Cali

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 15, 2013 -> 12:35 PM) MLB Transactionist ‏@MLBTransactions MIAMI MARLINS: Signed first baseman Casey Kotchman to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. And then kidnapped his family.

QUOTE (flavum @ Feb 15, 2013 -> 12:55 PM) It's minor leaguers and bullpen guys the first 6 ST games, and then March 1-5 it's Sale, Quintana, Peavy, Danks, Floyd. Hopefully by OD it's Sale, Peavy, Danks, Floyd, Quintana, and they're all ready to go 31-33 starts. Unless Danks looks like Danks, you gotta swap him and Q... at least for April...

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Feb 15, 2013 -> 12:47 PM) Every single baseball fan on planet Earth knows guys aren't throwing at 100% velocity any time soon; that's not new or quality intel whatsoever. After a shoulder surgery though, I see nothing wrong with speculating the level of screwed we'd be if John is below 90 from this point forward. Why do we have to wait until we see 88 in June and a 6.5 ERA to start talking about it? We all know the front office is planning "what ifs". We can't? Lol Put me in the camp of "John Danks will suck if he doesn't throw 92-94 anymore". Prove us realists wrong there John Adrian Pererson Danks! Oh well that is true. If he's not popping that fastball his change is pretty much useless and he'll get rocked as we saw last year. But after surgery it may take longer for him to get that fastball going, which is why it's smart to have him as the 5th starter. Gives him a better chance against everyone else's fifth guy, build up some W's and some confidence. Just need the Sox to score some runs for him, which has plagued him most of his career...

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 15, 2013 -> 12:32 PM) He is the fifth starter in the spring rotation right now. Good. That's smart.

And isn't a dip in velocity expected after shoulder surgery? They should really ease Danks back into the rotation. Has there ever been any discussion of Danks being the fifth starter? If he responds well, they can always shuffle the rotation around off days and the ASB.

Could be horrible or great. Can't tell. Morel seems like a "third base only" kind of guy (but he's great at it)

That's shocking. Maybe I'm mushing together 2011 too. Just seemed everyone was sitting on 97 right down the middle and crushing it. **coughDanJohnsoncough**

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 15, 2013 -> 08:30 AM) 7m Daryl Van Schouwen Daryl Van Schouwen ‏@CST_soxvan thornton about 15 pounds lighter, big focus on eating right. didnt bounce back from outings last year w same life. things you do at age 36. Hopefully eating better and losing weight will help him remember he has a pitch other than the fastball.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 14, 2013 -> 01:02 PM) I can't wait until a pitcher who is working on locating his fastball early in Spring Training gives up 7 hits in a row and the Sox give up 17 runs and people on here start freaking out about Spring f***ing Training Spring Training Results ALWAYS MATTER and is 100% indicative of what will happen during the Regular Season for each individual player, without question.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 14, 2013 -> 07:12 AM) Spin it how you want, but a manager declining an extension is never a good thing. We all knew Robin's interest in this position was luke-warm at best, and he had to be talked into it. That being said, I thought he did a great job getting the most out of a bunch of bums last year, and he'll have to do that again this year to make baseball interesting in August. This. 100% this. There is no speculation that Robin had to be talked into it, which leads me to worry. I was one of the leading voices against his hiring, but I really hope he stays. He got the best out of some of these guys, and I hope it continues. But if I'm Hahn/KW I'm making damn sure McEwing stays on the staff for the next 2 years, cause I really think he could be a good manager.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 13, 2013 -> 10:16 AM) I think part of that is because you are near them. I view the 2011 and 2012 Red Sox as much bigger failures. I'm not sure there's been a team in the majors since September 2011 in the majors than the Red Sox. True, I am closer, and the hype is palpable, but it's not like the Dodgers get ignored nationally. Especially after the spending spree, they're a story. The thing that I think sets them apart is just how much money they spent in the last year, it was such a massive increase, even the Red Sox couldn't top it since they were always big spenders and just spent more.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 13, 2013 -> 08:18 AM) 2011-2012 Boston Red Sox I still say the '13 Dodgers, since, ya know, they have most of those players from that Red Sox squad haha Add to it Greinke, a new owner that's a Hall of Fame NBA star putting World Series or Bust like pressure on them, and their bitterest division rival coming off of a World Series. Boston also had a series of success going into that season including 2 recent titles, the Dodgers have been floundering for a decade + and endured a terrible owner. It's ALL on them right now.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Feb 12, 2013 -> 05:50 PM) Could be, but they have a ridiculous amount of talent. They could legitimately rock like an 8 man rotation - Kershaw, Greinke, Capuano, Billingsley, Beckett, Ryu, Harang, and Lilly. They can trade two starting pitchers and still end up with a pretty damn good pitcher in the bullpen, and their bullpen is already pretty good. That pitching staff alone should get them 85 wins. That whole rotation outside of Kershaw is all ?'s to me. Greinke being the biggest with his emotional issues.

Well we have no idea what the financial terms were, just that he was offered another year and turned it down. I wouldn't be reading that much into this if his whole hiring wasn't so freakin' weird and unorthodox. I hope he stays but, if McEwing sticks around till 2015, I won't shed a tear for Robin if he wants to leave.

Has there EVERY been a team more set up for unmitigated disaster than the 2013 Dodgers? Like it might be really BAD. Like No playoffs, multiple games behind the division leader bad.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Feb 12, 2013 -> 04:13 PM) Organization offered Ventura 1 year extension but he turned it down. Ok then. Story. Well that makes me pretty confident there will be a new White Sox manager in 2015. Unless they win a title... which even still.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 12, 2013 -> 01:13 PM) Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin To answer a common question, Cooper and the White Sox view Santiago as more of a reliever than starter right now. DUMB. Have him start in Charlotte if you're not gonna give him a chance to crack the rotation.

How does everyone else look? Also, didn't these guys really take pride in themselves for 2007 being almost 100% right? Like as a sign that they know what the Sox will always do? Even though they've been wrong most of the time? (or am I thinking of someone else who got full of themselves projection-wise)

I wanna start seeing pics!

How is Prince not on this list?!?!

Morel can ONLY play third, Keppinger can play other positions, but you signed him to a bigger contract, so he will probably be the favorite. Besides the fact that he's a contact guy who doesn't strike out and that's the kind of player the Sox want now. Unless you're gonna trade Beckham, Morel is gonna have to hit .500 in ST and show no signs of pain to get more PT than Kepp.

He'd scare me more if he was a lefty. Cause all he throws is soft junk, but as a righty I think the Sox could handle him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 9, 2013 -> 01:39 PM) Google suggests that their lease runs through 2029. The Sox pay such a low rent on it that the only ones who legitimately want to renegotiate the lease agreement is the state. I'd expect that in 2029 they'll probably be pushing for a new park as the lease ends. So that'd be 38 years old for the park. I honestly think if between now and 2029 the Cubs get a new modern park, the Sox would start clamoring for one of their own as well. Like everyone is saying, it's all about location, if they had a park that was closer to downtown, close to all the subways with an amazing view of the skyline, they'd be cracking 3 mil regularly... Especially if they had winning teams haha.

I honestly wonder how long the Sox will play at the Cell? Obviously they won't move to a new park as long as Reisndorf is the owner, and however long the lease is on the place. This will be the 22nd season for the park, maybe another 20 years? By then I imagine it'll be one of the oldest parks in baseball (who knows what will happen to Fenway and Wrigley)

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ Feb 8, 2013 -> 05:52 PM) What makes you think he isn't 100% committed? Well Kenny was quoted as saying he had to convince Robin to take the job... Couple that with the fact that Robin has a very nonchalant attitude, it gives off a "whatever" kinda vibe...