fathom

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 04:21 PM) You're assuming that he can just flip from being a struggling starter to a dominant reliever with ease. That isn't always the case. A lot easier than going back to a starter after being a reliever.

I've heard if the Sox and Indians tie for the ALC/WC, that the Sox win the ALC due to better head-to-head record.

Why does anyone think Duque will have trade value? 5 million dollars for an aging pitcher with a terrible injury history = not exactly a great trade chip.

QUOTE(JimH @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 03:16 PM) He might play in these next two games, I hope he does great, I am pulling for him big time. But some of these "he would've been our best ..." proclamations are off the wall. Of course, I root for any Sox player, no matter if I like them or dislike them. Even though it would have been nice to see if Gload could spark this offense when they were struggling, I'm not surprised he didn't really get a chance. He's been in the doghouse all year, and it's likely we'll never know why (like Kelly Wunsch). I was very pleased with Borchard's AB last night, and he really had a solid approach at the plate.

QUOTE(Frankensteiner @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 03:12 PM) As far as the 25 RBI, yeah he's not a power hitter. Thanks for the update. Still doesn't mean he can't knock in runners. My two biggest concerns with Pods are his inability to get on base at the end of close games, and his defense.

QUOTE(JimH @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 03:03 PM) You really need to take that Ross Gload poster off your wall, after all it was Guillen who gave Gload his big chance in the first place. Ross Gload, savior? Only in your world. Just wait until next year, when our new back-up first baseman boots a ball. All we'll hear from the Friends of Gload is that the greatest defensive 1b of all time would have made that play, etc.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:58 PM) There are MANY teams uncluding one in our city that would die for a lead off hitter like PODS. And that's why a lot of us want to trade him when his value is high.

Also, kudos to Cotts for showing some of the most in-season improvement I've seen by a Sox player in a long time. He went from the dreaded man on the mound to the soxtalk flavor of the last 3 months.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:40 PM) I've never "slurped up" Pods. I never thought of him as the first half MVP, and if the Sox roster was based on my decisions, I would be really more concerned with the standings at the end of the season than at the midway point. Can you believe the Orioles fired their manager earlier this year? He had that team in first place much of the first half. Don't forget the Frank Robinson example as NL Manager of the Year after June.

I've heard he wants to try starting again. It might be worth a shot, and if it doesn't work out, you have a stellar reliever again.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:02 PM) Sorry, title of thread Geoff Blum has to go!. So if Blum has to go, who plays 3B? I should have been clearer. Gotcha!

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:31 PM) I've never seen so much disloyalty before on this site, and it really is sickening. Someone performs for you all season, has people calling it "magical" "best team ever" "greatest summer of my life" and now he doesnt deserve a home here next year. Unbelieveable. I totally understand what you're saying, and I respect how much of a loyal fan you are. But on the other hand, there were a lot of us saying that we were getting so lucky, and that his managing was going to come back to haunt us. Are we supposed to neglect the poor decisions that we keep seeing him make, and just say "Go Sox...win despite your manager"! If Ozzie can't handle the pressure of the playoff race, then I hope he enjoys ruining the arms of Dontrelle and Beckett.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:25 PM) Frankly, blowing a lead is not what this team has done. They have basically just kept their lead. The indians have played 26 over 500 ball. We are still a better team than Boston, New York, Cleveland, Anaheim (who clinched), Oakland. These are all teams that were supposed to be much better than us. We are better than they are at this point. There is no doubt in my mind that nobody will be fired. We've blown so many games in the last month or so, it's gotten ridiculous. This team is playing so f'n tight. I thought Ozzie was supposed to be a good cheerleader? You want to give him all the credit in the world for our great start? That's fine, but then he deserves a lot of blame for this August 1st to the present stretch. And yes, the players deserve the majority of the blame. They're not getting the job done. However, wouldn't it be nice to win a game once in a while that we're not supposed to because of a managerial decision?

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:22 PM) Calling him the outright manager of the year, is saying he is the best in the AL. And MANY larger baseball minds than anyone on this site, were saying that over and over and over. Torre-less success with more talent, please Steve Stone-not even the cubs would hire him, come on. Pinella-he WAS a good manager. Firing Ozzie after a successful season is so beyond knee-jerk its ridiculous. How can you even say this about your team. I can say that about my team because I see what's going on with them, and it's become obvious that Ozzie isn't a competent in-game manager (and I know I'm not the only one on this site who feels that way). It's not just the in-game stuff that makes me think he won't be back. He's already said all the stuff in the paper about quitting, which pissed off KW beyond belief. JR and Stone are very close friends, and I've been told by some baseball people that he's next in line for the GM job. The Torre or Pinella hiring would be an attempt at goodwill for pissed off Sox fans if this team chokes. Do you think there's anyway in hell they could go with the same manager/general manager next year if we lose the rest of our games?

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:18 PM) He has made this team, made up of average offensive players, and put them in a position to have the best record in the AL. To me, that is not even close to fireable, and mentioning it is downright ignorant. IF this team blows a 15 game lead with 2 months left, then either KW or Ozzie will be let go. Will KW try to fire Ozzie first before he becomes the scapegoat? It could become a battle between two very strong personalities. However, I hope it never gets to that, and this team makes the playoffs.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:13 PM) Yes, because only really good ballplayers are managers...... When he made the same decisions in the first half of the season, his moves were called genius, whats the difference now? I don't think anyone was about ready to call Ozzie a genius. I wasn't saying it, but there were some strong posters on here saying that they feared Ozzie's decisions were really going to hurt us in crucial games (when the playoffs were thought to be a lock). And for all the love the players are supposed to have for Ozzie, it doesn't seem like they're all getting along too well right now. My hope is he goes to Florida, an the Sox bring in Pinella, Torre, or Steve Stone.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:07 PM) If you still insist Ozzie is responsible for Garland's turnaround, then tell me what did he do to Marte? It took one game for Guillen to start screwing over Marte, and he's never been the same since. Those two have never clicked, and I'm guessing Marte will have a stellar season next year somewhere else. I just hope we get good value for him.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:06 PM) Good for your opinion. I trust Ozzie's judgement in that situation. I think there may have been better options. But ozzie knows more about baseball than you do. he has played longer, knows the team better, and goes on that. In fact, if he chose to pinch hit Garland in that situation, he would still know more about baseball than you. I hate that freaking argument. It's the same as the one "if you know so much, then why aren't you managing?" Well, Ozzie had the athletic ability to be a baseball player in the majors, and 99 pct of the world didn't. If he has so much baseball knowledge, then why are other people that played the game completely baffled by the decisions he's making? Ozzie is a cheerleader, but he's the worst in-game manager you'll ever see. With the team slumping, we needed his guidance to rally this team down the stretch. Are you satisfied with how he's been managing the last month or so?

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 02:00 PM) Frankly, if this argument was about last night, he was the last person I would want in that situation. He is a notorius first ball swinger, and with the bases loaded, you want to at least try and work the count. I want a guy to come up and get a hit. Blum was our 5th best option in that situation last night. The guy has never been a very good ph.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 01:58 PM) PODS? Your first half MVP?? Everyone was slurping this guy until this slide. Who is your lead off hitter than you are bring in then? I love how quickly everyone can turn on this team, when you were all singing their praises as the best white sox team ever in the first half. Boy, I'd hate to be your friends, one time I would let you down and you would abandon me. It has less to do with Pods play, and more to do with Rowand. For the sake of our offense, there should only be one of them in the outfield. Since Rowand is light years better than Pods on defense at a premium position, that's why a lot of people want Pods gone.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 01:56 PM) Gload hasn't proved much to me *AT THE MAJOR LEAGUE* level. Lights out at AAA doesn't mean crap. Again, I'm not one of the Friends of Gload on this site, but he had a pretty damn good year last season with the Sox.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 06:16 AM) For the record, clinching a wild card tie is clinching nothing. It gives you a shot where all you have to do is win one game. A lot better position than not clinching anything.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 01:52 PM) Was Mr. Clutch then going to play 3B? Who gives a s***, we could have brought Blum in for defensive reasons after that AB.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 01:54 PM) Maybe we should just try and get our old team back and see how that fares? If you had this year's pitching with the previous season's offenses, you'd have a team capable of winning the World Series.

QUOTE(JimH @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 12:55 PM) It wouldn't be a "Guillen Sucks" thread without mention of the great Ross Gload now would it? I'm the last person to jump on the Gload bandwagon. However, when this team was slumping so bad with the bats, and he was hitting so well in the minors, he should have been brought back. He proved enough last year to warrant the chance to help this offense. However, that's not that big of an issue for me. Gload had 5 games left in a White Sox jersey, and he'll be out of the organization then.