fathom

Since there aren't many 3rd base options, he'll see an even bigger contract than he probably deserves.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 09:14 PM) I am sick and damn tired of seeing this reference. 95 games is not something to be happy about. So, let me get this straight, NOTHING but 110 wins was acceptable to any of you people who are saying this? Well, Katy-Bar-the-F'in-Door. NOTHING BUT 110 wins or you SUUUUUUUUCCCCCK. You can see it all over the place, people are over pitching, over swinging, because they have something to lose. At the beginning of the year, they had NOTHING to lose. The pressure is killing this team, and the attitude of "nothing but a 10-15 game lead matters or you're CHOKERS" is absolutely killing me. I bet any fan of the 2003 Cubs would have loved to not only make the playoffs, but to win a playoff series. Still, that season is considered by every Cubs fan as a disappointment because the expectations were justifiably raised due to what took place during the year. Fair or not, anything but making the playoffs will result in this being categorized as a disappointing season for the Sox.

I can't believe I forgot another excuse we'll definitely get sick of hearing: the Pods injury excuse.

Mueller plays very solid defense, has put up very solid numbers over the past few seasons, and is a switch hitter. He's definitely going to get more than 2 million dollars on the market.

Guys like Dye get traded every offseason, and they rarely get a lot of value in return. There are a lot of outfielders that can hit .270 with 25-30 homers. Guys like Burnitz, Dye, Reggie Sanders bounce around a lot because these type of guys are a dime a dozen. We might as well keep Dye, because with his solid contract, we're not going to get a better replacement for a cheaper cost.

Best case scenario: This team actually nuts up, plays with some fire against a team that is missing some of its better players, and takes 3 out of 4 against them.

QUOTE(qwerty @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 08:43 PM) He is a free agent after the 2008-2009 season. But his contract is up after next season. So I take it he'll be arbitration eligible then after 2006?

If Jerry Manuel pulled the same s*** that Ozzie has done for the past few weeks, there would have been riots at the Cell.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 08:18 PM) Bill Mueller will cost a ton of money? I can't imagine a team giving him more than two million dollars over two seasons, possibly 2.5 Mueller will get like 2 years, 8 million easily.

Pods is a FA after next season, I think. If you trade Dye, you're getting rid of one of our only sure fire power threats.

QUOTE(knightni @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 06:04 PM) 2006 outlook. Make Pods the DH, get a real LF that can hit #3. Better suggestion would be to trade him to a team desperate for a leadoff hitter. I know it won't happen, but a lot of teams might overpay for him.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 07:45 PM) My friend and I were commenting on the handsome Mr. Hafner last night. His scoreboard photo looks like Shrek. Thankfully we have the supposedly good looking Pods.

QUOTE(whitesoxmanager @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 07:41 PM) something tells me this article is a crock! i don't buy any of it! media making something outta nothing once again! Are you serious? The guy who did this interview was on the radio today, and he was saying that he asked Ozzie a few times to make sure he was being serious.

QUOTE(qwerty @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 07:24 PM) Ozzie has already said it hasn't he? Something like... ''how can you you consider a team that wins 90 games a choke'' Yes he has, for three straight days now. I have a feeling we'll be hearing that from Hawk and DJ a lot recently. And FWIW, I agree that the Sox have had an excellent season though. However, to lose a 15 game lead with 2 months left in the season, that would have to be considered a catastrophic disaster for any franchise. Lets just hope this team can squeak into the playoffs.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 06:26 PM) I mentioned this somewhere earlier. The team looked bored to tears last night. Between pitches they are all looking down, there was no look of intensity at all. How does that happen in a game as important as last night? If Manuel was still managing the lack of energy would be blamed on him. We always look that way after a big win. This team has done a horrible job at maintaining momentum in stretch runs for 3 straight seasons. Way too many guys trying to hit homers when line drives are needed.

Ozzie fears Matt Stairs more than any other batter in baseball.

They've already developed their main excuse, and it's in regards to the number of wins they're going to end up with. The line will read like this: How can you say a team with X amount of wins choked?

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 06:26 PM) You can make a great case that Grady Sizemore is the Indians MVP, he's quite possibly the best leadoff hitter in the American League right now and carried the Indians the last 2 months. Don't tell that to jphat, who would rather have Pods than Sizemore for a leadoff hitter.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 05:51 PM) The guy had a very good April. That's all he's really done IMO. Doesn't mean he should still be batting 3rd in September. I have to say this "where would he play?"

Victor Martinez is just as responsible for the Indians charge as is Hafner. ARod or Ortiz will be the MVP.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 05:43 PM) And Ozzie continues to bat Carl 3rd for some reason. Mind-boggling. The worst #3 hitter out of all the playoff contenders. And he's in a massive slump also. Even when he's hitting decent, he was still a below average 3 hitter.

QUOTE(UC76 @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 05:34 PM) If McCarthy continues to pitch well you can't take him out of the rotation. It's called riding the hot hand. Hopefully, Ozzie sees this. Oh, and hopefully McCarthy pitches well. McCarthy didn't help the Sox get to where they are now, so he won't be in the playoffs. Ozzie loves his veterans, and he definitely doesn't seem to be McCarthy's biggest fan. If McCarthy gives up 4 or more runs tonight, he won't start for the Sox again this season.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 05:32 PM) Hence the reason Pods is in there while 75 or 80% tops. It is completely obvious that he can't run, but he is still getting on base, which makes him better than any other options we have. He's getting on base, but he's negating a lot of the OBP by continuing to make outs on the bases. Since his defense is poor and he's not going to drive in runs for you, he's no better than a minimal offensive contributor. It's too bad that we haven't had a minor leaguer contribute when they come into the major leagues in a long time.

Here's the thing: fans aren't booing Ozzie just cause they're losing. If you remember correctly, they were booing him for taking out Jenks for Marte in the 9th inning, while we were on a 6 game winning streak and had nearly a 10 game lead. This was 2 weeks ago, and even though we won that game (no thanks to Ozzie), there's been a lot of hate from Ozzie from all over (and not just on soxtalk). For someone who's supposed to be so energetic and a great leader, he sure seems more concerned with how he's viewed than how his team is. Ozzie...I don't care how many wins this team has, if they blow a 15 game lead, no one will ever say it was a good season.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 05:15 PM) "Juice"is so much easier to figure out than 'Pronk'. I'm all for specualating that guys have been on roids, but Hafner's the same size he was last year, this season. Also, he's putting up damn good numbers. I wish some of the Sox players could be speculated about being on "juice" this season