Ventura stressing more contact and less K's

[caulfield12]

The last time his average was at least .220 was June 22, the 70th game of the season.

 

 

Okay, final 3 1/4 months.

 

But I remember not being worried or concerned that he could finish below .200 again (that would have been horrible going into the offseason after the success of the first 2-3 months) until the final 6 weeks or so.

[winninguglyin83]

other than the 2012 White Sox, the answer to the question is the 2011 White Sox, when Dunn hit third for that group.

[Lillian]

You can talk about contact vs. power, increasing OBP, or any other nuance of hitting. The Sox play almost half of their games against their division rivals, and they are not built to beat those teams. I’ve discussed how well the Detroit starters handled right handed hitters last year.

 

The simple, unavoidable truth is that the rosters of Chicago’s A. L. Central opponents are comprised almost entirely of right handed starting pitchers. The two notable exceptions being Bruce Chen and Scott Diamond, both of whom were actually more effective against right handed hitters last year. This is just one more reason that should emphasize the need for the Sox to add a middle of the order left handed bat.

 

[witesoxfan]

You can talk about contact vs. power, increasing OBP, or any other nuance of hitting. The Sox play almost half of their games against their division rivals, and they are not built to beat those teams. I’ve discussed how well the Detroit starters handled right handed hitters last year.

 

The simple, unavoidable truth is that the rosters of Chicago’s A. L. Central opponents are comprised almost entirely of right handed starting pitchers. The two notable exceptions being Bruce Chen and Scott Diamond, both of whom were actually more effective against right handed hitters last year. This is just one more reason that should emphasize the need for the Sox to add a middle of the order left handed bat.

 

What good left handed middle of the order bat is available? What are you going to give up? Where are you going to put him? Markakis doesn't count because the Orioles are not going to move him.

[LittleHurt05]

You can talk about contact vs. power, increasing OBP, or any other nuance of hitting. The Sox play almost half of their games against their division rivals, and they are not built to beat those teams. I've discussed how well the Detroit starters handled right handed hitters last year.

 

The simple, unavoidable truth is that the rosters of Chicago's A. L. Central opponents are comprised almost entirely of right handed starting pitchers. The two notable exceptions being Bruce Chen and Scott Diamond, both of whom were actually more effective against right handed hitters last year. This is just one more reason that should emphasize the need for the Sox to add a middle of the order left handed bat.

 

Well then it's even more impressive that they finished over .500 against the division last year.

[Lillian]

What good left handed middle of the order bat is available? What are you going to give up? Where are you going to put him? Markakis doesn't count because the Orioles are not going to move him.

 

I don't propose to have the solution. It might be constructive to start by identifying the problem. Do you agree that the absence of another left handed impact bat is the highest priority?

If you agree, then you tell us. How can the Sox acquire such a hitter?

[southsider2k5]

I don't propose to have the solution. It might be constructive to start by identifying the problem. Do you agree that the absence of another left handed impact bat is the highest priority?

If you agree, then you tell us. How can the Sox acquire such a hitter?

 

Ha, nice spin job. I think you have a future in politics.

[witesoxfan]

I don't propose to have the solution. It might be constructive to start by identifying the problem. Do you agree that the absence of another left handed impact bat is the highest priority?

If you agree, then you tell us. How can the Sox acquire such a hitter?

 

No. The absence of baseball is the biggest problem.

[Lillian]

Well then it's even more impressive that they finished over .500 against the division last year.

 

Yes, but the Sox faired very badly versus both the Royals and the Tigers. And they had A. J.'s left handed bat.

[LittleHurt05]

I don't propose to have the solution. It might be constructive to start by identifying the problem. Do you agree that the absence of another left handed impact bat is the highest priority?

If you agree, then you tell us. How can the Sox acquire such a hitter?

 

IMO, the biggest problem is that the Sox don't have Mike Trout, Ryan Braun, Justin Verlander, and/or Felix Hernandez. If you agree, then you tell us. How can the Sox acquire one or more of these players?

[witesoxfan]

Yes, but the Sox faired very badly versus both the Royals and the Tigers. And they had A. J.'s left handed bat.

 

Sure would have helped if he'd have put up better than a .712 OPS against the Tigers then.

[LittleHurt05]

Yes, but the Sox faired very badly versus both the Royals and the Tigers. And they had A. J.'s left handed bat.

 

You were talking about the entire division against whom the Sox play nearly half their games. In that half of the schedule, the Sox went over .500.

[witesoxfan]

If the Sox are going to win the division this year, they're going to need a lot of players on the current roster to step up and improve in a big way anyways. If it gets to the point that the Sox are in contention and they need another bat, they will go out and get one.

 

Worrying about something that is going to be a trivial upgrade at this point is silly. I wanted the Sox to sign Kelly Johnson because I too think another left handed bat could help. They didn't. That move won't win or lose them a division, and neither will another left handed bat in the middle of the lineup.

[ScottyDo]

If the Sox are going to win the division this year, they're going to need a lot of players on the current roster to step up and improve in a big way anyways. If it gets to the point that the Sox are in contention and they need another bat, they will go out and get one.

 

Worrying about something that is going to be a trivial upgrade at this point is silly. I wanted the Sox to sign Kelly Johnson because I too think another left handed bat could help. They didn't. That move won't win or lose them a division, and neither will another left handed bat in the middle of the lineup.

This. At this point, no teams want to move their guys, and very few of them wanted to in the first place, it appears. It was a very slow offseason across the board, unless you wanted Hamilton, and very few middle-of-the-order LH bats traded hands. I don't know if everybody feels like they're in contention or what, but things will loosen up midseason. We're probably just going to have to wait until then.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Honestly, I think the Sox pitching is good enough to ensure that they finish ahead of Minnesota and Cleveland. Barring substantial injuries, ofcourse.

 

I really am looking forward to the battle with K.C. It looks like they will be a very interesting team to watch at the least.

 

I am just curious. Does anyone have any idea of when a team last had a .200 hitter batting third all season? Has it ever happened?

 

 

Instead of looking at a .200 hitter, find out how many teams had a #3 hitter with 40 homers and an .obp of .340. I have been one of Dunn's biggest supporters on this board. Obviously, I know that Dunn is walking that fine line with being the most true form of a 3 outcome guy I have seen. I would like for Dunn's .obp to up closer to .370-.380. I get all that. But I still feel that looking at the .200 Batting Average is just really unfair. How many #3's hitters in baseball had a .340 .obp? That's the number that matters.

[3E8]

How many #3's hitters in baseball had a .340 .obp? That's the number that matters.

Last season, there were nineteen teams who averaged at least a .340 OBP from the 3rd spot in the lineup. Twenty-one teams were higher than .333, which was Dunn's OBP.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Last season, there were nineteen teams who averaged at least a .340 OBP from the 3rd spot in the lineup. Twenty-one teams were higher than .333, which was Dunn's OBP.

 

 

Thanks for the info. I am somewhat tied up at work and couldn't look myself. Dunn is not the typical #3 hitter and I think he will be moved this year. What you proved is that most of the other teams got more production as far as .obp goes from their #3 hitters. Obviously, if his batting average were higher he would have a higher .obp but looking at average alone for him doesn't work for me.

[Kyyle23]

Wait, the problem is that we need an impact lefty bat for the middle of the order?

 

 

HOW DID WE NOT KNOW THIS!?!?!??!

[WilburWilhelm]

Although I think the Sox will be a decent team and fun to watch this year I don't see but a sliver of a chance to catch Detroit.

 

There are two reasons. First, the obvious is that they have a better more talented roster. Beyond that, their ownership is committed to spending the money to win. They have shown that if the Tigers have injuries or underperform they will spend money to overcome that.

 

The Sox are in an unfortunate position right now where they really have no depth anywhere on the ML roster to trade from, a near barren farm system with few prospect they can afford to trade and are up close to their payroll limit already.

 

That's why it's been an uneventful winter as far as transactions. They really need to wait it out two more years for the Dunn, Rios, Konerko and Peavy contracts to be gone. That's $ 60 mil. per year for those four. Hopefully, they have a good solid young core by then to add some veterans to.

[ScottyDo]

Although I think the Sox will be a decent team and fun to watch this year I don't see but a sliver of a chance to catch Detroit.

 

There are two reasons. First, the obvious is that they have a better more talented roster. Beyond that, their ownership is committed to spending the money to win. They have shown that if the Tigers have injuries or underperform they will spend money to overcome that.

 

The Sox are in an unfortunate position right now where they really have no depth anywhere on the ML roster to trade from, a near barren farm system with few prospect they can afford to trade and are up close to their payroll limit already.

 

That's why it's been an uneventful winter as far as transactions. They really need to wait it out two more years for the Dunn, Rios, Konerko and Peavy contracts to be gone. That's $ 60 mil. per year for those four. Hopefully, they have a good solid young core by then to add some veterans to.

I actually think we could afford to trade an outfielder for sure. Whether or not we'd want to do that is another question, but we do have some relative organizational depth there.

[witesoxfan]

I think the Sox have the best pitching staff and defense in the division, and by quite a bit too. That alone is going to keep them in a lot of games. If they score at the clip they did last year, they're going to be in the race until the end.

[SOXOBAMA]

Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin

White Sox still looking for left-handed bat. Would probably be more of a complementary piece at this point.

[Chicago White Sox]

I think the Sox have the best pitching staff and defense in the division, and by quite a bit too. That alone is going to keep them in a lot of games. If they score at the clip they did last year, they're going to be in the race until the end.

I think the defense part is what needs to be emphasized here. Detroit was horrific last year, while we were very good. I anticipate we'll be much better than them in 2013 as well. Seems like a lot of people are overlooking this.

[WilburWilhelm]

I think the Sox have the best pitching staff and defense in the division, and by quite a bit too. That alone is going to keep them in a lot of games. If they score at the clip they did last year, they're going to be in the race until the end.

 

 

Yeah, sure. The Sox starting pitching is better than Detroit's? And, by a lot?

 

Thanks for playing.

[WilburWilhelm]

I actually think we could afford to trade an outfielder for sure. Whether or not we'd want to do that is another question, but we do have some relative organizational depth there.

 

 

What are you talking about ? The Sox barely have three decent staring OFers. After that they absolutely nothing. If they traded one who would become the bew starter?

 

Wise? He's been DFA'd by half the teams in baseball. In what world would Jordan Danks be a starting OFer? He could make very few, if any, other ML rosters.

 

There is no minor league OFer ready to step in. The best OF prospect is at least a couple of years away. The Sox have no outfield depth to trade or even in case of injury.