so... it looks like Danks?

[striker]

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on todays box score. Althought Danks's numbers looked better, neither looked too impressive. The weather was so bad its hard to judge.

 

What I believe gives Danks the edge over Floyd is his consistency and ability to throw strikes. Floyd probably has better stuff but he seems to be all over the place. If you took 6 pitches from Floyd he would probably walk you everytime.

 

I do think Danks is going to win the #5 spot but I think if Floyd can gain some control in the minors he could be a really good pitcher. I think Floyd was a good pickup and Freddy is falling apart, so I'm still liking that trade.

[Friend of Nordhagen]

I'm with Kenny Williams. I think you guys are all overlooking how great Floyd's arm angle is. I mean, he has a nasty arm angle. I predict that Floyd will be the 5th starter, go 1 and 7 with a 6.52 era, but lead the league in arm angle. And that's why we got great value for Garcia.

[BearSox]

Even though many of you guys will disagree with me, I still think we are moving him too fast. Another year in the minors and he should be set for next year. The way the Sox are talking this might be(should be) our number 1 starter in a couple of years. I think if he went to the minors he would come back next year ready to make a HUGE impact. I know we dont have much of a choice with Floyd pitching the way he is, but I dont agree with him starting the season with the sox.

It's not rushing if the player is ready, earned the job, and wants to start in the bigs, not minors. If Danks is ready, he is ready. What good will another year in the minors do? It isn't neccissary to have to master AAA before you get to pitch in the bigs.

 

Also, I see Danks being the 5th starter, and Floyd being the long man out of the rotation. If Floyd can throw strikes, I think he can be a very good bullpen arm. He can throw 95+ when his arm isn't tired, and has a nasty hammer.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I'm with Kenny Williams. I think you guys are all overlooking how great Floyd's arm angle is. I mean, he has a nasty arm angle. I predict that Floyd will be the 5th starter, go 1 and 7 with a 6.52 era, but lead the league in arm angle. And that's why we got great value for Garcia.

 

I almost choked on my pop when I read this.

Edited March 24, 2007 by Jordan4life_2007

[BearSox]

"If I make decisions, I feel I'm in," said Danks with a wry smile. "But I don't make the decision, so I have to just keeping doing what I'm doing. I feel confident where I'm at now.

 

That sounds to me like a guy who wants to start in the big leagues, right away.

[greg775]

No offense, but having a lot of veteran position players ... wouldn't we be better

off with a fifth starter who the Sox know can pitch?

Do we really believe a 21 year old is gonna last six, seven innings in the big

leagues per game ... in our tough division?

I really hate to be a pessimist, but I wonder.

 

Those of you who have seen the guy pitch, are you convinced he, at 21, is gonna

do the job?

I mean many on the boards freak at veterans like Vazzy imploding after six innings.

Aren't the odds much greater of Danks doing what Logan did at the start of last

year than Danks winning games for a team that supposedly is a contender??

[BearSox]

He has pitched 16 innings this spring. 16 IP is not enough to really judge a player. The only reason he has "earned" the job is due to the lack of options for this team.

 

I am a Danks fan, and really enjoyed watching him pitch this spring. However, he is 21 years old, and has had 70 unimpressive innings in AAA. John could very well up with the big club, but in a perfect world, Danks would get some more work down with the Knights.

I strongly disagree. If I was drafted by a team, and in my first spring training invite, if I didn't make the team, I would feel that I have failed. I would have the mind set of no one being better then me. I wouldn't care if I was 18 years old, I'd want to be with the major league club. That is the mindset every player should have.

 

Look at Ryan Zimmerman, went from rookie ball to the Majors in one year. Does it look like he was rushed?

 

 

No offense, but having a lot of veteran position players ... wouldn't we be better

off with a fifth starter who the Sox know can pitch?

Do we really believe a 21 year old is gonna last six, seven innings in the big

leagues per game ... in our tough division?

I really hate to be a pessimist, but I wonder.

 

Those of you who have seen the guy pitch, are you convinced he, at 21, is gonna

do the job?

I mean many on the boards freak at veterans like Vazzy imploding after six innings.

Aren't the odds much greater of Danks doing what Logan did at the start of last

year than Danks winning games for a team that supposedly is a contender??

How else are we going to see if the young guys can preform? By having them start in AAA until they are 30?

[whitesoxfan101]

Danks really impressed me today. He didn't have his best stuff, he was getting squeezed, and still threw four scoreless, 1 hit innings. Floyd meanwhile, sucked. It was exactly what I expected to see, just like Danks BETTER be the #5.

Edited March 24, 2007 by whitesoxfan101

[DBAHO]

I strongly disagree. If I was drafted by a team, and in my first spring training invite, if I didn't make the team, I would feel that I have failed. I would have the mind set of no one being better then me. I wouldn't care if I was 18 years old, I'd want to be with the major league club. That is the mindset every player should have.

 

Look at Ryan Zimmerman, went from rookie ball to the Majors in one year. Does it look like he was rushed?

How else are we going to see if the young guys can preform? By having them start in AAA until they are 30?

Well on Zimmerman, he was the 4th pick in the draft, came from a college and was basically "ready". Him and Danks are 2 completely different prospects.

 

There was a great article last week on why Miinesota and Oakland have been so good for so long. A main point was that they don't call up their prospects until they're 22-23?

 

Why you ask? Before they want to have control of those players when they're in their prime and not before they hit free agency. So I mean Danks is only 21, 6 years from now if he stays with us, he'll be hitting free agency and if he's a good pitcher, it's certainly going to take a lot to lock him up.

[Kalapse]

No offense, but having a lot of veteran position players ... wouldn't we be better

off with a fifth starter who the Sox know can pitch?

Do we really believe a 21 year old is gonna last six, seven innings in the big

leagues per game ... in our tough division?

I really hate to be a pessimist, but I wonder.

 

Those of you who have seen the guy pitch, are you convinced he, at 21, is gonna

do the job?

I mean many on the boards freak at veterans like Vazzy imploding after six innings.

Aren't the odds much greater of Danks doing what Logan did at the start of last

year than Danks winning games for a team that supposedly is a contender??

Well last year there were three 23 year old rookies and one 21 year old that had a good amount of success in their first go rounds as starters at the major league level, 3 of them pitched in the vaunted AL Central. I'm not saying Danks is of the same caliber player as the Liriano's, Sowers', Verlander's and Weaver's of the world but it wouldn't be unheard of if Danks had some success at the big league level as a 22 year old rookie in 2007. The precedent is there.

 

Also there were three 22 year old rookie starters all in the same damn rotation last season who saw a fair amount of success at such a young age just last season. Not that Danks is as good as Olson, Johnson or Sanchez or course.

 

Not the mention the 21 year olds Matt Cain and Cole Hamels.

[The Ginger Kid]

That sounds to me like a guy who wants to start in the big leagues, right away.

he also pitched like a guy who knew he was in competition for a job...a plus, in my book.

[Jordan4life_2007]

BTW, http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?s=...t&p=1372596

That was from just 5 days ago. Did a 4 inning Spring start really change your mind that much? Enough to change your philosophy on how young pitchers should be brought up?

 

Damn, Tony, why did you have to bust him out like that?

[BearSox]

 

The matter of the fact though is, if Danks is ready, he should make the team.

[DBAHO]

 

The matter of the fact though is, if Danks is ready, he should make the team.

But the thing is here, I don't think you can view what somebody does in ST especially a young pitcher to determine if he's ready or not.

 

Why? The Brandon McCarthy example. Back in 05, and when he got his 1st chance for us during that season, he wasn't ready.

 

So I think you've got to look at other factors like age, minor league track record etc. to help get a better determination there.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Exactly. Danks, IMO would be better served getting some innings down at AAA, working out the kinks, really getting his game right. As you said, his track record would indicate he isn't ready for the bigs just yet. His Spring track record says he is alot closer than alot of us, including some in the organization, thought he would be at this point.

 

I am very excited for John, and I think we will see good things out of him shortly, but I'm just not sure that Danks being with the big club in April is the right move, at least not the right move for John.

 

So do you want Floyd or Haeger in the rotation?

[RockRaines]

Come on people. it was a competition and a 21 year old stud went out and grabbed the job. How much more encouraging could it be? The kid is ready.

[DBAHO]

So do you want Floyd or Haeger in the rotation?

Good question, and I don't even know the exact answer to that.

 

But hey, if you could get a Steve Trachsel, Byung - Hyung Kim etc. a veteran starter on the cheap e.g none of our top 10 prospects, that's something that could be worth looking at maybe.

 

Come on people. it was a competition and a 21 year old stud went out and grabbed the job. How much more encouraging could it be? The kid is ready.

But that's what we thought about B-Mac. The way he dominated ST in 2005. The way he went through that Texas lineup like a hot knife through butter.

 

And when he got his 1st chance for us that season, he put up an ERA of 8.14 ERA in 5 starts b/w May and July.

 

Now that may not happen with Danks, nobody knows what the future holds. But I think there's a better chance than not and it's been shown with young pitchers who aren't ready yet, that they'll struggle initially.

[RockRaines]

Good question, and I don't even know the exact answer to that.

 

But hey, if you could get a Steve Trachsel, Byung - Hyung Kim etc. a veteran starter on the cheap e.g none of our top 10 prospects, that's something that could be worth looking at maybe.

But that's what we thought about B-Mac. The way he dominated ST in 2005. The way he went through that Texas lineup like a hot knife through butter.

 

And when he got his 1st chance for us that season, he put up an ERA of 8.14 ERA in 5 starts b/w May and July.

 

Now that may not happen with Danks, nobody knows what the future holds. But I think there's a better chance than not and it's been shown with young pitchers who aren't ready yet, that they'll struggle initially.

No, they WILL struggle out of the box, but will settle down eventually. Danks especially has shown that trend. but I have supreme confidence in this kids stuff. He can dominate at the major league level, the question is when.

[The Ginger Kid]

No, they WILL struggle out of the box, but will settle down eventually. Danks especially has shown that trend. but I have supreme confidence in this kids stuff. He can dominate at the major league level, the question is when.

I also like the idea of him learning something from Buehrle this year before Mark bolts.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I'll be quite dissapointed if Danks is the 5th starter. I just don't feel he's ready. I don't care what he's done this spring. I'd still rather go with Floyd, who has major league experience. I know, "What has Floyd proven at the major league level?" Well, not a whole lot. I'd just as soon give him another chance at the start. If he bombs, call somebody else up.

Edited March 24, 2007 by Jordan4life_2007

[beck72]

I'll be quite dissapointed if Danks is the 5th starter. I just don't feel he's ready. I don't care what he's done this spring. I'd still rather go with Floyd, who has major league experience. I know, "What has Floyd proven at the major league level?" Well, not a whole lot. I'd just as soon give him another chance at the start. If he bombs, call somebody else up.

If the sox are going to be true to their word--that the guy who threw the ball the best would be the 5th starter--then they go with that guy no matter what age, experience, etc. So far it's Danks, as Russell hasn't faced the same pressure and starts that Floyd, danks and Haeger have. Now, if Russell has two more starts and goes 5 innings each while giving up 1, 2 runs, and Danks has a setback or two.....

 

The sox should go with the best, young ST pitcher. Then be ready for a quick hook if that pitcher bombs.

[jasonxctf]

i say take Danks and Haegar on the big league club. If Danks falters, swap him with Haegar in the bullpen.

[gosox41]

Looks like Masset and Danks will both make the team... this could be a gigantic steal for us when it is all said and done.

 

 

Unfortunately the other trade we made with our proven 17 game winner isn't turing out so well.

 

 

 

Bob

 

I'll be quite dissapointed if Danks is the 5th starter. I just don't feel he's ready. I don't care what he's done this spring. I'd still rather go with Floyd, who has major league experience. I know, "What has Floyd proven at the major league level?" Well, not a whole lot. I'd just as soon give him another chance at the start. If he bombs, call somebody else up.

 

 

I agree about Danks. Before spring training started most agreed he needed another year in the minors. But he's pitched decently, not great and now we're forced to use him becasue Floyd sucks.

 

I think Danks will be a very good pitcher, but I just don't think he's ready to be a MLB starter in 2007.

 

I'd go with Haegar. Stick Floyd in the bullpen to pitch the garbage innings.

 

 

Bob

[tealeafreaderii]

I'd like to see what haegers knuckler will do in the air up here.

[Kalapse]

The last time I said a AA pitcher was not ready for the bigs and questioned the move of promoting him was with that big closer guy. It's not the same situation at all really but I'm going to go the opposite direction with Danks, he just strikes me as the type of pitcher and just guy in general who won't be shaken by such a promotion. I'm all for him making the team as the 5th starter, largely because I think he's the best option available.