caulfield12

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Apr 14, 2012 -> 08:48 AM) The FOX games today are at noon. So there shouldn't be any blackout for the Sox game at 3, as FOX's window is from 12-3. But I'm pretty sure they can black out anything from 12-6, nevertheless. They do that for MLBTV games even, unless you're outside of the country.

Fernando Vina also comes to mind, but his career was wrecked by injuries, too, not just Beckham's psychological "malaise." The question with Kuhn is how many more runs would he give up defensive, compared to the possible offensive payoff? Can he really put up a 700-725 OPS at the major league level? If he can, it's probably enough to offset Beckham's 575-625 OPS. But that's a big if. Clearly, KW isn't convinced or he would have protected Tyler. If he (Kuhn) can have a career like Aaron Miles or Joe McEwing, I'd be elated. Tyler has an 804 career OPS in AA and 773 in AAA. He started out almost at 1000 OPS with Great Falls and struggled more in Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, but was still promoted to BIRM the following year.

It wasn't so much as getting to the ball, it was more the effortless way he shovelled it instinctively to Beckham. Very few players in baseball can make a play like that, regardless of the position. You could tell Beckham was surprised...he almost fumbled it and double-clutched, which would have allowed the tying run to score. There are very few shortstops in baseball today that can field worth a darn and put up a 725-775 OPS.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 14, 2012 -> 09:40 AM) If this bullpen is for real, comprised of Jones, Reed, and Santiago, these minor league rankings will have been rendered meaningless. They're not meaningless. 1) KW forgot to mention that he built the #1 farm system in baseball in the 1999-2001 time frame. He wants us to believe that with a decade of experience, he's somehow become "worse" at promoting the system? 2) Producing relievers (even closers) is great, but you can't have more than a .500 or so team without producing All-Star caliber position prospects and starting pitchers. At best, the jury's still out on Beckham, Morel and Flowers. Viciedo and Ramirez were experienced international players from the time they were 15 or 16. Brent Lillibridge and Alejandro DeAza, at least at this time, our looking as good or better than anyone we've produced internally in the last 5-7 years in terms of position prospects/hitters. Saladino, Mitchell, Walker and T. Thompson are all a long ways from contributing at the major league level. Stewart and Molina (albeit 2 starts) have been disappointing. Still, if the White Sox win the AL Central or make it as a Wildcard, nobody will care if our system is ranked 20th or 30th. As far as promoting the system, that falls just as much on Buddy Bell as it does Williams. If the team is worth $750-900 million, they can afford to hire five people in the front office who do nothing but promote Sox prospects. Heck, they could find five here at SoxTalk who would do it for free. It's not even so much about promotion, it's about production. Right now, all we can do is brag about identifying and drafting Gio Gonzalez, Daniel Hudson, Brandon McCarthy, David Holmberg, Clayton Richard, etc.

Yep, only six teams in the majors have a better record. And we're 2-2 against arguably the two best teams in the American League...all while setting a pace for the most strikeouts in American League history. "We're not here to dictate what his managerial style should be," Williams said. "So far, what I've seen is an aggressive, intelligent approach to making his decisions. That's all you can ask. "He's got such a strong presence but a humbleness about him. (Combine) that with the confidence you just don't find very often ... and when you are like that and not pushing people away with their opinions, you are going to get the (best) of their knowledge." Ventura joined Guillen, Jerry Manuel, Terry Bevington and Gene Lamont in winning his first home game as Sox manager. And how did he plan to celebrate? With a quiet meal with family. chicagotribune.com/sports

Maybe Angel Berroa with the Royals...

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 13, 2012 -> 11:00 PM) Just read the espnchicago column. I wonder if Robin will turn to Lillibridge at second if Beckham continues to be this bad at the plate. That's the most logical place to play him, because you have Fukudome to replace or platoon with a (predicatably) struggling Rios. Lillibridge can take Beckham's place. The one area you can't fix easily is Morel failing too, because Escobar, while he hit well in ST, is going to be a 550-650 OPS bat in the majors, unless he's miraculously improved....but no scout in baseball projected him as an everyday starter at SS due to his weak bat. That means you're left with the likes of Dan Johnson or Conor Jackson if Adam Dunn completely falls apart again. Let's hope it doesn't reach that point. The best replacement for Morel is probably Dallas McPherson, but "best" there is nothing to brag about. Not only that, but then we have to put AJ (our second best power hitter) or Ramirez in the 2 hole to replace Brent, unless you have Lillibridge or Fukudome there.

Guessing 80-85% of America will be stuck with Yankees/Angels/Pujols, right? Then you've got Cubs/Cardinals and Mets/Phillies at 3. So forget seeing the Sox, lol.

I'd just like to know where the Morel from the last 6 weeks of 2011 and the Adam Dunn from ST and the first two games of the season went? Adam's 2 for his last 17, saw 30 pitches yesterday and didn't put one in play, sigh. Morel's numbers would look a BIT better if you gave him a hit instead of an error the other day in CLE. And he did contribute positively with an RBI single and a well-placed bunt, his 2nd in 2 consecutive games.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Apr 13, 2012 -> 09:34 PM) It's Miami. The only "sports" that matter are NASCAR & the U. And the Dolphins (when they were actually good in the 70's, 80's and 90's) and the Heat now. Lots of competition for casual/disinterested/apathetic sports fans' dollars.

Jared Mitchell 3/4, 1 RBI, 2B Kevan Smith 2/5, Pangilan with his first homer, Ravelo 2/5 with this 5th double already, Ravelo and Pagilanan both over 400 Mr. Sanchez with yet another walk (the anti-Ozzie Guillen) Maybe the Sox just feel pretty comfortable with their pitching depth in the upper minors and are determined not to rush Rienzo? They've always shown a willingness to jump pitchers quickly through the system if they are pitching in dominant fashion, like Hudson or Brandon McCarthy in the past. Rienzo's always been more of an unpolished project that was expected to jump one level at a time. It also depends on what their plan is for Gavin Floyd...if KW's planning to exercise his option for 2013, then theoretically there's only one open spot in the rotation for about 5-7 different pitchers. We also don't know what will happen with Hector Santiago, he could easily go the Chris Sale route.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 13, 2012 -> 08:06 PM) This is just an observation. Just watched the highlights of the Sox win today over Detroit. On AJ's shot to the corner, Paulie was touching third base as the rightfielder picked up the ball. Can you believe how slow Paulie is (or how amazing that relay was) for the throw to beat him to the plate? That's pretty crazy. Is that why they called it a triple instead of a double? That Paulie is so slow it was truly a 3B. The throw might have beaten him to the plate, but he was on the wrong (1B) side of the plate when he received the ball, instead of blocking it. Konerko was there a split-second faster with his foot.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Apr 13, 2012 -> 09:15 PM) That. Is. AWESOME. I'm scared to look at what his OPS and SLG are right now because there is no way it stays this high. He's been great to start this year though. I hope you're being sarcastic about Morel so far. Or you mean DeAza? Well, nobody expected him to be around 900 for most of the 2nd half last season, either.

Heath Bell getting booed already. Pitching a bit tentatively. Tie game, top of the 9th, Marlins had the lead for most of this game. 14 balls, 6 strikes this inning, about to walk the bases loaded for Caballo. 15 balls, walks the bases loaded, but 2 outs still.

Maybe they just want him there for the first month and get a bit more confidence...since that's the biggest jump for a pitcher. Who knows? Other than Molina, it's not like there were any top prospects blocking his path, as you mentioned.

Conor Jackson 3 for 3, getting his batting average back up, 4th RBI Leesman with an effective start.

http://www.milb.com/gameday/index.jsp?gid=...chraaa_noraaa_1 Ozzie Martinez broke his 0 for 20 streak. Yay! http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?s...cmcafa_wswafa_1 Rienzo off to a good start so far here, 5 K's through 3 IP http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?s...kanafx_lexafx_1 Snodgress starting, off to a better one this time around it looks Where do they get these names, Dusty Harvard, Rangel Ravelo and Martin Medina?

At least Morel had a big RBI and Rios had a double. He's also been effective at getting bunts down. Trying to be positive! Good thing Beckham didn't have to face that Villareal dude, he throws heat AND has movement. Santiago continues to impress and befuddle all those roto players who had no idea who he even was 2 weeks ago. Viciedo and Ramirez both with game-saving plays. Delmon Young, you're the worst outfielder in the majors today, even with the swirling winds excuse. What's that now 11-2 in their last 13 home openers? And we get an unknown guy tmrw, who we'll either crush or be completely discombobulated by.

Santiago really has a nice calm demeanor. Didn't let the Fielder single, the 3-0 count against Young or the balk bother him. Didn't go with the slider, curve or screwball more than once or twice, almost all heat.

May or June, that's probably a 2 run dinger. Can get away with it in April. But nice recovery from the 3-0 count on Young, he bent but didn't break there. Almost all fastballs this inning.

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Apr 13, 2012 -> 03:57 PM) Well, a few people have said it: they are bound to be terrible on defense this year. Clearly they're going to win their fair share with that monster of a lineup, but they're also going to lose ugly sometimes. Boesch and Young aren't good outfielders, Young is one of the 3 worst in baseball. Jackson can't throw. Peralta has no range. Fielder and especially Cabrera are terrible on the infield. Raburn and Inge are both decent at 2B, as well as Santiago. First hit by a LHB against Santiago.

Why does it seem like even when we win this game, we'll be more worried about Dunn, Beckham and Rios? At least there was one huge positive, Jake Peavy.

Villareal in, 95-97 MPH heat Rios, better dial it up.

Dunn saw 30 pitches today and didn't put one in play. Hmmmm....

Time to walk Konerko to face Rios, haha.