fathom

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 11:05 PM) It's hard to throw strikes when the strike zone shrinks 6 inches per side every time Maddux leaves the mound and you take over. The strike zone wasn't nearly as bad as I believe you think it was today. Not only that, but Maddux deserves the benefit of the doubt from the umpire a lot more than Contreras does. The strike zone was not the reason we lost today. Contreras pitching like a pussy in the first inning was.

QUOTE(jerseysox @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 11:04 PM) totally agree. he's not a no. 3 hitter. your no. 3 guy should be your best hitter in the lineup. if frank's not going to be there, i'd have paulie there. Right now, with no Frank in the lineup, I wouldn't mind Dye or Everett in the 3rd hole. Not only that, but Rowand farther down in the lineup would balance out the speed a little. As it was today, we had absolutely no speed from the 4 spot to the 8 spot in the lineup. I would guess it was one of the slowest group of guys in MLB history to bat consecutively.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 11:04 PM) Rowand looked terrible today because he couldn't hit 1 pitch...a sinking changeup on the inner half. He had a bunch of swings that were right on time on the pitch, but it sunk away from his bat and he never figured it out. The thing is, Maddux is probably the smartest pitcher in baseball, so he obviously used that pitch to his advantage in order to get Rowand out. Rowand had some good pitches to hit his first AB though, and he tried to hit a homer instead of just trying to knock in Pods from 3rd.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 11:01 PM) Its nice that he is working on a new swing right now. Getting lift and getting around the ball. If not for Rowand's clutch hitting this year, I would have been really disappointed in his offensive prodcution. Like I've said all year and earlier in this thread, he should never be hitting 3rd against rhp. Against lhp, that's fine. However, he's nowhere near good enough against rhp to be in the 3rd spot.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:54 PM) And the Home run that Carl hit? Or the fact that our number 3 hole had a terrible game today, unable to get the runner home in a few potentially big situations?

QUOTE(Beastly @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:58 PM) Contreras and Hernandez are pissing me off as of late, I'm running out of patience with Orlando, you can't go on the DL every 20 some days. Stretch it out, stop being a baby and pitch, I want to win, and I want to win now. I don't mind Duque being on the DL. With the way he was pitching lately, we probably have a much better chance of winning with someone else on the mound than him. In this case, we get what we paid for in the injury-plagued pitcher.

Some of our players need to get the piano off of their backs.

QUOTE(jerseysox @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:51 PM) i'm in the mood for a rally. at least get the tying run to the plate for me. Yep, it would be great if they gave us a thrill this inning. I'm sure Ozzie would love to have OMIT hit instead of Frank this inning.

I still think that against a pitcher like Maddux, Thomas should have been in the lineup. I like Frank's chances against the slow stuff a lot more than I do against Prior's stuff tomorrow.

QUOTE(whitesoxjr27 @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:49 PM) anyone up for a rally in the ninth. Where's the Dodgers when we need them?

I find it pathetic that any Cubs player would b**** about the strike zone today.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:44 PM) Well, the one thing we can say about this game is that Jose Contreras beat himself...he couldn't throw strikes, and it killed us. Exactly, Contreras basically handed the Cubs those runs in the first inning. This game was a perfect example of why Maddux has 300 wins....and Contreras has been a bust overall in the majors. One person will NEVER lost a game because they "beat" themself, while the other puts himself in a tough situation far too often on the mound.

Like I said, this is a game of warning track power.

I love what Pods has brought to the Sox this year, but dear lord, he takes a ton of called 3rd strikes.

I'm 100 pct against bringing in Lilly. Just ask Eric Milton what it's like to pitch in a hitter's park when you're a flyball pitcher.

This game reminded me of some of those @ Tampa games we had earlier this year where we had warning track power is some crucial spots, as well as some hard hits balls at people. That H'worth catch was the turning point in this game, and even more important than the grand slam.

Get well soon Uribe!

Our hitters are making Novoa look like Cy Young. Way too many poor ABs since the 2nd inning in this game.

QUOTE(jerseysox @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:17 PM) using a guy twice in a week wouldn't be overworking him. i'm all for keeping guys fresh, so why doesn't take that same tact with the starters? I have no clue why Ozzie does some of the things he does. However, as long as we continue to have a great record, there's not a chance in HELL that he changes the way he does things.

Ozuna might be showing what happens when a career bench player starts to play 5 times a week or more. Has there been any update on Uribe lately?

QUOTE(jerseysox @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:14 PM) hermanson hasn't pitched since MONDAY. he could use an inning today, and still have plenty left for tomorrow if needed. the lack of work is going to hurt when real save chances come up. Ozzie has been quoted recently as saying Hermanson would only be used in save situations for the time being. He wants to keep Hermanson fresh for the second half of the season.

QUOTE(jerseysox @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:08 PM) i would have gone politte in the 7th, and hermanson in the 8th assuming we were still trailing. hermanson gets no work unless it's save opp. he could have used it today. I'd rather keep Hermanson fresh for tomorrow's game for a save opportunity. I see no problem with using Shingo in a game like this and try to see if he can continue his solid stretch.

13 baserunners against Contreras in 6.1 innings today. Add to that 3 wild pitches as well.

Contreras is over 100 pitches now. I just don't understand this decision by Ozzie to keep Contreras in. Absolutely idiotic if you ask me.

QUOTE(SHAFTR @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:04 PM) No, he doesn't have much. My point remains though, Sox are down by 4 and they have a pitcher who hasn't given up a run in the last 5 innings. I see no reason why we should waste our bullpen. Our bullpen is as well rested now as it has been this entire season. Maybe it's just my philosophy, but when I see a pitcher struggling to keep runners off the bases, I try to be proactive, rather than reactive, and take him out before the game gets out of hand.