fathom

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Sep 16, 2005 -> 01:48 AM) The 2 chokes aren't even in the same ball parks of comparison. Yeah....no one cares about the White Sox in the national media, while the Cubs 2003 team was a travelling circus. I think Cubs fans will have a lot harder time getting over their collapse than us Sox fans would if this team doesn't make the playoffs.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Sep 16, 2005 -> 01:46 AM) I'm telling you, this chemistry crap is over. Besides the obvious, something is wrong behind closed doors. So you're saying this team has bad chemistry now? I just want to see our players have fun out there. So many guys look so afraid to mess up out there, that their focus just seems a little off.

QUOTE(JimH @ Sep 16, 2005 -> 01:03 AM) It may be oversimpifying things but the bullpen blew last nite's game and arguably today's game too. No one is doing as well as they should. Guillen brings in Jenks, everybody on this board practically is saying "bring in Jenks, bring in Jenks" and he screws up today too. Who's calling for Jenks to throw sliders? Widger? Cooper? Guillen? That didn't make sense either. To my knowledge the catchers call the game. Well said. Besides Contreras lately, there's no one on the team that can really say they can look in the mirror and not feel responsible for the team faltering. Who in the world would have ever imagined we would say that about Jose? Kudos really go out to Contreras, Cotts, Jenks, and Politte for well above expectation seasons.

And just like that, ARod homers to make it 7-5. I think Lou might have left McClung in just a little too long.

Since the WC race could very well impact the Sox, I thought I'd start a thread dealing with mostly the Yankees. The Yanks were down 5-1 tonight, but R. Cano just hit a slam in the 6th to tie it.

QUOTE(JimH @ Sep 16, 2005 -> 12:49 AM) Maybe this is why El Duque is going this Saturday instead of McCarthy, they may have felt they'd want Garcia to skip a turn. Wow, is it possible there are things going on behind the scenes that this board isn't privy to??????? I understand your point, but if they knew at the time that they'd have to use McCarthy on Monday, then why did we go so long with Garcia last night?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 16, 2005 -> 12:07 AM) I have been shocked at how few times a manager who says he wants to use speed and defense has actually used the hit & run this year. Yet we continue to let teams steal at will against us.

QUOTE(chisoxt @ Sep 16, 2005 -> 12:05 AM) I need to polish my crystal ball to see what will happen the rest of the way. I hope you have the door shut when you do it.

QUOTE(greg775 @ Sep 16, 2005 -> 12:03 AM) If it's a problem then Coop should speak up. I thought in all the interviews he acts like it's his staff, etc. If there's been a problem and Coop has watched quietly then he should be fired. p.s. If what you say is true, the Cards haven't had much of a problem with their staff. Cooper's the best coach in the organization.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 16, 2005 -> 12:03 AM) Yes, actually, it can...if you're worried about twisting something or re-injuring something, you're going to be extra-tentative in the outfield because you don't want to lose your footing when you hit the track or bang something into the wall the wrong way. The same thing can happen on the basepaths...even if you're not actually hurt, if all you're doing is thinking about an old injury, your technique can suffer. I know it's possible, but if that's true, then he might as well not be playing. Considering he's going to give your team very little offensive production in terms of driving in runs, if Pods is unable to produce on the bases, he's a mediocre offensive player. How about we stop putting on straight steals for him, and try and use more hit-and-runs to create motion on the bases and put pressure on the defense?

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 11:53 PM) Pods has to be injured. Like I told Nuke last night, ever since he came back from the DL, he runs like he has something up his ass. Not only when running on the bases, but when he runs down a ball. He runs really tender. Pods has no confidence on the bases now. I'm not ready to let him off the hook by saying it's cause of an injury. Also, does an injury make you scared to go up against a wall and catch the ball?

QUOTE(greg775 @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 11:52 PM) What does Oz do regarding his pitchers that any manager in America would not do?? Fathom maybe we'll blow the lead and you'll get the wish and Oz will quit. Who do you think will be any better in handling pitching? It's not like Ozzie is reinventing baseball. Ozzie consistently leaves his starting pitchers in for far too long. I don't have any stats in front of me, but I guarantee that our main 4 starters are all among the leaders in pitches per starts. And no, I don't want us to blow the lead. In regards to who could better handle the pitching? About 95 pct of managers in baseball. When DJ is saying that a pitcher isn't being handled properly, you know there's an issue.

QUOTE(greg775 @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 11:42 PM) I love Oz's quotes. We suck. He knows it. You know it. I know it. Can we make the playoffs? Doubtful. Like you all said Cleveland is simply going to rout the Royals; those games will be over by mid-game. We on the other hand will be lucky to win one in Minn. Ouch. Good points. The thing is, there's nothing you, me, or 99 pct of soxtalk posters can do about it. All we can do from here on out is hope for the best.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 10:47 PM) Hopefully, if this keeps up, KW will at least do something about it. If this keeps up...KW goes on probation for me. He gets 1 year to turn it around. We've been saying the same thing about KW after the past 3 seasons.

Just ask the Cubs how this season went for them after having a nasty collapse at the end of their 2004 season. Bring back Dusty and Hendry did that franchise no good at all.

QUOTE(marsh @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 10:03 PM) The only way ozzie is not the manager next year is if he quits. There is no chance a team is gonna fire a manager they just gave a two year extension to. Who was the person on here who thought it was a terrible move by the Sox? I remember there was someone who was all over the move when it happened? No, it wasn't me. I really want to know who said it.

QUOTE(Soxfest @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 09:58 PM) IF Sox miss postseason KW or OG will have to go and my vote would be KW and OG really someone has to pay for utter complete failure of 2005. OG handling of staff and pen are some of the worst I have seen by a MLB manager. KW deserves a lot more praise than Ozzie. KW had a terrific offseason when he found very solid replacements at our most important holes. It would be a shame if KW took the fall for this team choking. I hope Steve Stone is ready to fill in.

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 09:51 PM) I disagree, fathom. I just think those sorts of stories are what come up when the spotlight is placed more intensely on a situation. I highly doubt it's any different then what other teams like the Yankees or Red Sox go through. You can oftentimes hear about how it's a soap opera for those situations too. More spotlight means more dramatic stories, I think. But doesn't a lot of it seem to be happening while our struggles have taken place? To me, that seems like a lack of composure.

QUOTE(SoxFanForever @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 09:47 PM) Are we referring to Dusty Guillen here? Dusty at least got his 2003 Cubs team into the playoffs.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 09:45 PM) I get the feeling this chemistry crap went out the window recently. I don't know what might have triggered it, but the whole team looks tense, flat and defeated. Hawk has that sound to his voice again. He'll never tell us what's up, but he doesn't need to. Go back and read my list of reasons I feel this is a full organizational collapse. Between the Marte situation, the Duque/McCarthy stuff, the players b****ing about attendance, Iguchi b****ing about rest/spot in the order, and Gload's b****ing....this sure seems like the 2004 Cubs. LaTroy Hermanson looked good last night.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 09:40 PM) Think back to the game against the Tigers where Ozzie had him throwing in the ninth of a game they were losing after throwing over a 100 pitches and having a one hour rain delay. Keep racking up all those innings on the arms Ozzie. Maybe you finally killed them. Yet some people still refuse to even consider that Ozzie might be somewhat to blame for our starting pitchers tanking.

So then why in the hell did Ozzie put Garcia out for the 6th inning last night?

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 09:41 PM) Why even identify yourself as a White Sox fan if you're not still in? I honestly think it makes people think that it will hurt less if they don't make the playoffs. I've seen an awful lot of textbook defense mechansims being stated by posters on this site lately. It's a sad situation where I'm considered more optimistic than most posters on this site.

If this team doesn't make the playoffs, say goodbye to PK, and I'll be shocked if we raised payroll at all. And I agree that this will have a negative impact on the franchise. We have a lot of bandwagon fans, and there's going to be a lot of pissed off jumpers. Our loyal fans are not enough to result in great attendance figures no matter how the team is playing.

QUOTE(infohawk @ Sep 15, 2005 -> 09:30 PM) It's not Ozzie's fault that the starting pitchers have been sub-par down the stretch. It's not? These guys have thrown so many pitches all year because of Ozzie's long hook, who knows if they would have had more left in the tank for the stretch run. While Ozzie has gone out of his way to rest a lot of guys like Iguchi, he's been using his starting pitchers an awful lot in regards to number of pitches. However, all the blame for this should not be on Ozzie. This is a full organizational collapse. BTW, we're 1-6 since the players b****ed about attendance.