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QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Aug 23, 2013 -> 09:19 AM) Why are we assuming Rose wasn't using some form of PEDs? Wasn't the use of amphetamines/coke pretty common back then? Amphetamines were very common even into the 90's. When I was working in the clubhouse there would be two coffee pots. One labeled leaded, one unleaded. Most people would assume it meant caffienated and decaf. It really stood for amphetamine laced or not. There was really mixed opinion on whether it helped. It helped to keep you going during the long season especially at the end. However, it also made you "jumpy" which didn't always help when trying to hit. I said when the PEDs were banned that banning amphetamines would have a grewater effect than others because of the widespread use. I though it would take out older players because of the long season. I'm not sure if it's true today but I think the age is getting younger.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Aug 24, 2013 -> 01:04 PM) Most of the first round picks, even high schoolers, start in Low A the next season if they played half a season at rookie ball after drafted. Hawkins is only 1 level ahead of his curve, and yet as many had point out, the difference between talent and experience is marginal between the two levels. 19 year old first round picks don't normally struggle like this, even if he is a bit inexperience for this level. Even if he was in rookie ball or Low A, once the pitchers start to exploit his weakness, he probably won't fare much better than he's doing now. I heard Bell's interview on the radio a few months back, and I strongly disagree with the approach. Given the Sox have nothing to show for in offensive development for the last 10 years, they shouldn't be continue to experiment this approach on a highly touted prospect, one that they, or anyone, have yet to have success with. True however this is why you give him another year. Just because he hasn't progressed like most others doesn't mean he is a bust yet. I never said I agreed with him, I just that is what they are doing so don't write him off yet. If they change things he has time to work them out.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Aug 23, 2013 -> 11:49 PM) And yet, he probably could've been had in the 3rd round. No matter how good Long looks, you do not draft any guard in the 1st round of an NFL draft. Stories after the graft had the packers and one other team ready to take him in the first round. Guys like Alan Faneca did well being drafted in the first. Besides in 2 years he will be the left tackle. He is only at guard to learn how to play O line.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Aug 24, 2013 -> 08:37 AM) It's so easy to jump on Hawkins these days I have been refraining myself from doing so for the past two months. But I wish people would stop using age as an excuse. The biggest reason Hawkins is struggling this bad is his inability to read and hit the breaking bad. Pair that up with a long and lousy swing, and poor hip rotation, he has no chance to make any contact with the ball. He had an impressive debut last year, but I believe pitchers didn't figure him out at that point. Almost every pitcher Hawkins faced this year in High A have been exploiting his weakness for breaking ball. Check out Nathaniel Stoltz's video scouting on Fangraph. Using the logic that people keep throwing around, that there isn't that much of TALENT difference between High and Low A, would you think Hawkins would have fare much better in Low A? Heck, if words got out last year that he can't hit the breaking pitch at all, I don't think he would have gotten out of rookie ball. We get that he's still 19 years old. But in the history of the minor leagues, there's probably only 1 player who had the strikeout rate that Hawkins has, and a comparable batting average, who turned out to be a successful major leaguer. Even that player hit .210 that year, and that's like .030 higher than Hawkins this year. It's not as much age as it is the experience it implies. Give players out of high school 3 years to look at progress. The sox have a different approach then many other organizations, this may be why they don't produce hitters. Bell has stated that they are allowing Hawkins to do it his way and make his mistakes. If it works fine, if not then they will begin correcting his flaws. August stats seem to say that Hawkins worked on the his power but saw it didn't help his average. No he sacrificing some power and working on others things to help contact.

Anyone know if there is a way to print from a Galaxy Note 10.1? I love the device in general but I think this may be a weakness.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 22, 2013 -> 03:37 PM) Pre-roids Maggs had great gap power. Garcia hits alot like him and has more athleticism. I think he started them in the minors, Right after his AA season. He wasn't much of a prospect in the low minors just moved at a regular pace. He exploded in AAA.

QUOTE (SoxnGiants @ Aug 21, 2013 -> 07:12 AM) Is that something that will stretch out over time? Or is it a permanent thing? It will stretch out to a point. It will largely depend on if he changes anything in his motion. The "new" capsule will be stronger than the old one.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Aug 21, 2013 -> 08:29 AM) Hits in 7 straight games. Triple slash with White Sox? .341 / .386 / .850 But don't trade Jake Peavy - the fans will stop coming!!!!! Still tough to trade proven major league pitching for prospects. However the Sox had a number of good starting candidates and the offense needed desperate help. At least the Sox got a couple of possible arms back as well.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ Aug 20, 2013 -> 10:48 PM) His BLAH ERA is a bit deceiving. He has went at least 6 innings in his last 11 starts & only has given up more than 3 runs in 3 of those starts. He is so much better than I expected him to be this season. It takes a while to "learn" how his shoulder moves after this type of surgery. The surgeon had to tighten up the shoulder capsule when he repaired it. This can change the motion available for the shoulder rotation and effect all of the pitches. The fastball may be slower because he can't "reach back" in the literal sense. This is why the quality of the surgeon was so important. He needed to tighten it just enough. Danks is not all the way back but he is progressing well.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 20, 2013 -> 12:24 AM) That has nothing to do with it being "the only stat that matters." How are you going to analyze player performance? How easy would it be to put together a winning team if you ignored every stat except wins and losses? I've said it a million times -- statistics exist to answer specific questions. If you insist on ignoring their intended uses, you shouldn't be surprised that they aren't that useful for you. But you should also not be surprised that others are finding them extremely useful -- to answering specific questions. I never said that other stats aren't useful or should be ignored. I'm not sure where you got that. Of course they are useful. I said they are an important piece and in my view is where you start for starting pitcher. If I'mgoing to spend money on a freeagent. I want a pitcher who knows how to use his stuff not a guy who has stuff. So the underlying stats are important however I start with wins. Take Javier Vasquez vs. Mark Buerhle. One has better "stuff" the other knows how to use it. Most of vasquez stats are better. However, we've seen both pitch and who would you rather have. Edit: Looking back I did see what I said. It didn't come out the way I meant it. The only stat that matters was in reference to a season or career and as a primary variable with some hyberbole.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Aug 19, 2013 -> 09:27 PM) What? Did you just compare team w/l to a pitcher's w/l? Yes. Because he has the most control over it. Does he have it all, no. However, he is the most significant variable in it. It obviously doesn't tell everything and can't be looked at only for individual games but needs to be over a season and multiple seasons. The advent of specialzed relievers has made it less important as the starter pitches less.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Aug 19, 2013 -> 05:59 PM) W/L record for a pitcher is pointless, it's amazing how many people still use it as a important metric. Because it's still the most important stat in the game.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Aug 19, 2013 -> 05:40 PM) Right except it absolutely doesn't, lol. It tells you which teams have played the best relative to the ones they've played against. If that's the question you're asking, then yes, it tells you all you need to know. Considering that's what we base a good or bad season on and who goes to the playoffs, I would agree it's the most important.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 16, 2013 -> 10:28 AM) That's great, but a "guy in his late 30's trying to heal up his back and come back for 1 more year" really wouldn't have any place on a team like where the 2014 white sox will be. The 2014 White Sox seem like every guy on their Roster should be someone that they're stuck with because of contracts (Danks, Dunn), someone who has a future with the team (90% of the roster), and maybe a bullpen or bench guy veteran thrown in to be a veteran and possibly be traded at the deadline. I'm not saying it's the right move, just that with JRs loyalty I wouldn't rule it out.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 15, 2013 -> 08:44 PM) I still don't know what kind of power he has because of that wrist injury. It's going to cost him power all year, that was said when the injury first happened. Could be true. Although it should have started to rebound by now. Maybe he is just getting comfortable again.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 16, 2013 -> 08:10 AM) Then we can give him a standing O when his new team comes to Chicago, as long as someone convinces that manager to let him start a game that series. I don't know. He has shown he can come back strong from injuries. His back has been bothering him all season. If it gets right he may be able to do it.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Aug 15, 2013 -> 04:25 PM) Only on Soxtalk would there be a serious conversation about Adam Dunn's HoF chances. Anytime someone gets near 500 HRs, 3,000 hits or 300 wins for a pitcher there will be HOF talk.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 15, 2013 -> 04:09 PM) Once this contract runs out, does he make the MLB minimum? Does he love baseball enough to play for 1-2 million a year? Judging from how he not so long ago was by far the worst hitter in baseball, I'd say nobody will pay him more than the basic salary. If the Sox can't trade him and his contract expires on the south side maybe the White Sox will be that team to give him 1-3 mill a year or a Keppinger-like deal. If he hits 30-40 Hrs he will get a good contract probably 10 million. Power is at a premium now. It is not the same as before when many hitters hit .3o0 and 40 Hrs. Those are only the elite, as it should be.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 14, 2013 -> 11:30 PM) From what I've read and what I've seen (I will not over-react; I like him) Garcia again looks like a White Sox free-swinger with a bunch of talent (see Viciedo, see DeAza) who could use some coaching. I like the fact Manto got Beckham to bend his knees. Beckham should now be a .300 hitter the rest of his career, though his power may have been zapped, which is OK. He was on fast track to the minors if he kept his old stance. But folks, our youngsters (Phegs isn't going to make it without some refining as well) need help. Is Manto the man the young players will respect enough to give that help? I'd fire him and bring in a FAMOUS hitting coach. Big Frank probably won't do it. He's too rich to want to travel that much during the season. Is SOMEBODY out there??? Garcia's future may depend on it. Thing is, if the White Sox scouts decide he's a can't miss prospect, the Sox HAVE to acquire him if they want to be relevant in the Central Division quickly. I think it has more to do with philosophy. He's finally figured out he is not a power hitter and is just hitting.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Aug 15, 2013 -> 07:54 AM) I think KLaw also disputed the notion of his 70/70 grades. He basically said that means he would hit .320 with 30 HRs right away. For comparison sake, here are the guys in that ballpark last year: Miguel Cabrera (.333/44) Ryan Braun (.319/41) Adrian Beltre (.321/36) Robinson Cano (.313/33) Andrew McCutchen (.327/31) Prince Fielder (.313/30) Mike Trout (.326/30) Billy Butler (.313/29) I think that is why Law doubts the Abreu hype machine. The interview I heard was different. He didn't mention any of the actual scouting. He only said he had never seen him so it's hard to judge the hitting (due to the Cuban league difference) but with the lack of athleticism he didn't expect as much.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 14, 2013 -> 05:33 PM) As long as our scouts are 100% sold on Abreu, I think we have to go all out for him. The 2015 free agent list is horrific on the offensive side, with 3B being the exception. We desperately need to add a couple of young middle of the order bats to build around. I think Garcia can eventually be one of those guys, but outside of possibly Viciedo I don't see anything in the system helping us anytime soon. Signing Abreu for 1B this offseason and one of Headley, Sandoval, & Ramirez for 3B the following offseason would go a long ways toward fixing this offense. Keith Law said today that Abreu is worth no where near what Cepedes and Puig were because he is not an athlete like they are.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 11, 2013 -> 04:29 PM) Except how easy is it going to be to acquire a High A or AA starter with even better potential than Santiago/Quintana...? Not very. And Addison Reed won't get you a Martinez (maybe Wacha) from the Cardinals, or a Top 50 or even Top 75 level of starting pitching prospect. So that means you're essentially trading for more bullpen arms...in the end. They wouldn't be trading to be better than those. It would be in addition to. They will need 6-7 starters for the season if they plan to compete for a WS title. Right now there is Sale, Rienzo, Danks, Santiago, Q and maybe Johnson. That's 6 and they haven't seen rienzo much and haven't seen Johnson at all. They need more pitching if they really plan to compete for a WS.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 11, 2013 -> 03:52 PM) Except if we do trade Santiago/Quintana/Reed/Jones, it will be for hitting prospects in all likelihood. Particularly in the case/s of those first three guys on the list. I don't think that is necessarily the case. Also, I'm not saying that's what they will do, it what I would do. I've heard Hahn discuss the priority of pitching and the rumors were that the Sox were looking for pitching with Peavy and they did get 2.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Aug 11, 2013 -> 03:38 PM) Disagree. You always sell high on young closers,in my opinion. Especially when you can receive impact position players in return. I still hold to the philosophy that you don't trade young pitching without getting pitching in return.

QUOTE (oldsox @ Aug 11, 2013 -> 07:03 AM) Bobby Bonilla> Who gave him away to Pirates? Can't remember. Is he still getting paid by the Mets? White sox for jose deleon.