South Side Fireworks Man

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 11:47 AM) Flowers does. Sure strikes out a lot though. Maybe he needs more time in the minor leagues before he tries to hit major league pitching. I know it's a novel approach but maybe it makes a little sense rather than trading away AJ for some crap just to save $4M and then watching Flowers flounder away at the big league level. And if scouts from other teams think he's as good as you say, maybe it would be better to re-sign AJ and trade Flowers while his value is so high.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 11:42 AM) Do you not like players who hit the ball hard? I like players who actually hit the ball, for starters.

QUOTE (th0mas35 @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 11:37 AM) Joe Borchard Yep.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 09:55 AM) The only other player I've seen hit the ball as hard as Flowers is Mike Stanton. Who holds the record for the longest home run at US Cellular Field?

QUOTE (Mattchoo @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 09:48 AM) I cannot envision AJ getting traded tonight. Flowers is just not good enough. I think the Sox should trade Flowers before it's too late. Yes.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 11:28 AM) KW isn't going to just cut bait on Flowers when he's the centerpiece of the Vazquez move and has been going through some huge mechanical/swing changes. Not that the Orioles would be interested in Flowers, but hypothetically speaking, if KW can trade Flowers for a Luke Scott I don't think he would be viewed as simply cutting bait on Flowers but using him to bring in a quality player. That's usually how KW operates.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 11:21 AM) Who exactly are we going to trade to get Luke Scott? Why would they want someone like Jenks, Putz, Linebrink, Konerko, etc.? Why would we trade any of our young prospects for Scott...and who could we actually trade that the Orioles would want besides Hudson (Viciedo isn't going anywhere after that signing bonus), Beckham, Quentin, Ramirez, etc. Trading Quentin for Scott? That's a lateral move, at best. That's why I asked the questions if he thought Scott could be had and if so, what would it cost to get him. Maybe the Orioles would be interested in the great Tyler Flowers?

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 01:06 AM) Please tell me how trading AJ for some MiLB player who best case scenario probably has to fight for a bench/relief spot on the 2011 ballclub helps our future. Please tell me how you think MLB pitchers are going to bow down to Tyroid and not eat him alive. Please tell me how holding on to a capable major league player hurts our future. Please tell me how contending in general hurts our future. Do you really think Tyler Flowers is a good enough baseball player to warrant a free reign at the MLB level? Do you really think Tyler Flowers is so good that we should abandon any thoughts of trying to salvage the season just so this wunderkind can play? I don't. Not at all. I agree with this 100%.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 11:01 AM) Trading AJ would be a good start since he is one of the underperformers and won't be back next year anyway. How much worse could Flowers hit? You don't want to know. And I don't want to see how much worse Flowers might be defensively. Re-sign AJ if he is willing to sign at a reduced salary for the next couple of years.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Jun 13, 2010 -> 12:37 AM) My prediction is that we go over .500 when we go 43-42. We're going 15-11 over our next 26, but that'll have us in contention for the #2 spot in the division on July 11th after beating KC at home. From there we'll make our run because KW will wake up from his hibernation and go out and acquire us a player or two. We'll hit a good stretch from there and we'll be no more than 5 back at the end of July. This is how it's all going to play out. We'll chase the Twinkies down in August as they fade like they have for the last two years, but our pitching staff is just going to get stronger, and we'll end the season as division champs who clinch late. Teams will fear us in the playoffs. I like the way you think. I hope you're right. BTW, do you really think there is a chance to get Luke Scott? If so, what do you think it would take? I really wanted that guy all offseason to be part of the "rotating DH" and fourth outfielder.

I wouldn't mind seeing Juan Uribe starting at 3B for the Sox for the rest of the season.

QUOTE (bschmaranz @ Jun 11, 2010 -> 09:05 PM) For me personally, firing KW instead of Ozzie is a HORRIBLE decision. I would seriously question this team and my loyalty to it if Reinsdorf would rather keep Ozzie "head up his ass" Guillen and get rid of the guy that's made countless great decisions (in my opinion) over the years. I agree 100%.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Jun 8, 2010 -> 08:38 PM) Where do you all you AJ haters come up with this garbage? Look at the stats before saying that crap. Year ----------- AJ's Line ------------ MLB Avg As C ------------- AJ's Difference 2001 --- .289/.322/.441/.763 ----- .251/.313/.393/.706 ----- +.038/+.009/+.048/+.057 2002 --- .300/.334/.439/.773 ----- .253/.315/.383/.698 ----- +.047/+.019/+.062/+.075 2003 --- .312/.360/.464/.824 ----- .258/.320/.402/.723 ----- +.054/+.040/+.007/+.101 2004 --- .272/.319/.410/.729 ----- .261/.324/.403/.728 ----- +.011/ -.005/+.007/+.001 2005 --- .257/.308/.420/.728 ----- .253/.315/.390/.705 ----- +.004/ -.007/+.030/+.023 2006 --- .295/.333/.436/.769 ----- .269/.329/.416/.745 ----- +.026/+.004/+.020/+.024 2007 --- .263/.309/.403/.712 ----- .256/.318/.394/.713 ----- +.007/ -.009/+.009/+.057 2008 --- .281/.312/.416/.728 ----- .257/.325/.390/.715 ----- +.038/+.009/+.048/ -.001 2009 --- .300/.331/.425/.755 ----- .254/.321/.396/.717 ----- +.046/+.010/+.029/+.038 2010 --- .218/.257/.328/.584 ----- .257/.335/.397/.732 ----- -.039/ -.078/ -.069/ -.148 Isn't being that far above league average in every single category year after year with only a few exceptions pretty much the definition of a good hitter? It's better than good actually, IMO. Especially for a LH C who can handle a pitching staff. The only bad year AJ has ever had offensively for a catcher is this one, but his career and his monthly splits so far suggest a turn around: April .196/.229/.200/.429 May .241/.275/.391/.666 June .273/.273/.455/.727 And April is actually the worst month of his career statistically, so while it may be a bit surprising to see him hit that low in April, it's not surprising to see him struggle in April. Anyone who thinks Tyler Flowers of the .215 Charlotte batting average and who has Ked in 23.4% of his MiLB PA (this percentage is also rising with level - 16.6% in A, 19.6% in A+, 24.8% last year with 24% in AA and now 34.2% this year in AAA) will somehow equal or surpass the career of AJ Pierzynski anytime in the near future just because he takes walks and has some power (LOL) is at best hoping for a miracle. MLB veterans aren't going to mess around at all with him and if he can't hit the ball off junkballers and pitchers like Carlos Torres who survive off of some itty bitty titty slider-looking thing and some command of a straight FB then he's going to get eaten alive in the Majors. Tyler Flowers isn't Ryan Howard, he isn't Ryan Braun, he's IMO just another future bust at C, and instead of dealing AJ and pretending he sucks we need to celebrate AJ for his contributions to the organization with a 2 year extension at a reasonable value, and then we need to put Tyroid on the block. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

QUOTE (T R U @ Jun 9, 2010 -> 04:26 PM) We have Tyler Flowers to consider, ide like to see what we have in him.. if you can get something for AJ, you should do it.. especially in a down year.. Tyler Flowers will make everyone miss AJ. I'd re-sign AJ and try to con some team into trading for Flowers.

QUOTE (Brian @ Jun 7, 2010 -> 05:15 PM) I don't ever think I would be mad at AJ. I think he is under valued by a lot of fans and we will see that once he is gone. Amen to that.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 6, 2010 -> 06:13 PM) He sure as hell looked to be a lot better than that last year. Hit 14 HR and 28 doubles in 2/3 of a season, and that was as a 22 year old rookie. As well as he drove the ball the other way last year and controlled the entire plate, he sure looked like a guy who could hit well over .300 and push 25-30+ HR. He's too small and not super-athletic. Again, not knocking him because I think he's going to have a nice major league career.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 6, 2010 -> 01:21 PM) Right... because you wouldn't have throw a fit if we traded Gordo? Not me, unless of course they traded him for some questionable talent. But if for example they traded him straight up for say Adrian Gonzalez, or something like that, I'd have been pleased. But again that's because my expectations for the kid were not as high as a lot of others'. BTW, I was not one least bit upset when KW traded the "great" Brandon McCarthy.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 6, 2010 -> 11:57 AM) Well, if you want to get an idea of the ridiculous expectations placed on the kid, just re-read that last sentence. The kid is 23. Exactly. I never had the ridiculous expectations for the kid as others have had. I expected him to be a "nice little player". Average defensively, decent but not great speed, decent average (.280ish), decent power (18-20HR) and generally good baseball IQ. But some, including many here had the kid as the next Robbie Alomar or George Brett and saw him as "untouchable." I thought the Sox could get a great value for him if they wanted to trade him this past offseason.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 6, 2010 -> 11:49 AM) Agreed, he might never be a superstar, but he should be a productive player in the .285-18 home run range. That's about what I had him pegged for. But since many others seemed to think he was a can't miss super stud, they probably could have gotten quite a return for him if they traded him this offseason. I still think he'll reach his potential and have a nice career, but he's never going to be a hall-of -famer.

QUOTE (chiguy79 @ Jun 5, 2010 -> 11:14 PM) I was just dicing up the Sox roster to think through who all they could actually trade and get some value for versus who they would keep this is what I came up with. I can't see the Sox moving Thornton/Buehrle or Alexei although I would think they would listen to offers on everyone. It is amazing how many players we have that I can't imagine any contender would want any part of. I am sure JR is putting pressure on Kenny to cut the payroll big time with attendance levels running where they are, this is what happens when you don't have a DH and you are counting on Juan Pierre, Mark Kotsay and Mark Teahen to produce. I mean we had Omar Vizquel DH, that is grounds for dismissal for incompetence regarding the entire organization. Keepers 56 Mark Buehrle SP L L 31 6-2 235 St. Charles, MO $14,000,000 50 John Danks SP L L 25 6-2 210 Austin, TX $3,450,000 34 Gavin Floyd SP R R 27 6-6 235 Annapolis, MD $2,750,000 46 Sergio Santos RP R R 26 6-3 210 Bellflower, CA $400,000 37 Matt Thornton RP L L 33 6-6 235 Three Rivers, MI $2,250,000 15 Gordon Beckham 2B R R 23 6-0 185 Atlanta, GA $445,000 10 Alexei Ramirez SS R R 28 6-2 170 Pinar del Rio, Cuba $1,225,000 Too bad they didn't trade Beckham this offseason when his value was probably sky high. To me Beckham always seemed like a guy who would develop into a "nice little player but I never saw him as the potential superstar others did and never thought he should have been an "untouchable".

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 5, 2010 -> 11:20 PM) Sounds like Peavy would be really upset to get traded...not! http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,6040482.story Screw Peavy. He's an overpaid bigmouth.

Peavy sucks.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Jun 4, 2010 -> 03:38 PM) Color me surprised that Paulie is sitting since he just went through a mini slump and was heating up once again. Yeah, but you forget who's the manager.

QUOTE (The Beast @ May 30, 2010 -> 04:07 PM) Anyone else a bit concerned with Peavy? Jake Peavy = Javy Vazquez + a big mouth.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 29, 2010 -> 12:35 PM) He needs to stand on the plate. He is so far off, anytime he tries to pull the ball, he ends up hitting it off the end of the bat. Bingo!