fathom

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 05:54 PM) We're drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of secondary pitches in 8 outings by a sinkerballer, only half of which were starts? Well, we always talk about the eye test and the metric test...and those stats confirmed that Stewart's curveball is extremely mediocre. Nothing frustrated me more with Garland than when he got hammered on his offspeed pitches when they clearly weren't close to being as effective as his sinker.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 04:56 PM) Having 2 of the (legitimately) worst players in the league and a near historic "worst season of all time" by a offense-only position ultimately doomed us. Our pitching and defense were fine for most of the season. We had 5 black holes in the lineup for most of the season. Detroit will win 1 playoff game that Verlander pitches, I refuse to believe they were "better", if we had even 1 of Dunn/Rios/Beckham show up this season, we win. It would have had to have been Dunn that had an average year for him. I think a "good" Beckham wouldn't be enough to put us over the top.

QUOTE (Greg Hibbard @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 04:47 PM) I completely agree with this. Getting swept in Detroit was about 40% of the story over the last month, but Detroit's hot streak had much more to do with sealing our doom. Yep, and you could see the hot stretch coming from a mile away for them. They had a very easy schedule the last two months of the year.

Matt Moore...couldn't have been more impressed with him when I've watched him pitch.

QUOTE (Greg Hibbard @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 04:11 PM) When are people going to finally admit that Detroit going 19-7 over their last 26, even besides the sweep, might have SOMETHING to do with the fact that our season is over? For me, it's the fact the Tigers are the better team, and they made some really solid acquisitions the last few months that added even more to their insane lineup depth and solidified their starting pitching. That has more to do with the fact the season is over, and to be honest, I think the Tigers might have possibly won the division even with Dunn/Rios having solid seasons.

QUOTE (SI1020 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 03:44 PM) I don't think Peavy was ever consistently in the 94-95 range since he's been with the Sox. His velocity had been trending down even before his latissimus dorsi injury.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 03:52 PM) I really like Humber and think he'll be a solid #3/#4. Not sure Stewart will be any better than that. Since I"ve seen more to like out of Humber this year than Stewart, I'll go with Humber. I like Stewart, don't love him, and still think there is a shot he ends up being a better reliever than a starter. It will be interesting to see though. The big thing I like about Humber is he has the better "plus" pitch out of the two guys (his curve is just nasty). Plus he seems to get nice movement on his fastball and his command has been good. I see no reason Humber can't continue to improve and pitch like he did a good chunk of the year. Heck the only real time he struggled is as he started to fatigue. After building innings this year and with a good off-season of working out, he can be in much better shape and hopefully improve his stamina. Completely agree...Humber has much better secondary stuff. I loved seeing the stat earlier today that Stewart's change-up is much more effective than his curve.

I'd really like to see De Aza get some games in the leadoff spot the rest of the way.

Thats a last place team Marty. I would rather keep some of the guys you suggested we trade and just let Buehrle go

Sure glad we continue to play Pierre every game.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 06:23 PM) Stewart, no doubt in my mind. Humber, no doubt in my mind

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 07:33 PM) Who the hell would want to be a GM for this moronic owner who lets the manager run the show? This would be a worst case scenario, as Ozzie's ego would grow bigger and Walker would likely be brought back.

Santos has got to get back to throwing his change-up effectively. His fastball is too straight as well, so on days when his slider isn't effective, he's extremely hittable for the opposition.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 03:45 AM) 1.) Florida is beginning the Oz era. Don't they have a new stadium as well? He NEEDS a 4-year deal for the feel good story to be complete. The "we got our man" in Ozzie. We got him! Three year deal won't fool anybody; four year deal and the city is ready to have a parade for its man, Ozzie. It'll be 4 year I predict. 2.) Yes they will! You got it right. You are really out of touch with the enthusiasm for baseball in Florida, as well as the NL East. The Marlins have no real shot in that division for a long time coming. Their great pipeline of players in their system has dried up, and you have mega-superstar teams like the Braves/Phillies already in place with the Nationals waiting to jump into that picture.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 03:49 AM) There have been a lot of posts on here blasting Ozzie for his comments. Tons this season; tons of late. Yes, because of the simple fact his team is failing on the field. In 2005 and 2006, about 95% of the people on here were willing to deal with his BS in the media as long as the team was playing well.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 04:04 AM) That's what I mean. Our uber sensitive soxtalk fans will love the fact our new manager is dull. They are sick of ozzie's quotes which I find so funny and most on here hate. I don't care if we have the funniest manager or the dullest...as long as they put our players in position to succeed and put the team first before their own ego.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 02:58 AM) Yeah, how many did Bobby blow? But Bob was the devil. 4 last year, but you also forget how absolutely worthless he was in tied games/2 inning outings.

Greg, I bet last year you would have never predicted that soxtalk posters would be as understanding and forgiving about our closer, Sergio Santos, blowing 5 saves in pretty terrible fashion.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 03:51 AM) Ugh. Fathom you are a successful grown man who knows the ways of the world. And you think Ozzie has the option to truly bench $14 mill a year and $12 mill a year which, forgive me if I'm wrong, are what Dunn n Rios are making? Just because of one sentence uttered by KW in the media? That he gave Oz his blessing to bench the 2 megamillionares? Yes, he absolutely did give Ozzie the blessing to do it. Greg, it seems like you believe everything Ozzie says in the press, but the one time KW says something in the media, you find it convenient to think he's lying. There was absolutely no benefit for KW to lie about telling Ozzie to bench players regardless of salary.

Greg, you do know that as of a week ago, Santos' slider was the most effective pitch in all of baseball?

Again Greg, who the f*** cares if a manager says something controversial? It's not like the Sox benefit by Ozzie acting stupid in the media. If anything, his attitude to the press sometimes seems to make him more stubborn than he should be with regards to in-game/lineup decisions.

Gardenhire is a good manager that basically had to manage a split-squad lineup every game this season. It's not like he had the option to bench players like Ozzie could have.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 02:36 AM) Sox are the most bizarre team in baseball history. These 2 guys today pitch masterpieces after yesterday's faceplant. I guess we had dipped a couple to the sub .500, now we have to get back to 2 over again, then faceplant. Is it really that hard to understand for some of you? Yesterday, we were facing a very, very good lineup with a ton of momentum going. Today, we faced one of the 5 worst teams in baseball with basically a AAA lineup going against Humber/Stewart.

Way to go Stewart!!

Tyler Flowers' batting average is free falling right now. He just needs to keep working on making contact.