hogan873

QUOTE (Kalapse @ May 20, 2009 -> 06:34 PM) No, not at all. Miller: 9 starts through 39 games = 23.1% (37 starts over a full season) Hall: 36 starts in 163 games = 22.1% Thanks. Maybe I'm just paying more attention this year.

Is it just me or is Corky getting more starts than last year's dumpy 44-numbered back-up catcher?

QUOTE (fathom @ May 18, 2009 -> 01:19 PM) Why not trade Jenks? He's going to be getting 10 mil plus per year soon, and there's no reason to have a lockdown closer when your team is rebuilding. The biggest thing about rebuilding is you can't be afraid to lose. Well, I hope that this season is now seen as a rebuilding season. We can argue that it's early only so long. And with the team we have, I'm not holding out hope for a surge like last year. If we know it's a rebuilding season and we start seeing some of these exciting players from the minors, the season can hold some interest.

It really amazes me how almost the entire team is slumping. One guy playing well will not get it done. Hell, four guys playing well will not get it done. The Sox can't rely on Buehrle and Colon (who would have thought Colon would be solid for us?) to have good starts and not worry about atrocious starts by the other three. The bullpen is getting way too much work, and it's starting to show. And the hitting, well, I don't even want to talk about that. What will it take to break the team out of this slump? I don't think it will be an explosive 15-hit, 8-run win. They needed to win the game the other night when they were up 1-0. Sure a 1-0 win doesn't say much for the offense, but it could have produced a spark. I don't know. I'm pretty frustrated, and I'm starting to think that this season is a lost cause. Looks like the Sox will need to break their slump so us fans can break ours. We need some optimism.

I can definitely see a few trades if things don't turn around, but would the Sox trade Colon? They're not paying him much, and I can't imagine he would bring a ton in a trade considering his health and girth (which doesn't help his health).

QUOTE (jphat007 @ May 13, 2009 -> 11:51 AM) It's amazing that we could still only be 3.5 games out after today. Feels like it should be 10 games. You're right. I wouldn't be surprised if a 82-80 record takes the central.

Crap. A decent offense could rise up and win it for Mark, but...

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 13, 2009 -> 11:48 AM) Long game last night, fly off day today, and Thome's obviously still a bit sluggish from that heel injury based on how he was running last night. Extra rest for him is good. Makes sense. I was just looking at the lineup and was frustrated. But in reality who else could be in there?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 13, 2009 -> 11:46 AM) There are a lot of guys in AA and AAA and in A ball and rookie ball who can hit a major league fastball better than Lillibridge who will never get a sniff of the big leagues. This is sad but true. Is he up with the club because KW or Ozzie feel that we have to use him because he was acquired in a "big" trade?

I realize it's early in the season, and we're missing a few keys guys because of injuries, but I'm starting to see what fans of the Pirates have been feeling for over a decade.

Is there a reason Thome is not playing...other than Lee is a lefty?

Ugh. I'm not watching the game, but merely following the play by play on Yahoo. I predicted a double play and was right. He has no business playing in the majors.

I hope and pray that the only jersey Mark wears is a Sox jersey. I watched most of last night's game and was blown away by what I saw. He looked totally in control, relaxed, confident, and was still smiling. Truly a great guy and a great pitcher.

At least from the extracted snippet, I don't think KW was saying that the Sox pitchers need to bean the opposing team. He was saying that the inside part of the plate needs to be established. Sure, it is about intimidation. Just because you throw inside doesn't mean you're trying to bean someone. On a side note, remember the brawl between the Sox and Tigers that rejuvenated the season? Not saying we need that, but what happened there was the players sticking up for each other. I don't like to see the brawls, but they happen.

Very nice post. *applauds* Why is there no team in Alaska? It's light for at least 20 hours a day in the summer even in the southern-most part of the state. There's a solution for The Rays (by the way, I liked The Devil Rays better). They can spilt their home games between Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. I guess however that they'd have to build a dome in Juneau, as it rains about 500 days a year. Tampa Bay Rays = Alaska Sockeyes. The logo could be an aweome jumping salmon. The TV coverage up there can have a defensive play of the day they could call "The Deadliest Catch", and they could have the likes of Sig, Phil, Andy, etc. introduce the clip.

I thought I saw a Sox scout at my son's Shetland little league game last week...

*sigh* The Sox are 12-14, right? So, 26 games down, 136 to go. Not time to panic yet. Although I think we can all agree that this will be a rebuilding year. But in the AL Central a team that is rebuilding can compete. Injuries have hurt for sure, and there is little depth. We certainly do not want to see Beckham too early. If he is brought up before he's ready it could ruin a potential great career.

I do agree that KW should be embarassed. Not, however, because of how this team is playing, but because he believes (or wants US to believe) that this team has a chance this year. Sure, this year could be considered a rebuilding year, but what is KW going to do come the trade deadline? If the Sox are not in the hunt (and they may actually be only because of the division) who does he trade to get fresh young talent? And if there is a bunch of money saved will he go after some worthy free agents next off season?

QUOTE (Jimmywins1 @ May 4, 2009 -> 12:36 PM) 7-4, Sox. Grienke throws 5 shutout innings, but his pitch count takes him out. Farnsworth gives us the game. Fatty is solid: 6 innings, 2 runs. Well, Fatty will be solid no matter what. Imagine running into him running down the first base line?

It'll most likely be a pitcher's duel. I hope that Colon keeps pitching the way he has been. Prediction: Sox win 2-1. They score both runs against the bullpen.

I think it's always good to have a healthy Nolan Ryan debate every once in while. I know this thread started at a comparison of Grienke to Ryan, and I have agree that they are really nothing alike. Nolan Ryan was pretty much a fastball guy who could blow batters away. Grienke's pitches are more fine tuned and pin point accuracy. Although I don't think you can compare Ryan and Buehrle, I would say that Buehrle pitches with more style (he has to, really, considering his pitch speed). Anyway, Nolan Ryan, whether a "pitcher" or a "thrower" is a HOFer. Seven no hitters...5000+ Ks...and a long career. If he was all intimidation and speed, he was extrermely successful at that.

I agree that MB is a fantastic pitcher and should have his jersey retired. Another five years is not out of the question, but I don't see much beyond that. I wouldn't want to see him push too far and end up bowing out on a decline.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 30, 2009 -> 10:38 AM) That's a hell of a sample size. Clearly, Swisher deserved to be traded, after all, you read it alot. If I lack fervor in this post, I apologize. I had typed out a concise response and then my computer decided to freeze. Anyway, I may not have gotten my point across about the Swisher trade and the latest talk of it. My point was that I found it confounding that there was remorsefulness out there in regards to trading Swisher when before he started tearing it up with Yankees the consensus was good riddance. I'm not terribly excited about Pods, but I think he gives us a better chance at the plate. As far as his defense, well we'll have to wait and see.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 30, 2009 -> 07:42 AM) It would be an option in the NL, of course. With an American League starter, I can hardly imagine the dispute with the union and insurance companies if we injured one of our starting pitchers while hitting when no other team tried this. The Cardinals even have their pitchers bat 8th sometimes, and I think Dontrelle Willis PH on a number of occasions. Back when we had Ritchie (shudder), I remember Manuel using him to PH because "he was a NL pitcher and knows how to hit." Yeah, he struck out.

My suggestion as to the pitcher hitting and having the DH hit for the CFer was of course in jest. But it would be humorous to see Colon swinging a bat. If he were to get his gut behind a swing he could really smack the ball. Remember the Simpsons episode when Homer was the homerun king for his company softball team? The slow-mo of his first homerun would be like Colon swinging.