BrandoFan

How about...the SOX made a good play, instead of giving the credit to an individual? We blame a lot of the team's shortcomings on focusing on a single player over the team...but as fans, we are guilty of that -- some of us more than others. Hey if Josew would have f***ed up, I would be riding his ass for the remainder of the game.... Still, I making my point: DP, especially on a s***ty infield like Urinal and a fast runner are MUCH tougher than people make it out to be; they prefer to use error totals instead of seeing the whole picture...I am just a messenger, don't shot me.

Can Jimeneze move the runner over on his second chance?

Complacency leads to terrible injuries, these millionaires think just because they have some talent, laws of physics and physiology don't apply to them and that they don't need to be fearful and learn fundamentals. I never even heard of baseball as a kid, but this is the way I slide: as if every slide is my last one, that keeps me alert and mechanically perfect even if not exactly flashy. That also keeps me from (3 knocks on wood) separating my shoulder or tearing my ACL on a stupid ass slide. Common sense ain't so common.

Jimenez started it...but I am happy either way. Considering how blazing fast Petterson is and a very hard slide by Cubbie SS at 2nd...we're lucky to turn two. Jose made two other tough playes today that went unnoticed however.

Jose turns a tough DP....but then again everyone can do it....DP's are overrated, too

Agreed...and Olivo missed a double himself by about 5 feet, Alou barely got it. My question is this: why isn't Jimenez chastized for not moving Willi Harris over on a 2-1 count with game on the line? I have a feeling that play will kill us today...Speaking of which, Colon walks f***ing SS...idiot.

, that was a legitimate K, no doubt about that, Carlos couldn't hit 2 hittable pitches before and in essence made his own bed....again RISP .

Burly then...does that alter the point?

Blown balls&strikes calls are often the difference between winning and losing, especially in close games, with RISP.... With that, go Carlos!!!

Yes, I'm very surprised that we're only 4 games under. We've played like s*** this year. We've lost several games that we shouldn't have -- which gives me reason to stay positive, as it'll be hard to blow games all year long. In pretty much any other division, we'd be in trouble -- but since we're in the AL Central, we're very much in spite of our efforts to dig an inescapable hole. The last game of each series against SF and Boston were losses that shouldn't have been. That's why I'm concerned about this game. They seem to get satisfied when they are playing reasonably well, then just lay down. Same with the last game against the Padres. That Perez guy had NO business shutting us down like he did. Oh and getting swept in Cleveland and losing 2 out of 3 against mediocre D-backs? That's a whopping 5 losses in the span of only 2 f***ing weeks! And I am notr even counting Colon's complete game, 1-run loss in LA...This is not "underachiving"....this is "not knowing what winning even is". We played better in 2001-2002.... But hey, I am sure it's just me being "too negative" like I was in the first series of the season against KC...

Yes, I'm very surprised that we're only 4 games under. We've played like s*** this year. We've lost several games that we shouldn't have -- which gives me reason to stay positive, as it'll be hard to blow games all year long. In pretty much any other division, we'd be in trouble -- but since we're in the AL Central, we're very much in spite of our efforts to dig an inescapable hole. 1. That whole "playing s***ty" includes not making defensive plays, overwsinging with RISP, throwing 0-2 mistakes, getting thrown out, impire mistakes, etc. Not every loss comes on the strenght of a Barry Bonds perfect swing grandslam. We've been our worst enemies this year--making exactly the kinf mistakes we did in 2nd and 3rd inning today...if we lose 2-1, who are gonna blame? 2. You really think our "luck" is going to magically go away because of law of averages? Huh?

Yeah, but we both know that Lee would have just hit into a bases loaded 6-4-3, so it's less painful this way. Carlos went to right center nicely for the first Sox hit, today. Ever heard of "it's not what, but when you hit it"? Lee dumped a single with bases empty but choked with 2&3rd... Story of this season. Lee is hitting .284 this year with RISP. He is hitting the best of all of the Sox starters by almost 20 points. Maggs is hitting .266 for 2nd best. On the other end Konerko is hitting .117 RISP, Valentin .191, Jimenez .227, and Frank .231. As a team they are hitting .229 with RISP. Keep making excuses....I am a fan of Lee normally....BUT I AM NOT A FAN OF SQUANDERING AWAY OPPORTUNITIES. I mentioned other players besides him....terrible situational hitting is a HUGE problem on this team. We sould be up 3-0 if Jmenez and Maggs do thier jobs. And if the Cubs had done their job with runners on base, they also could be winning 3-0 just as easily -- what's your point? Cub are not the team with supposedly "explosive" offense...just say you don't pay attention to little things...or don't reply at all...deal? The Cubs as a whole aren't explosive, but I'd say Sosa and Alou qualify as legitimate threats. Between them, they have left 3 men on base so far. So you are using Cubs as your yardstick now? Common. Oh and please feel free to accuse me of rooting against the Sox...afterall, all that criticism of my own team can't possibly be a sign of objectivity

What's new? Your positive attitude? ...or your insincere, pointless detours... Or how about Sammy swinging at eye-level fastballs and then taking a pitch right down the middle for strike 3? Bartolo gets out of a jam. Through 3, no score. We gave them 4 outs- and 4 stikes to Sosa, nothing to be excited about. (Colon sucked his last start as well as did Burly last game, I am still waiting for 9inn shutouts from our "aces"...keep on making excuses, homer-boy) Just because someone doesn't freak out about every perceived Sox mistake, that doesn't make them a homer. Annd then all of the sudden you're surprised why we are 4 games under .500 and are giving games away left and right.... Whatever.

Yeah, but we both know that Lee would have just hit into a bases loaded 6-4-3, so it's less painful this way. Carlos went to right center nicely for the first Sox hit, today. Ever heard of "it's not what, but when you hit it"? Lee dumped a single with bases empty but choked with 2&3rd... Story of this season. Lee is hitting .284 this year with RISP. He is hitting the best of all of the Sox starters by almost 20 points. Maggs is hitting .266 for 2nd best. On the other end Konerko is hitting .117 RISP, Valentin .191, Jimenez .227, and Frank .231. As a team they are hitting .229 with RISP. Keep making excuses....I am a fan of Lee normally....BUT I AM NOT A FAN OF SQUANDERING AWAY OPPORTUNITIES. I mentioned other players besides him....terrible situational hitting is a HUGE problem on this team. We sould be up 3-0 if Jmenez and Maggs do thier jobs. And if the Cubs had done their job with runners on base, they also could be winning 3-0 just as easily -- what's your point? Cub are not the team with supposedly "explosive" offense...just say you don't pay attention to little things...or don't reply at all...deal?

What's new? Your positive attitude? ...or your insincere, pointless detours... Or how about Sammy swinging at eye-level fastballs and then taking a pitch right down the middle for strike 3? Bartolo gets out of a jam. Through 3, no score. We gave them 4 outs- and 4 stikes to Sosa, nothing to be excited about. (Colon sucked his last start as well as did Burly last game, I am still waiting for 9inn shutouts from our "aces"...keep on making excuses, homer-boy)

Yeah, but we both know that Lee would have just hit into a bases loaded 6-4-3, so it's less painful this way. Carlos went to right center nicely for the first Sox hit, today. Ever heard of "it's not what, but when you hit it"? Lee dumped a single with bases empty but choked with 2&3rd... Story of this season. Lee is hitting .284 this year with RISP. He is hitting the best of all of the Sox starters by almost 20 points. Maggs is hitting .266 for 2nd best. On the other end Konerko is hitting .117 RISP, Valentin .191, Jimenez .227, and Frank .231. As a team they are hitting .229 with RISP. Keep making excuses....I am a fan of Lee normally....BUT I AM NOT A FAN OF SQUANDERING AWAY OPPORTUNITIES. I mentioned other players besides him....terrible situational hitting is a HUGE problem on this team. We sould be up 3-0 if Jmenez and Maggs do thier jobs.

Olivo just dropped a strike-3 foul by Sosa....not an easy play by any means, but it may cost us again.

Yeah, but we both know that Lee would have just hit into a bases loaded 6-4-3, so it's less painful this way. Carlos went to right center nicely for the first Sox hit, today. Ever heard of "it's not what, but when you hit it"? Lee dumped a single with bases empty but choked with 2&3rd... Story of this season. Yeah ... can't argue that point. s***, walked Patterson, Sosa up. if runs score, it's on Thomas who broke the wrong way ona blooper...flawless D. my ass!

What's new? Your positive attitude? ...or your insincere, pointless detours...

Yeah, but we both know that Lee would have just hit into a bases loaded 6-4-3, so it's less painful this way. Carlos went to right center nicely for the first Sox hit, today. Ever heard of "it's not what, but when you hit it"? Lee dumped a single with bases empty but choked with 2&3rd... Story of this season.

Jimenez did another pitiful job advancing the runner to 3rd....Maggs swung and missed 2 generous hanging sliders and then at 2 balls-4s...Lee overwsung with men in scoring poisition against a tough pitcher....Thomas just got played defensively on a blooper....Geeezus! What's new, again I ask?

Lee just greedily overswung again...pop up....Sox offense is chugging along....how will we give this game away I wonder....? f***.

ANOTHER CRUCIAL CALL AGAINST THE SOX AT 1ST????!!!!!' What's new. f***ers every single last one of you.

Nice job advancing the runner on 2-1 ball, DJ...f***ing scum!

You truly think rookies Harris & Olivo and a semi-rookie Crede will carry this team? Valentin can't see the breaking ball; Magglio and Lee are wildly overswinging on every other pitch; Jimenez is completely apathetic; and Konerko is in one of the worst slumps of all time...Sox are the second worst hitting team in AL...And if Hurt reverts back to his uppercut swing/mental case self, Sox are beyond f***ed. Wo...I thought just the other day we gave the Red Sox a game as a gift....Now we are back in contention? Wow dude you are putting some words into my mouth. Where did I say "carry the team" and where did I say "back in contention" ? I SAID that those 3 guys are much more worth worrying about than the vets. I am not sure where you got the rest of that crap? I don't know about you, but when I talk about "mashing the ball", the implication is always "....in order for us to be in contention".... If you were talking about a slight improvement, then, sure, I guess if Cerde and Harris give Konerko 1st&3rd&1-out often enough, I bet he will repond occasionally and Sox would score a 4 runs a game instead 3 and will finish 5 games behind instead of 10+. Bottomline: Sox are not going anywhere if the big 3 pitchers (Elo-Colon-Burly) and big 5 hitters (Jim, Val, Hurt, Lee, Kong and Maggs) don't crank the RBI production up two notches. And I am yet to see anything worthy of getting excited about from the big guns, Frank excepted- and even he only has half the RBIs of Delgado.. Harris/Rowand/Olivo/Crede are just icing on the cake not the other way around. Think back to 2000. When the offense was most dangerous it was the guys like Herbert Perry at the bottom of the order who were turning things over to get back to the sluggers. Up until this point of the season the bottom 3-4 guys in the order have been a black hole. If we aren't getting anything out of these guys we are wasting 3 innings a night hitting. If these guys are getting on and creating opportunities for the main guys this offense becomes scary. The main part of the line up is eventually going to do their thing. I really believe that. There is no such comfort from the bottom guys. Your offense is only as strong as your weakest links. It is just like a bad bullpen. It doesn't matter how good your starters are if the pen is blowing games. With the offense it doesn't matter how good the middle of your line up is, if they aren't getting a chance to hit, let alone with people on base. 1. Can't say I disagree with the premise of black hole in the bottom of the order killing the team's chances, mind you...BUT Konerko, Valentin, Lee and Jimenez have so many problems of their own, that Crede, Harris and Olivo would have to perform at no less than All-Star level in order to begin compensating for it....not gonna happen! 2. In 2000, Durham and Valentin were not only slugging, but they were getting on base and, more importantly, were high-% baserunners who found ways to reach 2nd base with zero outs and 3rd with 1 out anyway they could...which in turn took pressure off of Hurt and Maggs and put it on opposing pitcher and defense along with making ours sluggers more confortable without fear of having to stay out of GIDP and as a result overswinging less...Then you add the fact that Hurt, Magglio, Lee and especially Kong were simply better , more clutch hitters....and the whole complexion of the game changes dramatically......Perry, Johnson and Singlelton didn't even have to do anything for that team and the latter two sucked without it hurting the club much (it helped that they also played good D. and were not basecloggers like Crede) You simply can't compare the production we've been getting from 1-6 hitters in first half of 2000 versus 1-6 first half of this year...And clutch GIDPs (we lead the league, buddy)make the comparison even worse than RBI/OPS numbers would suggest. When the Sox hitters start doing what they did in the last game in LA-- recognizing the ball early, putting short, mechanically sound swings on pitcher's pitches and absolutely crushing mistakes.....I will be the first person to start yelling in excitement. Until then, pardon me for going the "cup half-empty" route.....And I am the biggest Cub-hater you will ever find