southsideirish71

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:35 PM) Maybe Freddy's inner ear infection has returned. Did you say Beer infection?

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:32 PM) Joey has to quit waving guys in who are out by 40 feet. That was ridiculous. Sending Garcia out in the 7th was a bonehead move. Only having Cotts warm up left me scratching my head. Vizcaino has appeared in 12 games coming into tonight. He seemed like he was in every game the first 2 weeks of the season, but has rarely pitched recently. Politte and Marte should be well rested. Use the bullpen. Joey has to realize who is running and what is their real chance at scoring. If the throw beats the guy by like 6-10 feet and they are waiting for him then its a real bad move.

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:27 PM) Maybe playing against the top offensive team in baseball contributed to the pitching woes... Just a thought. That and getting pitches up and not making smart pitch selections did more to do in Garcia than the offense. You cant make mistakes against a team like that. Last game Garcia had two times where he had 0-2 on a hitter and got too much of the plate and got hurt. Its about pitching smart and hitting your spots. Garcia for whatever reason has decided to become a curveball pitcher. When he came to the sox last year he was throwing a heavy fastball and using it to setup his strikeout pitch. This year he is using his curve for strike one more instead of using it to get the out. Its very similiar to what we complain about contreras. Contreras is filthy when he uses his 95mph fastball to setup his forkball and not the other way around. Hopefully Freddy gets it together for his next start.

QUOTE(JimH @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:22 PM) Here is my take on Cotts. He didn't get the job done tonite but a couple of the hits were bloops. His wildness continues to be cause for concern, but those making the point he's seldom used have validity. If at all possible, Guillen needs to pitch him as much as possible the rest of this month. His role on this team is lefty specialist at the moment, he is not the long guy or mop up guy, Kevin Walker is. The White Sox need to know if Cotts can be counted on to contribute in 2005. He has potential but this team is off to a huge start and has a 6 game lead on a very good Minnesota team. Sox are in "go for it" mode. This is not the time to be wondering what they have in a young pitcher. If he needs more seasoning or he has other issues, send him down and let him pitch consistently in Charlotte. If he shows he can work things out, great. Whether it's fair or not, this team has little room for a growing pains guy, we are not the KC Royals this year. He needs to do the job and exhibit better control, and fairly quickly. He does not have an established track record and should have a shorter leash. It's not fair but when you are a pennant contender sometimes the personnel decisions aren't fair. Scouting report on Cotts While Neal Cotts spent the full season in the big leagues, it was hardly a total success. Ozzie Guillen liked the way Cotts took his lumps and still wanted the ball, but he was hit harder than the White Sox had imagined a year ago, when he was dominating Double-A hitters. Cotts was scored on in 26 of his 56 outings as a long and middle reliever. He gave up one homer every five innings, including nine longballs away from hitter-friendly U.S. Cellular Field. Pitching & Defense A starter his whole career, Cotts struggled last year to set up his changeup, his best pitch. His fastball doesn't get much above 90 and his deceptive motion was not a big issue for lefthanded batters, who hit him surprisingly hard. Cotts was up with too many pitches last season, allowing more homers than he had in his minor-league career. He needs to work on his move to first base as he was easy to run on a year ago. 2005 Outlook Cotts figures to return to the White Sox' bullpen in a secondary role. He needs to improve his command if he is to get consideration for a spot in the starting rotation, which once seemed to be his destiny.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:16 PM) Y'all must be joking. Everyone says there will be rough patches, then after 1 f'n game, we're getting rid of our prize acquisition from last season and a reliever w/ a sub-4 era. 1 game, jeeeeeez. Noone's taken "Judy" off their fav hot key, I hope. So wait the 7 walks dont count because he only pitched 11 innings, but now his ERA come into play. He doesnt throw strikes, plain and simple. He comes in to face a lefty last week, walks the guy and gets pulled. Sure his ERA didnt go up, but did he even closely do his job.

QUOTE(JimH @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:15 PM) If that is indeed the case then the White Sox need another/different lefty reliever. Nothing against Cotts but let's get someone in here who has a good track record of getting lefthanded hitters out and can throw strikes. Easier said than done of course ... but I have a feeling this is the first change or upgrade that KW is looking at. Problem is you have 25 other teams looking to do the same thing. Cotts should of been down in AAA working on his control and a third pitch. Probably perfecting a cutter. Atkins should of been up with the team, he throws strikes. I know he isnt a lefty but Cotts doesnt get them out anyways. Viz has great splits against lefties. And marte has great splits against righties. Just because a guy has been given an left or right arm doesnt automatically make your matchups.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:08 PM) Well, Oz loves his lefty-lefty matchups, I guess. Cotts is the long guy, we just haven't needed a long guy much this season, and he is seldom used (obviously). I dont buy this seldom used crap. He throws in the bullpen right, he gets his work in right. You are telling me the fact that he doesnt throw in a game for a week all of a sudden he forgets how to throw the ball within 3 feet of the plate. His pitches arent even close.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:01 PM) Do you expect a bullpen full of Radkes? Yeah, he's wild. If we were discussing the rock of the bullpen, I'd worry, but we're talking about the little used long guy. This is manageable. Apples to Potatoes. I dont expect Cotts to be pinpoint control. But hey I do expect any reliever to do the following. Pitch ahead and stay ahead. Make them beat you. Dont walk the world. I need to add dont throw 3 pitches over their heads. When hitters see this and when umpires see this, the hitters might start to take pitches and umps might not give you anything close. Those were wild thing bad, not like he missed the strikezone within 3 feet.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 08:49 PM) Yeah, I did, and I thought Cotts looked like s***. And he's wild, I agree. But he's got it done so far this year in limited work (until tonight), jumping all over him for this is just silly. And saying it's his 3rd season, c'mon. He barely pitched 2 years ago. At what point do you learn how to throw strikes. Or how about when you throw it within 3 feet of the strikezone. Throwing pitches over peoples heads. Come on. He pulled this crap last year.

According to the scouting report on Freddy Pitching Garcia looked like an ace early in his career but was disappointing for Seattle in 2002 and '03. He turned himself around in early '04, using one of the majors' best collection of quality pitches-a 92-93 MPH fastball, a good two-seamer, a quality changeup and both a curveball and slider-to frustrate hitters. He can struggle against lineups stacked with lefthanded batters, but was almost as tough on them as righthanded batters last year. Few pitchers are as durable as Garcia. Where is the velocity?

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 08:37 PM) So this is Cotts' 3rd yr, okay. 11 ip makes a season? This is the designated overreaction zone, I know that. As long as everyone doesn't really believe things are so bad -- w/ Garcia, Cotts, whatever. Did you watch the game. Major leaguers do not throw more than 3 pitchers over the head of batters. This is not an isolated experience, he has a problem throwing strikes. He has 7 walks in 11 innings.

Cotts is all that is left from the craptacular trio from last year. Cotts would walk a few guys on, Thriller would give up the runners, and Koch would stop all hope by giving up a home run in the 9th. We would rally and go down by one run. HOW DOES COTTS NOT HAVE ANY CONTROL IN YEAR f***ING THREE. YOU CANT THROW STRIKES RICKY VAUGHN MAYBE YOU NEED GLASSES.

Garcias 88mph fastball strikes fear in the hearts of all hitters. He couldnt protect a 4-1 lead in Tampa and now he blows a 5-2 lead. Cotts its year 3. Its time you learn how to throw a strike. I mean if the little leaguers can do it, you sure as hell can. The sneakyfast fastball isnt too hard to hit when you get 2-0 and 3-0 on every hitter. Walker, I have seen enough. NO control and is a lefty. We already have two of those on the team. Go back down to AAA and please send Baj back at least he attacks the strikezone.

Just got back from the game. Good crowd considering the supposed threat of thunderstorms. Picked up my HE GONE shirt in the parking lot. I was in the UD tonight and there was this group of cub fans that were yelling Sosa. One had a sosa cubs jersey and he had it crossed out with Duck Tape. About the 4th inning people started yelling, Sosa isnt here stupid cub fans. God are they a dumb group of people. After that game and the way they played it and won it. It fills me with SOX PRIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/size]. EAT s*** CUB FANS, EAT s*** REST OF BASEBALL. THE GOOD GUYS ARE HERE TO TAKE NAMES AND KICK ASS.

Just think, if Timo the slow man Perez got Zambrano rattled wait until Pods gets on base. Zambrano will have a break down.

QUOTE(WilliamTell @ May 13, 2005 -> 08:14 AM) Dang, I hate to say this but they have an advantage in the pitching match ups. Hopefully our guys will be on their game. Alll we have to do is weather whatever strom and get into that gorgeous bullpen of theirs. Then win by 30.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ May 12, 2005 -> 04:21 PM) I need to be suspended if Neyer comes on here until he's gone so I don't make the site look bad. I would probably say something that would get me a permanent ban. I am pretty sure of it.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ May 12, 2005 -> 04:07 PM) I have no problem with inviting Neyer, but we all know any debate with him won't be "sensible." I've been browsing WSI, and he's already (childishly) replied to several members' emails. If he mimmicks this behavior on Soxtalk , it won't be too pretty for Neyer's self-esteem. It wont be sensible, but entertaining. I can bet the farm that I would probably say something that would offend him and everything he has ever stood for.

QUOTE(sox-r-us @ May 12, 2005 -> 03:56 PM) He might make it here when he lets me know he wants to....he is busy right now, based on his last email to me ================ Maybe another day. I’m heading to Seattle early tomorrow morning, and in the meantime I’ve got a column to finish. -r Well we better stop bothering him, he needs all the time in the world to get his article together. I am sure its a riveting article comparing the genius of KW to that of lowlife Billy Bean I wonder how fast he can type on his speak-n-spell.

QUOTE(sox-r-us @ May 12, 2005 -> 03:46 PM) I wrote back to Mr Neyer and here is his response. What do you think folks? Would you like me to invite him here and we can talk baseball with him? As long as everyone promises to behave themselves ======================= Rob Would you like to have a sensible debate about the White Sox on a White Sox board? I promise it will not be childish and immature. Just pure baseball talk....if you would like to, let me know. I can send you a link to a website where there are some very astute baseball fans with who you could debate. Thanks Just a White Sox fan ========================= Well, sure. But I’m not sure what we’d debate. I don’t like the ballpark, or the uniforms. Those are just matters of pure opinion, and not things about which I’ll change my mind. And about the baseball . . . I mean, this spring I picked the White Sox to win the Central, and at the moment I think they’ve got a fine chance at reaching the postseason. So what’s to debate? I hope he comes here so he can see the f*** ROB NEYER thread. Hey I hope he doesnt get offended because just like he said "I am just giving my opinion, and I dont think I will change my mind about it"

Robs poor wittle royals This guy is a sad little royals fan. I would be all upset if my team was on the road to nowhere fast.

Paul (Chicago): Rob, if the Yankees are off to the start the White Sox are, all we will hear is how they can't be stopped from going to the WS. If Billy Beane makes the same moves as Kenny Williams with these results, Billy's hailed a genius. All I hear is people like Kruk and Brantley ripping the White Sox, saying they won't win the division. What does it take for the Sox of the Midwest to get some national respect? Rob Neyer: Oh, those poor, poor White Sox from the third-largest city in North America; oh, how my heart does weep for them. Look, the White Sox wear ugly uniforms in an ugly ballpark with an ugly name, and the truth is that it's just not easy to like them. Are they for real? Twenty-five wins on May 12 don't lie, and at the moment I'd give them roughly a 40 percent chance of reaching the postseason, because they have to compete with not only the Twins, but also maybe the Red Sox and/or Yankees and/or Orioles. Two of those teams will not reach the postseason, and I think the White Sox are one of the two least-talented teams in the group.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ May 11, 2005 -> 03:49 PM) Yup, I am f***ing die-hard! Sox4Life is on my ass too! :finger Right next to the one that says "Pound Me Hard"

You drag your pregnant wife in her 7th month down to Tuscon last year to watch the sox future battle in the springtime sun. This year you bring the entire family. You go to soxfest year in and year out. And even though they have the best record in baseball you live and die with each win and loss.

EAT s*** b****ES. In honor of Nuke