Jordan4life_2007

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 12:47 PM) Pods fans should ask themselves what does Pods do that is above average for a major league LF and leadoff hitter. Is he a good hitter? .267, lower than everyone in the Sox every day line-up except Uribe, Anderson. Does he get on base? Lower than everyone in the Sox everyday line-up, except for Uribe, Anderson and Crede. Does he hit for power? 1 amazing time he sure did 10/23/05, other than that, he's Guillen-esque with the homers. Does he drive in runs? Ha. Although he has been much better actually this year over last. He is the White Sox best base stealer by far, although he has slowed up in that category, and is nowhere near the basestealer he was in Milwaukee, and his baserunning is average. He gets throw out at home the other day on a stupid decision to go, and I've seen several instinces of an infield playing back, conceding the run with Pods on third, and he doesn't move. Basically, in the every day line-up, he is at best the 7th best offensive player. Given Uribe's streakiness, if Juan is hot, Pods is 8th, and Anderson will catch him eventually. When Mack is in the line-up against a RHP, Pods is arguably the worst offensive player on the field for the White Sox. Its very strange to have one of your worst offensive players leading off, getting perhaps the most plate appearances. Now defensively, I don't think anyone can argue he has been a few shades below weak. He drops balls, gets bad jumps, and throws like he has a separated shoulder. I read the stats his defenders put up about how when he gets a hit the Sox usually win. Wouldn't that pretty much hold true with anybody in the White Sox lead off role? Its not like Pods would be replaced with a guy who hits .000. You know you are reaching when one of the few good things you could say about him is he takes a lot of pitches. Its really debatable how much that really helps the other hitters. Most of these guys have faced these pitchers before and know what to expect, and watching from the dugout certainly isn't the same perspective as seeing a pitch in the batter's box. Someone stated earlier that if he isn't stealing bases, he's worthless, and I agree. Start running Pods, or you're going to have to find a new way to support your family. All that and Pods is still by far the best option we have on this team to leadoff (the Pablo Ozuna bandwagon sure has piped down since the all-star break). Most of his numbers are better across the board from a year ago. His defense, for the most part, has been bad. Although I have noticed a signifcant improvement of late. Other than defense, my main beef with Pods has been his inconsistency. He starts the season 3 for 38 (although I feel some of that came from being hurt and not getting a spring training), then he goes on a tear for about a month and a half where he looks like one of the top two or three leadoff hitters in baseball. I believe he even got his average at or above .300. Then he goes back into the crapper again. Looking lost at the plate and bringing his struggles to the field. Then he goes on another hot-streak that reminds you of the April/May/June/July of '05 Pods. I think Balta said it best: Pods should be a better player than what he shows. He's got the tools to make him an elite leadoff hitter. We saw that for the first 4 months last year where he was easily this team's offensive MVP. There just seems to be some kinda mental block there. Anyway, as I have stated before, I'd welcome an upgrade in a heartbeat. But that's obviously not gonna happen until the offseason. So I'll continue to support Pods as long as he's a White Sock.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 06:28 PM) I'm just going to ask one simple question and I hope I can phrase it right. The main point people make when defending Scott Podsednik is that he is the spark plug to the offense and that when he gets on base/swipes bags the team has a habit of winning those games. Now if the Sox were to say replace Podsednik with any of these players wouldn't they produce the same result (offensive sparkplug) except much more frequently while providing other valuable services? I understand the rebuttal to this argument; 1.) We do not have any of those guys, Pods is the best option we have 2.) It would be nearly impossible to acquire most of those players . . . and such. I'm not advocating either of these because that would be relatively foolish at this point in time seeing how it's August 6th. All I'm saying is when Scott Podsednik does do his job as a leadoff hitter (taking pitches, not striking out looking, getting on base, stealing bases), the team wins, however he does not do this nearly enough and the rest of his skills are severly lacking, so couldn't the Sox replace Podsednik with dozens of other players (plenty of whom will be available this offseason) and have them provide that same spark except more frequently? Just one quick thing to help illustrate my point. If say the Sox replaced Podsednik right now with Jerry Owens wouldn't he provide an offensive spark every once in awhile? When he's getting on base and stealing bases I'm sure the team would be pretty damn successful. Of course he wouldn't provide this spark as frequently as Podsednik but at the same time there's a good amount of players out there who could spark a lineup on a much more consistent basis than Pods does. Yes, there are a lot of guys I would take over Podsednik. Just like there are a lot of guys I would take over Uribe, Iguchi, Crede (not so much this year), ect. That doesn't mean he's not an important piece to the White Sox. Which is all any Podsednik supporter has ever claimed. Nothing more.

Anybody see the "The Descent" yet? I'm gonna go check it later tonight.

QUOTE(MSHAWKS @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 04:40 PM) Frank has a three-run homer and rbi single so far today. Frank

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 03:45 PM) Not Kyle Orton. He won games and didn't make the big mistake, the Bears will dread the day they made him 3rd string. L M A O Edit: It just dawned on me that you were being sarcastic (atleast I pray you were).

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 03:12 PM) Seriously though, Wilfredo Ledezma? At this rate, it seems like you could stick Arnie Munoz and Danny Wright in their starting rotation and somehow they'd start throwing shutouts. True. Seems like the baseball gods are definitely wearing Tiger caps this year.

QUOTE(lord chas @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 03:04 PM) the division is slipping away... Just give the Tigers their due. They're flat gettin' it done. Notice they know how to finish off a team after taking the first two.

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 02:41 PM) I don't expect Rhodes to be the primary RB once the season gets going. Oh really? You thinkin' the kid y'all drafted out of LSU? I forgot his name.

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 02:31 PM) The Colts won't be hurting too much, as a result of Edge leaving. I disagree there. Unless Rhodes is a much better rb than I think he is.

QUOTE(Felix @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 02:04 PM) Peyton Manning, and it won't be that close. Keep in mind he has no running game to speak of this year. He'll still be good. He's Peyton Manning. But it's a real stretch to say he'll be far and away the best qb this year. I see Culpepper having a huge year.

This is gonna be a very LONG thread. I've made my feelings known on Pods. Is he great? Hell no. Is he good? He can be very good at times. Overall: He's a solid player who, for the most part, does what this particular team needs him to do. Also, his defense has been much, much better of late. It was horrific for a while there.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 02:11 AM) And then to convince Garcia to try and do the same thing Man, I'm probably the most optimistic person on this board ( well, outside of Jphat, Heads and Kap), but I don't see it happening for Freddy. It would be different if it was just mental. But dude's stuff just isn't there. It hasn't been all year. I'm happy when Freddy can give us 6 innings and 4 earned runs.

QUOTE(whitesoxin @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 01:10 AM) If Buehrle threw 8 innings of one run ball while striking out 13 there would have been a thread. Am I the only one who is an avid fan of Vazquez? If he can keep this up and stay pitching to his potential, we are going to be even more feared. Mark has been, well, Mark since 2001. Not a good comparison. However, Javy, IMO, had the best single start of any of our starters this year. That was pure, filthy dominance. Now, the trick will be to string 3 or 4 of these type of starts together.

QUOTE(TitoMB345 @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 11:22 PM) BRING OUT THE BROOMS, CAUSE WE'RE GOING SWEEPING! Yeah boys! I believe we're 0-5 in the finale of a 3-game series after taking the first two. We need to sweep these guys.

Hawk is nowhere near the tool Ron Santo is.

What? You mean there's other teams in the AL with starters having below average years? I thought it was just the White Sox. Why didn't the Red Sox trade Beckett at the deadline? Why, damnit?

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Aug 3, 2006 -> 06:13 PM) Isn't Javy Lopez batting better than Varitek was? I can't check right now because ESPN's not loading for me for some reason. I don't know how good Lopez is at calling a game, but I don't like the idea that another one of our rivals may have gotten better. Yes, the addition of the great Javy Lopez now makes the Red Sox the team to beat.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Aug 3, 2006 -> 05:41 PM) You are so not a White Sox fan now that you booed Frank I hate that Jason guy.

Pratt is only 17? Makin' my butt feel old. Happy B-day, guys.

No Flash in this thread? This is his time to gloat.

QUOTE(danman31 @ Aug 3, 2006 -> 01:23 AM) Not to be an ass, but do we really need White Sox loser threads? Seems kinda depressing and who wants to talk about a loss? I agree. But I figured as long as they're being allowed, I'd comment.

This is why were 8 1/2 games behind Detroit. How many times have we taken the first two games of a series only to lay an egg in the finale? I'm thinking atleast 8 or 9 times. Detroit usually sweeps a team after winning the first two. Our bullpen has fallen apart after pitching so well for a while. We just can't seem to get the starters and 'pen goin' at the same time.

Thanks for the B-day wishes, guys.

Damn, pretty spiffty night for our minor league pitchers.

We need to win this game. Forget that 2 out of 3 junk. We need to sweep. We've gotten back-to-back solid starts from Contreras and Buehrle. It's your turn, Freddy!