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whitesox247

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Koch This, the posters in this forum who are in their teens and early 20s are a very knowledgable set of individuals and that includes you and a whole lot of others.  One reason I read these boards is I learn so much from you all who watch different aspects of the game than I do.  It is an honor for me to be a member of this forum with so many very insightful younger Sox fans.

I agree and I don't think anybody thinks I was dissing the young. At least I hope not. I'm only one mid life crisis away from being young again myself. :headbang :headbang :headbang

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1. his picture of navarre with the false caption makes me want to puke every time i read his posts.

 

2.  Also, i don't know how much of a "youth" you want to label college kids

1. The picture of Navarre with the accurate caption is simply a statement of what the future holds!

 

2. From where I am looking at it, college age is very much "youth" indeed! :lol: My college class is having its 30th reunion this year. Damn am I old. :(

 

Not that old since I graduated college at age 20 (and spent all my time studying in the left stand grand stand) but you can do the math, that makes me older than I ever wanted to be. Where did the time go - :headbang

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Prior is the real deal. His control is downright frightening, and his curveball snaps like a hook. Then throw in that he has an above average changeup, and he puts Buehrle to shame.

 

Look at Prior's K/IP and K/BB ratios.

 

In 116 2/3 IP, he struck out 147 f***ing batters. This is his FIRST year, and I really believe he will only become better.

 

147 SO to 38 BB = 3.9 K/BB Again, astonishing for someone essentially coming straight from College. Prior's WHIP? 1.17.

 

Buehrle doesn't even come close to Prior in any of these categories, and add to the fact that Prior is a year younger than Buehrle. Don't get me wrong, I love Buehrle, but I'd take Prior in a heartbeat. He's going to be very special.

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Also, i don't know how much of a "youth" you want to label college kids...and, isn't chisoxfan roughly my age also?

I'm exactly your age, 19. I think there is a valid point though on this whole age thing.

 

I see things exactly like you do Koch. I think that Prior is going to live up to the hype. My big reason behind it isn't from what the scouts say, but what my eyes say. Watching this kid pitch he's just phenomenal. Look at that motion and tell me anyone in the majors that has as fluid a delivery. Its just beautiful.

 

I know Van Poppel was labeled with all that hype, but I don't think he was considered the best college pitcher ever. Prior does some amazing things, and the most amazing thing about him is his CONTROL. Most of these guys that recieve all this hype don't have good control and control is probably the easiest way, aside from injuries for a pitcher to fail. If you can't throw strikes and spot your pitches, you'll never be a great pitcher. Prior is so stinking young and already has pin point control.

 

Then you look at his stuff and he has an exploding fastball, made so much more effective with his pin point control. He also throws a plus change and curve and can spot all 3 of those pitches.

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I'm only one mid life crisis away from being young again myself.  :headbang  :headbang  :headbang

You know what it is like being the oldest fan at an Eminem concert and having people think it is a mid-life crisis rather than my natural taste in music?

 

Oh f*** them all anyway :headbang

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Prior is the real deal. His control is downright frightening, and his curveball snaps like a hook. Then throw in that he has an above average changeup, and he puts Buehrle to shame.

 

Look at Prior's K/IP and K/BB ratios.

 

In 116 2/3 IP, he struck out 147 f***ing batters. This is his FIRST year, and I really believe he will only become better.

 

147 SO to 38 BB = 3.9 K/BB  Again, astonishing for someone essentially coming straight from College. Prior's WHIP? 1.17.

 

Buehrle doesn't even come close to Prior in any of these categories, and add to the fact that Prior is a year younger than Buehrle. Don't get me wrong, I love Buehrle, but I'd take Prior in a heartbeat. He's going to be very special.

No matter how good someone is in their first season, I always say "Come talk to me after his 2nd season and I'll give you my opinion of him." Mark Prior is no different. Come back after 2003 and tell me that he's better than Mark Buehrle. Because Buehrle definitely passed the "sophomore test" -- will Prior? Only time will tell.

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Ya, chisoxfn, i agree with you about the whole seeing him in person thing. I was there for his debut and probly another few live, and going down to the pen and watching him warmup, it just amazes you. His stuff is not only filthy...it's that he has pinpoint control and a flawless motion. You could argue right now that he has one of the top deliveries in baseball, and he's a rookie. Only time will tell, but my eyes tell me this kid's gonna be good.

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Prior is the real deal. His control is downright frightening, and his curveball snaps like a hook. Then throw in that he has an above average changeup, and he puts Buehrle to shame.

 

Look at Prior's K/IP and K/BB ratios.

 

In 116 2/3 IP, he struck out 147 f***ing batters. This is his FIRST year, and I really believe he will only become better.

 

147 SO to 38 BB = 3.9 K/BB  Again, astonishing for someone essentially coming straight from College. Prior's WHIP? 1.17.

 

Buehrle doesn't even come close to Prior in any of these categories, and add to the fact that Prior is a year younger than Buehrle. Don't get me wrong, I love Buehrle, but I'd take Prior in a heartbeat. He's going to be very special.

No matter how good someone is in their first season, I always say "Come talk to me after his 2nd season and I'll give you my opinion of him." Mark Prior is no different. Come back after 2003 and tell me that he's better than Mark Buehrle. Because Buehrle definitely passed the "sophomore test" -- will Prior? Only time will tell.

I'm not going anywhere.

 

Another point i'd like to make is this: if he came out of nowhere to flash stuff like he did last season, that's one thing. I'd be A LOT more skeptical. He did it at USC for a few years also, where he was just lights out. I don't see a kid like Prior having the proverbial sophomore slump, but we'll see.

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Prior may be the best pitcher in NL in 3 years!

The key words in that statement are MAY BE, we already know that Buehrle is one of the best pitchers in the AL, and yes Prior has great potential, but does any one here, think we've seen the best out of Buehrle? Cause I definetly don't.

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Prior may be the best pitcher in NL in 3 years!

The key words in that statement are MAY BE, we already know that Buehrle is one of the best pitchers in the AL, and yes Prior has great potential, but does any one here, think we've seen the best out of Buehrle? Cause I definetly don't.

Well luck can go either way. Prior can get injured, yes, and never live up to his hype, and what makes you think Buerhle can't go through the same?

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Prior may be the best pitcher in NL in 3 years!

The key words in that statement are MAY BE, we already know that Buehrle is one of the best pitchers in the AL, and yes Prior has great potential, but does any one here, think we've seen the best out of Buehrle? Cause I definetly don't.

Well luck can go either way. Prior can get injured, yes, and never live up to his hype, and what makes you think Buerhle can't go through the same?

Well, first off, Buehrle came out of nowhere to make the staff in 2001 and in 2002 was our opening day starter. He wasn't nearly as touted as Mark Prior has been. I mean, Buehrle wasn't even the top rated pitching prospect in the organization! Hell, there are still announcers on ESPN and other major networks that can't pronounce his f***ing name.

 

So, basically, Buehrle came out of nowhere, so his stardom is a pleasant surprise for the Sox. Prior, on the other hand, has a lot of hype to live up to, and is pretty much set up only for failure. But...only time will tell.

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Has anyone heard anything about prior's mental make up. I am just asking because no matter how good your stuff is chances are that at some point in the season it will fail you for a while. Is he the type that should be able to overcome this and get through a stretch without his best stuff come back strong or could it mess with him and cause him to lose his composure.

Buehrle has proven that he has a great mental make up and awesome poise on the mound, very similar to maddux or glavine. Baring injury Buehrle's career should look quite similar to those two and I would take that any day of the week.

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The guy has the composure of a 34 year old. He handled all the hype perfectly. He never let it effect him and just worries about his pitching. Its why he's so special. Most of these "cant miss guys" just have the "stuff". Prior has the "stuff", "control", "delivery", and "Makeup" (i'm not talking about the stuff Bozo the Clown Wears).

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We may be seeing someone very special in Mark Prior. It will surprise me if he flops, that's for sure. Someone, earlier in this thread, quoted Prior's K/IP. It is phenonemal, granted. However, MB is not a strikeput pitcher, but he most certainly is a "pitcher". If he can get a batter to hit a weak grounder to 2B on the second or third pitch of an at bat, then that's better than striking the guy out on the 5th or 6th pitch of an at bat. In fact, some baseball "experts" in the press have questioned the fact that Bartolo Colon's strikeouts were down last season. Yet, he won 20 games for the first time in his career (correct?). That tells me that Colon is now a pitcher, rather than a thrower. He can reach back and get it when he needs it, which is good, but he doesn't need it as much as he used too.

 

Damn, I rambled off topic a bit. I've seen too many Van Poppel(s) and Clyde Wright(s) come and go over the years to take Prior over Buehrle at this point. Of course, I haven't seen Prior pitch in person yet. I do believe in wins vs potential wins, though.

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