fathom

Excellent! That ball was hurt! It was a matter of time before we put up a few runs in an inning.

BTW...I don't want to ever hear anyone say they'd rather have Halladay than Johan in a big game.

Thome looks very sharp so far. That's huge.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:30 AM) It also would be nice if a member of the greatest rotation ever assembled would shut the opposition down How about this statement?

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:29 AM) Yeah well, the flip side to that is, it's a better pitch to take for a ball. Oops, that didn't happen. That's the point I made about adjusting to the umpire thought. That pitch was actually closer to being a strike than the one he got called out on.

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:26 AM) The point was, how about our pitchers pitching over the inevitable bumps in the road, whatever they might be. And as I have been commenting ad nauseum, it's all about execution ... whether that's a position player or a pitcher. Rowand wasn't great in CF last year, how did the White Sox survive that? Not saying he was bad, but you were beating the drum about how awful his throws were and some of his other fundamentals ... namely his reads on fly balls. How did the White Sox survive? You guessed it, pitching. Guillen has his best IF defense in there tonite. Seems kinda appropriate for a ground ball pitcher, no? Rowand was overrated in CF last year. He wasn't great out there...but at least he could be counted on to catch the ball (unless Jenks was on the mound in the 9th inning ). I might be one of the few people to not buy into the hype of Anderson being all world on defense. As for your first comment about pitching, you are right. Unless these guys start pitching with "guts", they're going to be remembered with the other Chicago teams that won the championship one year, and then underachieved the next season.

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:23 AM) Are you kidding? A dropping curve ball six inches outside and low? Not a good pitch to bunt on at all. This is turning into Pin The Tail On The Mackowiak. I'm as big of a Mackowiak fan as there is. He's just proven time and again that he's not a CF. If you're bunting in that situation, and you already have a strike, a slow pitch on the outside corner isn't a terrible pitch to try and bunt down the 3rd base line. It's a lot easier pitch to bunt that a Halladay cutter on the inside corner. This umpire isn't good...it's no surprise, he's one of the worst in baseball. However, our hitters need to adjust to the way he's calling the game.

QUOTE(ottawa_sox @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:21 AM) AS you might remember, the Sox do not score from first on a double. It's absolutely amazing how it seems to be we can't score from first on a 2 out double, but other teams score easily on a 0 or 1 out double from first. QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:21 AM) The Sox as a team have had a difficult time pitching over defensive miscues this season. That's a situation where our decreased K rates hurt a lot.

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:20 AM) Yes I agree there are only so many they're expected to pitch over. How about we start with one? In the first inning? On a 3-2 big fat changeup to a power hitter? Again, it comes down to pitching, where is the hue and cry about the pitch call and the bad pitch? Didn't Balta and I comment about the terrible pitch selection? You're so right though....this pitching needs to start executing better. What's your opinion of AJP behind the plate this year?

Come on Iguchi!!! Great pitch to hit there.

Wow...keep going Pods! I thought Crede would score on that with 2 outs.

QUOTE(CYGarland @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:16 AM) That was bad, this ump FRIGGIN sucks It was a bad call, but looked like a very good pitch to bunt for Mackowiak.

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 12:15 AM) Balta, fair points and I am not saying Mackowiak is a good CF, he isn't. I am stating why Guillen has him in there. But it comes down to pitching doesn't it? Don't the pitchers have to pitch over mistakes? As you said, it probably would have been nice if our sinker ball pitcher would have thrown sinkers to a power hitter in a 2 on situation. I'm still of the belief that we need our best defensive team on the field when Garland and Buehrle pitch.

Wow....great stop by Glaus. We need to get a run this inning. Halladay is nowhere close to having his best stuff, and our guys are having good ABs.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 11:57 PM) I actually think Tadahito has been much much better this year than he was last year. Yes he has been. We need him to remain strong and focused for all 162 games.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 11:49 PM) Ok...seriously...how many times does Jermaine Dye have to save our asses this season before we give him a free pass? If there's anyone on this team who's earned one, it's JD. FWIW, in no way was I complaining about Dye. Iguchi and PK had massive hangers in the first inning that they fouled off.

Thankfully the 3-4 guys are back. It gives us hope during the next few weeks.

Oh My! A bunt hit for Pods. Good job Scotty.

Halladay has control of his curve now. It's too bad we couldn't capitalize on all the hangers in the 1st inning.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 11:45 PM) Dear God, is Juan trying his damndest to throw spiff away? As someone who played SS during his baseball career, it definitely becomes a confidence issue after a while. You start to aim the ball over to first, and that results in the throws having a lot less velocity on it.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 11:43 PM) Yeah I know. I was just responding to the question as to why he was in the LINEUP. That is why I previously asked about Anderson and Mack starting in the same game I don't see why we don't try it.

QUOTE(Jimbo @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 11:41 PM) Jerry Owens come on up to help us Yep, a lesser Willie Harris is just what we need!

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 11:40 PM) Then, you'll complain about Sandy to no end. It's not the manager, it's the players. Your blame is, for the most part, misdirected. I will absolutely blame the manager when he continues to play a corner outfielder in CF. Seriously, how many times does Mackowiak have to mess up out there before they realize he shouldn't be out there?

QUOTE(iguchi=dank @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 11:40 PM) I understand ozzie wants macks bat in games. But put him in for gooch/pods/crede if he plays a crapload of games in a row.. I mean.... Its Obvious and its been obvious he can't handle CF and todays game might be the highlight of the year for this where the 2nd batter in the game makes ozzie pay. Now, since this is the most glaring play so far this year, early so its easy to see, Will HE LEARN......I think he keeps doing it until one more screwup. Most glaring play? He's had other just as bad, if not worse.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 11:40 PM) I know I'm a bit behind in relation to the game, but Garland pitching 6 CONSECUTIVE OUTSIDE PITCHES to Glaus was atrocious. Pierzynski deserves most of the blame for that. He was comfortable on the corner -- since it was obvious that was their intended target -- and Pierzynski called a changeup DESPITE the fact Glaus has yet to catch up to his fastball. It's embarrassing. Great, great observation by you. I thought he kept playing with fire by pitching it outside, and I was hoping he'd throw his sinker.