caulfield12

Sidney has already given up 5 runs in 2 IP, although Jason Kubel looked like the worst LF in baseball on a ball from Posada that should have been caught, instead of a 2 run ground-rule double. Abreu hit a 2 run bomb in the 2nd. Of course, with Pavano out there, you can never count the Twins out. And Ponson's short leash leads right to Matt Garza or Slowey in AAA...at least the rotation is not steamrolling anyone, a good sign for the Sox. It will be interesting to see if Ortiz can keep it up, and for how long.

QUOTE(PlunketChris @ Apr 9, 2007 -> 02:17 AM) Atleast this year we won't experience the wrath of Frank Thomas to go with the A's, maybe that gives us a little bit of a chance? I mean... Mike Piazza? He doesn't scare me nearly as much as Big Frank. 4-23 Well, we actually have had decent luck against Harden over the years, as opposed to Santana or Sabathia. I'd settle for one out of 3, although 2/3 would be GREAT.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 11:53 PM) Ichiro's better than decent, mate. But I hear ya. While we're at it, might as well add Quintin Berry to the list as well.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 09:41 PM) I think so, given the right price. And that right price could be something completely ridiculous too knowing Bavasi. Given, they'd have to be way out, and the offer would have to be right. Thus, I would imagine they would look for atleast Gio, and perhaps Gio and Broadway. The only way I'd make either is if I were given the opportunity to extend him, and if I wasn't, there'd be no way in hell it'd be worth it. It would take Gio, Broadway and either Sweeney or Fields. It would make no sense at all, if the White Sox couldn't get him to agree to an extension (like the Garcia deal).

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 02:22 PM) Nice to see the Sox have Floyd on the same schedule as Danks which is very smart, because if you were a betting man you'd say that if the Sox were going to ever need Floyd up as a starter it would be to replace Danks (with them figuring Danks needs more seasoning). I agree on Long. He was really tired last season and it showed and hopefully the full off-season has him fresh because with his stuff there is no reason he shouldn't succeed. Plus I like that the Sox are stretching him out as a starter (even though he projects as a reliever) because it will force him to actually develop some other pitchers which will help him a lot once he shifts over to the pen (where he'd only rely on his two pitches and make little development outside of that). Gavin Floyd pitched very well today. 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K's http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/st...pawaaa_chraaa_1 Josh Fields also got his first hit of the season, in the 10th inning.

to the Tigers. At least it wasn't as dramatic as ARod's. I-Roid hit a 3 run homer off Jorge Soria to get back the lead, 3-2, top of the 9th. Riske is their closer now, and Dotel is out, but Soria had pitched really well in the 7th and 8th.

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 02:00 PM) And Danks has a NO HITTER through 3. You can't jinx a no-hitter until the 5th or 6th, but QUIET!!! Danks is like Buehrle with a much more lively fastball. Not a bad thing to have. KW knows what he's doing.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 01:46 PM) Pitch #1: Failed bunt. Pitch #2: Pop out. Sweet. o for 3 with RISP Those might have been our best chances of the day. You know Danks will give up some runs the way he's gettin behind in the count, and going through the top of the line-up again.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 01:27 PM) Wow, DJ and Hawk we're completely correct on that last AB by Dye. When you watch the best pitch to swing at, you might as well sit down vs Johan. JD Version April 2005? Well, those who weren't willing to give him $45 million for 3 years are being validated so far.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 01:27 PM) It's awesome we're making him work this much. Kazmir is human, induces a popout. 3 IP, 8 K, H (Vernon Wells HR) Nasty. He gone. Admirable run at scoring a run right there. At least we're making him work. We'll see if Anderson, our catcher or Uribe can be as disciplined...I'm not counting on it. 24 pitches.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 01:22 PM) Yeah he doesn't call that side of the plate. 20 pitches per inning will work, unfortunately their pen hasn't been much easier...although anything is pretty much easier than Johan, with the exception of Nathan or Reyes last year.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 01:19 PM) Santana walks Paulie. Too bad we don't have Hall for this game. Although DJ has a good point about the lefties, Mariano Rivera's opponents against the cutter, etc. Thome just struck out, ump didn't call it.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 01:16 PM) Danks can throw a bit harder than that gun was showing but its cold out so the pitchers may not be as lose but it looks like the gun is 2-3 clicks slow, especially based on Santana's velocity thus far. The fastest pitch for both guys is 91 so far.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 01:16 PM) Of course, it was the guy's first inning in the majors..... Pablo looked silly there. Whatever that is, a slider or a really fast changeup, it's his bread and butter pitch....just like Liriano, without the brutal/violent throwing motion.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 01:12 PM) There ya go John. 1-2-3 inning, nice. Harrelson's right, a steady diet of 87-91 MPH fastballs without a dependable curveball will get Danks killed eventually...the big plus is it's cold out, so the hitters might be a little more aggressive than normally and get themselves out. At least he didn't walk Punto. And maybe the gun's a little slow, we'll see if Santana is 91-95 or not.

QUOTE(Capn12 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 11:25 AM) That mean Ellis Burks isn't related to Jamie Burke? Obviously Carlos isn't the Farmer In the Delgado, it's a JOKE.

QUOTE(caulfield12 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 10:15 AM) And it's going to be a pain, because I'm not even sure if the M's make another trip to Cleveland this season. Looks like they're going to try to play 2 tomorrow, from what I see on their website. Not to mention they had a victory taken away from them...they've got to be a little steamed. And they had a chance to sweep us to start the season and let it get away. But how well have they actually played the last two years? They were superhot (but not like the Twins last year, who did it for 4 months) for two months in 2005. Other than that, they've been a .500 or slightly below even or average team. By Pythagorean, they should have won 11 more games the last two years, so the heat is on Wedge. If they don't make the playoffs, they'll bring in a better manager IMO. Which is more bad news for the White Sox and the rest of the division. If they get strong results from the bullpen and Lee/Martinez are healthy, they will be a force. I still think they're more of a collection of talent (Sizemore, Sabathia, Martinez, Hafner) than a real team. And their defense on the infield leaves a lot to be desired, especially C, 3B and SS.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 10:10 AM) I think most of us feel the same way. Ozzie is hellbent on it though. Would you say pitching is the ONLY reason the Twins have beaten us four of the last five seasons? Besides our injury-plagued 2004, which one of those years could you honestly say the Twins had more talent out on the field? Wouldn't it make some sense to bring in their Director of Scouting (with a huge raise) to supplement what we already do well, which is identifying major league players that are undervalued, as well as deciding which of our prospects to trade and which to hold onto (this will be tested by Chris Young)?

And it's going to be a pain, because I'm not even sure if the M's make another trip to Cleveland this season. Looks like they're going to try to play 2 tomorrow, from what I see on their website. Not to mention they had a victory taken away from them...they've got to be a little steamed. And they had a chance to sweep us to start the season and let it get away.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Apr 7, 2007 -> 11:27 PM) From everything I've read of Phillips, he's a reliever or 6th starter in the majors. I think he'll probably make it at some point, but he's just not a great option. The problem with the reliever idea is he doesn't have a great arm, and he's behind Logan, Day, probably Malone and Reynoso (due to experience)...plus you have Sisco and Thornton. He just doesn't fit in this organization, not unlike Tracey. We can sell him to a Japanese team or add him in a second/third tier prospect in a bigger trade.

QUOTE(Capn12 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 09:49 AM) I don't understand all this talk of a new leadoff hitter, we have the second coming in Pods already. I'm willing to give Willits a chance, although the problem is we'll need power from LF and RF, and Sweeney might not be enough. Unless Fields moves to LF or we acquire a FA. Some other names... Drew Stubbs-Reds Quintin Berry-Phillies Andrew McCutchen or Rajai Davis--Pirates Trevor Crowe-Indians (I think he was BA's teammate) Michael Bourn (I really like him a lot, exciting player) Eider Torres-2B Brett Gardner-CF Eric Patterson-2B (Corey's brother?) Jose Campusano (any relation to Sil?) Alejandro De Aza (just liked the name, but he's very fast) Josh Anderson

QUOTE(Craig Grebeck @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 09:16 AM) I'm not concerned about SB or aggressiveness if we still have a 3-4-5 as overpowering as it is right now. The problem is that you need someone to intimidate, get in the pitcher's head...speed and defense are the only things in baseball that never slump, and the Twins proved it again last year (although they have as many sluggers as we do, their complementary players out fundamentalized us to death), for the fourth out of five years. When Pods is on his game, and the White Sox have someone who is willing to sacrifice himself and do the little things to put a run across early (Erstad), it tends to rub off on the entire team and become part of the mindset. To make things happen instead of waiting. In August and September last year, our offense was dead man walking, strictly stationary baseball...sometimes it took four hits in a row with the lumbering middle of the order.

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Apr 8, 2007 -> 07:56 AM) Owens will never be anything more than a 4th OF. The only guy that could possibly be a top of the lineup person in our minor league system is Valido. Denorfia from the Reds is another name, but I think he's a little long in the tooth, although Pods was the same way. I'm not sure either Denorfia or Willits are going to get you enough movement on the basepaths though. A lot of people argued we should get someone like Frank Catalanotto for LF because OBP is more important than merely SB's and pure speed, it's an interesting argument. While we're at it, might as well get Freel. LOL.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Apr 7, 2007 -> 07:54 PM) Heads' boy Eggy 6 Ks through 3. Final line on Broadway with Corwin in.... 5 IP 3 H 3 R/2 ER 4 BB 2 K's

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Apr 7, 2007 -> 07:14 PM) PECOTA will never project a breakout season. It's basically an average of past performance (but using information in peripheral stats). A breakout season is by definition a surprise, a "break" from past performance. The PECOTA projection given there is not meant to represent a breakout season, but the probability-weighted average of possible performances. Saying he's a breakout candidate means those great performances that would represent a breakout have relatively high probability. Suppose Garland had a similar PECOTA projection, for example. (It's actually a little worse, but just suppose.) He still wouldn't be considered a breakout candidate, because true dominance usually requires (for one) a higher strikeout rate. Jon might have a similar average projection, but the range of performances would be a little more closely packed around that average line. Just to emphasize that the PECOTA line and the 'potential breakout' label aren't the same thing. And how awesome it's gonna be when Javy picks up that Cy Young. I'll take 15 wins and an ERA below 4.00 and go from there with the rest of the rotation.