caulfield12

QUOTE (maxjusttyped @ Apr 4, 2012 -> 11:07 PM) Well, technically, he IS an awful offensive player now. He may get better in the future, but his minor league numbers + ML track record so far offers little to be optimistic about. Hopefully I'm wrong, though. I appreciate it, though. Go Sox. If he hits for power like he did the last 6 weeks, then you can live with that 5-10% walk rate, that's essentially what we had in Joe Crede for most of his career. You take a 700+ 725-750ish OPS out of 3B in a heartbeat in current times, especially with Brent's defense (potentially, needs to clean up some of the errors from last year). It's the 575-625 seasons that we spread across the board (Beckham, Dunn, Rios, Morel) that killed us.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/04/2731...-wed-april.html Some more pictures.... #7 Joey Cora #13 the look on this guy's face is hilarious, posing with 3 Brazilian "dancers" #18 Brazilian dancer's cute butt escorting Omar Infante onto field #19 Ozzie Guillen #20 Guillen in foreground/Muhammad Ali

Does anyone have a picture of the Brazilian style dancers/cheerleaders? Curious how over-the-top their outfits were, just for the sake of baseball marketing insight, haha.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Apr 4, 2012 -> 11:31 PM) I didn't make it about race,Al, Jessie and the race-baiters did, every news outlet that jumped on pointing out race right away, and getting it wrong, Obama did when he interjected himself into this, every black politician that tries to 'keep it real' by wearing hoodies while addressing congress did, the racist Justice Department did when it butted in and so on. So what should Obama have said, that would have been more appeasing? If he made comments that showed no personal concern or connection to the case, they would have used it to bolster the argument that he was a cold, aloof, calculating bureaucrat who has trouble relating to everyday, middle class concerns and problems. How is it to his advantage to say something polarizing? The African-American vote will go to him in November, one way or the other. So how does saying "Trayvon Martin could have been my son" help him politically? If his comments were so terrible, wouldn't more and more independent voters be turning away from him, rather than the exact opposite happening? Americans wants their leaders to "feel" and to try to make personal connections and sense/logic out of troubling and divisive events. What he did was a lot better than Romney's comments, when he had the opportunity to distance himself from Rush Limbaugh, he absolutely refused to do so, giving him the verbal equivalent of a slap on the wrist. Three theories about why Zimmerman isn't being prosecuted...that part about Orlando not even bothering to investigate "self defense" confrontations is absolutely SCARY 1. Florida's "Shoot First" gun law makes prosecution futile Zimmerman says he acted in self-defense, which is "barely plausible" — but enough for him to avoid arrest under Florida's path-blazing "Stand Your Ground" gun law, says Emily Bazelon at Slate. The 2005 law allows permitted gun owners like Zimmerman to use lethal force on anybody, in any public space, if they reasonably believe it will "prevent imminent death or great bodily harm." Courts say the burden is on prosecutors to prove that the shooter was not acting in self-defense, so "some Orlando-area police agencies simply stopped investigating shootings involving self-defense claims," says Henry Pierson Curtis in the Orlando Sentinel. "In case after case during the past six years, Floridians who shot and killed unarmed opponents have not been prosecuted." 2. The local cops were negligent and sloppy Blame "the slipshod manner in which the Sanford police conducted this investigation," treating the killing of an unarmed child with "the lax scrutiny generally reserved for a broken tail-light," says Ta-Nehisi Coates at The Atlantic. The police either lied or didn't know about Zimmerman's past run-in with the law, evident vigilanteism, and 46 calls to 911 since Jan. 1, says Adam Weinstein at Mother Jones. Then there's a witness' allegation that a Stanford cop told her to change her story to hearing Zimmerman — not Martin — call for help, Martin's mysteriously vanished cellphone, the police's inexplicable failure to test Zimmerman for drugs or alcohol, and the police department's troubling history of not prosecuting attacks on black people. No wonder the feds are stepping in. 3. Martin was black and Zimmerman isn't "Activists have gravitated towards racism as the prime motive for the shooting," and it's hard to disagree, says Chauncey DeVega at Salon. And "common sense renders a clear judgement here: If a black man shot and killed a white kid for holding a bag of Skittles he would already be [in] jail." And remember, this wouldn't be a national story if the shooter were black, says Kathleen McKinley in the Houston Chronicle. "Where is the outrage for the young black males who are killed every day in this country?" Is their death less tragic "because other black males are killing them?"

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 4, 2012 -> 11:19 PM) Good post. I encourage u to stick around and post, post, post What is your next promotion here after Rongey Fan Club? 20,000 posts makes you what? Guess he's (Ranger) been scared away from posting here for the time being, but will resurface when things are looking brighter for the organization.

The problem will be determining over the next couple of years how much of the difference is Ozzie simply has a much better Marlins team talent-wise, and it's more suited to his managerial style and strategic thinking. Did Ozzie simply get a little flat/stale/complacent, or he just gave up because of the constant bickering and differences over the roster with KW? In modern baseball, 8 years is a pretty long tenure for a manager. The odds of him lasting that long when he was hired would have been about 1/25 or 1/50 in Vegas.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 4, 2012 -> 10:05 PM) I wish Ozzie well in Florida, and I think he's the perfect manager for that team. That park is gigantic, and Ozzie will keep that team playing small ball instead of relying on a 3 run homer. There is some insane speed at the top of their order. As for what he said in this article, I truly hope Ozzie doesn't alienate himself too much from the Sox organization. I guarantee in a few years when they're celebrating the 10 year anniversary of 2005, Ozzie will be someone that everyone wants included in the celebration. But what are the odds that KW is still in the White Sox front office 3 years from now? You know when Ozzie makes on the record comments like this, it makes it more and more difficult for him to return. The only thing that mitigates against that is the fact that they have the ongoing feud over who is most responsible for the World Series title, and Ozzie will never let KW get the credit all alone when he feels he deserves at least 75% of the credit, especially since it hadn't happened in the lifetimes of most Sox fans.

I watched HAYWIRE and WRATH OF THE TITANS this weekend. I thought Haywire made zero logical sense, but it had a great director, somewhat better and definitely tighter dialogue, and a worthwhile cast. Carano is one of those actresses like Linda Fiorentino or Michelle Monaghan who's not quite hot, but definitely watchable and interesting, if merely for her physical presence and stunts/kickboxing. As an aside, can Channing Tatum be in any more movies this year? I defer to Ebert's review of Titans. I would say it was the worst 3D movie I've ever seen, if not for the existence of CONAN. Although I do have have to admit a small crush on Rosamund Pike, who plays Queen Andromeda, ever since I saw her as Madonna's fencing foe in one of the Bond movies. And finally, I tried to make it through Bucky Larson, but that might actually be the god awful worst movie EVER. Has anyone else seen it? Not just as a native Iowan, for the stupid jokes and stereotypes, but anyone from Adam Sandler and Christina Ricci on down should have been horribly embarassed when this movie actually made it to the theatres. It definitely should have been a straight to video release, and Kevin Nealon, you are REALLY not funny now.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 4, 2012 -> 10:36 PM) Wow. Lots of powerful quotes. I'm assuming only the Sun Times is caring about the past regarding our former skipper. Good for the Trib to not care to send a guy to Miami. It was a good article, but we really don't need any more of these. We get it. Our former skipper despises Kenny. I guess that's news if that's the first time we've seen that Jerry quote in the Chicago media. That's a pretty s***ty quote by Reinsdorf. Whom did Jerry mean Ozzie threw under the bus?? Coop? Players? What players did Oz knock under the bus? Oz supported Jenks, he stood by Thornton, never blasted Pierre for his April blunders, pretty much was good with Beckham? WTF was Jerry talking about? Just Coop? Oh well, don't answer if u dont want. I don't really care. After watching video on mlb.com on the white sox page of highlights of Paulie/Dunn bombs and some interviews with Peavy, etc., I'm kind of excited for the season. Orlando Cabrera Javy V. Sean Tracey Brian Anderson (sort of) Jon Garland Swisher (although he probably deserved it) Beckham Daniel Hudson Viciedo Jenks Tim Raines Razor Shines Jeff Cox Lillibridge when he made a couple of mistakes in the OF after clearly being the best fielder on the team at a new position for most of the season, despite the fact that Rios made 20-30 more egregious mistakes, seemingly on an everyday basis Dunn, when he would PH him in the midst of the worst hitting slump in baseball history against a LHP when Lillibridge was white hot at that time

The problem with that analogy is : 1) All KU fans knew deep down that Roy would eventually leave for UNC, even if he passed the first time when Doherty got the job, and Doherty and Roy were also quite close at the time of that hire 2) Ozzie was a lifelong member of the White Sox family, whereas Roy was always something of an outsider, constantly making references to the Carolina way, Dean Smith, Michael Jordan, etc. 3) Williams wasn't run off by his A.D., who in the analogy would be KW to the basketball coach 4) Ozzie won a World Series with the White Sox, but Williams never got a National Title with KU, it took until Bill Self and the 2008 season for that to happen, largely with his own players (and not the previous team with Hinrich, Collison, Gooden, Simien, etc.)

Best hitting infield in the Central and all of baseball will undoubtedly be DET, as long as Cabrera and Fielder are both there. Even Ryan Raburn was among the leaders in spring training homers, and he and Inge are more like utility guys with that team, at least the last couple of seasons.

no more Sox talk Cowley getting in a shot at SoxTalk? Trying to be too cute again, or just an overreading/overreaching to think it's about us, perhaps? With Cowley, who knows, because obviously he uses innuendoes a lot in his writing.

QUOTE (pktmotion @ Apr 4, 2012 -> 08:23 PM) It's nice. The 2D moving still image is kind of overdone in sports, IMO. One piece of criticism is the ball is poorly composited as Peavy is pitching and Alexei is swinging. It looks off and it could've been done better. I love the dust reveal of "appreciate the game" at the end. One thing though I read the caption at the bottom of the video: "Moments" television commercial was selected by the White Sox as one of four winning submissions for the team's 2012 advertising campaign Being in the Design/Motion Graphics/Animation business I can tell you spec work is an ever-growing cancer that's deteriorating my industry. I'm disappointed the White Sox would pursue those measures. While this commercial and three others were selected as "winners" hundreds more were suckered into producing free work and that's plain wrong. That's the nature of the world today, with the unemployment rate being what it is. There are so many websites now offering cash prices for ideas that end up in patents from chemists, engineers, scientists, physicists, etc. Think of all the industries that have been wiped out by the internet, such as travel agents or newspapers/book publishing. Overall, this flattening out has provided much more information, and quicker access to marketplaces, but it's certainly a challenge for someone who works in a creative field like advertising or something as simple as coming up with cartoons or Hallmark/American Greeting Cards. If a 15 year old in his basement can come up with a better ad or better article about the White Sox, then there's no choice but to step up your game or be "creatively destroyed." This inevitably leads to more productivity/efficiency, but also a LOT more stress in the workplace as a result.

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Apr 4, 2012 -> 06:25 PM) Baseball doesn't have a face. The face of this team will be an inanimate metal sculpture with 25-30 sets of fingerprints on it in October. Only the people who know and appreciate the game and love it would recognize that. And the fans also. All of the blue collar steel workers who take their family of 4 to the game on half price Mondays after a sweaty, grueling, and particularly laborious day at work for minimal pay can appreciate the game. You know, the no bull Chicago tough people who consider -12 degree weather accompanied by snow falling sideways to be shirtless driving weather because their chest hair will insulate them can appreciate the game and be it's face. If you put ketchup on your hot dog kindly give it to them so they can throw it to the ground for the dogs and raccoons. But really, Kenny is 1a Paulie is 1b. Tell that to Jeffrey Loria, they picked Guillen specifically for this reason, the Hispanic market in South Florida, his time coaching with McKeon and Ozzie's already won the "Face of the Franchise" poll in the Miami Herald over any of the players (Hanley, Reyes, Stanton, Josh Johnson). It's telling that Ventura has received zero votes so far, yet Ozzie beats out four superstars in Miami, the ultimate celeb/superstar-driven city after LA and maybe New York.

They're going to end up moving that CF fence in from 418 to closer to 400. They did the same thing at CitiField, I think. Stanton's already lost one homer tonight, and hit another to deep center. This game might have been interesting had the ageless Omar Infante stayed on the bag and tagged out Berkman at 2B when he was trying to stretch it to a double. Freese continuing his clutch, 2-out RBI string from last year's postseason.

Date and target of Ozzie Guillen's first in-season beef May 12, Jeffrey Loria***April 4, The leaping marlins on the home run feature at the new Miami stadium April 27, Carlos Zambrano Bigger number: Ichiro hits or Adam Dunn strikeouts Tie, 199 Ichiro, 201-199 Ichiro, 202-154 Most offensive Tweeter Oney Guillen***Ozzie's first cousin, twice removed***Jose Canseco Sox picked 5th twice, and 4th once, yikes, oh well....nothing new this offseason. Dunn dark-horse candidate for most homers, Addison Reed for AL ROY http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Aj.g...dictions_040412

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Apr 4, 2012 -> 08:31 AM) Cast aside those wicked and ungrateful, for theirs my kingdom is not. Their families have been spared the dishonour of begging for scraps off my table and as a result have grown fat and complacent in their capricious lives. They bask in the warmth of my kindness, the warmth of ten thousand suns. Forthwith, refresh their old posts with those eager to harvest thine crops for their hands will be the tools used to rebuild thine kingdom. Some of those teams (especially on the 25-30 list) are teams that have been pointed to as either rebuilding, or have shed so much salary that they may as well be. A highly ranked farm system must be tended to properly, but even then, it will only be one of the ingredients needed for big league success. It has has been demonstrated over the years that while it certainly makes things easier, it isn't a requirement for winning- In fact, some of the teams with the best farm systems have notably been in the picture but were unable to finish the job. Or haven't been in the picture at all. Please, don't make me think of that horrid movie, YOUR HIGHNESS, again!!! I have a relatively small aspiration for the next 12 months. If we're at least 10 places higher than the Chicago Cubs coming into 2013, something positive will have to have happened.

Marlins Park, which followed the model set in Houston, is the only retractable-roof sports venue in the state and one of fewer than 50 in the world. The roof has three panels — the two lower panels span 530 feet and the upper panel spans 566 feet — that role along rails similar to a train. To close, the roof slides east. When it’s open, it rests above the West Plaza, which is the size of 3 1/2 football fields and serves as an entertainment area with music and other activities before and after games. High efficiency Driven by 76 high-efficiency electric motors, the roof is considered one of the fastest, sliding along at 39 feet per minute, thanks to 44 transporters with 96 total wheels. It uses less than $10 worth of electricity to open and close and takes roughly 13 minutes to open and close. The roof mechanization system is designed to travel about 2,000 miles throughout its life — a flight from Miami to Denver or a little more than four round trips to Havana. Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/04/2730...l#storylink=cpy

Found this in an old article about "Face of the Franchise," which named Guillen and Buehrle. Pretty hilarious. Mark Buehrle is the face of the White Sox ... for the time being. However, anybody who holds this title is only keeping the seat warm for Aaron Rowand, if he returns next year. He is to Sox fans what Ditka was to the SNL Superfans. Even while Jim Thome hit 42 homers in 2006, fans deplored the trade on every call-in show, online forum, letter to the editor, etc. It doesn't matter how Thome hits; as far as Sox fans are concerned, a lineup of nine miniature Rowands would go 162-0. He'd be the first outfielder credited with saves, because he wouldn't let any rocket shots allowed by Sox relievers to drop. He'd heal banged-up teammates by running into them, full-bore. Don't ask me how. Buehrle shares a lot of the same qualities, and re-signing with the Sox and bypassing the open market means more to Sox fans than he knows. But if Rowand returns, he'll take back the belt, no question. Made me return to the days of Rowand, Crede and even Brian Anderson worship. I wouldn't be surprised if casual baseball fans still thought of Ozzie Guillen more than anyone else with the Sox. Maybe it would be more interesting if it was "who do you think it will be in 2017?" but then you'd just be guessing between names like Viciedo, Sale, Beckham, Morel, Molina, etc.

THE "FACE" OF THE MIAMI MARLINS IS...: ESPN named the "face" of every MLB franchise and for the Marlins it was manager Ozzie Guillen. ("Sounds like a poll!," I thought to myself. The timing is right, with the Marlins hosting the Yankees Sunday and again last night at the new ballpark prior to Wednesday's historic Opening Day). I can see the choice of Guillen but for me the current face of the franchise probably is Hanley Ramirez. How about for you? Use your own definition of what the "face of a franchise" even means. Is it always the biggest star? Is it the person who best represents the team? Is longevity a factor? For me it is the person who comes to mind first when you think "Marlins." And for me the face of a franchise demands a national perspective, not just local. What would a baseball fan in New York, Lawrence (KS) or California say? Then again I'm more interested in what Marlins fans think. The list is alphabetical, and apologies for initially having "Mike" Stanton instead of Giancarlo. Old habits, ya know? Vote and say why. Read more here: http://blogs.herald.com/random_evidence/20...l#storylink=cpy

Too bad we can't market Thornton as a closer unless his FB is back in the mid 90's again.

Back to playing Lillibridge more in the OF again to get some AB's. Something of a homecoming for Humber and Dunn, their families must have accounted for 1/5th the attendance Tuesday night.

Jayson Werth will be 38 when his deal expires, you have to put that one right up there with one of the potentially worst.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag...-001343182.html http://www.avclub.com/chicago/articles/exc...rtman-in,71830/

There's the patented Beckham RCF liner. The pitch before, had his typical troubles with the high fastball he can't seem to lay off or get on top of (few can). Morel not having one of his better days. Nationals sent down John Lannan, that's a pretty big surprise, especially with Chien Min Wang on the DL.