UC76

I realize A-Rod puts up phenomenal numbers, but I personally cannot stand the guy and would hate to be forced to root for him. I would much rather see Williams concentrate on improving all facets of the pitching staff.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Sep 18, 2006 -> 09:15 AM) September Stats Frank Thomas: 61 AB, 10 HR, 26 RBI Dye/Thome/Konerko: 161 AB, 9 HR, 29 RBI All I can say is...wow.

I'm very, very, very scared of what we'll get from Thome in 2007. I fear the second half of this year is what we'll get all of next year. The guy is old and falling apart...and that isn't going to get better.

My fingers are crossed for the starting pitching. It looks good. If we can just get in the playoffs, and the starters perform well, we will be dangerous.

I wish the Wolves were expansioned into the NHL. I hate the Blackhawks, while the Wolves do everything the right way.

Fire pasted DC United last night 3-0 in the US Open Cup semifinals. They'll play the Galaxy in the final. Unfortunately, Armas got a red card for fighting and will miss the Final. It would be the fourth US Open Cup title for the Fire, which is damn impressive. It would also be the first step to earning the "double" this season.

Tonight was the worst Sox loss I can recall in years. Years. Kasan Whoeverthef*** shut us out???? This loss feels like the death blow. I'm not giving up, but it feels like the Sox have.

All I'm saying is that McCarthy has not pitched like a phenom. A 4.23 ERA with 6 losses is very mediocre. Yes, I realize he has had to adjust to the bullpen. And yes, Ozzie may not always use him as best he could. But I don't fully buy this argument. If you're a great pitcher, then you adjust. You move into whatever role you're needed in and you pitch your ass off. Can you pitch or can't you pitch? Well, if you can then go out there and dominate if that's what people say you can do. Come on now. Papelbon isn't a reliver. He was brought up as a starter and is expected to be a starter again. But in the meantime, he has pitched lights out. Dominant. That's what phenoms do. Look, for just a second toss aside the role McCarthy has been in and look solely at what he has done WHEN HE HAS BEEN ON THE MOUND. 4.23 ERA and 6 losses. I'm not saying he isn't good. I'm just saying that, at this point in time, I'm a little disappointed in what we have received from the guy who is supposed to be the Chosen One. I was expecting more from a guy who we were told was the Second Coming. If we weren't spoon fed how great he was then I could just chalk it up to him being a young guy. But he's talked about like one of the best young arms in baseball...but there are young guys out there being dominant and McCarthy has been average at best. Maybe when he's a starter again we will see all the greatness we were promised. I hope so. And yes, I'm still pissed off about last night, which is influencing me.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 5, 2006 -> 12:44 PM) So how many years of scouting have you put in? Who do you write for, BA? ESPN? I don't write for anybody. I'm just tired of how we are always bombarded with this mentality that McCarthy is somehow a great young arm. Look, in a few years time maybe he will be a very solid pitcher, maybe even a star. And I certainly hope so. But at this point in time he has been nothing but mediocre at every level. Last night he comes in loses the game within seconds. There are guys out there that I mentioned above who are true phenoms. McCarthy, however, looks more like any other young guy trying to find his way. Which is fine. There is nothing wrong with that. But in the meantime, I'm tired of the star treatment he receives. it's nauseating to hear when the proof has not been in the pudding. Show us something first.

OK, I've been holding off on starting this thread because I didn't want to be accused of being "negative." But after last night, screw it. Brandon McCarthy is not a phenom. I'm tired of hearing how awesome and great he is. The fans, media, and even the Sox/Kenny Williams all talk about McCarthy like he's one of the great young arms in baseball. Any trade possibility always came with the sidenote that McCarthy was off-limits because he was too valuable. McCarthy is not a phenom. He's a mediocre pitcher who is still young and has time to improve and maybe be very solid some day. But he is not a phenom. He has not been dominant at any level. Do you remember his stats at Triple A Charlotte before being called up for good last year? They were nothing special. He had a losing record - I think it was just below .500 - and his ERA was above 4.00. Hell, it may have even been above 5.00. Point is, he was mediocre at Charlotte. And he's been mediocre with the Sox. Granted, he had a few fantastic spot starts late last year, and that was awesome, but he also had some awful starts last year. And this year out of the bullpen he been average at best, and at times he has sucked. So let's stop acting like McCarthy is a phenom destined for the Hall of Fame. Liriano is a phenom. Papelbon is a phenom. Jered Weaver is phenom. These are extremely young guys who have taken the majors by storm and dominated. Hell, Jenks is more of a phenom than McCarthy. McCarthy looks like any other young pitcher out there. Sometimes he looks solid, sometimes he looks awful. Yes, maybe someday he'll mature into a fantastic starter, and I hope he does. But right now he's very average and leaning towards bad. Hopefully, someday this changes. But in the meantime, can we please stop pretending like McCarthy is one of the brightest young players in baseball, or like he's some sort of Golden Boy. He's not. He has not dominated at any level. Let's just call him what he is - young and mediocre with the potential to be good someday. That's it. And there are pLENTY of guys like this in baseball right now.

Any Fire fans in here? After beating Bruce "Man Tits" Arena and New York tonight 2-0, the Fire has six wins and a tie in its last seven games. Not too shabby. If only the Sox could get on such a roll. The Fire plays DC United on Wednesday in the semifinals of the US Open Cup (sorta like the FA Cup, for non-MLS fans). Then the playoffs begin in a few weeks. Hey, maybe the Fire should be thinking about the "double." Anyway, I've been to several games at the new stadium and wish the crowds were a bit bigger. Come out if you're bored. Maybe tailgate. Drink Polish beer! They're playing well and deserve some more love...sorta like the Sox at the Cell last year.

Yup. The Tiggers are giving it away and the Sox won't take it. Wake up, fellas, wake up.

Other than Terrell Owens and Barry Bonds, I can't immediately think of an athlete I hate more than David Wells. No freakin' way I want him in town. Fat tub of goo with a horrible mustache.

QUOTE(3 BeWareTheNewSox 5 @ Aug 26, 2006 -> 04:55 PM) Great game for the SuperCoppa (I guess a good way to explain it is Italy's version of the Community Shield game from the EPL a few weeks ago) Roma suprisingly went up 3-0 in the first half on Inter. Inter salvaged a goal right before the first half to cut it to 3-1. Then in the 2nd half, Inter tied it at 3-3 (including a Crespo goal just after he was subbed in), and then Inter went on to win 4-3 in extra time. I thought they were done, and they come back with 4 unanswered goals. I'm sure Inter paid off the ref or cheated somehow.

Hopefully, the Sox will have already clinched the division by then and the game will be meaningless anyway. Then we won't be missing much. I'm thinking positive.