Milkman delivers

Oh, I figured it out. We WANT to lose.

If I'm going to give Widger spiff, then I better give it to Ozuna, too. He's been terrible since he injured himself.

Someone please, give me a reason that Chris Widger is on this team.

Looks like they wanna get back to Chicago as fast as they can.

Nice snag by Contreras there. Let's try to see more than 6 pitches this inning, eh?

QUOTE(JimH @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:10 PM) So every time Contreras makes a mistake today it's Widger's fault right? Just wanted to toe the party line here in the game thread. Or, you know, whoever isn't perfect. Got it. Nope, just the ones that are grossly underachieving.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:06 PM) Ummm, no, Podsednik doesn't do much for me vs. Rogers, I think Ozuna has a better chance because his swing is shorter. We'll see what happens with Widger, I realize he is SoxTalk's current whipping boy and it is what it is, so not much sense discussing it. Personally I wanted to see Pierzynski in there today primarily because he's been so awful at the plate this series and he's so competitive that I feel he'd make something happen. Along with Garcia, Vazquez, Buehrle, and Pods. Or, you know, the guys who aren't doing their jobs. QUOTE(winninguglyin83 @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:05 PM) in defense of ozzie, AJ can't play 140 games. his bat looked slow last night as he grounded out to second softly several times. unless they bring Stewart up from Charlotte (highly unlikely), we're going to have to live with Widgie once a week. Once a series. It's not just once a week, which wouldn't be as bad.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 11:48 AM) That's pretty much my dream scenerio, if that were to go down I'd feel so much better about this team's chances down the stretch and in the playoffs. Oh yeah, that scenario is good that it's completely sure not to happen. That's the bad part. Nothing ever comes together that perfectly.

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 11:13 AM) So you want Mack or Ozuna to start and the White Sox make no moves or put Fields in LF? Because if Fields, as so many want, is in LF next year...I ask again...who hits leadoff? For this year, I believe Mack/Ozuna will perform much better than Pods. I'd like them to make a move, but I'm not exactly sure what you're asking. What I'm worried about is this year, and Mack/Ozuna is better than Pods this year.

WHY CAN'T OZZIE JUST START THE REGULARS FOR THREE STRAIGHT GAMES AGAINST THE TEAM THAT IS BEATING US FOR THE DIVISION?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?1?1/1??! There, that feels better.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 11:31 AM) Thank god we are resting AJ for the royals series down the road. Posada played all 3 games against us in NY, and now it seems that IRod is playing all 3 games. This is a big series, and we keep playing subs like we are sititng on a 15 game lead. But our players will be rested for the playoffs. Let's just hope they'll have a reason to need to be rested.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 11:24 AM) How will this fix Garcia? For as bad as Vazquez has been, Garcia has been even worse. If the Sox are going to only replace one starter I would much rather it be Freddy, the guy has no chance of succeeding with no out pitch. Atleast Vazquez has his stuff so there's a chance he can go out there and give you 5 innings of pretty good ball. Garcia, I don't think is even capable of that. Exactly what I think, though I wouldn't cry if either one is traded. I wish they would do what someone said in trade winds. Trade Garcia for Heilman and a prospect, trade Fields for Linebrink, and then let McCarthy start while Heilman can be the swingman in the pen. QUOTE(LVSoxFan @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 11:29 AM) I keep waiting for that to happen with Javy. Keep waiting like the 2 other organizations that have had him the last few years before us. He's 30, he's not changing.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 10:49 AM) I dont understand why everyone has a boner for picking up relief help. Our bullpen is not the issue at all. The back end of it is strong, and Riske was solidified the middle. Not to mention bullpen pitchers are probably the most fickle and overrated players in the game of baseball. Look at Cliff Polite, how much would someone have paid for him last year. Now he is spiff. It makes no sense. I think a lot of us want bullpen help because we want to take McCarthy out of the pen and throw him into the rotation to replace Garcia/Vazquez. So, we'd then have a hole in the pen. QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 10:44 AM) Love the sig milkman. Ditto.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 10:44 AM) Hawk and DJ were pretty much letting Vazquez have it for his pitching style last night, and that was while he was cruising. Shockingly to me, they have slammed Vazquez and Garcia in the past several days, and I'm glad the sugarcoating is OVA. I'm to the point where I can't stand seeing him on the mound. The White Sox generally score a lot of runs when he's pitching however. A lot of times I do yard work or take care of the pool while we're on defense and Vazquez is pitching. I really cannot stand to watch him.

I've been saying for a while to give Mackowiak a chance out in LF with Ozuna platooning with him sparingly. If we can get another OFer that is capable of playing a good CF, then go for it. If not, Anderson has already had a lot of time off this year and it won't hurt him much to play out there almost everyday with Mack giving him a break once in a while (he just plays way too much at this point in CF, it's like once a series).

This scenario is perfect in theory. It really seems like a perfect answer. The only problem is that the organization will never pay him the money they do to be a mop-up guy/reliever.

I doubt we'll make a move. Unfortunately, we don't have a 15-game lead on the division this year.

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 08:59 AM) Who would hit leadoff for us? So many of you are complaining that this team resembles the 2002-2003-2004 team of sluggers and no small ball. But yet so many want Pods gone and Fields/other LF to replace him. So I ask again...who hits leadoff then? Mackowiak with Ozuna giving him a break every so often.

QUOTE(Jake @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 10:10 AM) Yeah, I haven't noticed a supreme lack of backbone, I've just seen a lot of bad pitches thrown. Seems like a lot of his problems hang from his shoulder. The lack of backbone comes from the fact that he's scared of the bat. He tries to be too perfect with his pitches. He'll start off a hitter with a bunch of pitches that just miss the zone because he's trying to avoid contact, then he's in a hole and has to work out of it. And then when he actually gets ahead of a hitter, he throws the wrong pitch again. He's just f***ed either way.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 09:47 AM) It amazes me the conversations that happen in here about Ozzie's use of subs. Yeah, I'd say Anderson should see a little more time, now that he is hitting. But as we saw last year, and are seeing this year, one of the reasons Ozzie's teams do so well is that he gives his guys some rest AND gives his bench enough playing time to be good. And yet, people seem to so easily forget that, and then blame a loss on the fact that Mack or Cintron or Ozuna are in the lineup. I mean, those guys are all good hitters anyway. But besides that, in case no one noticed, that hasn't been our problem. Starting pitching, starting pitching and starting pitching are the problem. And as for pulling Javy after 4 or 5 innings as soon as he gives up a hit... I can't believe people would consider that. If Vazquez can't ever last 6 innings, and/or can't survive an inning once he gives up a run, then he shouldn't be starting at all. Thats at least a logical argument to make. But until he is traded or replaced, he needs to be treated like a starter, or he'll never get any better. to having a long term perspective! Ha, he's had about 10 years of ML experience to "get better." It clearly ain't happening. And about the subs, this series is huge by Ozzie's own admission. It wouldn't kill the starters to play 3 straight games after an off day and a few days after the all-star break.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 09:50 AM) The only thing that is unlucky about Vazquez is that we are unlucky to have someone with such talent and the backbone of a 5 year old. Good pitchers man up, and try to get the guy out, they pick up their team. Vazquez folds like a cheap tent the minute something doesnt go his way. There is a reason this guy has been on 4 teams in just as many years. And hopefully somehow at the end of the year, it'll be 5 teams in 5 years. I'd love to get rid of him and Garcia.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 09:39 AM) I suspect we shall see Widger. I just wonder what other members of group 4 are making it out on the field today. A must win series, so lets rest some of our starters. Because Ozzie is matchup happy. Maybe Widger can hit the ball out of the infield today. Instead of doing his popup, groundout, strikeout routine. I'd settle for a decently-called game.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:40 AM) Everytime I see Ozzie put Mack out in CF I ask myself doesnt he pride himself in having a good defensive team out there, for that is what he preaches. Then I close my eyes and remember that he had to get certain players into the lineup last year no matter how they didnt fit defensively. Timo at 1st base, Timo the DH, Timo Insert OF spot. So as much as we see Mack in center and it gives us pains, this is the same Coach who put Timo at 1st. Play the A team Ozzie. You can play the Sunday lineup against the royals. These lineup changes are more frustrating than Manuels sunday lineup. At least that was only once a week. I said this in another thread, but I'll say it again. Ozzie said this series was big, yet he decided to play two utility players in the second game? I can see him doing it in the third game if we're going for the sweep, but not in the second game when we have that meltdown-waiting-to-happen pitching. Plus, Mackowiak misplayed a ball which led to runs, as he does every single game he starts in CF. QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 12:44 AM) If Ozzie really wants to get Mack in the pen, why can't he stick him in LF in place of Podsednik every once in awhile? Did Mack not play leadoff during spring training? The guy has an incredibly high OBP and some good speed along with excellent defense in LF coupled with his above average arm. Seems like a good fit to me. What has changed between Spring Training and now? I've been suggesting this for a while. I really see very few negative aspects to it. QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 08:28 AM) From Trib: Going into this game, opponents were hitting .228 against Vazquez in their first two times through the batting order, .361 thereafter. Why doesn't our manager and coaching staff realize this? Are their heads buried in sand? They should have a guy start warming whenever Vazquez sees the batters for a 3rd time in a game. I am so very confident that Vazquez will never become a good pitcher. The best we can hope for is for him to be average. He's just clearly never made the adjustment he needs to make. He's 30-years-old and he still makes the mistakes of a rookie. I imagine that if he had the brain of a retarded monkey, he'd pitch roughly the same as he does now. He's the definition of a thrower as opposed to a pitcher. If he gets an 0-2 on any hitter, you can expect a poorly placed fastball or a hanging curveball right down main street. If a batter gets on base due to a poor call by an ump, an error/mistake by a defender, or by a flukey hit, you can bet your ass he's going to give up about 5 more runs in that inning.

Contreras, please dig us out of the hole that Vazquez put us in. We need to win this series.

QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 03:55 AM) Ozzie loves his matchups and can't stand to send AJ out there vs. Kenny. It's like he has this magic pair of blinders that only lets him see his righties when a southpaw is on the hill and vice versa. What I really can't stand is that Ozzie said himself that the Tiger series was a big one, yet he threw two utility players into the lineup in only the second game. And of course, Mackowiak misplayed a ball that ended up hurting us, as he does every single game he starts in CF.