LVSoxFan Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/white...ent?oid=5478286 The reason I'm posting this is because some of it is LOL funny, when it's not so depressing. His remarks about plenty of seats being available (just like last year!) are spot-on, as is his have-you-ever-been-less-excited-for-a-season sentiments that are popular here (yours truly included). What he points out that I hadn't really thought about is that while we shipped out Buehrle, Santos and Quentin... we really sort of replaced them "with air." Understandable, since Jerry's closed the purse due to "All In" becoming "All... What, Again?" and when you're saddled with the contracts of A.D., Peavy and Rios just what big acquisitions are you going to make? Answer: zero. Add to that the fact that KW brought in a never-managed-before Ventura and the Sox season should... begin in April. Oh well. Hey at least I love the 1972 jersey idea (damn I guess I'll just have to buy yet ANOTHER Sox jersey... sniff). Edited January 26, 2012 by LVSoxFan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalapse Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Buehrle - Sale Santos - Reed Quentin - Viciedo Air? Oddly enough our farm system actually fulfilled it's purpose this offseason. Don't know how they'll produce but we replaced those 3 players with REAL damn major league ready prospects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVSoxFan Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 It remains to be seen if Sale's going to be okay taking over the starter role once those innings start piling up. Reed is still pretty young to get excited about. Viciedo, though--you're right that guy is somebody to get excited about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonxctf Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Wouldn't you truly have to say... Buehrle - Sale Santos - Reed Quentin - Viciedo Sale- ? If Sale replaces Buehrle, who replaces Sale? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVSoxFan Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 While Reed may turn out a pleasant surprise, what's scaring me is the idea of Thornton As Closer: Redux. Gulp. Please God no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonxctf Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Also.. why does the Robin Ventura hiring, remind me so much of the Bill Cartwright hiring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalapse Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 QUOTE (jasonxctf @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 04:23 PM) Wouldn't you truly have to say... Buehrle - Sale Santos - Reed Quentin - Viciedo Sale- ? If Sale replaces Buehrle, who replaces Sale? That's the argument to be made. The Sox have seemingly failed to replace their best lefty reliever though they still have the previously great Thornton and the adequate Ohman down there assuming, of course, that Thornton doesn't hold the closer's role long. I'd categorize a host of minor league free agent lefties vying for the 2nd/3rd lefty role as "air". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 LOL @ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balfanman Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 QUOTE (LVSoxFan @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 04:11 PM) It remains to be seen if Sale's going to be okay taking over the starter role once those innings start piling up.Reed is still pretty young to get excited about. Viciedo, though--you're right that guy is somebody to get excited about. In all fairness though, and I'm a big fan of Mark Buehrle, some of Marks performances after piling up all those innings the last few seasons have been less than spectacular. I would take everything that Chris Sale has to offer this season, and if he runs out of gas in August and September, hopefully one of the minor league guys will be ready for an audition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 QUOTE (balfanman @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 05:49 PM) In all fairness though, and I'm a big fan of Mark Buehrle, some of Marks performances after piling up all those innings the last few seasons have been less than spectacular. I would take everything that Chris Sale has to offer this season, and if he runs out of gas in August and September, hopefully one of the minor league guys will be ready for an audition. Really, I gotta disagree, I think Mark's level of consistency over the last 4 years has just been astounding. He's basically doing exactly what he did in 2008. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LVSoxFan Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 LOL at the line in the article: "On the other hand, the Sox will have other hands..." I think I like this guy. Put him in the Sun-Times instead of Cowley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Buehrle, Santos and Quentin were replaced by 3 top tier prospects. Sox fans have a lot to be angry about but the replacements for those 3 certainly isn't one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 QUOTE (jasonxctf @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 05:23 PM) Wouldn't you truly have to say... Buehrle - Sale Santos - Reed Quentin - Viciedo Sale- ? If Sale replaces Buehrle, who replaces Sale? True, but of those 4 positions (SP, Closer, RF, MR), the middle reliever spot is the least important, and the most easily filled. So while no one may immediately fill Sale's spot, it wasn't a terribly significant role compared to the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balfanman Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 04:52 PM) Really, I gotta disagree, I think Mark's level of consistency over the last 4 years has just been astounding. He's basically doing exactly what he did in 2008. Mark was used cautiously at several points over the last couple of seasons to preserve his arm. The coaching staff even talked about this, trying to take it easy on him so he would be stronger for the pennant race, which subsequentily didn't matter. This was due to his wearing down in past seasons. Late season Mark Buehrle has really not been much more than average in recent seasons, if I recall correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptatc Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 05:04 PM) Buehrle, Santos and Quentin were replaced by 3 top tier prospects. Sox fans have a lot to be angry about but the replacements for those 3 certainly isn't one of them. Wait a minute our awful farm system cannot possbily produce two MLB products to help this year. The sysem is the worst in baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 05:52 PM) Wait a minute our awful farm system cannot possbily produce two MLB products to help this year. The sysem is the worst in baseball. It is the worst. There's really no debating that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 (edited) QUOTE (Kalapse @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 10:08 PM) Buehrle - Sale Santos - Reed Quentin - Viciedo Air? Oddly enough our farm system actually fulfilled it's purpose this offseason. Don't know how they'll produce but we replaced those 3 players with REAL damn major league ready prospects. We need to see them produce first. But, isn't that always the case with prospects or replacements in baseball? Edited January 27, 2012 by elrockinMT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 06:13 PM) We need to see them produce first. But, isn't that always the case with prospects or replacements in baseball? Um, he kinda insinuated that? Viciedo, Reed and Sale are as major league ready as it gets. It's on them from this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiliIrishHammock24 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 06:56 PM) It is the worst. There's really no debating that. And one is partially the reason for the other. Because of our rapid promotions, we rarely have a really solid prospect "develop" in the minors. As soon as they show any signs of brilliance, they are sent to Chicago. It's not that we never produce major league talent, it's that they are never in the minors long enough to factor in to those rankings. Not saying we have a good farm system nonetheless, but if you put Sale, Reed, Viciedo, and Morel back in the minors where other teams might have them, we are talking 4 no-doubt top 100 prospects, and our system would probably rank around 23-26, not 30. But of course, you don't win based on your pre-season minor league rankings, you win based on your MLB talent, so to harp on it too much is time wasted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 06:52 PM) And one is partially the reason for the other. Because of our rapid promotions, we rarely have a really solid prospect "develop" in the minors. As soon as they show any signs of brilliance, they are sent to Chicago. It's not that we never produce major league talent, it's that they are never in the minors long enough to factor in to those rankings. Not saying we have a good farm system nonetheless, but if you put Sale, Reed, Viciedo, and Morel back in the minors where other teams might have them, we are talking 4 no-doubt top 100 prospects, and our system would probably rank around 23-26, not 30. But of course, you don't win based on your pre-season minor league rankings, you win based on your MLB talent, so to harp on it too much is time wasted. This isn't said often enough. Sale would probably be a top 20 prospect in baseball if he were still in the minors, and he was putting up the numbers at AA that he already has at the major league level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 05:52 PM) Wait a minute our awful farm system cannot possbily produce two MLB products to help this year. The sysem is the worst in baseball. It is one of the worst. May have been THE worst before this offseason, though I'd contend it is slightly above that level at this point (among 5 worst now, if that is an improvement). But that is about depth of talent. Even a lousy system has some talent in it, and as K pointed out, the Sox did a good job filling the biggest needs with major league ready talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 26, 2012 -> 05:34 PM) LOL @ If Dunn sucks again this year, I may have to take this to One Hour Tees and get it printed on a t-shirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eminor3rd Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Typical short-sighted casual fan garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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