southsider2k5 Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Bernie Pleskoff @BerniePleskoff 42m Hear it in the press box: #WhiteSox Jose Abreu brings back memories of a young Frank Thomas. That's some praise. Nothing too wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quin Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 04:02 PM) Bernie Pleskoff @BerniePleskoff 42m Hear it in the press box: #WhiteSox Jose Abreu brings back memories of a young Frank Thomas. That's some praise. Nothing too wild. Well damn. Here's hoping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 14, 2014 -> 04:02 PM) Bernie Pleskoff @BerniePleskoff 42m Hear it in the press box: #WhiteSox Jose Abreu brings back memories of a young Frank Thomas. That's some praise. Nothing too wild. Spring Training is the worst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Guess we got Gordon's built in excuse for this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mataipaepae Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Mar 15, 2014 -> 10:55 PM) Guess we got Gordon's built in excuse for this season. I'm ready to move on from beckham and the excuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I think Semien has a chance to make you forget all about Gordon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Micah Johnson has been doing a compelling impersonation of a major league ballplayer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flavum Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 https://twitter.com/DanHayesCSN/status/445955041656967169 Beck impressing. It would be great if they can get him in the rotation going into next year, like they did with Johnson this year. And then whoever they draft in June by OD, 2016. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (flavum @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 11:14 AM) https://twitter.com/DanHayesCSN/status/445955041656967169 Beck impressing. It would be great if they can get him in the rotation going into next year, like they did with Johnson this year. And then whoever they draft in June by OD, 2016. Any word on where his velocity has sat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottyDo Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (Jake @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 06:24 AM) Micah Johnson has been doing a compelling impersonation of a major league ballplayer Yeah, I'm much more excited about him now than I was at the beginning of spring. Of course, Spring Training is often a mirage. But he's definitely exciting to watch, and I'm hoping he destroys AAA (he'll be there, right? or AA?) for a while so we can see him in Chicago towards the end of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ultimate Champion Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 01:10 AM) I think Semien has a chance to make you forget all about Gordon. In all fairness, so does anyone else capable of about 2 1/2 weeks of consistent baseball out of the 2B position. The nice thing about Semien is he can't break your heart. If he's garbage he was never rated that highly anyway; if he's a bench player you've got at least something, nothing to be upset about; if he's average he's probably what you're expecting and you are happy about that. And if he overachieves? You're thrilled. The Sox aren't going to be more or less forced to sit around for 4 1/2 years with their thumbs up their asses waiting to see whether or not they need to make an upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (The Ultimate Champion @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 09:24 AM) In all fairness, so does anyone else capable of about 2 1/2 weeks of consistent baseball out of the 2B position. True, it's not a very high bar at 2B right now, but Semien has made strides at every level and flashed some surprising pop in his bat. For that reason I feel like he's been a bit under the radar and could be more of a surprise than people expect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTruth05 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 01:09 PM) True, it's not a very high bar at 2B right now, but Semien has made strides at every level and flashed some surprising pop in his bat. For that reason I feel like he's been a bit under the radar and could be more of a surprise than people expect. I know spring training means squat but even before bacon became injured and was supposedly "just starting to feel his swing" he just looks like his plain ol below average self. I just wish we could break camp with eaton,semien,abreu,and garcia anchoring the top of the lineup. I know it's not going to happen right now but would that be awesome or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILMOU Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (mataipaepae @ Mar 15, 2014 -> 10:08 PM) I'm ready to move on from beckham and the excuses. This is the year where we no longer have to deal with it, it can just go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunt Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Just cut ties with Beckham already and put Semien in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ultimate Champion Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 L Eaton CF R Semien 2B R Garcia RF R Abreu 1B L DeAza LF R Ramirez SS L Gillaspie 3B R Viciedo DH R Flowers C In a more sane world, this would be our everyday lineup to open the season. Not a lot of offense but there's at least youth and control, some speed and a little balance, and the guys who are trade candidates are in RBI spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (Dunt @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 01:31 PM) Just cut ties with Beckham already and put Semien in there At this point, that's not going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Joey Nowak @joeynowak 16m Bo Jackson thought Avisail Garcia was Miguel Cabrera. Common mistake. Said he just "oozes talent." Bo on Garcia: "He looks more like an NFL defensive end than a right fielder." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 01:40 PM) At this point, that's not going to happen. You mean we just arent "cutting guys?" The problem with Beckham getting hurt is he actually could have been dealt. Now he is off pretty much everyone's board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eminor3rd Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 01:42 PM) Joey Nowak @joeynowak 16m Bo Jackson thought Avisail Garcia was Miguel Cabrera. Common mistake. Said he just "oozes talent." Bo on Garcia: "He looks more like an NFL defensive end than a right fielder." Whatever talent he's oozing, it isn't hitting or fielding a baseball. I get it, he's a physical specimen. Someone teach him how to play. He may look like Cabrera, but he sure as hell doesn't hit like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Dye Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 (edited) QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 01:33 PM) He may look like Cabrera, but he sure as hell doesn't hit like him. Not fitting the bill on this puts him in company shared by, oh, all but 2 or 3 people in the history of Earth Edited March 18, 2014 by Jose Paniagua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) Whatever talent he's oozing, it isn't hitting or fielding a baseball. I get it, he's a physical specimen. Someone teach him how to play. He may look like Cabrera, but he sure as hell doesn't hit like him. 1. So he doesnt hit like probably one of the best hitters EVER? Thats CRAZY!!!!!!! 2. The guy put up a .775 OPS with us last year at age 22, and has tremendous upside. So yes, he has great talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eminor3rd Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 (edited) QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 02:38 PM) 1. So he doesnt hit like probably one of the best hitters EVER? Thats CRAZY!!!!!!! 2. The guy put up a .775 OPS with us last year at age 22, and has tremendous upside. So yes, he has great talent. Come on, Rock, don't ignore context. You're not like these other guys. He put up a .775 OPS on the strength of a .370 BABIP, over 42 games. Players ride .370 BABIPs all the way to MVP awards. A .775 OPS on that BABIP is somewhere between disappointing and very disappointing. Furthermore, he did it with a league average LD% somehow, which is numerical corroboration to what we all already observed -- a whole bunch of seeing-eye grounders and shanked pop-up ducksnorts. If he does everything that way he did last year, that BABIP is going to drop substantially. It may stay above .300 if he continues to hit 8-10% more GB than average, but take 50 or so points off of that BABIP and stay around 3.0% BB rate, and that average-ish RF OPS will very quickly become below average. The dude needs to learn to take bad pitches and work a count. He's 22, so hopefully he does, but he has shown us nothing so far. He has shown remarkable tools, and no skills. It depends how you define talent, I guess, but I always think of it more toward the skill side of that spectrum. EDIT: Also, I'm not expecting him to be one of the greatest hitters ever, and I'm not saying he has to be him to be successful -- but that's the comparison everyone is making that I'm criticizing in my post. I'm tired of people comparing him to Miguel Cabrera. As players, they are nothing alike. EDIT 2: Oh, and he looks like Manny Ramirez in the OF. I really hope that changes fast Edited March 18, 2014 by Eminor3rd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 02:33 PM) Whatever talent he's oozing, it isn't hitting or fielding a baseball. I get it, he's a physical specimen. Someone teach him how to play. He may look like Cabrera, but he sure as hell doesn't hit like him. QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 02:37 PM) Not fitting the bill on this puts him in company shared by, oh, all but 2 or 3 people in the history of Earth QUOTE (RockRaines @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 02:38 PM) 1. So he doesnt hit like probably one of the best hitters EVER? Thats CRAZY!!!!!!! 2. The guy put up a .775 OPS with us last year at age 22, and has tremendous upside. So yes, he has great talent. The talent is there...maybe not to be as good a hitter as Cabrera (there's not many players that are or will be). He has a very high ceiling, and with him being young, there's a chance he could be a great player and a cornerstone for the Sox for years. Most likely it's going to take a bit of time, but if he can hit in the .270 range with 20+ HRs this year, that would be a good start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Mar 18, 2014 -> 03:16 PM) Come on, Rock, don't ignore context. You're not like these other guys. He put up a .775 OPS on the strength of a .370 BABIP, over 42 games. Players ride .370 BABIPs all the way to MVP awards. A .775 OPS on that BABIP is somewhere between disappointing and very disappointing. Furthermore, he did it with a league average LD% somehow, which is numerical corroboration to what we all already observed -- a whole bunch of seeing-eye grounders and shanked pop-up ducksnorts. If he does everything that way he did last year, that BABIP is going to drop substantially. It may stay above .300 if he continues to hit 8-10% more GB than average, but take 50 or so points off of that BABIP and stay around 3.0% BB rate, and that average-ish RF OPS will very quickly become below average. The dude needs to learn to take bad pitches and work a count. He's 22, so hopefully he does, but he has shown us nothing so far. He has shown remarkable tools, and no skills. It depends how you define talent, I guess, but I always think of it more toward the skill side of that spectrum. EDIT: Also, I'm not expecting him to be one of the greatest hitters ever, and I'm not saying he has to be him to be successful -- but that's the comparison everyone is making that I'm criticizing in my post. I'm tired of people comparing him to Miguel Cabrera. As players, they are nothing alike. I view tools and skill to be pretty much the same thing. Different players are going to have different skills that are part of their overall toolset. It's the skill vs. will comparison that will set players apart. Granted, if a guy has little skill, all the will in the world won't help him at the MLB level. But, if you have two players with similar skills and one busts his ass day in and day out to get better, he's going to succeed over a guy who tries to fall back to his "god-given" skills. Garcia is a guy with the skills to be a great player, but he's going to have to bust his ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.