heirdog

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 19, 2006 -> 12:30 PM) You also have to remember that the team would likely be built differently as well. We didn't have Thome last year did we? No, we had Everett and Thomas at DH which is hardly anything that I'd be upset about losing. The fact of the matter is, this pitching staff from top to bottom would absolutely dominate in the National League, there isn't a single staff in the NL that even comes close to the Sox and however the batting order would look, probably with Rowand in CF and Gio/Haigwood in the minors, I am certain this team would absolutely wreck in the NL. If we add caveats and hypothetical scenarios, then there is no point in discussing because anyone can make a scenario fit their argument. I am not talking about last year's team or a team that would have been built differently. The team as it stands today is who I am comparing. The pitching staff edge may go to the Sox over the Mets but a staff led by Pedro and Glavine (how he is pitching this year) and closed by Wagner is no slouch. The hitting edge has to go to the Mets since either Konerko or Thome would have to sit out for us in the NL. If the Mets were in the AL, they could get Milledge or Nady in addition to their thumpers. Bottom line, I think the Sox are the better team because I am biased but you can't say the rankings are way off. As far as last year's team, they dominated the NL in the world series but when you look back you realize they swept a team by winning a nail-biter in game 1, a walk-off 9th inning in game 2, a 14-inning marathon in game 3 and 1-0 game in the clincher. So it was pretty damn close...for a sweep.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 19, 2006 -> 01:47 AM) Wait, I forgot what league do the Mets play in? The Sox would have 50 wins easy if they played in the NL. Are you sure about that? If the Sox played in the NL, Thome would not be a factor (and if he played, then Konerko wouldn't). The fact is the Mets look damn good and are on par with the Sox and Tigers right now and the rankings reflect that.

Division race (although it is still early) is way more important than rubbing salt in the Cubs' wounds. We know the Cubs suck, they know they suck so let's take over first from the Tigers.

Great trade. Just what we needed and didn't really lose much. We have a bunch of flame throwers at the end of our bullpen with Jenks and Thornton...and Cotts to a degree since he pitches up and in very well so Riske will be a nice addition and might make Politte even better with the difference in their fastballs.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ May 18, 2006 -> 12:59 PM) You know, Walker sometimes just drives me nuts. He works with Uribe in 2004, Uribe goes insane. He works with Crede in 05, Crede goes insane, but Uribe and Rowand both fall apart. Works with Crede, but Anderson can't figure things out, and Uribe gets even worse. Somehow he keeps having these hitters just suddenly make massive improvements, but he just can't keep them staying consistent. ARGH! The hitting coach can only do so much. If he helps people figure it out once, then its their responsibility to keep it up with minor tweaks here and there. He has to work with a whole team and so if Uribe performs inconsistently, its because he is an inconsistent hitter...not because the hitting coach is inconsistent. Maybe Uribe will become more consistent but that will take time. Walt Hriniak helped many players figure it out and has influences on many (Frank Thomas) but in the end Thomas was a great hitter that was given minor tweaks here or there by Walt....Walt didn't make him the prolific hitter he was. Again, give Anderson some time. Hopefully, Walker is working with him to shorten up his swing. In his place in the line-up with his speed, I would settle for singles and doubles in the gap, which he can turn into SBs and runs scored. His early count swings are too long as he tries to hit it so hard out of the stadium. His two strike swings are so defensive that he looks like a little leaguer off of the "big kid" that could grow a full mustache at age 11.

'80s: Harold Baines--favorite of all-time. I think it was all those GW RBIs (when they kept the stat) that began the love fest '90s: Frank Thomas--every time he came up to bat you knew something good was going to happen for the Sox '00s: Mark Buehrle--he's just been so consistent and a team leader. I really like how he is so loose off the field and when he is on the mound, he is focused and efficient.

Man, pods looks like he's running in mud. Lucky he got called safe on that steal.

Great win today and I don't mean to sound like a wet blanket but was anyone else curious why Ozzie didn't start Anderson today? He had that great two homer game off Hernandez last year and looked like he really had his number. Also, King Felix is struggling right now so it may have been a nice slump buster game for BA. But then again, the way he is going, he might have gone 0-4 with 4 Ks and what ever shred of confidence he had would have been gone. But Ozzie always plays those statistical matchups so I was suprised that BA didn't get the call.

Got it. Thanks. That clown registered and used the great Sam McKinney's name just to post a rebuttal on an enemy board.

QUOTE(WCSox @ Apr 21, 2006 -> 11:41 AM) Someone should send it to DannyCooksey. Why would Sam McKinney from Diff'rent Strokes be interested in this?

Thome will mash 52 this season and Thomas will hit 18 in an injury shortened season (not the ankle...but will hurt his knee or some other part of his leg compensating for the ankle). So you do the math...Thome will easily pass the Big Hurt.

Give the guy a break...he's had less than 40 ABs this season and already he's the worst blah blah blah. Anderson is pressing right now and maybe we lost one game because of that...highly doubtful since we lost 13-7 and not 3-2. Sure we would have won 18-13 if Anderson had just homered in each of those at-bats when he left the men on base...

I thought he would tear it up right out of the gate because of his extreme confidence and raw skills. After 11 games, something like .412 avg, 2 hr and 7 rbi. And then he would settle into a .289 season avg with 17 hr and 74 rbi. But there is still time to salvage his season...

If our record with Pods in the lineup last year and his playoff performance and subsequent world series title are not enough to prove that we won the pods-caballo trade.... then just wait until el caballo leaves via free agency next year and signs some big deal somewhere else. The only way Milwaukee could possibly win that trade is to win the WS with Caballo this year or trade him before the deadline and get some super stud that leads them to multiple titles in the near future. Also, think of the fact that Viz ate some good innings for us last year (ERA kept coming down after a dismal April...actually that first extra inning game against cleveland when Ozzie left Viz in for 3 or 4 innings because he didn't have anyone left and we lost by 5 runs) and if he wasn't in the vasquez trade then some other more valuable piece like Politte might have been included.

QUOTE(fathom @ Apr 13, 2006 -> 04:06 PM) There's one huge difference between McCarthy and the Cotts/Adkins version of 2004. McCarthy is good, and he has the command/stuff to get MLB hitters out consistently. I can't argue with you there about the talent comparisons. So, you think BMac's talent will help him overcome any fatigue issues in late summer? Cotts improved his skill over that summer and was dominant last year and he was not overused since we had Marte. My concern isn't with talent level but fatigue and BMac while ultra-talented is still fragile looking. Can he pitch in 70 games over a season? If we rely on him this much, he might just break down.

Anyone worried about an inexperienced bullpen guy like BMac getting overused a la Cotts and Adkins in 2004? They were pretty good all season until they just hit a wall in August. Could that happen to BMac pitching multiple innings every other day?

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Apr 13, 2006 -> 03:33 PM) I wonder if the Detroit pitcher is related to the guy who used to sell toupees. If he is, maybe he can get Paulie one. I made that joke earlier about how Iguchi should knock the hairpiece off Cy Spurling...the actual hairclub owner (and client...) is Sy Sperling.

Yes, nice hit Kong

Kong needs an RBI today

Come on Iguchi, knock the hairpiece off Cy Spurling.

Come on Tad, lean into one or take a walk so we can get to Thome....

QUOTE(Felix @ Apr 13, 2006 -> 03:10 PM) Manny Ramirez + David Ortiz Alex Rodriguez + Gary Sheffield (or whoever is hitting 4th there) Sorry, no. Pujols and Rolen Guerrero and Anderson

come on bmac.

I think Garland can get us through one more inning...Come on Ozzie throw him back out there.

Is this the same Seay that didn't sign with the Sox after we picked him in the first round?