striker Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 After yesterdays loss, and yet another failed attempt at a sweep, I was furious. But then I began to think, are the White Sox a great team that underachieves? Or do I just expect too much out of them? Are they really a .500 team even though I expect 90 wins? I personally think they are underachievers. The team we have fielded the past few years has been stacked with talent and we haven't gone anywhere with it. Because of this, I feel that if we don't get anywhere this year, it's time to make some MORE significant moves. Just wanted to know what everyone elses thoughts were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky Mark Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 We have a large payroll, we should expect this team to be above .500 I think this team should be expected to win in the upper 80s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILMOU Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 QUOTE (striker62704 @ Aug 17, 2009 -> 11:02 AM) Just wanted to know what everyone elses thoughts were. This year, particularly, we are underachieving badly as a team, IMO. Compared to other recent seasons, this is one of the most underperforming teams we've had. But that can be erased if we make the postseason. I think 2006 was also a badly underachieving team, especially when we saw how good they could be in the 1st half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoSox05 Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 I would feel alot better about them if they could go on some kinda winning streak. Like 7 in a row or something like that. We need to get hot if only for a week or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bighurt574 Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 With our payroll and the level of competition in the AL central this year, we should have a better record than we do. It's certainly fair if you want to point out that we're 2nd in payroll in the division and in 2nd place, but this team should be more than just a few games over .500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RibbieRubarb Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 There seems to be a general feeling like 2003/2004, where the talent is there but there is a lack of motivation or hunger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 QUOTE (RibbieRubarb @ Aug 17, 2009 -> 12:16 PM) There seems to be a general feeling like 2003/2004, where the talent is there but there is a lack of motivation or hunger. Bingo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiddleCoastBias Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 We have had a couple key players that have been underperforming or injured, namely: Q, Ramirez (defensively), Gavin (early). Unlike last year, we haven't had the other guys pick up the weight and shine will some are underforming. Last Paulie was playing poorly for the majority of the year but we had Q and Alexei to pick up the bats, as well as the unexpected from Gavin and Danks. This year we've had a good season out of Getz and Nix, and obviously the addition of Gordo has been huge to our lineup. Overall, I'd say we're underperforming, but only a little. We came into this season not expecting much (remember, started a lot of young guys and also had Fields and Owens in the lineup). It's taken awhile but we've turned it around. Most teams will have guys they depend on have an off month or year, and they need others to step up and fill the void. Last year we had those guys step up, this year has been a little less overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenksismyhero Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Total underachievers. We'd be 15+ games over .500 if we didn't make the dumbest of dumb mistakes at the end of games. Cut the errors, the blown leads, and the overall lackluster play and we're 5-6 games ahead in this division. That said, there's no reason we can't blow this thing open. Hard schedule or not, we're better than the Tigers, we just aren't playing like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Expectations might be a bit high. We're trotting out a guy that's 4-11 with an ERA over 5 every 5th day. Our closer doesn't scare anybody. Our defense is awful. We arguably have no one having an all star caliber type season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaus kinski Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 I think we are over achieving-Getz has been better than we thought, we put a kid out of college at third and he's doing well, who thought Pods would be on the team let alone hit around .300, we didnt know how Quentin would come back, we got what we expected from Floyd, and Danks and a better year from Buehrle-we thought Contreras would stink and we'd have no 5 th starter, so I think we have slightly overachieved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 I'm seeing more holes than substance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RME JICO Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Right now we have a mix of underachievers overachieving and overachievers underachieving. If you look at the projections/predictions thread for the start of the season, we are about where we should be at this point. The worst part since the ASB has been playing down to the competition. However, for how bad the last loss was (because you could almost feel it coming), we still took 2 out of 3 in Oakland and went 3-3 on a West Coast trip. We have 6 games vs inferior teams at home over the next week. 64-60 is the worst we should be coming out of those games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Underachievers for sure. Taking 3 of 4 from the Yankees and 2 of 3 from the Angels was great, and the team showed that they can play and beat the big boys. But losing 3 of 4 to Oakland at home and losing many other series where they should have played better... Hawk said it best a week or so ago. The Sox play to the level of their competition. Not good enough when you have to play to beat Detroit, Minnesota, Cleveland, and KC. A good team (not great, but good), should beat up on the sub .500 teams and hold their own against thhe great teams. The Sox should be in sole posession of first place with about a 3 or 4 game lead on Detroit right now. But instead, they are looking up and the Tigers because the couldn't take care of business against Cleveland, Baltimore, Oakland, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 17, 2009 -> 12:16 PM) Bingo Also agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) Definitely underachieving, especially the hitting. The defense is terrible but aside from Alexei I don't think that's really a result of underachieving. Edited August 17, 2009 by lostfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCSox Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) QUOTE (hogan873 @ Aug 17, 2009 -> 10:35 AM) Underachievers for sure. Taking 3 of 4 from the Yankees and 2 of 3 from the Angels was great, and the team showed that they can play and beat the big boys. But losing 3 of 4 to Oakland at home and losing many other series where they should have played better... This team still relies too heavily on the HR (thankfully, less so than earlier this year), Dotel and Linebrink have killed the bullpen, and the defense is embarrassingly bad. I'd love to predict 89 wins and a division title, but I'm thinking that it's going to be more like second place and 86 wins. That said, 2010 is already looking pretty promising. Edited August 17, 2009 by WCSox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 I think Ozzie continues to misuse a lot of his assets on offense. Ideally, with the sluggers we have in our lineup our team SHOULD be centered on the homerun or the extra-base hit. Bunting, realistically, should have no place on this team. We also seem to run ourselves out of a lot of innings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreatScott82 Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 KW is preparing for a serious run in 2010. That being said, if the Sox win the division in 2009- its nothing but a bonus. KW already addressed the defensive situation by aqcuirering Rios. So far i like what im seeing out of him out there. The infield needs to improve their defensive play. One thing we have to remember is- Getz, Ramirez and Beckham are all playing their respective positions for the first time at the MLB level. I can't remeber that every happening before as a Sox fan. So there is definitley room for improvement there. Next year our rotation could arguably be the best in baseball with a full season of Peavy. With a few moves in the offseason KW has set himself up to have a pretty awesome team next year. As far as this year goes, we were predicted to be on the bottom of the division. Instead were in the thick of things- Gordon Beckham has made his arrival, KW gets Rios for nothing, Podsednik returns and is super rejuvinated, and we get a Cy Young pitcher in Jake Peavy. Yeah- i'd say things have turned around pretty quickly. If CQ could get some rest here and there, i'd say we have a great chance of winning the division this year. And hey, if Freddy Garcia could give us a few good outings- i'm going to like our chances even more. If we come up just short- i won't be too sad because i know in 2010- we are going to be one of the best in baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_LEE45 Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 This team just needs a spark of some sort(bench clearing brawl,ozzie getting tossed,or AJ to stir something)it just seems like there flat and outta of it sometimes,or maybe stir something up by saying jenks you are now the set-up man for Thornton!!!!!! Or Peavy goes out and dominates the cubbies and we take off from there!!!!! BUT this team is WAY better than what it is showing and maybe we get hot at the right time like 05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 They are a team that is sloppy and undisciplined. A team with talent but no ability to come through in the clutch. A team with about 4 or 5 DHs in their lineup and a lower half of the pitching staff that would have won the Cy Young in 1999. But they're MY team, so whatchagonnado? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 I think that the White Sox are over achieving from my preseason expectation. The only reason I thought they may compete in the Central was because the other teams were just as flawed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Dye Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) We need more guys who can get that .370 OBP. Not very handy with the bat. I like our staff, at its absolute worst it's stocked with a bunch of 2s. If everything else was in place, this pen would be enough...as it is we cant hit well enough to put them in enough easy games where they can coast. After all the work we've done, I still just think we're not that good a hitting team, point blank. Edited August 17, 2009 by Princess Dye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerhead johnson Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Aug 17, 2009 -> 05:55 PM) I think Ozzie continues to misuse a lot of his assets on offense. Ideally, with the sluggers we have in our lineup our team SHOULD be centered on the homerun or the extra-base hit. Bunting, realistically, should have no place on this team. We also seem to run ourselves out of a lot of innings. ^ yikes QUOTE (knightni @ Aug 17, 2009 -> 06:13 PM) A team with about 4 or 5 DHs in their lineup Incredibly stupid offense, worst defense in the majors, etc. I find the Sox to be unwatchable, but I still tune in because I'm a glutton for punishment. I don't remember people being this delusional on soxtalk. I'd say that 75 to 78 wins is about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Dye Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 (edited) I will say this...if Pods keeps being THIS bad in OF, you will see Dye and Thome both back. The FA market sucks this yr so maybe we try to just go one more year with each. Obviously Dye's option is huge but if there's really nothing else they want to spend on, it's conceivable. And then you can cash in with a trade later on. Also, thatd be the kind of offseason that, sadly, is fanbase friendly. You open up the possibility that way of the enticing 1.Bacon 2.AR 3.Thome 4.Quentin 5. Dye 6.AJP 7.Konerko 8. Rios 9. Getz Your best hitter gets the most atbats and Alexei gets his fastballs again. Edited August 17, 2009 by Princess Dye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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