CWSGuy406

Yeah Politte! OK Armchair managers. What do we do in the ninth? Koch? or Marte? Or Someone else? I think we go with Koch - get him some confidence, let him know that HE is our closer and our go to guy.

Politte throws cheese!

Sorry for looking ahead, but tommorows pitching matchup: Shoenwies vs. Vazquez.

Also, Johan Santana left the game - he strained something in their arm. I like that guys stuff, but, I dont think he'll be able to stay healthy for a whole season.

You guys are meeting in Parking Lot - B, right? Or is it a different one? I might stop by. BTW, are any of you guys sitting around or near me? I'm in section 127 - row 26! It says Limited View on my tix, so that sucks, but I'll be glad to just be there! I cant wait!

Ozzie is manager - Kenny Williams is still GM....

I agree with that, but again, how many times last year did we rip JM's head off because he left Koch in too long?

Stocking - Name one person, coming into this game who you thought/think is better in our bullpen than Marte?

You know what - it's the first damn game, and already people are second guessing friggin Ozzie. GET OFF HIS DAMN CASE!!!!! What the hell would you have done differently? Cliff Politte was dominating - he had his sinker working, his fastball was just blowing by hitters. Ozzie doesn't know how long he can last - like the saying goes, if it's not broken, don't fix it. So Cliff comes out and walks the first batter in the ninth. Who knows, maybe it's just him shaking off being on the bench for a bit - I don't know. So you have Coop come out and talk to him - nothing wrong with that - if he doesn't get the next batter out, you take him out, simple as that - let him decide his own fate. OK, so Ozzie sees if Politte can get back to his 8th inning form - but instead, he walks the next guy. OK, he's gone - you bring in Koch - he was great in Spring Training, and you want the guy to be your closer - so you gotta get him some confidence. So, he faces Santiago - oh well, Santiago beat him, on a pitch that I swear was well off the inside corner running in on the hands that Santiago was just able to turn on. So, you see if Koch can get out the next guy which he does. But Tony Pena makes a move, bringing in a lefty - so, Ozzie plays the numbers - bring in Marte. And after that, It's all in Marte's hands really - and he blows it. Last year, I swear, the same damn people were calling for Jerry Manuel's head on a silver platter because he put Koch in and left him in there too long. This time, when he puts in OUR BEST reliever, and one of the best relievers in the AL, and the reliever blows it, you guys b**** at Guillen? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? I swear, some of you guys, if we went 161-1, and swept the playoffs and won the World Series would still find friggin problems in it. You want to b**** about someone? b**** about Marte, that he wasn't able to get one DAMN out - but for you guys to second guess and rip on Guillen, that's just terrible and pathetic. Look what we saw today - a hit and run, a SUCCESSFUL hit and run - we saw guys actually going the other way, a lot, in this game - we saw f***ING PAUL KONERKO steal a base. Come on, you can't tell me that Paul just said to himself "hmm lets steal a base, speedy!". In fact, I think Guillen is pretty damn smart - if they don't want to pay attention to PK because they think he's slow, then run on their asses. Ozzie made solid managerial (sp?) decisions today. The players (or, the player, not plural) f***ed up. Don't blame Guillen, please, please dont.... I have faith that Ozzie learned his lesson about Politte - 2 inning or less, no more. Marte should return to form (please, please, PLEASE), and Koch wasn't terrible, and perhaps has a longer leash.

What was so "terrible" about Koch today? Did you see the game? The hit he gave up to Santiago was a pitch that was running in on his hands, not even on the plate, inside; Santiago opens his body and puts a good rip on the ball, and pulls it down the left field corner. Next batter, Guiel, is struck out - a beautiful pitch by Koch, a slider, I believe, that just left Guiel with his bat in the middle of the plate and his knees buckled. I thought that was one of Koch's best series of pitches in a long time. Might I add, he was up to 97 on the gun, and he wasn't falling towards first base as much as he did last season. He didn't leave any curveballs right over the meat of the plate. I don't and won't second guess Ozzie for taking out Koch - Marte was dynomite last season, and if you look at the thread, that's who we all wanted in. It didn't work out this time - oh well - we threw our best at them, they beat it. Marte needs to rebound - as for Koch, he didn't do too bad. His only problem was that he wasn't given the chance to finish it out.

Im sorry if I ruin a positive vibe going on here. But, let me put this out on the table: We just lost to a division rival - who, if we beat them 7-3 or 7-4, we really shut them down, get into their heads a bit. Our best reliever just got his ass kicked, plain and simple. He sucked in ST too, and has lost a lot of life on his fastball. Not good - his breaking pitches weren't breaking. All of the momentum is on the KC side. I don't want to hear that there's 161 games left - we lost the Central last year by what, two, three games? You keep saying, it's just one game, it's just one game - well, those add up, and eventually, you're wishing you had those games back. Last time I remember a game like this, it was last year against Minny - the game where we brought in Paniagua. While we didn't lose that game, Minny took momentum away from that game, just by scoring some runs and ALMOST completing a comeback. That was - terrible, what happened. We had the game - our lineup hit the ball well, Politte and Buerhle pitched solid (Politte shouldn't have been left into the ninth, but I place no blame of this game on Ozzie), and then our one consistent factor, Marte, gives up two homers. I don't know what to say. I'm not going to go crazy, I take almost all positives from the loss, except the performance of Marte - I'm confident Loaiza can get the job done - I'm confident our bullpen can bounce back - Koch wasn't really terrible, IMO. He gave up a double to Santiago, a pitch that was inside that Santiago turned his shoulders on and had a solid hit. Politte was solid - Ozzie has learned his lesson, though - Politte should be pitched at a maximum of two innings, no more. Our lineup was solid, we hit the ball hard, and only had two homers. Im surprised no one has mentioned that, we only scored THREE runs on homers, very good to see. Buerhle, no need to mention him, he was his usual solid self. Lets go Sox, get it done on Wednesday!

While I'm totally pissed, I agree with Steve... We threw our best out there - Koch just got a strikeout, so we went with our best - Marte. You cannot second guess that decision. Marte didn't come through - that's his fault, no one elses, really. I feel like my balls are in my friggin throat right now. It's terrible. I swear, I better get some good news tommorow in hearing the Hawks win the lottery for the number 1 pick, or else I'm really not going to be a fun character at school tommorow....

Sorry, 161. Im so pissed right now....

Guys for those of you saying the season is over - there's still 162 left.... But damn.... What the hell.... 5 run lead. f***ING MARTE!!!!!!!!11

Damn - we desperately need a win on Wednesday.....

Wow.... Our one constant, through the past couple of season, Everyday Damaso Marte blows it - un friggin believable... Un friggin believable... We were up 5, what the hell happened... Im going to cry, honestly....

f***, Lopez homers.... Tie game... DAMNIT!

This can't be the way it is for the season - Koch cannot be just a righty specialist, or just a 1 person then out guy. We need him to last longer than that....

Marte will come in....

STRUCK HIM OUT!!!!!!!!!!

0-2 on Guiel... Need this out Koch....

f***! 1 Run Double for Santiago.... Runners on 2nd and 3rd

Koch hits 94 on his first pitch, not terrible...

Guys, I know it's just the first game, but I'm nervous as hell - I'm shaking. Come on Koch, please make me feel better. :puke

Runners on first and second, as Politte comes out of the game.... Billy Koch comes in.... eep