caulfield12

Got 2 extra MPH on that fastball. Blew Figgins away.

Shades of the Ben Davis bunt back when he was playing for the Padres. Poor Curt Schilling, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Can't fault the Japanese players for bunting, that's what they have been trained to do their entire careers over there.

18 up, 18 down. C'mon Alejandro Pena DeAza, let's manufacture a run this inning, please. Good point Sims, Humber hasn't even had to go to a single full-count.

Viciedo now down all the way to .186 and should sit tmrw for Fukudome. Beckham parked at .184. White Sox doing their usual mid-game thing of sitting on a lead and not adding more. 56 vs. 101 pitches for almost the same exact number of outs.

QUOTE (JoshPR @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 03:25 PM) Guys who are the Spanish announcers for the sox? Hector I'm Not Nestor Molina and Billy Russo, WNUA. http://chicagoradioandmedia.com/news/2377-...5-espn-deportes

Off the bat, thought Montero tagged that one. 15 up, 15 down. Like a pitching machine today, on cruise control so far.

Most boring FOX in-game manager interview ever, lol. Ackley hit that ball really well...Rios almost under-ran it and had to jump up a bit at the last moment. PHIL HUMBER simply dominant so far this game. Let's score some more runs, don't stop now boys!

Just missed it again. Dunn getting some good contact on most of his swings, though. 6 for 12 with RISP, 1 HR, 10 RBI's. Dunn, AJ and Paulie at least are doing their share with runners on base. As Karros said, it feels like the score should be 15-0. One of those trap games, where the M's could get back in it quickly with a crooked number.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 02:55 PM) Damn, rocket right at them. Numbers with bases loaded this year are shocking. Or not shocking, based on the hangover from 2011. We can make a legit argument for being 10-4 or even 11-3 after today. Of course, we probably didn't deserve to win the Rangers game that Rios homered and one of those Tigers games. Beckham's really doing a better job in getting on base this year than in 2011, despite the lower BA.

Humber down to a 1.08 ERA, 4 k's already in three innings, looking like the 1st half 2011 version. Too bad we can't play the M's every series. Used to be a nightmare to go on those West Coast trips. Now the only thing to fear a bit is the Angels...would have been nice to face them this trip when they were scuffling a bit, as eventually that line-up will break out.

LOL at Jaime Navarro as M's bullpen coach. Seemed like it should be even more damage...but Seager makes that catch on the Morel liner and the inning's already over, so we'll take. Once again, except for DeAza and Viciedo, great at-bats for most Sox hitters today...ab after ab. Making Beavan work hard.

Dammit, just a bit too much too much top hand or that ball gets out and it's 4-0. Let's go Alex, ooops AJ. Once again, don't get behind in the count to Paulie and dare to throw a fastball. Pierzynski pulls an RBI single through the hole between 1st and 2nd. AJ at .375 with 14 RBI's, Paulie .365 with 11 RBI's. 2nd walk of season for Beavan. 17 MLB starts, 16 walks.

Liked the swing there from Dunn, got it off the end of the bat a bit. Despite 2011, Dunn still 2nd in the majors in homers to Pujols since 2008...Albert, Dunn, Ortiz, Tex, exclusive company.

Morel and Beckham turning on those balls, .136 and .189 respectively, now.

Humber K's the side with ease. Hard to say if he's pitching that well or the M's just don't have many offensive threats, let's go with the former. AJ was talking trash with Eric Karros, forgot it was the FOX Game and not M's broadcast...and why would FOX pick Twins/Royals next weekend as their 3rd game? Well, I guess it will get about as many regional viewers as this one. 17 of 39 White Sox managers have been former players. Beckham now 6 for his last 30. Ventura on Sox job, "It was a challenge and an opportunity...he's always telling his daughters to take advantage of those, so he felt he had to live by that philosophy." Hate the idea of the dangerous DeAza bunting to put the runner on 2nd for MOREL. Not until Brent starts hitting better.

Mariners last night with RISP, 1 for 13 with 7 K's. Viciedo now out in front of everything, cueing balls to the right side. Totally out of sync offensively and under .200 for the first time this season. Only positive is that he's not K'ing time after time. Rios at .308. Konerko .353.

2 more homers to go for 400. 2-0 count fastball, forgehhhtttaboutit. Ties Dale Murphy for 50th place, Big Cat Galarraga and Al Kaline are next at 399.

Didn't realize Ichiro had 2,445 hits already with the M's. Considering he started playing there at age 29 or 30, that's amazing. He legitimately could have had 4,250-4,500 had he played his entire career in the US.

Well, at least Morel pulled the ball, lol. White Sox on 17-3 run against Seattle. Hitting .344 with RISP, versus .197 for the M's. Outhomering 33-14. Sox have only won 2 of Humber's last 12 starts. That's not so good.

Has Rios even BUNTED since his rookie or second season? Ventura seems to prefer having the capability of a hitter with this ability. Not a Ramirez strength, either. AJ's pretty good in this category but you can't put a hitter 2nd in the AL in OPS there when he's hitting the ball with such authority, not when Dunn's starting to walk so much and Paulie still needs protection behind him. AJ talking loads of smack about the White Sox being back and how they have so much more confidence this year with Ventura managing them...they gave him a mike for the FOX pre-game show. Blowers and Dave Sims were trying hard not to laugh. Sounded like one of his wrestling things.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Apr 21, 2012 -> 01:22 PM) Jenks and Santos both had more overpowering fastballs than Santiago though, so perhaps AJ should adjust. Which Jenks? 2005-2008, sure. His last couple of seasons with the Sox, not so much. All three of those guys have/had pretty straight fastballs, although I'll agree that Santos and Jenks were probably more explosive and had a BIT more movement.

With Dunn, Rios and AJ hitting beyond what anyone ever expected, Konerko maintaining, DeAza with a lower OBP but continuing to mash...Manto has to get SOME of the credit for that as well. And you can always fall back on the argument that Morel and Beckham weren't that good, although you're going to get a lot of arguments about Beckham or Viciedo and their talent ceilings. We'll see how sustainable it is. Usually whenever there's a change in coaches or managers like that, you'll see a brief upswing...but will it be a lasting one?

Napoli with six homers in 5 games. And he hits 8th. Unreal. Verlander tonight versus the Rangers sets up as the "can't miss" game of the early season, as right now the Rangers sure look like the best team in baseball, and it's not really even that close.

Haha, I knew you would defend Santiago and Rios, siempre! Well, yeah, Jones isn't close to being a realistic option right now (Crain would be more likely), but it was just a projection based on raw talent and ability, and it's going off only a few appearances in mostly non-pressure situations or mop-up work. I still think it should have been Reed from Day 1, but I'm not complaining about Santiago. I'm just glad it wasn't Thornton. That closing experience really shook Matt and he didn't fully recover until the second half of the season. He's super-expensive for a non-contending team to carry on the roster, but, the more one thinks about it, you can cover up his salary if you build a youthful/inexpensive pen all around him. We've already shed Frasor, we might be able to get something decent back for Crain, we can save money on Ohman in 2013 using another minor leaguer...my feeling was always that we should auction Thornton off to the highest bidder, but if Reed and Jones can both be legit, there's the possibility of competing both this year and next, that changes the calculus of decision-making around a bit. It all just depends on where we are in relationship to the 2 wild card spots in June/July and how desperately other teams are willing to shed good prospects for Crain/Thornton.

One game does not a season make. A week ago, Dayan Viciedo looked fine and Rios/Dunn were basically garbage. It's early, although there have been encouraging signs with both Alex and Adam. When you're striking out over 50% of the time at home, the fans, who are paying Top 5 prices in all of baseball, have a right to boo. But they would rather cheer, obviously. To call someone an "idiot" for booing is a bit much, the reverse of someone who's a bit more cynical or jaded making fun of those who always cheer no matter what for being too idealistic or naive. White Sox fans, the large minority, don't enjoy coming to the stadium to boo their team. That's probably why many of them are staying home with their families instead, when it's no longer fun or enjoyable to take their family to the game. But sports fans LOVE a great comeback story, and rehabilitating both Dunn and Rios in the eyes of Sox fans would be a minor miracle, but not an impossible one.