MLB 2009 thread

[shayd]

They have been talking about this quite a bit so far on local sports talk radizzie had a impromptu powwow with some of the guys(I guess just the outfielders) and said that he won't tolerate guys pouting over playing time.
Some of the radio guys are thinking that Podsednik could end up being the odd man out for next year and Dye's option not being picked up.I think that would be a huge mistake.

I would like to see the outfield of Pods in left,Rios in center and Quentin in right,with JD as the DH.It's time to wave goodbye to Jim Thome and his 130+ strikeouts after the year's end.

The only problems is that getting rid of Thome makes this team WAY too right handed heavy with only 3 lefty bats in the lineup,and none of those left handed bats would be in the heart of the order.

I see Kenny getting another left handed bat,if Thome,Dye,or Konerko don't return next year.

That's the best combination the Sox could put out there right now defensively, and that'd be a damn good outfield. Podsednik is about 10 runs above average defensively as a left fielder, Rios is an unbelievable 23 runs above average as a center fielder, and Quentin is about 12 runs above replacement in right. That is an awesome defensive outfield.

 

[Red001]

you know maybe he is getting players in place to make a trade during the offseason. given how much Kenny likes to deal i expect something big from the whitesox this offseason

red001

 

[zell]

you know maybe he is getting players in place to make a trade during the offseason. given how much Kenny likes to deal i expect something big from the whitesox this offseason

red001

I'm not too sure they have anything else that they are willing to deal that would get back something for equal value.

I think their two highest prospects in the minors right now are Jordan Danks and Tyler Flowers.They have hopes that Danks will be their CF of the future and Flowers is going to take over for A.J. probably when his contract is up.
Anyone else that they have down in the minors,probably wouldn't bring them back much.

The only other thing they could do is to try and package some starters in any deal.Beckham isn't going anywhere under pretty much any circumstances,so that pretty much hampers any deal right there.There starting 4 will probably be among the top 3-5 teams in the entire league,so they aren't going anywhere.The only starting talent they they could move and get something for them are Alexei Ramirez and Carlos Quentin,and while with Kenny's track record of wheeling and dealing,I wouldn't be surprised to see them in a deal,I just think it's highly unlikely at this point.

 

[shayd]

I'm not too sure they have anything else that they are willing to deal that would get back something for equal value.

I think their two highest prospects in the minors right now are Jordan Danks and Tyler Flowers.They have hopes that Danks will be their CF of the future and Flowers is going to take over for A.J. probably when his contract is up.
Anyone else that they have down in the minors,probably wouldn't bring them back much.

The only other thing they could do is to try and package some starters in any deal.Beckham isn't going anywhere under pretty much any circumstances,so that pretty much hampers any deal right there.There starting 4 will probably be among the top 3-5 teams in the entire league,so they aren't going anywhere.The only starting talent they they could move and get something for them are Alexei Ramirez and Carlos Quentin,and while with Kenny's track record of wheeling and dealing,I wouldn't be surprised to see them in a deal,I just think it's highly unlikely at this point.

That's probably the truth. Danks at this point could be a chip, because they've got Rios locked up and Danks has struggled to provide consistent offense in the minors so far, and he's got an astronomical K rate. But outside of that, the farm system is a bit depleted right now.

 

[zell]

That's probably the truth. Danks at this point could be a chip, because they've got Rios locked up and Danks has struggled to provide consistent offense in the minors so far, and he's got an astronomical K rate. But outside of that, the farm system is a bit depleted right now.

Yup.Kenny's philosophy is that the minor league system is there as usually as commodities for trades more so than as a true farm system where guys come up and make it to the majors.Of course that are quite a few guys that have made their way through the farm system to get to the majors,but I'm fairly certain,without looking it up,that that's the minority of cases.

I just wish that some of the guys that the Sox were hoping to contribute at the major league level would've panned out,but as is the case for most of the time in baseball,they didn't.

Man,just sitting here,I can think of a hand full of guys that Kenny either gave up on,or just used as trade bait,and truth be told,none of them are guys that I necessarily think that this team misses right now.It even looked like Kenny made a mistake by shipping Chris Young to the D-Backs a few years ago,and now I just read that he was batting .194 and shipped down to the minors just yesterday.

 

[Red001]

I think Kenny is planning on being active in the offseason and not nessisarly with minor leaguers. they still could use a secondbasemen and one more starter.
Funny is how well the Indians and Nationals have been playing Recently maybe those guys have pride after all

red001

 

[shayd]

Yup.Kenny's philosophy is that the minor league system is there as usually as commodities for trades more so than as a true farm system where guys come up and make it to the majors.Of course that are quite a few guys that have made their way through the farm system to get to the majors,but I'm fairly certain,without looking it up,that that's the minority of cases.

I just wish that some of the guys that the Sox were hoping to contribute at the major league level would've panned out,but as is the case for most of the time in baseball,they didn't.

Man,just sitting here,I can think of a hand full of guys that Kenny either gave up on,or just used as trade bait,and truth be told,none of them are guys that I necessarily think that this team misses right now.It even looked like Kenny made a mistake by shipping Chris Young to the D-Backs a few years ago,and now I just read that he was batting .194 and shipped down to the minors just yesterday.

What's interesting to me is that there's no doubt that Williams tends to value developed Major League talent over prospect talent, the White Sox haven't been all that successful drafting a lot of can't miss talent.

Chris Young this year has been a really remarkable case, as he's having one of the worst falloffs I've ever seen. He's always had good power, but that's significantly decreased this season. He's always struck out at a high rate too, (career average of roughly 25%) but that jumped up to 30% this year. There's only one reason for his struggles too: he's not getting around on pitches. His Line Drive percentage is down two percent, his Ground Ball percentage has fallen off a cliff, (38% to roughly 26%), and in accordance, his Fly Ball percentage has skyrocketed up to 56%. And here's where you can really tell he's not connecting with pitches: of the fly balls that he's hit, 25% have been on the infield. That's insane to see over a one year period, absolutely insane. Either he's got some sort of injury preventing him from swinging properly, or he's really that out of whack, but either way his falloff this year is downright jaw-dropping.

I think Kenny is planning on being active in the offseason and not nessisarly with minor leaguers. they still could use a secondbasemen and one more starter.
Funny is how well the Indians and Nationals have been playing Recently maybe those guys have pride after all

red001

I wouldn't be surprised to see him shop Ramirez for either a third baseman and signing a Freddy Sanchez type player, or a combo of a third and second baseman.

 

[zell]

I think Kenny is planning on being active in the offseason and not nessisarly with minor leaguers. they still could use a secondbasemen and one more starter.
Funny is how well the Indians and Nationals have been playing Recently maybe those guys have pride after all

red001

Yes,the really do need one more starter(a 5th) in the rotation,especially for next year,because I don't think they are relying on guys like Contreras or Freddy Garcia to be around next year.As far a second base goes,I've been very satisfied with Chris Gets and I think he's done a solid job as a rookie.I would like to see at least one more year of him just to give him more of a chance to develop.

What's interesting to me is that there's no doubt that Williams tends to value developed Major League talent over prospect talent, the White Sox haven't been all that successful drafting a lot of can't miss talent.

Truth be told,how many teams really do?Every team probably has a can't miss guy every,what 8 to 10 years or so,but if they were getting them every year,then the league would be insane.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him shop Ramirez for either a third baseman and signing a Freddy Sanchez type player, or a combo of a third and second baseman.

I think there is quite a bit of disappointment that the team has for Ramirez that they aren't outright saying.He was better last year playing 2B.What I would like to see,if not just for one game,put Beckham back at his natural position,SS,and move Alexei to 3B.He's got that range and the arm,so I say mix it up a little,because he seems uninterested at times out there and maybe moving him could give him a little spark.

What I'm a bit disappointed in,however,is how long his swing is and he doesn't seem to want to shorten it up to get more base hits to drive in runs.I don't think they will deal him yet,but if his D doesn't get better by trade deadline next year,I could easily see them moving him.

 

[yaheem]

Oh boy them umps sure sucked, in the Giants-Dodgers series. Sure Im biased but that umpire crew was absolutely rubbish. Im surprised the Giants actually won todays game, I thought they would have called Uribes walk-off shot a foul. And the White Sox going all in for a another title?

 

[Red001]

i'll agree with Yaheem the umpiring was terrible in the Giants game.
interesting that the Bluejays sign there first round pick days after they let Rios go

red001

 

[shayd]

Truth be told,how many teams really do?Every team probably has a can't miss guy every,what 8 to 10 years or so,but if they were getting them every year,then the league would be insane.

I think there is quite a bit of disappointment that the team has for Ramirez that they aren't outright saying.He was better last year playing 2B.What I would like to see,if not just for one game,put Beckham back at his natural position,SS,and move Alexei to 3B.He's got that range and the arm,so I say mix it up a little,because he seems uninterested at times out there and maybe moving him could give him a little spark.

What I'm a bit disappointed in,however,is how long his swing is and he doesn't seem to want to shorten it up to get more base hits to drive in runs.I don't think they will deal him yet,but if his D doesn't get better by trade deadline next year,I could easily see them moving him.

I think I chose my words poorly there. What I meant was that the Sox haven't done well at the prospect level overall. They've certainly had a couple young guys come up, but honestly the two best prospects from the Sox system of recent memory are Beckham, Gio Gonzalez, Fautino De Los Santos, and Chris Carter. Those were are guys that I can easily see as B+/A- prospects, yet three of them now play for the A's.

Ramirez, unfortunately is probably never going to be a good fielder. The funny thing is, he's actually fielding better this year than last, but he's still pretty awful, and he's worse at 2B than at SS, which is sort of puzzling to me. His offensive value shoots up as a SS, but he's been pretty bad this season. I'd look to move him this offseason, and if nothing is there I'd push him at the deadline next year, as his numbers probably won't improve significantly.

 

[sp00ner77]

Cardinals win behind another dominating performance from Cris Carpenter and the Cubs lose on a walk-off homer in the 9th. :nanner:

St. Louis has won 9 of they're last 10 and are now up by 6 games . . . . they're starting to pull away.

Carpenter and Wainwright for the Cy Young! :yesyes:

 

[shayd]

How about Brett Tomko telling the Yankees off?

I suppose that's what you get for not giving the guy a shot.

 

[Red001]

Man Brent Tomko sure made some fans out here in Oakland by shutting down the Yankees hopefully help pass that insight on to the other starters

red001

 

[shayd]

Man Brent Tomko sure made some fans out here in Oakland by shutting down the Yankees hopefully help pass that insight on to the other starters

red001

Wasn't that something? The guy publicly states he's got an axe to grind with the Yankees after the way he was treated, then goes on to spur a shutout. I say good for him.

 

[Jagged X]

The Cardinals fucken own the Dodgers.

 

[yaheem]

LAD 7 - STL 3
Unfortunately not so much ownage tonight. Quick question. Do superstar players get the benefit of the doubt on close calls? Im asking because todays game with the Giants and Reds a close fair or foul ball hit by the pitcher almost smokes the first base ump who calls it fair. End result a two run double for Homer Bailey who gets his first hit of the season against Tim Lincecum (who was unusually pedestrian). Was it a "homer" call? I apologize for the terrible pun it was there for the raking. The NL Wild Card is becoming interesting and I am becoming a fan of the Rangers real quick. If only to see Boston not make the playoffs, and Nolan Ryan is running the show in Texas (no pitch counts!).

 

[sp00ner77]

Well they got one off of the dark gaping chasm that is the #5 starting spot in the Cardinals rotation. :throwup: Thankfully the Cubs also lost - thanks San Diego!

Kershaw vs. Wainwright should be a great match up Wednesday.

Looks like the Card's are going to get Smoltz. Hopefully as bullpen help - he's been hammered by lefties but actually been very good versus righties this year and may be useful in a setup role.

 

[shayd]

Kurt Suzuki is a stud. Plain and simple and he's a damn respectable guy. Watching CC "protect" A-Rod and then get the next pitch smoked was absolutely fantastic. If I were Kurt I would've watched that ball for at least 30 seconds, good for him for being the bigger man.

 

[hotslutsrgood]

at this stage of the season who do you think will be in the world series

i say yankees vs phillies