fathom

A rain out would not be good.

QUOTE(VAfan @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 07:10 PM) Yes, I did see it and I thought Ozzie should have pinch hit for him. But Rowand responded in the #2 hole with his best season last year, and I think putting him second and giving him a defined hitting role will actually focus his hitting. That having been said, I could also see Dye hitting 3rd, leaving Iguchi where he is. In fact, I think that is probably the better option. We need to compress the best hitters we have together to give us the best chance to score when they come around. Rowand's not the same as he was last year. I'm not sure if it's his stance, but he's nowhere close to generating the bat speed and power he had last season.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 06:42 PM) Actually if you watch the games closely the small ball isn't the problem. Its having someone get a key hit to finish things that has been the problem. We are bunting, stealing, walking moving over runners, and sacrificing just fine again. We just keep having guys die at 3rd base. That isn't the fault of small ball, that is just a lack of clutch hitting, which is completely different. Bingo! The guys are all pressing at the plate in big spots. Is it any wonder that Crede won the game with a solo homer? He didn't have the pressure of trying to knock someone in.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 05:58 PM) No, not at all. The day the Sox season is over, I will be thinking about what this team should do in the offseason. Being a die hard baseball/Sox fan means Sox for 12 months of the year. I will obviously watch more Bears/Hawks/Bulls games, but the Sox are far and away my passion, and I dont want it to just "be over" I agree that it will be more fun to talk about offseason moves than it is right now analyzing every single scenario, etc. And as painful as it may seem sometimes now....it's better than being the f***ing Cubs. Like yesterday, while everyone was ready to jump off the ledge, the overall day was a huge plus for the Sox. We desperately needed the Yanks and Red Sox to lose one more game, and they both did.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 04:53 PM) Unless we can just get a huge amount of talent in return for Contreras I still doubt they will move him. Either that, or anyone to replace Podsednik. I don't know who would trade for El Duque....we shall see It definitely has to be for an offensive difference maker.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 04:28 PM) While I would be thrilled we won the divison, that would still kinda blow to win it like that... Of course, but I just want this team to make the freaking playoffs.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 04:44 PM) If Jose pitches well down the stretch and in the playoffs then 8 million is a bargain for a pitcher with his talent. We won't move him if he continues to have solid starts... As KW proved last year, sometimes you have to trade high-price quality players in order to give your team more flexibility, etc. Of course, I'd rather get rid of Duque, and go with that great 5 man rotation. That's not likely though with our payroll and weak offense.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 04:40 PM) I like it, but I dont. Interesting idea, I just dont like another ? mark at the 5th spot. We dont know if Cotts can start, we just dont. If he fails, then we throw El Duque back in the mix. He is not going to get younger in the off-season. I just feel 100% better with Brandon as a 5th starter, rather than as a 4th. However, it is something to look into. I do like the 8 mil coming off the books for Count. Alot. Contreras will definitely have a ton of trade value this offseason, especially going into the last year of his contract. A lot of teams, like the Reds or Rangers, will think he's their potential ace.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 04:33 PM) Fathom, im going to ask where you put him? In 2006, with a hopful rotation of Mark-Freddy-Jon-Count-McCarthy, were is Neal going to start? And also what do we do with are pen if now have Marte and maybe Eyre? Adkins? I just dont think the Sox are in the position to just give him a chance. Do I think Cotts could turn into a solid starter? Yes, I think Cotts could win 13,14 games. I just dont think the Sox are in any postion for Cotts to be given the chance to win 13,14. Tony, you know that I think the Sox will end up trading Contreras this offseason for hitting. Thus, there's an open spot right there in the rotation, as Duque will likely become a long reliever/6th starter. This type of move makes us younger, gives us more payroll flexibility, and hopefully improves our offense a ton.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 04:30 PM) Whatever, I am enjyoing the Neal Cotts Expierence, and hopfully he keeps it up. He's the Aaron Rowand of 2004. Hopefully, the Neal Cotts of 2006 doesn't regess like the Rowand of 2005.

Why not give Cotts a try and see if he can be a starter. Since he has success against both lefties and righties, it's just not the case of a loogy. It's easier to find a lefty in the pen than it is to find a lefty that would allow hitters to bat about .250 against him as a starter. I think he's still young enough to give it a try.

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?