greg775

This is meant to put the whammy on Radke. C'mon White Sox. The guy is not that good. Get psyched and take care of business. Pitch well, play good d and get to this guy early. He ain't that good.

I agree it doesn't look good after reading the USA Today article on the Twins in Friday's section. The Twins are on an amazing roll and no sign of slowing down. We simply have to play aggressively and find a way to win. If we don't get down and dirty, we're gonna get swept. If we lose 3 in a row at home I think we're pretty much dead. Even with Thome out, if we don't have the pride to win this series, we just ain't got what it takes to repeat.

Yeah, could be whitesoxfan. I'd think the writers would back Ozzie big time because of what you said, all the great stuff he gives them to write about. I am intrigued by all the comments Mariotti has had from Oz in his columns. Has he quietly started to go to games and interview or does he listen to postgame? How does he get the Oz quotes in his columns?? Does anybody know? Steff?

Thome isn't too productive against lefties as you say with just six homers and 18 RBIs. He is hitting .247 though, not as bad as I thought. It amazes me he has 158 at bats against lefties and 247 only versus righties. I thought the AL had a lot of lefty starters and they do. Man ... I feel for lefty hitters. There are a buttload of lefties out there to bat against. Daddy teach your kids to be switch hitters!

Normally I'd agree with you whitesoxfan, because he gives him great material, but the way that last column was written, I sense a vendetta — a "I will force Ozzie out of town and win this head-to=head pissing match with Ozzie." That last column was ridiculous and to me at least seemed like he was trying to put Ozzie away and win their little feud.

I'm not normally big on "must win" series, figuring there are tons of games left. But since we are the defending champs and these chumps have dominated us the last two times we met, including a sweep at the Cell, I'm thinking this really is do or die. If they sweep us again, that frankly will be pretty pathetic. We owe them a sweep. And find a way to win all 3. Even against the best pitcher in the history of baseball or whatever Santana is considered these days. If we get swept, I am not saying we're done, but it will be pretty pathetic. I guess w/out Thome, we're hosed, but we still should win 1 game, preferably all 3.

Where do you want Thome to bat against a lefthanded starter? Are you saying you want him out of the lineup? Batting sixth, seventh?

I know the Twins are good, but it has grown way old getting killed by them. I wouldn't mind seeing our Game One starter plunk a Twin in the first inning. That way our pitcher won't get tossed; the Twin will when he retaliates and might instill some fire. Then again ... maybe we just need to pitch and play defense and the wins will start to take care of themselves without beanings. I guess what I'm trying to say is ... whatever it takes, sweep the Twins. They have OWNED us and it's growin' old cause they do not have a better team than the Sox.

I just hope Ozzie outlasts that cbssportline guy and Mariotti. Mariotti wants towin the head to head battle with Ozzie obviously in pursuit of a manager who will come in and be as boring as Jerry Manuel and Buddy Bell and 95 percent of all humorless managers out there.

Are you implying we don't want Thome back? Just wondering.

Seeing criticism of Thome and Dye (a double play waiting to happen?) make me think the dreaded disease has hit a lot of Sox fans. WE ARE SPOILED. Thome is getting criticised more than Anderson. Amazing. I haven't been able to get back to Chicago to see any games in person, but I am hoping the Cell hasn't had this spoiled attitude. From what I can tell on TV the crowds have been loud and not as crazed as some on this board. Some players do not deserve ANY criticism in my book and Dye, Konerko, Thome and Crede are 4 of those. Perhaps Bobby also.

Amen, brotha.

I think Internet fans are pretty demanding when we're debating the value of Jim Thome. I mean ... c'mon. He's had a monster season. We need Jim Thome. As far as Gload. I know Ross Gload. And Ross Gload ain't no Jim Thome.

Fathom, not blasting you. I just wondered why you think Jim T. isn't as irreplaceable as those 3 you mentioned. Who we gonna have hit in JT's place?

True, he has a big mouth. I personally like his style, just as I like Ditka. Mariotti will have a lot of fun covering the next manager who says "we play them one game at a time" like the Royals' Buddy Bell.

Nice post. That made me smile on a night the sox played like crud.

OK, whitesoxfan, I'll play the game. Who is a good manager? Piniella? I would agree but check his record. He is human, also. Cox? Uh, the Braves have underachieved a lot in the postseason in his tenure. Torre? I like him as well. The Yankees have not been lights out however with the highest payroll in humanity. It's OK to blast Oz. I don't care. I just am saying I personally think people will find a lot of fault in our next manager and the manager after that. I can't see Oz lasting here much longer. He loves the Sox too much and is too passionate. He can't stand the criticism. He'll be quiet the next 20 years managing the Cardinals or Braves or Blue Jays.

Tony 72 you are assuming the starters need some message sent. It could be as simple as they want to win, but just have s*** stuff this year. For whatever reason. I don't think they need any messages sent. If they suck they suck. I think they are trying to get hitters out. It just ain't happening this year.

I don't see how you can call Ozzie a poor manager. You'll get your wish soon enough. He'll be gone and like I said, be like LaRussa and manage 25 years somewhere else. And guess what ... you'll be on our new manager's ass also. Because managers are hired to get fired.

It's all Mark has to give. One has to wonder if he just is worn out from last year or if this is gonna be the Mark B of the future.

I think Oz is great. Players win games, not managers. I have a gut feeling the Oz haters are not going to have to worry about him much longer. I think Mariotti will win his vendetta and Oz will leave the team after this season if not before. His columns blasting Oz, like today's where he indicates Oz again violated protocol by playing the race card, will drive him from the team. He'll come back and manage somewhere else where he's less passionate (the guy truly loves the White Sox; even his critics must realize that) and he'll pull a LaRussa and manage a quiet 25 years somewhere else. Too bad, cause like Ditka, he's a great great personality and will forever be remembered fondly for pushing all the right buttons last year. Blaming the manager is so easy. Mariotta thrives on it. Just like get ready for his constant columns on the Bears' QB situation which will be coming up shortly. It's easy to call for a new manager and for the second string QB to play. Mariotti sux.

Like fathom said, I'm IN. But I won't be surprised if we continue to suck the rest of the season. There are no signs of coming out of this since none of our starters are guaranteed to shut teams down and come up with wins like last year. This year, it's Det's starters.

It's so frustrating, I want to just say I'm done with this team and give up hope, but I can't. Maybe we'll someday pull our head out of our ass but right now we are a terrible terrible excuse for a team. We can do nothing with Det. or Minnesota. It's amazing how bad we are right now against our rivals. It's easy to blame Ozzie. I never get into blasting managers too much. It's the players who are sucking IMO.

McCarthy wasn't needed on the ML roster this year the way he was used. The Sox should have kept him in the minors STARTING. Stupid use of him this year.

Who cares about his clock? If he can help us win games now we need that. If Pods continues to suck, can he play lf. Can the guy run? I want the pennant this year. The Sox have a real chance to get it done if somehow they get their heads out of their ass and play ball. In the past, there aren't a majority of seasons you are still in the race in late August. We are in the race even if our guys aren't playing like it. Why can't the Sox play with some urgency and get it done again this year??? Bring up anybody who can help us and who cares about his arbitration clock?