RME JICO

Who are your most surprising and disappointing teams this season so far? Obviously it is easy to tag the Sox as the most disappointing, but many preseason predictions had the Sox in 3rd or 4th in the Division, and they are basically right where they were projected. However, I would say the most disappointing team in all of baseball has to be the Cardinals. Last year's World Champions, playing in the NL Central and you are 7 games below .500. The Sox are a close 2nd, followed by the Cubs, Astros, and Blue Jays. For most surprising, it comes down to the Brewers, Mariners, and Diamondbacks. Most predictions had them all well under .500 and near the bottoms of their Divisions, while they all are several games over .500 at this point. For me it has to be the Mariners because they play in the AL, even though they all could be debated pretty easily.

It is hard to say at this point, because the way this current team is constructed, they will never sniff the postseason. However, depending on what KW does in the offseason, this team could be back in the hunt next year. If the Sox resign Buehrle, they will still have a solid pitching staff. The work for KW will be in the OF, bullpen, and left side of the infield.

Did all of our players end up on the Madden cover or something?

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Jun 9, 2007 -> 11:00 AM) what is the suspension for?Arguing with the ump, hitting his bat on homeplate, then throwing his helmet.

We will be 9.0 GB after this game.

We almost lose every game from the bullpen letting up inherited runners.

QUOTE(TheOcho @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 09:25 PM) You know Jose is going to stay in the game for the chance of a lose!fixed.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 11:18 AM) I still think you are wrong. I thought Joe was wrong for not having the surgery last fall, for both the team and his career, I said so at the time, and I've been proven right. I will dispute you on one issue; surgery is not always the last option; it's the last option if you're about to die and you have no other choice. Joe had a finite probability of a disaster with either of the 2 options: surgery or rehab. The team reccommended surgery, and at least the first doctor the team sent him to reccommended surgery. I believe it was the 2nd doctor, reccommended by his agent, who suggested the rehab option. To my eyes, yes, surgery was riskier without taking anything else into account, but when you take into account the fact that he was 2 years away from FA at the time, and the fact that he'd already tried to rehab his back from 05-06 and it wound up really hurting him again at the end of 06, and combine that with the suggestion from the team doctors, then I think the calculation winds up favoring the surgery as the best option, and again, I think I've been proven correct. I am just saying he is not an idiot for that, he just tried the least evasive route medically and it did not work out professionally/financially. I agree with you, he should've had the surgery, I said that back then as well. There were a ton of people calling for the surgery on this board because we all saw how Crede performed with an aching back (Sep 2006). We all were right. Hoorah Beer!

QUOTE(thedoctor @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 11:11 AM) well, at least we'll always have the rally crede.What is your prognosis thedoctor?

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 11:04 AM) I want a real leadoff man, someone who can get on base and avoid the DL. I don't think that's too much to ask. Yeah, I ran out of Poll Options, but leadoff man is definitely something this team needs. Now based off positions alone, what is the highest priority for the Sox?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 11:00 AM) Let me just add... Joe Crede was an idiot for not having the surgery last offseason. Was it a risk for him? Yes. But either way, he'd still have his contract for $5 mil for this season even if things went poorly. He should have rehabbed it the entire offseason, and hopefully come out some time early this season ready to play. If healthy, he might have still had a chance to put up good numbers and actually make himself attractive as a FA or as trade-bait. Joe Crede will be even more of an idiot if he does not have the surgery now. If he has the surgery now, he still at least can come back next season and hopefully play 1 season completely healthy, and thus give himself a chance at that FA contract. This screws over the White Sox unless he comes out on fire early next season, because the Sox won't be able to trade him for anything this offseason because he's coming off back surgery, but at least it gives him a shot of salvaging his career. And Joe Crede is an even bigger idiot if he ever takes the advice of Scott Boras's folk about health issues again. I don't think he was an idiot for not having surgery. That is a huge decision that will affect his entire life, and normally you start with the least evasive way - surgery is the last option, which it seems we are now at. The doctors gave him the options and if they felt that there was no way he would get better, they would've recommended surgery as the only option. Now I agree about Boras. If he was involved in any health decisions, Crede is an idiot.

The article also says he has 2 herniated discs, and I thought I read before that they were degenerative discs. Multiple discs and degeneration is a horrible combination. I believe he will do the disc drainage, rehab and try to come back later this year so salvage an attempt at one last contract. Regardless, once he does this, it will be only a matter of time before the next procedure is needed and time on the DL. So it seems like Crede's time with the Sox is over.

The only positions that seem to be locked in for 2008 are 1B (Konerko), DH Thome, C (Pierzynski), and Closer (Jenks). There are holes or questionmarks in all the other areas, some big, some small. Also, how would you prioritize those acquisitions, and how would you work the moves (trades, FA signings, etc). Just curious to see what everyone thinks is the most critical hole on this team.

QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Jun 7, 2007 -> 12:35 AM) "I feel like I'm watching 9 dead people walking." - Ozzie Guillen He sees dead people.

Now that this injury keeps popping up, there was a good chance that KW couldn't move Crede this offseason anyway. The whole surgery/no surgery thing was very similar to the Bulls and Curry. However, other baseball teams must've felt the risk was too high in Crede's case. Crede's best bet at this point is to have the surgery and become a bench player/defensive replacement. That is probably all his back will be able to handle.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 5, 2007 -> 01:29 PM) The ESPN player's pages have IR/IS statistics in the Miscellaneous Pitching box at the bottom of the stats screen. For example MacDougal has inherited 22 runners this year and only 6 have scored.Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for.

The dude that runs MLBTraderumors is a Cubs fan, FWIW. I don't like projections this early, because there is a huge margin of error. I would wait until the ASB before looking at where teams are at. By that point the Sox should be in 1st.

Does anyone know a site that has stats for inherited runners for relief pitchers?

My request was granted, yes! http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...881&st=700#

QUOTE(rangercal @ Jun 5, 2007 -> 11:41 AM) How did Tiger Make 100 mil in endorsements and Peyton Manning only 13 mil? It seems like Manning is on TV every 2 minutes. Nike has a HUGE deal with Tiger, and so does Buick.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/spec...2007/index.html Only one Chicago athlete makes the list, Ben Wallace at #36. The first Baseball player is Jeter at #8. The Yankees had 6 in the top 50. The NBA has some ridiculous contracts.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 5, 2007 -> 11:05 AM) Running with that, Tada's and Pauly's approaches at the plate looked the best they have been in a long time. They were both looking up the middle on the other way, keeping them on the pitch longer.Yep, that is a very good sign. If they all start taking that approach, this offense is going to heat up quick. Also, Thome hitting the HR off Villone (LHP) was huge, because he normally struggles with that inside fastball.

I would assume the team plans for the current year and the next two (08-09). I think you also need to look at the 08 class as well, because some of those positions could be filled a year early. Crede - most likely replaced by Fields Garland - needs to be extended again, now please Hall - might end up being our starting catcher after 08 AJ - see Hall Thome - likely replaced by Konerko unless he takes a pay cut

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 5, 2007 -> 08:54 AM) Its nice to see the Sox actually hang on and win a game that got looking grimm at the end. Its a step in the right direction. Yeah it was nice to get the win. I hope we can just win one without it being close at the end. I thought Jon going into the 9th would be enough, then the next thing you know the Yanks score 3 and have the tying run at the plate. Ozzie just needs to bring in Jenks there once Garland left. No need to bridge the gap when you are already in the 9th. I did like the lineup shuffle and it looked like Paulie responded pretty well. Hopefully everyone can get going.

Bats starting to heat up.. I like this new batting order.