balfanman

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 24, 2014 -> 02:00 PM) It does appear the middle infield is becoming a strength in the system. Along those lines, Dan wrote a piece last August comparing Leury Garcia, Carlos Sanchez and former Sox prospect Eduardo Escobar, looking at their seasons at similar ages. Was a pretty cool comparison. I don't have a suggestion at the moment. I'd just like to thank you folks for all of the time and effort you put in. I really enjoy reading your posts and learning about all of the prospects. THANK YOU!

This thread should be closed right here at 35 pages in honor of Frank!

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 6, 2014 -> 01:10 PM) An SS/2B who has had some of the most absurd praise of his defense heaped on him that I have ever heard. Heard multiple scouts, a manager, a coach and others talk about his defense like the term plus-plus isn't good enough. I watched him play one game, only had one significantly difficult play to handle, and... he did it like he was sleep-walking. Like it was nothing. Bat is highly questionable. What can be done for a prospect like this? He obviously has some good quickness and hand eye coordination if he is that good on defense. Is it a matter of finding the "right" hitting coach? Refining his technique , meaning making him more of a singles, walk, type of approach? Not that I have any faith in the White Sox Hitting instructors, but it seems a waste of talent. If he could even hit .250 with a .320 OBP he would be very valuable.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 20, 2013 -> 08:39 AM) Watching Bonds at his juiced up prime was an absolute treat. It's amazing he hit as many homers as he did considering how few good pitches he would see. I will disagree a little here. I admit that I didn't watch Bonds all that often because, well quite frankly he sickened me. The times that I did watch him I was amazed that he didn't hit a lot more than he did. It definitely seemed that the umpires were ordered to not call a strike on him unless it was right down the heart of the plate. Uncle Bud was trying to bring fans back to the game after the strike and gave Bonds every opportunity to hit as many as he could. If I was a pitcher I think that I would of aimed it right at his swollen noggin, I would of probably been the "hero" of most baseball purists.

QUOTE (staxx @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 01:18 PM) I feel like often times many "blue chip" prospects end up playing poorly and are in reality overhyped. There have been a lot of 50-100 ranked players who wound up becoming very good players. I think that this is a good point too!

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 10:18 AM) Yeah, most were ready to melt this down and take years to do what Rick has done in six months. I honestly can't recall a GM who has ever been able to move in as much young, cost-controlled talent, in such a short period of time, without significantly impacting some aspect of the team negatively (trading off all of your vets, spending ass-loads of money in free agency, years of bad teams to refill the system) the way that Hahn has. I know there are always significant odds that players fail, but when they are at the level of development the odds of that are much less than in a place like Houston or the Cubs where they are trying to do their rebuilds from the draft and from signing 16 year old's in Latin American as the backbone of their system. I am really impressed right now, even if this is the last move the Sox make this winter. Let me say that I'm impressed too and think the team is in better shape then they were 5 months ago. That being said, I don't believe that Hahn has exactly aquired 'Blue Chip" prospects either. Davidson, Eton, Garcia, Abreu, eyt. are all nice prospects, but I don't think any of them are top 50 are they? Please correct me if I'm wrong (I have no doubt that someone will), but it's not like the Sox now have a stable of "Top of the Line", "can't miss" youngsters. I realize that you would of had to of had top of the line players to start trading with, but just sayin.

QUOTE (MexSoxFan#1 @ Dec 17, 2013 -> 12:20 AM) Is it too much to ask for a Bears win and Packers/Lions loss this weekend coming up? With our luck, it's much more likely that we see a Bears loss and both Lions / Packers win next weekend. Then its back to having to beat Green Bay and hoping the Vikings can beat the Lions the next weekend.

Did I miss something? Is Harold no longer with the team? I was looking through the White Sox MLB site and noticed that Harold Baines is no longer listed as a coach of anykind. I am on Soxtalk most days and I don't remember any mention of Harold being gone. Anyone able to shed any light on this? http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/team/coaches.jsp?c_id=cws

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Dec 11, 2013 -> 09:50 AM) Thank you, its sad this had to be explained. Yes, I hate it when people make definitive statements when they have no more information or insight then the rest of us. I enjoy the banter back and forth, and listening to the different opinions, but when posters act like "know it alls" and think that they are smarter then everybody else it turns me off big time.

QUOTE (bear_brian @ Dec 11, 2013 -> 08:53 AM) Danks is not going to be on the bench this year, unless we only go with 11 pitchers. There is no room for him - Konerko/Dunn, catcher, L. Garcia, Keppinger/Gillaspie/other. Leury Garcia will be the sub OFer It's way to early to make a definite statement like this. There are probably going to be more trades made and for all we know Dunn could be gone opening up another spot on the bench.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 03:32 PM) I disagree, Eaton has talent, he was a top 100 prospect last year. His minor league slash line over 1,560 PA's is .348/.450/.501 and he played hurt last year. Obviously we identified him as a player we wanted to acquire and the cost wasn't prohibitive. I realize that Adam Eaton looks to be a different type of player than Carlos Quentin, but something about acquiring an injured outfielder from the Diamondbacks because they had a surplus at that position appears to be a good sign to me! Adam Eaton for 2014 American League MVP!

QUOTE (staxx @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 11:33 AM) probably busy talking to agents/other teams I can understand this, but haven't the GM's of other teams been on there?

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Dec 10, 2013 -> 11:29 AM) Kenny on hot stove now. Why is Kenny on there and not Rick Hahn?

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Dec 5, 2013 -> 09:56 AM) The teams not winning the posting bid would have their money returned to them. Okay, Thanks. I misunderstood it then.

Lets see if I am understanding this correctly. Under the current system teams bid to secure negotiating rights to a player. Under the proposed system several teams can bid 20 million to be in a "pool" to negotiate with said player. Under the proposed system wouldn't the Japanese league be better off? For example, under the current system one team wins the right to negotiate for a player. Lets say they get that right for 50 million. Under the proposed system, lets say that there are 4 teams interested in the player that pay 20 million each for the right. Wouldn't the Japanese league receive 80 million? When I went to school 80 was greater than 50. Is this the correct understanding, or am I not getting it?

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Dec 2, 2013 -> 11:38 PM) Good luck to Dylan. Don't get the hate for him. He's an independent leaguer who managed to make a few good major league starts. Good for him. I don't get the hate for him either. He seemed to be a guy that got the most out of the talent he had. I wish we had a few others on the White Sox who even came close to getting the production out of their talent that Dylan did! ........Beckham, Viciedo, Flowers, etc.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Oct 22, 2013 -> 06:21 PM) With the acquisition of Abreu and barring a total flop Viciedo is a DH in waiting . There's just no getting around that. He either starts hitting and soon or he's gone. Nothing is worse for a good pitching staff than bad defense and our's in the OF is atrocious. Your asset is your pitching . I think a quicker than expected turnaround is capabale with a few extra players who can hit and field their positions well. Pouring over stats has shown me just how rare it is to get positive value for both. We're better off getting great fielders and hoping they develop as hitters at this point with all the 1 run and extra inning loses we had . Better defense and Abreu working out plus another bat like Ellsbury who is also a good fielder will be worth more wins then one might think considering all the close games we lost. My motto going forward is SUPORT OUR PITCHERS . Arguing for guys who didnt hit or field or run particularly well is not something I'd do. I agree with this post.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/break...0,6512203.story Another "family member" comes home. I hope we didn't give up much for him.

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Oct 15, 2013 -> 05:45 PM) De Aza took an extra base (went 1st to 3rd on single, 1st to home on double, 2nd to home on single) 46% of the time. League average was 39%. Paul Konerko was dead last among regular players at 8%. Add in Dunn's 22% and Phegley's 18% and the White Sox otherwise pretty decent showing gets dragged below league average to 36%. Sox were also pretty much league average at being picked off and making outs on the bases. Is this stat adjusted for ballpark? If not, the Sox should have a lower average due too the smaller park right? If the fences are say 10 feet shorter on average, then that's 10 less feet the ball can travel in the outfield so the runners don't have the amount of time to get to the next base as a runner in a larger ballpark.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Oct 8, 2013 -> 08:59 PM) I've had "The Price is Right" theme song going on in my head as I've read all these guesses. Let's hope it's Rick Hahn who ends up running up to hug the stuffing out of Drew Carey when all is said and done with Abreu! Drew Carey? You youngster, shouldn't that be Bob Barker?

White Sox 7 years 84 million Includes an out clause for Abreu after 3 years

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 3, 2013 -> 09:42 AM) But Mackowiak...? Wish we could redo that one. I loved the Mackowiak move. He was not used properly in his time here. The Sox, for the most part, have always tried to force people in centerfield who were not centerfielders. currently DeAza. I will absolutely puke if Avi Garcia is our opening day centerfielder next year, leave him in right. I want a true centerfielder, even if it's Jordan Danks, who I still think can be an average hitter in MLB.

We're heading into the trade season, although I'm sure we're at least a month or so away from the end of the World Series and the deal making begins. But the minor league season is over and I'm sure that you have players you like and don't like for various reasons. I'd like to know who the folks here, particularly the minor league "gurus" feel are the top 2 or 3 prospects that they would like to see the Sox NOT trade away? These may or may not be the best ones by these ranking sites, but who do you feel has the baseball instincs to be at least an average MLB player and you would be disappointed if they were traded.

Thank you for the information. I for one really appreciate all of the work you guys do!