elrockinMT

The article was a good read. Last night on Baseball Tonight Kruk and otehrs said one of their biggest surprises of the year so far was the lack of offense from the Sox, but they were still in the mix and they felt the offesne would improve.

Ozzie seesm to think Ryan needs to play everyday to develop. I am not to sure how many at bats he gets when Pods is back. Ryan has a had a game or two where he looks real good and then a bad one or two. Still learning I guess

Re-sign Iguchi is my pick

QUOTE(Heads22 @ May 13, 2007 -> 05:34 AM) For all that's gone wrong with him, I still feel bad for the guy. We still don't win it all in 05 without him. Pods is a good leadoff guy, but Erstad has done well in his place. Do you suppose when Pods gets back he gets dropped in the lineup like to 8th or 9th?

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ May 13, 2007 -> 02:35 AM) That's one of the stupidest things I've heard all year. I'm surprised at you. Andy Gonzalez over Iguchi? Please. Tadahito has been garbage but let's not go nuts. I think Fathom likes to raise peoples hackles with crazy statements. Tad is on his bad list this week. Tadahito is a good secondbaseman who can most certainly contribute in a positive way. The whole offense is down right now.

QUOTE(winninguglyin83 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:50 PM) for the record Toby Hall homered for Charlotte's only run today. They're down 4-1 in the ninth. four hits -- two by Owens, one by BA and the homer by Hall. I would have settled for Hall being here just to DH I think

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:50 PM) Make sure you dont drive today, they have lowered the blood alcohol requirement for being impaired. There is law against everything isn't there?

QUOTE(fathom @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:50 PM) I couldn't disagree more, but we each have our own opinion. We do that's for sure. But, it's what good debates are made of right?

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:43 PM) You must be blind. Don't make fun of my disability Tad can play areal good 2base and that's a fact. But, all good players can make an error once in awqhile. I think you are letting all the negative stuff get in the way here. serenity now actually kind of works

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:41 PM) No, they hated Ward because he was a prick. But Von Joshua was liked. And they had confidence. Last year Paulie said they could win the world series with the team they had, and KW didnt need to have any changes. Sentiment overriding logic is a funny thing. There might be some truth to that. Team chemistry is important and when you start messing with success it can bite you in the behind

QUOTE(fathom @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:40 PM) At least guys like Inge, Rodriguez, Pena, and Edmonds contribute defensively. Iguchi hurts us on defense, if anything. Fathom, he has made some abosultely great plays at second

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:38 PM) On the northside they print Believe wristbands, how does that help them year to year. THis is a business. Von Joshua and Gary Ward never had a team look this bad from the Batting standpoint. Why are they not still here? I think I remember hearing sometihing about the players losing confidence in one or both.

QUOTE(fathom @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:37 PM) If the reports are true and Walker feels like a big part of his job is mentally supporting these players, then that's a sad testament to the fragile psyche of these guys. I'm sure we'll hear Iguchi whining soon about how he wants to be hitting 2nd in the lineup. I am sure Ozzie tries to chip and help too, but problem is no one can understand him

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:35 PM) The hitting is contagious is one of the most overused comments in baseball. Hitting is not a disease, that gets passed around from hitter to hitter. Hitting is a very individual thing. Situations, counts, and that can help you get better pitches. THese guys are seeing good pitches. They are not doing anything with it. You want to know how they get back out of this. Start trying to hit line drives, and go back up the middle and to right. The more they sit up there and try and it cars on the Dan Ryan the more this team is going to slump against low and away. It's only an overused phrase it it isn't happening to you right now

QUOTE(fathom @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:33 PM) Walker is close friends with Ozzie....we saw how much safety that gives you last year with Cora. Iguchi = worst player in baseball this year. So is Baines and others. Close friend or not to me it's called supporting and believing in the whole team regardless

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:33 PM) Iguchi's got skillz. I like Iguchi

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:30 PM) All the hitters slumped at once? If thats the case we need to check their betting activity because the probability of a team that slumped as a group that pretty much has the same characters here that scored 520 runs in the first half last year is remote. We heard weather, we heard the pucker factor, now its slump year. Anthing can happen anytime, anwhere to anyone. It did here. I believe that and it's something you just have to think will correct itself.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:27 PM) So let me get this straight. We cant fire walker because he is a great hitting coach, best in the league if you ask the sox. We have these stellar hitters who suddenly as a group have decided not to hit. So what is it. Slumps do not affect entire teams, and affect people for almost a month and a half. Hitting is an individual endevor. Sure a good hititng guy behind you can allow you to see better pitchers. But the rag tag group of Cy Young guys who have shut this team down have blown. I have also believe and have heard that hitting is contagious. Our guys are not rag tag players. Part of the problem is they struggle and try to hard to improve and put alot of pressure on themselves. It's a vicious cycle when your not going well. I am not defending Walker by the way I think that's an issue for the team and management and they seem to thing Walker is doing good and give him their support.

QUOTE(fathom @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:24 PM) What are the standards for being considered above average? I have a hard time stating that Crede and AJP are above average. Also, if you say they're above average, then guys like Pods, Uribe, and Erstad are below average. You fill nine hitting positions on a team. You have to grade or evaluate them on how they perform against others in their specific position and keep in mind things like speed, defense, team player, etc, Homers don't make the player by themselves. Crede has improved every year as a hitter. If this is a slump year for these guys then that's too bad it had to happen to all at one time, but tha's the nuances of the game. They can all get hot at the same time or break out of it individually and contribute to wins.

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:04 PM) Quit worrying about the offense guys. Join me and Walker down here. I like that..that's funny right there I don't care who you are

QUOTE(fathom @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:19 PM) 3 hits in 7 innings vs De La Rosa. Fire Walker....and KW! I wish people would stop talking about how great our offensive talent is. Even with Thome healthy, you still only have 3 above average hitters. The offense was hot for a 2 month stretch last year. Besides that, they've been average at best over the last 350 games or so. Dye-Konerko-Thome-Crede-Iguchi-AJ Perz are all above averegae hitters. The others maybe are average

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:15 PM) Konerko and Dye were not hitting when Thome was healthy. They walked him, because the two guys behind they cant hit. They cant hit now. So where magically do you think that with THome here things just poof are good again. We were last in the league when Thome was healthy. Team slump not an indication though of how good we can be. I ain't happy either, but you gotta believe they will come out of it. Right now for the most part our pitching is keeping us in there and hopefull the bats come around.

QUOTE(CYGarland @ May 13, 2007 -> 08:13 PM) i woudn't be 1 bit surprised if we get swept by the Yanks and the Cubs, the way this team is hitting This teams offense is pathetic as all get out that's for sure. I watched the game last night on WGN and Hawk and DJ both were saying they have never seen a team hitting slump last this long or involve the whole team like this.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ May 13, 2007 -> 06:47 PM) Lefties hit De La Rosa better than righties, yet our brilliant lineup is righty dominant. Maybe looking at splits might be something the whitesox front office might want to take a look at. Sometimes stats dont lie. Irish we have Thome and Pods, both lefties, on the DL. Healthy and we are doing good. Or am I missing your point here?

If you want to celebrate a victory I have no problem where the POST is made. But, I thought pinch running for Konerko was a no brainer.