JamesDean

QUOTE (LDF @ Sep 1, 2014 -> 09:23 AM) I was reading a Japanese baseball site and I saw this. it was very earth shattering article. talk about abusing pitchers. Pretty much all the commentary in the North American media has been that Tanaka throwing 160 pitches in a start (a loss no less), and then 15 in relief the next day is, at best, a bit of a question mark, and, at worst, a sign of abuse or overuse. It seems to be a different type of game in Japan. A couple of high school pitchers threw a lot more than that this past weekend. Taiga Matsui, of Chukyo High School, threw 709 pitches over 50 innings in the semifinal match of the National High School Baseball Tournament which lasted fours days. His opponent Jukiya Ishioka, from Sotoku High School, who also lasted all 50 innings, threw 689 pitches. It wasn't all that long ago when an American pitcher might have thrown 160 pitches either.

Absolutely! There should be no doubt that Rick Hahn has somewhat decimated this pitching staff, and those who deny this can only offer lame excuses as their reasons. We're all familiar with the names and pedigrees of those who served the Sox a little more than one year ago. Peavy (Cy Young, 3x AS), Santiago, All-Star relievers Thornton and Crain, and a competent and effective closer in Reed. I understand the 'salary dump', and I don't disagree with it (though I do have questions and doubts about the return they received). What I do disagree with is the poor attempt to replace what was given away. We're familiar with those names as well, Belsario, Putnam, and Downs were all signed as free agents. The Scott Downs travesty, while it pales in comparison to the 3rd base fiasco, is quite telling. On Jan. 2, 2014, Downs was signed to a 2yr/$8M contract to fill the role vacated by the Thornton trade, even while he was one-year older, and statistically less effective. Meanwhile, Thornton signed his new contract for less money, 2yr/$7M with the Yankees about one week later. Is it still considered a 'salary dump' if the player that you've dumped signs for less money than what he'd made the prior season? Of course, Downs then gets dumped, but we should give credit to St. Rick for including a buyout clause that relieves them of paying the full contract. If you view Downs as taking Thornton's spot, both on the roster and in payroll, and Belasario takes Crain's spot, then what happened with the rest of the money saved from the salary dump of 2013? Peavy and Rios combined were slated to make $27M, yet none of this money was spent to bolster the pitching staff. With two starters traded (plus one other rotation spot questionable) and the loss of two set-up men and your closer, the effort to replace these players never happened, despite having the money to do so. Rick Hahn chose to put this money into Jerry's pocket, and now the 2014 White Sox are paying for that decision. Ironically, as other posters have mentioned, a strong bullpen would have the Sox in contention in the Central Division/Wild Card which would likely lead to larger attendances and possibly playoff revenue.