BlackSox13

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Apr 25, 2015 -> 10:23 PM) K and BB rates improvement are the key to him reaching his potential offensively. I know he's been making less errors - have there been reports of improved defense? Anyone heard anything on Frankie? Agreed. So far, it looks like Anderson has improved on his defense and K rate. BB rate rate so much. QUOTE (SoxAce @ Apr 26, 2015 -> 05:18 AM) I was hoping someone noticed. Nicely done. Saw his line and when I saw the BB, I smiled. Oh, and Brett Austin has been doing alot of BB himself lately. Yeah, almost s*** when I noticed the BB in the box score. I smiled as well because it was just a few days ago I noticed Tim had not drawn a walk yet. Also noticed the BB/K rate for Austin, hope he keeps it up.

Anderson 2/3 1k 1BB 2 SB. He's now 10/10 in steals. But the big news is that he drew a walk!

Just imagine if AJ was still wearing a Sox uni. He would have been at the center of it all somehow, like always.

Jaime Navarro, Joey Belle, Joe Borchard and Todd Ritchie would be fine representative's for the White Sox.

With the extra year of service time, using Rodon in the pen is less of an issue. Even if Rodon spends all season in the pen (doubtful), the Sox still have 6 years of Rodon in the starting rotation after the 2015 season. Rodon can get acclimated to mlb hitters while waiting for Danks/Noesi to s*** the bed and open up a spot for Rodon in the rotation. Buying time in the pen for now could keep Rodon's arm a little more fresh for later in the season when he becomes a starter.

Now ya know its a crazy day when the Charlotte Knights hitters combined to strike out 18 times and Matt Davidson is the only player in the lineup to NOT strike out. Nobody would have figured that. Beltre, however, made up for it by striking out five times himself. Good to see Frankie get off to a good start.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Apr 4, 2015 -> 01:28 PM) How has Danks' stuff looked compared to last year? The hitters like his stuff

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Apr 1, 2015 -> 02:48 PM) Does it matter if they face 3 separate teams? First game would be against Manny, 2 in a row in Cleveland, and then Sale in Detroit. Doesn't seem like its that big of a deal. It's not like you're throwing 4 lefties in a 4 game series. I'm thinking more along the lines of when the Sox insert Sale into the rotation, that will be the order for the rest of the season. Unless an injury happens or Noesi/Danks struggle in which Rodon comes into the picture. I get what you're saying though. Its not like every team in every series will see all three lefties. Thought I had read Sale was going to have another start on Monday which would put him in line for his next start being the 11th. Don't get me wrong, not trying to argue. Just explaining where I'm coming from, I could be way the hell off for all I know.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Apr 1, 2015 -> 02:38 PM) They can go: 4/11 Shark 4/12 Sale 4/13 off 4/14 quintana 4/15 danks or noesi 4/16 off 4/17 sale 4/18 shark 4/19 quintana And have noesi and then danks which would have been original thought of rotation That works too. I was just going by the Sox hinting that Sale could start the 11th and that Danks was the #3. If these are true then Sale the 11th makes sense. Either way, the good thing is it looks like Sale will only miss the one start.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Apr 1, 2015 -> 02:30 PM) The way I explained it works out too. Shark sat, Sale Sun, Q and Danks in Cleveland, then 3-headed monster in Detroit. It does work but are the Sox going to have all three lefties follow one another in the rotation?

QUOTE (3GamesToLove @ Apr 1, 2015 -> 02:15 PM) So much for splitting up the lefties and righties. Samardzija should start on the 11th and Sale on the 12th, then? Im kinda of thinking Sale 11th and Shark 12th. 4/6 Shark 4/8 Q 4/9 Danks 4/10 Noesi 4/11 Sale 4/12 Shark Starting Sale on the 11 would be a rotation of Sale, Shark, Q, Danks and Noesi which makes sense.

Assuming JS signs elsewhere, I would take Buehrle back in a heartbeat. Might get him on a two or three year deal which gives time for guys like Montas, Adams and Danish time to develop. Sale, Q, Rodon and Buehrle sound like a very solid front four to me. Danks would need to be traded or sent to the pen for the final year of his contract but that's fine with me. The Sox should be able to find a good right hander on the trade F/A markets. Maybe Montas shows he's ready for the 2016 season, who knows.

Good one Chilli! I clicked on the thread thinking WTF? I completely forgot its April 1st.

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Mar 31, 2015 -> 10:15 PM) You nailed it. Samardzija is a professional baseball player. He's not a fan anymore. He plays for the team that pays him and the money and opportunity to win is what will land him. I think another thing to consider is JS will be 31 by the time he starts his first season under his new 5-6 year contract that will likely pay him around 20M per year. IMO, he ends up signing elsewhere after the season. I think the Sox will be contenders so trading him is not an option either. These are the reasons why I was against the idea of trading for him in the first place. JR and Hahn could very well prove me wrong but this does not sound like a typical Sox move.

Under but not by much. I'm thinking .220-.225, hopefully.

How has Drabek looked?

While that is a nice curve ball, I'd be kind of leery of a mid teen that's already throwing a CB and as often as he is. I kind of wonder if there's a correlation between the increase in TJ surgeries and teens throwing breaking balls more often. Not to sound old but even in HS the coaches didn't want pitchers throwing too many breaking balls, if any.

Seems Mark has had a build up for a few years. I found this article from February 07 that goes along with the latest article about Mark. "James Baldwin got on us when we were rookies, me and [Jon] Garland," said a very candid Buehrle of his teammate during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. "There are a lot of things I would like to do to that guy, and I kind of almost lost respect for him. "You understand when you are a rookie, you have to have stuff done to you. But some guys take it overboard and do way too much stuff. There was so much stuff, I remember that it got annoying." http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/1818904/ Don't know if it was in good fun or not, does not sound like it but I wasn't there. No matter, I think its hilarious and pretty much what one would expect from Mark. Thanks for sharing the read, still got nothing but love for Buehrle.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Mar 28, 2015 -> 02:34 PM) So you do realize if he signs with anyome but the Cubs, A's, or White Sox, that is exactly what he is going to do. Getting to free agency maximizes the dollars.he already said he will NOT negotiate during the season. No one should kid themselves, he is looking to get paid. If he grew up a Sox fan, he knows signing with the White Sox isn't a total disaster. Absolutely agree Dick. JS has made it clear since last summer that going to FA is his goal and is looking forward to it. This is Jeff's one chance of getting that big payday contract so anyone thinking JS will pass on that due to his White Sox fandom is delusional and ignoring everything he has said over the last year or so. I did not like the idea of trading for JS to begin with, even before the trade, but I give him credit for being consistent with his words. If an extension never happens, fans have nobody to blame but their self for getting their hopes up in the first place.

QUOTE (LDF @ Mar 28, 2015 -> 11:19 AM) this is spring training, pitchers are suppose to use this time to work the kinks out, to stretch their are, loosen up the shoulder. etc..... let wait for regular games. I agree and its why I'm glad there has not been a contract between the Sox and JS. He could pitch very well and command a kings Ransome, he could fall on his face and make all of us glad an extension never happened. Waiting this out is the best for the Sox, JS and the fan base. I would hate to see the Sox handcuffed by another bad contract given to a veteran based on their past. I'm sure we were all happy when Danks signed last contract with the Sox and look how happy we are now.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Mar 28, 2015 -> 12:41 PM) That's entirely short sighted. Not to sound like a broken record but you take the best player available. If that's Aiken then take him. Obviously you'd prefer him under slot but it's not as if you take someone with less of a chance to contribute in the MLB because of that. I don't think the Nationals are upset that they had to wait a while for Lucas Giolito. QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Mar 28, 2015 -> 01:27 PM) Thank you. You always take the best player on the board, no matter what. If Sox brass and scouts feel that Aiken ceiling is higher than what's left on the board at 8 then they have to take him. Lucas Giolito is a prime example, another is Jeff Hoffman. While I didn't want the Sox to draft him (I thought Aiken, Kolek and Jackson are all better), the Jays saw an opportunity at #9 and drafted him. Hoffman definitely possesed on of the higher ceilings in the entire draft class. Now the Jays have arguably the best collection of pitching prospects in all of bsseball and Hoffman looks to be a big part of their future. I have a difficult time believing an 18 year old coming off his first TJ surgery is the best player available. He could have the highest ceiling available but is not the best player available. IMO, the best player available is a guy who has the high ceiling AND is healthy, ready to start their minor league career. Just because other teams have drafted injured pitchers does not mean its the right or wrong thing to do. Its a double edged sword, I see the point in these kids can get drafted and get their minor league careers going after TJ surgery but the other side of it is that these kids are still in the minors and have yet to prove a thing as far as long term durability or that they will actually be the MLB pitchers they are or were once projected to be. Giolito and Hoffman are great prospects but until they become successful major league pitchers, there's no point in bringing their names up since nothing has been proven yet one way or another. Hoffman is an even bigger risk than Aiken now that I think about it. Aiken being only 18 gives him time to recover, get 3-4 years of minor league experience and possibly be ready to make his mlb debute around 22/23 years old whereas Hoffman was already 21 when he went down for TJ. Now add a year of recovery plus how ever long it takes for his development. That said, I would still draft another player if Aiken will not take under slot money.

I know its only ST but the way shark has pitched, he's doing the Sox a favor by waiting until after the season for his next contract. Who's to say he will pitch as well in 15 as he did in 14? If I'm the Sox, I wait and see how he pitches this year and come Nov/Dec decide on offering a contract.

If Aiken would sign under slot, I would take the chance but if he wants slot value I hope the Sox would take another player at #8. I just cannot see spending slot value on a kid that will not pitch his first minor league game until spring of 2016.

This should be interesting. I don't see Drabek clearing waivers and I don't see him going north. I could very well be wrong and I hope he clears waivers cause I do like the claim. Could serve as a nice arm for the pen, given his medical history it might be the best option for Drabek.

It seems like the Sox just might not need another starter since Sale looks like he will be back sooner than later so I went with Guerra and Albers.