5/13 games

[Balta1701]

Charlotte. Scoreless inning for Crain already.

 

Something odd in BHam. Quintana appears to have started, relieved by Molina in the middle of the first. Molina's given up a number of hits, but again, out of the pen?

 

Kanny up early with Snodgrass on the mound.

 

WS up early with Petricka on the mound.

[DirtySox]

Charlotte. Scoreless inning for Crain already.

 

Something odd in BHam. Quintana appears to have started, relieved by Molina in the middle of the first. Molina's given up a number of hits, but again, out of the pen?

 

Kanny up early with Snodgrass on the mound.

 

WS up early with Petricka on the mound.

 

Birmingham was resuming a suspended game.

[Balta1701]

Birmingham was resuming a suspended game.

Gracias.

[caulfield12]

Or they're making Molina another bullpen arm, lol.

 

 

[Dick Allen]

Or they're making Molina another bullpen arm, lol.

After today, he'd fit right in. I'm sure the guy KW hired from Toronto was responsible for this acquisition. They tried to spin it, but KW didn't know he wasn't playing winter ball. He's certainly not looking like the future ace they wanted Sox fans to believe they were acquiring.

[Cerbaho-WG]

Mitchell is back to being awful.

 

It was fun while it lasted.

[Cerbaho-WG]

Looking through all the stats, there is approximately nothing to be excited about in the minors. Semien is showing some promise and maybe Phegley will pan out, but there is so little throughout the system.

 

This organization is complete garbage from top to bottom.

[caulfield12]

After today, he'd fit right in. I'm sure the guy KW hired from Toronto was responsible for this acquisition. They tried to spin it, but KW didn't know he wasn't playing winter ball. He's certainly not looking like the future ace they wanted Sox fans to believe they were acquiring.

 

 

I'm just curious why he would trust Paddy with such a huge acquisition?

 

After all, the evidence from the Frasor/Stewart deal was far from being in favor of the Sox.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Jaye or Webb ended up being better than Molina, the way things are going. No matter how good your control is, your stuff still dictates at least 50% of your success at the major league level.

 

Maybe Molina can be better than Axelrod, but he's looking more like back end filler than a frontline starter.

[Balta1701]

After all, the evidence from the Frasor/Stewart deal was far from being in favor of the Sox

You wanted Teahen's contract this badly?

[caulfield12]

You wanted Teahen's contract this badly?

 

 

All I'm saying is that Stewart had something like a 7.88 ERA against all MLB teams not named the Twins at the conclusion of 2011.

 

Why would you trust the same guy who recommended both Stewart and Frasor (and Frasor pitched about as "averagely" as possible, about like David Riske when we had him)...wouldn't you get a second opinion?

 

If we plugged in Reddick into our outfield (dealing Santos to the Red Sox instead) and had the luxury of sending Viciedo down right now, we'd be in first place and have the depth to move Dunn eventually and maybe even get something decent in return.

 

I'll agree with Marty on one point. How likely is it that we compete in 2013 or 2014 when you're going to be in process of "on the job training" for 2-3 starters at the same time, and nobody knows for sure how long Sale's elbow will hold out?

Edited May 14, 2012 by caulfield12

[Balta1701]

All I'm saying is that Stewart had something like a 7.88 ERA against all MLB teams not named the Twins at the conclusion of 2011.

 

Why would you trust the same guy who recommended both Stewart and Frasor (and Frasor pitched about as "averagely" as possible, about like David Riske when we had him)...wouldn't you get a second opinion?

 

If we plugged in Reddick into our outfield (dealing Santos to the Red Sox instead) and had the luxury of sending Viciedo down right now, we'd be in first place and have the depth to move Dunn eventually and maybe even get something decent in return.

 

I'll agree with Marty on one point. How likely is it that we compete in 2013 or 2014 when you're going to be in process of "on the job training" for 2-3 starters at the same time, and nobody knows for sure how long Sale's elbow will hold out?

How many other pitchers could come up midseason after skipping AAA entirely?

 

If you plugged Reddick into the OF before he'd ever done a stint at AAA, what do you think he'd have done? Oh wait, I can check that...he went 20 for his first 121 when called up from his first stint in AA and AAA, then wound up repeating AAA a couple times.

[caulfield12]

How many other pitchers could come up midseason after skipping AAA entirely?

 

If you plugged Reddick into the OF before he'd ever done a stint at AAA, what do you think he'd have done? Oh wait, I can check that...he went 20 for his first 121 when called up from his first stint in AA and AAA, then wound up repeating AAA a couple times.

 

 

Which supports the idea you have to be patient with your players...

 

And if you look at the Red Sox outfield right now, they probably need Reddick back more than we need him.

 

That said, Boston's even moreso in a position than the White Sox where they have to "win right away" with young players and can't afford to be very forgiving for dragging down the line-up when their starting pitching's so vulnerable.

 

 

The main point is we should have been stockpiling young position players and depth, too. As important as young starting pitchers are, we've seen for the last 3-4 seasons what happens when your offense is short at least 1-2 hitters.

 

And, having Reddick would have given them the luxury to trade Dunn, because even if he hits his statistical averages from here on out, we can never recover during his contract from the damage that 2011 imposed on the payroll and fanbase unless things dramatically change in the next 12-18 months. And it doesn't seem like that change will come from the minor leagues, either.

 

 

 

 

[Chicago White Sox]

All I'm saying is that Stewart had something like a 7.88 ERA against all MLB teams not named the Twins at the conclusion of 2011.

 

Why would you trust the same guy who recommended both Stewart and Frasor (and Frasor pitched about as "averagely" as possible, about like David Riske when we had him)...wouldn't you get a second opinion?

 

If we plugged in Reddick into our outfield (dealing Santos to the Red Sox instead) and had the luxury of sending Viciedo down right now, we'd be in first place and have the depth to move Dunn eventually and maybe even get something decent in return.

 

I'll agree with Marty on one point. How likely is it that we compete in 2013 or 2014 when you're going to be in process of "on the job training" for 2-3 starters at the same time, and nobody knows for sure how long Sale's elbow will hold out?

Was Paddy even in the organization when the original Ejax trade was made? Even if he was, I think it's a huge reach to assume he made any reccomendations on either Stewart or Frasor.

[JPN366]

Which supports the idea you have to be patient with your players...

 

And if you look at the Red Sox outfield right now, they probably need Reddick back more than we need him.

 

That said, Boston's even moreso in a position than the White Sox where they have to "win right away" with young players and can't afford to be very forgiving for dragging down the line-up when their starting pitching's so vulnerable.

 

 

The main point is we should have been stockpiling young position players and depth, too. As important as young starting pitchers are, we've seen for the last 3-4 seasons what happens when your offense is short at least 1-2 hitters.

 

And, having Reddick would have given them the luxury to trade Dunn, because even if he hits his statistical averages from here on out, we can never recover during his contract from the damage that 2011 imposed on the payroll and fanbase unless things dramatically change in the next 12-18 months. And it doesn't seem like that change will come from the minor leagues, either.

 

Wholeheartedly agree. Every trade ends up bringing more right handed pitchers.

[NorthSideSox72]

Shoemaker with a 5 hit day.

 

Throw the guy into the box against some AA pitching, see what happens. He'll probably struggle and fade back, but so what. At this point, it only makes sense to give it a shot and see.

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

2nd B-Ham game

 

Remenowsky started, must have been a bullpen day. S Rodriguez finished. Each threw three innings, each gave up 2 ER. B-Ham offense generally absent. And hey Kevin Dubler is alive!

 

[oldsox]

Shoemaker with a 5 hit day.

 

Throw the guy into the box against some AA pitching, see what happens. He'll probably struggle and fade back, but so what. At this point, it only makes sense to give it a shot and see.

I could not agree more. He's over .350 now; he has hit every year. He's probably a better hitter than any other 'prospect' in AA or AAA. Include Fukodome/Lillibridge in that collection.

[caulfield12]

I could not agree more. He's over .350 now; he has hit every year. He's probably a better hitter than any other 'prospect' in AA or AAA. Include Fukodome/Lillibridge in that collection.

 

 

As soon as he puts up those numbers in Birmingham, then you can start making comparisons.

 

But to say a "prospect" Shoemaker's age at his level in the minors is going to be putting up 800+ OPS numbers in the majors as some point? Hmmm....

[ChiSox_Sonix]

I could not agree more. He's over .350 now; he has hit every year. He's probably a better hitter than any other 'prospect' in AA or AAA. Include Fukodome/Lillibridge in that collection.

 

Um, no. He's not. By a long shot

[NorthSideSox72]

Um, no. He's not. By a long shot

Yeah, I certainly wouldn't say that. I was just saying that, the way he has hit, its a shame there are other non-prospects who AREN'T hitting that are taking up room ahead of him. Your prioirty prospects always get first shot, but when it comes to these "other" guys, I believe in taking some of the high performers and challenging them. You do that to 10 of them, 9 of them will probably fall away, but then you sometimes find the one guy who actually may turn out to be something.

 

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Yeah, I certainly wouldn't say that. I was just saying that, the way he has hit, its a shame there are other non-prospects who AREN'T hitting that are taking up room ahead of him. Your prioirty prospects always get first shot, but when it comes to these "other" guys, I believe in taking some of the high performers and challenging them. You do that to 10 of them, 9 of them will probably fall away, but then you sometimes find the one guy who actually may turn out to be something.

 

I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was disagreeing with the notion that he is a better hitting prospect than anyone we currently have at AA or AAA, which, frankly, was a fairly absurd statement

[oldsox]

I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was disagreeing with the notion that he is a better hitting prospect than anyone we currently have at AA or AAA, which, frankly, was a fairly absurd statement

okay, I overstated....Given his record, which is all I have to go by, he appears to be a better hitter than any outfielder now at Birmingham.

[NorthSideSox72]

okay, I overstated....Given his record, which is all I have to go by, he appears to be a better hitter than any outfielder now at Birmingham.

 

Right now, B-Ham's starting OF's are Jared Mitchell (CF), Jose Martinez (RF) and KW Jr (LF), with Gilmore occasionally playing LF/RF. I certainly wouldn't say Mitchell should be sat or demoted - he's developing at AA, and needs to stay there. And he's a legit prospect, obviously.

 

Martinez was seen as very toolsy and a significant prospect in the system. But since his 2010 injury and missed time, he hasn't really wowed anyone - he played 53 games at AA last year, but still has only a .648 OPS through 30 games this year. He does have decent plate discipline, though not as good as last year, and his defense is supposed to be quite good. He's 23, turning 24 this season. He probably needs to stay put, but if he doesn't put together a solid 2012, he's going to fall off the prospect radar completely.

 

Then of course there is JPN's best buddy, KWJr. He's obviously just bad at hitting - repeating AA and posting a .653 OPS and striking out 26% of the time. Plus he's about to turn 26, so he's older than Brady as well. There is of course no good baseball reason whatsoever for him to be taking up that slot, but we also all know his name has some bearing here.

 

Gilmore is a lost cause at this point, and his already weak bat becomes a worse liability in the outfield than it was at 3B. He won't get in anyones way.

 

The next time an OF slot opens at AA, I'd be shocked if Shoemaker didn't get promoted. Its just a shame that it won't happen sooner because someone's kid is in the way.