caulfield12

Yesterday, Hawk and Stone were really questioning John Russell for not using McLouth (their best player) or LaRoche off the bench as lefty PH's. And, despite Jack Wilson's one HR per season...he got a fastball in the wrong location from Bobby. Now if the Pirates would have lost the game, a lot of people would question your best young player not appearing against Jenks, with a seemingly favorable match-up as a LHH against a RHP. Knowing Ozzie Guillen, do we really think at this point he's deliberately losing games or not trying to put out the line-up that he thinks gives the White Sox the best opportunity to win? Why would any manager do that? How would it possibly be advantageous to do so? When he saw Wise was struggling at leadoff, he removed him after 2 games. Isn't it possible he feels Pods is the better choice? Also, if Kenny Williams was concerned that Pods would take playing time away from Brian Anderson's development, why would he have acquired him...as he would have assumed, like everyone else, that Pods would be platooning with Brian. Do we really believe KW, Guillen and Cora detest Brian Anderson so much that they'd deliberately sacrifice games (and BA's offensively development) to prove a point? KW was the one last year who said BA would hit 25 homers with a .260-.280 batting average if he played everyday. Why would he acquire another player that might block that from happening...just to please Ozzie? That doesn't sound like KW.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 25, 2009 -> 02:04 AM) I'd like to see KC sweep Detroit. With Sidney Ponson pitching? So much for that thought. The division is clearly Detroit's to win now.

Two points. Ozzie as Mt. Vesuvius really doesn't have anything to do with his relationships with the players...it's an image that has been fostered by the media, part of it is artifice to actually take attention away from the players or a slump, part of it's Ozzie being Ozzie. The relationship with Orlando Cabrera seemingly was mended over the offseason, Vazquez never really had any problems with Ozzie (that we know of) until he called him out before the playoffs, and that was probably just a psychological motivational tactic because everything they'd tried to get the best out of Javier (good cop/soft gloves) hadn't worked, so they went with a little tough love. Cooper was probably harder in private on Javy than Ozzie ever was. There's Nick Swisher...and maybe someone will go back to Frank Thomas, but that was more on KW than the manager. In fact, if you ask all those pitchers on our team (and former pitchers like Garland, Loaiza or Garcia) who the best manager they ever dealt with in terms of giving a lot of rope to the starters was, most would undoubtedly say Ozzie Guillen. As far as this idea of ravaging and pillaging the farm system, there's no example of a player who came up through our system who has become a star somewhere else. If anything, Peavy should be encouraged that the GM is willing (unlike the Angels, for example) to deal prospects for results in the short-term. Frank Francisco is the only prospect (and he was only with us for a year after the Howry trade to the Red Sox) we've had in our system that has been a big success somewhere else, and he's gone through his own set of problems (injuries, chair throwing). If anything, you would wonder how the White Sox are only 5 games under .500 or how they're doing it with smoke and mirrors...they overachieved last year and are returning to "mean" a little bit this year. The White Sox have always been pretty good at developing players...that have major league careers...but we haven't done a good job in producing All-Star or superstar caliber players. I read somewhere where we were something like #10 or #12 in terms of major leaguers that had been developed in any given farm system (from studying all the Opening Day rosters). Maybe this was 2-3 years ago, and the ranking might have slipped to the middle of the pack now, but the ship is being righted.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ May 24, 2009 -> 03:38 PM) Jesus Christ dude, just stop talking already. Not even close to a key plot point, dude. They try to do that in every single Terminator movie...either melting or freezing, doesn't work.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ May 24, 2009 -> 03:34 PM) Even your analogies are strange. Apparently you didn't have time to see the new Terminator movie. What's not strange is losing the game in this fashion. Very normal, to the point where there's no real anger left.

QUOTE (BearSox @ May 24, 2009 -> 03:33 PM) Well, we went back to reality. Now, we are on the west coast vs. good pitching. That usually equals a lot of L's. It wouldn't be a surprised if Greinke ends up with more individual victories against us this year than we have in the entire season against the Royals. He's going to get at least 4 or 5.

QUOTE (Wanne @ May 24, 2009 -> 03:30 PM) Worst loss of the year.... At least I can say that I was at the worst loss in White Sox history. Not even that upset after Thursday or today...all the illusions of having a really good team in 2009 are pretty much gone by now.

QUOTE (Brian @ May 24, 2009 -> 03:28 PM) Huh? Bobby got two quick outs. How could you see that coming? Because when he gives up the tying run, he almost always gives up another run and the loss. It's the same as when he's in the game with a 4-5 run lead. It's going to be tough for this team to ever get back to .500 unless it happens June 1st though the 11th. We're likely to go 3-4 or 2-5 on this roadtrip. This team just doesn't have it this year...they have no identity.

Fields has the range of a fireplug that has been sprayed by dry ice jets for 24 hours. Jesus. You could just see it coming...one of those games where Jenks completely implodes. And then we have to face Santana, Saunders and Weaver...of course, and the Tigers lost, so we had a chance to actually get within hailing distance of .500

Bad break that throw didn't bounce into the stands for Brian.

It would be better just to stick Nix and Betemit over at 3B and get something out of that combination. Atta boy Alexei, way to stay in front of that ball. Ramirez created the double play by hustling on that ball that Josh muffed, too.

Because obviously Don Cooper could make him into a Cy Young award winner...

QUOTE (BamaDoc @ May 24, 2009 -> 11:33 AM) That would mean he is fat? And that he stole Uribe's/Jenks' blonde goatee dye? Betemit, as fathom has pointed out over and over again, would be fine against RHP. He has an OPS line of around 800 in that situation. Just don't play him as a RH bat against lefties, which Ozzie has seemingly done more often than the reverse this season. I will say this...I think Juan Uribe might have been the favorite person on the team (along with Crede, too) that we jettisoned. Buehrle even offered $1 million to JR/KW to keep him on the team, he's that loved in the clubhouse. Betemit, so far, hasn't been a good fit at all for this team. Would love to have a healthy Pablo Ozuna from 04/05 back, but that train left the station a long time ago. A Craig Grebeck/Paco Martin type of player.

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ May 24, 2009 -> 11:26 AM) Cain would be an awesome pick up. Unfortanatley we don't match up with them as far as needs go. I'm sure KW will look into this. . . Renteria, Ishikawa and E. Burris are the statistical weak points of that offense. Ironically, 3B/SS/2B is our situation of most depth, most uncertainty and most "flux" as well. Even if we chose to trade him, Getz isn't going to be the centerpiece of any kind of trade to get a Matt Cain. And we're not going to trade Beckham or Alexei. If I were the Giants, I would rather wait on Ishikawa than hoping Josh Fields could come through, although one of those "change of scenery" trades and going to the NL might actually help Josh Fields (or Brian Anderson eventually).

QUOTE (beck72 @ May 24, 2009 -> 09:52 AM) I certainly wouldn't want to give up much for DeRosa. But if the price was doable, why not. I'm just having a hard time seeing who'd be at 3b for the rest of 2009, who could help fix the sox problems with avg. and OBP besides Beckham--who IIRC, hadn't played 3b before recently. As much as I like Gordon, playing 3b would be tough for him let alone trying to adjust to major league pitching. The only choice we realistically have is a Nix/Betemit platoon. There's really no other option, except for moving Getz from 2B to 3B (he could play there, and has experience) and putting Beckham at 2B or moving Ramirez off that position and leaving Beckham at SS. I agree that Beckham playing 3rd in the majors is much less desired than him staying at SS or playing 2B. Beckham has a better arm to play 3rd, but if you had to choose, I guess you'd rather take a chance for this season moving Getz there than trying Gordon at a completely foreign position to him. Plus, Gordo played quite a bit of 2B in spring training, specifically, with Alexei.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 24, 2009 -> 11:12 AM) Francouer is exactly the kind of hitter the White Sox are trying to avoid. Low OBP now his power is starting to wane. I read something Friday where he may be released if he doesn't pick it up soon. He's been that bad. Who are they going to play in the OF with Francouer and Schafer struggling so badly? Blanco? I wonder how much they are rethinking letting Josh Anderson go for nothing. He's been a very valuable part-time player for the Tigers. Picking up Anderson and Edwin Jackson for almost nothing, two of the better moves any GM made in the last six months in our division. Probably Mike Jacobs in KC would rank up there too, even though his OBP will always be low. They hadn't had a reliable threat at 1B since Mike Sweeney was healthy, and he was about as good at that position as Frank Thomas over there.

QUOTE (That funky motion @ May 24, 2009 -> 11:06 AM) How about for Matt Cain What offensive talent do we have to give up? Sure we could give them Fields or Nix, Pods, Wise, Betemit, etc., but none of those guys are going to comprise the kind of package that would get SF excited. Do they feel they're a JD or Konerko away from competing? Maybe, but then losing Cain would negate anything they gained offensively. Does SF realistically feel it can compete with the Dodgers this year? I don't think so. To make it work, you'd have to be willing to trade anyone/everyone in your minor league system practically besides Beckham and Danks...would rather have Cain (than Peavy), but he will be a more expensive acquisition in terms of talent because it's not as much of a salary dump as the Peavy deal. A more realistic trade would be to see what they would have to give up financially to get Zito out of there...and who would be willing to take him. This would be a lot like Thome/Rowand deal with the Phillies, maybe less talent would have to go in trade than Rowand, depending on the money SF was willing to subsidize.

Definitely don't mind Dye and Konerko hanging around for one more year. Would like to see Dye at $8-10 million instead of $12+ in this economy though. The ideal situation would be where Dye splits playing time in RF with a LH hitter (who that is, I have no idea, the closest we have in our system is probably Kroeger), spend about 30-40% of his time DHing, with Konerko and Brandon Allen getting the other AB's at DH. Konerko and Allen would also share 1B. Seems that Thome won't be appreciated around here until he's gone and we have to replace him. Using Flowers as a DH in 2010 isn't logical if you want him to continue improving as a catcher, and we're not sure whether Viciedo will end up at 3B, LF, RF, DH or 1B. Until his bat is ready, he needs to play a field position though, preferably 3B. It wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to start playing him at 1B occasionally...and maybe even in LF, although with Danks/Shelby/Gartrell/Cook, OF time is going to be pretty limited at BIRM. Then again, with all the money invested in him, if they REALLY wanted to try him in the OF, he would have to take precedence over any of those outfielders getting playing time...and, of course, he's not going to threaten Danks in CF, so Jordan will also get all the at-bats in the world leading off for that line-up we have down there.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ May 23, 2009 -> 05:31 PM) 5 baserunning blunders in 4 games for Podsednik, can he make it 6 in 5 or even 7 in 5? We'll see. Looks like they missed the hit and run sign last night, I think it was Nix. Pods got off to a terrible jump and was looking bat at the plate way too much for it to have been a straight steal.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ May 23, 2009 -> 12:27 PM) First off, you're underrating the hell out of the C position by comparing that position to RF, 2B, and so on. The catcher is the only offensive position on an AL field that determines what pitch is going to be thrown and where. The catcher's #1 responsibility is the pitcher, not offense. Remember back in 2005 when we first got AJ after having all those minor league scrubs back there for years? Remember how many f***ing times Jon Garland especially, but others, would shake off AJ and then give up a HR to Kevin Mench or something? Remember what it felt like to get a veteran back there who actually knew what the f*** he was doing? It was wonderful! And you can credit Ozzie and Coop a whole lot for that '05 pitching staff, but I guarantee Jose Contreras and Jon Garland don't "figure it out" and Brandon McCarthy doesn't throw the ball with confidence in a playoff race with f***ing Josh Paul behind the plate. I couldn't give two s***s how many HR my catcher hits as long as he's got the starting staff on the right track, and as long as his pitchers feel more confident with him behind the plate. AJ has his shortcomings as far as baserunners go, but aside from that, he's been pretty damn good and the hole he leaves when his contract is up will not be an offensive one. Kelly Shoppach is awesome. He was the throw-in in the Marte-Crisp deal because he was seen as more of a defensive guy. Shows you how much respect those guys get... I'd love to have him, but that is not happening. The 2006 Tigers and 2007 Indians' staffs did very well for themselves without catchers who were known for their game-calling. Yes, AJ is overlooked and ridiculed for some of the things he's not very good at (like throwing out runners, although this is 60-70% on Cooper and the pitchers), but there's also a lot of help to be had from the bench in terms of pitch calling. Whether Flowers will have the knack for that, it's hard to say. It's also hard to quantify the offensive damage he will do and how that also will give confidence to a pitcher, instead of having an offense like ours that causes our starters to go out feeling they have to pitch shutouts every time. Going along with your Kelly Shoppach line, wouldn't you rather have him than Ryan Garko? Garko's clearly a better hitter, but isn't Shoppach much more valuable on the trade market? I know you'll tell me Brandon is more athletic and left-handed and that's why he's MUCH more of a player than Garko, but that guy isn't chopped liver as a hitter, certainly not against the White Sox. If we're projecting Brandon Allen to hit 30-35 homers or 15-18 homers at the major league level, it makes a huge difference. Obviously he hit like 29 home runs last year, you just have to wonder if he'll do it on a consistent basis. And no, I don't think we can pencil in Flowers for 25-35 homers just because Hawk says he has as much power as any hitters in the majors today. Obviously there's a lot more to it than batting practice, Joe Borchard proved that much.

QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ May 23, 2009 -> 11:54 AM) No, not at all. An average or worse defensive C who will K 150+ times per season is not exactly my cup of tea, no matter if he gets on base a lot and hits home runs. I'd much rather get an above average defensive C who can handle a pitching staff, especially a young one, and can hit above .250 while doing some fundamental things with the bat. They're cheaper and IMO more beneficial to the team. Why is AJ a huge hole? That's not a hole at all once AJ leaves. Just go out and trade for another Gerald Laird, like the Tigers did. The only reason C was a hole before we got AJ is because we kept on trying to develop minor leaguers like Josh Paul, Mark Johnson, Ben Davis, etc. while sticking Sandy Alomar out there. We didn't look to acquire someone who could do the job. Give me the veteran who knows how to deal with a young pitcher, not some minor leaguer who has only been catching for like 3 years at the time. You'll never, ever, ever hear me b**** about offense from SS or C as long as who we have there is playing and leading on the field. While Brandon is by all means a better hitter and more athletic than Tyler Flowers, Tyler Flowers is better because he's a weak defensive catcher. That makes no sense. Allen > Flowers. Both will make the bigs because of their bats and Allen has the better bat. Also, Paul Konerko was a C. Usually guys that can hit like that are hard to find because they get moved to other spots that are meant to keep them healthy and extend their playing careers, while (usually) upgrading defensively. The Sox way of doing things in recent history seems to be that they want young hitters at the catching spot, and I don't agree with that at all. I'd rather have Donny Lucy or Cole Armstrong out there hitting a buck ten than have some home run hitter who the pitchers don't have confidence in. Hopefully Flowers becomes at least adequate, but to say he's better than Allen because he's been converted to a C is pretty shortsighted IMO. Matt Wieters isn't the best prospect in baseball because he's a catcher. He's the best prospect in baseball because he's Matt Wieters, a rare combination of awesomeness in multiple areas. A little paragraph on him: Scouting report: Wieters does everything well but run. He has tremendous plate discipline and bat speed and the ability to hit for average and power from both sides of the plate. He's remarkably agile behind the plate -- especially considering his size -- with good hands and an above-average arm. He has performed well handling pitchers and calling games with a quiet leadership that is a big plus. He's an outstanding defensive player at a key defensive position with the mentality of a leader, and he also happens to be a switch hitter who can hit for average and power from both sides of the plate. Imagine Victor Martinez, but a lot better. He could play any position in baseball and as long as he had the above description he'd be topping prospect lists. Being a C is a very valuable thing, but only if you're good at it. What does it matter if Flowers can't stick at C? Trade him or move him to 1B/DH then and get a REAL catcher. It's not like the future of the Sox is dependent upon whether or not Tyler Flowers can play defense. He has a bat and that is his value at this point, not his defensive position, because he isn't at the point yet where you'd consider that a strength. He's a 1B/DH trying to learn a new position at this point. The "C" next to his name is not going to make a GM skeptical of him as a 1B long-term trade for him. The idea is he is a hitter, and if he can successfully to convert to a good defensive catcher than that is gravy. And I don't know what will happen with Viciedo or Flowers, but as long as Allen keeps making the contact he's been making, and as long as he keeps showing the eye he's been showing, then he doesn't NEED any back up plan. This kid is a legit middle of the order hitter. As long as Flowers is better than Mike Piazza or Victor Martinez, that kind of offensive output from catcher gives you a huge advantage over many teams that have defense-first catchers. That was one of our huge pluses last year, getting a lot of power up the middle from Alexei Ramirez. Nobody has a 2B like that in the AL Central. Not to mention that this factor is heightened by the park factor of USCF. You can get away with lower than average performance offensively if you have Gold Glove caliber type outfielders, for example, Franklyn Gutierrez and Endy Chavez. Even then, you're seeing Seattle struggle because they don't have enough offense, and Beltre was expected to be a 25 HR, 90 RBI type performer this year. The problem with that theory is when you're not getting much from 3B (speaking of positions with 150+ strikeouts with no power projected), which is expected to be a position that contributes quite a bit (although this is decreasing on a yearly basis, it's hard to name more than 5-7 really good players at this position after the likes of A-Rod and Wright), it puts additional pressure on SS, 2B, CF, C, etc. If you look around our division, Redmond, Shoppach and Buck/Olivo all have started for stretches of their career and could be "full-time" players. The White Sox have an obvious weakness in this area. And going out to find a catcher via trade or the FA market...a catcher that will give you 25-35 homers, is going to be prohibitively expensive.

Mauer's going to make a ton of money, and the assumption is the Yankees make a run at him...any team signing him should let him remain at catcher. His bat is far too valuable. You have to put him at 3B (like Bench), 1B or DH (alternating).

“I was humbled by the Chicago White Sox and their interest in me,” said Peavy, who refuted a teammate's speculation that he had reservations about White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. “It's certainly not an easy thing to do, especially when an organization has as much pride and commitment to winning as the Chicago White Sox. We told 'em we're not closing the door to anything.” Asked if he might tell the Padres that he's not willing to be traded, Peavy said he'd rather keep his options open. “I want to do what's right and fair for everybody's best interest,” he said. San Diego Union Tribune He's just simply going to wait until July 31st when one of those larger marker teams in the playoff hunt in the NL can guarantee his $22 million. Simple as that. No matter what the PR and spin doctors from both sides add to the conversation.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 23, 2009 -> 10:27 AM) I would say so. His defense is really really raw. He can't just switch to OF in the majors, he will have to learn that in the minors. His O is still very raw, too. Bad K/BB ratio, limited power right now even though the potential is great. Let's not forget Alexei was 26 last year IIRC and Dayan is 20. Huge difference in development. If he makes it to the majors at 23, I would say that is very solid, especially since we control him for awhile. Well, in that case, I think Beckham would struggle anywhere from quite a bit to a lot on the defensive side of things if he played SS. He's only 2 behind Viciedo with 7 errors already. 2B would probably be THE best position for him, although it seems the organization/KW/Buddy Bell will try him at 3B before they give up on Getz...or even start thinking of him (Getz) as merely a utility player, which is what was the projection by quite a few scouts when he was drafted. There's definitely a lot more patience with Getz. You get the feeling that the move to 3B the other night was the dawning realization that Fields can't hit or field the position, Betemit definitely can't field it or hit lefties and Nix might not be able to hit enough or consistently. From Ozzie's comments in the post-game, he seems to be confident enough in Alexei to say he will be the starting SS going forward and that the opening would be more likely at 2B or 3B for the immediate future.

We can say that Viciedo obviously needs two more years based on his first seven weeks ever playing in the US? Well, we also could have said Alexei Ramirez needs to go to the minors twice...and we probably would have been wrong twice.