hogan873

I forgot this was a day game...and an early one at that. Looks like my production here at work will be limited for a few hours this afternoon.

I've been an Alex Rios apologist since he was acquired last year. I kept thinking, hoping, and praying that he would come around after his disastrous stint with the Sox last season. Now I can see that he truly is an all-star caliber player. Superb defense, sparkling offense, and speed.

Hey, even though it's a two game series, a sweep would be a sweep. And it could be step one of the turn around this team needs.

I watched most of the game, and I don't think Freddy threw into even the mid-80's that often. However, his control was good and he made some great out pitches. Right now he is performing better than most expected. The question is whether or not he can keep it up.

I didn't vomit or bang my head against my desk when I saw this signing, and I actually said, "Okay, it sorta makes sense." It makes sense because of two words: Randy Williams. Embree could be (and I stress the word could) the Embree that pitched for the Red Sox after pitching for the White Sox. It's doubtful, but this is a signing that shouldn't cause any headaches or heartaches.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 11, 2010 -> 02:52 PM) There's so many holes in this post I don't know where to start. lol I was going to be nicer about it, but yes, there are many holes in the aforementioned argument. KW can improve this team by: -Securing a big bat -Securing a big bat -Securing a big bat Like I mentioned, the only way KW tries to improve this team is if the underperformers start performing like they should be. Then and only then would it make sense for KW to make a move.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 11, 2010 -> 01:05 PM) If you choose to go all the way back to 2001 to make a point, then go ahead. I think 5 years is a good cutoff to evaluate what a GM has done of late. 2005: 'nuff said. 2006: On paper, team was better than 2005. 57-31 at the all-star break. I'm certainly not blaming Kenny for the second half collapse. 2007: Kenny gets some blame here. Didn't really upgrade the team from the previous year. And that bullpen experiment failed miserably. 2008: KW deserves more credit here than for 2005. Brought in the almost ROY and MVP. Two bold trades that brought in Danks/Floyd the previous year paid major dividends. 2009: 50/50 here. The roster that ended the season was much better than the roster that began the season. The division was there for the taking. And the team didn't get it done. 2010: TBD. I'm just fine with KW as our GM. Good information here. And if things turn around (quickly), 2010 could be similar to 2009 with KW making some moves to improve the roster. Obviously he's not going to land a Peavy and a Rios again, but there's definite room for improvement as long as the team is worthy of improvement. I've never had many complaints about KW. My biggest complaint this year is Ozzie's handling of the DH situation, but that does go back to KW...he could have trumped Ozzie and went his own way and tried to acquire a bat.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 11, 2010 -> 08:34 AM) Yeah, that's the problem with this team. If only they'd spent more money...how dare they go after cheap options like Jones at the DH spot. I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there. Seriously, though, Jones wasn't signed to be "the" DH for this team. He was supposed to be part of a rotating crap-a-rama that the mere though of made many fans physically ill. As I mentioned before, Jones has been a nice surprise, but he's the only thing about the rotating DH position that has worked. We can argue all day and night about what a real DH would or would not have done for this team, and we can probably all agree that without some others (I'm looking at you Quentin, AJ, Alexei, and Beckham) picking it up, it wouldn't have mattered too much who was the DH. But, you can't discount the fact that the Sox took the less expensive, and less sure, route at the DH spot. And it has NOT paid off.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 11, 2010 -> 08:03 AM) I keep harping on this but seriously I just can't figure out why people blame this season on the rotating DH spot. We've gotten solid production out of our DH (s), even with Kotsay not being very good, because we haven't rotated it all that much. The problem continues to be...we came into this season counting on first and foremost Carlos Quentin to be a major run producer, and he hasn't done the job. We counted on Gordon Beckham to be at least another good hitter, and he hasn't done the job. We counted on AJ pierzynski to not be godawful and he hasn't done the job. We were hoping Alexei wouldn't get off to another slow start, and that hasn't happened. Hypothetically, if we'd signed another DH like Matsui, you know what would have happened? Jones would have had fewer at bats, because either Jones would have played the field more and probably already gotten hurt, or Jones would have sat on the bench more. They weren't benching Quentin, he's too damn important. Pierre might have been benched more often, but all that does is put Jones up for more of an injury risk. I see your point, and I suppose I have to agree. I'm guilty of blaming the rotating DH thing because, like many fans, I had an idea that it would fail. And I still say it failed. Jones has been a nice surprise, but there are still too many games where Kotsay and/or Vizquel are in the starting lineup. Let's say the Sox had signed Damon or Matsui...there'd be no use for Kotsay, and maybe Pierre would have ridden the bench more. I don't know. It's all hindsight at this point. But you are right about Quentin, AJ, Beckham, and Alexei.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 11, 2010 -> 03:23 AM) Kenny might as well start doing as much wheeling and dealing as he can as soon as he can. There's no sense waiting on this team to start excelling. Patience is a virtue but the Sox have stunk for a while now, not just this season. Might as well start making massive changes cause at least that would be interesting. I'd keep Thornton and assume he can close for a few seasons and keep Beckham and at least three of the four group of Buehrle, Floyd, Peavy and Danks, and wheel and deal with everybody else on the roster available as well as our prospects. Have some fun with it cause the Sox haven't been much fun for a while now. I agree about making it interesting. I would find it hard to believe that KW could make a move (a big bat) and make this team a contender. There are too many holes. We'd need Beckham, Pierre, AJ, Quentin, Floyd, and Buehrle to turn their seasons around right now (and that means tonight) in order for this team to have a chance. I would put Santos as the closer vs. Thornton, though. So, who gets dealt? If Jenks is dealt, there's not going to be a whole lot coming back for him. But, at this point do we care? Otherwise, I could see AJ and maybe Konerko plus one of either Danks or Floyd. Plus, maybe sell high on Jones. Time will tell, but I have a strange feeling that KW will not wave the white flag anytime soon. At the same time, I don't see him adding anything either. Depleting the farm for Gonzalez makes no sense at this time.

Go team...

I don't think KW needs to be fired or threatened. He needs to be slapped for allowing Ozzie to convince him of the feasability of the rotating DH idea with Mark "Hot Wife" Kotsay being a key player! I think he would have gone harder after Damon or Matsui or some other bat if he hadn't been wowed with Ozzie's plan. Now it may be too late.

I dropped AT&T a few years ago because, yes, they blow. I've been using Earthlink DSL since then, and it's pretty solid.

What's really sad right now is that Jenks' implosion yesterday changed a 4-3 homestand into a 3-4 homestand. Granted 4-3 isn't great...5-2 would have been a hell of a lot better. But things look worse today after the senseless loss yesterday. There were some good things from yesterday's game. Patience at the plate, some key hits, and Rios going nuts. Bobby has struggled like this off and on over the past couple years, and it's really frustrating that his removal from the closer role came one day too late.

This probably goes without saying, but KW either needs to go after a big bat now in order to make any improvements or do nothing for another few weeks then begin the fire sale. My guess is KW wants to make a move...he doesn't seem like the type of GM who would be willing to give up so early. I just don't know if there's anyone out there who can make that much of an impact. At least not anyone the Sox can realistically go after.

Juan Pierre will steal 2 more bases tonight.

Nix!

QUOTE (Kalapse @ May 6, 2010 -> 12:45 PM) That went to Robinson Cano and his .400/.436/.765/1.201 April line. That's not too bad.

Comfortable chair...check. Beer...check. Kids to fetch me more beer and perhaps some snacks...check.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ May 6, 2010 -> 11:20 AM) You probably went to West. Go Steelmen. Actually went to HS in North Carolina. That might explain it.

QUOTE (jeffro2525 @ May 6, 2010 -> 11:08 AM) Or a two game winning streak...either one Dammit. Why can't I do math?

Here's to a 3-game winning streak!

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ May 6, 2010 -> 06:29 AM) Im sick of hearing all of this "he is a beautiful person" s*** from the Mariners. Beautiful people dont accuse an entire city of racism, nor do they accuse their employer. Beautiful people dont try and charge into a pressbox because they disagree with what an announcer said. Beautiful people dont flip off fans or threaten fans with beer bottles. Beautiful people dont fight with teammates, they dont routinely argue with everyone they work with(coaches, managers, umpires). He is a headcase who can play ball, sometimes. Post of the day. You hit the nail on the head.

Okay, so Freddy looked passable? I believe that he's doing a fine job as the 5th starter. Sure, he struggles and sweats, but he only gave up 2 runs (a lot of hits, though) and gave the Sox a chance to win the game.

I didn't get to turn the game on until the Sox were already winning 5-0. From what I saw, though, Freddy looked good, Rios continues to impress, and Pierre seems to be coming around.