greg775

I still want the Sox to win, but Ventura deserves to lose 100 games this season. Nice job, Robin and your staff. And nice job, players. You guys underachieved so badly it's laughable. What a mockery of the game of baseball. I hope you draftniks enjoy the draft. Wake me up when it's over. I won't watch or listen to it. On a final note, Semien is down to .259. I hope he has three good games. He still has so few at bats I bet he could dip under .200 if he goes 0-for-12 or something the final 3 games. How bout an 8-for-12, Semien?

As much as you guys hate Ozzie, I think when Robin ultimately quits or gets nudged out we are going to hear it's because of his personality, laid back and all that, players taking advantage of him by loafing, etc. It's all a revolving circus. You want a loudmouth manager; then he runs his course and you want a quiet professional; then he gets stepped on and you want an aggressive guy again. I liked the way Ozzie told it like it is saying the team was total horses***, etc. Addendum: I do realize you all disagree with my last sentence so let's not argue about it. I'm just stressing Robin's personality will be what we hear about when he's ultimately gone. Too laid back, etc.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Sep 26, 2013 -> 08:18 AM) TaylorStSox may be going just a little overboard. This "idiot" got 32 on his ACT.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Sep 26, 2013 -> 05:14 AM) Beckham is a C and Viciedo is a D. You're an idiot. I need to step away from the Internet. Why am I an idiot? Explain. Beckham's defense made up for his lousy offense so I gave him a C. He's a f***ing average second baseman all-around which means C. He's a C if I've ever seen one. As far as Viciedo, he's been pathetic defensively, just pathetic, and he's a lousy to average hitter. So I gave him what I gave him, a D-plus. I was thinking C-minus and could accept that grade for him. What are your grades for them?? I don't think I deserved the "idiot" tag for those 2 grades.

Does Chet Lemon count? Chet Lemon, Eric Soderholm, Joe Crede, Bobby Jenks and of course RON (hit in on the roof, please) KITTLE

Sale A (team MVP) Crain - A - Quintana - A- Santiago B Peavy B Lindstrom C A. Garcia - B Rios - B Reed - B-plus Thornton C- Lexi - C Nate Jones C Gillaspie C-minus DeAza - C-minus Viciedo - D-plus Beckham - C to C-minus Dunn - D Keppinger - D Phegs - C-minus to D Flowers - F Konerko - D-minus Axe - F Ventura - F Cooper - C to B-minus Manto - F

14 losses in a row against one team?? Did Hawk say, "You've got to be bleepin' me!!!" There are so many disgraces this season; this stat is one of the biggest if not the biggest disgrace of all. 14 in a row to a mediocre Cleveland team? Unspeakable. The Royals should start fights against the Sox every game in the season-ending series. That's 14 games the Indians have won in a row vs. the lousy Sox, while the Sox are playing .500 vs. poor KC. Maybe Cleveland will do us a favor some year if we ever get competitive again. That discrepancy cost KC the playoffs and next year there's no guarantee KC will be good after losing Santana and Chen.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 04:50 AM) I'm not going to get into a political debate, but it just amazes me that we live in an industrialized, supposedly progressive country where you can pay about 35% tax and still not have universal healthcare. I work around 60 hours a week. I'm the working poor. I'm fairly well educated, have a degree, provide a service people need and want, yet still can't afford health care. Its really embarrassing for us as Americans. I know several Europeans who work in the same industry, and their standard of living is on a whole different level. It really is night and day. Sure, my occupation is my choice. Yet, the amount of working poor in this country is just insane. You said what I feel. I'm even more mad our Kansas government turned down some major benefits in the new plan for people. Please respond to Taylor's post, people. I am also embarrassed for our country. He said it best. We pay TONS of taxes and a major illness could take away all my savings in a f***ing second once I get laid off (thanks to f***ing greedy corporate assholes who have laid off half of America!!!!)

Are the Hawks heavy favorites to reach the Cup Finals again? Can Crawford duplicate last season? What u say?

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 03:22 AM) Cause they have spoiled the Sox season multiple times. We have to hear about their extended run of dominance that is coming anytime now. The food in KC doesn't matter. Seriously. Why bring that up? Well I can understand your position if u want to get even for them beating us in the past. The food? I just wanted to point out it's a nice little town.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 03:57 AM) Adam Dunn has 2 golden sombreros this year. Both have come in September. He had 3 last year, and 3 in 2011 too. I wonder if he doesn't wear down as the year goes on. Finding a strong backup for him so he can actually be a platoon player (which he should be at this point in his career) will also save his health down the stretch and keep him fresher. Last year, on September 21, 22, 25th, and 30th, he had 3 strikeouts each. And, once he wears down, his bat speed slows down a great deal. I think you can win with Adam Dunn, and I think you can do it with him hitting cleanup. He just can't do so against left handed starters. If he ends up with more than 75 PAs against lefties, he's really playing too much. He's at 140 PAs against LHP now. I do hope his final year in a Sox jersey has him only batting against righties, but we know that's not going to happen. I wonder if the Sox could pay him incentives for hitting to center and left center. Everytime he does so and gets a hit, throw him a $10,000 bone. Let's say he gets 60 hits that way next year, that's a measley 600,000 bucks for all that production!!

QUOTE (Jake @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 01:03 AM) We changed managers and didn't make the playoffs. Now we'll change players, and if that doesn't work, we'll start changing the manager again. Great post. Well, if there are any Scioscia lovers out there, he's going to be available. I'm more a Francona guy than Scioscia, but do we want to wait and pass on a guy like Scioscia? I really don't want some unproven bench coach as Sox next manager. I'd prefer more of an experienced manager next time. I think LaRussa's stupid for not wanting to manage the Sox, as long as his health is good. What's he doing in retirement that's more fun than spending every day at the ballpark?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Sep 18, 2013 -> 08:00 PM) #1) Jeff Keppinger IS having an outlier year. He has a career OPS of .711 and his career worst OPS is .657. He's hit .202 against left handed pitching this year compared to .317 for his career (and it was at about .325 prior to this season). #2) Konerko struggled from June on last year and has been pretty brutal for about 10 months of playing time now. He is quick enough to get around on lefties, but doesn't do much at all against right handed pitching. This is also not the worst year of his career by far - that honor lies with the 2003 season. #3) Keppinger is going to be 34 next year and his game primarily depends upon him hitting left handed pitching as a utility player. Konerko is going to be 38 and if he were brought back, he'd almost assuredly be giving a significant amount of the at bats as a starting player when all he can do any more is hit left handed pitching. #4) I don't know where Beckham came in from, but Beckham plays decent defense at an up the middle position. You don't need as much offensively from him. Konerko plays 1B or DH, meaning you NEED him to be effective offensively. He is not and has not been for quite some time. #5) Why ARE you comparing Konerko to Keppinger and Beckham? If he could play all over the infield or strictly at 2B, nobody would have a problem with him. He can't. Compare him to his contemporaries (as high as Chris Davis and his 51 homers or as low as Dunn and his walk, strike out, and homer approach - Konerko can't hold a candle to either of them) I appreciate your post. However, I do think if we want to talk age, then Kepp is old enough to be concerned he is finished as well because of his age. Steve Sax at the age of 32 turned into a major stiff out of nowhere. He always hit and always ran, but at 32 he hit .236 and managed to "play" two more years before he mercifully quit.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Sep 19, 2013 -> 08:02 PM) The Dunn only playing well when the teams losing, because "he's a loser", has been brought up on several occasions by the Dunn bashers. I believe Rios was dumped into the "loser" category as well though I can't say that for sure. I don't think he's a "loser" per se, I think he is a stupid hitter, I really do. Here's my reasoning. The man has the power to hit home runs to left field and left center and center as well as right. Yet, except for that 1-2 week stretch where he received some positive publicity for getting some hits to left field, he tries to pull everything. You see what kind of hitter he is when he tries to pull everything, quite frankly that version of Adam Dunn is one of the worst hitters in Sox franchise history. The Dunn who sees the pitch and drills it to center and left center and even left is not so bad. I guess when you are big and strong you try to pull everything which is really really stupid. He's at .219 I believe and falling closer to that .200, .195 mark we know and love in April and May with Adam Dunn. In my perfect world, Adam Dunn elevates the pitch to all fields, but does not ever forget that leftcenter is his friend.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 01:55 AM) I really wonder if Dunn's going to retire Four strike outs in four at bats. He seems to do that more than once in a blue moon. How many times has he whiffed at least 3 times in 4 at bats in a game in a Sox jersey? My guess is a ton of games. QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 02:06 AM) He mentioned spring training in the Tribune today. Some may think walking away from $15 million for playing baseball for 6 months is noble if you aren't into it. I think it's dumb. He will be back. Again, Dick Allen is the voice of reason. No fricking way he turns his nose at $15 million. I think if the Sox offered him 8 million to quit he still wouldn't do that. You can't do that to your family. Have to battle through one more season and bank those checks. QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 02:26 AM) Indians take the lead. Shove it KC I see the Royals as the little kid who gets picked on all the time. Why root against them? Their fans aren't even that annoying. The only thing that annoys me about their fans is now that they are sort of in the race, they are blaming Yost for everything. They aren't even blaming the Sox for ruining their season. Sox have played .500 vs. KC and lost 13 in a row vs. Cleveland. If they just win six of those games vs. Cleveland, the Royals are in happy heaven. Why hate KC, though? Their are harmless for the most part. The BBQ here is delicious; the steaks are very good as well and we have some delicious thin crust pizza in these parts. QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 02:34 AM) I can't see how anyone doesn't think he's finished as even an average big league hitter. He's hitting .250. That's an average big-league hitter IMO. He's probably all beat up and if he can't stay healthy and apparently he can't anymore, he probably ought to retire. QUOTE (flavum @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 02:45 AM) Just speaking for myself, even when Dunn had good streaks, I still hated his overall game. He's a losing player. Period. I never liked him when he was raking, either, only because I knew it wouldn't last. I like his attitude and personality, though. Despise him as a hitter. He's so bad it's sad. QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 25, 2013 -> 03:14 AM) His stuff isn't good enough to be a closer, IMO He's blown 8 saves I think, but his main suckage has been of late, hasn't it? I mean he's had a lot of saves for this godawful team. I kind of like the guy in a closer role.

I don't think any of us know how much coaching matters because we haven't played the game at this level. I think there are examples of some managers being so bad it affects the team. Look at the KC Chiefs. There is some evidence that buffoons Todd Haley and Romeo Crennell were so bad it affected performance and win/loss record. Andy Reid has them 3-0. As far as baseball ... I don't think any of us know for sure if Robin is to blame for the fielding/baserunning problems and the hitting problems. I think everybody agreed Bevington was a horrible manager. Why? Was the record all his fault? Again, I don't think we know. Does Robin know what he's doing or not? Did Ozzie? How can we judge this? Royals fans think Ned Yost is the worst manager ever yet the team is 10 over .500. Is it all just fodder for talk shows?? Is it all cliche? Why do the Angels stink? Dunno.

Just saw this little tidbit on Paulie's partner in suckage, Mr. Dunn. Fantasy advice: "Manager Robin Ventura thinks Dunn has looked tired recently, and the big man's .104/.211/.194 batting line over the last 21 games is also surely a factor (in sitting 3 games in a row)." I'll say this for Dunn, when he goes bad, he takes it to a new level. You might call it the Dunn-ce level of hitting. Paulie may have no power anymore, but still raps a hit a game. He usually goes 1-for-4 ish.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 24, 2013 -> 02:51 AM) One thing that seems pretty obvious is the Sox need a new starting catcher for next season. Amen, brother. I'd never have thought Phegs couldn't hit. I liked everything about him. Then reality set in. Flowers reminds me of the bad Brian Anderson. One of the worst hitters in Sox lore. I'd keep Phegs as backup for next year, though. Sign AJ or McCann or somebody and back him up with Phegley, give him a final chance. QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Sep 24, 2013 -> 03:02 AM) Sucks even more that we had to find out. If Beckham, Tank n Flowers were all good instead of total busts we'd be talking a decade of title contention instead of talking about signing McCann to be the prettiest piece of s*** in the catching toilet next year Yep. Tank has been such a disappointment. Flowers a bust and Beckham a bust. I wonder if KC would send us Giovatella for Beckham in a change of scenery/last chance trade of both busts.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Sep 22, 2013 -> 06:28 AM) Obamacare is a disaster. Is it a disaster because nobody is cooperating? The Rebubicans are fighting it every way possible? One thing is certain. Everybody needs health care and the system before Obamacare was OK for the rich and s***ty for everybody else. Something needs to be done. It didn't help these govtment officials are so stubborn. I was reading this week Lawrence Memorial Hospital would have been given 1.2 million this year or something had Brownback not declined the boost from Obamacare. Instead they are getting something like 2 million dollars less and are in dire straights because of Brownback. WTF is going on? People in this state elect Republicans no matter what. They don't even know the issues or the track record of these s*** candidates.

Why does Robin all of a sudden want to manage forever? If his stance has completely changed, my guess is he'll sign that multi-year extension if it's offered again this offseason. If we suck defensively and on the basepaths again next year, Robin should be on the hotseat. He probably won't be, though, cause Sox are not going to be in the news much next season if we are out of it in May. My guess is attendance also will take a big hit this time if we suck a second consecutive season. p.s. To those of you who get mad when I bring up how expensive it is to go to a game, the current edition of ESPN the Mag has an article on best/worst franchises. The BEST FRANCHISES currently (Memphis Grizzlies is No. 1) are ones with very cheap season ticket prices and food prices. ESPN said surveys say AFFORDABILITY is huge now with fans. Fans don't want to be robbed at their sports venues. Finally, I'll be at the United Center this year to watch Duke play Kansas in men's college basketball and Kentucky play Michigan State. I have to drive a car to the United Center and not take public transportation. Do you think a.) I'll be mugged or b.) my car will be damaged/stolen? I have to stay a while after the game waiting for a friend who works at the UC. Will I be mugged going back to my vehicle? Thank u for all the answers.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Sep 23, 2013 -> 05:25 AM) 1) NEITHER OF THEM ARE PROSPECTS. WHY DO YOU KEEP SAYING THIS. THEY ARE JUST AS MUCH PROSPECTS AS SALE IS. 2) Yes, let's model the Royals, quality franchise. Logic is wasted. I knew somebody would say something about the Royals. I just want our bullpen to be better and I personally see a candidate for excellence in Santiago. If he's wild coming out of the pen like the other post suggested, then obviously that's a huge problem. Walks are killers. So if he has trouble getting ready on short notice, fine, I'm mistaken. I just want a GOOD BULLPEN and I thought Santiago was an in house candidate since we have a ton of starters and a ton of lefty starters. As far as prospects, I should change it to "young pitchers" so you won't get mad. I always thought a prospect was a young player. My definition differs from yours.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Sep 22, 2013 -> 11:17 PM) That would be a terrible, terrible move. I'd want to throw out in an ideal world a rotation of Sale - Q - Santiago - Johnson - Rienzo next year, but that means trading Danks which will be difficult. But one of Q/Danks/Santiago will be gone next year. I'm not going by advanced stats, just the eye test, and want to say that I don't understand why many of you are so high on Santiago. I think Q is a much much much better starting pitching prospect. I'm sick of us trotting stiffs out there in the lefthanded relief role and why not just make Santiago an EFFECTIVE lefty reliever the rest of his career? The Royals switched on Hochevar and he helped that team a lot. Why don't we do that with Santiago. I believe Q has earned the starting slot but Hector could be a bullpen guy for years to come. If we are ever going to start contending again, we'll need some lefty relievers that can, uh, get people out.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Sep 22, 2013 -> 06:55 PM) At what point does this meme begin to fade? One could literally say this about ANY stud pitcher in this day and age with a certain degree of accuracy. It's been my observation that in most cases, such a calamity would have already happened if it were likely. 400+ innings of awesome over two years say otherwise. I no longer fear the inverted W. Great point. You really can say this about any pitcher. Great post.

QUOTE (flavum @ Sep 22, 2013 -> 06:52 PM) Semien is the real deal. This guy has to be batting 1 or 2 next year, playing in the middle infield. I agree, but I'm trying to figure out how his BA dipped from .340 where it seemed to be forever to .280. QUOTE (flavum @ Sep 22, 2013 -> 08:20 PM) 7-12 vs the Tigers this year. Better than I thought they would. That's a horrible win percentage. I figured we'd win about four against them, though. QUOTE (flavum @ Sep 22, 2013 -> 08:59 PM) Quintana and Santiago won't be teammates next year. Need to move one (preferably Santiago) to get offense. I'd move Santiago to the bullpen. We could use a nasty lefty reliever for an inning or two.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 21, 2013 -> 03:51 PM) A lot would depend on what his parents plan was. If his parents were part of a large employer it would be very difficult for the insurance company to find a way to drop him. However, if his parents were self-employed or worked for a small business, the business might have had to drop him or his parents might have had to buy insurance on their own. Under the previous health system setup, it would have been literally impossible for his parents to buy an individual plan that would cover him unless they were millionaires and many small business plans might have had trouble also because insurers could set the price of insuring their family at enormous levels due to his pre-existing condition. If his parents had to change jobs or lost a job, he could have been in a lot of trouble for that reason; he would be basically uninsurable if his parents were not employed by a large employer with good insurance (a union would have helped a ton). In addition, he might well have also hit the "lifetime cap" on spending from an insurer already (they used to have $1-2 million lifetime caps on many plans; go beyond that and you're SOL). However, most of these things should have changed thanks to this law. Lifetime caps are banned and charging different costs based on pre-existing conditions are also banned. He's not very lucky to be in Kansas since they're not helping, but by January 1 he'll be able to buy some sort of insurance at a reasonable rate on the Obamacare health insurance exchanges. Isn't it sad, though, that in our once great country this poor guy can't get consistent treatment, he doesn't even know what they are putting in him from day to day. I think 'barbaric' is the right word of what we've become as a nation. It's sick and sad. I mean we Americans can't be treated effectively for our illnesses?