Cubano

QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 09:02 AM) Give him a few weeks of playing time, he'll be fine. Probably, you are right. I was just creating some noise with this Thread.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 09:03 AM) By the way, don't worry so much about his power numbers, he's playing in a park that is notoriously unfriendly to hitters. Yes, I read that from one of you guys who lives down there. I forgot who is the forumer that lives down there.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 09:46 AM) Bad footwork seems to be a big part of Viciedo's defensive issues from what I've seen. He seems to be hesitant when the ball is hit to him. He stands too upright when he is at third, a third basemen needs to be squating a little bit in preparation. One of the White Sox roving fielding instructors needs to spend some extensive time with him if they really want him to play adequate third base. I think because in Cuba they play you in many different positions, at the beginning of your career you may have some problems in a position. Later, you are OK if you learn and get used to it. In the juniors, Viciedo even pitched and played SS.

3 errors in a few games. If this continues, the Sox may need to implement plan B unless he shows flashes defensively. Beckman has 2 errors. Glad to see Viciedo hitting 300. Hopefully, he will start hitting for more power as he gets comfortable.

Trade him (the Tank) to the Nats! We can find him a position here.

Initially, the Sox may have an advantage. However, once more and more cubans sign with other teams, that advantage will be gone. The Braves have more cubans signed than the Sox counting those in the minors. The Miami Marlins may become the favorite team. Those politicians that went to Cuba are full of s... Have they met with any dissidents? I guess that is not important. The only thing important is to look good and be part of the play, get to meet a famous "ex-president" to get an autograph and bla, bla, bla.

Only the White Sox are blind enough to offer him anything. Nobody wants him.

http://cubanballplayers.blogspot.com/2009/...caped-cuba.html Jamie Torres is representing him too.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Mar 30, 2009 -> 01:34 PM) Thanks for the info, C. I thought it was strange that the Trib had an article about the scouts' take on AChapman the other day. Are there rumors of his pending departure from the island? Last year, Chapman was left out of the Olympics team. The rumor was he was caught in an Holguin's beach with others. Holguin is its home province or state. Many Cuban players wants out.

http://cubanballplayers.blogspot.com/2009/...s-may-have.html Only Jose Julio is a big leaguer now. Suarez has to regain his velocity. Good breaking stuffs. He is still very young.

QUOTE (knightni @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 03:40 PM) 60 32 for Fields, 28 from Ramirez. Floyd may want to throw a few no hit no run. Contreras should be OK. He is a flyball pitcher. Cooper should be instructing his pitchers to throw outside most of the time. ha, ha, ha

How about the ones that never improved?

Suppose Cuban league is about AA. Viciedo was a regular there. It is a fact, many Cuban defectors from this decade have produced at the lower level A, AA and AAA. I am just concerned about sending him to about the same level of baseball he came from. I don't know...

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 05:45 PM) You judged Betemit on 2 plays the first week of spring training, saying he should be sent to minor league camp. You're not the guy to be beating this drum. Viciedo kicked a couple of balls at 3rd base too, the Sox are doing what you suggested they do to the veteran. Remember, you said if he couldn't make the plays in March, he wouldn't be able to during the regular season? So shouldn't you use the same criteria whether the player is Cuban or not? As a non-fan of Josh Fields, I'm certainly not going to sugarcoat his pluses. But as bad as he is defensively(I've seen much worse, but he's definitely not good), and I don't think 2 weekends having Joey Cora hit him grounders means didley, I think he is more advanced at that position defensively than Viciedo. Viciedo will be up soon enough, but he needs at bats and playing time. Sitting on the bench will do him no good. If he's too sensitive he needs a couple of Cubans around him at all times to thrive, or if he thinks at the age of 20 he has it all figured out and there is nothing to learn in the minor leagues, he's not going to be successful anyway. Spending some time in AA and/or AAA is the right move. If he's ready for the major leagues, he will show it. If he's not, he won't be seen until spring training 2010. When Viciedo kicked or butted or ate those two balls, many in here jumped into the conclusion he was terrible or he needed to work on his D. Ozzie was the first one taliking BS after seeing Viciedo play for only two days. Then, I wrote. If we are going to judge Viciedo like that, then lets judge everybody in camp with the same magnifying glass. It happened that Betemit looked terrible short after. I was just picking on him to make my point. It could have been other player too. By the way, there is no garantee Viciedo will rock in AAA or AA. I assume he will do. He may be a bomb too. It was nice to see him playing better defense according to some of you because I did not see it later in ST. It was nice to see him hitting against MLB pitchers with certain degree of authority. I do not think two weeks were enough for him. I would have love seeing him more agaisnt MLB pitchers to see how he fared as he grew more confident in ST. Who knows? Viciedo just came to the WS. Therefore, he has to wait in line until his name is called. I wished he had made the team. That is my personal opinion.

QUOTE (GREEDY @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 05:23 PM) Actually this is one of your better threads Cubano. That side of the infield is going to be VERY raw this season. I remember early in the offseason I rated Alexei as a below average defensive shortstop; and I really got ripped a new one for it. So much so that even I started to believe I was wrong. But so far Alexei hasn't shown me anything that would lead me to believe he will be an above average SS in '09. Sure, he'll make a few plays others wouldn't, but he is really going to rack up the errors. If I hear Hawk refer to Alexei's arm like it is legendary one more time this spring I am going to puke. Sure he had an big time cannon for a second baseman, and even at shortstop it is impressive, but c'mon now Hawk. Also, don't forget that Ozzie is destined to find plenty of starts for Betemit in the infield; that certaintly won't help keep the error total down. Hawk is just displaying the marketing campaing for Lexi. This is not new. That what MLB teams do all the time. When you are the guy, they meaning all those who work in TV, radio, team page, etc go in masses to protrait you as the next big thing. The same thing is happening with Kendry Morales of the Angels now. They are in love with him. Bla, bla, bla.

QUOTE (SoxFan101 @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 02:27 PM) Yeah Im a bit confused, Fields has obviously been better than Viciedo in spring training, your comparing Viciedo to other athletes who one dont play the same position and 2 going to be on the bench. What good would Viciedo do sitting on the bench for the far majority of the season? If we judge Viciedo 231 average as not being ready, then we should do the same with any player in disregard of any position. I understand the reasoning about giving a player (Viciedo) a chance to play everyday in the minors as oppose as sitting in the bench. I preferred him to back up at 3B, RF and DH in the majors 3 times a week as oppose as being in the minors. I am sure I am in the minority with this view.

QUOTE (scenario @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 02:05 PM) Anderson, B, CF Getz, 2B Fields, 3B Betemit 1B Wise, RF Miller, C Lillibridge, SS Owens, LF Danks, P Ozzie's first 2009 "Sunday Lineup" I can dominate this lineup with my 77 MPH fastball and mediocre slider.

QUOTE (flavum @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 01:43 PM) The Sox made 50 errors last year between 3rd and SS. 33 at 3rd. 17 at SS. I'll say they have about the same this year. Good catch! Then, we can rise to the top once more. 3B was horrendus in 2008 with 33 errors! If Fields surpass 33 errors, then close the stadium doors until next season. I think Alexei will make 25 errors or so. I am not counting mental errors.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 01:28 PM) For a 20 year old, though, a fair shot isnt necessarily an even battle with Fields. If they had tied, Fields wouldve gotten it. Viciedo had to dominate to win. Viciedo comes in and has a dynamite spring...Fields falters....then yes the job is his. Fields did not falter. I mean, the tone you use here is appropriate for a situation where a guy totally raked and shouldve won the job. But Viciedo had only a nice spring, Fields had a stellar one with some glove issues. It's just a matter of slotting a 20 year old in one place in the organization, slotting a later twenties guy in another. I have never written Viciedo deserved the shot over Fields based in ST performance. Fields beat Viciedo over half of ST. Based on that and his time with the Sox, he won the job.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 01:58 PM) Everytime you get questioned on a baseball opinion you come up with this "I lived in Cuba.....I love free speech....MLB/upper management/ etc is responsible" stuff. I get it. I know where you are from, I respect what you have gone through, and you probably have seen and experienced things that I will never get close to. But thats not what I am talking about. Im talking about how you have constantly criticized Ozzie and KW as if they have some agenda to keep Viciedo down and not let him advance. There is none of that, this isnt a conspiracy to hold the Cubans down. The Sox were thrilled to death with Alexei last year, and they are going back for more with Viciedo, the only problem is that Viciedo isnt quite ready yet, and Fields has been preparing for this for the last 3 years of his life. There is a reason that Fields was drafted by the Sox, and that was to be their future 3B, and the Sox owe it to themselves to see if Fields can do it, and at the same time they are giving Viciedo constant at bats in the minors to make sure that he plays consistently. It is nothing against Guillen or KW. I have written many times I am gratefull they gave Alexei a fighting chance like no other team did. I have written that many times. Haven't I? Viciedo hit 231 in his first ST. Eidier Torres, Jerry Owens and Bret L. were hitting less than his 231 last time I check a few days back. I am sure there are more players who hit less than Viciedo in ST and will be deemed ready for MLB. I have written the MLB policies make it harder for cubans than any other nationality. You may agree or not. I am quite content with cubans signing with middle of the pack teams such as the White Sox that do not have the resources to compete bit the New Yrok teams and Boston. I like to see cubans signing with the very bad teams to be honest with you. By the way, Bush lied, Obama has lied, Clinton lied, Guillen has lied, KW has lied, CEO's lie about their companies, Castro is a big liar. I can go on and on. I am just sick and tired of people lying or misleading. My thing with Viciedo is the following: the Sox leadership promised a fair shot. In my opinion, they did not give him a fair shot. You may believe they did. I don't. By the way, many of you were rooting for Fields. I have never questioned why. It is your choice. I am a casual White Sox fan. I have never lived nor visited the windy city. There is no secret I root for the Chi Sox because the Contreras, Alexei and Viciedo. I am not attached to any team in the Majors per say. I did not grow up in the USA. It is different for you than for me. The Mariners usually go after japanese players because they are in the west coast and want to capture the japanese market. I am sure many japanese root for the M's. Others west coast teams go after mexican players and even target mexican fans. Well, the White Sox captured me.

QUOTE (DanksFan @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 01:54 PM) Since no one else has said anything yet, I guess I will be the first to say it. wtf? I am not clear wtf means but I imagine is "what the Fuc_". If that the case, I am going to pull a Guillen type comment: "You americans only teach me bad English" Ha, ha, ha. Don't you think this is a real scenario? I hope no, but I am not so sure it won't happen.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 01:31 PM) Great point. Fields is enticing enough this ST that i'm going to forgive a certain amount of errors early on. I never speak in absolute terms. Some will improve, but the majority will not. The probability is against Fields improving his defense at 3B. That is his history that many of you have written many times. We shall wait and see.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 01:24 PM) You are far too biased to be commenting on this. Oh, common kyyle23. There is no secret I root for cuban players. I was born there. You guys have a 1000 players and there are a handfull of cubans in the USA (majors and minors). That does not mean I do not like other players. I have always admired Thome and Griffey since their days in Cleveland and Seattle when I first saw an MLB game in the refugee camps. Viciedo was not competing against an established 3B. If Viciedo would had made the team, that means better opportunities for future defectors. If there is a set of players that have the hardest road to the majors or USA, that is us cubans. Some is our own shortcomings because we have not been able to remove Castro. But there are other aspects of this complex situation that MLB is responsible too. Am I writing something out of the extraordinary here? Most of you think Fields is not good defensively. I am not making this up. Fields won't the job. He hit 400 +. I would have loved to see Viciedo still competing but he was sent down. I also wrote that Fields should have given priority over Viciedo because he was promised he would be this year 3B. I also wrote I like to see Viciedo playing back up in different positions. Maybe you did not read my post about this. This is a free forum and this is America. What happened to free speech! By the way, I am sure you were rooting for Japan to beat USA in the WBC. I root for Cuba first and then USA unless my child is with me watching. If that the case, I root for USA no matter what. No hard feelings whatsoever.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Mar 29, 2009 -> 01:27 PM) What member of the soxtalk community doesnt have his or her own biases? Just b/c he's Cuban and wants to see his guy get a chance doesnt make him any different from the Josh Fields fan out there. I think Fields is a future LF but I'm definitely willing to go down this road for a year of him at 3b and see what happens. JF is showing his bat needs a place somewhere, just depends where. Also to Cubano i'd just point out that we cant call Fields a failing project if you look at his wild HR per atbat stats from two years ago, and the fact that injuries plagued his 2008 Obviously, I am referring about his defense. He won't be the first one that hits but can play a certain position.

I would say 40 is a certainty. Do not be surprise if the total errors will approach 50 between the two combined. If they play poor defense, the Sox will be out of contention soon.