southsideirish

You probably didn't even think half as highly about Loaiza last year. Look what happened! Keep your head up. The White Sox will be good this year.

Thank you Cheat. My point was we are still in the same predicament as last year. Sorry, I should try to clarify what I mean a little better.

Ah yes, and the topic of baseball is no longer there. :headshake

Why the intent to insult? Can't you make your point without trying to get mean about it or shove something in someone's face? :headshake

And this is different from last year how?

Lat year? He was better than Loaiza? Hmmm Loaiza: 34 Games Started 226.3 Innings Pitched 21 Wins 17 Home Runs allowed 207 Strikeouts 1.114 WHIP 2.90 ERA Colon: 34 Games Started 242 Innings Pitched 15 Wins 30 Home Runs Allowed 173 Strikeouts 1.983 WHIP 3.87 ERA Colon was the ace of the staff? He was better than Loaiza? OOOPSIE!

I have agreed with that and I have said that I believe somone out of our ragtag bunch will. It is my optimistic point of view. I understand it is hard to do the math, but who cares about that. Someone will do it! Who thought Loaiza would have done what he did last year? Don't write off the season already. It is only February.

But Jim, did you expect Loaiza to pitch 226 innings last year? No one could have foreseen that! But it happened! Point is someone can do it. It is possible. Who knows? This is all specualtion and opinion based. There is no right or wrong here. Don't be mad at me becuase I am taking the positive approach not matter how nieve that may seem to you guys.

I guess not. Hey, at least you tried.

Hmm, yes, I am expecting Garland to get better. I am expecting Shoenweis to get better. I am expecting more out of Cotts or Rauch.I am also expecting more production from Rowand, Maggs, Crede, Olivo, Harris, and Valentin. Are my expectations high or nieve? Maybe your right, however that is how I am. I am very optimistic heading into the season.

Here is the confusion. I feel as though you are talking in circles. At first you point out that he had 242 innings pitched last year and that will be missed. Then you say that you are not assuming he would have done the same thing this year. I believe you are saying exactly that. I don't think Colon will be missed because I don't think he will repeat those numbers. I think he will break down. I am assuming opposite of what you are assuming. That is all there is to it. It is opinion based. There aren't any facts that can back you or I up. You are going on past numbers. I am saying because of those past numbers he is overworked and overweight and will not be able to repeat those. Therefore he will not be missed because he will not be the same pitcher. That is all there is to it.

I'm sure that you didn't think Loaiza could do what he did last year either, but guess what, he did!

based on what? Colon being off the team? I have a hard time believing that a # starting pitcher that only won 15 games means that much between a winning and losing team.

You are assuming that Colon would be able to pitch that many innings this year, correct? If not then what are you basing this argument on that Colon will be missed? Based on last year? Ok well we will replace his inning with Loaiza's, he pitched 226. Were you expecting that from him last year? I don't think so. Point is someone will step up. Who? I don't know. Just like last year, who knows.

I respect your opinion and you are correct assuming that he can continue to pitch like he has in the past. I have my doubts that he will continue at that pace. If he does not have a year like we have become used to seeing from him then he will most definately not be missed. It is all a matter of what you expect out of him this year. I don't expect him to be Bartolo Colon of the past, I only see him with way too much mileage and very overweight. That is my opinion and I am entitled to it.

Ok, but I don't think he can keep that up for another 4 years, do you? That is what the Angels are paying him to do. Each year he gets fatter. I am also saying that our pitching staff as a whole is in the same shape or better than it was at the beginning of last year. The beginning we had Colon, Buehrle, Wright, Garland, and Loaiza. This year we have Buehrle, Loaiza, Garland, Shoenweis?, Cotts?. I think you still have the same question marks as last year. Who had a better year? Colon in 2002 or Loaiza in 2003? IP does not always equal a good pitcher. I don't consider that a good basis for an argument. I think there are a number of pitchers that will be able to eat up Gordon's innings. Has Gordon put 2 back to back good years together since surgery? Takatsu, Politte, Wright, Grilli, and maybe even Koch should fill in and eat up Gordon's innings. I remember at the beginning of last year we were not expecting much out of Gordon and a lot of people thought that Colon was breaking down because of the diminishing strikeouts and eating his way out of the league. Nothing is for certain. I am just taking a positive approach and I think there is a lot more to like about our club than dislike. I think we have a better overall team heading into this year than last.

WHy is that? Just because we don't have Bartolo and Gordon? We still have one of the deepest pens in the division if not the deepest. Even with Bartolo, at the beginning of last year our staff wasn't looking that great. Loaiza wasn't thought too highly off. Wright and Garland were both in the rotation as well. I am assuming you think our team is lesser this year between the beginning of this season and the beginning of last season just because we don't have Bartolo? I don't understand that. I think our team may actually be better this year than last. We will see.

Ok good point, however, do you really think Person going down actually hurts us in this situation? What do you propose we do to compete with the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, and A's rotations? You are talking about the some of the best in the league there. There just aren't that many good pitchers in the league. We have to hope we can develop Garland and our other young guys like Honel and Cotts. We have to grow our own, we can't spend like the Yanks, Red Sox, and Angels.

Good points. I am hoping for a deal as well.

Ok, now name a solid # 3,4, or 5 starter in our division. When your done you will see that KW is no more desperate today than he was yesterday. Nothing changed from this Person situation.

what was the point again?

that is exactly what I was saying quick. You are preaching to the choir my man.

JIm, you really think they will put Wright in the rotation? From what I have heard they really like him better coming out of the bullpen.