Ozzietheairedale

What?? Koch never got a 2nd out in the ninth. What makes you think that Seattle wouldn't have kept on scoring? Nobody was warming in the bullpen at the time. The only way the Sox win this game if Valentin's ball is a homer is if the Sox were ahead enough in the ninth that it wasn't a save situation and Ozzie leaves Shingo in. If he brings in Koch, the game is lost no matter how many runs the Sox had. I'm so tired of hearing this stupid argument that the number of runs given up is not important and the only thing that matter is the number of saves. The fact that Koch was useless was obvious to anybody with half a brain 3 weeks ago!

Nobody, but nobody will take Koch in a trade unless the White Sox eat the great majority of his salary. Unfortunately, that's the only way out. Even if we get a draft pick for him, I say we get anything we can. The sad thing is that there were many of us who saw that Koch was done weeks ago. There were a few people here who said that the number of runs given up meant nothing, only the number of saves. Somehow, the Sox management must have been hoping that was the case, but it was obvious then, and even more obvious now, that that whole line of thinking was just plain DUMB.

I've been calling for this for a month. Now with Maggs out, the situation even becomes more desperate. There simply is no way to tolerate a .215 hitter from the 3rd base position now. Run production will suffer until Maggs comes back. Put Uribe at 3rd, Harris at 2nd and Perez/Rowand/Gload in center and right. Send Crede down to Charlotte and bring up Borchard. There is no way Crede's going to get any better sitting on the bench. We need him next year when Valentin leaves, Uribe goes to short and Crede has to play 3rd.

I think you've got to blame BOTH the offense and Koch for yesterday's loss. Unfortunately, Koch doesn't get the benefit of the doubt because his performances in the past have been scary. Yes, he's got some saves, but those of us who said that giving up runs IS an important issue are going to continue to be proven right if Koch keeps closing close games. Luck evens out and it has caught up to Koch. Yes he was a little unlucky yesterday, but he was very lucky for many of his saves this year. As for the offense, I'm a little worried that without Maggs for a month or 2 we could be seeing alot of this. Hopefully our other RBI producers will step up. Sorry if I offended Billy Koch or anyone else on the team with my criticism.

The whole tone of the article is negative and certainly tries to paint Williams and Reinsdorf in a bad light. Bringing up the White Flag Trade at this point is an obvious attempt to piss off White Sox fans and create anger against Sox management. I used to like to read this guy, but this article was over the top. Isn't this the guy who tried to get an interview with Reinsdorf and was denied?

Temper, temper... Remember, you should only say positive things. How dare you criticize anybody. Like your mother said, if you don't have anything nice to say...

I'm wondering where all the "Koch is a great closer because he hasn't blown many saves" people are tonight. That crow must be mighty tasty. Any closer controversy can be answered by asking yourself one simple question: Did anybody really feel confident with a 1 run lead in the ninth with Crotch in there? But of course, I have never pitched in the major leagues so my opinion doesn't matter.

I thought that was pretty funny......but I don't get it. I have no problem with anybody criticizing anybody, including me. I don't feel the need to defend multi-million dollar ballplayers that have a bad night. I'm not criticizing their family or religion or race, just the way they played the game. The reason guys like JoshPR and YASNY make me want to :puke is because they somehow think it's their responsibility to chastise other people for voicing their complaints. I would be willing to bet that if I reviewed ALL their posts there is at least 1 complaint about the playing ability of at least 1 player. What makes their complaints any more valid than anybody elses? It's been going on for decades and one of the things that makes watching baseball fun. You guys don't actually believe that players read what you write, let alone care about what any of us actually say on this site, do you? I doubt their confidence is affected because I said they belong in the minors. It's just my opinion.

I didn't hear the Bruce Levine interview... But both sides acknowledged that a 4 year offer was made and rejected by Maggs several weeks ago. So...maybe...you need to get your facts straight.

I agree wholeheartedly. I hope I'm not upsetting anybody (and I know I haven't pitched on a major league mound) but I think Cotts isn't ready yet and major leaguers are just catching up to him real fast right now.

OK, add The Critic to the whiners list on my post above.

I've got to agree. There is no way that I let this kid pitch to anybody late in the season in a close game, especially against a right handed hitter. And if he's unable to pitch in tight situations, we need to go out and get somebody else to fill that role. Here's his numbers: Stats W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV SVO IP H R ER HR BB SO 2004 ...0 3 4.66 15 1 0 0 0 0 19.1 17 11 10 4 10 17 Career 1 4 6.06 19 5 0 0 0 0 32.2 32 23 22 5 27 27 1 hit for every inning pitched and equal numbers of strikeouts and walks is bad, bad, bad.

As soon as Maggs comes back, Rowand/Perez need to go to CF, Harris to 2B and Uribe to 3B. Crede needs to sit or go down to Charlotte for a month at least.

Well, I guess we can all turn our computers off and stop criticizing pitchers because JoshPR has decided that if we haven't been on the mound we should just shut up. For that matter, 99% of the baseball commentators in the world should just shut up because JoshPR has decided that they don't know anything either. Of course, his opinions should be listened to by everybody. What really makes me want to :puke is people like JoshPR, YASNY and JReedfan who keep taking it upon themselves to decide what can be criticized and what can't. Stop whining about how much complaining there is about a freakin' game. It's you guys who need to chill out. If you don't like listening to fans do what they've been doing for a century while watching baseball, just stop reading it. But for God's sake, stop whining!

If I was being paid 14 million dollars a year...none. Assuming it's just a calf strain. If it's worse, then the club is keeping it a secret for some reason. It just seems odd that they would have this guy sit out for 2 weeks and not put him on the DL and get somebody up to replace him. As far as turning down 70 million dollars, my suspicion is that he WAS offered 5yr/70 million but that there is either some deferred money or performance clauses in the contract that Maggs doesn't like. That's why he's able to say he wasn't offered 5/70. If that's the case, the Sox shouldn't offer one more dime, trade him for starting pitching and then go public with the reason why.

I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist or anything, but this whole thing with Maggs' injury is starting to smell. I mean, come on, a strained calf muscle and every day he's supposed to be back and then he can't play. The Sox are leaving something out here. Either this injury is worse than they're telling everybody or Maggs IS a pussy. And with even the suggestion that Maggs turned down 70 million...I have no patience for him.

Fielding "is not a top priority to us right now" in center field. Huh? :dips***

Guys who play 5 (?) positions are exceedingly rare (I can't think of any unless you're counting the outfield as 3 positions). Even guys who play 3 positions like Uribe are uncommon and play those 3 positions constantly - during spring training, winter leagues and the regular season. Harris spent virtually no time in CF this year - I think short stints for 2 games in all of spring training and this season - and is still a developing hitter and leadoff man. I don't think you can just take him and have him sit on the bench some days, play CF some days and play 2B some days. It's not like riding a bike.

I don't understand this move. It seems obvious that Uribe should be named the starting 3rd baseman, not 2nd baseman. All this coddling of Crede - I don't get it. This isn't little league. If you play poorly, you sit. How can anybody, including Ozzie, look at this situation and play Crede and sit Harris. I also HATE the idea of Harris playing CF. It's the hardest outfield position to play and you can't just stick somebody there 2-3 days a week who has been playing 2nd all year. Either there will be mutiple misplays out there or an injury.

After the second time you said that Lee plays right field I felt I had to point it out. Lee plays left field... It makes me think either you're looking at the wrong player or the wrong team.

I was astounded to see Jose batting against the lefty reliever in the 8th with 2 on and 1 out. Unfortunately, there was no right handed hitter on the bench except Olivo. With Jose having struck out miserably 3 straight times against Rogers, would you have brought in Olivo to pinch hit in the 8th? I know it's risky to give up your only other catcher, but it's the 8th and Valentin was an automatic out. Obviously it's easy to say now, but I did say it at the time. I would have brought in Olivo to pinch hit because he was the tying run late in the game.

Did Jim Hendry write the above summary of this proposed trade? Only somebody who works for the Cubs could sum up the trade that way. A Sox fan would say: Best hitter on the team/best outfielder/Sox icon and fan favorite who wants to stay next year + a lefty reliever > a #3 right handed pitcher who was given up for dead 2 years ago and will definitely leave after this year + a wild swinging, knucklehead CF

WOOF! (Agreed!)

Let's not get overly excited about 1 game. Rowand has had more than enough time to prove himself (as has Crede) and basically has fallen flat. I was happy with his great game, but I still think that, at the most, he should start only against lefties. Let Perez play against righties. As for Crede, he should sit for a month and let Uribe play 3rd. Maybe something in his head will straighten out but in the mean time, the Sox don't need a third baseman hitting .200. Anybody who even brings up Crede in the same breath with Ventura is high.

Maybe I'm missing something, but this would be a great deal for the Cubs and it would suck for the Sox. Once Prior and Wood return, the Cubs can afford to plug Rush or Mitre into the 5th starter slot and not miss a beat losing Clement. With the best starting pitching in baseball, they lose almost nothing giving away Clement. The Sox lose their best hitter, period. Admittedly they would gain a #3 starter but trading your best hitter for a #3 starter seems stupid to me. Neither player is signed for next year, so they both likely walk. I still think, with Magglio's stated preference for the Sox, there is a glimmer of hope of re-signing him if he stays with the Sox thru the year.(especially if the Sox go to the playoffs). I don't want Patterson at any price.