reesdi

Does "fixing" entail fastball dropping to 80's ala so many other Sox projects. And when did Cooper stop being a subpar pitching coach and became a guru?

That's the way it should be. An out pitch is an out pitch. Now all Contreras needs is a pinpoint control with his mid-90's heater and good command of his breaking ball, and he's set.

Shingo will be 36 at the end of the year. As is the case with Bajenaru and Foulke when he came up, age is irrelevant. As long as you have 90+ velocity, an impeccable control and command with all 6 pitches, you'll get batters out whether you're 21 or 41. If Yofu doesn't make it, it won't be because he is 31.

Anyway. rolleyeyes.gif Marlins have a well under .500 record since late April, and just lost a stud starter. Don't look now but 'Frisco is already buckling. Padres are the only ones in the way right now, and the last time the teams met Cubs swept them in San Diedo. Without Wood or Prior making a start. Macias and Barret basically beat the Padre ass. When both teams are in full strenght, there is absolutely no question which team is superior. If you know a damn thing about baseball, anyway. As for division, Cubs were way too banged up (hell, Sox tank after Big Hurt can't get on base for them anymore - and you got near half the Cub squad down at various points) from the very beginning, and Cardinals got on a major streak where everything went right and half the players overachieved -- ala the 2000 Sox -- and never looked back. s*** happens. Especially in baseball. Fortunately, there's is always a WC - just ask Marlins and Angels. Now that Cubs are playing their best players, it would be very hard to stop them down the stretch. That includes postseason. Anything is possible of course, but the odds baby - the ODDS!

All those splits mean diddly squat. Today you're 0-3, 6.70 ERA against a team. Tomorrow - 3-0, 1.25. Welcome to the wonderful world of baseball. Contreras could be unhitttable. Or he could pull a Navarro. I like the trade.

Oh yeah?

God Bless the Chicago Cubs.

BJ8, why is it that your happiness only makes me sadder inside? It's just not fair.

Tampa effin' Bay had a stretch where they won 14 out of 15 games, with only loss coming in the extra innings. Dodgers went something like 15 of 17 at one point in July. Cardinals, with their mediocre staff, somehow reeled off like gazzillion in a row.. Rangers had thheir big streak recently. Giants did in June. Only White Sox, the perennial loser-chokers that we are, can never put together a streak.

Nothing beats the ol' Shabbat.

Would have been a good movie, but Ron Howard's daughter couldn't bunt them over.

The house broda' speaks the truth. Willie must come through in the pennant race Kenny Lofton-style, or be punished.

Does honorable Yofu have what it takes to be a front-line pitcher in the bigs? Command with 6 pitches you say?

See there's your problem right there, you assume I am a Sox fan. Not nice.

Perhaps you're not understanding the "just beginning to get healthy and gel" concept. You probably think Macias, Goodwin, Rusch, Mitre, Harris and Ordonez are still their starting players. Common mistake. Braves and Dodgers are winning their respective divisions. Marlins, Giants, Padres are their WC competition, and they aren't going anywhere - Cubs are too close to them and have an overwhelmingly talented team.

That's because they have middle relievers who can actually throw a breaking ball over when the game is on the line, silly.

Scary unstoppable talent that is just beginning to get healthy and gel? Weak WC competition? Let me guess....that's why they play the games.....it's not about talent but chemistry.....curses....yadayadayodayoda rolleyeyes.gif

No, that's just recipe for disaster - he'll start pulling and uppercutting again trying to justify the move. He was a .230 hitter when he was doing that. Don't look now but Willie got on base twice again. Against a right-handed pitcher, he should be leading off, with Aaron in the 2-hole where he'll see fastballs in front of Carlos and Konerko and with Willie hopefully on base.. Against left-handed pitching, Aaron leading off is fine by me.

Reality changes, and minds change with it.

These people are multi-millionaires. Part of being a good ML'er is having nerves of steal and unshakeable confidence. A 6th tool, if you will. If you don't have it, then maybe minor leagues will be more to your liking. Produce or get the f*** off the pot, in other words.

So? Every player must produce if this team is to make playoffs.

Have you ever thought that maybe when others come to a conclusion about a player, they base it on more than a single play?

Guess again. He is a 26yo major leaguer engulfed in a pennant race. Excuses I do not give a s*** about. Willie's failures are all Willie. Get. The. Job. Done. Now.

Ruddy Yan can't get on base, and when he does, even AA catchers gun him down. Mike Spidale is slumping, but he is still a better, more talented player IMO.

Why do you think this team struggles with rookies and junkballers and good pitchers? They are a stupid, see-the-ball-crush-the-ball bunch, that's why. Uribe just happens to be the most obvious one. Which is too bad because he has all-star talent.