southsideirish71

Here is some more sick stats. We are last in the majors in doubles. This is for a supposed fast team. 2nd to last in triples We are 28th out of 30 teams in hits. But s*** we still hit a lot of homers. So basically this is the same corpseball offense as last year with some fluff at the top. The numbers dont lie.

Well when your offense is ranked 20th in the majors in BA just above the mighty royals maybe its a credible thing to question our offense and how it will rate in the post season. We are also 21st in the majors in OBP. This is a problem when it comes to competing against top rate pitching. We are basically the same softball offense as last year with 2 fast guys at the top. If they get on its not a solo homer. If they dont its a solo homer.

QUOTE(ZoomSlowik @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:52 PM) Can we lay off the "oh s***, we can't hit good pitchers" stuff? We've put up runs against guys this season and won some pitching duels, and it's not like the postseason is full of nothing but Mark Priors. Baltimore has no real starters that are a threat; Boston's pitching in general has been a disappointment (Clement the only one doing well. Wells, Arroyo, Wakefield, and Arroyo suck along with their pen. Even assuming Schilling gets back to 100%, we're going to get at least one scrub, and we've seen Clement implode in the past.); the Yankees are struggling mightily with their starters and only Randy is shutdown type guy if he gets his s*** together; Anaheim is fairly effective, but none of their guys are shutdown pitchers and all are hittable (we all know Colon, and Washburn and Lackey have WHIP's over 1.40. Escobar has good stuff but isn't healthy); Texas' best pitcher is Kenny Rogers, I rest my case. Every once in a while good pitchers are going to shut you down. Our guys have done it more than anyone. Buehrle, Garcia, and Garland have done it many times and are pitching well, and we've seen that Contreras can dominate when he's on. We'll live. Conteras will s*** himself silly in the playoffs. They better not rely on him in the playoffs or we are f***ed. Schilling/Wade Miller/Clement are all quality pitchers. I know they are no Sergio Mitre and all, but I think you underestimate pitchers who have pitched tough in the playoffs. Remember how Schilling pitched ok last year, and put that team on his back and shut down better offenses than this one. You dont need to be a total shutdown guy to stop this offense. Just spot the fastball on the outside corner and throw a slider on the outside corner and you will shut this team down. This is not just one time or another. Any pitcher this year who has done this has shut this team down. BTW if you thought that was a vintage Mark Prior who was a 2 pitch pitcher tossing 91 I would suggest you need to watch him in about a month when he is cracking 93-94 with a filthy curve. We didnt face the best mark prior and couldnt hit them. Plus what you fail to realize is that all of those teams have sick offenses that are much better than ours.

First thing Prior didnt pitch a great game. He had a 91mph fastball for the most part. He wanst as crisp as usual. His fastball usually sits at 92-93 and he heats it up to 94. And his curve and slider usually have a hell of a lot more bite. He was throwing more rollers up there than usual. This being said is why some of us are upset and the outcome. I can understand losing the pitchers duel, but good lord can we muster more than a pablo ozuna hit and a hit batter for our runners. Our hitters did not have a good gameplan at all. IMHO they saw that Prior wasnt up to 100% and thought they could man handle him a bit. They went up there looking long ball, even with 2 strikes. After the first few times through the lineup someone should of been trying to get on base. However what we saw was a lot of long looping swings looking for power. This is what upsets me. Not Garlands effort or even the outcome it was the lack of effort and a good gameplan. The only Ozzie thing was why is Willie Harris hitting 2nd. He is batting 230. Pablo should of been hitting in the 2 hole and Harris should of been in the 9 hole. Hopefully they go into Detoliet with a better hitting approach. Its so sad, on Friday they looked like this series was in the bag. Hitting the ball for line drives, hitting to the other field, pulling the inside pitches. Then two games in a row of softball. Lets see how far and how high we can get the ball up into the air. I feel bad for Garland he pitched his ass off. And had a near perfect game.

QUOTE(rangercal @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 03:55 PM) I want to let it out. Until I remember we are 50 and f***ing 24. We split the cubs series, who cares? Beating the cubs is fun. This year though, we have bigger things we are trying to accomplish. If this is the highlight of the 2005 season for the Cubs and the Lowlight of the 2005 season for the sox then, Life is good. I would like to see this team actually beat up something outside of mediocre pitching from time to time. We wont be facing a whole lot of mitres in the playoffs.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 03:37 PM) The only thing I will say, I was surprised Everett was not in the lineup today, playing OF. Remember they hit 3 solo shots against him last time they faced him. You know they were all looking for the quick yard shot.

QUOTE(C_LEE45 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 03:37 PM) I THINK WHAT REALLY HURT WAS WHEN WILLIE WALKED AND FRANK AND PAUL TRYED TO BE THE HERO Well the funny thing was watching Blanco. He would look at our hitters standing so far off the plate, then put the signal down and setup outside. He kept looking up almost astonished that they didnt change the approach. Nice long looping swings looking for the fence. We were lucky we didnt get no hit.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 03:31 PM) I believe the hitters entered this game thinking Prior was going to be in top shape. They expected a sharp breaking ball, 95 mph fastball with movement, and pin point control. What's amazing is the offense did worse today than the last meeting they had against Prior. No actually our hitters were chomping at the bit when they saw the 91-93 mph straight fastball and roller curve and out thought themselves. They thought ESPN and that if they took Prior deep a few times they would look like heros. Instead a great pitching performance goes to s*** because our guys cant stop going for the fences. Next year I hope they move them back.

QUOTE(Brian @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 03:27 PM) This is hilarious. One bad game and everyone is off the bandwagon. We just had ANOTHER 8 game win streak. Geez, people. Two games in a row of pull baseball corpseball bulls***. 5 hits yesterday and we got 1 hit by a 2 pitch throwing prior. I know we are winning the division, however we need to get better and being consistant with scoring runs. Last year we would score 10 in one game and then get shut out for a few games. We will face good to great pitching in the playoffs.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:50 AM) You misread it. Pierzynski is saying the Sox coaches have been telling him from the beginning that he could and should be driving the ball the other way ... they are not telling him to pull the ball. Actually the purpose of this was to commend the team on hitting the other way.

Its seems that someone is purposely telling people about pulling the ball for homers here. I have been saying it all season long, AJ used to kill the sox hitting the ball to left and left center. This year he started to pull the ball only, his average dropped and his power numbers went up. Whether its Greg Walker or someone else telling them to pull the ball, these fences need to go back a few feet. Obviously its too much of a distraction. If you watch the sox hit and have big offensive games the same holds true in all of them. The pitcher of course throws away, the first few hitters start to hit the ball with power oppo. They give up a few runs then try to re-establish the inside, then our guys turn on the inside pitch and just destroy the ball. If this can be preached and is being preached we will have a consistant offense the entire year and will be hard to stop in the post season. If we get myopic and pull happy, we will be 1 and done in the playoffs. This is the time our hitters need to concentrate and work on being total hitters. Putting the ball in play the other way opens up the opportunity to pull for power later in the game. Hopefully our boys keep the good work they have been doing lately and keep this type of hitting going. Yesterday they got away from that and that is why they could only muster a few hits. BTW I will take my hat off to the hitting instructor tandem for figuring this out and working on this. They need to do this will all of our hitters. Arow last year had some sick power to right center. This year he is more pull happy.

No Lilly. Lilly will get destroyed here. He just got hit hard again.

QUOTE(Dam8610 @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 09:17 PM) Finally, a stat that no one can be negative about. Maybe we won't hear of the forthcoming gloom and doom in this game thread? The only doom and gloom happens when our team abandons what has worked and gets pull crazy. Its their only and main weakness. If they hit the ball where its pitched they will be fine. You cant square up a ball on the outside corner trying to pull it unless you are Frank Thomas and he is huge and has long arms. They should of beat the crap out of Maddux yesterday. If they hit it to right and up the middle, prior will have to come in. And when he comes in its YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD, YES!!!!!

Elevate that pitch count at all costs if he is on. The minute you get into that dump they call a bullpen we should be able to get a few runs. Jon Garland will keep it close. If it wasnt for the cuban give a few extra bases to the opposition we would of been fine today with pitching. TIME TO RALLY EAT s*** CUBBIES

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:51 PM) Exactly. I have no problem with you, other than the fact you want to pick up a bunch of players before the deadline. A bunch, well if 2 is a bunch.. I just want 2 players. One at 3rd, and a pitcher. Thats it.

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:49 PM) I love Sox Fans. But even the closest of brothers have spats (I am in no way, shape or form trying to catagorize people I meet on the internet as Brothers, sorry guys, nothing personal) Trust me you are not going to offend me. But if you take a shot at me, guess what its coming back.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:41 PM) We are basically on the same page, except you believe adding a hitter will be more beneficial and IMO a very good swingman pitcher is key. Alsp they need to get this backup 1B situation resolved. I know everybody says Gload but he will have had a long layoff ... I'm not sold that he'll come back and automatically be the hitter he showed last September. That's where I'd like to see an upgrade on the bench. If Randa can play some 1B I'm all for it as I've said before. I cannot see them making 2-3 trades though ... that would be disruptive to the chemistry IMO. I think it will be 2 trades. One will be for a guy who can play 3rd and 1st. I agree Gload probably wont be back. Which is kind of sad, because he is an excellent sub at 1st and has a good line drive swing. I think the swingman/pitcher is the other guy.

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:36 PM) Being lucky is SO much better than being good. The whitesox are in this position because they are good. Not because of luck. To state this is more of a disrespect to the team.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:30 PM) No ... SSI 71 knows I am not trying to do that. I think he beats this trade Crede and bring in Randa thing to death, especially because KW and Guillen have all but said they aren't gonna trade a starting position player unless it's a major upgrade. I don't see what posting this trade Crede and bring in Randa every single day on a message board is gonna do. It is not going to change Sox managements minds, nor is it going to change anybodys mind here. A few days ago I said I was done arguing about this stuff, and i am. Out of curiosity I looked at the overall RISP stats and posted them, that's all. I have a difference in opinion with Jim and Nitetrain on this subject. I have my views and they have theirs. Hence why these message boards are a cool thing. And Jim the reason I keep on this is I think this team is very very close to doing something big in the post season. I look at our starting rotation and think our big 3 will be hard to beat. Our offense has picked up, outside of the occasional pull a thon like today. We are just a single hitter/pitcher away IMHO of doing some damage in the playoffs. However some 10 year old posting PWNED and I think Luck is the key to the sox winning the world series is a bit myopic at best.

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:27 PM) But according to a comment you made about 2 sentences earlier, Uribe can hit about .240 with line shots to the gap. Actually Uribe can hit .270-.285 if he hits pitches in the strike zone and shortens his swing a bit and doesnt go for the fence everytime. Crede has a mechanical flaw in this swing. This is according to Greg Walker.

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:26 PM) CAN I GET A "OWNED"? Whats is the hitting with RISP and 2 outs. The clutch stat Jim. There is a huge difference there. Crede is .167 and Randa is .321.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:23 PM) Although I'm not as concerned with the hitting I wouldn't be mad if we got a new 3rd baseman. At least Uribe is more than a 1 tool guy. If he ever gets on base he can steal a base. He also is a much better bunter than Crede...but that's not saying much. We definitely need to tweak the pitching. Stud reliever or another proven starter. The Cubans are a liability. Uribe plays good defense and can play 2nd, SS and 3rd. He has a terrible hitting style yet when he makes contact he hits a lot of line drives to the gap. If he could cut down on his swinging at pitches over his head he would be fine. Last year he didnt pull so much and had a better idea of the strikezone. This year he is going for the fences more and doesnt have any control of the strikezone. If he was hitting at all, Crede wouldnt be that much of an issue. However we cannot have 2 guys hitting at the end that cant hit above 240.

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:20 PM) See, we are a lucky team, and I am confident in our ability to produce luck. That situation wont arise. Call me nuts. I dont care. Your basis for your arguement is "LUCK" and the ability to produce "Luck". Well that explains everything. Dont forget your lucky rabbits foot for tomorrows game.

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:17 PM) How about commen f***ing sense? You take the good with the bad. Paulies slow, are you calling for his head? No. Uribe and Crede play AWESOME "D", do you want them gone? Yes. We got our run scorers at the top of the order. We have our D in the bottom, It's called balance, just trading and trading isnt going to win you anything. You call it Wishy-Washy, I call it sensical. Well how about defense and hitting. You know some hitters can actually do both. Check out randa defensive stats, or hey watch a game or too and you will see he is a solid defender and we wont lose much at the corner. Most teams dont have too many 240 hitters in their lineup yet you want 2. Good. We can have a few runners on and watch Uribe tomahawk at one over his head, then crede pop out to the 2nd baseman. 2 outs, rally over.

QUOTE(DukeNukeEm @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 08:11 PM) Are you satisfied with ANYTHING? There is no perfect team. You seem to think only a perfect team can win the WS. How about this stick your head in the sand and proclaim we are the best team. And then when we face good to great pitching in the playoffs then complain when Crede is up and Schilling tosses him a slider on the outside corner with men on and he steps in the bucket and K's.