shakes

QUOTE (kapzk @ May 10, 2012 -> 02:34 PM) Wonder if Kenny's buddy Alex Anthoupolous gives him a call regarding Peavy? May be to rich of a contract for Toronto, but if they stay in the race and draw a little, you never know. I have to agree with those who have said the Dodgers. The new ownership is ready to start throwing money around and they are a surprise contender right now. They are one of the few teams who would have room to pick up his option next year. Their starting pitching has been very good so far, but I'm not sure what Lily and Capuano have been doing is sustainable, not to mention Harang is their 5th starter. I think Peavy could get good value at the deadline if he keeps pitching this way and with his history I think you have to deal him, unless the Sox are clearly in a playoff spot at the time.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ May 3, 2012 -> 12:01 PM) Production in minors has been less than what you'd expect from an elite hitting prospect. And if he isn't an elite hitting prospect, how long do you wait for him to produce given that he only plays LF. strait trolling.

Anyone else think he looks like Deangelo Barksdale?

QUOTE (iamshack @ May 1, 2012 -> 08:35 AM) There is no free speech argument...it's not like anyone's going to put him in prison for being obnoxious or anything... Just because I have a right to free speech doesn't mean I can go tell my boss to go f himself and not expect to get canned within 3 seconds... Thank you. I am so tired of this argument of free speech in regards to private employment. Joe could absolutely be fired for this, and would have zero grounds for a lawsuit. Illinois is not a right to work state, and you don't even need a reason for termination, as long as it is not based on discrimination.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Apr 27, 2012 -> 09:31 AM) It gets better, Delmon now being charged with a hate crime. If those charges stick, it will be interesting to see what the commissioners office will do. That has to be the first hate crime I remember a MLB player being charged with. I would say that he can afford a legal team to get the charges reduced, but we have seen that the NY prosecuters don't care if you are a pro athlete. Let's hope the victims are Sox fans and they try and stick it to him. Stay classy Delmon.

QUOTE (LVSoxFan @ Apr 17, 2012 -> 04:00 PM) What exactly is he not doing now that he was doing when he was successful? The thing I hear repeatedly is "long swing." He has zero pitch recognition, nor any idea of what the strike zone is. I'm not sure his swing is much longer than it ever was, but when he was successful, he had a great grasp on the zone and rarely swung at bad pitches. He is just guessing up there and looks like he is making feeble attempts to foul a ball off instead of drive it. And it seems he is always looking breaking ball, because fastballs right down the middle go by him with out any issue. If I was pitching him, I would throw him two fastballs down the middle, to get ahead and wouldn't be the least bit concerned he would hurt me.

QUOTE (Big Hurtin @ Apr 16, 2012 -> 08:15 PM) Am I the only one that sees a Teletubby behind the Hankook sign? Glad somewhat else saw it. Was beginning to think my girlfriend slipped some shrooms into my dinner tonight

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Apr 5, 2012 -> 12:37 PM) Ibis started it all...? (b****ed out KW in the parking lot for trading Freddy) You know, I forgot about that. I just met her at a charity event and she seemed really nice. I Guess I just feel bad for anyone who would have to listen to all of those mouths. It has to be exhausting, but it was her choice to marry that clown.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 5, 2012 -> 09:52 AM) Well that's just a pair of true professionals right there, Guillen and Cowley. Truly shining examples of their chosen professions. Cowley, Guillen, and his sons can all suck it. Just go away. Cowley is just butt hurt that he has no more sources in Chicago baseball. He may have to leave his house now to produce a story. I feel bad for Ibis Guillen. She has always seemed like a nice person. I can't imagine dealing with that whole family.

It's hard to take these ranking very seriously considering how much they fluctuate year to year. How are the Cubs #14? The Sox future isn't looking great, but there is no way I would trade it for the Cubs organization. The Sox pitching is far superior in the rotation and pen. The Cubs have one young impact player. Even Theo has said they need a lot more young impact players.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 28, 2012 -> 08:34 AM) If anyone was wondering why Peavy gave up 12 hits yesterday but not a lot of runs or walks, it sounds like yesterday was his "Throw his fastball 100 times" outing of the spring, if you read between the lines of this Rogers article. I don't know who I like to read less. Jake Peavy quotes or Phil Rogers writing. Pure drek. This article is suppose to be about trading Peavy, and of course Phil misses who just became the biggest suitor for overpriced contracts after the sale of the Dodgers. The Dodgers are flush with TV cash and that clown Mcourt lowered payroll to $90mm. They have already come out and said they will be major players at the deadline. Actually, the Dodgers could be a great future trading partner for the Sox, if they do want to try and unload a contract. They have a need for power at 1b and could even be looking for an upgrade in the OF. Let's hope that Dunn/Rios/Peavy get off to strong starts and the Dodgers stay in the hunt.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Mar 21, 2012 -> 04:56 PM) This is absolutely made up bulls***. Berkman played the first 2 games against PHI in LF when Holliday was injured and never returned to that position again for the rest of the postseason. It's not bulls***. http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2011...his-own-formula http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/feed/2011-...ce-for-st-louis Anyway, it was only a few games, but it was to illustrate that the difference between playing RF and LF is not that much of a change. Berkman said himself he preferred playing the position closest to the dugout.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Mar 20, 2012 -> 02:55 PM) If Viciedo is hitting .210 in May, you still think it will have nothing at all to do with playing LF? If he hits .210 the whole season I won't think it will have anything to do with him playing LF. Why was he able to hit all through the minors, and his call ups, while being bounced around between 1B/3B/OF/DH? Why is it suddenly bothering him now? Has he personally made a comment? To show you how little managers and players view the difference between RF and LF, just take a look at the playoffs last year. Lance Berkman played his home games in LF and away games in RF. Why? Because those positions were closer to the dugout, and LaRussa wanted to save him a shorter run, so it would be easier on his knees. If you have a strong arm, you can equally play RF and LF. They are completely interchangeable. A player may have a preference, but I have never heard a player, or a manager, say switching between RF and LF has caused anyone a problem. I'm sorry, this is a reach. Also, this is two weeks of Spring Training at bats. What is wrong with Knoerko, AJ, and Alexei? They are hitting poorly, but playing the same position. Maybe, it's just that we are looking at two weeks of spring training at bats. It doesn't mean anything.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Mar 19, 2012 -> 01:31 PM) There's bad and then there's awful. The guy booted three ground balls to him in one game last week. He came to camp expecting to play RF. They dropped this move to LF on him. It's not like he had an offseason to prepare. That's gonna affect his head. You don't need an entire offseason to prepare to switch from RF to LF. They are the two most interchangeable positions in baseball. There are guys who switch back and forth all season long, even within a game. By all accounts LF is slightly easier to play and will cost your team less bases when mistakes are made. If he is booting ground balls in LF, my guess is it would be happening in RF. He is in LF because it gives the Sox their best defensive alignment with Rios in RF. He is young and has time to improve his defense. I don't know if it will happen, but he can improve. And good hitters will hit, no matter where you put them. He has been bounced around his entire minor league career and it hasn't affected his hitting. The list of players changing positions and still being good hitters is endless. If a defensive switch from RF to LF in spring training is screwing with his head that bad, he is in trouble. I personally think we should give him more than two weeks of spring training at bats before crucifying him and the entire organization for their gall of moving him from a one corner OF spot to the other.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Feb 22, 2011 -> 11:16 AM) Any specific details? This could have been in high school or college with a girl who was a year or two younger than him. Honestly, his past os pretty well documented. High school stuff happens, but it continued. The Mets, Nats, and Pirates had problems with him. Anyway, he is off to Japan. http://tracking.si.com/2011/12/28/lastings...central-league/ Wow, just realized how old those posts were that I was replying to. Sorry.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 30, 2011 -> 11:57 AM) You're right...they are not in the level of nester molina and phil humber in terms of powerhouse. This doesn't so much have to do with your post, but I wanted to chime in about the names you mentioned. I would have spoke up before about it, but I haven't had a chance to talk to the guy about Molina, until now, and this is the first time he brought up Humber. Anyway, I help coach a kids team between ages of 12-14 and one of the kids has a Sox connection, so we get a lot of time, and occasionally special attention, at the Sox-Bulls academy. I have spent more time with the pitchers, than the hitters, but one of the pitching instructors, who works with the kids, is a former minor league pitcher who works with the Sox pitchers as an instructor at the low levels. He said the Sox liked Molina even before Paddy came on board, and got the justification after, and think he is a top of the rotation guy in MLB within a year and a half. He told me he will dominate in the minors this year. The only reason he was available is because he doesn't light up the gun, but he is dominant everywhere else, and his stuff will translate at any level. If he had the innings he would be up this year, but his endurance needs to be built up. This guy was talking word of mouth and from watching video. He also talked about Humber, and how they brought him in because they thought the changes they would make with him were similar to Gavin, and they were pretty confident they would take. He thinks Humber will continue to be successful. His changes, from what I could gather, were more about leading with his chest to retain his balance. It gives him a consistent slot on his curveball. It's interesting, because whenever he shows the righties video it is always Gavin. He maintains that he has the best balance in baseball and one of the most repeatable deliveries you will see. The only other nugget I got was about how they were gradually changing Sales delivery over the last couple of years. He thinks his arm will hold up, and that is the only questions about Sale. When I asked him how his time as a starter will be, he thought David Price, maybe better. I would think it could be homer Sox talk, but he is the same guy who told me Peavy will be a disaster. Stupid me argued vehemently, at the time.

QUOTE (PolishPrince34 @ Dec 16, 2011 -> 11:23 AM) One prospect who doesn't getting any love who'll I believe will break out this year is Matthew Heidenreich. Has good overall stuff and might be our #2 righty SP prospect in our system, but that doesn't say too much. I think Erik Johnson will be joining that list, as well. He has a chance to rise really fast in the system.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 9, 2011 -> 10:37 PM) I'm glad I am not a person who ever thinks about contracts. Who gives a f*** if he makes 6 mill a year? It's not your money. Ticket prices are not going down; parking is not going down whether he's here or not. Pujols obviously won't be worth squat for the last few years of his deal. They are paying him to try to win a couple world championships and if they do, he'll have been worth it. If they win 2 WS in the next six years, they won't give a frick that he hits like Dunn the final 4 years. Did I miss something? Did you just throw AJ, Pujols, Dunn, Parking, and two World Series championships into a post? I'm impressed. One of us is drinking heavily....I hope. Am I the only one lost here?

Wow. This guy has monster potential. He is easily the Sox #1 prospect.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Nov 29, 2011 -> 11:14 AM) The Sox have Charlie Leesman and Donnie Veal. Not saying that should make you feel comfortable but those are options. I think if you can get a high upside arm or prospect for Thornton and save the cash you do it. The Sox are probably headed into a rebuilding mode and once you do that you need to start moving what you can and collect talent. Don't forget Hector Santiago. Although, they may want to continue to develop him as a starter. I get the feeling they are still trying to clear some salary to make a run at Buehrle. If they can clear Thornton from the books, it should give them the cash to do it. I would then expect Danks, and Quentin traded. Hopefully, stocked with some new young starting pitching prospects. The Sox strength right now may be bullpen arms. If they are rebuilding or retooling, whatever you want to call it, getting a decent prospect and clearing $6 mill per year for the next two years, is a good start.

What is going to be more loaded, LaRussa or the car he is driving home, after this inning?

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Oct 20, 2011 -> 12:01 PM) Well I think you're flat out wrong, there is correlation, it's not the only factor but it's a big one. The Angels was once a top spender in the draft and a perennial top system, now they spend some of the least amount and that's reflected in their middle of the road rankings. Just look at how many average to above average MLB teams are ranked highly in system ratings, it's not just draft position, it's buying the players. I see 5 out of the Top 10 systems as teams that aren't drafting within the top 10 slots, and most of those teams are playoff teams. So how do they do it? It's a combination of 3 main factors: Money in the draft/International Signings/Player Development. And I'm sorry, but this proves nothing. This is one years draft compared to last years ranking? Take a look at the other end of the spectrum. Arizona, Baltimore, Seattle, Pitt, Houston were huge spenders and they are all towards the bottom of the rankings. Take a look at the Yankees system, most of their top prospects come from International signings. Philly has been incredibly good at recognizing talents in later rounds(they have a huge scouting team), not from spending large sums of money. They have been middle of the pack or lower for a while in draft spending. There is a correlation to draft slot and spending. I have yet to see a study that has proved draft spending equaling draft success. All the studies I have seen from BA and BP have shown just the opposite(if I can dig out the publications I will), no direct correlation exists. It has been a hot button topic for people who follow the minor leagues closely, for some time. As you said yourself, scouting/development, International signings, and the draft all play a part. There is no exact formula, throwing a ton of money at the problem can certainly help, but many of the teams who spend huge aren't looking at very good results right now. I agree what the Sox spend is embarassing, but I really believe International signings and player development is a bigger problem. We've already see a change in philosophy, I hope it continues and expands into the Latin American markets.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Oct 20, 2011 -> 01:02 AM) That's really my only complaint and what you said also seems to be the only way the Sox will spend competitively. They seem to be decent to good at drafting and developing. 90% of the issues in the farm are related to a lack of spending, both in the draft and internationally. Everything else just seems to be dragged down by that because something says they have the worst farm system in baseball. I don't agree with this at all, at least as far as the draft is concerned. Big spending, in the draft, has not proven a correlation between success. The Dodgers were the lowest spending team in the draft for a long time and produced some very good talent. I think the Sox problem has been player development. It has improved recently, but they have had some very hyped prospects over the last decade, and most have completely fizzled. The amount spent, unless you are the Red Sox and Yankees, also ties closely together to where you pick in the draft. The Pirates spent $9 mill on their top two picks and around $11 mill total, last year. The Sox have gotten creative recently in their draft spending for guys like Sale and Trace Thompson, and have been taking higher ceiling players. I hope that continues, but they really need to put more into development and scouting. I believe I read the Twins have nearly three times the amount of area scouts than the White Sox, and even have more in the Chicagoland area.. I can't argue with international spending and scouting. That to me, is a much larger problem, and they have to get back in the game in Latin America.

QUOTE (MAX @ Oct 7, 2011 -> 04:00 AM) I am not purposefully singling you out. It seems as if half of the forum is basing their opinion on this hire on things they assume they know. Well, there is very little to go on, but that really would have been the case with any of the hires that were rumored, and they were just that.....rumors. Dave Martinez seems to be the consensus on the board. We wouldn't know any more about his management style than we would Robin. Everyone wanted him because he was the bench coach for Joe Maddon, considered by many to be the best manager in the league. Well, Maddon put in his time under Scoscia. Scoscia, is considered one the least saber friendly managers in the game, and Maddon is considered one of the biggest saber advocates. The way they manage couldn't be any different. Who is to say Martinez would be anything like Maddon? These guys are all their own people, and it has been said Maddon likes him because he has different opinions. A lot of people want Francona, but he would come here with a lot less talent than he has in Boston. Lets not forget his very poor run as the manager of the Phillies. He was a controversial hire when Boston brought him in. It worked out well for them, but it may not have here, given the hurdles with this roster. Does anybody honestly know anything about Alomar and his manager credentials? He is well respected in the game, and that is about all we have to go on. I really get the reservations, given the lack of experience Robin has, but I don't think it means he can't succeed. There have been stories for as long as he has been playing about his baseball acumen and the wide respect he has garnered. I think he has a chance to be a good manager. I'm highly suspicious of the motives surrounding this, but I am willing to let it play out. At the very least, we shouldn't be a national laughing stock.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Oct 6, 2011 -> 10:55 PM) And honest to God, I bet there are fans out there that fit that exact same description. I feel like some of the arguments supporting Ventura are weak, and I wanted to throw some of my own out there to draw the comparison. I think we know how you feel. The arguments supporting may be weak, and I would feel more comfortable with other hires, but it is foolish to assume he is a failure just because he is inexperienced. Just like it would be with other candidates. I'm willing to wait and see and avoid the hyperbole. There is a lot more to be determined about this teams fate before I jump ship. The roster construction is way more important, in my eyes, than the manager for next season.