greg775

Whenever I watch him play, he's an automatic out versus lefties. Yet I look at his stats and entering today's game he was 9-for-32 with lefties with three homers and 10 RBIs. He struck out 12 times in 32 at bats vs. lefties, but had a decent batting average of .281 vs. lefties. Versus righties, how can this be? He entered today's game 12 of 67 for a horrible .179 clip. Three homers and nine RBIs with 17 walks vs. righties. He's hitting .137 in night games. Same number of homers vs. righties as lefties this young season. Last year, Thome hit .196 vs. lefties, which means he's due to start really struggling vs. lefties to get back to that batting average. He hit .315 vs. righties, bashing 29 homers vs. righties and six vs. lefties. In 2006, he hit 36 homers vs. righties, six vs. lefties with a BA of .236 vs. lefties and .321 vs. righties. My opinion is he takes that big hack and it's a homer or nothing for Jimmy. My question is should he only play vs. righties?

Thome actually tried to hit that first pitch to leftfield it appeared. His next two hacks were embarrassingly bad.

Anything over Uribe. Go get Getz, KW.

Hawk's end of the game prologue was embarrassing in that he flat out blamed the loss on a call. But I still like him for some reason. He and Stone would be awesome in the booth.

I disagree with the sarcasm. I think most posters here think in terms of "the context of baseball" before making an opinion. The Sox have stunk for a while now, hitting wise, not just this year. They had a similar record in April last year and completely went in the tank. I think it's reasonable to have a dark side attitude toward the team. In "the context of baseball," my hope is with the starting pitching looking pretty darn good and as if it may be for real, there still is hope. I'm not convinced the offense is going to be even average, considering it has sucked for more than this season.

Since this is the negative catch all file, aside from bashing the usual suspects who haven't delivered in this slump ... to me, Swisher doesn't seem like the kind of guy you want locked up contract wise for a long time. Swish is rapidly falling down close to .200. If Pods was doing this, everybody would want him sent on the first train to Oshkosh. I know ... he draws walks.

I guess it's time to lower the expectations. I was pleasantly surprised when we were hot early in April. It's pretty bad when as a fan you assume a loss on Monday (which at least I do), then hope we can get it back together at home where we have not played especially well. Can you imagine how much better fans would feel if we just scored an average amount of runs in this series? Konerko, Dye and AJP up in the ninth and they go down as if they were Class A players. Amazing slump.

Actually Oz makes a good point about them being veterans and needing to wake up. Mariotti now has his ammo though to get Oz fired. He can write that he called out the veterans saying they need to get their head out of their ass and how can they possibly respect Ozzie again, blah blah. Oz has a big mouth, blah blah. Oz's quote was pretty cool, I thought. He called out the lumbering, but now slumbering veteran bats.

No disrespect to Marcum. I just have been frustrated by the lineup getting mowed down by just about everybody who takes the hill. I would like to have Marcum on the Sox staff. I should have said above average pitcher instead of average.

Then JR should keep him on the payroll somewhere with other job responsibilities. I agree coaches aren't the ones hitting but like several on here have said, at some point somebody has to take the fall. The team continues to suck at the plate under him. Walker should be kept on in some capacity if JR loves him, but Baines should be made hitting coach immediately. No changes will happen, though. Oz and KW will say nobody was complaining a week and a half ago when the team was more comfortably in first place.

Hate to say it but I fear he speaks the truth. Now the real baseball begins, the daily grind.

When are Swish and Cabrera going to loosen up the team again as they allegedly did when we were winning big in early April? This team resembles a bunch of zombies right now, at least at the plate. Is was a matter of time before we had a bad road trip, though. We've been playing s*** at home for the most part, better on the road until these last 2 flameouts.

Good for you. For the rest of us, we have to wonder how we got 2 hits and mowed down AGAIN by just an average pitcher.

Maybe Reinsdorf should give bonuses to players who hit line drive shots in the gaps and actually drive the ball after hitting it where it is pitched.

Sox can't hit. Fields must play somewhere.

If I was Ozzie I'd make Harold hitting coach and have Walker do Harold's job whatever that is.

Lostfan I think you made a great suggestion. I like it.

Hey thanx for the screen savers. I really do appreciate it. Thanx.

I expected more than 4 innings of what I consider sub par pitching against a team of no names. I never said he cost us the game. But I guess I'm in the minority big time so I will now shut up.

From the Trib: The Sox were 12-11 in April 2007 en route to a 90-loss season. But the pitchers and hitters are maintaining their confidence that better days are ahead. “Once everything clicks, it’s going to be even more dangerous because we’re in every game,” catcher Toby Hall said.

Rather than argue with you and bore everybody else, I won't respond to your personal attacks. If you could convince me Masset had a quality start today, I'd listen. Four innings is not a quality start. If he is your next door neighbor, I apologize.

Maybe it'd help if he'd hit the ball where it's pitched in crucial situations instead out grounding out or popping up to the second baseman/rightfielder. I like Thome but your stats are interesting.

I keep repeating the line because it is not a quality start. I'm lumping him in with some other guys as one of the reasons we lost.

Okay, he gave the Sox something. Four innings, five hits and three walks. For you to suggest that is close to a decent start is wrong. I stand my my statement he gave the Sox nothing. If it makes you feel better I'll amend it to "little to nothing."

Kyle, Masset pitched four innings and walked three guys and gave up five hits. Are you a member of his fan club or something?