GreenSox

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 07:52 AM) Semien does not come with league average defense. He's not a SS, but he's a good hitter and the Sox had no hitting and...that's enough, don't want to get started on this subject. Eh could be the Astros, who for all of the stellar drafting and development they do, make some monstrously bad trades.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 04:39 PM) It's been nice. Last year Sox had so many guys get off to putrid starts and it just snow balled it seemed. Now maybe guys can relax a bit and start hitting even more. I agree...and closure of holes in the lineup should create some synergy as hitters will be relieved of pressure to "do it all' knowing that there isn't a stiff hitting behind them.

If Frazier would start hitting, this offense would be fine. The only real hole would be at Catcher, which is acceptable. I also think that the harm to the pitching staff from the loss of Flowers' "pitch framing" has been exaggerated. The stat boys need to work on a "pitcher-independent" framing stat. I suspect some pitchers frame themselves. Nice start by Melky. Keep that OPS over .720, please. Saladino needs more than 2 appearances per week. He may be a gem.

QUOTE (Tony @ Apr 14, 2016 -> 04:06 PM) It would have to get really bad for that to happen. I just don't see it, and some of that goes into the loyalty argument with JR. Him being pulled from the rotation is much more likely, hopefully sooner than later. No room for him in the pen either if he can't pitch any better than this. Strong pen has been a key to this start,and they can't waste a spot pampering Danks. Hopefully he has a good start Saturday.

Are they perhaps working on some stuff with Fulmer...such as smoothing out his delivery...that might make him take a step back so that he can take 3 steps forward?

Sands/Shuck and then Avi (maybe). And after Dunn, Laroche and 2 weeks of Frazier, if people think trading young players for yet another NL slugger w/ severe splits who rakes in his home hitters' park is the answer, I don't know what to say.

Good to see Petricka have a strong appearance. He should be good for a clean inning,as needed. They seem intent on using Duke as a situational lefty. I hope it works out.

I'm just glad he's gone. Kudos, again, to Williams for enabling the departure.

Groupthink in midseason form, I see. The Sox have had a solid payroll for years. 3 playoff appearances in 15 years with that payroll and after inheriting a division winning team with a top farm is pretty poor performance. JR isn't cheap...he's just ridiculously tolerant of non-performing employees. The good news is that the farm system is churning out some good players. The bad news is that the braintrust doesn't seem compelled to take advantage of it.

QUOTE (Black_Jack29 @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 12:21 PM) I think that the Sox really liked Trayce as a fourth outfielder. True But I'll take the evaluation skills of the Dodgers over Kenny Williams, Robin Ventura and Don Cooper.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Apr 13, 2016 -> 11:19 AM) CarGo is the obvious solution if the team is serious about winning IMO. How many more "proven veterans" will be the obvious solutions? Kenny Williams has tried this approach. And it fails repeatedly. And Cargo, as do most Kenny Williams targets, have massive, glaring warning flags all around them.

Sox dispatched several young players over the last two years, who are far outperforming the proven veterans they were traded for. I see no reason to trade for prospects from another organization, when the Sox can't properly evaluate their own. They aren't very good at evaluating the veterans either. The best choice is to just keep calling players up and see who sticks, recognizing that the evaluators judged a .900 OPS from a young player as fourth outfielder quality. That said, the team will contend if the bullpen holds up. They are relying on four guys and that eventually will have to be broadened for the pitching to be good enough.

That's fine, but the 2 catchers, 2B, LF and SS aren't hitting either. Now I realize the clear distinction between Avi and the players at those positions. But at some point, this goes beyond making dugout life pleasant for cooper and ventura.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Apr 12, 2016 -> 09:23 AM) from a front office perspective, 2006 was a better team than 05. FO did their job on that one-- 06 team just did not get it done on the field (despite still being very good). Fell victim to the chaos that is baseball more than anything else. Not really. Williams ran a still productive Frank Thomas out of town. Then, after dispatching his starting CF, Williams, par usual, completely misevaluated his young talent, and traded the only one of 2 rookie CFwho could play, leaving us with a starting CF who couldn't hit. And of course, Williams' poor evaluation skills have been a huge anchor for this organization for years.

If shuck isn't a plus defender, he has no business on this roster. If he is, use him as such.

Albers has a resemblance to Jenks.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Apr 10, 2016 -> 10:25 AM) Ynoa? He has made one AA appearance and is a high-A pitcher. Why not Carroll/Turner/Aumont? Is it an options thing? Because we've seen Carrol for three years and he is an AAAA pitcher Who was destroyed in his first AAA outing. Turner is some Cooper project who has limited stuff. I hope Eaton is taking like a 2 day leave.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 10, 2016 -> 11:19 AM) Makes the Shark deal look more like a bargain for Hahn? Bargain? Perhaps less horrible, if he can get hitters out.

And Lawrie, Rollins, Melky and the catchers have had slow offensive weeks. Let's see in 3 weeks, although I hope to see Saladino out there tomorrow.

EAton bats leadoff. Perhaps move Jackson to #2. I doubt Rollins stays there long. Well, I doubt he should stay there long anyway.

Not upset with Danks. Danks has been this way for several years. He's not leaving himself in the rotation year after year. He's not leaving himself in games through 5, pitching the Sox out of the game while the dugout watches and plays mime. And yes when you're down 7-1, the mindset of the hitters changes.

QUOTE (Special K @ Apr 8, 2016 -> 04:01 PM) Plus Rollins was pretty good like 6 years ago. nothing like proven production. The Sox have proven it's a winning formula versus taking a chance on homegrown players.

Same story, new verse. it doesn't matter how badly Danks pitches, Robbie and Cooper will NOT pull him until the game is out of reach. They won't pull him out of games; they won't take him out of the rotations. And it's been the same thing for years.

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 7, 2016 -> 10:38 PM) I give Robin credit for taking Latos out when he did. 3rd time through lineup would not have gone well. Regardless of whether ior not he was pulled because he didn't have the arm strength, I hope Robin continues to limit him to six or so innings. He's not overpowering and he dances the ball around and hitters can catch up with that. If he can be effective for six most nights, he's done his job.

The Dash fight hard to save the night.