caulfield12

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 11:55 AM) Smyly looks like he has a chance to be a solid starter for Tigers. #3 prospect in their system and seemingly has blown past Jacob Turner, which was a surprise coming into spring. He doesn't do anything amazing stuffwise (see Fister), but he's been super solid three outings in a row, including the nice recovery today after giving up the solo homer to Josh Hamilton. If you're going to give up a homer, it might as well be to one of the best players in the game (when healthy).

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 06:14 PM) Angels 7 games out. Did not see that coming this quick. With that offense, on paper...and that pitching staff, on paper. Incredible. But so the White Sox fall in April and May last year after starting out 6-3 and then going something like 5-19. Nobody's been completed surprised by the Red Sox, due to the injuries to Crawford, Ellsbury and the lack of a bullpen...as well as all those veterans getting a year old (yeah, I know Ortiz was leading the league in hitting come into Sunday). But when you start an outfield of McDonald, Ross and Sweeney...well, that's not so good, even though Ryan's actually been hitting well for them. That they had to go out and eat most of the contract of one of the worst hitters in baseball right now (Marlon Byrd) is evidence enough of their desperation. Aviles isn't an everyday player, he wasn't even for the KC Royals.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 07:06 PM) 1.) True, but April is all about not burying yourself and this series was a nice way to get the W/L record looking good. s*** we could have KC's record and I'd be ready for a firesale. 2.) That's true. Dunn is hitting .245 and got another ribbie today?? Wow. And Rios 3-4 with three ribbies and a .333 batting average? My god. He's off to a stellar start. Maybe all the good feelings and pats on the back will rub off and he'll be motivated to have a strong season. I mean even though he gets paid a ton no matter what, I'd think he's feeling pretty good about himself right now. And if what AJ said is true, that his glove was shaking he was so nervous on the fly ball late in the perfect game, that might prove he cares this year. I'm shocked we won 3. Is this one of those wraparound 4 game series like the one the Royals are getting smoked in, or did we sweep? Go Sox. I've never seen AJ accused of not caring before. Just watch him and Humber after the game in all the video highlights. If anything, sometimes he cares too much or gets too emotional. He's playing free and easy this year, last year there was all the tension around the team, the situation with his contract status being up in the air the prior year (possible trade, etc., in mid 2010) and then feeling like he had to justify the new 2 year deal and he's already put up better numbers this year than in 2 full months of 2011 play.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 04:38 PM) it's entirely possible it's Jarrod Parker - in which case we're f***ed. Probably not. Any pitcher with good stuff, unless it's Verlander the last couple of years (and even then)...it's the journeymen, never seen before, soft-tossing lefties, that usually give us fits. Think of our relative success against Felix Hernadez, for example. Any pitcher who is around the strike zone, we can handle. It's those pitchers who are experts at getting batters to fish for pitches outside of the strike zone and get themselves out that drive our guys nuts.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 06:24 PM) It's funny because Castro and Molina really struggled in the first start or two a piece, but since then they've settled in nicely. Axelrod (or Terry Doyle) are the only near-MLB ready pitchers. Castro and Molina will not be ready in 2012. Agree on Molina, but Castro could come fast and is much more seasoned. Has anyone heard or seen his fastball readings in the games he's been pitching so far?

Thanks, Dr. Jobe/Andrews.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 05:07 PM) Great job by our bullpen and the entire offense! Danks with win #2 Except for Beckham, lol. Rios clearly with the key hit in this game, especially after Dunn was thrown out at the plate, not so many minutes after Fukudome by Ichiro.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 05:02 PM) It's April 22nd guys. There are 162 games in a season, lets pump the brakes one way or another. Just enjoy the team doing well right now and lets take it day by day. We're about to be 19-3 against the M's in our last 22 games. Let's see how we do with the A's. That will be a good test...one thing's for sure, we didn't just go into the tank after Tuesday's blown game.

96 MPH on the black. One more out to go.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 05:00 PM) same problem the rest of major league baseball has Napoli hitting 8th says, not me.

Gas. Notice he went to the change and screwball before the FB. Makes the fastball look 100 MPH.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 04:52 PM) Really, no we didn't. Uribe had a vastly better 2004. Podsednik had a great year in 2003 and was still well down from there, and was almost worthless in the 2nd half. The Bullpen and rotation...yes...but not anyone in the lineup other than the Captain. And Dye, if you look at where he was in his career. Iguchi, nobody knew what to expect, he probably outperformed, technically. Of course, if you remember, Jermaine was supercold the first couple of months that season, then really took off. AJ was pretty good that season, too. Crede was his normal self, Rowand also didn't have one of his better years offensively.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 04:49 PM) I know you have Extra Innings as well...I haven't seen anyone I'm afraid of other than Texas... The Tigers are going to be supertough, though....if Smyly keeps pitching like he has so far. Other than Hamilton's ability to hit anyone's fastball, pretty much untouched. Still, that Tigers line-up has a few more holes than the Rangers or even the Yankees...and Valverde's been much more vulnerable already season...not to mention the fans have completely turned on Brandon Inge. He used to be a cult hero there, now he's a goat/villain.

Great day all around so far for the Sox....this whole weekend overall. Humber no hitter, these two games, Axelrod and Simon Castro both pitched great games today, and Mitchell looks like a top prospect again (16 RBI's).

22 k's for Morel, both of them on called strike 3's. Yikes.

Morel will probably be bunting here. Just don't like Gordon's chances, but who knows with how this game has gone.

Fukudome getting into the act. Don't stop now, boys!

Wow, Rios at a sizzling .333 and a homer away from the cycle. 7 RBI's now on the season. Speechless.

Pleasure to watch AJ and Konerko hitting these days. Reminds me of a Tony Gwynn or Wade Boggs or Ichiro hit...flipped out to LF.

Crain and Thornton warming. God, Konerko is ungodly slow. Great throw by Casper Wells, throw definitely beat him. Dunn and Konerko both not sliding in key situations. That ball he pulled off his right foot seems to be slowing him down even more than usual.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 05:29 PM) on Rios maybe. you hang onto Dunn. Especially if Mitchell keeps showing rapid progress down in AA. We have the potential to really have an exciting outfield in the future.

That's the best Reed has looked all season long. Dominant. Of course, it is the M's and not the Yankees, Rangers or Tigers he's facing.

Reed painting the outside corner, with a bit of help from AJ for 2nd out.

If you said Danks would have a 5.11 ERA at this point in the season and that we were still on the verge of 9-6, nobody would have believed it coming into the season. Best Addison Reed heater I've seen all season.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 22, 2012 -> 05:18 PM) of course it's very low. but if the odds are 1 in a 100,000 (or whatever you decide the number is) and Adam Dunn had the worst season ever, then he WAS that ONE wasn't he? Rios was terrible, but i'd say his season wasn't as much a statistical anomaly based on the fact that he's always had streaks of awful. But nothing close to 2009 and 2011, if you look at his entire body of work in Toronto, he was always pretty consistent, overall....in terms of his numbers. And then when you include 2010 as an overall season to that whole...and the fact that he's not that old at all.