caulfield12

QUOTE (fathom @ May 11, 2012 -> 08:32 PM) Paulino's been extremely impressive. Great command the past few innings with that fastball. Arguably we should have at least 3 and as many as 5 runs. On the other hand, the Royals had bases loaded and didn't score, so you feel we should be up at least one more run. Doesn't feel like a comfortable lead at all, but Gavin's been dealing going on 4 starts in a row now. Pretty surprising Houston and Colorado both gave up on Paulino with his stuff. That ends the string of 9 batters in a row...let's hope this isn't one of the walls that Gavin hits where he just falls apart and gives up a crooked number. Okay, an out there after the leadoff single by Dyson.

What's the weather like tonight? Only 19,129 in attendance. You'd have thought with 2 wins in a row, the news about Chris Sale, May's here and college students are getting out now...that we could at least manage 20,000 for a Friday home game.

Alright DeAza, get ready to run again. Why not? If he gets a good read. Should have sent Viciedo there, but oh well, DeAza's not quite the contact hitter that AJ is there. White Sox only averaging 2 runs per game in Floyd starts, second lowest of all ALL American League starters, last year he was among the best-supported. Included in that is 2 times the White Sox offense was shut out with Gavin on the mound. A little like John Danks from 2009-2011.

Ugh, once again Escobar showing he really doesn't belong in the major leagues at this point in his career. And, in other news, the Marlins have blown yet another save in the early season, this time Mujica in the 8th against the Mets. Chisek blew one in his first opportunity but the Marlins ended up winning in extra innings.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 11, 2012 -> 08:22 PM) Isn't Youk a FA after the year? Yep. Or maybe there's a big option for next year that's not guaranteed with a buyout like Peavy's. If they're going to do that, they might as well go after a real impact player in David Wright, but I don't see what pieces they would have to make that work without crippling the major league roster or giving away our few remaining prospects. It would be tempting for KW with a talent like Wright out there, but JR would have to sign off on it and you'd have to think we'd need some sort of attendance uptick.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 11, 2012 -> 08:20 PM) Hawk said tonight that Morel's back was in much better shape today than it had been recently. Johnson has played more games in his major/minor league career at 3B than Lillibridge. Just sayin'. There are no good options, seemingly.

Greg, I've heard of state budgetary desperation, but the State of Missouri selling specialized "Jayhawks" license plates? That really takes the cake.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ May 11, 2012 -> 08:09 PM) Yeah, that will be never. Well, they have to do SOMETHING about Morel/Escobar. They can't bring up Kuhn or Corey Smith. Lillibridge I guess is the only option, but he hasn't shown much offensively, except for his stolen bases. Someone in Texas royally screwed up. Darvish and CJ Wilson both started and then that game's in danger of being a really long rain delay (in the bottom of the 1st) and both starters scrubbed.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ May 11, 2012 -> 08:07 PM) Fixed Okay, it was hard to tell what happened from the Royals' feed there...Lefebvre was going crazy, surprised he caught it and expecting it to fall in.

Could easily be 5 or 6 to nothing if not for the very good play against Viciedo by Escobar and then Gordon saving two more runs with the leaping grab...plus, he's piled up so many outfield assists and kept baserunners from advancing numerous times. Floyd on cruise control again the last couple of innings. Don't stop now boys. Need to get AJ and Rios going again, as well as the Cubanos.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 11, 2012 -> 07:58 PM) So caulfield, was that Beckham stat about fastballs saying he's hit well against fastballs or hit poorly? 676 against fastballs, about 100 points lower against all other pitches. For Dayan, I'm sure it's the opposite. I don't really think it's a question of Dayan's bat speed, it's the fact that his swing path is so long (like Dunn's or Lillibridge's) that he's just been in between and always a split second behind, like Dunn was seemingly all last season. He's got to go up there sitting dead red...whereas it seems like he's waiting for the offspeed pitches but can't quite dial it up for the fastballs. Great play by Gordon in LF saves 2 runs and keeps it a game.

Bad luck for Adam Dunn there, should have had two RBI's. So much for Dunn's bat speed. If Paulie can pick up the final runs, it would be huge to give Gavin four runs to work with an add another 2 out RBI.

Beckham nearly got called out there and got the benefit of the call. FOXTRAX says the pitch b4 to Gordon was clearly a strike...meanwhile, great improvement from Gordon considering he was at .153 just ten days ago.

Wonder when/if they'll consider moving Dan Johnson back to 3B? Great play by Alcides Escobar there. Dayan really needed to get a hit there for his confidence. DeAza with a current 6 game hitting streak coming into tonight's game. Make that 7 games now. Run, run, run.

Paulino's got a nice arm. Pretty easy 95-97 MPH stuff. He was 1-0 against us last year, the game he won, gave up 3 ER's and had 9 K's, 9 hit surrendered. The other was a ND in September. So we don't have the excuse we haven't seen him b4.

Royals and White Sox will play 15 times after the All-Star Break. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Floyd 1-4 in his last five home decisions against the Royals. Two walks now this inning. Gavin two walks or less in 27/30 starts last season. Sox face former farmhand Humberto Quintero in a critical early situation. Back to the mound, side retired with no damage done. Good sign that maybe things are turning against KC? AJ 7 for his last 40 now. Just one of two active catchers to have caught multiple no-hitters. Miguel Olivo is the other one.

It's pretty ironic after last season that the two players who will be in the most demand (to take their contracts off our hands but not give anything back in return) will be Peavy and Dunn. With Konerko declining (eventually??) and Rios not providing much power and Viciedo's future unclear, I just don't see how you can realistically trade Dunn if they want to maintain a competitive MLB line-up in 2013 and 2014. Francouer a one-year wonder again? Struggling again this season after signing the long-term contract extension. About the only positives for the Royals have been Butler, Moustakas and Broxton emerging as relatively healthy at the back end of the bullpen. Moustakas 3rd in the AL in doubles with 11. Royals taking some good cuts at Gavin this inning.

Turned around a 97 MPH fastball there. 11 homers equals last year's total, already. Leading AL in walks, K's and close to 1st in homers now. Konerko has been on base in 28/31 games he's played this season. Smart not to throw the FB in that situation, got him with the change. Tip your cap.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 11, 2012 -> 07:14 PM) Hosmer hitting .181 with a .605 OPS. Royalstalk.com is b****ing he wasn't traded when his value was high and also can't believe he's not being sent to AAA. Maybe they should hire Walker as his hitting coach on a consulting/retainer basis. One of the Royals' fans here said his BABIP was extremely fluky or unlucky and that the low BA masked the fact he'd been swinging the bat better recently. Of course, this was the same argument we used for not benching Swisher earlier in 2008. Fathom will like this stat, Beckham's OPS against fastballs is around 675, nearly 100 points lower against everything else.

For Greg, Royals 11-7 against the White Sox in 2011. Last time Royals won the season series, interestingly enough, was the 2000 season. 2009, split the series 9-9. Floyd, 3-8 in his career against KC, mid 4's ERA. Last 3 starts. 1.70 ERA, 4 ER in 21 IP. Let's hope this string can continue 2-3 months at least. Because sooner or later, he'll go back to "bad Gavin" where he pitches like Humber did in the second half of 2011.

So Sale and Humber the next two games...probably will be able to get back within 2 1/2 games tonight, considering the way the Indians/Red Sox game has started out for Ubaldo Jimenez. Then again, with Bard back to the rotation and Josh Beckett about to end up in worse shape in Beantown than Hester Prynne in the Scarlet Letter, anything's possible.

QUOTE (knightni @ May 11, 2012 -> 05:56 PM) How many games can you win by scoring 0 runs? I guess by forfeit, lol. Would the score then be 1-0 or 0-0, officially? Like Disco Demolition Night, or there was a situation where the White Sox had to give the other team a victory without being able to play the game?

So Crain will be back Monday, Santiago, Stults or Stewart will be sent down. You can make credible arguments for why all three should go (and be starting in AAA) and why all three should stay.

Buehrle versus Johan Santana, 3-0 Marlins leading in the 3rd. Marlins have had quite a stretch against mostly subpar teams to get right back into the race. Phillies are in last for now and still searching for offense.

Buchholz is 3-1 but with a 9.00 ERA. One of the best pitchers in the American League, really, all of baseball....in 2010, then he started having back and injury problems. Lester, Beckett and Buchholz all struggling mightily. Bard back into their rotation again. CLE losing 2-1 early. Indians with a lof of momentum, Red Sox with none. Beckett Public Enemy #1, theories that he is deliberately trying to get traded...he skipped a start for injury but ended up playing golf on his offday the same week. "Golf Gate." Beckett apparently ripped to shreds after giving up 7 more runs by the Red Sox faithful on the call-in shows and would be on his way out today if not for a contract similar to Peavy's. He didn't apologize at all when given the opportunity to do so and claimed that he had all the right in the world to enjoy the 18 contractual offdays during the season even though he claimed to be too hurt the same week to make a start. Lots of empty seats at Fenway. Between Lackey, Dice-K, Youkilis and Beckett, what a mess this organization is in. Ubaldo Jimenez imploding once again. The Indians' announcers are getting really frustrated with him. That's a dangerous contract for them to have on the books. Plus it cost them White and Pomeranz.