fathom

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:47 AM) Jenks needs to get those outs, plain and simple. I don't mean this pessimistically for 2007, but we definitely sold our soul to have the production we had from the bullpen in 2005.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:44 AM) Why even make that comparison. No matter what, you can't guarantee anyone, not even Carlos Beltran, would have thrown him out. Does it make a difference? Was Beltran in LF for the Sox tonight? Was Erstad or Anderson in LF for the Sox tonight? No, ok, so move on. I don't see the point in beating a dead horse. We know Pod's cant throw...oh well. In a one run game, isn't that the exact point we're arguing?

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:32 AM) Chances don't mean squat really. Thats just your way of saying "I'd be less pissed if it was BA or Erstad that missed the throw home." Give it a rest, and L is and L. I would be much less pissed, as at least I knew our manager did everything he could to try and get the win for our team. The funny thing is I'm so much more pissed about the 7th inning.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:41 AM) Explain Monday night's game to us if Geren is such a brilliant field general out there compared to Ozzie... I haven't seen Geren enough to judge how he'll be as a manager. All I know is he managed a terrific game tonight.

QUOTE(Wedge @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:40 AM) I seem to remember a closer controversy early in the 2005 season... Ozzie sorted it out well enough then. Let's give him a chance to sort it out this time around. Well, if one of our other relievers can be the luckiest pitcher in the history of baseball (Hermanson first 4 months of 2005), then we'll be fine.

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:38 AM) When was the last time a Sox OF actually got an assist? This is something I always state. From what I recall, we haven't thrown anyone out at home since Jermaine Dye did it against the Twins in August or September of 2005. Over the last two years, we might have had the worst throwing outfield in baseball history when it comes to accuracy or power.

QUOTE(greg775 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:31 AM) I could anger everybody by saying our OF hasn't been the same since the loss of ... Rowand. I better duck on that statement. Would everybody agree our first eight games have not been too encouraging? The first 8 games have been fine. It was a tough schedule to start, and considering how awful our hitting has been, we're lucky we're not 1-7. Of course, if our hitting continues to suck, we're going to win about 70 games this year. Aaron Rowand is nothing more than a 4th/5th outfielder right now. Unless MLB changes its rules, he's not going to be good again.

On a night with a lot of negatives, this was the 4th straight outstanding start by our starting pitchers. Hopefully Buehrle can keep it up tomorrow, as our pitching has to overcome some horrible offense and Ozzie.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:31 AM) Oh, believe me, don't think the irony was lost on me as I watched Scottie's throw scraping the lower edge;s of the Earth's atmosphere as it flew over AJ's head. The ONE problem with subbing Scottie, one which you brought up concerning Dye, Kalapse, is Pods happens to be the only player on this team that is hitting worth a damn right now. Regardless, I agree, Brian should have been in there, and likely will from now on....but you know how Ozzie tries to reward his guys... You play for the win, not what might happen if you don't get three outs there. There's no excuses for what happened tonight. Garen kicked Ozzie's ass with the intentional walk to Pods and having Walker ph.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:28 AM) And one more thing. Ozzie, Kenny, Coop: Simply because it is a save situation does not mean you MUST "insert Bobby here." Please, go with the guy that is throwing it well at the time. Simply because Bobby is the "closer" does not mean he must be inserted into every possible save situation or 9th inning. I don't care if MacDougal is the fifth inning guy for christ's sakes, if he is the one that's hot, by all means, leave him in there. And that goes for ANY pitcher who is throwing the ball extremely well at the time. It is not necessary to put in a struggling Bobby Jenks because he has been termed the closer. Nah, I'd rather try to have MacDougal for the entire season then have him go more than 1 inning in two straight games.

Disappointing to hear thought that Honel was only clocked in the mid-80s yesterday. I'm rooting for him though, he's from my neck of the woods.

QUOTE(WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:27 AM) Part of the reason for the lost velocity is 1. it's early 2. WGN and comcast's guns are off sometimes If anything, those guns were high. Gaudin was clocked at 94 mph, and I've never seen him over 92 in the past.

QUOTE(Wanne @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:22 AM) Oh I'm blaming Jenks too. I'd also like to know who called the pitch sequence to Walker....AJ. And yes, you bet Ozzie gets blame for not putting in defensive replacements in the last inning. Inexusable. Everything about AJ irks me right now.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:20 AM) Pods...yes, he messed up, but it really isn't his fault he was out there. I'll agree BA probably should have been in, but even if he was, Erstad would likely have gone to left, or maybe they bring Pablo is. No matter what, you can't guarantee either is going to throw Bradley out. So it's not Pods fault he was out there, but it's not Ozzie's fault for not making any changes?

QUOTE(greg775 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:21 AM) We may still have a great season. It still probably will all depend on pitching, but does anybody else think our offseason tinkering stunk? Burn me at the stake but I am not an Erstad fan. How dare you not appreciate all of the intangibles Erstad brings to the table.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:11 AM) Let's see if Guillen adds upon his poor decisions and leaves out Podsednik against Kennedy tomorrow instead of shifting Erstad to LF. Anderson will play regardless (atleast according to previous comments by Ozzie), but I'm curious whether the coaches will attempt to ensure our leadoff hitters confidence remains. Lineup should be: Ozuna/Iguchi/Konerko/Thome/Dye/Crede/Anderson/Molina/Uribe

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:19 AM) Lets put our hands together for your Chicago Whitesox offense. Starting the game at .235, dropping like a rock. 3 hits against Guaudin. Thats pretty much Gabbard territory. But we happened to face this guy before. When o when with our O show up. You're the offensive stats guy: how many hits have we averaged vs starting pitchers this year?

QUOTE(WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:12 AM) I thought it hit off the wall first. I don't know about Bobby's velocity. Pitchers velocity is usually down at the beginning of the year, and the WGN gun might be a few mph off. I do hate how he throws that pathetic slider when he has a great curve. Just like AJP's bat speed, it was down almost the entire 2nd half of last season. I really wonder what strength program we have with our pitchers, as almost every pitcher seems to have their velocity go down with us.

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:16 AM) Maybe, maybe not. But it would have been a hell of a lot closer. There would be a billion less complaints from us if it was Anderson in LF or CF with Erstad moving over then. Don't forget that Pods terrible throw also allowed the runners to advance and Ozzie stupidly walked the bases loaded. Thus, Jenks had to throw the 2-1 pitch down the cock. Just a bad string of events.

QUOTE(infohawk @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:13 AM) I'm not hanging this one on Ozzie. The manager put the closer in the game to start the ninth inning with a one-run lead. That's all you can ask. We can't assume Anderson would have thrown out Bradley at the plate. I'll agree Podsednik should have made that catch, but it should never have come to that. Bobby didn't get it done. End of story. When you're nursing a one-run lead in the ninth and your closer gives up four hits, your going to lose the game. Bobby needs to get his velocity back. It would also do him some good to not always go to his curve with two strikes on the hitter. What makes the curve so good is the specter of that fastball. I can't remember the last time I saw him throw the fastball with two strikes. The hitters know what's coming and have a better chance at hitting it. I'm betting a high fastball would have gotten Walker. The reason he throws the curve is his fastball isn't good enough to blow it by hitters. I would guess that 75 pct of his strikeouts came on offspeed pitches last year. His fastball went from a 10 to about a 7. AJP did a terrible job setting up Walker.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:11 AM) Even if Pods does his usual two-bouncer to homeplate they might have had a chance at getting him. All he had to do was get it within the vicinity of homeplate, and he f***ing airmails it. The ball almost went into the stands, that's how pathetic of a throw that was. There's absolutely no f***ing reason why Anderson was sitting on the bench in the ninth. You put your best defensive lineup out there in a close game. If that EVER happens again this season, Ozzie ought to have his socks shoved down his throat. We were calling him out in the 7th inning. The guy is just a fricking idiot. His personal agenda against Anderson is going to hurt this team. The sad thing is that Pods should have never been out there for the 9th...it's not his fault. Ozzie violated my #1 rule tonight. QUOTE(103 mph screwball @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:13 AM) Nice performance by Garland and MacDouglal. Would have been nice to get this one. If the Sox are going to carry Anderson as a defensive outfielder and a backup, Ozzie needs to use him. Jenks job was to close the game and I think I would point to him if I had to blame one guy. All closers blow games. I'll give Jenks a pass on this one. Get em next time Bobby. Sox will win the series tomorrow. Even if he closed this game out, Jenks scares the crap out of me. He's lost 5 mph off of his fastball. That's not good when you have the straightest fastball in history.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:08 AM) It's Oakland. What did you expect? It's Johan Santana....what did you expect? It's C.C....what did you expect? (not intended as a shot at you Ginger)

QUOTE(Wanne @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:06 AM) You were on the Warren Commission too with the magic bullet. How does a fly ball hit a wall and drop straight down?!? It was close....it easily could have from the angle they showed on the close-up replay. And FWIW, you rarely see players get hit in the head because major league players should be good enough to not let that happen.

QUOTE(caulfield12 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:08 AM) Yeah, hyperbole like blaming Pods and Guillen for the loss instead of Bobby Jenks is much more preferable and politically-correct. Go ahead taking on everyone's favorite whipping boy, Pods. Who will you have to berate when he's gone besides Guillen? Hopefully they're both gone after this year.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 05:03 AM) Bradley hit the bag at the exact same time the ball hit Pods' glove. It's almost the same exact situation as Game 2 of the World Series.