2010 Chicago White Sox Spring Training

[Kalapse]

Is it just me or is the whole starting rotation like pitching batting practice this week? I swear everytime I see the box score this week they are getting shelled.

You just really don't get Spring Training now do you?

[BigSqwert]

You just really don't get Spring Training now do you?

It's this offense that is worrying me.

[chisoxfan09]

You just really don't get Spring Training now do you?

 

Spring training

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention, drawing crowds who travel to the warmer climates to enjoy the weather and watch their favorite teams play, and spring training usually coincides with spring break for many college students.

 

Spring training typically lasts almost two months, starting in mid February and running until just before the season opening day (and often right at the end of spring training, some teams will play spring training games on the same day other teams have opening day of the season), traditionally the first week of April. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training first because pitchers benefit from a longer training period due to the exhaustive nature of the position. A week or two later, the position players arrive and team practice begins.

 

I think I get it, when you practice as a pitcher you don't throw batting practice with only a week left before the Regular Season.

[Kalapse]

It's this offense that is worrying me.

You should have been worried about the offense before spring training even started and even if you do put stock into Spring performance; 2 of the biggest question marks in the lineup have been our 2 most productive players.

[Kalapse]

Spring training

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention, drawing crowds who travel to the warmer climates to enjoy the weather and watch their favorite teams play, and spring training usually coincides with spring break for many college students.

 

Spring training typically lasts almost two months, starting in mid February and running until just before the season opening day (and often right at the end of spring training, some teams will play spring training games on the same day other teams have opening day of the season), traditionally the first week of April. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training first because pitchers benefit from a longer training period due to the exhaustive nature of the position. A week or two later, the position players arrive and team practice begins.

 

I think I get it, when you practice as a pitcher you don't throw batting practice with only a week left before the Regular Season.

No one in our starting rotation is auditioning for anything, these are veteran starters trying to get their arms and brains prepped for regular season games not minor leaguers battling for their baseball lives. That's why Jake Peavy is throwing nothing but fastballs against the Royals. Practice time = working on mechanics and getting a feel for competitive baseball not battling to get people out in meaningless games. If Peavy's comments about his outing against the Royals didn't convince you that spring games are basically glorified side sessions then nothing will I suppose.

[chisoxfan09]

No one in our starting rotation is auditioning for anything. That's why Jake Peavy is throwing nothing but fastballs against the Royals. Practice time = working on mechanics and getting a feel for competitive baseball not battling to get people out in meaningless games. If Peavy's comments about his outing against the Royals didn't convince you that spring games are basically glorified side sessions then nothing will I suppose.

 

Uh, let me think about that. NO. It means you also work on your pitch location and you do try to get guys out and not just throw fastballs.

[southsider2k5]

Uh, let me think about that. NO. It means you also work on your pitch location and you do try to get guys out and not just throw fastballs.

 

I don't think Don Cooper has anything to worry about...

[Kalapse]

Uh, let me think about that. NO. It means you also work on your pitch location and you do try to get guys out and not just throw fastballs.

Dear god, they work on everything. Some guys just throw pitches in one section of the zone for 2 innings trying to put all their pitches where they want them to go. Some guys throw only 1 pitch for an entire outing trying to work on location and arm slot (the Maddux special). Like the Wikipedia article said: it's practice and that's exactly what they're doing, practicing throwing a baseball at a glove in a variety of ways. You can believe whatever you want I suppose but if you ever get the opportunity to speak to a major league veteran who's been through plenty of spring trainings they tell you just this; you don't always worry about getting guys out because in the end it doesn't matter, all that matters is that their mechanics ans stamina are in order for opening day, a lot of times this entails not worrying about the count or what pitch a particular batter hits well but being able to repeat your mechanics and find your proper arm slot on a 33 degree day in mid April.

 

So players don't use entire spring outings to work on a single pitch, throwing it for greater than 80% of their total pitches yet the best starter on the Sox's staff did just that a week ago. Right.

[chisoxfan09]

I don't think Soxtalk experts have anything to worry about...

Fixed. I don't want your jobs or your knowledge. I just want to post freely and not get crap about it.

[southsider2k5]

Fixed. I don't want your jobs or your knowledge. I just want to post freely and not get crap about it.

 

If the pitching coach didn't think it was best for the guys development, do you think Peavy would be throwing all fastballs at this stage of spring training? Its not my directive you are arguing with, it is a guy who has reputation as one of the best pitching coaches in the game of baseball.

[NorthSideSox72]

Fixed. I don't want your jobs or your knowledge. I just want to post freely and not get crap about it.

its a message board. You can certainly post freely, but you should also expect responses, and not everyone will agree with your posts.

 

In this case, people are trying to point out to you what has been said numerous times by Cooper himself among others. This is just the reality of Spring Training.

 

By the way, look back at the last few seasons of Sox ST records. I don't have them in front of me right now, but I can tell you they've lost more than they've won during the Ozzie/KW era. And yet, they won 2 divisions and were above .500 significantly in that period, when it counted.

 

[Reddy]

Uh, let me think about that. NO. It means you also work on your pitch location and you do try to get guys out and not just throw fastballs.

and if, for instance, jake peavy WAS just throwing mostly fastballs, what would you call that?

 

it's called practice. whether it's hitting spots, or working on certain pitches, it's practice. Danks was quoted as saying he thew nothing but curveballs to a guy who eventually took him deep the other day - AND said he wouldn't have done that in an actual game.

 

these guys are fine. chill out.

[ScottyDo]

its a message board. You can certainly post freely, but you should also expect responses, and not everyone will agree with your posts.

 

In this case, people are trying to point out to you what has been said numerous times by Cooper himself among others. This is just the reality of Spring Training.

 

By the way, look back at the last few seasons of Sox ST records. I don't have them in front of me right now, but I can tell you they've lost more than they've won during the Ozzie/KW era. And yet, they won 2 divisions and were above .500 significantly in that period, when it counted.

Also, Cleveland is leading the AL in spring training record right now. I'd rather be them

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I can't imagine Sweaty Freddy is partaking in the same idea of "working on pitches" like Peavy, Buehrle, Danks, and Floyd are/might be doing. I would think he should actually be trying to hold down that #5 spot for as long as he can before Hudson snatches it away. And if that's the case, his spring numbers aren't encouraging.

[Reddy]

I can't imagine Sweaty Freddy is partaking in the same idea of "working on pitches" like Peavy, Buehrle, Danks, and Floyd are/might be doing. I would think he should actually be trying to hold down that #5 spot for as long as he can before Hudson snatches it away. And if that's the case, his spring numbers aren't encouraging.

yeah i'm not convinced freddy fits the mold we were talking about above... i mean, he's just not that great anymore - he'll have days like this one.

[lostfan]

and if, for instance, jake peavy WAS just throwing mostly fastballs, what would you call that?

 

it's called practice. whether it's hitting spots, or working on certain pitches, it's practice. Danks was quoted as saying he thew nothing but curveballs to a guy who eventually took him deep the other day - AND said he wouldn't have done that in an actual game.

 

these guys are fine. chill out.

We talkin' about practice. Not a game. Not a game, not a game. Practice.

[knightni]

We talkin' about practice. Not a game. Not a game, not a game. Practice.

How'm I supposed to make my teammates better by practice?

[Harry Chappas]

Are other teams pitchers working on trying to throw no hitters when they face the Sox?

[jphat007]

I can't imagine Sweaty Freddy is partaking in the same idea of "working on pitches" like Peavy, Buehrle, Danks, and Floyd are/might be doing. I would think he should actually be trying to hold down that #5 spot for as long as he can before Hudson snatches it away. And if that's the case, his spring numbers aren't encouraging.

 

LOL. Freddy just doesn't care. He doesn't give 2 craps about spring training. He pretty much has said as much.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

LOL. Freddy just doesn't care. He doesn't give 2 craps about spring training. He pretty much has said as much.

 

Nice work ethic. Now I REALLY hope he bombs in April and we can get Hudson in their ASAP.

[jphat007]

Nice work ethic. Now I REALLY hope he bombs in April and we can get Hudson in their ASAP.

 

I don't think you have a real good handle on how this Spring Training thing works.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I don't think you have a real good handle on how this Spring Training thing works.

 

Let me in on the secret then.

[jphat007]

Let me in on the secret then.

 

You can get your work in, and prepare for the regular season, without giving a damn about what happens in the game. Now not everyone is the same, but this is how the majority of people handle ST.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

You can get your work in, and prepare for the regular season, without giving a damn about what happens in the game. Now not everyone is the same, but this is how the majority of people handle ST.

 

Ok. I will just repeat myself then....

 

 

I can't imagine Sweaty Freddy is partaking in the same idea of "working on pitches" like Peavy, Buehrle, Danks, and Floyd are/might be doing. I would think he should actually be trying to hold down that #5 spot for as long as he can before Hudson snatches it away. And if that's the case, his spring numbers aren't encouraging.

 

And the idea of "He does not give a damn about spring training" is s***ty behavior. Maybe he does not care about the boxscore (but again, he should because he has Hudson breathing down his neck), but that is different from "not giving a damn about spring training".

[SoxAce]

Ok. I will just repeat myself then....

 

 

I can't imagine Sweaty Freddy is partaking in the same idea of "working on pitches" like Peavy, Buehrle, Danks, and Floyd are/might be doing. I would think he should actually be trying to hold down that #5 spot for as long as he can before Hudson snatches it away. And if that's the case, his spring numbers aren't encouraging.

 

And the idea of "He does not give a damn about spring training" is s***ty behavior. Maybe he does not care about the boxscore (but again, he should because he has Hudson breathing down his neck), but that is different from "not giving a damn about spring training".

 

He's fine Joe. Ozzie already said Hudson (who was his only competition) is going to be in AAA. Now IF Freddy was doing this during the season trying to hold it down, I would agree with you. Freddy knows if he doesn't perform when the games count, then Hudson will take over. But right now, I don't think he's worried the sox are gonna turn Santos or Aquino into SP anytime soon. Buehrle, Jenks and Peavy said the same thing about not caring they got shelled. What matters to them is that they feel good (health wise, mechanics, location, etc..) even after a 6 ER effort. That's why I was telling people not to get freaked out on Mark Teahen yet, who I was more or less looking at his defense at 3B more-so than his at-bats (not to mention the ridiculous bad luck he's been getting so far)

Edited March 27, 2010 by SoxAce