greg775

Javy needs to pitch six supurb innings, preferably seven. Javy to Thornton to Jenks would be ideal. Javy to Linebrink to Thornton to Jenks would be OK as well.

I wasn't at the game but I wish I had a tape of myself of how I looked when that happened. The first two outs happened so quick and it dawned on me after the ground out we were probably going to win. As we all know, sometimes the closer has it and sometimes he doesn't and the ninth can be an adventure. When we had the easy out it was such a highlight. What happened at the park after out two was recorded??? Did people go nuts realizing we were gonna win?

I'm surprised he just didn't throw it on the fly to the plate. That was damn shallow. When it bounced, I thought for sure he'd be safe. AJP had one of the best plays of the season to hang onto that ball. I don't know how he did it.

One of the moderator posters said Stone said Oz wants Wise in left if he plays Griffey in cf cause Wise has more speed. I agree Wise has been an automatic out. But in theory if he gets his head out, he and OC provide some speed at the top. Finally, my opinion is Swish buried himself though the moderator disagreed with me. I think Swish lost Oz with his moping on the bench during the disastrous road trip when Oz benched him. I am not thrilled about Wise playing, if I had to pick Game One I'd probably pick Swish, but nobody should be acting like Swish is some great player getting dissed. Swish has had a horses*** season and nobody can convince me otherwise. Also I defer to Oz who knows more baseball than anybody on this board. Yes get over it if you think you know more than Oz. If any of you think that you are wrong. Oz isn't perfect but he knows baseball.

I'm hoping for the best. Somehow we've got to get to their young starting pitching. They are capable of a Game One game like Hamels is pulling off today. It might be Wise to take some pitches and drill some opposite field hits. Are we capable of that? Go Sox!

That all makes great sense Kalapse. That's it in a nutshell right there. I agree with all of that and backed by Stone's comment it's even more solid as he is the best. I don't know about BA in cf in game two however. What's the last game BA has started?

It's got to be Swish or Wise No. 2 to go with OC at leadoff. Call me crazy but I sense Oz isn't going to stop playing Wise. If he's going to switch back to Swish the time to do it is now, in game one with the move certainly natural based on Wise's hitting of late. I think Wise is being penciled in Oz's lineup right now. I think Wise is Ozzie's leftfielder the rest of the season.

This is a good discussion as to who we want, but let's face facts and my take on the reality of the situation. Remember all this crap about looking in the guys' eyes on the road trip? Obviously Oz (and perhaps KW) looked in Swish's eyes and have given up on Swish. Unfortunately Wise has stopped hitting and appears to be an automatic out. It's obvious Oz loves Griffey in center. So my question to you is: Can we win with Wise, Griffey and Dye because that's gonna be the lineup. Many of the posters on here ripping Wise IMO are VERY knowledgable so Wise's presence concerns me. Yet I can see why Swish earned himself a permanent spot in the doghouse.

How short a leash? Seems to me unless a starter gets rocked for 6 runs in the second, you let him go five minimum. It's up to the players to produce right now. The starters have to ball up and go five, six, seven, including Javy.

I do agree with you. I told a guy I was watching the game with it was like we had 8 guys in the lineup cause he was an automatic out. Now that we're in, if I was Oz I'd go back to Swish and see if we catch the Swish KW thought he was getting. Wise really isn't doing much though he did draw two walks on Monday I believe, or was it Sunday? I see no reason why he wouldn't go back to Swish except for having the "threat" of speed in our order. Swish is another plodder.

That's very classless and dumb and rude. Their media should pick up on it and get the players to blast our fans publicly. No place for that. It's disappointing to hear. Not surprising though. it goes on everywhere.

True, but just them making it really removes a lot of the frustration, hell all of the frustration for me. To tank like they did but come off the carpet and win really means a lot to me and makes me forget that frustration. Sports are about special moments and Mark's performance Sunday followed by Floyd on Monday and the offense gritting out a win over Freddy and tonight's 1-0 masterpiece really makes me proud of this team no matter what happens the rest of the way.

That's sorta what I thought. The way it got caught on camera I kind of expected the guy to hit a shot over our outfield's heads. Crazy game this baseball.

I thought it was cool they caught Oz freaking out in the dugout yelling for Dye to move in on the last at bat. Then a bloop gets hit and BA makes the extension and grabs it. It's one of the reasons I really like Oz. He makes dumb moves sometimes, sometimes arguably really dumb moves, but I think he really knows baseball. It's scary to think how good a manager he will be in 20 years.

I know I will probalby be mad if we tank but I think anybody who truly gets upset at the team or Oz or KW for anything that happens from this point forward is simply an idiot. This is all gravy, folks. Tampa has a better team than we do. We're the underdog. Yes I badly want to win, and I'm sure I will be pissed at certain players if they stink in this round and hopefully the ALCS, but this team already has proven a lot to me for winning those 3 elimination games and getting in. Do you agree with me you'd have to be a real mope being really mad at the Sox for anything that happens the rest of the way this season? Thanx Sox and play with the house's money. Relax and kick ass. You got nothing to lose.

Sox should be very loose going in. I mean after what they've been through, this is gravy, they are playing with the house's money. Javy should be loose as well. As far as Swish playing ... I don't like Wise, but is there a method to Oz's madness? Wise does have some speed. Pardon my ignorance, but I assume those wanting Swish back in there want him to play lf for Wise? Obviously Paulie needs to play and Griffey is in cf now.

That was so cool the TV network caught it, showing Oz going wild telling them to move in. That's why I love Ozzie just because I think being around baseball all his life he really knows the game. Second guessing is so easy; s*** he'd have gotten fried tonight if we lost; every loss has second guessing. I actually was thinking what the thread starter was at one point. I thought: Well Oz took a chance calling out Blackburn and the kid responded rather than wetting the bed. I''m sure Oz woulda got fried had we "lost." We didn't though. Have a beer. Congrats Oz on great moves tonight. (I'm not a big Wise fan despite that granny he hit the other day). I'll save that discussion for another day!!

Even at pathetic Royals Stadium you run into the wrong drunks with your jersey on you could get whacked in the head with a bottle or something. I went to that 14 inning game and some dumbass drunk KC fan couldn't even tell I was rooting for the Sox. KC did something great and the dumbass wanted to high five me. I'm thinking if I had a Buehrle jersey on I probably woulda got harassed from him n his group. I do respect you guys for wearing Sox gear on the road though.

Danks really was unhittable. It's what we needed. s*** we only got him one run.

Not too many said they stopped caring, did they? I christened them buried. I'm so glad they rallied to make the postseason. I just didn't want to imagine an offseason and future after losing 6 straight to end the regular season and wimpily go out. Congrats to those who never wavered once. The Minnie losses were the ones that made me hop into insanity and anger, calling them pussies. GO SOX!!

Cool as long as no fights broke out. Just out of curiosity how did they react? They had to be so bummed at scoring nada runs.

I don't know why Mauer bunted but it made me sooo happy. One less out we had to earn. Wow that was huge!

Sorry for freaking out as we lost one, two, three, four and five in a row and not believing. Those who never once did not b**** at our lack of balls, heart, fire, whatever ... take a bow.

Yes he must be. Danks and Floyd and Griffey coming through. Have a beer, KW.

I read every post. What an enjoyable thread. What a great game to watch all the way through. But 1-0? You gotta be kidding me. Who'd have thought that? When Juan hit the line drive fly out to left leaving two runners on base, I couldn't help but wonder if the "piranhas" would scrape together a couple runs and beat us. But like you said ... Danks (amazing). AJ (holding onto that ball on the tag was monumental. Don't know how the ball didn't pop out or even his glove fall off). Thome (just what you'd expect that one of our veterans would come through big time). Griffey (excellent one hop throw; amazing tag by AJP and one for the ages shot of him sticking the ball out at the baserunner; classic!) Anderson (wow, I can only imagine what it was like at the Cell when he read the fly ball perfectly and laid it out there; had to be once in a lifetime feeling for the fans there; tell us more about it those of you who were there!!) Jenks ... wow. He was perfect. Dominating ninth inning. Ozzie ... my gosh. He's the leader of the pack. Again there could have been second guessing if we lost. Give him his due when we win. Nice job Ozzie all the way through. Fans ... great job. Got up for it several times I'm sure helping Jenks and Danks. Congrats especially to you fans who told us who were so depressed and mad and wanted to jump off buildings after the 3 losses to the Twins and 2 losses to the Tribe who kept the faith. I was so down and mad and depressed that we couldn't man up and take the division. Some of you had the faith. Way to go! Sorry some of us brought you down, but it was tough to take. Great job White Sox and Oz. I frankly could care less if Javy is starting. He is on the team and needs to man up like the rest of our starters. By him starting everybody else will be back on normal rest I believe. Whatever ... we're big underdogs. Hopefully we'll stay hot, but I'm OK with Javy pitching. It's up to him to do the job. GO SOX!!! Those of you who drink, have a beer tonight. I just went out and got some Miller Lite. Have to toast the team tonite!