hitlesswonder

QUOTE(Friend of Nordhagen @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 04:10 PM) Not if you ask Greg Walker. I heard him a few weeks ago on the radio, saying that Iguchi got into some bad habits batting second. I am not kidding about this. Yeah, all that hitting to the right side instead of pulling was terrible. Glad we got rid of that....

QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 04:05 PM) yes speed is all you need. That's why pods is such a great CF. I'm actually aware of that, but Terrero is a better OF than Pods... Look, I actually like Anderson. He just doesn't have a place on this team. And declaring he should be starting based on a nice catch in the OF seems like overkill.

QUOTE(Capn12 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 04:01 PM) Thats a helluva assumption. Difference is BA ALWAYS makes that catch. And Terrero does? How many games have you seen him play in, in the majors? 4 games, I think. He seemed like a decent CF to me. Certainly seemed as fast as Anderson....

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 03:58 PM) Dude, hes a prospect who isnt getting regular playing time. He needs to play everyday on some level. If he played every day and hit lower in the lineup like he should, he could do it. I think there's a decent chance he could. Which is why he needs to go play for the Marlins. Ozzie doesn't like him, and has no clue how to use him, and Anderson isn't going to get better on the bench. Set him free...

QUOTE(G&T @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 03:53 PM) BA f***ERS! Erstad makes that catch too. So does Terrero. Whoopee....

QUOTE(Capn12 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 03:49 PM) Or maybe.....that its ludachris to expect someone who isn't a great contact hitter at all to bat...SECOND?!?! Seriously? Gooch had plenty of success in that spot, yet Oz thinks its a better idea for a low contact, 1 AB all season OFer to hit there? That is brilliant. And don't even start with the "Oh its Ozzies fault" BS. Can you sit and tell me that you would hit him 2nd? That's exactly why Anderson needs to be out of the organization. He's not Guillen's kind of player, Guillen doesn't trust him the field and if Anderson will ever learn to be a quality player it won't happen sitting on the Sox bench. Anderson is worse than useless to Sox and he has to go.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 03:45 PM) BA may be the worst #2 hitter we have Seriously, I would be happy at this point if Ozzie just told BA he was done with Sox on the field today and that he should head home to Arizona after the game. Anderson has no business being on the Sox roster.

QUOTE(The Critic @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 02:51 PM) Defensive Jesus with a nice bobble out there. Anderson needs to go. Before yesterday....

QUOTE(greg775 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 02:42 PM) Who do you want out there? If you have a problem with our roster, your problem is with Kenny W. My only beef is Iguchi should be batting second. he stinks down in the order. Pablo instead of Pods. Cintron instead of Iguchi. Anderson being on the roster is Kenny Williams' fault. He needs to find a backup CF that hits RH as soon as possible.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 02:23 PM) Pods Anderson Thome Konerko Dye Crede Iguchi Uribe Molina What a putrid lineup. Why is Pods playing against LHP? Why is Iguchi playig against LHP? Why is Anderson playing at all, let alone hitting #2? It's time to end the farce and just move him to another organization. If he can't be a defensive sub, he cartainly shouldn't be starting a game.

QUOTE(watchtower41 @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 12:57 PM) Yeah, I'm quite sure Ozzie is sitting Brian to lose games on purpose. Seriously, people. How can anyone honestly say he deserves to start over Erstad and Pods?? Defensive replacement fine, but I've got news for ya kiddies.... Pods didnt lose the game for us last night. No Pods just assisted in losing the game. Jenks, the offense, and Guillen all had a hand. Guillen's mistakes are the easiest to fix (it's easier to put in a defensive replacement than give Jenks back the extra 6 MPH he didn't have on his fastball). Really this should be a banner day for people who dislike Anderson. Even the most ardent supporter of Anderson can't argue that he has any place on this team now. The sooner he's gone the better. I don't even think it's worth putting him in AAA anymore; the Sox should just release him if they can't trade him and fill the roster spot with someone Guillen trusts to play baseball.

QUOTE(fathom @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 11:44 AM) I've decided that if Ozzie has a personal issue with any of our players, I no longer want that player in the organization. It benefits no one. I agree. I'll be happy when the Sox get rid of Anderson -- it can't happen soon enough. His presence on the roster hurts the team, since it's like playing a man short. I actually think Anderson has some talent, but his bags should be packed and Terrero or whomever Ozzie would be willing play in the 9th instead of Pods should be on the team tomorrow. And, really, Anderson would be much better off starting for the Marlins where he'd have a chance to succeed or fail rather than simply hold the bench down.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 11:59 AM) Right, and all this is REALLY easy to say right now, after the fact. I wonder what you said after Scottie hit the homer in Game two. Because if it were up to you, you would have replaced him, and who knows what might have happened. Pods hit that homer in the 5th inning. It's ridiculous to say that wanting Pods replaced in the field in the 9th inning equates to wanting him replaced in the 5th. Putting in defensive replacements in the 9th inning with a lead is a pretty standard managing practice. Ozzie has done it with Konerko in the past when Gload was on the team. It's not overly criticial to suggest that Ozzie should have had his best defensive outfield out there. Sure, the loss is due to the Sox anemic offense and Jenks pithcing poorly. But it's also due to terrible managing. Getting palyers to hit or pitch better is hard. Putting a better LF out there is easy. That's why people here are annoyed -- there was a simple move to make that would have increased the chances of victory and Ozzie failed to make it. I'm sure Ozzie is a better manager than I would be, but he screwed up last night.

There really shouldn't be any debate -- Anderson should be traded or released. His presence on the roster is actually hurting the team. If Terrero was up, maybe Ozzie would have actually used him as a defensive replacement. I think Anderson has a chance to be a decent major league player. Certainly, he has the skill to be a fine defensive replacement. But unless the Sox get a new manager, Anderson's continued presence on the roster just means the Sox are playing a man short. It's a shame to cut loose a 1st round pick and waste all the devleopment effort the Sox have put into Anderson. But he has no place on Ozzie's team, so I don't see any other useful option.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 08:52 PM) I was just expecting more much out of him. Perhaps he will gain velocity inthe upcoming weeks, although I'm not counting on it. I'll cast my vote as being unimpressed with Masset. He does not have electric stuff, like the Sox said. He has 4 pitches, little control of any of them, and an average fastball for a major leaguer. It was that way in spring training as well. Really, how can you trade for someone and then find out his fastball sits 4 MPH lower than advertised?

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 04:58 PM) Um...hitless? This is the first time he's pitched this year. In anything meaningful anyway. I just meant I hadn't seen him in any spring training games. As meaningless as they are, if I had seen him pitch well there I might be less concerned... QUOTE(WCSox @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 04:58 PM) That's because he kept falling behind in the count, was forced to throw it, and the hitters knew exactly what was coming. I have no idea if he's playing through an injury or not, but it would seem strange that his back would act up so early in the season. And his stuff was fine (speed, movement), so I wouldn't say that he's "done" just yet. He's only under contract for one more year. Contreras is signed through 2009

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 04:18 PM) Anyone want to bet that JC is on the disabled list before the end of April? Actually, the worst case scenario is that the Sox keep pushing him out to mound. It would probably be better if he just broke down and ended up the DL. I know this will sound like hyperbole, but this was the first time I saw Contreras pitch this year and he looks done. Just like the end of last season, whatever problem he has with leg/back are preventing him from locating, and I've never seen his fastball so hittable. Considering he's upwards of 70 years old, I don't expect much improvement. His contract is going to be an albatross.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 11:29 PM) I'm going to go out on a limb here. McCarthy, Tracey, Anderson, Logan Remember how much Ozzie hates it when his young players decide to open their mouths. As far as I can tell, that sums it up. When asked, Ozzie said Terrero was terrific this spring -- I really got the impression he wanted Terrero over Anderson but was overruled.

So, can we safely put Logan on the list of guys that Ozzie doesn't like? I assume that this is related to Logan saying something along the lines of he didn't feel accepted/comfortable with the big club last year? Because otherwise I don't see how Sisco's stats beat out Logan for the spring. It's not even like Sisco was any good last year either. I know we're talking about the 5th or 6th reliever and this isn't disastrous decision that sinks a club, but my impression is that Guillen's decisions are driven by personal animus to an extent that isn't healthy for the club. Sure, maybe there are things I don't know, Ozzie may not like Boone because he was cocky like Anderson or whatever. I'd be more impressed if Guillen actually put the best team on the field and worked through whatever problem he has with Logan.

QUOTE(thedoctor @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 02:08 PM) this shows a real lack of understanding of what happened in this situation, so i'm hesitant to even address it. what i will say is that there is no way weber can come out and comment on this situation. if he comes out and rips the gordon's that becomes a tool for anyone who is ever recruiting against illinois. frankly, weber needs no more recruiting problems then he already has. I'm glad you did address it -- the fact that Weber can't be candid about what happened is a good point. I don't know what happened in the recruiting process. I just wish that the media and fans wouldn't cast Gordon's move as some sort of terrible betrayal. I actually feel bad for the guy. The amount of money at stake in the recruitment process drives people to behave in pretty apalling ways, and I imagine Gordon and his family were under tremendous pressure and just wanted the best possible situation for him.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 02:12 PM) Lieing in an article to try and make yourself look good and everyone else look bad is not "doing something right", and I would say it is "doing something wrong." I agree -- if he is lying, that's not admirable. I'm just not sure he is.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 01:50 PM) I dont see how an unbiased observer can believe any of the bulls*** coming from the Gordon camp. Even the old Indiana articles paint the picture horribly for him. Exactly what did Gordon do wrong? He's a 18 year-old kid that saw a better opportunity and he took it. He didn't break a legal contract. I, for one, have no trouble believeing the Illinois coaching staff knew he was reconsidering Indiana. Gordon says he was upfront with them; I've never heard Weber say that he wasn't. The bottom line is that if the Illinois coaching staff had made Illinois a more attractive destination, Gordon would have gone there. The fact that all Illinois has to replace him is a 3 star recruit is on Weber, not Gordon. It would be nice if Illini fans could simply respect Gordon's decision.

QUOTE(caulfield12 @ Mar 28, 2007 -> 10:09 AM) Have to show Ozzie the quote about "one year wonders" in the Tigers' capsule. That was the most obnoxious thing in the rankings I thought. Winning 90 games the season after a world championship and they're one-hit wonders. Are the Red Sox one-hit wonders then? Championship in 2004 and then swept in the wild-card round by the lowly White Sox the year after, and then 86 wins in 2006. But no, the Red Sox are a franchise for the ages. Blech. That being said, I think ranking is pretty fair. The 2007 White Sox look like a .500 team to me. There's no doubt that they are worse on paper than they were last season. The pitching may not be old chronologically, outside of Contreras, but it looks like all the innings are catching up with Buehrle and Garland (shoulder problems).

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Mar 27, 2007 -> 04:56 PM) Flash, you are under the false impression that Garcia had high trade value. Well, when you look at what Jason Jennings got traded for, you can't help but wonder if the Sox couldn't have gotten a better package (Hirsh and Taveras? or Hirsh alone?). And looking at Floyd's career numbers and current performance, it's baffling what the Sox saw that they liked so much. That said, none of us will ever know what the trade market for Garcia was, so maybe it si time to just stop speculating....

QUOTE(caulfield12 @ Mar 27, 2007 -> 10:00 AM) He's not worth $10 million per season at this point, but we're getting him for a bargain price. And his statistics (even if you leave out 2000 and "average" 2001-2005) are pretty similar to what Iguchi does, albeit less power and more stolen bases. Erstad's stats from 2001 are clustered much closer together than his 2000 .900 OPS year. I think it's safe to ignore a career year from 7 years ago in predicting his performance for 2007. Erstad from 2001 through 2006 hit .270 with a .323 OBP and .693 OPS, with about 13 SBs a season. Iguchi so far in the AL has hit .280 with a .347 OBP and .780 OPS with 13 SBs a season. One hundred points of OPS is a big difference, and Iguchi will have a higher OBP this year than Erstad IMO. I think having Erstad hit #2 is bad decision.