mmmmmbeeer

I think he'll end up between 50 and 55. Hitting in the Cell will be quite a boon for his numbers. I also believe that, by season's end, Big Jim will have more home runs than Pujols. Pujols is certainly on a torrid pace at this point but Jim is only 4 behind him. As the season progresses, NL teams will begin to pitch around Pujols much as they did Barroids a couple years ago...honestly I can't believe that they haven't started pitching around him already. Thome has got mad protection with Paulie and JD behind him in the lineup, teams have no choice but to pitch to him. I'm not implying that Jim is a better hitter than Albert, not even close really, but the big picture leads me to believe Thome's HR numbers will be higher.

The thing that jumps out at me in the last week or so is BA's willingness to go with the pitch. He's gone opposite field for a few of those hits, including that nice 2 strike dinger then other day.

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ May 12, 2006 -> 02:46 PM) Bottom line...they have a computer looking at a bunch phone numbers....I can care less. If that computer can develop a pattern and help them catch someone, I'm all for it. There are people out there that want to blow up another building. There are people that want me you and everyone else that doesn't praise Allah dead. Intelligence is necessary, not really on this message board, but definitely for the powers that be when runnig this country. Just cause the media uses words like survellience and spying and eavesdropping doesn't mean the nsa is outside your window with binoculars. A gazillion phone numbers in a database, which probably 95% never even get looked at by human eyes, is hardly infringing on your civil liberties. Here ya go 630-362-6971. I believe that they are actually screening, electronically, the contents of each conversation, not just looking for patterns of phone numbers.

QUOTE(Brian @ May 12, 2006 -> 08:29 PM) Also 5 BB's in 5 innings. But impressive none the less. With the Sox game blacked out on Extra Innings I decided to watch this game just to see him pitch. The walks could be a concern but it was his first MLB start against a pretty good offensive team in a hitters park; I'm sure the nerves were runnin' a bit. The thing that most impressed me about the kid was the horrible swings those batters were taking. Pitches WELL out of the zone and they're flailing at them. He's obviously deceiving hitters very well with his pitch selection and delivery. I've got my waiver claim in on him already in my money league.

This Hamels rook from Philly is looking REALLY sharp in his first ML start, outside of some walks. Had a no-no going through 4 2/3. 7Ks, 5BBs, 1H, 0R through 5. This kid dominated in the minors...just a lil heads up to you fantasy players.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ May 12, 2006 -> 12:05 PM) There are some many things wrong with Torri Hunter coming to the Sox. 1.He plays for the Twins. There is strike #1, and why everything else is moot, but I'll go on just for the sake of being bored in class. If we were to nab Hunter, it would be at the cost of getting rid of whats left of a semi weak system as it is(I would think Fields and another pitcher would be involved, maybe just to start the deal out) Im not sure I want those players coming back to haunt me in 09. 2. Torri is very overrated with the strick. While he will outproduce Anderson at the plate, I really dont think there is that big of a drop off when it comes to D. Torii has a few steps on Anderson, but not enough for it to be a concern. 3. If the Twins keep playing like they are, Torii is going to be on the radar screens of ALOT of teams, and I dont think Kenny needs to get into a bidding war for something he doesnt need. I like Torii Hunter ALOT, and would enjoy seeing him on the Sox, but with the makeup of the team right now, it's just not a fit. I wouldn't even agree that Hunter "has a few steps" on Anderson since Torrii hurt his ankle last season. I don't believe he's stolen a base yet this season, whereas last season he ended up with what, like 20sb? If you jack up an ankle severely, as he did, you'll never be the same. Give me Anderson long term, trade those 'spects for bullpen help. *edit* -- Torrii has 1 sb so far this season, 23 sb last season in 98 games.

I like trades like A-Rows. We've got a guy who's first in the AL in HR, RBI, and OBP (min 100ab) and they've got a guy who will be a fan favorite and leaves it all out on the field. Both teams won. Trades like this make Kenny an intriguing trading partner. As far as getting him back, I loved A-Row when he was with the Sox, and will always consider him a favorite no matter where he's playing, but I want to see BA patrol CF for several years. I think we've got something special in that kid.

A-Row just had one f*** of a catch in the Phils/Mets game. Looked like he maybe broke his nose or some s*** in the process. Unreal grab though, living up to his reputation.

QUOTE(Kid Gleason @ May 11, 2006 -> 12:15 PM) On Mac, Jurko and the harry ones' show yesterday Rex was giving tons or respect to the Sox. He couldn't say enough good things about the Sox. I don't know, man. Maybe it was different being he was talking to Sox fans as opposed to speaking to Angels fans, as he does during the games.

I can't stand this guy when I have to listen to his broadcasts. Hawk may be a homer but atleast he gives credit to the other team where credit is due. Hudler is just a pure jackass who RARELY gives any credit to the opposition, or atleast the Sox being that's the games I'm usually forced to endure his jock-like lingo. IE., last night against Haeger... Angels have been hitting horribly, no doubt about that. So they finally tag Haeger, a rookie knuckleballer making his first ML appearance, and Hudler starts talking about how the "Angels are back" and pimping their clutch hits (nevermind the fact that Haeger gave them all their baserunners via the walks). Huddy, your team isn't "back" nor are they "clutch". They took advantage of a 22 year old kid making his first start who couldn't control his 73mph knuckler and can only hit 84 with his fastball.

i'm not real sure where to look, but if Crede were to hit similarly to his minor league days, what kind of #'s could we expect? Was he nothing but average with a little bit of pop, a power guy with only a decent avg, or was he just an all around dominant offensive player- pop+avg.?

QUOTE(robinventura23 @ May 1, 2006 -> 08:14 PM) I thought the booing of Thome was absolute classless as well. As for comparing him to Maggs, as far I know Thome never ripped the Indians or anything like that. word. it's more similar to someone like paulie or MB leaving the team, coming back and getting booed. Cleveland fans look like jackasses.

One of the things that I REALLY liked about this game is that Big Mack found his groove. Sure he's just a bench guy, but he's a very streaky bench guy. With Dye's calf a little beat up, Mack will be seeing some playing time this week. Couldn't pick a better time for him to hit one of his hot streaks.

THAT'S why you put your motherf***ing closer in the game instead of playing the f***ing matchups!!! Kong Scotty Javy Big Mack Bobby

If mods want to merge this with the pinned AS thread, that's cool. Just curious what y'all think...Ozzie seems to REALLY take pride in sticking up for his players, almost to a fault at times. So come July, am I the only one who thinks Ozzie is going to bring a ridiculous number of white sox players with him, drawing MAJOR criticism from the media? Just knowing the way Ozzie seems to feed off of controversey, I think this is very possible.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Apr 28, 2006 -> 10:05 PM) I REALLY think he cracked a few ribs there. My work is carrying this feed and they showed JD during the break walking around the dugout. He's fine.

I love this poll on the front page of their MLB page... Who will have the best season? Roger Clemens Randy Johnson Greg Maddux Pedro Martinez Mike Mussina Curt Schilling what a pointless poll.

The guys who thought to market typical college/military videotape collections as "Girls Gone Wild" are f***ing geniuses.

QUOTE(My Dixie Normus @ Apr 20, 2006 -> 09:12 PM) Well I guess it will take a 4-0 sweep with great pitching and clutch hitting in the WS for the Sox to make the cover of SI. Oh, wait, that won't do it either.

QUOTE(whitesoxin' @ Apr 16, 2006 -> 01:06 PM) I really like reading things like this because we can all relate to this. I have one friend who's hair is just out of control and we always tell him to get a haircut. Pretty cool story. what're the chances?

Watching him last season you could tell that he had the potential to be a great hitter. Beside the fact that he went on a similar tear for a short time after being called up, his approach at the plate screams "smart hitter". The guy consistently went opposite field with the pitch last season. As a rookie, that's REALLY impressive to me. Hell, compare that approach to what Brian Anderson, one of our top performing prospects in the minors, is doing in the majors. I think Shelton will obviously cool off considerably this season but, with his approach at the plate and raw power, I don't think it's out of the question to see him as a 30-35 hr threat with a .285-.305 avg in the near future.

QUOTE(fathom @ Apr 14, 2006 -> 09:33 PM) Sign #50 that this isn't 2005 anymore.....Cotts has allowed more homers this year than he did all of last year. It's happening all around the league. There must be "something" in the air because even mediocre teams have quickly become offensive juggernauts.

This may have already been mentioned, haven't read the entire thread, but is this game blacked out for everyone on Extra Innings? What station is the game on in Chicago, WCIU?

So with all the steroid talk going around and people discussing how home run numbers will now drop back to the mean, we see 46HRs in a single day...in April no less. I heard an announcer the other day (can't remember if it was hawk and dj) mentioned how they are using harder baseballs this season. Is this MLB's way of making up for the loss of steroids? This is bad news for Sox considering we base our team around pitching in an all ready friendly hitters' park.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Apr 13, 2006 -> 06:17 PM) Third question: Why have an automatic out at the top of the lineup? There's plenty of room for him at the bottom of the lineup with Anderson. They're already batting next to each other. -- I call that inning the beer frame. It only lasts about the time it takes to make a run to get a beer, and by the time you're back to your seat, the inning's over and you didn't miss anything exciting. Those two back to back in the order is not pretty.