Greg Hibbard

Guys, very good baseball teams go through periods of every season where they inexpicably struggle.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 01:48 PM) We're not playing National League teams anymore. There's not a baseball expert alive who's watched our series vs the Red Sox and Yankees and thought we were a better team. The scary thing is that we've had our 2 best guys face both teams in the 5 games so far. There wasn't a scout who picked the White Sox to even win a single series in the postseason last year on October 1st. And yet here we are. Let's stop projecting, shall we?

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 01:33 PM) Trust me, I don't agree with what I said, but it's the reality of how baseball works. There's been way too much talk about how this is the greatest rotation in history. The whole Vazquez trade has really been a disaster so far. I agree with the fact that the trade has been a disaster, but I don't buy into the whole "rotation is s***" argument anyway. A little surface level research: Boston's rotation: Beckett 5.12 ERA, Clement 6.61 ERA and injured, Schilling 3.60 ERA, Wells 8.64 ERA and injured, Wakefield, 4.05 ERA and DTD, and Lester 2.89 ERA and no experience. I'm not liking their rotation long term over ours. It is completely relying upon Lester continuing to be spectacular. NYY's rotation: Johnson 5.06 ERA, Mussina 3.23 ERA, Chacon 6.71 ERA, Wang 4.00 ERA, Wright 4.05 ERA. Johnson has basically been as bad as Vazquez, Chacon has been terrible. Wang and Wright have both been servicable. Detroit has a great rotation, but Rogers is complete s*** in the second half and Verlander doesn't have enough innings to keep this up. His arm will go dead. Those two things are bound to send this team into a tailspin. In short, nobody has a great rotation who we'd be facing in the playoffs. Honestly guys, did you think we were going to go cruising along winning EVERY SINGLE SERIES without having serious roadbump again? This stretch for us is brutal with Bos, NYY, Det, and I am likening it to last season's mid-August stretch. Let's just get through it, salvage some games where we can, and get back to gaining our confidence back with a relatively easy last part of the month and august schedule.

economically speaking, a sunk cost is unrecoverable in other words, I couldn't disagree with fathom more

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 01:23 PM) You can't possibly think the offense is going to be able to keep their pace up do you? The pitching needs to step up, and it may be too much to ask. They are either tired or injured or both. Yeah, but all last year the argument was "wait until our offense finally starts hitting their career averages" and I'm tempted to say the same thing this year. It just cannot continue to be this bad. We are in a stretch right now of really tough games, sort of like mid-august last year, and I expected there to be a serious slump somewhere.

Buehrle needs to get his f***ing s*** together.

that was a strike, guys.

gah at least we are getting a pitchcount on this guy

Steal home!

Just 1 run. I'll take it.

let's see if we can get through the first inning before we decide the Sox should forfeit

QUOTE(Felix @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 12:41 PM) He dropped a pitch, allowing Damon to take second. Oh, okay

QUOTE(Brian @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 12:39 PM) Catch the ball, AJ. ?????

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 15, 2006 -> 12:36 PM) I have to say though, it was another amazing at-bat by our leadoff hitter. I almost posted this exact sentiment

Let's clobber these jerks

QUOTE(quickman @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 08:36 PM) you mean they won't s*** on themselves in august. please. They need a trade. You ahve to beat good teams to be considered good. Let's see if you can follow this. 1) go to the white sox season schedule for 2005 2) calculate their win/loss record during the regular season against boston and new york (I'll give you a hint - it was 5-7) 3) stop overreacting and act like you've been there before as a fan, because we have

QUOTE(quickman @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 08:30 PM) lets hope detriot wins, we cannot hang with the big boys see White Sox schedule, circa mid August 2005.

Cotts coming in

YES!

1-2-3. Say it with me guys,

guys don't forget that MLB Extra Innings is free this weekend

I like our chances tonight, boys

strike zone is f***ing ginormous

QUOTE(valponick @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 05:46 PM) ERA is an overrated stat. No we aren't talking about their careers, the OP was talking about this year. When it comes to comparing relievers, I totally agree that ERA is an overrated stat because IRS comes into play so damned much Starters, on the other hand....ERA is not overrated in my book. In fact, I would venture to say it's the second most important stat after WHIP.

QUOTE(valponick @ Jul 14, 2006 -> 05:29 PM) I disagree, the numbers of an "ace" and a #5 shouldn't be so similar. Vazquez spent many years pitching in the National League, guys.