fathom

Yankees hit back-to-back homers to start their game tonight, and lead 2-0 very early.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 10:45 PM) This is the official "pass the crackpipe" thread of soxtalk. (No offense to the topic starter) Next thing you know, they'll suggest Timo should be our leadoff hitter!! Oh wait...

QUOTE(JimH @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 10:06 PM) You have, once again, made so many blanket statements in this thread, painted them as fact and therefore in your mind they must be. Where on earth do you get the notion that because you play 3 bench players, it means he doesn't care about winning the game? Are you suggesting he purposely plays bench players just so he can lose? t get a big base hit, thereby keeping the lead at 2 1/2 instead of 1 1/2 ? I realize he's your personal whipping boy, Lord knows that's been well established by you on this website, oh, maybe 2000 times or so. It's fair to say the board understands your point. I thought you were supposed to just ignore my posts? The funny thing is that you've been saying how wrong I was about Ozzie all year, and now that others are beginning to see the light on his inadequacies as a manager, you're still getting mad at me. And I don't see many other teams resting 3 starters in the same game about 15 times during the season. Subbing a player into the lineup every game is fine...it's good to get guys rest. But why do it all at the same time?

I heard somewhere that lefties are reaching base at a .500 clip vs Duque over his last 10 starts.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 07:10 PM) With the kind of slump this team is in, it is the kind of thing where one big basehit breaks open the floodgates. Someone just needs to try to go back through the middle or the other way, instead of trying to hit one to Fundementals. If they can get a lead early, maybe we will actually see this team relax and not to try to do too much. To me that is all this slump is. The first four months when the Sox were winning everyone was content in their roll and wasn't trying to do anything more than they were asked. Now everyone is trying to win every game on one pitch, one throw, one swing. They need to stay within themselves and play the way that got them this far in the first place. If that Crede homer didn't lift them, I don't know what can.

QUOTE(JimH @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 10:11 PM) I'd imagine the White Sox will suit up for 2006 and give it a go, despite your statements. Agree that the next 10 days are awfully important. No doubt about that. We don't agree on much, but this was the perfect answer to the doomsday scenario everyone whines about.

For some reason, people think they'll be less disappointed at the end of the season if they state with 10 games left that they're done with this team. Nice defense mechanism try, but it's not going to make you feel any better in the next 2 weeks if the worst happens. It's like a guy who claims that they're done with their girlfriend, even though she's the one who wants to break up with him (or so I've heard!). It's not going to make you feel any better in the long run.

The Sox potential collapse is more pathetic, but the Cubs choke has to be more devastating to their fans. That team was 5 outs from the World Seires! We still would need to win like 15 more games to even get to that point. You can't ask for a better situation than the Cubs were in to make the World Series.

Good post CWSGuy. I didn't comment on it at the time (shockingly), but Farmer's comment about getting back off the ledge really ticked me off on Tuesday. It was ONE game Ed!

QUOTE(WSoxMatt @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 08:48 PM) Pathetic, lets worry about regrouping and winning the AL Central!!! Last I saw WE were in 1st place!!! How many times have you seen the sprinter horse in a race hold on to beat the finishing horse? The confidence level between the Sox and Indians couldn't be more opposite right now. Our best bet is to win the Wild Card. We just have to hope that the Red Sox and Yankees lose about 3 games prior to the last series of the year.

or AJP?

QUOTE(Steff @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 08:27 PM) I blame them all... yet I can't stop going or watching. A friend last night told me I would be crazy to write the Sox a check next year if this all ends up in the crapper... I thought about it for a good 45 minutes.. I'll be writing that check. Of course, we'll all be back next year. That's why it's laughable to see some of the people free-falling off the bandwagon. Of course, they'll be back tomorrow if the Sox win tonight. If all the fans give up on the team for next season, then we're just asking for another 50 million dollar payroll in 2007. Baseball is basically the one sport where attendance plays a huge role in how good a team can be.

Steff....so I take it you're fed up with Ozzie?

I hate the Cubs with a passion. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face for days after Paul Bako made the last out in the NLCS. And you know what.....I could care less if my Cubs friends bash the Sox if they collapse. What else are they going to say about it? This would be an epic collapse, and the Sox deserve every criticism they would receive.

QUOTE(Wealz @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 08:16 PM) Just isn't good enough is right. That is why Williams is at fault here. No team has ever had its foot on the accelorator for 162 games. That's true, but to basically take your foot off with 50 games to go, that's just foolish. Between benching his starters quite often, putting Pods on the DL with absolutely no replacement option, and continuing to use Duque even though he's been a huge disappointment in the 2nd half, I just feel as if Ozzie and KW failed this team, just as the team is failing the fans now.

Players who I think we'll resign: Garland, Crede, Ozuna, Politte Players who won't be back: PK, Thomas, Everett, Widger, Borchard I'd love to trade Duque, but he has no trade value. Contreras is our best trade chip, and with Marte a definite goner, I'm all for packaging Contreras, Marte, and a prospect like Sweeney for Adam Dunn. Brian Anderson should be our 4th outfielder next season, as Timo should be shown the door.

QUOTE(Steff @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 08:07 PM) Ding, ding, ding, ding... we have a winner. Let me expand on the point: this is the reason you don't start talking about your playoff rotation in August like Ozzie and Cooper were doing. This is why you don't just play 3 bench players in a game for no reason, basically admitting that you'd rather rest your starters that day instead of winning the games. This is the reason that you don't need to pitch your starters the maximum amount of innings each game, as you're going to need them to have a tank lefty to even empty at the end of the year.

QUOTE(whitesoxgt @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 07:56 PM) What do u think about Lloyd McClendon, i know hes been on sucky teams but his teams always look good defensively and it seems like he is good with scouting and giving his young players a chance. I know hes not as good as piniella but he should be considered for a job somewhere. PASS

QUOTE(Wealz @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 08:04 PM) The problem isn't blowing a 4 game lead. It was turning a 15.5 game lead into 4 that did them in. Well, maybe if there was any sense of urgency 2 months ago, it would have never got to this point. I know a lot of us used the phrase "taking their foot off of the accelerator". This Sox team isn't good enough to just have no focus and win games. The offensive fire power isn't strong enough.

QUOTE(Wealz @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 08:01 PM) What were the games they choked away? The last two probably are the best ones to point to, the Wednesday game against KC probably. All of those came after the Indians cut into their lead by 11 games or so. They've blown a lot of games in the last 5 or 6 weeks that they should have won. - the extra inning debacle where Hermanson gave a meatball to Cuddyer - blowing two different games to the Royals where they had a 5 run lead after 5 innings. - last night's game vs Twins with bases loaded and one out in the 9th - 2 run lead in the 6th vs KC, and Garcia decides to throw hanging sliders to 5 straight hitters (while we were going for 8 straight wins). - 4 outs away on Monday from beating the Indians. - the Angels extra inning game - Buehrle's 2 blown leads against the Red Sox ....and much, much more

The positive thing is that in years past, a slump like this at the end of the season would have found the Sox 8 games out of the playoffs. They still have a golden chance, and if they can't rebound and focus the rest of the way, then they don't deserve s***.

QUOTE(Wealz @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 07:50 PM) I don't think this collapse is a matter of nerves. They just aren't good enough to hold a 15.5 game lead on Cleveland. I don't care how good or bad you're supposed to be, but you should be able to maintain that type of lead with 2 months left.

QUOTE(Wealz @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 07:50 PM) I don't think this collapse is a matter of nerves. They just aren't good enough to hold a 15.5 game lead on Cleveland. Our hitters have seemingly lost all focus at the plate with RISP. Most people will probably blame that on nerves.

QUOTE(rangercal @ Sep 23, 2005 -> 06:58 PM) That won't happen. But, as much time as you spend on this board, I would not be surprised to see your name . Awesome!! I'll get my resume ready.

BTW, I still think Steve Stone has a future with Sox managment very soon. I always thought he'd be the next GM, but there's always the chance he'd be interested in being a manager.