Chisoxfn

Hakeem Warrick is terrible. Him and Flip Murray can go the hell somewhere else once this season ends. Garbage.

Nice opening start by Gavin. Win or lose, I'm happy with the first couple days. I think the offense will do better than it has and I know our pitching is real good.

Offense is going to put up a crooked number in the next inning.

Hinrich is playing awesome tonight.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 05:17 PM) Limited government, strict adherence to the Constitution, lower taxes, and deficit reduction. Basically a conservative boilerplate of goals, really none of it is actually new. I went over the difference between Republicans being disciplined and Democrats being a disorganized clusterf*** and why that is a couple of weeks ago Ya, it is basically what the republican party should be and goes back to all of the basic fundamental principles that I support and feel are best for our country to prosper!! I'm excited that my republican party is finally back.

Come on Beck's, get em in.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:27 PM) Can we give this man some support? Can't blame it on the cold and early in the season pitchers having an advantage because Indians seem to be doing just fine. The Indians were shut out in game 1, put up 5 in game 2 (the majority of which came on dunk hits) and Sizemore (who is one of the better players in baseball) has carried them to 2 runs. I wouldn't go as far as saying the Indians are raking. Texeira is 0-11 entering today too.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:25 PM) The thing with our lineup is that it depends on a lot "ifs". Honestly, if everyone were to reach their potential, this lineup would be a downright pain in the butt for opposing pitchers. The other side of that is though, you have so many variables and not enough constants. You don't really know who's going to show up on a given day, week or month. Other than Beckham, Konerko, and AJ, I have no idea what the lineup is going to give you. I think you have a good idea what Pierre will do (slight below average leadoff hitter who will get a lot of hits, no power, a few walks, tons of steals). Quentin will put up really good power numbers when healthy (no denying the guy will have at least an .830 OPS...with the potential for a 1.000 OPS). Alexei even based upon his past 2 seasons is at least league average offensively at short (he could be better). I don't see as bad of a lineup as you guys do. That said, clearly, whenever you don't have a lineup with proven studs (see Yankees) you are going to have issues. But at the same time, I could even go down the Yankees lineup and talk about how Swisher and Gardner are below average and mention how Swisher could be slightly above average too and that Gardner could develop). Every team has issues and question-marks, but the Sox have a good deal of talent on this team and if the Jones/Kotsay thing is our biggest issues we will be pretty damn good, imo (because it means the big names stayed healthy and our rotation is doing its thing).

QUOTE (TitoMB @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:22 PM) But if we based everything on that, then you'd have to say all these guys are above average offensively. Someone in this organization thinks all of these guys are good, or else they wouldn't be around, and that's more of the problem I have with it. Well Quentin has shown (albeit a small sample size) that when he's healthy he's an elite run producer (or near elite). The guy has ass-loads of power and will put up a High OPS over a full season. Even last year when he was completely injured he had a respectable OPS. Quentin also looked healthy and raked this spring (and I mean he looked real good). He might be a little off this second, but again, this is the time where the bats tend to slow down and the pitchers have the advantage. The Sox have things to be worried about, but not this early. If this team is healthy, they will win the division (it might take an acquisition to put them over the top) but mark my words, a healthy White Sox team wins this division. The front 4 is just so f***ing good (partly because I like Gavin as much as I do).

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:21 PM) I wish i had your optimism, Chisoxfn. I'm not about to abandon all hope, but we have problems, and they're pretty obvious to the discerning eye. I'm not saying it is all going to work out perfectly, but you guys are acting like we have the worse offense ever. We have what should be an elite pitching staff and if you combine an elite pitching staff with a league average offense we will be a playoff team. And if we are in that position, I think we will see Kenny tweak the roster. That might mean Berkman, it might mean Adrian Gonzalez, it might mean someone else (Manny??). Who knows. But as of now, we have one of the better teams in the AL and a team that should contend for a title. And we have a GM who will ensure we make the necessary pickups when we can. I might not have done everything the way Kenny has, but it is a lot easier to find a bat to put in your order than it is to find a rotation like we have. And lets be honest, this offense will be heavily reliant on some of our young guys (Beckham/Rios/Quentin/Ramirez). And all of those guys have the potential to be pretty good major league players at there respected positions.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:15 PM) The lineup is weak on paper, struggled by most accounts in Spring Training, and aren't putting good swings on the ball at all. Someone like Rios, I'm actually encouraged with him as he's looking good at the plate. Teahen's swing is so awful, I can't see how he'll ever square the ball up. Teahen looked real good at the end of spring. Everyone was talking about how he was struggling early in the spring due to a shoulder injury and the fact that he was pressing to make an impression. I saw him late in spring and chatted with a scout at the game who said he was looking real good late in spring. Still, Teahen is what he is, a near league average 3B who is just a bit below league average.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:15 PM) The issue is that this isn't a suprise to a lot of us . A large contingent of us saw this coming and our seeing our expectations played out before our eyes. This isn't pleasant to behold. The lineup isn't even close to as bad as some of you say it is. It isn't one of the worst in baseball. It isn't one of the best either. The lineup is going to be heavily reliant on guys like Rios and Quentin reaching there potential. If they don't play to there potential and struggle and/or suck than the fact that we have Kotsay in our lineup will hurt us. But if they hit like they can, we don't have that bad of a lineup. Konerko - Solid, close to league average at his position Beckham - Well above leauge average Ramirez - Above league average offensive (or at worse league average) Teahen - A little below league average offensively Pierre - Below league average Kotsay/Jones - below league average Rios - Above league average (at his norm) Quentin - Above league average (based upon what the Sox expect him to do when healthy) I don't see what is so terrible about that. We have a couple guys below league average but a few guys above it which evens things out. And if the Sox have a league average offense they'll be really really good (assuming the rotation stays healthy and the pen does decent).

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:13 PM) BTW, I missed the top of the first, but since then, this ump has had a gigantic strike zone. Ya, the 1st and 2nd inning is when the ump was really squeezing. Its opened up since than. Albeit my mlb.tv keeps s***ting out as I watch the game on my crappy hotel connection. Can't wait to be back home tomorrow.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:12 PM) Yep, I'm of the opinion he'll be our ace by end of year. And Hawk, that was a terrible pitch that Konerko chased! I can't put him ahead of Peavy because Peavy has such f***ing good stuff and stones of steal, but I do think Gavin is a guy that could be a legitimate number one. He's good a good fastball, one of the best curves in baseball, a solid slider, and a very good changeup. And he keeps getting better. I love me some Gavin.

No offense, but if you guys are going to b**** about the offense, give it a few days. It is the 3rd game of the season and at this point, offensive production tends to be lower anyway because the pitchers tend to have the advantage early in the major league season.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 06:04 PM) I hate when Gavin has a great curve/slider working, yet he continues to get beat by his fastball. What can he do when the umps haven't been calling a ton of his curves for balls. The Indians announcers have been really impressed with Gavin and have been ragging on the umps for not helping him on some of his hooks. Gavin is so f***ing good.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 02:43 PM) The A's staff is going to have to carry them this year. The offense certainly isn't. I'll say also that Kurt Suzuki has turned into a lot better of a player then i ever thought he'd be. If I were calling the shots the Sox would have drafted him. The big thing is he's going to have to hit really well as a catcher to make up for some of his defensive limitations.

A's have some nice arms but they don't have the bats to contend and some of those arms will end up flopping, getting hurt or eventually getting traded. The A's have spent some money internationally though and that could help them.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 09:46 AM) (1) Neither recruit is a one and done caliber player ala Wall or Cousins. At best they'll be good component pieces to the starting five, but they won't be a focal point. (2) You're losing Turner, the national player of the year, the triple double machine, the guy that led your team the entire season. He's not replacable IMO (3) There's talent there, don't get me wrong, but you guys won a ton of games with the 3 ball as a result of Turner's ability to drive and dish. That component will be gone next year. Clearly I'm not saying they'll be awful. I expect them to contend next year for the conference and get a 1-5 seed. But I don't buy the top 5-10 hype. I think next year it's going to be a very similiar Big Ten. I'd rank them as follows: PUR MSU ILL OSU WIS MINN NW MICH IU PSU IOWA Purdue and MSU are going to be a step ahead of ILL/OSU/WIS who are all going to be about even. It obviously depends on which of the top 5 gets "lucky" with the schedule too. How much money do you want to bet that Iowa will not finish last? They have an improved coach, are a very young team, and seem to be keeping all of there recruiting class (which is though to be a top 35 or so class nationally). I'm not going to say they will win the big ten, but they should be much much improved and the cupboard finally isn't bare at Iowa. Now things could change between now and than, but as of now, it sounds as if everyone is eager to stay and learn Fran's new system and Fran seems to be saying and doing all the right things so far at Iowa. The big question is going to be whether he can recruit the athletes necessary to run his high octane offense successfully in the big 10.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 02:36 PM) That pull was what smacked me as so ingenuous. Democrats consist of 8% of that 51%. Also Gallup, in depth, about the independent number: In other words, people who lean toward the Dem side consist of the 8% who identify as Democrats and the 13% of the independents who say they tend to lean more Dem (by my rough math, that would be about 5.5% of the total number of tea party members). In fact by my math, if you look at the Gallup data with all the crosstabs, it seems like 84% of the tea party members lean Republican, even if nearly half of them don't self identify by party. Well I guess my initial assessment was correct, haha.

Dino is a good recruiter, not a good coach. But I'd like to get him as an asst over at Iowa. That would be nice.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 01:27 PM) Well crap, the job career I am choosing will not get me to that pay scale for quite awhile, even with a Masters degree. That's so disheartening in a way. Weren't you talking about going to law school? If you go that route and do fine, you'll get a job starting at one of the big companies at double that (if it is out of a top law school). Albeit, right now it is really really hard to get a job in law unless you are coming from one of the big schools and are graduating near the tops of your class.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 01:23 PM) Neither is Alex Rios who is signed to a long-term deal that demands contributions to the team on both offense and defense. Andruw Jones is a reclamation project who has no business being treated like the player he hasn't been for four years, not until he proves he's worthy of that treatment outside of the cactus league. Well in spring training he looked like a guy that can play cf and that has to count for something. Rios has excelled in RF too so there are some that might say he's better off there anyway.

I'm fine without Thome. I like the idea of a more diverse lineup, I just wish the Sox had the resources to find a better player than Kotsay/Jones. They did not and we will live with it for now. And for you people that call Ozzie a moron for playing Jones in center, well, quite frankly, you will be proven wrong. Jones is not some hack of a CFer.

I'd give him a round of applause. The guy is class and deserves to be treated with class. But I hope he strikes out every AB.