The lesson of Carlos Quentin
by Jim Margalus on Jan 3, 2012 12:00 PM CST
in Analysis
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PrintThe departure of Carlos Quentin brought back a lot of great memories, and my favorite is his performance against John Lackey on May 25, 2008.
Lackey went the distance and shut down everybody not named Carlos Quentin, but that still wasn't good enough. Quentin went 3-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch, a single, and two homers drove in all three runs in a 3-2 White Sox victory.
In front of a national audience, Quentin pushed his OPS over 1.000 (.304/.416/.607), and while his OPS would return to the land of triple digits for good two games later, he never came close to tailing off.
It's funny to think about it now, because in 2008, everybody figured Quentin would start the year in Charlotte. He was coming off surgery and there was no natural spot for him on the roster, so unless Quentin dominated the spring, he would probably lurk in Triple-A as outfield depth, which sounds familiar.
A small tear in Jerry Owens' right adductor forced Quentin into the picture, and he ended up being the difference-maker in a division-winning season, even if he wasn't around for the end of it.
Now, contrast Quentin's explosive emergence to the way the White Sox kept Alejandro De Aza and Dayan Viciedo under wraps for most of the season. All were well-regarded prospects before injuries got in the way. When Quentin was healthy, the Sox were forced to give him a chance to run with, and Quentin made the most of it. Although he never reached that level again, he became a fixture in the outfield for three more seasons.
De Aza found a way to stay healthy, played out of his mind when given the chance while veteran imports fell flat on their face. And so far this winter, the White Sox media has spent an awful lot of time thinking of ways to replace him.
Still.
@ChiTribRogers
Phil Rogers Coco Crisp, rumored to be signing soon, fits w/#whitesox, who spent weekend clearing salary. Does KW trust Alejandro de Aza?
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oh yeah
well phil rogers told me you’re a liar AND you’re not very nice to your elders…namely WU
-Jeeves The I in Team
i was at that game. Contreras pitched mighty well for the Sox that night.
And yes… i fell in love with Quentin. I dumped him in september though. What a D-bag.
The only was they replace de aza is with cespedes. coco crisp? come on.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
If they were to sign Cespedes would De Aza go back to AAA? I mean, can the White Sox send De Aza down and bring him back up at will or is there a limit like in hockey? I’m not sure how baseball works and hopefully Larry doesn’t ram my lack of understanding down my throat, but I wouldn’t mind De Aza having to wait until Ventura has had enough of Rios. If that day never comes, then I guess I am just SOL.
GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!
I certainly hope not.
In my mind, the worst that could happen is he would be the 4th OF. More probably is he would find AB’s at all three OF spots, spelling each of Rios, Viciedo and Cespedes (if he would even be ready to start in the majors). Less likely (but more beneficial) would be if he supplanted Rios on a semi-permanent basis.
There is a limit
but its counted in years, not trips. A player will get 3 or 4 options. If a team uses a players option by sending them from MLB to the minors, they can then shuttle that player up and down the remainder of the season at no additional options cost.
de aza has no options left.
and, even if the cespedes were signed and were deemed ready for the majors, the white sox still would have a bench spot for an outfielder like de aza.
Ok. Am I wrong in being excited to (potentially) watch De Aza for a full season in the bigs? I’m not expecting him to light the world on fire, but I’m hoping he can bring some speed to the lineup.
GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!
by hoosier3 on Jan 3, 2012 2:30 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
No you're not wrong.
I wouldn’t extrapolate his numbers last season to a full year and expect that to happen. However, I do think he’s made significant progress as a player and should be able to make an impact if he can stay healthy.
by polodude017 on Jan 3, 2012 3:26 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
I like that!
Took a look for reference to Michael Bourn, probably the fastest player nowadays, and he had a BABIP of 369 in 2011. The highest in his career.
For 2012 season: ALEX RIOS is my new TONY PENA.
by JofpGallagher on Jan 3, 2012 7:46 PM CST up reply actions
peter bourjos says hi
and subsequently bye
"Rhubarb, if you wouldn’t mind, ram your taint into your monitor as hard as you can." - joewho112
Yes...hi and bye
In 2011
Bourjos stole 22 bases
Bourn stole 61
just saying.
For 2012 season: ALEX RIOS is my new TONY PENA.
by JofpGallagher on Jan 3, 2012 7:58 PM CST up reply actions
Bourn also had 170 more plate appearences.
Not sure just using stolen bases is the best methodology.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
OK
I was just curious about how high is the BABIP of a player that uses speed to get on base (beat a throw) to compare it with De Aza’s 404 mentioned above. I don’t know Bourn is the fastest player. I say probably he is considering he has led the SB category for two years in a row in the majors.
For 2012 season: ALEX RIOS is my new TONY PENA.
by JofpGallagher on Jan 3, 2012 8:40 PM CST up reply actions
He's definitely up there.
It would be interesting to make him, Bourjos, Gardner, Reyes and Ellsbury have a foot race.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
wait just a minute
How dare you leave Konerko and AJ out of this debate…
GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!
by hoosier3 on Jan 3, 2012 10:33 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
And Bourn didn't lead the majors in steals in 2010.
Juan Pierre did.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
right in 2009 and 2010 pujols had 16 and 14 SBs
SBs do not a fast runner make
"Rhubarb, if you wouldn’t mind, ram your taint into your monitor as hard as you can." - joewho112
I agree. SB alone is not the best way to measure speed, but it's a good one
I was just interested to know the BABIP of a fast hitter as they should get a higher BABIP due to their speed. I picked Bourn just to pick a fast one. I could have picked Ellsbury who surprisingly enough had a low BABIP in 2011. I guess the relationship between BABIP and speed may not be very strong. That 404 of De Aza is unsustainable in the long run as stated by Secret Chimp.
For 2012 season: ALEX RIOS is my new TONY PENA.
by JofpGallagher on Jan 3, 2012 9:18 PM CST up reply actions
Ichiro's career high BABIP is .399 (2004).
Since 1937, only four qualified batters (502 PA) have managed a .400 BABIP or better.
At Fangraphs, Bill James projects a BABIP of .343 for De Aza’s 2012 season. I wouldn’t holler.
We're all aware he had a VERY high BABIP last season.
That doesn’t mean he can’t be a productive player this coming season even if that normalizes.
an .800 OPS from de aza would go a long way for the sox this year.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
Crisp.
I’d lose it. What’s the point? His ceiling at this point is De Aza with a higher salary. He seems to have lost the decent pop he once had and his OBP is nothing special.
if we end up with crisp
Then the insane Buehrle-for-Crisp transaction will have finally taken place, sort of.
Can’t believe anybody would think we’d trade Buehrle for Crisp, ever.
I think Q's 2008 season will always be my favorite individual season.
I really do wonder how the playoffs would have been different with him playing (sigh). Oh well. Thanks for the tremendously fun season, Q. Good luck out west.
To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch
by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Jan 3, 2012 12:25 PM CST reply actions
Hell, that 2008 team is my all-time favorite White Sox team period.
I know, I know, I know 2005 and all that.
To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch
by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Jan 3, 2012 12:30 PM CST up reply actions
Holy Christ.
We're all here because we're not all there.
by winningugly on Jan 3, 2012 12:41 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
i liked the 2008 team better than the 2005 team as well.
1983 and 1990 are my favorites though.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
Nothing will top 2005 for me
But the 3 days of must wins vs. 3 different teams to win the division was pretty awesome. Wont forget Alexei’s dinger vs Detroit or Danks masterpiece in the black out.
There's no denying the magic and importance of the 2005 team.
But 2008 was my junior/senior year of college. That summer I turned 21 and was living in Ann Arbor. I had no job and no responsibilities. All I did all summer long was party and watch the Sox. The Tigers absolutely sucked, which gave me great glee given the amount of trash talking I had done in Michigan after the Tigers traded for Cabrera and Willis. Quentin was the best summer lover ever. Yes, ‘05 was more important. But I’ve never had a more fun summer than 2008, in no small part to that team. #justkeepinitreal
To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch
by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Jan 3, 2012 1:06 PM CST up reply actions
well the accomplishment of 2005 is obviously the greatest of all...
i just happened to like the roster more in 2008.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
Such anger. It's a new year, WU! Smile more!
To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch
by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Jan 3, 2012 1:21 PM CST up reply actions
well get ready to hate me more...
because i liked the roster better in 1983, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2004 better as well. lol
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
what the fuck is wrong with you?
"Rooting for the Twins is just a roundabout way of rooting for a first-round playoff bye for the Yankees." by big_fun
by Tdogg on Jan 3, 2012 4:12 PM CST up reply actions 10 recs
insanity.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
you should reconsider that statement.
as far as i’m concerned there is no way any white sox team containing nick swisher can be anyone’s favorite white sox team.
sheer insanity.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
by BuehrleMan on Jan 3, 2012 3:47 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Or maybe people just got over it. One year of underwhelming performance and some blow-up doll buffoonery does not a prince of darkness make.
a VERY AVERAGE Sox Machine refugee
by big_fun on Jan 3, 2012 4:17 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
i keep waiting for evidence of that
but i just haven’t come across any yet.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
That's how Hitler got started.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Jan 3, 2012 8:06 PM CST up reply actions 6 recs
FOR THE LAST GODDAMN TIME! I DON'T FUCKING CARE ABOUT NICK SWISHER!
SWEET JESUS! CAN THIS FUCKING MEME ABOVE ALL OTHER ON THIS SITE DIE ALREADY!!!?!
To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch
by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Jan 3, 2012 7:15 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't thinks its a meme for BM
He just really fucking hates him, more than anyone probably. He is kind of a goofy sac of shit.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
jeez, sorry to have upset you. i wasn't even really meaning to be meme-y.
simply trying to mention that i believe that swisher is one of the more disliked players in recent history and his presence on a sox roster could affect that roster’s ranking as far as favorites go and that i think you’re in a very small minority if you liked the 2008 sox more than the 2005 sox.
as for your question, while it’s not all that likely, anything is possible.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
I agree
I lived in Milwaukee for most of 2005. I moved to Chicago the week of the ALCS.
I followed 2008 from the very beginning….from the Sox losing out on Cabrera (M) in December of ’07 through the elimination game against Tampa.
So many fun memories. I lived at the ballpark that summer.
What?! I ain't no Professor Pickles!
by 67WMAQ on Jan 3, 2012 2:39 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
as a radio guy who enjoys the history of it all
Mike North was on the Danny Mac show today. pretty cool hearing Pappy on WSCR again.
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/show/the-mcneil-and-spiegel-show/#
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
i had the pleasure of interning at the score back in 2001.
i’ve said it many times… North was a genuinely good dude. very polite, very willing to shoot the shit with or throw the interns a few bucks or buy us lunch.
I worked promotions during the bowl a rama charity event. awesome experience. met urlacher, marcus robinson, george the animal steele among others. also did some appearances at bars with laurence holmes, doug buffone etc.
it was the only job i ever really liked and i didn’t get paid for it other than gas money. lol
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
lol... well yes this is wonderful too.
but i don’t have to get up early in the morning and drive to work to do this so i don’t count it. haha
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
is there a nice dude than buffone?
i met him, hampton, and obradovich at a golf outing my company hosted last summer. buffone got there before the others and was eating breakfast by himself and he invited me over to sit and talk with him, seemed like a genuinely nice guy who just enjoyed talking to people.
It's a hell of a story
The whole thing started on a sunrise-to-sunset station on AM 820. Along the way, it killed off two well-known radio stations before finally settling at 670.
North is an interesting guy. He certainly made the most of his opportunity.
What?! I ain't no Professor Pickles!
I forgot how much Quentin's batting stance changed since 2008.
That first HR was for Ozzie, slider away.
I still say he effed up by getting married in '08.
All downhill.
http://www.southsidesox.com/2008/11/14/661631/another-one-bites-the-dust
We're all here because we're not all there.
I of all people know.
Fortunately I am not a finely tuned motor depending upon lightning-quick reflexes for my daily bread.
We're all here because we're not all there.
Ain't that the goddamn truth.
"I considered throwing a volley, but since I'm considerably closer to Ford City than Dodge City, I figure it might have been misinterpreted."
I miss Jon Miller...
…more than I’m going to miss this flash-in-the-pan / head case / purveyor of pop-ups.
I wouldn't have remembered this game offhand
So thanks for posting it. That was a frickin’ sweet win.
I had a huge amount of fun watching the ‘08 Sox. I was at the home opener (Crede slam, Ozzie booted out of game) and game 162 vs Detroit (well, we all know that one). And also at the 12 inning suspended game with Baltimore. That game was so crazy-fun and I remember being very disappointed that I had to watch the end on TV, as well as how that ended. Too bad Alexei was out of the game because he wasn’t hitting in April, because he would have been great to have in September for the finish. But without Uribe in for Alexei, it’d have been over in the 12th, so I suppose it was okay.
i was in vegas at the end of the 2008 season.
was sitting in the sports book of the flamingo watching the sunday game. Buehrle won… which forced Detroit to come to Chicago. I was excited to watch that game before my flight… but there was a big rain delay so i only caught the first couple of innings. I was sweating it out on the plane… when a couple hours into the flight the pilot announced that the Sox won and will be facing minnesota. the plane broke out in cheers… i got off the plane and my dad and brother had a ticket waiting for me for the blackout game. Danks dealing… Thome Boom… Griffey Gun… Anderson dive… let the celebration begin.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
AJ block.
Come on, Ken, give it where it is due. Griffey’s throw bounced about 15 times.
We're all here because we're not all there.
This, lol. That play was pretty much all AJ.
To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch
by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Jan 3, 2012 1:25 PM CST up reply actions
griffey put him in position with a decent throw.
if the throw is off line he scores easy.
and for all the yelling aj does at alexei for catching the ball before the bag… aj usually does a bang up job at that as well.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
Pierre could've made that throw.
Pods, too. You with your burned out pus arm could’ve done it, too. The block was the play.
We're all here because we're not all there.
it bounced twice.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3577847&c_id=cws
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
I'm only seeing one, with AJ snagging it right before it could bounce a second time.
It was a great throw.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Shit, he was in short center field. Not even medium-deep.
Amazing AJ didn’t drop it since his arm was extended and Cuddyer hit it full on. And Cuddyer is a load.
It was a great play.
We're all here because we're not all there.
BA coulda thrown that.
He used to be a pitcher, after he used to be a centerfielder.
Why buy the cow when the milk is kinda bitchy?
i agree. it was right where it needed to be. although i think aj got it on a short hop. either way.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
Yeah, it's a bit hard to tell at the end.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
it was a fantastic throw
"Rhubarb, if you wouldn’t mind, ram your taint into your monitor as hard as you can." - joewho112
let me tell you... the flamingo book isn't that big.
i had to battle to get that sox game on during NFL sunday. lol
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
those were 3 of the craziest days ever
i remember being at the sunday game against cleveland and thinkin “maybe just maybe this isn’t it.” i had to work the next day (damn jobs) and i remember racing home and getting there about the 4th inning watching things unravel and screaming for the ball to get out as soon as it came off alexei’s bat. then rushing to a local ticketmaster to stand in line to get a ticket for the blackout. the blackout was one of the coolest things ever, seeing everyone wave the towels before the game and i remember the whites of peoples facing standing out so much that night. then “dirty 30” spraying champagne in my eye as he made his way down the left field line…awesome few days.
I was at that Indians game too
Classic Buehrle.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
He’s saving it for spring training!
GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!
by hoosier3 on Jan 3, 2012 10:40 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
more on the pitchers received in the frasor trade
While the White Sox obviously weren’t going to get much for a short reliever who is effective but a bit expensive for a non-late-inning arm, they at least found some upside in a pair of six-foot-three righties with arm strength. The better prospect is Jaye, who signed for $250,000 out of the 2010 draft and was impressive in the Appy League in 2010. He’s in the low 90s and projectable, but his slider and changeup are fringy offerings that need to improve. He’ll make his full-season debut in 2012.
Webb has been a disappointment since signing for an over-slot bonus of his own, receiving $450,000 in 2009. While he has low-90s velocity, like Webb, he’s developed little around it, and his delivery can get messy, creating command issues.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15772
Gregor's HoF ballot: Larkin and Morris.
No Bagwell due to suspicions. Stupid.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Is he suspicious of Edgar too or did he use the DH argument? sheesh
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
Yep, I voted for him too
Are you going to release the results for the SSS voting soon?
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
He calls Gar and Rock "standout players", but not great enough to get in.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Edgar was an absolute pimp
I was a fan of Mattingly’s game because when I was young I mostly appreciated players with high batting average and low strikeouts. If his back didn’t screw him I think he would have been a no doubter.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
oh yah... mattingly was a stud.
its unfortunate that he had those issues. cost him his power.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
One of the best leadoff hitters of all time not great enough
okee doke.
"Rooting for the Twins is just a roundabout way of rooting for a first-round playoff bye for the Yankees." by big_fun
Cocaine is a helluva drug.
We're all here because we're not all there.
by winningugly on Jan 4, 2012 6:19 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
thats bs too.
if cocaine was that big of an influence than Molitor shouldn’t have made it either. you hear it brought up with raines and parker though. i wonder why
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
"Lines", Jim.
“Hits” are usually referencing marijuana. “Lines” equates to cocaine. I doubt Raines did 3,300 lines.
;)
We're all here because we're not all there.
by winningugly on Jan 4, 2012 2:14 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Tony Phillips should be in the HOF with over 20,000 lines.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
Legitimate question: have HOF votes always inspired so much angst or is this an internet thing?
I agree: it sucks and it’s stupid to leave Jeff Bagwell out. That said, it seems there’s been a little too much ink spilled over it.
by Craig Grebeck on Jan 3, 2012 2:49 PM CST up reply actions
voters have long been way too stubborn
though it is nice that the hall is something to be coveted. but its also a sham at the same time due to the people left out
"Rhubarb, if you wouldn’t mind, ram your taint into your monitor as hard as you can." - joewho112
Morris is the stupidity here.
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
And holding out a guy never tied to steroids because other hitters in his playing period used them isn't?
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Of course. My comment was based on the lack of comments re Morris.
Sorry, took a shortcut.
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
I think everyone has just grown numb to writers finding reasons to include Morris.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
i think goldstein said it best.
it was something like he wouldnt vote for morris for the hall, but he thinks someone could certainly make a good case for it.
"Rhubarb, if you wouldn’t mind, ram your taint into your monitor as hard as you can." - joewho112
I don't think signing Cepedes is realistic
Do you think KW will gamble on another $10m+ player after failing miserably with Peavy, Dunn and Rios? Of course he tends to do the unexpected.
I don't think he SHOULD.
But I honestly have no idea what they are doing.
Kenny gambles.
Dogs overeat, Kenny gambles. Only way to stop either is taking the dish away, but Jerry didn’t do that this winter.
its not going to be 10 million a season.
I think he fits quite nicely into Quentin’s salary slot for this year and a bunch of years going forward… Williams said they now have flexibility to do something. Ken Rosenthal just suggested this on Hot Stove today.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
Bruce Levine says so too.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/white-sox/post/_/id/8386/both-chicago-clubs-may-pursue-cespedes
"What I will say is there are some doors that are now open for us that were not open yesterday because of the savings of dollars," Williams said. "But which direction we are heading with that, [talking about it] I think would be counterproductive with us getting something done should we decide to go down that road.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
Why do you like him so much?
Besides the freakshow stuff, his rocket arm and him jacking BP pitches what have you seen that justifies even Q money. The Cesspeedees thing is reaching ridiculous proportions here.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
by Rhubarb on Jan 3, 2012 7:50 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
He hit a couple of dingers in the WBC but they were against South Africa and Mexico
He hit 33 HR’s in Cuba last year but he is 26 and essentially playing A-ball quality pitchers.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
remember that guy?
"Rhubarb, if you wouldn’t mind, ram your taint into your monitor as hard as you can." - joewho112
Every pitcher in Cuba looks like that guy except the Hernandez'
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
You mean Contreras?
They always said he was in better shape than anyone on the White Sox back in the day.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
He was in fantastic shape for a man in his mid-50s
"They're a dead team walkin'." - Joe Cowley commentary on the Sox 2012 rebuilding year (WSCR interview, 12/7/11)
whats not to like?
He has power to all fields, he’s fast and he has a rocket arm. just take a look at the dude. he looks like a future star. Plus he is obviously a colorful guy and by getting him at least it will be interesting to watch.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
He has power to all fields against what competition?
I’m concerned his power will only show up on pitchers mistakes and lucky guesses. His swing looks long but we’ll see. It might be interesting to watch for the first week then depressing. So many years in Cuba he could really be overmatched.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
were you worried about viciedo's power?
i know they arent in the same league, and there isn’t enough data to make a list of comparables, but I dont think 20+ HR power is out of the question.
true
but the knock on Cubans had been they dont have power, then Morales emerged to debunk that(before he hurt his leg) and now Viciedo obviously can hit them a mile.
Morales and Viciedo both spent a significant amount of time in the minors
You could backload Cespedes contract like larry mentioned last week or two weeks ago but the kind of money he is commanding and due to his age, he isn’t going to be able to get much minor league seasoning.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
i.e. Morales and Viciedo put their time in
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
this is all based on one 5 min video, though, right?
Or are there more verifiable scouting reports now?
Dave Martinez woulda had that.
One general manager referred to Cespedes’s five tools and said, "All of them are off the charts." Others wonder if he can play center field in the majors, but one scout who has seen him play in competitions in four countries said he had uncanny defensive instincts and played with heart. The scout added that within "a few years, he will be one of the two or three best center fielders in baseball." As for his speed, he has been rated as a 7 on a scale from 2 to 8.
They also said he’s built like Bo Jackson. I’ll take a chance on this guy any day of the week. And due to him being shut off from the rest of the world makes the White Sox a smart destination due to Alexei and Viciedo.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
now that we cleared the injury prone nutcase salary off the books...
this is the clear move to make.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
by KenWo4LiFe on Jan 3, 2012 11:27 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Alfredo Despaigne Rodriguez needs to defect so we can sign him too
All cuban OF
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
I've never met anyone with such a strong affinity for Cuban men.
Anyone help me with a ‘Cuban cigar’ joke here?
To my knowledge, certain things were not known.
-James Murdoch
by 2ndHalfAdjustments on Jan 4, 2012 8:32 AM CST up reply actions
Still in your jammies?
Get the hell out of bed and use punctuation correctly, for Chrissakes. It’s 2012.
We're all here because we're not all there.
That was typed as the stewardess was yelling at me
to turn off the electronics. You, the King of “I should look before I POS post” of all people?
by South Side Expat on Jan 4, 2012 1:39 PM CST up reply actions
KenWo loves nothing more than a tightly wrapped Cubano, and also enjoys a cigar on occasion?
Alternately: sandwich jokes.
by mechanical turk on Jan 4, 2012 10:04 AM CST up reply actions
when kenwo asks for extra pickles with his cuban, he means more dudes.
?
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Jan 4, 2012 10:38 AM CST up reply actions 4 recs
I will blow a gasket if De Aza doesn't get to start this year.
What the hell does the man have to do????
"Rooting for the Twins is just a roundabout way of rooting for a first-round playoff bye for the Yankees." by big_fun
Hmmmm
1.) Hit better in the Dominican Winter League
2.) Apply for Cuban citizenship.
3.) Grow an afro.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
4) Write well-enough in English
to Tweet that Ozzie became a distraction last year.
sideways smiley face
Ozzie quit on the team. Fixed.
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
by Chiburb on Jan 3, 2012 5:57 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
If only he could have distracted them from sucking
sideways smiley face
by TasteeFreeze on Jan 3, 2012 6:15 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
If only he had played the better alternatives!
Maybe we weren’t watching the same way?
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
I was assured by the internet that Adam Dunn would rake.
I hold the internet responsible.
sideways smiley face
FYI
Rick Hahn is supposed to be on Clubhouse Confidential today (Wednesday) on MLB network
For those of you trying to learn a bit about advanced stats you should check out the show. its pretty interesting.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
E-Jax asking for $15-17MM/year?
http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2012/1/3/2679969/edwin-jackson-scott-boras-free-agent-mlb-rumors-2012
Tdogg, maybe you can have him pay off half of your bet for you. ;)
We're all here because we're not all there.
i just got a call yesterday from the company i ordered your wine from.
first time since the order they’ve tried to contact me. that was summer of 2010. helluva business plan.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
LOL!
Nice follow-up. they probably heard your whining about losing a bet and said “that’ll never happen again”.
We're all here because we're not all there.
Thanks Jim for posting the vids
They were fun to watch. I wish Q! would have stayed healthy. It would have been fun to watch & see if MVP &/or Sox’ win(s) in playoffs could have happened.
2012 is gonna be a long season, but I’m optimistic some young ’uns will rise to the top…
It's 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, 1/2 pack of cigarettes...it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.
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