elrockinMT

All I have to say is WOW! Cotts has responded today and so did the offense.

Still a week to go and Shoenenweis will get at least one more start. I am thinking at this time though Cotts has a better chance. Wright should be #4 in the rotation and if they keep both Shoe and Cotts on the team maybe Shoe gets a chance at #5 with more time to work with Cooper before making his first start. Cotts in long relief and if Shie can't do it than Cotts is there, but I don't like the idea of going into the season still waiting for Shoe to step up. He seems to do ok for a couple innings and in my opinion is better suited for a relief role. We may see both players on the team since it seems Ozzie wants 3 lefties in the pen and likes another lefty in the rotation.

This is a tough call that needs to be made soon. I have to admire that Schonenweis is working hard to master two new pitches and convert back to a starter. However, it doesn't look like it's working out. The very least he needs to be moved to the #5 spot. Danny Wright has been so much better this Spring and has been a 14 game winner. Shoe has experience. but only won 10 games once as a starter. Both have ERA's as starters over 5 a game. Maybe you give Cotts the job? I am favor of that right now, but probably Shoe will be given another start to see how he does. I think a scenario could be to drop him to #5 and let him work with Cooper till we need that 5th starter. If they keep Cotts with the team as a relief pitcher he can step in to take over if Scott doesn't step up. I am wondering if this all boils down to needing that 3rd leftie in the pen? One of them will be there. I liked Jon rausch a lot, but I go back to the Sox wanting a lefty.

We have probably covered all the bases in these posts. They are all real possible scenarios. Kenny Williams could be lighting a fire under everyone and anyone and just talking trash. Looking at the past interviews with players and the team expectations of certain players doesn't give you any real feeling for who is slacking off. I don't think anyone has looked like their slacking, but getting the job done is another story. I think the player in question is on the pitching staff. Koch has been inconsistent and so has Schoenenweis, but KW likes Shoe and Ozzie just said Koch was the go to guy out of the pen, but that it was a situational thing. If we talk trade with the Dodgers it has to be a hitter though because the Dodgers don't need one of our pitchers. Konerko is the only one I can think of, but he is a professional and handles himself that way and is doing good in the field and hitting over .300. Maybe it was Grilli who everyone was saying just had to stay because he was as Rule V guy, but until yesterday wasn't looking that good. Your guess is as good as anyone's at this point.

Seems like a decent trade for the Sox and the Mets get someone who could help them a bit as an emergency 5th starter and long relief man. I will be interested to see how the final 25 man roster now breaks down. It would seem that Burke and Dransfeldt are both in jeopardy of heading to AAA. But, it may also mean that we carry only 11 pitchers. My guess the pitcher on the bubble is Grilli.

I think I spoke to quickly by saying Urbina was overpaid. I didn't see that he signed for only $3.5M. Heck that's only a slight bit higher than what I get in my job. Something slightly more like $3.499999M more than I make, but for a guy of Urbina's quality that's not a bad signing for the Tigers. I think it's just a statement by JR that he is getting ready to battle the player's union on salaries along with his idol Bud Selig. We have let several of our FA's go for salaries I think we could have afforded. But, ST has been ok and hopefully we will have the horses to win. I feel pretty good about the starting pitching, but on occassion I sweat that bullpen.

Saying that Uribe needed a change of scenery to blossom makes me think of the same thing being said about D Jimenez. Let's be careful of what we wish for...

I like Willie Harris, but that there Uribe fella is showing some pop with the bat. He is gonna make it difficult, which is great.

You just can't figure on what JR will authorize. Colon is overpaid by the Angels and now the Tigers overpay Urbina, but whether they overpaid or not they and not the Sox have the pitchers. I was surprised for instance when Harold Reynolds rated Colon as his #1 power pitcher. Urbina is a very good relief pitcher, but only time will tell if he is what the Tigers need to compete, or if Colon is what te Angels lacked. The Sox meanwhile apparently will settle for the retreads trying to rebound. But, then again we might get lucky...

Whatever the decision is, and I have no favorite, it will be a difficult one. Burke has played well and the fact he can catch may be the biggest deciding factor when it is all said and done. Kelly has showed some good stuff too and gives the extra middle infielder move to Ozzie.

For AAA ball maybe.

Thanks for the updates guys. Until Schoenenweis pitches in a regular game or three I am not sure we will know how effective he is going to be with thse new pitches, or if the experiment was correct. If he falters I hope the Sox don't go to long before finding someone else to step in that spot.

I made that some comment in another post. Heck Ozzie is only 40. You and I should start calling him "the kid". We love that kid!

Adkins is impressing. Shingo is not, Jackson is still hanging in there, Shoe is struggling as the 5th starter. 8 hits in 5 innings is not what we want to see, but supposedly there is improvement? Grilli is not impressing me either. I think the Sox should be looking at Adkins in the mix ahead of a couple of those supposedly having the clinch on a spot.

You have to get a kick out of Ozzie Guillen and his exuberance though don't you? "The Kid comes in and says he wants to make this move." Ozzie is what 40 and Frank is 35! Everyone is a kid to our new manager. I think the idea of Frank in the 4th spot bodes well for whoever bats 5th (Carlos Lee?) to get more RBI chances. Maggs get on, Frank gets on, if he doesn't homer and then Lee drives them in. The only negative is Maggs GIDP when the 1st two guys get on, but maybe with more aggressive baserunning that is minimized too.

Thanks for letting us know what you know. Sounds like Shoe might be coming around, but you still hate to see a starter give up 4 runs in 6 innings. Harris with a 3-bagger may mean he is coming around with the stick?!

I am beginning to wonder also. Shingo has really looked sharp to the right handed hitter. In yesterday's game and one other I remember this ST the batter stabds there taking a called third and being totally confused by the pitch and its movement. However, against lefties it's a different thing. Hopefully it will work out becasue I think two situational arms (Wunsch for lefties and Shingo for the righties) is totally absurd.

QUOTE (rafacosta @ Mar 22 2004, 07:17 PM) He was pitching well with a 92-94 fastball and was locating the pitches, when he tries to to pitch 97-100, he loses his control and struggles. I think his 3 runs in one inning today was mainly because of this. QUOTE (The Critic:) I agree. I think today was probably a test of the heater, just to see where the MPH are at. Koch needs to throw that gas for effect now, not as an out pitch. Whip one out of the zone, better off throwing it too high, just to give the hitter something to think about and "change the eye level". Then throw something offspeed low and get them to chase. Nothing earth-shattering, but it can be effective. I listened to the game on MLB radioand granted the announcers were pretty bad, but what you both mention is exactly what they said about Koch. The liked the velocity, but said he left the fastball up and one hitter got around on it and other pitches he couldn't locate. He did K the last hitter on 3 pitches and they commented on his "wicked slider." Brian McRae said Koch didn't look bad to him and might have been trying to work on some area or particular pitch. I am not to worried at this point about Billy. Now Shingo is a different story. He did get one right handed batter, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights with Shingo's pitches wand took a called third strike. Announcers said the pitch was "wicked." They like that word.

They say that Loaiza did a solid job today. Gave up a homer but otherwise was strong today. They think Koch was ok, but not too sharp today. Might have been working on something today and not up to game speed.

Announcers were Pat Sajak of the Wheel fame joined by Billy Sample and Broan McRae. Pretty poor game calling

That's OK. My first time to post anyway. The last out on a called 3rd strike. Sox lose 6-2

I think I am more concerned with Shingo too. Koch seems to be stepping it up and Shingo gets hit hard.

Reed GIDP. 1B to 2B to 1B

Full count now on Dransfeldt. Basehit to center for Kelly. J Reed now up...

Dransfeldt up for Sox. 0-2 count