CaliSoxFanViaSWside

oppo too went to right !

6 K's now end of 4th 2-0 Sox.

Vaz doing good so far probably 5 K's already entering the 4th inning.

AJ hits into dp with bags juiced and 1 out. The backhanded flip by the SS to 2nd was high and the 2bman had to jump , didnt land on the base and still got the call. Could hear Ozzie very clearly yelling at the ump after the play saying " this aint the f'in puerto rican league" More than a few f's and g' damns heard on the air . Pretty funny stuff.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Mar 11, 2008 -> 10:21 PM) 2 things 1. The 3B position seems to be 50/50 between Crede and Fields, and that all depends on whether Crede can be traded or not. If the Sox can't trade, he's starting. 2. Fields hit 23 homers last year in the majors in 4 months. Ramirez has never set foot onto a baseball field, and is, according to almost all accounts, extremely raw as a hitter. I don't really no any other way to put it. Point #1. I'm not sure when you say "he's starting " who exactly you mean , I assume if there's no trade Crede will be starting. Point #2. Amend "never set foot onto a baseball field " to a US minor or major league field. All I know is right now Ramirez is showing he can hit often drawing comparisons to Soriano . We've seen him do well in the WBC and now ST. He has a quick bat. I see nothing wrong with him being in the minors to start the season as I said. If Crede is the starter I also hope Josh will spell Crede as 3rd and Thome at DH against tough lefties. He won't be seeing as many curveballs this year and only wish Josh's swing was as quick as Ramirez so I wouldn't worry as much about Josh getting around on fastballs.

Many good arguments on both sides. Since Crede is a bust as trade bait this would be the best case scenario. Crede starts the season as the starter plays good enough to up his trade value. Then someone on a contender gets hurt and we snag more than he's currently worth . Could Fields possibly stick with the team if Crede is the starter ? I can't see Thome playing as much this year against lefties so use Fields (DH) and Crede in the same lineup against lefties and at other times rest Crede and start Fields. The Sox can still contend this way ( if all else goes well) and Fields take over at 3rd when Crede is traded.

Ramirez has speed, versatility, and has shown better than expected hitting ability including gap to gap power. Before anyones dismisses his hitting as " being only ST " just look at what the anointed one, Josh Fields, is doing this spring. He's still a K machine even against inferior spring pitching. Yet most seem ready to gift wrap the starting 3rd base job to him. Ramirez will be getting a crash course at 2nd base for the rest of the spring in the hopes that he learns the position quickly and shows he can play it as good as he plays shortstop. Uribe is only the leading candidate right now because of his glove, power and experience and Richars visa and back problems . If Ramirez gets sent down and rakes minor league pitching and quickly becomes adept at 2nd he won't be down there long.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Mar 6, 2008 -> 09:34 AM) Quentin's had like one major injury in his career, and it was his shoulder. That's really all I was trying to say. I don't think he's been injured on a hit by pitch, but I may be wrong. He also had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2003. His left labrum and rotator cuff was hurt in spring training 2007 on an awkward swing. He tried to play through it before having surgery in October. In his first few seasons in the minors he was hit with 103 pitches though I can find nothing that says he was injured by any of the HBP.

CC , some of the stat geeks wield the knowledge they possess like a club, ready to hammer any small mistake statistically over your head . It's not about having fun it's about being right and making sure everyone knows it. They nitpick anything you say missing your entire point. When I joined Soxtalk I thought it would be like a community of like minded individuals. Instead it's like nitpickers central who ridicule any minor error and resort to name calling if you can't spend the better part of your day looking up stats to support your opinion. There are many great posters who are intelligent but there is a very vocal minority who are rude. The object is not to use the power of knowledge to inform or teach but instead to "own" or destroy the opposition. It's my opinion that many potential posters are scared off by these seek and destroy tactics. It's too bad a small minority has to ruin it for the fans who don't overly rely on stats and love the game for what it represented to us in our youth.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Mar 6, 2008 -> 02:47 AM) Who said that? Maybe you need glasses but do you see the word shoulder in there anywhere dorf ? You also must've missed my post about his HBP's . Call an optometrist, I'm worried you're going blind.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Mar 6, 2008 -> 12:29 AM) How do you hurt your shoulder so badly that it needs surgery by crowding the plate? I never said he hurt his shoulder crowding the plate, did I ? He often gets hit by pitches. Can't say I'm a CQ expert but he's had his share of injuries and probably one or more has come via HBP. I'm sure an award winner like yourself will correct me if I'm wrong as is your propensity to do. Besides the gist of my post was to sit back relax and enjoy the competition, but some people just want to make everything about being right .

What puzzles me is why so many are so quick to say Owens sucks, Anderson sucks or Quentin is the guy. It would be great for all 3 to become bonafide major leaguers so it becomes extremely difficult for management to make a decision on who starts. Owens , in my rose colored eyes, seems to be capable of becoming a .300+ hitter , .340+ OBP and with the extra 10 lbs. maybe 30-35 doubles and 50+ steals. Quentin had great minors numbers but seems to be a guy who crowds the plate and gets hurt because of it. Certainly he has the most potential , already being a superior defender, but doesnt seem to be at 100% physically. Anderson is deserving of another chance and seems to be getting it. It'll all play out on the field and its fun watching the competition.

QUOTE(greg775 @ Feb 24, 2008 -> 02:30 PM) I went with the Royals but I do think MacD could be the closer cause it would anger me the most of any of those options. That would mean Bobby getting hurt though which would suck. Not only Bobby but Dotel too.

Logically I thought Buehrle or Crede but since most are highly improbable I went with 2008 World Series Champs because thats what I would like to see most.

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Feb 25, 2008 -> 09:33 AM) I dont get it. Why is it so hard to understand that Boras is going to take Crede to free agency and get him paid like the top 3B in free agency? The Sox arent gonna pay that money. Move on. Get over it. Fields is the man who is taking his place. End O' Story 100% true. Defense is highly underated on this board. With Sox starting pitching a huge question mark its imperative to have as many above average defenders on the field as possible. I would love to have Crede at 3rd and Fields at 1st also but there's zero chance of that happening. Crede is just as capable a hitter as Fields except for power. As Fields is the heir apparent at 3rd one of my highest hopes for the season is to see marked improvement as a fielder. Young pitchers need to build confidence and good D is key to getting them out of jams. If he continues to be a butcher then 1st base will be his only option in the very near future.

22 was Pods number. IIRC 22 was his college number so when it became available he wanted it.

Good old #8 . Was cool at the time having a guy on the Sox with the same last name.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jan 6, 2008 -> 01:31 PM) Exactly. Most people on here can't see what's being attempted. They are attempting to stay afloat in Chicago while they tear down and rebuild the minor league system. This may not win "championships" but it could keep them in the race until the minors can be built back up. I think starting this year we will have a much different approach at the draft. I think its pretty arrogant to say you make up part of the 5% of the intelligent fans who sees whats being attempted. Yes 77% are in favor of this single trade but give that 77% a bit more credit for knowing why we are in favor of it. We know the GM has a plan and we know what that plan appears to be. Wether it produces a playoff team is quite another story. KW's public stance is we will be able to contend. In order to truly contend with the likes of Detroit and Cleveland guys like Fields, Quentin, Richar , Danks and Floyd will have to show things they've never shown at the major league level. Without the young pitching stepping up and that includes both starters and the pen we won't contend no matter what manure KW is shoveling publicly. Last year KW did the same thing for the bullpen. Put his faith in a lot of cheap young supposedly flamethrowing arms and we saw how well that worked out. Not knocking KW as much as I'm saying every year is a crapshoot but its less of a crapshoot when you rely on major league talent not major league ready talent.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jan 4, 2008 -> 06:28 AM) That's an EXCELLENT post. And the sad thing is 95% of Soxtalk doesn't get that, unfortunately. If 95% of ST doesn't get it why are 77% in favor of the trade ?

Nick plays 1st base . Add his and Fields power for a full season and that makes Konerko expendable. Trade PK to the Angels for Figgins and E. Santana. Now you have a CF , a leadoff man, another rotation/bullpen piece, more versatility, and more speed. Angels still have Hunter, Matthews Willits , Guerrero so Figgins is tradable as is Santana with the acquisition of Garland. Thoughts ??

Not being all-knowing when it comes to what high draft picks get paid, wouldn't this signing be somewhat comparable to that ? Ramirez is much older than a college player on the negative side but has fared well in high level international competition albeit in very limited action(WBC). From everything I've read I'd say he gets a long look in spring training and unless he is outstanding will start the season in AA or AAA. Gives the Sox more minor league depth which translates to more trade options but isn't anything to get excited about. Good move for those clamoring for upgrades to the minor league level.

0 currently on the 40 , don't care about former.

Joe

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Dec 7, 2007 -> 11:30 AM) All I'm saying is that playing Pablo puts the Sox in no better of a position this year than Richar does, and Richar gives you hope for the future, where Pablo gives you none. That's all that needed to be said to put it succinctly and correctly. Hindsight on the Rockies is 20/20.

QUOTE(soxfan3530 @ Dec 4, 2007 -> 07:43 PM) Is Corey Hart still on the Brewers? If so, i could see him in this deal more than Hall P.S. Am i the only one against trading Crede. When healthy he one of the best players on this team and definitely the best fielder. I say let him play see if he is healthy and if he is, man up and deal with boras to keep him here . I too prefer keeping Crede just because he's not worth much now. I'd prefer to trade Konerko and plug Fields in at 1st base. It would be a lot easier for Fields to play 1st than left field.