Chisoxfn

Another nice inning by Jon, but more importantly the defense is really playing well today, the bats have came through with timely hits and well the pitching has been there. Through 5 this is what I'd call winning baseball. I have no idea if we hold on, but this is the way the game was meant to be played and watching it thus far has been a thing of beauty.

Gloadie is up

Wow...web gem for Brian Anderson. Outstanding!!!

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:21 AM) I still had it on my Tivo season pass so it recorded on it's own on the 17th. The Hills was good. I like LC though Jason is a jag. Ya, he's seriously ruining my great name. Ya, my dvr recorded LB on its own too which I'm glad cause than I'll eventually catch up to it. Thankfully it did the same with Prison Break.

QUOTE(CYGarland @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:21 AM) We hit Robertson pretty hard in his last start against us, and in the past as well. Ya, but he's locating today and keeping guys off balance. I realize we have hit him in the past, but you guys can have good starts and bad starts.

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:19 AM)

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:17 AM) LOL. Speaking of LB, the new crop of kids are meeeaaannnn. And Jessica is still a moron. I haven't watched it yet. I also haven't watched the Hills. I'm so proud of myself OH but I'm sure I'll watch LB.

QUOTE(CYGarland @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:18 AM) Besides Dye, eeryone has looked bad so far I give him the credit, he's pitching damn good. I say this because i'm sure people will be jumping on the bats, but sometimes you got to tip your cap to the pitching and thus far this is all on Robertson kicking butt. And maybe some of it has to do with the fact that we blow against LHP.

Quick 1-2-3 inning for Robertson and Tigers and we head to the bottom of the 2nd up 1-0.

Robertson is making our guys look stupid up there. He's really working quickly, throwing strikes and than making good 2 strike pitches.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:10 AM) I still would like to see what Anderson could do in the 2 hole next year...especially if there's no dropoff in how he's been playing since June 1 before the end of the year. Oh god, that would be awful. I'm sorry, Anderson has made some strides but he is far from a 2 hitter. He has a horrible idea of the strike zone and his approach at the plate still has some serious issues. He's got to stay down in that lineup for a year or two. I've long said Anderson has ability but also was one of the few who said he would struggle a lot when he first came up and he will continue to have some struggles as he slowly makes some strides/progress. Jon gets the double play ball. I really have no idea how we turned it considering how slowly the ball was hit and the fact that Uribe had to range to his right and than Guchi had a tough turn. Jon jams Dmitri and its a 1-2-3 bottom of the first for the Tigers.

Granderson's 0-21 streak is snapped with a leadoff single.

QUOTE(Felix @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:08 AM) Yea, but its not like Hawk to not say "stretch" on a ball that is in the air in the outfield I had trouble seeing it on TV and my guess is so did they.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:05 AM) We've got to start getting contributions from our 1-2 hitters, especially if Thome is out. Has there been any update on Thome's injury? Also, what's the expected time of the 2nd big storm? I expect a new top of the order next year, both at the top and in the 2nd spot. This isn't a knock on Guchi, rather its the fact that we need more speed if we are going to have Ozzie as our manager. I don't mind it because with some speed I think we will be far better.

Paulie strikes out.

QUOTE(Felix @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 11:05 AM) That was a weak homerun call Hawk Nice seeing JD staying hot I don't think anyone thought it was going out.

1st time in franchise history we've had two guys with 35 or more HR's.

Iguchi K's, 2 outs. I didn't know this, but the Sox drafted Robertson twice. Jermaine Dye hits a first pitch opposite Field BOMB and its 1-0 Sox

QUOTE(jasonxctf @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 10:49 AM) whats with the ozuna love on this board. The guy is hitting 6/45 or .133 since the All Star Break. Podsednik is hitting 26/118 or .220. Both suck. Ozuna's may be tied to his injury cause he totally fell off the wagon at that point. However, ones a backup the other is supposed to be our catalyst and he's failed at that. He's supposed to be the one guy who can help us create runs when our bats are quiet and he's absolutely failed to do that all while playing horrific defense. IF there is one guy I'd blame on our offense it would be Pods. The rest of the offense I'm completely fine with. The guys are producing or contributing in another way (Anderson and Uribe with there defense, although Uribe did have a defensive slump at one point). Than of course there is the rotation which has been ridiculously horrible. Had it manned up this season we'd be well ahead in the wild card race and breathing right down the Tigers throats (even with Pods lousy play). They have been the biggest failure of all and this failure has nothing to do with Ozzie and everything to do with the players not exeucting (although I could buy that fatigue from last season played a part as well, but bottom line they haven't gotten the job done). Hawk and DJ are back and the Tigers are in the field. Game is going to start right now. Pablo Grounds Out to 2nd base

Yes, its an ugly stat, but I think all of us know this team is playing well below expectations. However, all that said I think it needs to be pointed out that any other year we'd have gladly excepted this record and where we were at this point of the season. The team is right in the thick of things and has a ton of talent. The problem is after last season expecations were raised and a lot of us were expecting more, namely from the starting pitching. That has yet to happen and while the offense has been able to put the team on its back for most of the season, it was inevitable that it too would hit a dry spell and when that happened we'd hit a funk. Its happened and now Ozzie has to hope that the pitching will be able to semi come around and do enough to get this team into the playoffs where there experience could maybe do something (especially since no team, not named the Tigers, has a top notch rotation; the Angels are the exceptoin and they won't make the playoffs and if the A's get Harden back they could have the top rotation).

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 10:48 AM) Thome has been HUGE for us...which is why I'm baffled as to why he's being criticized as if he was one of our starting pitchers... I don't think anyone could possibly critisize him. I do think he's blamed too much for why our offense has stopped being able to execute and get the tough runs. However, that blame should fall solely on Iguchi and Pods because they are the guys that are supposed to be the small ballers. Pods can't run and its kind of meant Guchi can't do his thing (although he has been very solid). Next year I propose a top of the order of Brian Roberts and Jimmy Rollins. Both are insanely fast and I have no idea how realistic it would be to land either of them (let alone both) but they would give the Sox a top of the order that could create runs when the big bats weren't working and give us the ability to pull out those 1 run games we may not have won last year, while also being able to ocassionally blow a team out of the water (when the bats are in business). This year its been either us blowing a team out of the water or struggling to get the little things done and I think thats because we have lost the ability to create runs on the paths doing the little things.

Pods has been ridiculously awful as of late and thats definately had an impact on Thome who has not been in near as many RBI situations. That said he hasn't made the most of the recent situations he's been in (although he did knock in a run on the play he got hurt on). Thome's solid, but I do think his numbers look better than his play has been. I really think he's the 3rd best offensive player on our team (behind Dye and Paulie). That said I think he's one of the reasons we've seen Dye, Crede and AJ all step things up offensively and yes I do consider Thome one of the upper echelon run producers in this league.

QUOTE(soxunited @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 10:35 AM) I'm really surprised Infante isn't playing today, he has good numbers against Infante and Neifi Perez doesn't really scream defensive prowress Neiffi is a gold glover. He's not as good as he once was, but considering he's at 2nd base you have a guy with some serious range and a SS's arm over there so he's superior to Infante defensively over there. That said offensively he leaves a lot to be desired.

QUOTE(LVSoxFan @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 10:26 AM) Hey we have to get, what, 5-1/2 innings in for a full game? Garland! Have a seat! Javy, yer up! 5 innings since we are on the road. If its 4/1/2 innings it means we have lost because the Tigers are winning at that point and are hitting.

QUOTE(dagotony06 @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 09:41 AM) Long time lurker, first time poster. It seems like a great site, hoepfully I can contribute something to it.Let's get this win today and split this series, and have some momentum going into this huge weekend series against the Twins. Let's take it to Robertson early, and give Big Jon a cushion to work with. Welcome aboard, great to have another Sox fan here. How long is the delay supposed to be?