fathom

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 5, 2012 -> 01:39 AM) Is it true that Hawk said "It's easier to find a starter than a closer"? That statement is just wrong on so many levels. Yep, and said he's 100% behind the decision

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 5, 2012 -> 01:39 AM) Didn't they take all this into consideration before they made him a starter? Now that he's a starter, let him start. If he has to stretch the arm out a year in the minors, fine. I still say Nolan Ryan is laughing his ass off. Think his arm didn't hurt at times? Now I insist they should have re-signed Buehrle. Oh wait, the Sox are too cash-strapped to do that. Now a dominant starter is gone to the pen. Greg, this team is not a "Mark Buehrle" away from being a top team.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 5, 2012 -> 01:36 AM) Great post. Short, sweet and mocks this organization as it deserves to be mocked! Nice AB Adam. Greg, it truly sounds like it's something they decided they had to do before his elbow exploded.

Nice job by Dunn! Too bad that didn't get into the gap.

There we go Alexei!

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 5, 2012 -> 12:30 AM) Who is a troll? With your temper, you might be the one getting banned? I'm pissed at this move and KC is only a couple games behind the Sox. Switching Sale makes no sense at all after reading the articles. I could see if this decision was made by a soccer mom worried about her baby's arm. Nolan Ryan would laugh in the face of this move. Ridiculous. Insulting. It will show at the box office. Sox fans are not stupid. This team is one horrid road trip from going down the tubes, considering it is blah at home. Who the hell cares if KC finishes higher than the Sox? For about 6 years now, we've told you if you don't make the playoffs, you might as well finish with the worst record in baseball.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 5, 2012 -> 12:26 AM) What did Harrelson say? Acted like De Aza might have hit a homer on a ball that was foul by 20 feet and probably 40 feet short of the fence.

Wow Hawk

Ha, that was pathetic by Morel. He looked so defeated after that swing and miss.

Maybe Tigers will name Smyly their closer after tonight's game?

QUOTE (Jake @ May 5, 2012 -> 12:11 AM) Why do we want to replace de Aza? Just platoon him instead of exposing him against LHP. Knock on him has always been that he's significantly better against righties.

QUOTE (jeffro2525 @ May 5, 2012 -> 12:51 AM) Hard to believe Lefties were hitting .333 vs. Smyly coming in. Sample size, especially since I believe Hamilton kicked his ass when he faced him. Big problem is that both Dunn and De Aza are automatic outs against LHP this year, as they're both in the area of 3-28 vs LHP.

0-4, 4 K for the lefties

QUOTE (Marty34 @ May 5, 2012 -> 12:40 AM) Who do you think made the decision? My longshot guess is Herm had the final say. Agree, it almost seems like it was a simple decision for management.

Way to go Viciedo and Beckham!

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 5, 2012 -> 12:31 AM) Probably more realistic than thinking Brent Lillibridge is a good hitter. Last year he hit some home runs. Chances of him hitting them at that clip are nil. He still strikes out with Dunn-like frequency. Lillibridge isn't a good hitter, but he's at least a little dangerous against LHP. I still say if the Sox were only planning on making him a pinch runner, then they should have traded him this past offseason when he supposedly was the most coveted White Sox player.

Listening to Hawk, it sounds like he's never going to be a starter again.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 4, 2012 -> 11:17 PM) So we're going to build Chris Sale into an elite, Billy Wagner-esque closer on a rebuilding team that will need that final piece the least? Except for Mitchell in AA, with the Sale news, our future might be about as bleak as the Astros. The main two things most of us were looking forward to were Sale pitching every 5 days and Viciedo getting a full season of AB's. Astros farm system blows ours away now

De Aza's now 3-27 vs LHP this year. Too bad there's no one on the bench we could use in his place...oh wait

QUOTE (Marty34 @ May 4, 2012 -> 11:59 PM) The deadline isn't worth getting your hopes up. I don't see many teams wanting to risk their future for a 1-game playoff. Still think Gavin to Toronto makes a ton of sense.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ May 4, 2012 -> 11:56 PM) Would Marty and Fathom be happier if everyone just said, "We suck. We've always sucked. We always will suck. Fire everyone!" Jesus. The only move the last few years that Kenny made that people actually gave him credit for working out was the Sale draft pick. Everything else has been pretty awful, and it would be great to get some positive momentum going again for the organization. Axelrod and Molina have to be two of those guys that turn things around.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 4, 2012 -> 10:54 PM) The only reason he was willing to sign for as little as he did with the Sox is because they offered him a quick road to the majors in relief. In your world we don't draft him, because his demands would have been out of our ballpark. Yes, for 2010, it was fine he was in relief. 2011 was the wasted year, and you know a lot of us were saying that last season.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ May 4, 2012 -> 10:51 PM) They are that team in the middle this year that Kenny said he never wanted to be. They'll be much worse in the near future. Agreed, I don't think many on here would argue that point with you. It wouldn't be the wort thing in the world for this team to be 10+ games out of contention by the deadline. Another .500 team without being active at the deadline would be a mistake.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ May 4, 2012 -> 10:44 PM) There's truth to that, but I'm telling you Sox fans know that this isn't going to work long-term. But if you don't think it's going to work long-term (ie: 2013-2014), wouldn't you want to attend the 2012 games where the team has better talent on the field (like games in which Peavy pitches)? I'm pretty sure we talked about this in the offseason, but I've never felt like Sox fans were more likely to attend games based on Buehrle pitching instead of Floyd that day, etc.

BTW, no one has said this, but hopefully Axelrod makes the most out of this chance and can make himself a contender for future rotations.