joeynach

I look at it this way. How many times does a team blow a 3 game lead with 11 left to play, find themselves down 2 games with 4 left to play, then come back and win/tie for division. It doesnt happen like that. Usually, once you blow it, you blow it. Historically, I would be shocked if you found more than 1 or 2 examples over 100+ years of baseball of the above mentioned situation. I also think the same way in games themselves. How many times does a baseball team comeback and win in the 9th after blowing a big lead in the 8th or Top of the 9th. How many times does an NFL team come back and win it on the last drive of the game late in 4th Quarter after surrendering the go ahead score on the previous drive by their opponent. How many times does an NBA team blow a 10+ point lead late in the 4th, go to OT, then come out and blow the game open again and win after blowing in regulation. Sure they happen, but more on the 1 out of 100 scale, so like I said, typically, once you blow it, you blow it. The Sox ran out of gas and had to rely on flawed rookie pitchers in season riding situations in ordered to stave off Detroit down the stretch. Just wasn't going to happen.

I agree 100%, team OBP is what doomed this team offensively. I recently tweeted with Joe Sheehan about it. Me https://twitter.com/Joeynach@joe_sheehan Are #WhiteSox making too many outs b/c team OBP is subpar, .317 (20th in MLB), even though 714 RS good for 8th in MLB? Joe Sheehan @Joeynach They're just fifth in AL in runs despite a hitters' park and playing 50+ games vs. MIN, CLE, KCR. OBP is why.

QUOTE (Greg Hibbard @ Sep 26, 2012 -> 06:03 PM) Even though it looks bad, and is a sore spot because of Cubs fans, I don't think the attendance drop is A) that financially impactful, given that we have maybe 10 percent less fans than the team could have reasonably expected B) much worse than the rest of baseball in this economy, and given the number of HD options / DVR options people have at home. Also, ticket prices are outrageous these days compared to what they should be, inflation adjusted, compared to the 90s. Look at Tampa, Oakland, Baltimore and Washington. All contenders - all not drawing. The only thing that matters is the teams performance and ability to win games. If the teams payroll is significantly tied to ticket sales then yes that would be reason to be upset. However, I think in this day and age thats a myth. Teams draw so much revenue from TV/Radio deals, Advertising/Partners, outings, party's, corporate events, etc. Heck the Sox even started a sports marketing company called Silver Chalice that is said to draw revenue used for team expenses and payroll. The Sox have crappy attendance, always have, but they are one of the best teams IMO at drawing revenue from non ticket sales related sources. Something that I think they have had to in order to survive and have become very good at. Their payroll is consistently high and their talent acquisition ability has not taken a hit when attendance drops. Be more proud of that than anything else. Also I content that in a market like Chicago, NY, LA, San Fran, etc that ticket sales shouldnt matter all that much. These markets have broad audiences and can generate revenue and more revenue from the non ticket sales revenue sources. The sox may charge 3K for a skybox and 100K for an outfield wall add, in Pittsburgh for example the size of the market dictates they can only get $1.5K for a skybox and 25K for an outfield wall add. Therefore, ticket sales are much more important as they have a much greater direct impact on the teams financial health. Basically what Im saying is the attendance argument is almost as outdated as evaluating player performance on batting average or W-L record for a pitcher. Simply archaic.

Reed and Jones both struggle way too much with command of their FB's to be effective closers at this point in their careers. Reed has better secondary pitches in his slider and straight change, can at least get some swings and misses there, and thats why he is closing. Nate Jones would be an awful closing candidate. Yes his FB is high 90s, but he falls behind a lot and is forced to throw his straight as an arrow FB for strikes too often. I get really upset when RV brings in Jones in need a strikeout/ground ball DP to get out of this situations. Jones often falls behind and has the hitters waiting for his FB on a tee, typically resulting in hard hit balls, the exact opposite of what is needed there. Its quite frustrating cuz duh 98 mph fastballs when contract is made get hit hard somewhere. Anyway, in my time watching them both pitch this year Reed is the lesser of the two evils as I think Jones is more hittable. I dont care about velocity, big league hitters can handle 97 if they know its coming and its straight. Both have serious problems with walks and falling behind in counts, neither inspire confidence in high leverage closing situations, but at this point what else can we do? Myers I guess, he can at least command his pitches, but his stuff is average for a reliever at best...lets alone a closer.

Do you guys think there will be any changes to Sale's place in the rotation given his outing last night where he pitched with down velocity again, similar to his starts vs. the Rangers and vs. the Tigers from about a month ago. He was between 88-91mph with his Fastball according to MLB Gameday. No surprise he got hit pretty hard against the Os, in the same manner against the Rangers and Tigers when he was again pitching with down velocity. White Sox postgame mentioned it as well, but no one seemed to be sure if any action would need to be taken to ensure an effective Sale down the stretch. As we already know the Sox are pretty thin on starting pitching as we stand right now.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 22, 2012 -> 08:26 AM) As I mentioned earlier, his ability to hit high velo fastballs has been an issue for a couple years... but not so much the past couple weeks. The advanced stats won't tell you that, yet. Use your eyes. We'll see if it sticks, but for now, he's made a good adjustment. Also, I find it hilarious when people throw out gourmet offensive stats, but then decides having a "good glove" is meaningless. Defense is a key part of any player's value to a team (except DH's), and that is amplified in the middle infield. Beckham being above average defensively at 2B has definite value to he team. Want proof of the value of defense? Check out how many more UER the Tigers have given up this year than the Sox... then add to that the even more runs given up on lack of range, etc... and you start to realize that the Tigers are giving up probably close to a half run more per game than the Sox just due to defense. And they are 2 games back, despite their talent. Defense matters. When I am evaluating an individual's value to a team I can't recall the specific analysis (thinking BP) but one analyst looked back at historical numbers and was able to show that a players offensive output (runs created/produced) is about 10x more impactful on his production and value as a player than was his defense, or ability to prevent runs.

Its too bad he still can't hit a fastball and is over-matched by league average pitching. Hes now a negative WAR player period. His wOBA is .270, 30 points lower than the next lowest AL 2B. His FB hitting ability, measured by wFB on Fangraphs is -7.8 now for the 2nd year in a row. His ability to hit the slider, wSL is -6.6 and the change up, wCH, is -1.9. The only pitches hes a positive hitter on cutter, curve, and splitter, and his slightly above 0 on all of those. There is something wrong with a hitter who is the worst at hitting FBs, 2nd worst at hitting Sliders, and 3rd worst at hitting Change Ups...aka about 90% of the pitches hes going to see. There is just no place for that in the AL, at any position. The fact that he's a "good glove guy" is meaningless unless ur manager is Tony LaRussa who loves inferior hitting infielders with "good gloves" like David Eckstein, Khalil Greene, Aaron Miles, etc. A plus glove guy who can't hit is perfect for the NL (I'm thinking Padres) or a bench role. Sad but true.

QUOTE (My_Sox_Summer @ Aug 15, 2012 -> 09:38 PM) Subjective, but to each their own! GO SOX! No doubt about it.

j hj QUOTE (My_Sox_Summer @ Aug 13, 2012 -> 08:43 PM) Well you are certainly entitled to you opinion. If you read my blog you would see that I am not what one would consider a "working professional" so while it may only seem like a "few bucks" to you, it is a game for me. I get into most games for $10, including LD seats. A jump from $18 (Prime UR) to $38 (Prime Bleachers) is a big jump. I also like being on the side to see the pitch, just a personal preference for me. I've been to 33 games so far, and I will say that if I am in the first few rows in the UD it is just as good as the LD. I don't mind being in either, but the crowd is more annoying (to me) in the LD. Lotta families and people who feel they are entitled to get up whenever and just talk to one another instead of watching the game. Plus you have less room in most cases. I sat the highest I have ever sat yesterday and had one of the best times. Sat with 3 guys from Chicago that grew up with a good diet of southside baseball. The chat was awesome and best of all they gave me the seat for free. You are hitting on one of the things I am trying to get across, no matter how much or how little you spend, it usually doesn't enhance the experience. I saw a great game on Sunday vs Sat (when the rally fell short) and I was in better seats for the L. When I went to fewer games, I would sit in closer seats most of the time. But doing what I am, trying to buy as much directly from the Sox as possible, UD is the best deal for me. And honestly, if you enjoy your view on a TV better than UD seats, you don't love baseball. Just my view. I really dislike the view from the UD, for all sporting events. It was fine when I was a kid or teen, but now I cant see what I want to see from the UD. I dont like the viewing angle, the appearance of the game play at that scale. I want to see the break of the pitches and movement in/out of the zone, I want to see the reactions of players and coaches and umpires, I want to see the flight path of the ball, I want to hear the thud of the bat and pop of the catchers mit, sounds from the field, and things the players say/scream. I find that experience is not possible in the UD. Even if I was offered free UD tickets to a regular game I wouldnt go. Sitting on my couch with that 52" HD TV and my Twitter feed open interacting with Chicago Sports Media during the game is much more enjoyable than watching players look like ants from row 12 of the UD. Lower Deck Im there anyday, even the outfield is great with that nice big concourse to hang out for a bit and stretch out, grab a drink, always run into a friend, and still see the game....such a better experience!

Man I wish this whole thing was true for LD seats only. I just cant stand sitting in the UD anymore, not just for a sox game for anything. I maintain the view that once you are a working professional there is no need to every sit in the UD unless its for Game 7 of the WS or the Super Bowl. The view is much better from my living room couch and 52" LED HDTV and if you really value being at the park pay a few extra bucks and get a lower deck or outfield seat. There is something about the UD that just bothers me, I don't like feeling so disconnected from the field of play and the core audience and the players themselves. I have always found the crowds to be better in the LD, the UD IMO is always fulls of discount ticket buyers, groupons, teachers night, church groups, kids camps......Im just saying there is a time and a place for that and I feel like at age 28 now that time has passed by.

Its the damn strikeout rate, hes always been a high strikeout guy or a three true outcome guy, which I am totally fine with, but a K rate of 35% is tettoring on absurd.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 10, 2012 -> 03:04 PM) Olmedo is awful. Wow kinda shocked they have waited this long to make a decision on Konerko. Its too late now to call up Johnson if Konerko goes to DL, at least for tonite's game that is. I just assume anytime someone is diagnosed with a concussion you just automatically put him on the 7 day DL, what else was this new DL option created for. Its there to instill the caution in head injuries and concussions, better safe than sorry is what the 7 day DL is for, just do it already.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 6, 2012 -> 03:16 PM) If the Sox thought, or I should say knew for sure that he was going to need surgery, exactly what were they trying to accomplish delaying it? They obviously felt it was something where surgery could be avoided. It turns out it was not. It looks like their diagnosis was fairly right on except perhaps the tear was a little bigger than they thought. The way I see it the Sox didnt think the injury would heel without Surgery, they hoped the injury would heel without surgery. They also misdiagnosed the injury b/c if they knew it was a capsular tear from day one they would have just had season ending surgery when he hit the DL in June.

Well now we know. Mark Gonzales tweets "Danks had repair of capsular tear and minor debridements of the rotator cuff and biceps in his left shoulder. Will be in sling for four weeks."

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 6, 2012 -> 02:15 PM) Danks surgery...no big damage. See you in February. Danks had repair of capsular tear and minor debridements of the rotator cuff and biceps in his left shoulder. Will be in sling for 4 weeks. Per Mark Gonzales on Twitter

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 5, 2012 -> 11:00 AM) You have an experienced baseball trainer telling you one thing, and a media member telling you another. Go ahead and believe the guy who has no idea what he is talking about. The trainer wasn't telling me or us anything, the sox PR was telling us. Big difference. Im sure they told Danks many times the injury could be more severe, could recquire a specialist, could recquire surgery, but thats not what the PR department would release to fans/media. Thats what their job is, to downplay bad news or negative outcomes. Not for a second did I believe nor do I ever believe how good things are when the PR group speaks or how bad things are when the PR group speaks. I consider myself an estitue enough follow to make up my own mind on the information I am able to discover from the various white sox communities: blogs (South Side Sox, Sox Machine), Forums (Soxtalk), Radio (Rongey, B&B, Spiegel, Schuster, Farmer), TV (Stone/Hawk, Garfein, Thomas, Melton, etc), Twitter (Merkin, Mark Gonzales, Jon Greenberg, etc). Taking in all those sources of information on the John Danks injury from Day One, I would say an easy interpretation is that the injury to his arm described as sub scapular Grade 1 Tear, would most likely end his season and recquire surgery. If the injury was recoverable than from all those sources I mentioned above than I wouldnt have heard things over the past 2 months like; "no timetable for return", "Danks still feels sore after throwing on flat ground", "trainers still not sure extent of injury", "RV doesnt think Danks will be back in Aug", "Danks still not ready for rehab assingment", "Danks/Sox eyeing return after ASG now likely mid august", etc etc. When you hear things like this over and over and over you can be pretty damn sure your dealing with a season ending injury, regardless of what the head trainer says through the Sox PR department.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 5, 2012 -> 08:48 AM) LMAO. Yeah, Scott Merkin Media source is a media source. Every media outlet has been discussing Dank's sub scapular tear since June, I listen to The Score and ESPN 1000 all day at work everyday. Seen it mentioned in pre/post, by Mark Gonzales, John Greenberg on Twitter, seen it mentioned on CSN over and over, even heard Coop talk about it with Rongey and Mulley/Hanley. How the hell were people in here saying no thats not true when I said John Danks as a muscle tear in his throwing shoulder...its been said 1000x time over and well established by the Sox and every media outlet. And on top of that, despite what anyone in the media says about his recovery timetable, show me a pitcher who has had a torn a muscle in his throwing arm or shoulder that hasn't in the end required surgery to repair.

QUOTE (Greg Hibbard @ Aug 3, 2012 -> 12:16 PM) Seat chart on whitesox.com already showing that the lower deck is almost completely unavailable and the upper is at least half sold.... Sold out lower deck 23K, Sold out Club Level/Suites 5K, Sold Out UD 12K...Capacity 40K. Sold out LD with half sold suites/club and UD would be about 31.5K.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:57 PM) This is totally wrong. First of all there is no such thing as a tear in a scapula. The scapula is a bone and it can fracture but not tear (unless you are skeletally immature but that's another story). With a diagnosis of something that doesn't exist no one could possibly know the outcome. Even if the injury existed, it said a grade 1, which is a mild strain that would in no way require surgery. That's why all along it had nothing to do with what was reported and still doesn't. Like I was saying.... John Danks was diagnosed with a Grade 1 sub-scapula tear of his left shoulder. Danks will not need surgery to repair the tear, but there's no timetable for his return, either. It's probably safe to rule him out until after the All-Star break, at the very least. Source: Scott Merkin on Twitter Jun 18 - 11:22 PM

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 31, 2012 -> 11:07 AM) Source? Its listed on his player profile on Rotoworld. He was diagnosed with slight tear in Scapula of throwing shoulder, but the whole time I felt like there was no way he was going to magically recover from that without surgery. Remember how bad Danks was earlier in the year pitching with the tear, he couldnt hit 90 MPH and every change up he threw got hit hard.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 1, 2012 -> 08:28 PM) So, Youk comes back next year and he's still a more than reasonable option to stick at AAA for when Youk's back goes out? I dont think Youk will be back. Someone will give him around 30M over 3 Years, and I dont think that will be the White Sox. White Sox would probably do something like 2 Yr 16-18M.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 28, 2012 -> 10:39 AM) The Danks' situation is growing more concerning by the day. He's rested almost 2 months and he can't throw 30 pitches and not feel awful the next day. I had him penciled in for late August. This last bit of news yesterday made me erase that and pencil him in for perhaps spring training. I think there is something wrong that they haven't been able to see. Yeah becuase there is a freaking tear in the scapula of the his throwing shoulder. Those things dont fix themselves, he needs surgery and has this whole time.

"May need surgery". He has a freaking tear in the scapular of his throwing shoulder. Thats why his velocity was down and he was so bad and hittable before landing on the DL. Of course he is going to need surgery. It boggles my mind the sox had some sort of ray of hope he was going to magically recover and pitch at full form (with a torn scapula) by just shutting him down for 8 weeks. Do they have some magic pixy dust to heal muscle tears without surgery, do they have the magic soccer cold spray? I cant name a single pitcher that has ever had a scapular tear in his throwing shoulder and not had surgery.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jul 27, 2012 -> 08:48 PM) I'd think about letting him skip a start. Or two. Didnt the Brewers do the same with Grienke and he came back strong.

I noticed this when he got hit hard his last start against the Tigers too, he's not throwing his usual 94-96MPH fastball anymore. Following this game vs. the Rangers on MLB Gameday it shows his Fastball velocity between 89-91MPH, a change up velocity between 84-86MPH, and a slider velocity around 77 MPH. Hes getting hit very hard on the Fastball and change up, the loss in FB velocity is making the change up very easy to hit. Hes been getting outs on the slider. To me the first thing that popped into my mind is either dead arm period or forget the whole 160 Innings thing, we at his IP limit right now. Fangraphs has his career PitchFX velocity on as follows: vFB 94.4 MPH, vFT 92.7, vSL 80.9, vCH 83.9