fathom

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:48 AM) Luckily we are bringing up more guys from the minors. Ozzie can keep fielding ridiculous lineups the rest of the way like he did today. Wait until Monday's lineup at Boston. It's going to look like a split-squad lineup.

If you win, chemistry is great. If you lose, the chemistry is supposed to be bad. It happens in every sport. A perfect example was the Georgia Tech basketball team in 2003-2004 and then 2004-2005. With basically the same group of players, they were supposed to have amazing chemistry in the first year when they were real good and made the championship game. Then, the next year, when they struggle, everyone says they had bad chemistry.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:39 AM) Joe Randa would not have been brought in to be a backup. How do you know that? I can't see the Sox just benching Crede. Also, everyone knew Randa at the time had back problems. Combined with Crede's back problems, I bet they would have split time between them.

QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:40 AM) Hey, I'm going to go deep conspiracy theory on this... JR doesn't mind what's going on... in many corners he's not being blamed for the KGJ situation, in fact he's coming out in a positive light on that and he doesn't have to add money also, after tonight Clev. will be 6 or 7 games behind, meaning home games in September will mean something, thus bigger crowds... not that I really believe this, but I have a lot of free time on my hands to think of this crap! September games were going to have huge crowds anyways. Do you know how much more money could be gained by making the playoffs? Also, if the Sox do miss out on the playoffs, there's going to be a huge backlash initially against the organization. JR might be cheap...but he wants to win.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:38 AM) He can obviously play the dh position, as anyone can, but he's not going to like doing it, and he certainly won't resign here if all he's getting is DH duties. We wouldn't be planning on bringing him back.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:33 AM) Are you telling me that you didn't think KW would pull off a trade? I know I did. Honestly, no, I never thought we'd make a big trade. KW and Ozzie thought this team was good enough to win it all, based in part off of our amazing start. A couple of people on this site have, including myself, have made a statement that KW and Ozzie were too busy judging the team in the standings instead of on the field. This team won so many low scoring close games in the first half of the year, that you knew once the pitching stopped overachieving by so much, they were going to need offense to win games.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:36 AM) Once again Fathom you don't know that. Actually, I'd be inclined to say you're wrong about that considering it's been said that we almost landed Randa and Graff who aren't exactly superstars. Those moves were being considered to support/back-up Crede at 3b. They weren't moves being considered to give our offense a spark.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:34 AM) We've trended downward for 2 weeks, that is all. We've won 18 of our last 40 games. That's a HUGE decrease compared to how we were playing the first half of the year. As Mac said on the radio today, it's not a slump...it's a trend.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:33 AM) Nobody knows what teams are good enough to win it all right now. I'll tell you one thing though, if there is a team out of the A.L. who could beat the Cardinals it is us because of our pitching. While Boston and the yanks can absolutely mash they just don't have enough pitching to win it all this year. I personally don't like the Angels staff after Bartolo and everyone knows how I feel about the A's. I think Tony put it perfectly with this team, we could get eliminated real early or we could win it all. The thing is as long as we hang on nobody is going to want to face Buehrle-Garland-Garcia in a short series. You know what I've been saying. I just want to make the playoffs, cause you never know what can happen. However, I just can't picture KW sitting in his office thinking "oh yeah, no doubt in my mind we'll make the playoffs with this current offense". I actually think KW has improved over the years, but he was wrong when he thought that only a superstar would help this team.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:31 AM) Todd Walker is not a DH nor a third baseman. I think its foolish to suggest him doing so, but would be intrigued to see if Uribe and Crede could split time at third, with Iguchi volunteering to move over to short for the rest of the season. Obviously the likeliness of any of this happening is slim to none.. Why is he not a DH?

Trust me, I'm not one of these armchair MVP Baseball fans who thinks that every player is available to be traded for 5 prospects at a time, etc. But, there are definitely guys that have been available that could help this team, and be major upgrades over what we have here right now.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:24 AM) ``We shouldn't be thinking about the playoffs. We should be thinking about winning the division and getting back to playing solid baseball,'' designated hitter Paul Konerko said. ``It's definitely disappointing. ... We've got to figure out how to get back on track. We're figuring out ways to lose right now.'' Wasn't it PK a few weeks ago saying that they wanted to go with the players they had?

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:26 AM) I will ask again, and no one really seems to answer. What did the Yanks do to bolster there team? Boston? Oakland? Angles? Minny? Clevland? What did they do to make there rosters so much better at the deadline and wavier wire? What have they done? Don't we have a better record then all of them? Shouldnt they be more concered with getting a piece then we are?? The Twins chose not to give up Liriano, basically limiting themselves from making a trade for an impact player. I think teams like the Yanks, Boston, Oakland, and Anaheim thought that their teams were good enough to win it all. Of course, we're speaking as FANS of the White Sox, and we just don't seem good enough to win it all now.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:25 AM) The fixated parts. Just cause the "great" baseball insiders in this town said those were the guy kenny was after really doesn't mean anything. Hell, that could have all been a smoke screen for other things, we just dont know. Based on what KW was saying in the press before the trade deadline, I think it's obvious Huff was his main target. He also then made it quite clear he was interested in Griffey Jr. after the deadline. Insiders might not know how close something is to happening...but they have a very good grasp of what players a team is interested in.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:23 AM) You really don't know that. Know what? Impossible gets or the fixated part?

QUOTE(spiderman @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:20 AM) I don't think KW ever guaranteed that he'd make a move, just that he'd explore everything out there and do what he can to improve the team. Still, I hope we can upgrade somehow, someway before the night is over. I know KW never said it....but some of the smarter people on this board told us not to worry, KW will make a move if this team struggles.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:21 AM) Casanova is a CF and Burke is a 3B. I'd say defense is about a wash. When it comes down to it Burke >>>>> Casanova. Casanova's an outfielder? I remember him being a full-time catcher his entire career.

QUOTE(Chifananthony @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:21 AM) I dont understand why people are buying this "its a terrible market for trades" s***. This is a bad excuse. If u believe that Griff is the key, or Huff, or whomever, u do what u have to do to get it done. No excuses!!! If you knew what Tampa was asking for in regards to Huff, you wouldn't feel that way.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:19 AM) Welcome aboard. Let me warn you immediately--you're not going to make friends easily with this post. Williams will (I'm positive) hold blame for any scenario regarding this team which doesn't involve, at the least, an ALCS appearance. Best record in baseball at midseason, Williams failed to upgrade our offense. Excuses ranged from "Two to Tango" Philosophy (overzelous sellers asking too much) to "Lack of Moves" philosophy (no one else did anything!). Both are wrong and shouldn't apply to a team which put itself in a tremendous opportunity to only build on it's success and upgrade it's suspect offense. Point which irritates regarding Williams is he's been more than willing to overpay for midseason trades in the past when our team was 7 games out of first. But when we're 15 games up on the second place team and almost guaranteed a playoff roster he does absolutely s***. Give up prospects if necessary; offer to pay the remainder of a salary--future success isn't guaranteed with any team. This may be our window to contend for a World Series. Tigers and Indians can no longer be expected to lay down for us every year. Concern winning now--because we may not be in a position like we are now for another 5 years.

If we're counting on our 3rd string catcher, we're in trouble. We should call up the best defensive catcher possible, because the only way the 3rd stringer would get in is off of a defensive substitution.

KW did a great job fielding a team that could compete. My biggest problem is that he seemed to get fixated on two players, Huff and Griffey Jr., who were near impossible gets.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:12 AM) Other than a few publications that said KW was interested, can you find anywhere that it says he cleared waivers. I seriously can't. I heard he was interested from quite a few places, and not just Chicago reporters. I'll trust Paul White knows who was available and who wasn't.

QUOTE(Kogs35 @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:12 AM) jamie burke is out of options iirc. so if hes placed on the 40 man he has togo through waivers again if and when they need the roster spot. so if cassenova is coming up its because hes got options left How could we ever lose the rights to Jamie Burke? I hope our organization would be able to recover from that loss.

2-2 in the 4th inning. The Indians are playing some sensational defense. They sure seem like they're having a lot of fun on the field.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Sep 1, 2005 -> 12:07 AM) Ibanez never cleared waivers. At least he wasn't on any list of players that had cleared. Yes, he had cleared waivers. That's why there were the rumors that KW was interested.