steveno89

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 07:24 PM) Any news on Rutherford? Curious as to why Rutherford was not in the lineup as well?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 28, 2017 -> 11:20 AM) They were with Coop all spring and both struggled at the beginning of the year. They somehow turned it around without him. I agree, I don't know why being around Coop is so important. They will get to be around him all of next year. Giolito is frustrating, no doubt. He's walking far too many batters for me to think he needs a mlb cup of coffee anytime soon. Let him finish the season in AAA and be ready to compete for a rotation spot at some point in 2018. I'm hoping he can finish the year strong and build off of that moving forward.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 28, 2017 -> 11:05 AM) When you're trying to track the race for last place, do you focus on games behind in the win column or games behind overall? Because we've only won 4 more games than the Phillies. I typically follow games in the loss column. We are currently 4 losses behind the Phillies, but that gap has been closing fast as we keep losing.

QUOTE (Two-Gun Pete @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 10:30 AM) I'll agree that this is exciting to think about. I only hope they don't stupidly draft a HS player, then rush him through the system as if he were a DOMINANT 3-year all conference player in the SEC. More advanced college bats, please. I get what you are saying, but I absolutely would draft a high school player in the first round if he were the best available prospect. Passing over superior talent because you feel he won't impact the major league team for 3-5 years is not a good idea.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jul 28, 2017 -> 10:57 AM) Sox are 2-15 the last 17, and 15 of the next 18 games are against teams that currently hold a playoff spot. Could be looking at a historically bad 35 game stretch. Our schedule is actually pretty tough the final two months. With each loss I am more and more convinced that we overtake (if that's that right terminology) the Phillies.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 28, 2017 -> 10:39 AM) Right now, we're pretty heavy on position players at lower levels of our system and pretty heavy on pitchers at the upper levels of our system. Notably, RH in his last 2 deals targeted guys who were position players in the upper levels of teams systems, aiming for the area where we had playing time to give. I would not be terribly surprised to see them run a fairly pitching heavy draft next year. Our AA team is totally devoid of any real mlb position player talent right now. The A+ guys will likely be promoted there next year, but we could use some better upper minors talent.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 28, 2017 -> 10:32 AM) I don't think we're light on pitching but I wouldn't specifically not target pitching as if we're done. Targets absolutely should be young, up the middle infielders and impact pitching (as always). It does not hurt that we have added depth at 1B with Gillaspie, Sheets, Rose, Abbott in the past 12 months

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 28, 2017 -> 09:25 AM) I don't disagree with him. System as a whole is very light on shortstops, with some possible future depth in Lenyn Sosa and Curbelo down, way way down. Mendick is now playing 2b so hard to know what he's viewed at. Pitching wise we are good compared to most systems, but I think there is a good case to be made we need some more lefties and variety. We have a lot of power arms which could blow up. We very well could be looking SS high in the 2018 draft, or power college arm like Singer? We did pick up Yrizarri, who is a fringe prospect, but still a prospect nonetheless. Expect us to work very hard scouting the 2018 draft which is deep in talent.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 11:52 PM) Jennings did yeoman work this year. He was over-used but largely effective. Don't get the exuberance for Gilaspie. .667 OPS, another corner player, like most acquisitions and most of the draft.Very little up the middle. Light on pitching. If you consider us to be l"light on pitching" what the heck do you think about nearly every other mlb farm system??? Last I checked we have Yoan Moncada up the middle, Robert/Cordell/Engel in CF We have greatly added depth all over the diamond in the past 12 months

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 03:32 PM) Just wait until Melky is gone and maybe Tyler or Yolmer as well. I have to say, I doubted the Sox would commit to this rebuild enough to be truly terrible and lose around 100 games. But, that's where they are. There is HUGE value in getting into the top 3 spots in the draft, much moreso than say 6th or 7th. Look at our remaining schedule and try to make up 24 wins...I'm struggling to find them. We will lose nearly every close bullpen as ours is easily the worst in the AL. The Phillies also have what I would consider to be a much weaker schedule coming up against Braves, Angels, Mets, Padres, Giants, alot of the marlins, A's I really think we end up with #1 pick

QUOTE (oneofthemikes @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 03:09 PM) After the Jennings trade, the standings updated and still have the Phillies at 62-100, but have the Sox finishing at 63-99. Addition by subtraction? I'm finding a hard time believing we manage to finish 24-40 the rest of the season given the state of our pitching staff, especially bullpen. We face the dodgers, astros twice, red sox, twins, indians twice, rays royals, etc. We are not winning more than 22 more games I would bet.

QUOTE (turnin' two @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 02:51 PM) Could be better if they aren't being held down by veteran players. Possibly, but doubtful^ Guys like Cordell, Engel, W Garcia, Saladino, Davidson, Gillaspie, Sanchez, etc. will be given a shot, but even squinting I cannot see a team that could win 90+ games. 2019 would be the earliest this team could possibly be competitive, an that's a full season early.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 02:03 PM) Look around the AL central, aside from Cleveland who's better? .500 baseball is not insurmountable. You don't think that roster can match what the Twins have done so far this year? I have to sound negative, but purely in being a realistic fan we are going to be very bad in 2018. The rotation, bullpen, defense and offense just are not going to be playoff caliber. Notions of calling up prospects that are currently in Winston Salem is borderline absurd. Rushing prospects like Rutherford/Jimenez/Cease/Kopech/etc. would 1) Burn very valuable service time 2) Very likely greatly damage their development Shields is still under contract, no team with designs on competing would allow him to be in their rotation. Our bullpen will have zero reliable middle relievers, setup pitchers or established closer. How do we expect to contend? Our path back to contention will be: suck 2017, suck 2018, return to around .500 in 2019, contend in 2020+

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 10:55 AM) Sox could easily be a .500 team in 2018. I also don't see the point in wasting Moncada, Lopez, and Giolito's service time just so they can save Jimenez's. .500 is crazy talk for 2018. We very well could be WORSE next season because we will not be held up by veteran players.

QUOTE (KnightsOnMintSt @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 11:17 AM) With Collins, Zavala and Skoug, I wouldn't be surprised if we have a log jam at catcher eventually. Catching depth is very valuable to have. Our farm has come a long way with regards to this in the past 12 months.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 02:20 PM) Why would the Dodgers want Melky? I am not seeing the fit. Pittsburgh might be a fit for Melky

QUOTE (Quin @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 02:06 PM) Giving Hahn a 10 at this point. Since they've declared a rebuild, the amount of talent he's stockpiled is astounding. Nobody can fault Hahn and say he did not try his absolute best with this rebuild. In 12 months he has completely tore this team down and restocked the farm as well as we could have imagined. Now we just have to suck the rest of 2017 and 2018, then be in a better place for 2019. Looking at the Central, the Royals and Tigers will likely not be contenders then, the Twins and Indians will likely be competitive though.

QUOTE (GenericUserName @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 12:18 PM) I just stared at that top 30 from pipeline for like 5 minutes and was just laughing. These last two trades just bumped Nicky Delmonico and Bernardo Flores. Delmonico may be able to play in the majors and not embarrass himself and he can't even make our top 30. We might literally have so many major league capable guys next year that some are going to have to stay in AAA. I just can't believe how much this system has changed in one year. Obviously we still have work to do to become the kind of system with sustained success, but this is a hell of a one year turn around. A guy like Seby Zavala has absolutely played himself into our top 30 for sure. I would put him above Nunez and Martinez for sure

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 10:29 AM) I am not a huge fan of getting a 1B only guy, unless we are talking about something with a ceiling of Ryan Howard at his peak. I am a much bigger fan of Cordell because of his positional versatility and his all around bat. The other side of the coin is that Jennings has been mediocre at best, and isn't really going to be a guy to bring a big return anyways. I am curious what else was on the table for Jennings though. This is an attempt to buy low, but maybe the Sox see something they can fix. I guess we will see. We have to remember that this is Jennings we are talking about here. A decent, but unspectacular lefty reliever. Gillaspie is a solid bounce back candidate, and if the Sox can get him back on track it provides a 1B/DH option on the cheap moving forward.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 10:07 AM) Rick Hahn: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! Our bullpen is going to be so unbelievably bad. I'm not sure how we do not end up with the #1 overall pick.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 10:15 AM) This feels analogous to getting someone like AJ Reed. He has hit depths that Davidson hit 2 years ago. Interesting acquisition for a guy like Jennings. I'll take the upside potential that Gillaspie bounces back. For a reliever like Jennings this is a nice move.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 10:03 AM) Wow, Hahn is not f***ing around. Although, this is an obvious Kenny move, trading for the brother of an ex-White Sox player. Several months ago Gillaspie was a top 125 mlb prospect, this is a very very good move. If he bounces back we will be thrilled.

QUOTE (Username @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 10:01 AM) Love it. Was a top 100 guy on the preseason Baseball America list. Looks like he's had some bad luck on BABIP and the HR/FB rate is down, which could also be some bad luck. I love this move for Jennings as well. Gillaspie is due for some improvement upon his .261 BABIP. This is a great bounce back candidate.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 09:55 AM) Marc Topkin‏Verified account @TBTimes_Rays Follow More BREAKING: #Rays get relief, acquiring LHP Dan Jennings from #WhiteSox for 1B prospect Casey Gillaspie What a great get for Jennings. Oh it's true, it's damn true!

QUOTE (KnightsOnMintSt @ Jul 27, 2017 -> 09:40 AM) I believe that Winston-Salem has been using him as a DH at some points too. Anything to keep developing that bat is great. The bat is nice for sure, but I'm almost more interested to see how he can do defensively. We certainly need catching options moving forward, it just remains to be seen if Collins/Zavala/Skoug will be able to step forward for us.