IlliniKrush

I don't really buy the whole rookie mistake argument. To a degree maybe...but when fans notice something that obviously should be done and it doesn't happen (pinch running for konerko), that's not something that can be chalked up to being a new manager. That's just knowing the game and the situation.

Well, while the Yankees getting Weaver defeats the whole purpose of the draft, that's not our fault and doesn't mean we should take him so the draft has "meaning." But it hits on a great point. MLB has to step in and do something. I know that may be easier said than done, but if the worst teams can't get the best players in the draft, the competitive balance of the league gets destroyed. I mean, it's such a simple concept. When lesser teams can't sign DRAFT PICKS because of money, you have a problem on your hands. How bizarre does this statement sound: "While Player A is the consensus best player in the draft, Team 1 cannot draft him because they cannot afford to sign him (or take the risk)."

I think there are enough options you can try as closer in order to find something that will work, even if something Ozzie tries fails off the bat. I understand your point, but i think at this point he's shown he simply cannot handle the job for a playoff contending team. Perhaps some people are looking back on yesterday and saying "it's only one game", etc, and saying they overreacted. But it's the day after and haven't changed my stance on Koch one bit. I truly think he's done as a closer for this ballclub.

Ya, i figured it'd be easier on all of our eyes. And anna benson....WOW.

I noticed this as well. When he wasn't pinch run for initially, i figured Ozzie was waiting for him to get on 2nd base. Then he barely got thrown out. The thing is moves that aren't made sometimes go unnoticed as long as you ended up winning the game. While we're at it, what did you guys think of intentionally walking Edgar with a 1-2 count to load the bases? At that point you have the double play in order (but a quicker guy at the plate), and an 0-0 count. You could have hoped for a K from Koch with him ahead in the count...but then again Edgar has excellent bat control and may have been able to hit a SAC fly. I don't really know how i feel on that one, i think it was a tough call to make.

You don't think the Yankees would take him?

Reed involved in a Benson trade? No way in hell Besides, i hope KW shoots higher than that, Benson would be an actual "5th starter"

I don't think i'd be a big fan of handing Weaver 10.5 mil (or whatever it is he wants) when he has yet to pitch an inning in the majors.

Balco+Coors Field = Ball goes real real far

JACK.....ENGRAM!!!! Too bad i had to ump, i missed it

Though rooting for Tampa, i was pissed at first about the no call on that goal. I felt that it was a huge injustice. After the replay guys said they were perfectly fine saying it didn't get over the goal line, i was fine with it. That works. It wasn't kicked in as some of you have pointed out; it was a stopping motion. It would have (or should have) counted if they ruled the puck went in. I also remember Jagr dancing around 3 Hawks in game one, and i was at game 4 and saw the cup. Penguins skating around on Stadium ice holding the cup - most painful sight these eyes have seen

LMAO

It won't happen...but i'd like to take a minue to imagine what U.S. Cellular would look like on Tuesday if Koch entered the game in the 9th inning. John Rocker esque entrance?

If you missed the post in an earlier thread, i didn't make the name because i liked Koch. I thought he'd be a badass closer, and i needed to make up a name for this board quickly so i could start posting. So i used our big name acquisition in my handle (feb 2003). I have never defended him on here, period. In fact, i don't like Koch at all and haven't since may of last year.

This whole argument is by the wayside by now. You "have" to give a guy a shot initially because of the money he's making. By this point, the money makes no difference. He could be making 30 million a year right now, that doesn't mean he should still be closing. Eat your losses now and get him out of there. You aren't fooling anyone. We already realize he's a waste of money; how bout he becomes a waste of money that doesn't cost us games anymore.

Koch is garbage Anyone who supports this guy is out of their mind, period 4 stolen bases allowed in the last inning? f***ing ridiculous Sox aren't winning anything with this guy as their closer, i've seen enough.

Just remember there is a fine line between aggressive and stupid...

June 6, 2004 Quickly now, how many more regular-season games have the Cubs won than the White Sox in the last two seasons? The answer, entering the weekend, was zero. Chicago's major-league teams had compiled identical 115-98 records, yet you would have a hard time proving it by the recognition they have received. The Cubs are celebrated with rare innocence; the White Sox are under constant scrutiny, never seeming to deliver enough. It's the one time of year when the White Sox are reminded about their consistent competitiveness, like it or not. Monday's major-league draft will be the 14th in a row in which the Sox do not pick in the top 10. That's because they haven't finished among the five worst teams in their league since 1989. No other team in the majors has gone so long without an awful season—not the Yankees, not the Braves. The Cubs have had seven top-10 draft picks since the White Sox last qualified for one (Alex Fernandez, fourth pick, 1990). Given their middle-of-the-road resources, it is a tribute to the scouting staff and the skills of their general managers (Ron Schueler and Ken Williams) that the Sox have finished at .500 or better in 10 of the last 14 seasons, never losing more than 86 games. But that ability to be decent, at worst, may have contributed to their inability to win big. Although the influx of Latin-American free agents makes baseball different from sports such as professional football and basketball, the top of the draft is still the best place to find stars. It will be much more difficult for the White Sox to land an impact player at the 18th spot, where they select, than it would be if they had one of the first 10 picks. Consider the Oakland Athletics. There's no way they would be winning 100 games a year if they didn't have Mark Mulder, Barry Zito and Eric Chavez. They wouldn't have landed them if they weren't picking 10th in 1996 (Chavez), second in '98 (Mulder) and ninth in '99 (Zito). Where would the Yankees have been in the last decade if they didn't have Derek Jeter? They got him with the sixth pick in 1992. And how average of a team would the Cubs be without Kerry Wood (fourth pick, '95) and Mark Prior (second pick, 2001)? High draft picks don't ensure success, of course. Kansas City has had 10 of them in the last 14 years, yet hasn't produced a better player from that group than Michael Tucker. Minnesota has had eight. Todd Walker was the best player from that group before 2001 pick Joe Mauer came along. Detroit (eight), Pittsburgh (seven) and San Diego (seven) also have gone through a flurry of recent top-10 picks without landing a single star. Florida missed on its share but landed Josh Beckett (and a future World Series championship) with the second pick in 1999. Neither Chicago team figures to land any of the bigger name players in Monday's draft—those being Long Beach State right-hander Jered Weaver, Florida State shortstop Stephen Drew and Rice pitchers Jeff Niemann, Phil Humber and Wade Townsend. The Cubs' first pick is No. 66 because they lost their first-rounder for signing free agent LaTroy Hawkins. The Sox, at least, can try to build strength through numbers. They have six of the first 69 picks, getting both supplemental picks and extra second-round picks for the loss of free agents Bartolo Colon and Tom Gordon. The challenge with that many picks is to pay them all.

I'd be a wreck watching the Hawks in game one of the stanley cup finals, let alone a game 7. I was a wreck 2 years ago when we played st louis in a FIRST ROUND series. Speaking of which.... (martin) ST LOUISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS ST LOUISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS ST LOUISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Wicked sweet game against us this year..

The numbers don't lie...but if you referring to me because i said it, i never said a word about Uggie...or anything about Koch in that whole post. I'm just simply saying look beyond save/save opp ratio, that's all.

All they have to do is go to Hawkins

Well at least Sammy would come back the next day and hit a 3 run HR, whereas Patterson will get one hit if he's real lucky that day.

For the record, i'm an ND and Illini football fan, because i grew up with ND football. Bball, only Illini.