A look at the 2011 Brandon McCarthy

Boddy @ THT:

While it’s pretty rare to find a pitcher who has made such major changes in approach and arm angle in the major leagues, it’s even more rare to find someone who has made whole cloth mechanical changes in addition to revamping how he attacks hitters.McCarthy has obviously made the basic mechanical change of arm slot (as shown in PITCHf/x data), but it goes way beyond that when you examine the video evidence. Compare his mechanics from 2009 in this high-speed shot by Trip Somers of TexasLeaguers.com to the video I shot in 2011:

White Sox seriously interested in Adam Dunn

Crasnick @ ESPN/BA tweets:

The Chicago White Sox have jumped in on free agent Adam Dunn, according to sources. Kenny Williams’ interest appears serious

Slusser @ SFC tweets:

It sounds as if Adam Dunn won’t be signing with the Athletics; it is looking very much like the White Sox will wind up with Dunn.

Cowley @ CST tweets:

Yes, the Adam Dunn talk is very legit, and building steam.

Heyman @ SI tweets:

chisox appear to be closing in on deal for adam dunn. huge move for them!

Remember ex-Sox prospect Chris Carter?

The prospect that the Sox traded to Arizona for Carlos Quinten two years ago and then Arizona traded to Oakland 10 days later? Well, John Sickels reviewed the prospects in Oakland’s minor-league system and gave Chris Carter an A- grade:

1) Chris Carter, 1B-OF, Grade A-: I just absolutely love this bat, enough to override the questions about defense and give him an A-. He added pure hitting skills to go with the power.

UPDATE: And Kevin Goldstein says Carter is a Five-Star  prospect.

Chris Carter update

Kevin Goldstein gives us an update on the guy Kenny traded to get Carlos Quentin:

… one scout had more concerns about Carter’s propensity to swing and miss than anything positive to say, noting that he’s “so big and strong, and it is absolutely enormous power. But if the ball is not in his immediate bat path, he misses.” The scout added, “He’s bad at seeing the slider, and bad at laying off the slider, and that’s a very tough combination to overcome,” admitting there are some fears that Carter will be just an up-and-down player in the end. “He’s going to keep putting up big numbers, but he has holes above and below the barrel, and lots of areas that big-league pitchers can go to get him out. With what the A’s have done with Jack Cust, you’d never want to say never, but I think when he gets to the big leagues, he’s just going to strike out a ton.”