fathom

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 11:01 PM) Fathom, I'm curious for your opinion on this; who is the bigger waste of a roster space; Pods or Erstad? With how I think they'll handle playing a season with their injuries of recent years, I'd say Pods is more likely to contribute less. At least Erstad gives you solid fundamentals and aggressive defense if he's in LF. Everyone is so excited to hear that Pods is bunting more....but last I checked, he's been an atrocious bunter for the last year and a half. I'm probably more optimistic about Erstad than most are on here, and that's probably cause at least I know he'll hustle (and he broke all of my high school coach's records at Nebraska).

QUOTE(jphat007 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 10:26 PM) Oh yah. I'm not saying it's a great number of people. Probably only a couple here and there. But that isn't just about Pods necessarily. Just an attitude in general. Tough game on Sunday....you think Singletary is back? QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 10:37 PM) I did a double take on the bolded statement. Have to disagree there. I think this bullpen looks like it will be significantly better than last year. I am assuming that based on it being Jenks-Thornton-MMac-Logan-Masset-Haeger (if Aardvark is there, I'm a little less excited). The stuff in the bullpen might have improved, but you state Logan, Masset, and Haeger as a reason why it's improved. Those guys are far from proven, and it's just as likely that they're back in Charlotte after two weeks as it is that they're solid MLB relievers.

QUOTE(jphat007 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 10:12 PM) And that's why I don't mind (not that it really matters either way) when you get on Pods case. I get the feeling that some people root for him to fail, just so they can be right, despite the fact that it could help the team. I don't even get a small hint of that from you. I'll take a shot in the dark and state that you were referring to me, among others. I've frequently stated that I don't care if Osama Bin Laden was on the Sox, I'd root for him to do good and help the Sox win. The Sox are more important to me than any single player. With that in mind, when there's a player on the Sox who isn't helping them win, that's when I'll get upset with them.

Who would have ever thought after last year that we'd be starting 2007 with Pods in LF, Erstad in CF, and a clusterf*** in the 5th starter spot, while our bullpen isn't improved?

Perez could help us a hell of a lot more vs LHP than Terrero could, but I'm sure Ozzie wouldn't use him right anyways. Like some others have mentioned, Pods is such a waste of a roster spot.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 09:12 PM) Just a plain disagreement on both sides. I would rather have a man on 3rd with 1 out than a man on second with 1 out or 1st and second with 0 outs. Heres why: Thome can score that run in many different ways because of the shift, he also can hit a fly ball VERY easy. 1-0 Thome k's around 160 times a year. PK is a DP threat all the time. Man on second 1 out, thome walks, PK DP. 1st and second 1 out, PK dp. During the first inning of every game I would like to avoid those dp's and give our pitching staff, especially this year, a 1-0 lead every time. I'm arguing that I'd rather have Thome up with 1st and 2nd, no outs. If there's one out, then I'd rather the runner be at 3rd, of course. With our pitching staff, it's hard to tell if it will mean much being up 1-0. In 2005, a 1 run lead seemed comfortable. Last year, a 1 run lead felt like a 2 run deficit a lot of the time.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 08:49 PM) I would rather have Thome bat with a man on 3rd with 1 out than no outs and a man on first and second. He is capable of scoring that run from 3rd in so many ways, hit into the shift and it scores, fly ball and it scores, get a hit and it scores, hit a bomb and it scores. I'll take my chances with none out and 2 on every time with someone like Thome. Thome doesn't hit into a ton of double plays (unlike PK, of course). In the first inning of the game with an offense like ours, I just hate giving up that first out of the game via the bunt. Now, if Thome, PK, and Dye are all injured, that's a different story.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 20, 2007 -> 08:33 PM) I think Haeger has fallen behind every single hitter so far. Oakland and their patience is a terrible match-up for Haeger.

I especially hate the idea of bunting before Thome in the 3 spot. Thome is good at a lot of things, but he's not exactly proficient at hitting sac flies. With him, you're just as likely to get a 2 run homer as you are a deep fly ball.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 09:54 PM) 5K's in 2IP. Looks like those late inning comebacks against the Royals won't be a guaranteed anymore. About 75 pct of those late inning comebacks by the Sox over the last two years were due to Sisco. Did him and Dmitri Young get World Series rings in 2005?

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 06:51 PM) Patton will probably take some of Bruce's mid major recruits, so it does matter. Your right about his last year there, but he had just lost 8 seniors, including 4 or 5 (i forget which it was) starters and went into his last year as a lame duck coach. I can see why things might not have gone too well regardless of what kind of coach he is. As for him underperforming compared to talent....I'm not sure what Colorado program YOU have been following, but I'm almost more interested to see how he recruits than how he coaches. He had some quality players on his roster last year, but they played no defense at all. Roby is a big-time talent who seems to have regressed. There were some very skilled players like Chris Copeland who never put it all together on the court. As you said thought, anything is better than Judson. When I was there a few years ago, his players absolutely hated him.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 07:03 AM) His resume, outside of the very end at Colorado, really says that your full of s*** on this one. I'm normally pessimistic about NIU since i'm on campus and see all the bad (lol), but everybody loved the Judson hiring (and Patton is 5 times better than Judson even if your right about Patton) and we saw how that went. Phillips last hire for basketball here has worked out really well on the women's side, so I'll wait and see. If he can get the people out of the public league we should be getting (a la Kevin Johnson and Tim Flowers from Simeon), he'll be fine. Things got horrible for Ricardo at Colorado. His teams are very poorly coached, as his teams always underperformed compared to the talent he has.

He's a horrific coach.....terrible hire.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines See ya Brian. Considering Ozzie said he'd only make the roster if he's a full-time starter, I hope Anderson is looking for an apartment in Charlotte.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 03:36 AM) Interesting. As you said though, no one can leave this program that would really set it back in any way...pretty sad. It would seem pointless for Randle to transfer since he has already sat one year and only has one year of eligibility left. I actually think that there's some members of the team that would be an addition by subtraction if they were to leave.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 03:29 AM) Is that what they said or did they say who it was? They didn't state who it was, but from previous conversations, they mean it's not Jackson (who everyone thought it would be), Smith, or Carlwell. The source was vague with the rumor, but made it sound like people would be surprised. My view, as an outsider, is that it doesn't really matter who leaves. There's no one on that team that is irreplaceable. QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 03:29 AM) Any hinting at who it is, clues, or anything? Frazier or Randle were the names most often brought up, but that is in no way confirmed.

One of the main Illini sources with legit information said that someone will likely leave the program that will be a surprise. Yes, Frazier's dad has been diagnosed with cancer, and hopefully things go well. I know you don't like to believe a lot of these rumors B>W, so I guess we'll have to wait and see. Most of the rumors that have been speculated on a certain board seem to come true.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 01:49 AM) Im not sure they got better, the tribes pen is still utterly terrible. Also the twins pitching should be a little worse as well. I love the additions they made to their already stellar offense. The only chance we have to win the division this year is if we can win at least 33 percent of the games we face against the top lefty pitchers in our division (Santana, C.C., Rogers). Last year, we didn't beat any of these starters more than once, and that's just too many games to give up to your division rivals. FREE EDUARDO PEREZ!

QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Mar 15, 2007 -> 09:01 PM) Angel was AMAZING in high school. I remember being 100% certain he would be big-time. Looks like he still has a chance to be just that. Do you feel confident about bringing him into the program with his previous behavior issues? I'm not so sure Weber can bring in any "high risk" recruits right now.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Mar 19, 2007 -> 12:02 AM) I'm really growing more pessimistic about our chances to reach the playoffs every passing day. I'll be just as surprised if we win the division as I would if we came in 4th place. The Indians and Tigers definitely got stronger over the offseason, and we did not. The Indians are my pick to win the division.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Mar 18, 2007 -> 10:27 PM) Lets put it this way... So far McCarthy has looked probably worse then Floyd and Danks. Shouldn't he be granted the same excuses as Floyd/Danks though, as he's pitching in Arizona with a repetoire of pitches that would be greatly impacted due to the circumstances?

QUOTE(BearSox @ Mar 18, 2007 -> 10:23 PM) I'd gladly take that bet. I'll put more stock in the experience of Wells, and also that he's pitching in the NL in the best pitcher's park in the world.

QUOTE(BearSox @ Mar 18, 2007 -> 10:22 PM) Actually, from all I read, KW has been expecting big things out of Floyd, and even thought if McCarthy had stayed that Floyd could have beat him out. Danks wasn't considered at first but he has provided some good results. Also, this is much different then 04, as in 04 we only had garbage for the 5th spot. Now, we have several young talented arms. And putting so much faith in Floyd was a huge mistake by KW. BTW, our organization didn't think that guys like Arnie Munoz and Felix Diaz were garbage back in 2004. Actually, some of the guys we brought up then had more success in the minors than Danks has, and especially Floyd. Of course, Danks is young, and should be better than those guys in the long run.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Mar 18, 2007 -> 10:18 PM) I just went through this gamethread. Its interesting that Wells gets hammered and he sucks and needs to retire, and Danks gets hammered and the wind is blowing out and the umpires have a small strike zone. Danks is young. I'd bet a thousand dollars that all things considered, Wells would have a better ERA over a 162 game season this year than Floyd or Danks.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Mar 18, 2007 -> 10:18 PM) I just went through this gamethread. Its interesting that Wells gets hammered and he sucks and needs to retire, and Danks gets hammered and the wind is blowing out and the umpires have a small strike zone. Danks is young. He's going to struggle if he makes the team. He's struggled initially on just about every level and then became good. That's a good sign, but remember the jump to the major leagues is the biggest leap you can take. If the White Sox are relying on good results from him in the major leagues in 2007, the offense better be the best in team history. I really hope KW is looking for a 5th starter outside the organization. I think Lieber would be perfect. He struggled last year, but he was hurt. It just boggles my mind how KW put us in a position where we didn't have a sure-fire candidate for the 5th starter spot coming into this season. It's as if he learned nothing at all from the 2004 season. I really hope he wasn't expecting Floyd or Danks to be a bonafide starter in the majors this year.