CWSGuy406

Big win for Marquette playing without its best player (McNeal -- sprained thumb) for the whole game and without the 'star' (James) for the last 10 minutes of the game due to cramping. They played an amazing first half and let down a bit in the second half, but still held on. Nice W. That should plant MU firmly at a #6-7 seed in the tourney -- a five is possible if they win two games (at least), and an eight is possible if they bow out in the first round. Very proud of the effort they gave tonight.

College Gameday at Marquette... It's 1:10 AM right now, I'm heading there now for neato T-Shirts and a chance to sit in the lower bowl for the game at 8:00. No, I'm not staying there till 8:00 at night, but it should be fun. It's funny -- I'm not even sure I want to sit in the LD, as none of my friends are 'hardcore' enough to get there earlier enough for LD seats, but I'm just going for the fun of it. I'll have a stogie with me. It better be good.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Mar 3, 2007 -> 04:20 AM) As far as Garland -- it's general knowledge that Ozzie stuck with Garland longer into games while Jerry "dicked around" with him, taking him out at the first sign of trouble and messing with his confidence. In 2004, Garland was the same pitcher that he was in the Manuel era. In 2006, Garland was the same pitcher that he was in the Manuel era. I appreciate Jon Garland for what he is -- a 4.25-4.50 ERA pitcher who will give you 200 innings each and every year. And, with a little luck, he has years like 2001 and 2005 where he gets good defense and has a bit of luck. You have no point here. Ozzie has, in no way, 'elevated' Jon Garland's level of pitching.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Mar 3, 2007 -> 04:12 AM) Guess nobody told him that Jon Garland's white. WTF are you talking about? You said that Manuel mishandled Garland. You said that Ozzie, in some way, 'stuck with' Garland like Garland was a bad pitcher before Ozzie came here. He wasn't. Garland was a perfectly acceptable league average starter from his second year in the bigs till now. He was bound to have a fine year, Ozzie or not. Your comment makes ZERO sense. QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Mar 3, 2007 -> 04:16 AM) Javier wasn't told to hit the batter or he would've, I'm sure of that, and he wasn't told to because he was and is a valuable piece of the organization's short-term and intermediate plans. Tracey was a brief call-up who disobeyed his manager OR is just so bad he can't hit the broadside of Hank Blalock's ass. He wasn't TOLD? Didn't two Sox batters get hit? Shouldn't t be an 'instinct' thing? At least Tracey tried to hit him...

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Mar 3, 2007 -> 04:05 AM) I can't understand the nonsense Ozzie gets on Sean Tracey. Okay, let me explain it to you. Javier Vazquez was in the game when the batters were hit. Vazquez had MULTIPLE chances to throw at a Texas batter. Did he do it? No. Did he get berated? No. Even if you think Tracey was wrong for missing (because he did throw at a batter) -- you yell at him in public. There's absolutely no need to do it to him in public for all the cameras to see.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Mar 3, 2007 -> 04:03 AM) I just don't understand the disconnect between some Sox fans online and those at the games, and I don't understand the Ozzie-hatred over pitching when he's actually quite good at it. Or the "veteran-loving" distaste of him as if he's doing anything particularly new or as if Brian Anderson is some sort of future superstar. I love when the people defending BA turn into people who "think he's going to be a superstar". Point out ONE post where someone says that Brian Anderson is going to be a consecutive All-Star, borderline HOFer. The fact is this -- the fact that you seem oblivious to -- Ozzie acted like an ass, AGAIN, when he shouldn't have. He apparently blamed games on ONE player. Please, TRY and make a defense for that. Just so I can have something to laugh at -- please.

Wha does Ozzie mean here? Throw your hands up in the air when a teammate (Mackowiak) makes a bad break on the ball? Throw a hissy fit when guys (Iguchi) make an error? Or does he want guys to 'take days off' when they play against lesser teams?

Flash, can you post that podcast link? I'm not sure my PM to you was sent.

QUOTE(ptatc @ Mar 2, 2007 -> 11:30 PM) Ozzie's reply was that he didn't get to know most of the team and that maybe it's hard to be very positive whyen he was pitching like crap. He could think of 5 situations where McCarthy blew games. If he hadn't blown those maybe we make the playoffs. So you pick out individual moments? Who are you kidding? That makes absolutely no sense. I could pick out a more "situations" from other players who "blew" more games than BMac. What does this have to do with blame? Ozzie is being a dumbass, AGAIN, and I'm calling him on it. ----------------------- McCarthy handles his Score interview with 100% class. B-Mac People would rip Ozzie and Kenny for choosing the high road, for choosing not to air "dirty" laundry (although in this case, it seems the dirty laundry is coming from the manager's mouth)? Those people are idiots.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Mar 2, 2007 -> 11:25 PM) And neither's McCarthy. Do you have a point? Probably not, huh? Did I say ANYWHERE that I think McCarthy is a #1? Nope.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Mar 2, 2007 -> 11:21 PM) Mack in CF and our pitching sucking balls as a group had more to do with us being out of the playoffs, than a mop up guy in the bullpen. This organization is a JOKE when players leave. Best player to ever don a White Sox uniform? Trash that asshole. Ironically enough, Guillen actaully didn't say a word there. The best young pitching prospect this team has drafted and developed since Mark Buehrle. Trash him. Why do they CONTINUALLY air the dirty laundry? "Brandon was a big part of our 2005 WS run, but we like the talent we're getting in return." Done. End of story. Guys ask about it? NO f***ING COMMENT.

QUOTE(ptatc @ Mar 2, 2007 -> 11:03 PM) The Sox as an organization have a responsibility to continue to be good not drop off the face of the Earth. Being short sighted to win every game at the expense progessive thinking is why clubs like the scrubbies are mired in defeat. Ozzie apparently (I didn't hear the interview) said that if McCarthy wasn't with the club last year we would've made the playoffs. There's no excuse for saying that. None at all. Putting it on one guy? That's a f***ing joke, you NEVER do that. And the hypocrisy is hilarious. Ozzie is the guy who continually trotted out Mackowiak in CF. Ozzie is the guy who continually trotted out Podsednik in LF, despite the fact that there were at least FOUR better starting options. Next year at SoxFest, someone needs to ask him where the Sox would've been had McCarthy not been on the 2005 roster. This is so f***ing ridiculous. I'm embarrassed by his stupid ass comments. QUOTE(watchtower41 @ Mar 2, 2007 -> 09:02 PM) Getting a potential #1 for the next decade?? Pass me some of what you're smoking. Danks ain't a #1.

QUOTE(Jordan4life_2007 @ Mar 2, 2007 -> 08:11 PM) But don't use the Yankees of all teams as the model for drafting and developing players. They haven't produced jack s*** for years. Wang and Cano are pretty good. And Cabrera is a nice fourth OFer. Not very deep, but Wang just put up a 120 ERA+ while Cano looks to be a strong 2B option for the next decade.

http://deadspin.com/sports/espn/goodbye-playmaker-237816.php

QUOTE(TLAK @ Mar 2, 2007 -> 01:55 AM) How does PECOTA handle rookies? Detroit wouldn't have made it last year without Verlander and Zumaya so going on past MLB performance would have missed them (as I and everyone else did). Minor league stats. Although I will say that projection systems still have a long ways to go with pitchers, specifically bullpen guys. I don't think they'll ever get bullpen guys right. Too many different factors...

QUOTE(greg775 @ Mar 1, 2007 -> 01:59 AM) We got enough slow guys clogging up the basepaths. I'm looking at you, big man. You and your stupid 100 walks a year! Stop cloggin' up those bases!

A collective 'meh' to the new D'Backs uni's...

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 1, 2007 -> 10:49 PM) It's a pretty novel concept by the Rangers with Young. Even though the market is crazy, you still have to retain your core players. So Kenny should sign mediocre defensive players at key defensive positions? 2005 is looking like a fluke for Young, I doubt he ever touches that again. He's a good player, don't get me wrong, but he might eventually have to move to 2nd. How many teams have a payroll higher than the Sox right now? Boston, New York, the Cubs, Anahiem, and the Mets are obvious teams, with LA, Toronto, San Fran (maybe?), and St. Louis in the neighborhood. We're still the highest payroll in our division. I can see you guys b****ing if the Sox, next season, let go Dye and Buehrle and sign a bunch of Darin Erstad's to replace them (you know what I mean), but yeesh -- at least let it happen first...

QUOTE(Jimbo @ Mar 1, 2007 -> 10:20 PM) Wisconsin is a finesse team that relies heavily on outside shooting and getting to the free throw line. If you ran into a team that bangs on the inside and is rough, you lose. Wisconsin is soft. Heh. I take it you don't watch basketball. That, or your blue shaded glasses are turning you into an idiot.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Mar 1, 2007 -> 07:18 AM) What a great game to be at, although any game where your in the 14th row downstairs for FREE is a good one. Thabo and Tyrus get some PT, and what do ya know?? They look good (and yes, GS quit during the 2nd half, but those 2 did most of their damage during the 1st). How does Pietrus (sp?) look? All I could remember hearing about him when GS drafted him was "the European Michael Jordan".

Scottie Reynolds just dropped 40 on UConn. Is he going pro? I know this draft is reasonably deep, but not the PG part of it.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Mar 1, 2007 -> 01:39 AM) 1. Vanderbilt 2. Kansas 3. Michigan State 4. Georgetown I don't think Georgetown is a longshot at all. Outside of the poor showing at 'Cuse, they've been the best team in the Big East, and one of the hottest teams in college basketball over the past two months. Jeff Green is quite the player, and I'm sure everyone knows how efficient Roy Hibbert is with the ball down low. In the right bracket, I don't think that a Final Four appearance is all that unlikely.

QUOTE(fathom @ Feb 28, 2007 -> 08:01 PM) I agree with you 100 percent. This is close to being as bad as people that say "oh well, I'm not mad that he hit a walkoff homer, at least (insert player's name) is on my fantasy team". I stand more on your guys' side of the fence, but this is not even close to that situation. Not even close.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Feb 28, 2007 -> 10:14 PM) Just got back from class, can anyone give an overview so far? BA rocked a double. 1-for-3 on the day. Said the ball went about 450 feet.

I'm watching that amazing Duke comeback on ESPNClassic right now. Just watching Jay Williams a bit got me wondering -- how was he in his one season with the Bulls? Did it look like he was on his way to becoming a pretty good player in the league? I guess that question leads up to this -- if Jay Williams hadn't have gotten hurt, I'm probably correct in saying the Bulls wouldn't have drafted Kirk Hinrich? And one more question -- who would the Bulls have drafted/wanted the Bulls to have drafted?