elrockinMT

Carlos with a double to extend his streak. Way to go CLEE!

You would think that someone is in need of a relief pitcher and would give us something in return for the $6.75M botch.

Wunsch has always generally been used only to go against the lefty batters. On occassion he will go 1 inning.

Injury prone and too situational. But, looking at what Jackson and Koch are doing maybe once he is healthy he would be a better choice. I am just not sold on him anymore.

I agree with you. The guy is getting absolutely sickening with all this Ozzie worship. He needs to step back and return to reality.

I was goin to bad mouth Timo Perez but he HOMERS and drives in Joe Crede who is coming out of his slump. GO SOX!

I agree with 1/3 of what you suggest. No to Wunsch, yes to trading Jackson and no to trading Politte.

I was going to say something along th lines of "cause he is a stopper type", but I apologize for even doubting you especially now that he gives up a homer to Lowell and makes it more difficult to come back to win. Sox hurlers give up 3 long ones tonight and make the Fish seem like the Bronx bombers.

This is the Sox leader! The rest of the hitters can learn from the Big Hurt.

Just logged on to see us down 4-0. The Fish Fry pitcher shuts us down on 2 hits. This guy had an ERA over 10 coming in the game. I knew we were in trouble from the first I saw that stat. Why can't we solve these guys is beyond me.

Pitcher gets second tour of duty By Scott Mansch -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRIBUNE PHOTO BY LAILANI UPHAM O'DONNELL Great Falls White Sox pitcher Sean Thompson (29) throws off the mound Monday during a workout at Legion Park, while a teammate watched. Returning to the Pioneer League for a second year is not exactly the fast track to the major leagues. But J.D. Johnson, a third-year pro pitcher who is back on the Great Falls White Sox' roster this summer, isn't complaining about a second tour of duty in the Pioneer League. "When you're still playing it's never a disappointment," Johnson said Monday following the team's first official workout at Legion Park. "There's a lot of guys that didn't make the trip this year. They're going home. So I'm happy to be here." Johnson is one of several pitchers, including Opening Day starter Boone Logan, who are about to start their second seasons in Great Falls uniforms. Sony Suarez, who will start Saturday night's game, is another. Left-handers Sean Thompson and Gerron McGary, and righties Matt Nachreiner, Jeff Little, Kyle Kane and Rylan Reed are all veteran pitchers who return to Great Falls. White Sox pitching coach Richard Dotson said the experience on the mound could pay off big-time this summer. "I'm hoping so," said Dotson, the former major-league star with the Sox. "The guys we have returning will be a lot better than they were last year, and I think a lot of the draft picks are college guys, which will help." Johnson, 21, was 2-4 with a 4.46 earned-run average for the 2003 Great Falls club. He led the team in both innings pitched (42.1) and strikeouts (47). "I was a long relief, game-on-the-line guy last year, then at the end of the season they had me piggybacking as a starter," said Johnson. "I don't know what they have in mind for me this year, but I'm ready for anything. "My expectations are to have a championship season. I really want that. I'm hungry for it." Johnson said understanding the geography and climate of the Pioneer League is more valuable than knowing the hitters, which is a big reason the veteran pitchers should prosper. "This is definitley a hitter's league," Johnson said. "The ball flies in all these ballparks, so you've got to stick to the basics." Which, at any level of baseball, means to get ahead of the hitters. "Absolutely," said Johnson. "Get ahead and be aggressive. When you fall behind and they can get a bead on what you're going to throw, they can hit it a long ways. Especially with the wind here." Dotson, who played in the Pioneer with Idaho Falls in 1977 and went on to an All-Star career in the majors during which he won 111 games, agrees with Johnson that the altitude of this region makes for an offensive game. "The ball flies," he said, "but if you make your pitches, more times than not you're going to get an out. If you make mistakes, you're going to get hurt." Make no mistake about it, Johnson doesn't mind being up here. His girlfriend is Kelly Jackson, an outstanding country singer currently working at the J-Bar-T. And he's already making plans to attend the University of Montana this fall, where he'll continue working toward a pharmacy degree. Meanwhile, eight newly signed 2004 draftees arrived in Great Falls Monday and took physicals. They will be on the field this afternoon at 3 for their first professional practices. The newest White Sox include pitchers Matt Zaleski, Eric Everly and Travis Doyle, infielders Caleb Cooper, Derrick McNeil and Mario Suarez, and Ferny Alvarez. All have college experience. In addtion, second-round draft choice Donny Lucy of Stanford had reportedly signed with Chicago and is expected to arrive in Great Falls soon. NOTES: Great Falls skipper John Orton and his coaches, Richard Dotson and Mark Haley, are being assisted by several instructors from the Chicago minor-league department. Among them are Nate Oliver, Mike Lum, Darryl Boston and Tommy Thompson. Lum and Boston enjoyed some solid years in the majors as batsmen, while Oliver played seven seasons in the bigs and played in the 1966 World Series for the Dodgers. ... The Welcome White Sox banquet is set for Wednesday night at the Rainbow Hotel. Longtime Chicago baseball executive Roland Hemond will be the featured speaker. More information is available by calling 452-5311. ... The White Sox are scheduled to work out daily in preparation for Opening Day on Friday. Today's workout, which is open to the public, is slated for 3 p.m.

Under no circumstances should Joe Crede be traded for Beltran or anyone else. Crede is a very good defensive 3baseman and a fine hitting prospect. Uribe is not a thirdbaseman. Beltran would just be a rent-a-player with the Sox.

I just logged on. I watched the game last night on WGN and saw the Big Hurt hammer two out of the park. He adds one so far today. This is the streak where Frank can carry this team on his shoulders for awhile with that lumber. He was impressive yesterday. Buerhle in great form so far.

Why is he trying to stir up trouble now?

As glad as I am to hear that Reinsdorf is willing to open the wallet and give Kenny money to work with, I am reluctant to see us give up more young prospects to rent a player for a few months. I can see possible trade bait on our side being Wunsch, Rowand, Koch and possibly a couple more on the team now, but let's be careful about what we wish for.

The Sox aren't going to trade Jose Valentin for a 5th starter.

Peterson is one of the best pitching coaches in the game today. He is responsible for much of the A's big three success. Ginter had some talent, but I wouldn't make too much of one game.

That pitch was high and on the outside corner just where someone like Thome could get extended and drive it the other way. He did. I think some of Ozzie's stick with the kid and give him confidence stuff goes just abit too far. Garland didn't have it yesterday and shouldn't have stayed in. Live and learn.

I look forward to Arnie Munoz starting. We can only hope that someone decides to accept the challenge and rise to the occassion. Does anyone know the WGN schedule?

We used to comment about how good it was that Koch took the blame for his melt downs and didn't pass the buck, but after awhile I think he should just take the blame and his bags to another team. I am fed up with 2 seasons of disaster.

Read the story: "The Sox could package Jeremy Reed." Yes, the Sox could, just like they could give up Thomas, Ordonez and Buerhle for Benson, but they won't. Just a bunch of idle garbage is all. Don't fall for that stuff.

The Sunday night was as ugly as it gets as far as Koch in the 9th. I have stuck with this guy since we got him even though I was a big fan of Keith Foulke. He failed last year. He failed in the first game this year. He started to improve, but Oakland on Tuesday and Sunday in Seattle and Koch blew them both. A closer is just that-he comes in the 9th inning with his team in the lead by a run or two and he shuts down the other team. Koch can't do the job. The Sox were on national TV tonight fols and we saw them in all their glory. Couldn't get runners in and it came back to haunt them when Koch came to blow it in the 9th. Billy is not a closer and should not be there in closer situations again period. Takatsu and Marte are my choices. If they pitch Billy it should be in middle relief. Trade bait maybe if someone is craxy enough to take him. The ESPN guys (Morgan especially) said that Koch wasn't fooling anyone tonight with his stuff. How true.

I guess I agree that we did ok by not signing Colon. The other big arm was Ponson at 7M and look at that fat guy pitch. I ain't pretty.

If you are going to watch Deadwood on HBO, which I love by the way, you can always get it later in the evening too. I think anyway since I can see it at 8 PM and again at 11 PM on a different HBO channel. You must make a committment now...

White Sox versus Mariners tonight at 6 PM MDT on ESPN Sunday night baseball. Loaiza versus Moyer. Let's all commit to watching the game and cheering the Pale Hose to victory.