NY Times/Sox Cuban connection

[buckweaver]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/sports/b...amid-chill.html

 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/sports/b...amid-chill.html

Thanks for pointing that out. It was good.

[caulfield12]

Accompanying Jeff Passan story about Cuban connection/dangers of the current "trafficking/kidnapping-based" system...

 

Highlights Abreu and Alexei Ramirez, among others (yes, Puig's also there in the middle of the story). Nothing about Dayan.

 

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/10-degrees--c...-034704407.html

Edited April 21, 2014 by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

I love the Abreu comp's.

 

But Adam Eaton, the center fielder who played last season with Arizona, said Abreu’s opposite-field power reminded him of the Diamondbacks All-Star Paul Goldschmidt. Manager Robin Ventura cited two former teammates — the Hall of Famer Frank Thomas and a near-Hall of Famer, Mike Piazza — when discussing Abreu.

 

“It’s way early, but people here are thinking about Frank, and he does have some similarities: He hits it hard, you want to see him come up with guys on base, and you know you’re going to get a quality at-bat because of his approach and his maturity,” Ventura said.

[caulfield12]

I love the Abreu comp's.

 

 

Thomas could hit those low line drives out and an assortment of balls that didn't clear the fence by so much....more like long pop outs that he muscled out...but I don't remember Thomas ever squaring up a high and outside fastball and hitting it on a line 425 feet to RCF.

 

Still go with Bo Jackson, Puig and Miguel Cabrera for pure RF power. Manny Ramirez used to be able to do that earlier in his career before he got pull happy.

Edited April 21, 2014 by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

Thomas could hit those low line drives out and an assortment of balls that didn't clear the fence by so much....more like long pop outs that he muscled out...but I don't remember Thomas ever squaring up a high and outside fastball and hitting it on a line 425 feet to RCF.

 

His early days he had as much power the opposite way as anyone I have ever seen. He didn't get pull happy until later in his career.

[Kyyle23]

Thomas could hit those low line drives out and an assortment of balls that didn't clear the fence by so much....more like long pop outs that he muscled out...but I don't remember Thomas ever squaring up a high and outside fastball and hitting it on a line 425 feet to RCF.

 

Still go with Bo Jackson, Puig and Miguel Cabrera for pure RF power. Manny Ramirez used to be able to do that earlier in his career before he got pull happy.

 

He absolutely did. That's what made him special

[caulfield12]

His early days he had as much power the opposite way as anyone I have ever seen. He didn't get pull happy until later in his career.

 

 

For some reason, I remember more of his flares/dunks/dinks/gorks into RF that would fall in front of RFers playing him deep.

 

A lot like Joe Crede.

 

Except Crede's would end up as outs or foul outs.

 

 

Maybe the 1990-1998 version of Thomas, I didn't see much of him on t.v./video from 1992 onwards, when he was really in his prime.

Edited April 21, 2014 by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

For some reason, I remember more of his flares/dunks/dinks/gorks into RF that would fall in front of RFers playing him deep.

 

A lot like Joe Crede.

 

Except Crede's would end up as outs or foul outs.

 

 

Maybe the 1990-1998 version of Thomas, I didn't see much of him on t.v./video from 1992 onwards, when he was really in his prime.

 

He did hit the flares when he was fooled. If that was the case, his big ass would move towards the 3rd base dugout, while he threw his arms and hands towards the 1st base dugout and he would flip the ball either just over the 1B or just foul in the same area.

 

But back in his prime, when he recognized the pitch, he would take the pitch out the outer half and just crush it to RCF.

[Texsox]

Cool read, thanks for sharing.

[Texsox]

His early days he had as much power the opposite way as anyone I have ever seen. He didn't get pull happy until later in his career.

 

 

He absolutely did. That's what made him special

 

His opposite field home runs were as fun to watch as roof top shots.

 

[caulfield12]

His opposite field home runs were as fun to watch as roof top shots.

 

 

 

 

Very few roof top shots left in baseball....most were at Tiger Stadium and Old Comiskey.

 

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/internation...-play-in-japan/

Our next DH, haha? If it's not Viciedo.

 

At least the satellite sales/DirecTV/Dish Network (joking) should be super high for White Sox games in Cuba. Although I don't know exactly how the White Sox are profiting from this obvious marketing connection yet.

 

Actually, when I lived in Colombia in 2005-2006, I had DirecTV. Wonder how many Quintana fans are out there?

Edited April 21, 2014 by caulfield12

[witesoxfan]

For some reason, I remember more of his flares/dunks/dinks/gorks into RF that would fall in front of RFers playing him deep.

 

A lot like Joe Crede.

 

Except Crede's would end up as outs or foul outs.

 

 

Maybe the 1990-1998 version of Thomas, I didn't see much of him on t.v./video from 1992 onwards, when he was really in his prime.

 

Frank could hit any pitch that hit the plate out of the park. I have memories of him hitting fastballs and sliders on the black over the right field wall.

[Texsox]

Thinking of roof top shots, I remember a couple of Kittles' more than anyone's

[Rowand44]

It's funny cause by the time I was old enough to be a die hard fan, Frank was becoming a dead pull hitter.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Rowand44

[harfman77]

Frank could hit any pitch that hit the plate out of the park. I have memories of him hitting fastballs and sliders on the black over the right field wall.

 

Frank had such a great presence at the plate, he would epitomize the antithesis of a freeswinger. He had one of a kind plate coverage and rarely would even consider swinging at a ball outside of the zone. Then when he got the pitch he wanted he made solid contact consistently. He had his share of moonshots, but he always had a bunch of HR's that seemed to be still on the way up when they hit the seats. He was never quite the same after the torn triceps injury in 2001, but prior to that there was not a better hitter in baseball.

[Bruce_Blixton]

Really interesting article, thanks for sharing! I found this quote from Hahn about Alexei's pregame meal to be equal parts hilarious and disgusting:

 

“He essentially made a mayonnaise and Krispy Kreme sandwich,” Hahn said. “That’s not really what we teach in terms of pregame meals. But it was just a matter of not having access to the nutritional programs that we have thoroughly researched.”

 

 

[buckweaver]

The article makes me wonder if there's less likelihood of trading Alexei Ramirez or Dayan Viciedo (at least this season) and might explain the Sox keeping Nieto as the backup catcher. To suggest such a thing about other nationalities might be absurd and could even border on racist; that's not my intent at all. It simply seems there is such a bonding experience these young men go through when leaving their country that there could well be rationale to keep a core group together for their own mental health benefits. Having Minoso in the fold as an ambassador is probably helpful, too. Even if not explicit, might it be reasonable for Abreau to think that Ramirez and Viciedo would be his teammates at least through the first year? I wonder if that was ever discussed during his contract negotiations. Interesting to ponder.

[caulfield12]

Viciedo and Ramirez 1st and 2nd in AL batting average.

 

Abreu Top 5 ROY/AL MVP candidate.

 

Not bad so far.

 

Even Nieto's held his own (mostly) in limited playing time. He hasn't been Corky Miller.