Milkman delivers

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:52 AM) If our starters continue to have control problems, we could not repeat this year. But to say the Twins will pass us and we'll not make the playoffs when we've won 8 series in a row is a bit silly. The atmosphere here seems like we've been on a extended losing streak. We haven't. The MAJOR difference between this team and the 2002/2003/2004 "slug it out and hope for a win" White Sox teams is we have WON, we know what it takes to win. We also have a veteran, starting staff that knows how to turn it around and a coach that won't let them forget. As I said, I agree with the first paragraph. We have to remember, though, that we're halfway through the year, and some of our starters are still awful. That's scary.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:48 AM) But why shoot for anything else? Because it suits the argument. Let's be honest. We all have the WS as the goal for this year.

QUOTE(valponick @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:48 AM) I'm 100% confident in BA in the outfield and I unlike most Sox fans won't be happy with a .250 average....I would be happy with a .225! That's all I want out of him at the end of the year. I've said that all I want is for Uribe to get up to .250, and he's accomplished that. Now he just needs to keep it there, and anything else is gravy. Anderson's got some serious work to do now, though.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:46 AM) Not even the WORLD SERIES? Boy we are spoiled. Those are the expectations for this year. Sorry if that sounds so ridiculous.

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:43 AM) I think EVERYONE thinks our pitching needs to be better. But when you have the second best record in MLB and you are only one win off last year at this time. It's hard to see the reasoning behind the "We'll be in third place and not make the playoffs" rationale. Well, I have to admit that the idea of finishing in third is a little ridiculous, but it is very plausible that we don't even make it back to the WS if our starters continue to be as bad as they have been. QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:43 AM) If the starting pitching can get close to their potential then I think we are a lock. Without a doubt.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:40 AM) Unless the starting pitching begins to improve I don't like our chances of repeating. And lets face it, the Sox are not known to be a great 2nd half team in recent years. Even in their championship year they dropped off considerably in the 2nd half. Chicken Little

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:36 AM) Then why did you feel the need to throw this into 2 of your posts? He's not trying to bash Anderson. That's his point. He's just discussing his deficiencies at the plate.

QUOTE(zach23 @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:31 AM) Last year's mantra of the bed wetters: "Our pitching is great, but we keep winning only 2-1 and 1-0 and our offense isn't good enough to keep up with the big bad scary Indians. Sooner or later the pitching will fail and we will lose the division to them." This year's mantra of the bed wetters: "Our offense is great, but we keep winning games 10-9 and 11-8 with big comebacks. Our pitching isn't good enough to keep up with the big bad scary Tigers. Sooner or later the hitting will fail and we will lose the division to them." How do some people make it through life? When there is a little adversity or competition do you go running to hide from that too? Maybe the Tigers are the better team, but f*** them, they have to prove it over the long haul first. Come take it if you want it. Fear nobody. If you want to sit and piss your pants right now, then don't brag when the team does win. C'mon. Nobody is saying, "We're gonna lose the division, I'm gonna piss my pants, there's no hope for us." People simply point out what's wrong with the team that should be fixed. Teams don't slug their way to the WS anymore. If we want to win it all again, which we all do and that's the reason we're all concerned, we'll have to get better pitching from our starters.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 11:19 AM) What a crock of s***. There are certain members on this site that spew negativity, and bring a very pessimistic view to most topics(you included) The only reason some think there is no middle ground on Soxtalk is because of people like you, who find ways to rip the team, and when someone refers to a positive aspect(lets say 2005 in general) you make the accusation of being an optimist. I purposely separated myself from the others in my post. I know I'm negative a whole lot more often than almost everyone, that's just how I am. I'm saying you get guys like VAfan who is only pointing out one negative fact, and he gets s*** on. I'm not pretending to be high and mighty. I fully understand that I'm negative/pessimistic, but it's gotten to the point on this site where anyone says something that's negative, and they're suddenly "one of them." The same thing goes for the optimistic ones.

It's also hard to take 12 games as an indicator that he's getting better.

QUOTE(soxpride77 @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 10:59 AM) I don't think VAfan is saying the sky is falling by any means. The truth is, our pitching has been really bad lately. The Tigers don't seem to be going anywhere, luckily they can't really seem to beat us. Just because this team won the World Series doesn't mean teams are going to run away from us. Right now, our offense is taking the focus off of our struggling pitching. Hopefully they can hold this up until the pitching gets on track. "To be blindly optimistic is not to be a Sox fan" You don't understand. There is no middle ground on Soxtalk. You're either completely optimistic 100% of the time in people's eyes, or you're completely negative 100% of the time. I'm very pessimistic admittedly, but a lot of other people catch tons of s*** just for mentioning one negative thing. Then, you get all the people saying they're overreacting or saying the sky is falling.

Yeah, grow some balls all of you pansies that are worried about 2 starters with ERA's over 5, another with a 4.65 ERA and no velocity, and two that have had a terrible June. f***ing pussies.

If Ozzie ever gets asked specifically about why Giambi didn't make the team, I would LOVE if he dropped a hint about steroids. I would f***ing love that.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Jul 3, 2006 -> 09:44 AM) I really dont think this is that hard of a question. Outside of Cliff, the pen has almost been lights out for the last month. I can't imagine Cliff is going to get that many more chances to prove himself, so unless he really starts to turn it on, he is out of the equation. The staff has been on and off all season. There really hasnt been a two or three week period that we have seen all of these guys dominate like they all are capable of. It's troublesome to watch, however we saw a guy like Contreras last year just have a brutal 1st half, then become the best pitcher in baseball for the 2nd half of last season. Guys can turn it around during the season, and I believe it will happen with at least one of our starters, maybe more. We have seen them do it before, and they can do it again. What is a brutal first half? I remember Contreras pitching pretty well for the first few months of last season.

QUOTE(MinnySoxFan @ Jul 2, 2006 -> 11:34 PM) I really don't mean to make my last post sound like a post that says that "if you don't vote for AJ your a pussy like it sounds (and like I said). My bigger point is that last year we (as a fan base - and by that I mean soxtalk) had fire - and it didn't matter whether out player was the best - we wanted our player in the All Star Game and we got him there. It worries me that I don't see the same fire anymore. I want to be able to feel that same insanty that I did when I was reading game threads in the last 20 games of the year last year when everything was ramped up and we were listening to Bonnie Tyler and beleving in the Rally Crede. The second that goes, it all goes. In the same vein I'd hate to lose the insensity that we had for our love for our players that we had last year like when WE voted in AJ. SAUX fans BS. WE voted Pods in last year, we can vote in AJ if we want this year. It's a matter of whether we want to. The choice is up to us. Seriously, we wouldn't have won last year without their vote. We sure as hell put in a great effort, though. That being said, of course I'm voting for AJ. Hell, I voted for Uribe, Anderson, and Pods. We're going to have to do even more work than we did last year to win this for him, though.

Well, even though our offense doesn't seem to need the extra output, you have to make this deal if it doesn't involve McCarthy. Jones will give you stellar defense and smash about 50 homers, which is a ridiculous upgrade. I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty sure our payroll can be raised a little more. It's becoming clearer that we're going to be contenders for a while and people will switch their allegiances. And if we could somehow make this deal involve Smoltz, all the better. All of this, unfortunately, will never happen.

Pods won last year because of Red Sox fans and Soxtalk. We won't have help from any other fans in all of baseball because everyone hates AJ besides us and the Twins, and they'll vote for Liriano. It will be a whole lot tougher this year than last year.

Who are the 5 other contestants that we know about?

Nobody cares. Go cry on your own board where someone might give a s***.

QUOTE(GoTribe @ Jul 2, 2006 -> 07:34 PM) I don't care. Ditto.

I guess I don't understand why a fan of a rival team would come to another team's board and tell them to vote for the former team's player over their own. I'm going over to the message boards of the Indians, Tigers, Twins, and Orioles to tell them why they should vote for AJ. That seems like it should work.

QUOTE(GoTribe @ Jul 2, 2006 -> 07:09 PM) Well I wish everyone the best of luck. I hope my boy Hafner makes it. My buddy and I have voted 50 times already, I got a tally going.. So I am doing all I can to get him in... I want to see him at the Derby.... AJ be a nice addition at catcher, but I don't think we need 3.... thats just me.... Not with our manager. He'd love to have 3. Mauer will probably never see the field with the way he manages.

f*** that, vote for AJ.

QUOTE(JackTalkThai @ Jul 2, 2006 -> 06:57 PM) While that's true, I'd still say that Roy Oswalt (run support excluded) was having a better season than Buehrle. I just think that Garner handled the situation in the manner that I wish MLB would tweak the process in order to ensure happened in the future. Select players that are having a great year this year, not reward players for last year's playoffs. No offense at all because I understand where you're coming from (we really do understand), but we don't give a s***. You might as well stop trying to make this point because we just don't care.

Now this is gonna be tough.