YASNY

Watching you guys throw all these stats at each is interesting and all. However, I know what my eyes tell me and that is that Jose Valentin is one of the most valuable assets on the Sox, day in and day out. This team would be MUCH worse off without Jose. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

It helps to know that we won't be throwing our fifth starter out there during this trip.

I don't know about you, but I kind of enjoy looking at the standings right now.

You can see how this can collectively affect the team. When one of our big 4 are pitching, they feel they have avery good chance to win the game so they subconsciously get up for the game. It's human nature to perform well when you feel good about things. Having said that. the guys need to try and overcome the lethargy they feel when #5 is on the bump. It's not an easy thing to do, but it is the professional thing to do.

The Sox biggest problem the last few years is that they have not been a "team" in the true sense of the word. I believe KW is doing absolutely doing the right thing by getting player input on this situation. Ozzie has this team acting and playing like a team. I can see no point in jeopardizing that for the 25th man on the roster. I hope the guys give Rauch a chance to redeem himself, but if they choose not to, so be it. KW isn't trying to "cover his ass" because he hasn't traded Rauch so there is no transaction to cover his ass on.

I'd venture to guess that Gammon's remark abouyt not winning since 2002 was done kind of tongue-in-cheek.

If Wunsch is not one of the 11 or 12 best pitcher's in the organization, and they have apparently determined that he is not, then he doesn't need to be on the ML roster. No room for sentiment when you have a chance to win.

Well, once again jay moriatti shows his true colors (blue, of course). He can't stand it that the Sox are exceeding the expectations of the preseason prognosticators and his Cubs are struggling against such venerable opponents as the Pittsburg Pirates.

Brando, after reading this thread, it looks like you are willing to overlook 3 years worth of stats in favor of the impression Simon left on you over a period of a few weeks. I mean if this guy is so damn good, why is he on his way out with Pittsburg? Perhaps last year was just a blip, and the real Randall Simon is the guy that accumulated those questionable 3 year stats you referred to.

They can't discredit it too damn much. It's a win against a 1st place team and it still will count in the standings..... Just like all those L's the mighty Pirates put on that other team.

While this incident is cause for concern, I'm going to reserve judgement on Rauch and Williams till the whole thing plays out. I'm sure there is quite a lot of information that hasn't hit the media yet.

It's great to see Uribe getting props here. But hell, how can we talk about all-star 2B without mentioning the amazing Willie Harris?

Johnson is a 5/10 guy and has an ironclad no trade clause. He is alos very happy in Arizona. I don't look for him to be wearing any other uniform any time soon.

It's a shame Kelly's being "treated like s***", but this is all about winning a division. Not sentimentality.

This is case where Ozzie would have been criticized regardless of which way he went. Therefore he did what he felt was best for the long term benefit of the club.

There's nothing wrong with a 113 pitch count for an effective starter, from time to time.

Stay safe over there Nuke. We'll try and bring in a winner for ya while your gone.

He's about about .265 I think. He'll get it up there to between .280 and .300 and maintain it in that range, I believe.

Likewise.

Whew! I'm glad that slump is behind him.

Most of the time, I'm not even awake for the bulk of the game and I couldn't watch it if I was. When I can watch it, I prefer the game thread to java chat. In fact, I prefer most any form of communication to java chat.

I wouldn't mind Livan at all. The fact that he is on 3 contract is a plus in my book. Loaiza could walk after this season and he's "probably" older than Hernandez, to boot. Going into next year with Buehrle, Garland, Schoney, Hernandez and probably Cotts would not be too shabby.

:headshake

It was good to see the 2003 version of ELo again. Maybe this will be the start of a major roll for him.

I'd be willing to bet that professor Cynthia Bogard wouldn't have been so concerned about role models. Odds are she would have lambasted whoever dared taint a commencement with a conservative agendized speech.