Chisoxfn

Moving Webster up now would be a huge mistake. Were talking about a kid that is just 18 (Didn't look it up, but he's something like that) years old and still very raw. Let him establish himself in Winston Salem first and then when ready give him the jump up to Birmingham. You can't move a guy up based on a month of the season, unless they are at a much higher level or are repeating a level. Half way through, you can move him up to AA if he's still tearing the cover off the ball and he will be one of the youngest players there.

Hows So Cal sound, lol.

A Deeper Look: Joe Crede By Jason Gage April 30, 2003 SoxNet.net This is the first part of a feature I will be doing periodically throughout the year where I analyze the successes or failures of a player over a stretch. I base my analysis over my experience playing baseball as well as what I’ve learned from watching the game over the years. The two main factors I will look at are their mechanical and mental approach. If anyone has any Sox players they would like me to take a “deeper look” at, email me at [email protected] Third baseman Joe Crede will be the first I take a “deeper look” at and if he’s reading I doubt he’s happy to find himself appearing in this, because I’ll be talking about his failures at the plate over his past ten games, where he is 5-36 (.136) with four strikeouts, two walks and five RBIs. During this period Crede has had one game off and from what I've noticed the one thing that is bothering him is his inability to pick up the ball; a sub factor to this is his mental approach. Crede is still going opposite field, which is good, but he’s having trouble seeing the pitch, causing him to swing at almost everything. The most notable pitches he's chased has been the high outside fastball and low outside curveball. The good news is the fact that despite chasing all these pitches, Crede only struck out four times during this period, which shows his swing is short and his hands are quick. Mechanically his swing is practically flawless when compared to the past. The biggest difference is him seeing the pitch, making the read and swinging at strikes. This may sound easy, but to do all that on what could be a 97 MPH fastball or a 81 MPH changeup is incredibly difficult. There is no easy solution to solving Crede’s problem, but it is one that will be solved with at bats, not rest. Crede needs to get more cage time concerning himself with what the pitch is and where it is, as opposed to anything else. The more he sees pitches, the quicker he will distinguish between them. I’d like to see Sox' coaches work a similar approach with Crede as they did with Carlos Lee last year. Jerry Manuel threw extra batting practice with Lee and helped him become a new hitter at the plate in the second half. Lee was no longer the free-swinging youngster with loads of potential, but a patient hitter that would wait for his pitch and make the opposing pitcher pay, something I believe will pay off for Lee and the Sox in the long run. This isn’t a change that will happen overnight, but slowly Crede would develop into a better hitter. He’d be taking more pitches and watch it completely into the mitt, which will give him a better idea of what that pitcher has, something not only he can utilize in later at bats or the current at bat, but for his team-mates as well.

DJ made a comment about it. Frank isn't seeing it right so I don't even know if he can control where he is hitting it right now. Still, Frank absolutey crushed the ball, but it was definately the wrong approach. Most of the guys have had the wrong approach all season.

Zito was throwing 88 though, its not a huge difference between 88 and 90. Its not like Foulke has a ton of movement at 90 and both pitches look much faster because of the offspeed stuff they feature (Zito - Curve; Foulke - Change)

His double was absolutely perfect mechanically and he ripped a fastball for a single opposite field. 2-3 off of Zito, hitting them all hard is a good night in my books and the way he did it made it look oh so much better. In the ninth he was burned because he kept expecting a changeup so he was trying to stay back instead of crushing those fastballs.

Just seeing Foulke made me miss him. I'm happy with Koch, but Foulke was awesome with us. I'll never forget what he did for us.

Foulke did throw a ton of meatballs to Konerko. That being said Konerko looked the best he has all year tonight at the plate, but that at bat in the ninth was tough cause Foulke was throwing all meatballs.

They were quite the cinderalla team a few years ago. This sounds like a good hire.

This team can play small ball, but if it can't I'm buying into my new theory. You move Thomas or Konerko to save salary. That money goes towards paying Buehrle and Colon. Then you let Borchard and Harris play in the outfield with Daubach getting ab's as well. You now have a really quick outfield that is going to have a hell of a lot of range. You got a quick lineup that is way more balanced and most importantly you have your pithcing staff locked up and have to hope that you can develop another ace or two and then you'll be all set.

I wish him the best.

Mario, I guarantee Jose scores on that groundout. Their is no shot at a throw at the plate from the angle in which Bradford fielded it. He had a tough enough time throwing Magglio out. Frank got an inside pitch and drilled it, but DJ was ripping on him for it and the thing is, I don't see Frank having the bat control where he can chose where the ball is going. Its been a long time since I have thought Frank can control where the ball is going.

Hopefully PK can start things off.

Damn I thought for sure Maggs was gonna get a double at the minimum on that one and a run was scoring for sure. Tought luck. Want to see us in motion in Oakland, cause we are facing some tough tough pitchers.

This is the guy I have wanted for a while if we were to sign a shortstop.

Hire two hitting coaches. Have someone else who can handle hitting coach duties as well as the hitting coach. The Cubs staff currently has two pitching coaches (Pole and Rothschild) and two hitting coaches (Sarge and someone else, forget his name).

We've been delayed in releasing it, but its going to be a Top 50 this time. We are basically dotting the i's can crossing the t's. I'd like to give you a date for it to be out there, but then I'd end up being wrong, lol, but expect it very very soon.

I'd have to guess the Royals. A few years ago they had a terrible bullpen that blew almost every game they lead. This team won't come close to setting any of those type of records. How many blown saves do we have anyway (5?)

Peavy is definately filthy. Haven't seen Foppert yet. I've been a big Peavy fan for a while.

I still say this is going to be one of the best bullpens in the majors and I have no worries, although Koch is definately a concern, I'm not worried about the others.

I know a ton of people are talking all about Prior, but I watched Myers pitch against the Dodgers today on TV and man is this kid awesome. I used to think he was Prior B, but he may just be on the same page as Prior. His stuff was plain filthy and he had pinpoint control. Like 57 pitches in six innings, not sure what he did after that, but I saw him throw two different types of fastballs, and he dropped some whicked curve balls. This guy ranks right there with some of the most talented pitchers in the majors. I wish we had a guy like this that could come up and just have dynamite stuff. DYNOMITE!!!!!!!!!!!

Commentary: Bullpen Fiasco By Rob Knowles April 28, 2003 SoxNet.net While pondering the White Sox bullpen after one woefully recent series, Manager Jerry Manuel stated, “We knew coming in if they (starters) did what they could, we could have some six inning games, turn it over and the bullpen could take us in from there. [Now] we have to get that area straight.” Ask the fans taking cover in the outfield seats – they’ll tell you all about Manuel’s bullpen. They’ll talk at length, with wide-eyed disbelief, about the blizzard of transactions Kenny Williams made during the off-season to strengthen the bullpen, only to watch that infamously fickle Lake Michigan wind blow it all back in our collective faces. Billy Koch was the first reliever brought in during the off-season. In previous years, Koch’s fastballs blazed past opposing hitters like bullets. This season, though, the bullets are going the other way, landing not only in the gaps, but all too often in the beautiful blue outfield seating sections of the Cell. Koch has watched his ERA soar to 9.00, and he has already blown two saves in this short season. The first omen of Koch’s struggles occurred April 3 at Kansas City. In that game, the Royals scored four runs off Koch, delivering the heaviest barrage of punches since the last Lewis-Tyson fight. Yogi Berra would have called it déjà vu all over again when the Royals dialed long distance off Koch on April 15 (using U.S. Cellular, one would hope). The Royals’ four-run smack down once again cost the Sox a victory. Koch has watched himself go from closer of the year to a late inning circus in just 6 months. Don Cooper has blamed Koch’s problems on his mechanics. Until Koch works through those difficulties, there’s no doubt opposing hitters will continue to enjoy late-inning batting practice. Tom ‘Flash’ Gordon was acquired as a free agent over the off-season. Gordon has watched his fastballs morph into frozen ropes this season, and has blown two saves. He looks more like Gary Gaetti on the mound nowadays rather than a former All-Star. At his current pace, Gordon may need to drop ‘Flash’ from his name simply to make room for his hefty ERA. Then there’s Rick White, who from a distance resembles a right-handed David Wells. Unfortunately for Sox fans, White also does a dead-on imitation of how Wells pitched in a Sox uniform - poorly. White pitched terribly in spring training, but appeared to pull things together in time for the season - he began the year with a low 1.59 ERA. Through April, though, White served up a few whoppers and his ERA currently weighs in at a husky 4.82. Now on to the incumbents: Damaso Marte, Kelly Wunsch. Marte may have been a great reliever last year, but this year he is pitching similar to Koch and Gordon - throw the heat, watch it soar. Marte’s 2.61 ERA doesn’t sound terrible, but he too has squandered two saves, equaling Koch and Gordon. Do I sense a bit of competition? Gary Glover and Kelly Wunsch have been the exceptions. Both have pitched extremely well, forming the White Sox bullpen equivalent of Drysdale and Koufax. In fact, Wunsch hasn’t yet yielded a hit in six innings. And to think that Manuel questioned his ability to pitch this spring! While the bullpen is performing its rendition of a Stephen King nightmare, Sox fans are left wondering what happened to the successes of Bobby Thigpen, the 1996 performances from Roberto Hernandez, and the heroics of Keith Foulke just two years ago. What has happened to this Sox bullpen? Let’s all try to read a bit deeper into Manuel’s words, shall we? “We have to get that area straight. ” Thank you, Captain Obvious. In the meantime, Sox fans, find your Pepto-Bismol. This suddenly looks to be a gut-wrenching season. And the end of this one may very well leave us feeling like we’ve just been snowed, Chicago-style.

and to think we got Pacheco for Sandy Alomar (?). That is sounding like a sweet deal.

Give him another week or two at least. He just got back from his wrist injury and a bit of time is important. Harris is pushing too. Rowand is going to be "SOL" if he can't get it together in the next 5-7 days.

Sounds like they are going to be sucessful in the future