Chisoxfn

Timo....YESSSSS 6-4 Sox

Majewski had his first rough game in a while. Borchard and Reed were both hitless.

With Goowin in right, you run all day long.

I would of said that the Sox would of been screwed. It would of meant that Diaz was hit hard, but that Elo and JG probably sucked. The Sox can still get this game, Elo is more then capable of getting in a groove and shutting the cubs out the rest of the way. Come on Sox

He's still doing way better then his career numbers (minus last year).

A hard cutter or slider in on the hands of a lefty. That was pretty.

Thats the pitch he would throw inside on hitters and he just isn't throwing it any more. The 2 seamer typically gives you a little more velocity and your right, he isn't throwing it much of all this year. He's either going cutter or 4 seamer. If he mixes the 2 seamer back into the mix, you'll see a pitch effectively used up and in that would also come to the batters a little harder, adding a little bit more velocity variance, something Elo did incredibly well last year with all 3 fastballs he threw. Then he mixed that with his slider and changeup quite well. You just need to watch tape, last year Elo went right at hitters, this year he isn't really. He's still been effective, but I think thats whats leading to the homers. The fact he's not throwing the 2 seamer in or anything in allows the hitters to reach and really bomb the pitches up in the zone and outside (yes they are mistakes, but they are mistakes that can be averted by pitching inside.

You can even see the guys leaning over on the swings. He needs to start busting in. Hawk is pretty right on when he makes assessments like that. I remember saying this type of stuff early in the season and then Elo seemed to go a little bit more back to it and was doing better. I sure hope he talks to Elo because Elo has the ability to pitch inside and it really really sets up that outside pitch. He did a nice job of that in the sequence to Derrek Lee in the 2nd inning where he was going inside and then threw a beautiful outside slider.

Hawk just now mentioned Dye as well, but I swear, seeing that replay it looked like complete DeJaVu of the foul off his leg in the game against the Yanks in the playoffs. Speaking of which, Hollandsworth is a good player. I remember a few of us wanting the Sox to pick him up this offseason. He's one of the few Cubs I like.

This looks Jermaine Dye ish.

Brando, remind me to wait till the end of the game before I respond to these type of threads again I stick to what I say, but he's looking like crap today. He's just not throwing strikes and he's living outside. He's letting hitters lean over the plate. Last year he'd go inside and brush guys back all day making that outside pitch so damn effective. Coop or someone needs to lay into him and whoop his ass a bit (figuratively speaking).

Coop, get your ass out there.

f*** me, that was an absolute meatball to Sosa. It was a ball, but up and in his eyes offspeed. You can't do that. Elo, the Sox give you run support and you come out throwing balls, it just can't happen. Throw strikes.

Count goes Full once again. Come on Elo get Sosa to hit into an inning ending double play.

Yes he can, he just has to pitch inside more. Elo still has good movement on his pitches and solid control. He'll be just fine, although I have noticed he no longer has that fastball, although I've seen him get it up their on rare ocassion. I also think the Sox gun is just off this year, because Prior wasn't throwing hard at all in his start against the Sox and I was at his previous start in Wrigley and according their gun he was throwing as hard as he was pre injury, which makes me think the tv gun the Sox use may play at least some effect. Hawk also brought up the effect he isn't pitching inside much. I also believe Elo isn't throwing his change near as much as he was last year.

Alou walks to bring up Sosa.

Thomas strikes out looking on an outside fastball. It was the first time today that the pitch was called, although it was a great pitch by Maddux.

I think Hawk just said that it was his 17th double, which is pretty damn good considering he has had limited playing time. If it wasn't 17, it was 16.

Arow rips a double into the gap.

Juan Cruz may be coming in for the Braves right now. Also, the deal with Furcal included is just speculation, but they don't realize the Sox don't have a need for a shortstop. The Sox would only be going for one hitter from the Braves and I could easily see them going for Cruz and Ortiz. That is a move that makes sense. KW has always been comfortable seeing guys he feels his staff can make adjustments to or that he thinks can really turn things around and become a good pitcher. Well, Cruz isn't a diamond in the rough cause he's been hyped, but he's still one of those guys that could turn into a plus reliever or a plus starter. The key is to get him to throw more strikes. He has a nice delivery but seems to be afraid of hitters hitting him and thats probably Coops best trait (getting guys to throw strikes and letting them trust their stuff). But Marte just can't be a part of the deal. He's been coming on strong and him and Shingo is a good 8th/9th inning tandom.

Definately, but its a great sign that for once a lot of people seem to say good things about our manager and quietly the Sox organization seems to be getting a lot more respect as one of the more agressive organizations in baseball. With the new marketing, the new manager, and what looks to be growing fan support, there is a chance that with some good moves this year, the Sox could be making the first steps in what could be a continuous upward moves to become one of the better organizations in all of baseball.

Well, the Braves pregame also talked about the deal so its now been reported from both sides. They said Braves reps had acknowledged the possibility. The only thing that scares me in this deal is the talk of Marte's name coming up. Otherwise, I'd do Borch/Rauch/Maggs for Jones/Cruz/Ortiz. Ortiz moves into the rotation, Cruz either moves to the rotation (or Diaz stays there until Scho comes off the DL) and then once things are settled you slide either Diaz or Cruz into the pen for Mike Jackson. The pen gets a little stronger in this deal, the rotation is quite a bit stronger, and offensively we lose minimal and defensively this team is a hell of a lot better.

Just want to say I merged your thread in with this one since its about the whole Braves trade This way its easy to follow all of the updates on the rumors.

He was a good young pitcher when he came up from UCLA. He did good for the Sox and just couldn't recover from the injury. Like you say winninugly, he came up quickly and was pretty solid from the get go. I do remember how long his delivery was when he first came up. The guy pitched like he was as tall as Randy Johnson, but he always had guts on the mound.

Now Hopefully Kw is thinking alike too