fathom

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 2, 2006 -> 12:24 AM) Got him in one of them pre-deadline deals for Elmer Dessens, along with a couple minor league guys and some cash. Hoping he can regain some form, I guess. Has put up an ERA around 3 in the NL before. Excellent trade for the Royals. Since the Dodgers picked up some of his contract, he's a low risk, high reward caliber starter.

This is a much better KC lineup tonight than what they had on the field last night.

We didn't pick up his fastball at all that inning. Perez looked pretty good though. QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 2, 2006 -> 12:20 AM) Huh? Something else wrong with him? You hate to see these type of things start popping up around each other. Hopefully he'll be fine for this weekend.

Thome out with back spasms?

Wind blowing out to left tonight. It's going to be a long night for at least one of these pitchers. Last time Ozuna played in this outfield with it being windy, he had a terrible defensive night.

Great little 2005 video on WCIU.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 11:54 PM) Det. puts up a 5 spot in the 2nd. 5-2. You have to love Kazmir being unable to pitch in the last week against the Yanks and Tigers.

I like this guy.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 09:10 PM) What about steroids -- those are substances he might've abused, and that I think are very possible. His velocity's been going down year after year, and he's in the prime of his career, too, age-wise. I didn't say that heavy pot use diminished your ability, on its own. All I said was that the whole Garcia package is rotten, and coupled with the pot use there are some seriously problems. And, for anyone who is saying that he's hurt, might've thrown his arm out, or simply had a "lazy" offseason, I don't think that's the case. His velocity is gone for good. I would have had absolutely no issue with your argument if you stated it this way.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 08:57 PM) Whatever it was, Garcia should be ashamed at what he's done to himself. Maybe Garcia threw his arm out last year? We have absolutely no clue what has happened to his fastball. Those are pretty strong words for someone who's pitching for your favorite team. There have been hundreds of other professional athletes who have ruined their careers with substance abuse. Garcia is definitely not one of them. QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 09:00 PM) Normally I'd agree with that sentiment, but when what he does in his free time has made him into a mediocrity, there're some problems. Here's a question...how about some of the great players in the league who are doing worse drugs in the offseason? If heavy pot use diminished an athlete's ability as much as you believe, every player in the NBA would look like Shawn Kemp now.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 08:50 PM) And, about Politte, we know he's hurt and has been playing hurt. His elbow's all messed up. There's no way to know if he's hurt, or it's just an excuse for a lack of velocity this season. If he was really had bone chips like they said he did, they wouldn't have brought him off of the DL. I think the whole reason some of us are commenting on the marijuana issue is because you bring it up everytime you discuss Garcia's condition. Last time I checked, an offseason of drinking alcohol is just as likely to make someone gain weight.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 08:40 PM) Don't put sarcastic words in my mouth, fathom. I'm sure plenty of players smoke pot. I don't see that many that have also gotten fatter, appear lazier, and have lost a lot of their talent, too. Do you honestly believe that Garcia's marijuana use has led to his physical condition this season? Garcia has been a NOTORIOUS partier for years...I'm sure whatever he did this offseason was no worse than what he's done in the past. The more I hear injury/steroid excuses for our starters, the more it annoys me. We have a lot of pitchers who threw a ton of innings/pitches last season, and it's not an exaggeration to say they were very stressful innings also. By no means are we the first team to make a long postseason run, and then the next season, our pitching just wasn't effective. I don't know, Cliff Politte lost a lot of his talent this offseason. Should I send him a bunch of fritos and twinkies?

QUOTE(kevo880 @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 08:30 PM) Why are you so obsessed about Freddy smoking pot? no one else on this board ever talks about it but you. just because he got caught in the offseason doesnt mean hes a pothead and does it all the time. im sure you drink sometimes does that make you and alcoholic? i really dont think thats the reason freddy has lost velocity and isnt the same pitcher. The steroids or amphetimines makes a lot more sense to me. Didn't you know, Garcia is the only MLB player to smoke pot. Also, I'm sure if Garcia did do it in the offseason, it likely wasn't his first time ever doing it. Thus, why didn't he lose his velocity in season's past if this is the way he "trains" in the offseason.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 08:29 PM) And then what happened? He pitched better, and then people forgot about the "injury". It's the same thing with people saying Mark's injured now. He's not...he was throwing pretty hard for him last game. Just because your location sucks and every bad pitch you make is getting hammered, it doesn't mean you're injured. Buehrle's struggles now actually reminds me of Garland from the first 2 months of the season.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 08:24 PM) Well, in 04 in April and May Santana posted ERAs of 5.40 and 5.79. That would be a two month slump, no? And interestingly enough, there were a lot of rumors that he was injured (I believe bone chips were a concern).

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 07:11 PM) Agree on Ozuna but either way, your position on the issue is abundantly clear wouldn't you say? I would hope so by now. In all honesty, I would love for Pods to shut me, and the other haters that are getting on him, up for the rest of the season.

QUOTE(VAfan @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:54 PM) Abreu, frankly, belonged in Chicago as a lead off hitter in place of Podsednik, playing for his Venezuelan countryman, Ozzie Guillen. And we could have used the improved outfield defense, the much better OBP, and his ability to hit lefties and righties. And have absolutely no payroll flexibility for the next 3 seasons.

QUOTE(Felix @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:50 PM) Honestly, if you have a row of Iguchi, Thome, Konerko, and Dye behind you, there is no point to having a speedy leadoff hitter. Pods is there because when he's hot, he gets on base at a excellent pace and he sees a lot of pitches, which works the pitcher and gives the chance for hitters behind him to see what the pitcher is throwing. Fixed I definitely agree with you that Pods can still get into a pitcher's head. And I also agree that we're better off when he's not running. I think most people can observe that Iguchi is a better hitter when he's not trying to protect Pods on the bases. It would be a huge spark for the team the rest of this season if Pods can get on at a .375 clip the rest of the way. He'd be such a more effective hitter if he just protected the count better with two strikes.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:47 PM) So there is a radio personality that's worse than Mike North. Amazing... The interview with North and Don Cooper this morning was one of the most annoying bits of radio I've ever heard. North kept trying to make jokes, and Cooper just wasn't playing along this morning.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:45 PM) He's lost a step but always lays out for a ball whenever he has to. I still cringe watching that catch in Anaheim where it looked like he broke his ribs on the top of the short wall. JD's a gamer. He's been fantastic in his season and a half with the Sox going back on the ball. He doesn't shy away from the fence (something Ordonez struggled with).

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:36 PM) Are you trying to beat your own previously established world record for "most posts bashing Podsednik in one day" ? I mean, it's not as if your opinion on that subject isn't abundantly clear by now. I just thought it was funny because someone over the wknd compared Pods defense to that of a kid picking their nose out there. And FWIW, that comment was just as much a shot at Ozuna as it was Pods. I love Ozuna's hustle, but he shouldn't be playing in the outfield in the majors unless it's during batting practice.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:26 PM) you can pretty much pick your nose and eat it rather than play defense and your still underpaid. Sounds like our LF play this season.

QUOTE(Felix @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:20 PM) If you look at the overall package, Pods >> Gload in LF. I know you hate Pods with a passion, but his defense hasn't been nearly as bad as you'd like to believe it is recently (last month or so). His defense all season has been atrocious. He has one of the worst arms in the majors, is terrible at judging bloopers, he plays entirely too deep, and his lack of focus in actually catching fly balls is pathetic. I'll be the first to admit I hate him, but even some of the most optimistic, least critical people on this site have seen enough of his defense to be sickened.

QUOTE(SoxFan76 @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:16 PM) He stole 11 bases last season. I don't care if you "know how to steal a base" (as Hawk would say) or not, you need some speed to steal 11 bases. No, not really. Albert Pujols had almost 20 steals last season, and he doesn't have much speed. Even Bonds has a couple of steals this season, and my grandma is faster than him now. If you're going to use speed to judge stolen bases, then Joey Gathright and his 15 steals must not have blazing speed.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 06:13 PM) I sensed sarcasm in his post. No, not at all. Gload is just as good of an option, if not better, at the leadoff position as Pods now. Hell, Gload is a better bunter, and he has more infield hits this season than Pods.