caulfield12

Thompson 0/4 with 2 K's. Colligan and Vargas are carrying the Intimidators' offense tonight. FOR AAA, Viciedo up to 716 OPS, 9 RBI's (3 tonight) and Danks at 831.

Freddy Garcia=Livan Hernandez Pitch away from contact, high pitch count, lots of walks...84-88 MPH fastball...keep everything on the black...don't get behind in counts and give in with the fastball over the center of the plate. Mix in a steady diet of offspeed junk to keep hitters off balance. Minnesota leading CLE 5-0, who'd a thunk it? Go figure.

Saw the line-up and I thought it was a joke. Second thought, hope Jones doesn't have Thome-esque issues and it doesn't end up lingering. Who's our next option? Danks or Gartrell? I guess Kotsay would be playing against a RHP. Seems very dangerous to start Nix over Kotsay defensively, no matter how bad Kotsay has been hitting so far....Nix is more acclimated to playing LF, yes?

But I was reading somewhere around here (can't remember the poster, on the tip of my tongue) that many were pissed off with Buddy Bell because some of the off-season targets (especially Teahen) were ones that he really pushed hard for their addition, with the specific argument that Teahen could be a serviceable defensive 3B and everyday player despite bottom tier defense and 3rd quartile offensive upside at a power position. Really, you have a guy who strikes out a ton, doesn't have very good power and can hurt you defensively (yes, he has a "plus" arm but that doesn't compensate for his lack of instincts, just like Fields). It comes as no surprise, then, that the Royals had tried him at 1B, 2B, RF and LF. None of those positions really "clicked" either, particularly 2B. If Hahn is a great GM candidate, then it seems his voice has really been neutered...if Bell and Ozzie actually have more influence. How/why would you let those guys have more authority when you have one of the better GM's in baseball who did construct a roster which everyone around here concedes many SoxTalk posters could have led to a World Series title? If Bell really wanted Vizquel (as a tutor for Alexei), then I would forgive him for that logic. At least that's a reasonably defensible position. But to argue for dumping Dye/Thome and replacing it with Kotsay at-bats...just not sound F.0. thinking. If EVERYONE here saw it coming 2 years in a row with rosters at the beginnings of the season, nobody internally in the White Sox organization challenged Bell and Guillen about their flawed institutional approach? Really? Makes me question what the heck is really going on, if we're conjecturing KW is more of a "figurehead/symbol" than the real MAN he always projects himself to be....maybe his brash/bold attitude is compensating for the fact that it's all kind of a charade??? I just don't know what to think anymore.

Balta, you just made my point. About a 5% possibility any GM in baseball could do worse with their LF situation. KW definitely made the right move with El Caballo being dumped, even though that trade for Pods was one of the most mystifying to casual Sox fans, more sophisticated fans saw the method in the madness sooner.

Exactly....we're either taking on a big contract (like Berkman) for a quick fix solution and giving up less talent, "busting" a budget that's supposedly at the tipping point or over (and JR already saw the results of KW asking him to assume that risk in 2009 with Peavy and Rios)...or we gut the anemic #26-30 farm system in baseball even further. If anything, we should be standing pat for 30-45 days, but nothing in the make-up of this ballclub and the seeming regression by aging veterans (Kotsay, Pierre, AJ, Vizquel) would allow one to believe that adding would be wise, with the Twins looking like a 93-95 win team and DET at 88-91. Obviously, no Wild Card. We're also (by trading for a bat) partially counting on CQ and Jones to be more or less dangerous line-up forces, and neither one of those is guaranteed either. Not only CQ and Andruw Jones, but even Peavy and Jenks (to a lesser extent than the two hitters) are close to becoming certifiable question marks/concerns.

Exactly, the way I read it, it seemed as if the implication was that NONE of those players could improve this year's team. Now we can debate Willie Harris vs. Juan Pierre until we're blue in the face, but everyone on this site could cite their 3-5 favorite offseason DH targets (LH) and obviously all of them would be upgrades over Kotsay. It would be hard to find a LF who's playing much worse and adding less to the team than Pierre. Hopefully, that will change because we so rarely send money the other way or simply eat bad contracts. We suffer by having our roster semi-crippled by poor decision making.

All I know is that Thornton was at 94-96 instead of 96-97 and occasionally touching 98. Floyd was 89-91 instead of 91-95. Feldman never broke 90, but he's usually 89-91/92.

So then, you think KW should be more on the "hot seat" than Ozzie Guillen...? Since the line-up is lacking in overall talent and ability, yes? Agree/disagree?

So you're telling me you would have trotted out a line-up in Arlington with Vizquel in the 2 spot, Kotsay prominently featured (or featured at all)...with no Beckham and it was either Rios or Quention/Konerko that were also sitting? Honestly? I know Vizquel/Nix/Kotsay starting along with any combination of Paulie/Rios/Jones/Beckham/Quentin sitting (2 of them) is asking for a beatdown.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Apr 29, 2010 -> 12:30 PM) Rios and Andruw both were last out of the inning IIRC, I know Rios was for sure. And Rios hit his when the Sox were down. Its fine though, your definitions of bad and great can vary as much as you would like them to Not about bad and great. I think a clutch hit is a single that scores runners and moves the line along when there's two outs. Like if Juan Pierre would have done this say 5-6 times so far (base knock) rather than just once in 20 opportunities. You think it's a game winning or game-tying homer, in this case. Arguments can be made either way. Certainly some would say Teahen's game in TOR was the most clutch of the entire season.

Luke Hochevar absolutely torched by the Rays, clearly the best team in baseball right now 9 runs, 11 hits, almost all of them line drives...

Josh Kroeger 2 for 4 with 3 RBI's. Charlotte now leading 7-5, Torres very shaky in this start. Does anyone think that Kotsay could be replaced adequately by Josh? You just worry about his defense...he doesn't have any place on the diamond where he's not a liability, and he doesn't have quite enough power for DH. Sort of reminds me a little bit of Ross G-Load.

Trayce Thompson not in the line-up for KAN tonight. Torres pitching for CHA, up 3-2 in the early stages. Tyler Flowers 2/2 with RS and now 17 RBI's, 973 OPS. Gartrell (800 OPS) and Hudson (1.000, but that won't last and he's still behind Lillibridge in the pecking order) are the only other starters hitting decently. At Winston-Salem, that team continues to look better and better. Brandon Short already has a hit and is sporting an 882 OPS. Gilmore, Escobar are legit #10-15 prospects in the system, with both having the ability to move into the Top 10 with continued impressive play. Justin Greene and Garcia have good numbers, but are they too old to be considered real prospects? Time will tell, but I like me some Short, he's my favorite, as I have too many concerns about Escobar being Esteban Beltre or Mike Caruso Lite at the dish. Viciedo just went deep for his 4th homer on the young season, .253 BA, 713 OPS. But only 6 RBI's. Last year he was a ribbie machine (especially the first half of the season) and the power didn't come until the 2nd half.

Kyle Gibson threw a one hitter....looking like he will join Liriano in the next 3-4 months to form the most fearsome 1/2 punch at the top of rotation in the ALCD since Santana/Liriano in 2006.

Would have been 3 homers in a game if not for the wind turning against his ball and holding it up. Now we really need to use Santos in the 9th. Paul Konerko, 25th multi-homer game for Paulie in his career.

The gun at the Ballpark is 2-3 MPH slow. Thornton and Gavin are fine.

17 K's in 10 2/3 IP. WOW.

If Kotsay wasn't proof enough, Wilson Betemit leading the AZ circuit in homers should have convinced everyone.

Don't say "firey" guy around a manager, haha. They don't need to be reminded how short their shelf lives are. FIERY.

Give Rios a hit. That will make up for some of the tough luck in 2009 for Alex. Rios, the fastest 6'5" player in baseball...and presenting your new leadoff hitter entering Yankee Stadium tomorrow.

Teahen falling back to Earth. Not going to be compensated for with his D. 819 OPS now.

Konerko continuing to be the most dangerous Sox hitter. In June/July/August, his first ball to the OF is way out to dead center.

Teahen backing up on the ball....just can't recognize bounces and decide how to play the ball down there. Great inning for Floyd. Turn the 8th over to Thornton, right? Then you have two righties in Arias and Michael Young, followed by the big boppers. I don't think Santos is ready to face Hamilton or Guerrero in these situations yet. Then again, maybe he's not even thinking out there...oblivious. Like Jenks when he came up in 2005.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Apr 29, 2010 -> 03:06 PM) Thank you Lord of Texas I'll even thank either Bush, GW or GHW...for that wild pitch. I'll take it.