A White Sox WINNER!!!

Good news! Thanks for all the updates.

Nathan Jones = Nuke LaLoosh

 

Might have the best arm in the organization. High 90's fastball and an outstanding curveball that sometimes causes guys to bail out of the box before it breaks back into the strike zone.

 

Now the bad news. Control problems. And mechanical issues that may limit his ability to throw consistent strikes.

 

He's a project for sure, but an interesting one.

 

Does he throw 99? I listened to a couple of games he pitched last year and the gun they used had him up in the range. But... not sure I'd trust the stadium guns in the low minors. So, it's hard to put alot of stock in those numbers until he moves up a level or two.

 

Thanks. I'll definitely be tracking this kid all season.

 

Oops forgot Broussard HR to start the inning 9-0 Sox

Yay, for the muscian! He has a lot to make up for in AAA after the show Eldred put on over their.

Nathan Jones = Nuke LaLoosh

 

Might have the best arm in the organization. High 90's fastball and an outstanding curveball that sometimes causes guys to bail out of the box before it breaks back into the strike zone.

 

Now the bad news. Control problems. And mechanical issues that may limit his ability to throw consistent strikes.

 

He's a project for sure, but an interesting one.

 

Does he throw 99? I listened to a couple of games he pitched last year and the gun they used had him up in the range. But... not sure I'd trust the stadium guns in the low minors. So, it's hard to put alot of stock in those numbers until he moves up a level or two.

 

 

I called him The New De Los Santos. And no I don't mean cause he'll blow out his arm in two years. But he'll probably just sky-rocket in the prospect charts if he really fine tunes that control.

I don't think we've been misled at all. No one but the beat writers have ever said anything about this kid starting for the big club this year.

 

I thought KW and Guillen promised to Viciedo and his agent an open competition this ST. If Viciedo plays better than Fields, then he should expect to make the team. As for his defense, remember he has not played competitive baseball in a long time. I am not saying he will be a gold glove caliber 3B now. He may not be like that ever. He has played RF in Cuba. Last year, Guillen criticized Fields defense. A year later, his defense is OK. I know his knee bothered him....

 

Many people misleads including presidents so it should no be a surprise that GM and managers mislead as well. I have noticed tha language coming from the White Sox and I realized since day one Viciedo has no chance to make this team unless he absolutely kills the ball.

Gameday showing Viciedo's HR was dead center, I likey

 

 

That is cuban power despite food rations.

Well, Cubano...the main thing to give you faith is how they stuck with Alexei last year when he was hitting about .120 going into mid-May and struggling mightily. I was really suprised they showed that much patience in him, because from reading the reports, the expectations weren't as high at that point as many of us now have.

 

The White Sox are going to do what's best for their ballclub. $10 million is a pretty big investment in this economy...they're not going to rush him and risk damaging his career if he's not ready to play a position at the big league level yet. They know that they only have him for four seasons, so there's a big risk they really incubate his career and then when he enters his real prime he'll be gone to another organization.

 

I'm really interested to see what some of these arms like Santeliz, Nathan Jones, Santos Rodriguez (Braves trade), Nunez and Jimenez can do out there. I don't think any of them will make the team (especially someone like Jones), and Ozzie/Cooper seem to be leaning in the direction of a multiple inning reliever, so pitchers like Richard/Carasco/Marquez/Broadway/Egbert/Van Benschoten are more likely. Putting Poreda in AAA as a starter makes the most sense...unless Cooper's the only one who can teach him secondary pitchers or they feel close to convinced his ceiling in the big league level is as a Matt Thornton type reliever, in which case, it would be better to trade him when we could market him as a POSSIBLE #2-3 starter.

 

It is a bit strange we haven't seen or heard anything out of Cole Armstrong or Donny Lucy. Not sure about Lucy's health right now...maybe Armstrong played in the B game...

 

One thing is for certain, Ozzie is going to play the heck out of Owens to make sure his health holds up over an extended period of time.

Edited February 28, 200917 yr by caulfield12

I like this excerpt from Scott Merkin's blog regarding Beckham...

 

I said this in my early Friday blog post, but Gordon Beckham is a baseball player. I don't care if it's Cactus League games, American Legion or the seventh game of the World Series. You just know upon seeing someone with that special ability. His play at shortstop to end the sixth inning on Tony Clark's grounder, well.. I'll let Paul Konerko describe it.

 

"That's a big league play. If he makes that play, he can play in the big leagues for 15 years," Konerko said. "Everyone on the bench thought it was a hit, and he comes in and makes it like it was nothing."

 

Here's my first prediction of 2009... Beckham will play in the Majors before September callups. I just have a feeling.

Edited February 28, 200917 yr by scenario

Merkin is usually not so effusive in his commentary, so high praise indeed.

 

We seem to have a plethora of players that could end up at any one of 3-4 positions.

 

Ramirez=SS, 2B, CF and possibly 3B

Fields=3B, 1B, DH, LF

Beckham=SS, 2B, 3B, LF, RF, DH

Viciedo=3B, 1B, LF, RF, DH

Lillibridge=SS, 2B, CF

 

That gives KW a lot of versatility building the roster moving forward. Add in Flowers, Allen, Shelby (who can also play infield and outfield) and Jor. Danks and you have some interesting combinations.

 

Based on all of that, I think Nix and/or Getz might end up being the loser (one of the two) as they are both less versatile. Getz could play 3B and maybe SS if he had to, but he doesn't have the type of bat for the corners and the arm/range for SS.

 

The outfield fight with Owens, Anderson, Wise and possibly Kroeger will be very interesting and could down down to the last week of ST.

 

I'll reserve my praise for Don Cooper at this point, but if Van Benschoten makes the club, that would be a pretty amazing turnaround for him.

 

 

Merkin is usually not so effusive in his commentary, so high praise indeed.

 

We seem to have a plethora of players that could end up at any one of 3-4 positions.

 

Ramirez=SS, 2B, CF and possibly 3B

Fields=3B, 1B, DH, LF

Beckham=SS, 2B, 3B, LF, RF, DH

Viciedo=3B, 1B, LF, RF, DH

Lillibridge=SS, 2B, CF

 

That gives KW a lot of versatility building the roster moving forward. Add in Flowers, Allen, Shelby (who can also play infield and outfield) and Jor. Danks and you have some interesting combinations.

 

Based on all of that, I think Nix and/or Getz might end up being the loser (one of the two) as they are both less versatile. Getz could play 3B and maybe SS if he had to, but he doesn't have the type of bat for the corners and the arm/range for SS.

 

The outfield fight with Owens, Anderson, Wise and possibly Kroeger will be very interesting and could down down to the last week of ST.

 

I'll reserve my praise for Don Cooper at this point, but if Van Benschoten makes the club, that would be a pretty amazing turnaround for him.

i doubt beckham becomes a corner OFer....if they move him out of the IF it will be to go to CF, but hes really valuable at 2b or SS

Well, Cubano...the main thing to give you faith is how they stuck with Alexei last year when he was hitting about .120 going into mid-May and struggling mightily. I was really suprised they showed that much patience in him, because from reading the reports, the expectations weren't as high at that point as many of us now have.

 

The White Sox are going to do what's best for their ballclub. $10 million is a pretty big investment in this economy...they're not going to rush him and risk damaging his career if he's not ready to play a position at the big league level yet. They know that they only have him for four seasons, so there's a big risk they really incubate his career and then when he enters his real prime he'll be gone to another organization.

 

 

But Alexei was not the only one to struggle. Nick S, Korneko, Uribe... Alexei was the rookie and he was the one in the bubble.

early christmas present to me if beckham starts the season as our 2B and leadoff guy