bighurt4life

QUOTE (santo=dorf @ Mar 5, 2009 -> 04:34 PM) I've really grown to hate these "future" threads. It's fun to look back at previous versions and see how far off people can be. KW has always been the guy to trade away the farm for splashy names or guys he's had a hard on for. Here's one from Juggs: http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=30879 All due respect that assessment came from a period of time where we didn't really much talent in our system. When you don't have many players in your system you tend to just get excited about whoever it the best among the guys you do have. Even if they aren't very good. I think that there is a big difference between our farm system in 05 and our system now, that is not to say that all of our guys are going to pan out and turn into superstars, but I think that there's a much better chance at success now because we do have players with legitimate talent.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Mar 4, 2009 -> 03:40 PM) I think Ozzie will make the right choice this year and start Anderson in CF. I think Getz will get the 2B job, and Lillibridge and Betemit will be on the bench. That leaves us with one major problem, who is our leadoff??? Anderson definitely can't do it, and Getz is more of a #2 hitter. That's why I think that Jerry might be our starting CF although I'd rather go with BA in center and take our chances having Lexi or Getz/Nix leadoff.

I'm a nice, good looking guy??? Is this his eharmony description page???

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 03:36 PM) Frankly, and this is a good thing to say, now that we have Flowers, there's really no position we can look at the minor leagues and think "We have no one who can take this spot in the next couple years." They won't all succeed, never do, but that's a nice thing to build from. BPA all around. We are still a bit thin in our SP ranks within the organization. There aren't any really exciting types that we have outside of Poreda and he's probably going to be a reliever unless he somehow learns how to throw offspeed pitches this season. We do have Hudson and Carter who owned in Great Falls last season but that's a long ways away. We really need some electric arms who can move up and take over for Buerhle in a few years.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 03:43 PM) Maybe he is following the same career path as Kenny Powers... dammit dammit dammit!!!!! you beat me to it. that is my absolute new favorite show. even better than flight of the conchords. "I'm just rehabbing my shoulder, trying to get my f*** on!"

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Feb 27, 2009 -> 11:53 PM) Young, exciting, legitimate talent that you can actually get excited about! Feels like 1999 again. Yeah, people that actually have the tools to be big time players. Not just guys who happen to be the best players in our system like Egbert and we have no other option but to try and get excited about guys who have #5 starter as their ceiling.

QUOTE (letsgoarow @ Feb 25, 2009 -> 02:24 PM) THIS.TEAM.IS.DEAD QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Feb 25, 2009 -> 02:39 PM) Barring Richard that was a complete and utter crapfest QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Feb 25, 2009 -> 02:43 PM) lol, hey didn't we have a losing Cactus League record in 2005? Maybe everything is not all doom and gloom afterall. I wouldn't get too worked up about spring training results. When it's football season I'm a Raiders fan and a couple seasons ago we had a new coach, Art Shell. He came in and the team went 4-0 in preseason, everyone on the board was saying playoffs, division title, etc... and I think most people know how that turned out. These games are just practice and we shouldn't be too concerned with the outcomes. They are chances for guys to work on new pitches, mechanics and so on against live professional talent.

QUOTE (scenario @ Feb 24, 2009 -> 10:07 PM) Close... but it was actually 39 and 2nd in MILB. Player - Home Runs 1 D. McPherson 42 2 Carter STO 39 3 Stanton GBO 39 4 Cruz OKL 37 5 Ka'aihue OMA 37 QUOTE (SoxFan101 @ Feb 24, 2009 -> 10:50 PM) Didnt Carter smack 5 in the playoffs though which would indeed give him 44. BAM!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 24, 2009 -> 03:37 PM) How is it you've forgotten the awesome power we received in exchange for Carter? In defense of sircaffey, Carter did hit 44 hr last season which led the minors at all levels, and he does have as good of power potential of probably anyone in the minors. I'm not saying that I'd rather have him over TCQ but he does have a point. Carter also doesn't play a premium position and when he was in our system I seem to recall him having below average defense.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 24, 2009 -> 03:31 PM) That power should be replaced by Fields, Viciedo, Flowers and Allen...not to mention "plus" power up the middle of the diamond with Beckham and Ramirez. Then a couple of nice athletes in Shelby and Danks. If there's any huge long-term concern, it's defensively, and the LH power (which right now is only Allen). However, if the economic troubles continue, it's not difficult to imagine not having to spend very much to acquire it. The days of a Thome-like contract for a DH are long gone now. If everything works out well we will absolutely replace that power AND we will add speed with Beckham, Shelby and Danks. Beckham has above average speed and can probably project to stealing 15-20 a year but if Shelby can find a position and some plate discipline he has a fantastic speed and power combo, as does Danks but he too needs a little plate discipline. However, it seems that what we would be missing is the high OBP that we get from guys like Thome, Konerko, and Dye.

QUOTE (michelangelosmonkey @ Feb 22, 2009 -> 05:53 AM) Add into that mix, after the mess of the Sox minor league organization in the past we are presented with maybe the most interesting six pack of sox prospects at one camp...Flowers, Poreda, Allen, Bekham, Danks and Allen. I like Allen too but I still don't think he's so good that he counts double.

We've already got him in the system, his name is David Cook.

His name is still Merkin. That sucks for him.

Any baseball fan knows that the game is every bit as mental as it is physical. In addition to working out all the time during the season and the travel (not to mention the actual games). These guys are watching film, working on their swing, and in the case of Thome, probably helping the younger guys out with some of the mental aspects of the game, teaching them what to look for with certain pitchers, hitters, teams, etc... There is definitely a mental drain that will take a toll on you after a while and you will get worn down. It's inevitable, I'm sure it doesn't help that he's much older and probably doesn't have the same spring in his step that he had when he was younger.

The Count has always had a rep for being a hard worker so it's no surprise to me that he's taking his rehab seriously and getting into the best shape he can.

I think it would be kinda cool to have MLB teams in Mexico or Cuba but don't think it's very realistic. You're talking about third world countries where dropping $150 to take your family to a game is a tremendous amount of money. I hate the idea of people spending that much money on a luxury instead of using it for necessities. I'm not sure that those places could really support MLB teams but bringing AA or AAA teams to those places would definitely be a possibility and would be a cool way to bring a little bit of MLB to those places.

That projection is garbage. It says that the AL East will basically crush all of the MLB out of existence. I don't buy it. Whe the hell to the Orioles have that make them better than us or the Royals or Blue Jays for that matter. And we only finish 4 games ahead of the Mariners who may field one of the worst teams in recent memory next season? Everyone doubted us last season too and look what happened. I'm not saying that we'll win the division but last place. C'mon, that's a joke, we did win the division last season and we even cut loose some dead weight in Swisher and O-Cab.

The author's name is Merkin. that sucks for him.

QUOTE (Cubano @ Feb 8, 2009 -> 11:33 AM) OK, guys. I certainly understand where are you coming from. Keep in mind that I do not come here every day to bombard you guys with my Cuban crap. I do not want you guys to hate us, but to love us. Ha, ha, ha. I only come every time something may interest you the most. Having said that, I spend lots of time updating my blog. Obviosuly, I am trying to raise the profile and knowledge of Cuban players for the better of them. Maybe, some of you do not relate to this, but I certainly do. The reason I started my blog is because we are treated different than the rest of the world for the bad. I hope to make a small difference, but sometimes I feel I am in a losing battle with the baseball establisment. I have seen improvements though. I have seen article with the correct info on defectors now. In the past, all Cuban players played in the National team. After they bombed, Cubans were bad. I have videos about other Cuban defectors there. If I inform you about Viciedo once, then I do not have to come back here and let you know I have videos about Yadel Marti and Yasser Gomez in my site because you probably see it once you went to see Viciedo. I have met baseball agents, historians, journalists, etc on these forums. I am trying to get their attention. I hope an extra click is not too much burden on some of you guys. You never know who is behind a computer. Maybe KW or one of his surrogates is a member of soxtalk. I appologize for any extra click I may cause in advance. You keep sending us good videos like that and good info and I don't give a damn if we have to go through your blog.

Never hurts to have another able body in camp. He looks like there's some skills there but he hasn't had much of a chance to stick in the bigs.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 3, 2009 -> 02:23 PM) Because he's going to need arm surgery? ha

QUOTE (Cubano @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 01:01 PM) I agree 100%. He has not put his toes in a baseball field in the USA yet against any competition. He has done nothing to deserve this high ranking. +1 Nobody outside of a few select scouts and executives have even seen him in action yet, and all they saw was a workout. We have no idea what he's going to do. All we know is that he tore it up in Cuba and must have some fantastic potential if it cost 10 mil to sign him essentially sight unseen.

The only ratings that caught my eye as far as surprises were the Brandon Allen and Tyler Flowers, i would have expected them to switch places. Also, if these guys are really all about tools then you'd think that Danks would be at least a 4 star with all the tools he has. I'm curious about Marquez, is he really such a non factor that he's not even in our rankings. If so, then damn. We gave up our top 3 prospects for almost nothing in return

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 28, 2009 -> 06:16 PM) Prior to Fields's knee injury he was at best below average at 3rd base. One would not expect 3 weeks to make a huge difference on its own barring some major technical issue he was missing. But it can't hurt. And while he's probably not going to develop in to an all time great, it is entirely possible for people to improve on defense given time, good coaching, practice, and repetition. Joe Crede was no where near the defender in 2001 that he was in say, 2006. Josh Fields certainly had an issue hitting good MLB fastballs when he was up in 2006. But based on raw talent alone, he was able to pound the offspeed stuff enough to put up quality numbers; 23 home runs and 67 RBI on a terrible team in 2/3 of a season. He clearly does need to improve against that pitch, and if he does not he will not last in the league...but that is again a mechanical issue, that may be correctable. I recall reading an article a couple years ago that said when Fields got into the Sox system he was so bad defensively that they thought he was a sure fire DH, that he would never be good enough to stick at any position in the majors. They started working with him and he rapidly improved enough that he can play at least a passable 3rd. He's still young and is a good athlete and has room to improve. Based on how much he's already improved I don't see any reason that he can't play an average 3rd with some hard work on his fundamentals.

I just blew out my acl and mcl and am stuck on the couch, I'll take anything right now. Even a Willie Harris rumor