southsideirish71

QUOTE(maggsmaggs @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:30 PM) Widger will blow this game for us, no doubt. Also, BA should be ahead of Widger in the order. I wonder if he is wearing his oakley blades today.

June 16th. Thats the date of Widger's last hit. Its been a month Widge. A duck snort, a seeing eye single, a walk. Something, please do something today.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:00 PM) Its true. AJP is not that bad against LHP, and he calls a much better game. There is no reason to sit him today. The same reason that Mack was patrolling CF last night. Ozzie loves to rest his starters and play what hand were you born with matchups. If the schedule holds up, he will catch the Counts next start too. Widger behind the dish, Count on the mound, and Santana opposing them. Anyone feel really good about that one.

I guess Leyland wants to win the game. He has his A team today. C. Granderson cf P. Polanco 2b I. Rodriguez c M. Ordonez rf C. Guillen ss M. Thames lf C. Monroe dh C. Shelton 1b B. Inge 3b

Thank god we are resting AJ for the royals series down the road. Posada played all 3 games against us in NY, and now it seems that IRod is playing all 3 games. This is a big series, and we keep playing subs like we are sititng on a 15 game lead.

Lineup for today. Widger plays Ozuna gooch thome kong dye crede uribe widger ba

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 08:59 AM) Who would hit leadoff for us? So many of you are complaining that this team resembles the 2002-2003-2004 team of sluggers and no small ball. But yet so many want Pods gone and Fields/other LF to replace him. So I ask again...who hits leadoff then? But the problem is, that the current Pods doesnt steal, is only a singles hitter. He cannot bunt this year at all. So how is he different from the leadoff hitters we have had during that 2001-2004 team. We are playing station to station with pods in the lineup right now, I dont see how that changes with him out of the lineup.

If we dont want Javy to be a starter then move him. Someone in the NL will give us something for him, preferably right handed relief. You cant have this mental midget in the pen, he implodes with runners on. I want bmac in the rotation. Omar Minaya has a stiff for this guy as much as KW did in the offseason. Pick up Hielman or whatever. You save money, you get a mental midget off our team, and you give financial flexibility to make a move. Then get a reliever.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 09:48 AM) Last year, I remember reading from a ton of people that Clifford was the luckiest pitcher in all of baseball, when you analyzed it. How unlucky has Javier been this year? From what I've seen, his bad innings are typically initiated by a poor defensive play either in Center by Mack, left by Pods, or shortstop/second if Cintron is playing. I think that one part of Javier's problem has been bad luck with the defense behind him, and the other part has been his lack of focus after errors. In fact, I was thinking about it earlier, and remembered that someone called Javy a Latin Buehrle. I think that might have some merit to it, when it comes to errors and defensive misplays, at least. The only thing that is unlucky about Vazquez is that we are unlucky to have someone with such talent and the backbone of a 5 year old. Good pitchers man up, and try to get the guy out, they pick up their team. Vazquez folds like a cheap tent the minute something doesnt go his way. There is a reason this guy has been on 4 teams in just as many years.

QUOTE(Frankensteiner @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 08:54 AM) If the White Sox are growing dissatisfied with Pods, there's about 10,000 better LFers to go after than Gonzalez. In any event, I don't think Rozner is making a lot of sense here. Plus, in general, I don't hold Rozner in the same high regard as you do. How about this. Instead of putting Mack in CF all the time, send him over the LF then. Remember he is a corner OF and not a CF.

I suspect we shall see Widger. I just wonder what other members of group 4 are making it out on the field today. A must win series, so lets rest some of our starters. Because Ozzie is matchup happy. Maybe Widger can hit the ball out of the infield today. Instead of doing his popup, groundout, strikeout routine.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 08:28 AM) From Trib: Going into this game, opponents were hitting .228 against Vazquez in their first two times through the batting order, .361 thereafter. Why doesn't our manager and coaching staff realize this? Are their heads buried in sand? They should have a guy start warming whenever Vazquez sees the batters for a 3rd time in a game. They know that because they have the same numbers. But Ozzie goes with his gut, which has been wrong everytime he trots a starter out there for the extra inning. Last year Ozzie had the magic wand. This year the wand needs adjusting. Every single time he gets greedy with his starters it kills him.

And hence why Ozzie keeps throwing him out there. Guess who will be starting tomorrow in the swing game.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:56 AM) 30% of the time actually. So what point of the season does Ozzie scrap the B team and start playing the A team. He did it last year in September when the race tightened up and he was in jeporady of losing the division. tomorrow we shall see Widger and his lovely bat. Most contending teams actually play their starters most of the time.

QUOTE(Frankensteiner @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:52 AM) Back somewhat on topic, Rosenthal's latest column has some rumors regarding Milledge and the Mets possibly trading for Zito: http://foxsports.foxnews.com/mlb/story/5796782 I would again just like to point out how insane it is thinking we could get Milledge/Pelfrey for either Vaz or Garcia. Good news is, we could still maybe get a halfway decent package for one of them if the Mets are showing interest in the likes of Miguel Batista. Vazquez would seem a better fit since he could seemingly throw his fastball through a wet paper bag. If we could get Pelfry or Milledge for Freddy or Vaz straight up I would take it. You have one pitcher who has all he tools, but is a knucklehead that implodes and another one who seems to have problems throwing his fastball.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:44 AM) If Ozzie really wants to get Mack in the pen, why can't he stick him in LF in place of Podsednik every once in awhile? Did Mack not play leadoff during spring training? The guy has an incredibly high OBP and some good speed along with excellent defense in LF coupled with his above average arm. Seems like a good fit to me. What has changed between Spring Training and now? Ozzie wants to make sure our offense is Marlinized. Have he fast guy up front that creates havoc on the bases. However that guy is no longer on our team. He lost his ability to be a havoc creator when he had a hernia. Now he is a glorified singles hitter, who gets thrown out stealing about 20% of the time. So in reality replacing him with Mack is a good idea that will never get used. Kind of like replacing one of the twin duds in our rotation with bmac.

Everytime I see Ozzie put Mack out in CF I ask myself doesnt he pride himself in having a good defensive team out there, for that is what he preaches. Then I close my eyes and remember that he had to get certain players into the lineup last year no matter how they didnt fit defensively. Timo at 1st base, Timo the DH, Timo Insert OF spot. So as much as we see Mack in center and it gives us pains, this is the same Coach who put Timo at 1st. Play the A team Ozzie. You can play the Sunday lineup against the royals. These lineup changes are more frustrating than Manuels sunday lineup. At least that was only once a week.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jul 19, 2006 -> 10:36 PM) The biggest pickup we could get are Javy and Freddy showing up. Freddy gave us a glimmer of hope by throwing harder and effectively against the Yanks for the final 3 innings and for those of you in the game thread I'm now convinced that we'll be able to get Javy turned around and that he'll have a very strong 2nd half. And no, I don't expect us to make much of a move because I honestly don't think the opportunity will be out there. If it was I'm sure Kenny would jump all over it, but I'd be really shocked if it happened. Well hopefully we arent looking back in September trying to figure out what happened and making a last ditch run 5 or 6 games out because we waited too long to replace either of these guys pitching. Each of those guys right now are 5 to 9 runs given up guarenteed. Put bmac in the rotation and send one of them packing.

QUOTE(CWSOX45 @ Jul 19, 2006 -> 10:29 PM) Its a waste of talent having him mop up innings. Kenny has got to force Ozzie to use McCarthy, I really hope he deals someone to make room for McCarthy, because McCarthy (starter) is >>>>>>>>>>> McCarthy (reliever) anyone that can't understand that now is totally lost.... Bmac last year for the strech run. 1.59 ERA.

QUOTE(CWSOX45 @ Jul 19, 2006 -> 10:24 PM) What pitch was Vazquez hanging all night? God dammit. I'm sick of this spiff, we're paying this assclown 12 million a year (or around there, yanks and dbacks paying for some of his salary?) This guy is absolutly worthless. I know McCarthy will go out there and give us a MUCH better effort than this spiff. I hope Kenny knows this too. We better f***ing win tomorrow. Bmac could pitch 20 scorelss innings striking out 30 guys and he wont crack the rotation. We had this last year. El Duque was getting destroyed, and Bmac was following it up with 7 or 8 Ks behind him. Bmac 2 hit Boston and shut down Texas in Texas and was removed from the rotation to put El Duque back there. For whatever reason Bmac = Gload to Ozzie. One more thing that everyone should realize. If Gardenhire smells blood in the water with the Whitesox, he will alter the rotation so we get hit with Santana which we can barely function against, and Liriano. This gets ugly quick.

QUOTE(Frankensteiner @ Jul 19, 2006 -> 10:22 PM) Kruk got philliephans talking. http://www.philliesphans.com/phorum/viewto...38&start=90 http://www.philliesphans.com/phorum/viewtopic.php?t=35062 But yeah, that would seriously be horrible. They can have Vazquez, but good luck with that no-trade guys. If KW traded Bmac and kept Freddy 86 mph fastball and Vazquez and his lack of nuts then I would think he lost his f***ing mind. Bmac >>>>>>>>> Freddy 86er/Vazquez right now Send one of the underpitching twins away.

QUOTE(klaus kinski @ Jul 19, 2006 -> 09:48 PM) Gimme a major league outfielder, please Screw that. Fix the rotation. And start our CF instead of platooning a corner OF with him.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 19, 2006 -> 09:47 PM) Widger's playing tomorrow, according to Mike North. I know its hot, but has Ozzie realized that we left Tuscon. Its July. Why are we playing a guy who cant hit, cant call a game, and is just a physical body out there. The A team would be nice for a few games in a row.

QUOTE(daa84 @ Jul 19, 2006 -> 09:46 PM) i hate rongey, and i dont think vazquez pitched well, but im not about to say he pitched poorly either....dont get me wrong he needs to get his ass in gear and put hitters away, but i will feel better about javy going into his next start than i did going into his start today I would feel better having bmac pitch against the twins. Here we go. Twins series. Vazquez will face off against Radke. Good f***ing lord. Contreras faces off againt Santana And Buerhle faces off against Silva

Gooch has a .300 BA against Bonderman. So he sits. I hope the god, that Ozzie resists the need to put Widger in tomorrows game. I know he will use him, day game after a night game. But for the love of trying to win a series and pick up a game against the team thats ahead of you, let AJ catch. Widger hasnt gotten a hit in over a month. He cannot hit lefties at all. He cannot call a game to save his life. We need to play the A team all the time when we face good teams. This resting our regulars is dumb. Rest guys like Pods then if you want to get mack in the lineup so bad.