spiderman

QUOTE(WhiteSoxLova6 @ Aug 30, 2005 -> 07:31 PM) it's true. the sox havent played as well as they should be playing right now. but i still have faith that they will make it to the playoffs, and i also have faith, even with how they've been playing recently, that they wont make a first round playoff exit. sooner or later it's gonna get knocked in their heads that they need to stop thinking about what people are saying about them and start having fun like they were before the all star break. once they start doing that again, i'm sure that they'll be playing like they use to. plus every team has their ups and downs, no matter what. I sure hope you're right, and maybe in September they can turn it back on - but at what point do we say they're basically a .500 type team that played an unbelieveable first half ?

QUOTE(marsh @ Aug 30, 2005 -> 07:22 PM) The offense has been the weak link to this team since game one. Despite having outstanding pitching, both starting and relief, the first half how many games did we have to win by one or two runs? Plus the defense was outstanding. These guys just aren't goning to hit. If we're going to close out this year strong it's going to be on the backs of the pitching and defense. I think when Thomas was in the lineup, his presense took the pressure off of others, and moved everyone down in the lineup...Sure, Thomas wasn't hitting for average, but his home runs were a big contribution. I do think you're exactly right - we're going to have to win games without the benefit of much hitting.

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Aug 30, 2005 -> 07:19 PM) How long before someone calls this guy an asshole and tells him he isn't a fan? Everyone knows my stance on this, no point in saying it again. I take it that you agree that not everything is perfect right now in White Sox land.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Aug 30, 2005 -> 07:15 PM) All points you listed are valid. Although I'm still worried about our dwindling lead in this division, suggesting they're done will only lead people to immediately discredit your opinion. Some can't accept the possibility this team may be a part of the largest regular season choke in MLB history. Or even that this team's offense is poorly assembled and would be lucky to escape the 1st round of the playoffs. By done, I mean that while they should still win the division (and even that is starting to look a little murky), they just don't have the team that's going to get past the Yankees/Red Sox/Angels/A's in Round 1.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Aug 30, 2005 -> 07:07 PM) I disagree. Why ?

I thin it's becoming obvios that the White Sox played over their heads in the first half of the season. In the 2nd half, I think a couple points have been solidified, and I'd like to see what White Sox fans here think: 1) I know the price tag is high, and other teams haven't made significant moves, but Kenny Williams needs to do something to upgrade this lineup - even if just gives Ozzie Guillen another bat off the bench, anything! I realize Dmitri Young (or someone similar to him) isn't going to carry a ballclub, but he could be a contributor - right now, playing non-hitters like Geoff Blum, Juan Uribe, Timo Perez, Joe Crede, etc. from basically 6-9, 7-9 in the lineup regularly puts a lot of pressure on the top 6 hitters to do score most/all of the runs, and those guys aren't the type of players capable of doing that. 2) As we stand, the offense is pathetic. They do not have a #3 hitter in the lineup, and most of the hitters are #6 or #7 hitters (Dye, Everett, Rowand, Pierzyinski) in a good lineup. They don't usually put up more than a few runs in a game, putting tremendous pressure on the pitching staff to overcome the lack of run production. 3) Mark Buerhle is not an ace - he is a good pitcher, but no more than #2 on a pitching staff. 4) Jon Garland is pitching how he did last season in the 2nd half. Not consistent at all. 5) Freddy Garcia is the same pitcher he's been over his career - he seems to rise up/down according to his competition. 6) The White Sox need to make a decision about their closer - Hermanson should have the job, but he obviously isn't healthy. The bullpen has pitched well, but down the stretch I think you have to either go with him, or DL him and hope the team makes the playoffs and gets him back healthier OR go with Bobby Jenks down the stretch. 7) With all that, the problem isn't the pitching - yes, it has been uneven, but it can't be expected to win every game 3-2, 4-3. It has not been very often that the White Sox have won comfortably. - I'm not even sure the White Sox make the playoffs anymore. Sure, they still have a 6.5 game lead, and things could be even worse, but this team doesn't have an ace, is getting up and down performances for Garland, and has a closer who's injured, and haven't been depending on as much. The hitting is just not getting the job done, end of story. If they do make the playoffs, I see a first round, playoff exit. -- Feel free to offer your thoughts/commentary vs. my points, and let me add two more points - I don't think I'm overreacting - this has been going now for about 50 games, and, lastly, I'm a big White Sox fan, and watching this fall apart is really disappointing. Looking forward to good discussion.

Who is starting the 1st game for the White Sox ?

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 26, 2005 -> 10:50 AM) Unless you're the Pirates Sweeney probably won't be traded to the White Sox because of the contract, but I don't believe that teams with such low payrolls - like the Royals - would NOT trade with the White Sox if they could work things out. The Pirates have made it a tradition.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Aug 25, 2005 -> 12:29 PM) Isn't Giles a UFA after this season? Maybe they know they won't resign him and just want something in return. That would make sense, and sounds similar to what the Marlins were trying to do with Burnett for awhile, but it would have to depend on who they wanted back on our roster, plus who clears waivers.

Why would the Padres, currently up in the division by 6 games, trade one of their few offensive weapons ? Plus, if they were open to trading him, wouldn't they want major league talent back ?

QUOTE(THEWOOD @ Aug 25, 2005 -> 09:17 AM) i still believe they will get 100 wins....i think after watching last nights game they are going on a streak If we get 100 wins, we win the division by double-digits. Just like the magic number right now is 30, I think win total of 95 should get us the division.

White Sox are now 76-47, Cleveland now has to go 25-10 and Minnesota 28-8 to reach 95 wins, the total wins I see the White Sox getting.

As of August 23rd, we're 75-47. Here's how I see the remaining schedule: September: I think we should be ok in September - we play KC 6 times and Detroit 8 times - if we go 9-5 in those 14, prettty reasonable I think, and 7-8 in 15 vs. Cleveland/Minnesota/Anaheim, that puts us at 16-13 for September, and gives us 91 wins plus whatever we can must up the remaining of the month.... August We have 2 at Minny, 4 at Texas (1 double-header), and 3 at Seattle Having no offense, I think the best we can do is 4-5, 5-4....Let's the worst case scenario in my logic, 4-5. If we go 4-5 the remaining games, that's 95 wins for the season - which should get us into the playoffs. Cleveland has 36 games left - to get to 95 wins, they'd have to go 25-11 Minnesota has 37 games left - to get to 95 wins, they'd have to go 28-9 Of course, the one factor that can change everything is H2H matchups - the Sox play Minny 8 more times, Cleveland 6 - losing a large percentage of those 14 games would change everything, but going .500 in those games, would almost ensure the division title for the White Sox. Edit to include that from this point on, I think the White Sox will finish with a 20-18 record. *** Cleveland Schedule - it is possible to go 25-11 with this schedule - but improbable, they have 18 of 36 vs. respectable teams (Toronto, White Sox, Twins, A's)....: August 24th-25th: @TB August 26th-28th: @Toronto September 12th-14th: vs. Oakland September 27th-29th: vs. TB -6 remaining vs. White Sox -6 remaining vs. Twins -6 remaining vs. Tigers -7 remainnig vs. Royals Minnesota Schedule - nearly impossible to go 28-9 (Texas isn't that good but they can still outscore you at times, plus 17 vs. respectable teams - White Sox, Indians, A's) August 26th-28th: @Texas September 5th-7th: vs. Texas September 19th-21st: @ Oakland - 6 remaining vs. Tigers - 8 remaining vs. White Sox - 7 remaining vs. Royals - 6 remaining vs. Indians

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Aug 23, 2005 -> 03:46 PM) I think adding Ray is wishful thinking. He's not been the subject of any trade talk for a long while now. Plus using him at DH in place of Everett after all Carl's contributed this year is a chemistry cracker. It's that time of the season where you can still earn a win but can't remove a loss. In the loss column we are 12 up on the Twins & 10 up on the Injuns. That's still a sizeable lead. If the White Sox go 20-20, will the Twins go 32-8, will Cle go 30-10? That's what it would take to catch us. The pitching & defense on this team is simply too good for that to happen. I expect Sept callups to give us the pop in the offense we need to finish strong. Sep: 04 17-12, 03 13 12, 02 16-11, 01 14-9, 00 16-12 We've not had a losing record in Sep in the past 5 yrs. I don't see that changing this year. What call-ups do you see giving us an offensive boost ?

QUOTE(Yeast Confection @ Aug 22, 2005 -> 10:16 PM) Ray's numbers are a little skewed by the stadium he plays in (880 OPS away vs. 725 home), but they're still rock-solid - and I happen to be a fan of the OBP/speed/gap-hitting combo more so than of the HR monsters whose inflated slugging makes for "Sexy" regular season OPS but who invariably end up getting eaten alive by good pitchers in high-pressure games. While he's refreshingly kuh-razy, I am not a huge fan of Jurrasique's on-field contribution; he comes off the books after this season, anyway. Made 4 Mill. Assuming Giants pick up some dough in exchange for good-but-not-great prospects, that's as almost as much as Ray will cost next season. LF Podsednik DH Durham 2B Iguchi (may be comfortable enough with MLB pitchers to drive the ball by '06) Ray was always liked by the fans and he can give the team the kind of production it needs the most - he's even cut down on the strike-outs since his Sox days... The only problem was we couldn't afford him beyond 2002, but now with his age, lack of position in NL and Giants sucking bad, that may change. Why all the Ray Durham talk ? Is there a possibility he ends up here ? Has he cleared waivers ? If so, it would be an upgrade - anything really would including guys like Dmitri Young. Our offense is tanking big time, and isn't as bad as it's playing, but even in good form is hardly a juggernaut. I like the idea of adding another veteran hitter, even if he isn't an all-star, just to give Ozzie more options.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 17, 2005 -> 09:58 PM) When you're feeling down, just think of this: We're 11 games up! I know it feels like we've lost 50 games in a row, but I guarantee you that before the season, you would have done anything to have an 11 game lead on 8/17. I can appreciate what you're saying - I do know that we've had a great season up until right about the all-star break, but we're now 17-18 in our last 35 games. When does this become a trend ?

Just a quick thought.... A day off couldn't come at a better time.

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Aug 17, 2005 -> 10:43 AM) It looks like the guys that helped get us the 75 wins are the guys who are going to have to get it done in the post-season. Or is it possible to focus on a lesser player (with less to give up) who may have cleared waivers ? Just asking, but has anyone heard of a few less popular/big $$ players who have gotten through waivers? I'm sure Kenny Williams is exploring every possible player who's cleared waivers. Anyone we're overlooking while focusing on Griffey ?

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Aug 17, 2005 -> 10:14 AM) First off you don't just put him on the list. You call the GM's first & get agreement from those teams that can claim before the Reds. A refusal to agree would not only spoil trade relations but it could also come back & haunt that non-contender. Say a few years down the road that team reverses roles with either the CWS or the Reds. The Reds or CWS would then be inclined to return the favor. Secondly if a non-contender did decide to play the spoiler (even after giving their word not to) you can always pull the player back. The only risk is that you get a one shot deal involving that player. I think we're on our last breath with this Griffey trade.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 14, 2005 -> 11:42 PM) We just had a series where he batted Timo as our DH the entire time. I think that speaks volumes about what he intends to do. When Timo Perez is your first option for DH for the Yank series. Yeah, but wasn't Carl Everett out with the groin injury ? The Sox don't have a very good hitting bench so it isn't going to be pretty if we're using our bench players as regulars.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 14, 2005 -> 11:31 PM) I think he will go one of two ways. He will either bring Harris up and plunk him into Pods spot and think for whatever reason that Wee Willie can hit and get on base and steal. Or he will go with his girlfriend Timo and play him. I dont think there will be any Platoons. Ozzie goes with guys, especially after Timo had two hits in todays rainout. This justifies him starting for the entire DL session by Ozzies thought process. I think he'll go platoon because neither is going to hit .400 (or even .250 probably), meaning he'll try to get them favorable matchups.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 14, 2005 -> 11:23 PM) If by platoon you mean bat Timo as much as possible and give Harris a shot here and there to relieve Ozzies girlfriend Timo. That is the only platoon that Ozzie has in mind. By platoon, I mean Harris/Perez/Ozuna will all get some time out there - unless one of them gets real hot at the plate, I think Guillen will just go by matchups.

QUOTE(White Sox Josh @ Aug 14, 2005 -> 11:01 PM) i do sort of get tired of Bruce doing that. Sometimes he will just kiss the players ass that it is painful to listen to. For example he kept on kissing Garland's ass when he was strugglig and it sort of pissed me off. Good point on Garland! I also get sick of Levine (and other ESPN Reporters like Stark and Olney) defending the stats of known steriod users....

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 14, 2005 -> 10:49 PM) That's going to make me sleep better at night :headshake Didn't say that this option is any better, but I believe Guillen will make LF a platoon position until Pods is healthy.

QUOTE(ScottPodRulez22 @ Aug 14, 2005 -> 10:51 PM) I do agree that ofman and the score are bad but there better then bruce IMO I think both Offman/Levine know and understand the game, but I think Levine has too much man-love for the players, and both tend to 2nd-hand report rumors like they came up with it.