pick and ensure they have at least one impact type talent entering the system. I'd rather have a 1st and a 4th round pick than two 2nd's, if that's the trade-off. Without their second and third picks, it's critical that they hit with their first round pick.

Someone on Twitter (Maybe Merkin?) suggested the Sox should trade Viciedo for a comp draft pick, I would take that in a deal.

QUOTE (thigpen89 @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 07:24 AM) Hey everyone, I'm new here (my first post) but I've been reading the forum for a few weeks now since I made the jump from the White Sox official message board. I just moved to Houston so I'll be catching all three games at the end of May. I can't wait to take my new son to his first Sox games! Love a lot of the moves we made! Welcome!

If the Sox got a new stadium, what kind of stadium would you want it to be? A stadium more geared towards hitters or pitchers? Or what stadium would you want it to be like?

QUOTE (hi8is @ Dec 14, 2014 -> 02:27 AM) Joshua is crying... for some odd reason. I want Viciedo gone just like you, but I don't think Melky is worth $45M and now the team is on the hook for an extra $14M a year. What if this season is a disaster? If the team was already strapped for cash, how are the going to make a competitor offer for Shark (if they feel he's worthy) during next offseason? I know the is in win now mode but they have to continue to think about the future. When this signing was announced, I had flashbacks to the 2011 season.

Very disappointed.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 11:12 AM) Your post is both near-sighted and tunnel-visioned. You are not taking into account the 45% drop in attendance rate in 2006, you are not taking into account the demographics of Sox fans, or the presence of another team in the same city as the Sox, which in itself makes our philosophy different than that of Braves, Red Sox, Pirates, or Royals. In the city of Chicago, where fan base is located to the less prosperous side of town, Sox fans aren't rushing through to gate to see some average product that falls short of playoffs year in and year out. How does a big market team like Chicago end up with the 3rd lowest attendance rate last year? Our window of contention isn't the same as Braves or Red Sox, in that we have an ace who could be pitching on borrowed time, and a superstar hitter who we won't be able to resign once he hits free agency, and we also deal with more payroll constraints than both of those teams. We don't have time to wait 4 years for a 3rd round pick to come around when we can sign an all star caliber player to fill a big hole THIS YEAR. With that being said, JR's goal this year is to open his wallet, get whoever it takes to build a playoff team the next 2 years, because that is the only way to bring fans through the gate for the White Sox. It is evidently when we gave up a second round pick for signing a closer. While your philosophy is valid in some situations, it is not something the Sox are looking to do right now, nor they could afford to do given the state of the franchise. That or I could give you the speech about 3rd round picks having about a 5% chance of contributing in the majors 4 years from now. EDIT: I am not preaching us to sign Melky, I could live without him. But I am in support of us signing whoever we need to fill up the team, regardless of draft picks for next year. So you only want the Sox to be good in 2015?

QUOTE (LDF @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 11:01 AM) and as i have said before, next yr will be a great time to do that investment. for me it will depend on the posting of these 2 young Cuban players. i totally agree with you. You sign LA players when they're 16 years old, it takes a while for some to come stateside. While others never make it.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 13, 2014 -> 10:19 AM) It won't be for the White Sox. Their lease runs another 15 seasons. It is a sweetheart lease. They make money just about every year. No reason to spend probably billions now. I know, I just hate the Cell compared to Comiskey. It's funny that the guy who designed The Cell went on to design Camden Yards. We know who got the better end of that.

I definitely want to see a new stadium some time within the next decade.