LVSoxFan

I'm not trying to accuse Ozzie or Jose but the fact remains that all of a sudden Jose is only throwing sidearm, and that to me is just odd.

QUOTE(mreye @ Aug 31, 2006 -> 09:01 AM) Bingo!! I see your bingo and raise ya one... Meaning: east of the Ryan? Seems like a GOLDMINE to me. If I had money I'd open a place there. That place SCREAMS to be the new Wrigleyville.

I saw this on the news this morning and was shocked. Jimbo's is a dump, but it's our dump. That said, let me save all the do-gooders here some time: forget it. Jimbo's is history. The landlord is totally connected (city-wise) and there is absolutely no way Jimbo's is going to survive. This reminds me of what happened to CBGBs in New York--unfortunately, sentimentality is trumped by reality. Get into Jimbo's this month, enjoy it, and say goodbye. It's a goner. Maybe they'll open a new place, maybe not. But what a focking shame that there will no longer be a Sox bar just outside the park. Now THAT is criminal.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Aug 30, 2006 -> 03:14 PM) 7 eastern. I just IM'd my Detroit friend and she stated the obvious: the TV schedule. The 7:05 game was scheduled for TV--they're not going to lose the ad revenue by covering it mid-day.

Sort of retreading things here but thought it was worth discussing at length. Does anybody here at Soxtalk for a minute believe that Jose is not hurt? Even with the official denials (which are odd, coming from a team whose manager is psycho--and rightly so--about players being upfront about injury) do not change the simple fact: first half Jose was lights out and if you watched Jose, his angle was primarily over-the-top with 3/4 and the occasional sidearm mixed in. Now he throws ENTIRELY sidearm, 3/4, whatever that is, and he's been getting rocked. His placement is completely shot. Even Hawk the Homer has mentioned that since Jose went on the DL for the sciatic nerve thing he's been a shadow since returning. So I guess--at the risk of sounding naive, and I'm sure I'll hear it here if that's what I'm being--I'm amazed that we're keeping him a) in the lineup and B) hush-hush about this. To what end? Are we gonna hope he heals? Wouldn't this be the time to put him on the DL and start McCarthy? Or what? Help me out, I'm confused here. Jose says he's healthy, but I don't believe it when he has to drop down like that on every pitch when he did not do that first half.

I'm surprised the Red Sox are out of it now. I guess that five-game sweep by the Yanks was the dagger. Those fans must be beside themselves.

A couple of my two cents: a) Freddy? Pfft. He was ooookay, but his excuse that he can't hold runners on because he "breaks his rhythm" is BUSH LEAGUE crap. B) Cotts? Does Neal have more than one pitch this year? Besides the meatball over the plate? Seriously--what is his other pitch? c) Riske... is starting to become Risky. d) It was embarassing that we gave up so many runs and let them get back and then had to have Jenks in. Jenks should not have even had to get up out of his chair the way that game was going initially. e) Dye = God f) WHO IN GOD'S NAME is saying the Twins are done? U r kidding, no? The Twins I would NEVER count out, Liriano or not, and remember: not only do they have our number, they are not afraid of us, not even at the Cell, and it shows. Our last three games are against them. I'd be hoping to put them as far in the rearview mirror as humanly possible. If it comes down to that three games--history will not go easy on us. That said, I'd like to see a more medieval beatdown on the sad-sack Tampa Bay team than the almost gift-wrapped choke we provided last night. We are bettter than this.

Mark Buehrle hands-down. As I've said all along: as Buehrle goes, so will go the Sox. Think of him as our canary in the coalmine. (yes feel free to hum the Police song)

Pods is leading off. I see dead people.

QUOTE(cgaudin @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 05:48 PM) I've been saying this all year. Everybody drinks the Thome kool-aid because he's got big numbers. Problem is when he gets cold, so does the rest of the lineup, and the offense sputters. Having him in the 3 spot has cost the Sox several ballgames, DESPITE Thome's big numbers. And yes I know this is the most potent offense in baseball, and Thome has a lot to do with it. But the offense is INCONSISTENT, and that inconsistency costs ballgames. Dye has been a more consistent hitter throughout the season, and although his strikeout ratio I consider to be high, it is not the astronomical 30% ratio that Thome whiffs at. Thome has, by far, the highest strikeout ratio of ANY 3 hitter in baseball. The closest one to him is Derek Lee of the beloved Cubs in the northside at 24%. I contend that the offense will be more fluid and consistent, possibly even more productive by having Thome batting cleanup against righties and moving down to 5th against lefties. And all you sabermetricians out there, save your bull**** 'cause I don't want to hear all that stupidity. BINGO. Me likey the new lineup.

Is that not just typical, that on a Sox day those dickhead Cub fans have to "protest"? Geez.

I don't mean to wet-blanket this topic but I'm much more concerned with Garland performing in ways that will get us to the WS; Cy Young to me is just gravy. I know you probably feel the same way, it's just where my head's at.

QUOTE(greg775 @ Aug 24, 2006 -> 04:01 PM) Are you implying we don't want Thome back? Just wondering. I'm implying that a batting order shakeup is overdue, and that it's time to look at the lineup moving into the home stretch. Meaning: out with Pods, in with whomever. With regard to Thome, I was curious to see and still am curious to see how the team reacts when you take away the "power" lineup with him and Konerko batting 3/4. Interesting.

This was obviously a Mariotti column (DON'T START WITH ME PEOPLE, I'M JUST POINTING IT OUT!) this week as well. Here's what I don't get: Ozzie talks up Gardenhire's style of management endlessly, and Gardenhire and his team are famous, as Hawk talked about last week, for just playing the damn game and not arguing with umps all the time. They don't argue balls and strikes, they don't get into big altercations over bad calls in the field, they just do their business. I love Ozzie and I'm glad he came here, but I would like him to shut up and manage. I appreciate his humor and outspokeness, but that's best served up in bite-size pieces and not full-blown tirades like this crap about the umpire. I'm not sure what that accomplishes accept making us look like crybabies. If ever there was a time for the World Champions to STFU and let their playing do the talking, now would be a good one. And that includes Ozzie. I agree that his mouth could get him fired one of these days; do we really want to risk losing him because of his... mouth? That seems like such an absurd reason. Muzzle him.

Hmmm... this new batting order/lineup... hmmm...

Hmmm... this new batting order/lineup... hmmm...

Hey we have to get, what, 5-1/2 innings in for a full game? Garland! Have a seat! Javy, yer up!

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WOW! Dye in the three-hole! This oughta be interesting!

Okay everybody's harping about how Thome's sort-of "cooling off" of late isn't his fault, it's the fact that Pods and Gooch aren't getting on base for him to bat in (which I said weeks ago). That said--if you accept that--then WTF do we keep leaving Pods in the leadoff spot? He's hitting for crap, and he doesn't steal bases when he does get on. I like this idea of Mackowiak in LF and leading off--do SOMETHING. Don't get me wrong I loved Pods in 2005 and think he's a great guy but he has been virtually worthless 2nd half for us. In the field, on base, at the plate. Why is it such a big deal to shake up the batting order? Didn't we do that earlier this year, moving Gooch down? Or somebody? Do what it takes. Quit sitting around waiting for 2005 to re-appear, because I don't think it's going to. And if that means benching Pods, then so be it. He can be a pinch runner. But I'm SOOO tired of seeing him ground out first pitch or taking strikeouts looking. Thome I'm not too thrilled with of late, but if we make these moves let's see what happens.

I agree. If the Sox do not make it, I always cheer for the Central. Thus, I will be cheering for Detroit. But LET'S NOT GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES. I would love nothing more to smoke you guys today and then kick your ass in the playoffs. So until that day comes when and if we're out, I expect to go medieval on yo asses...

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Aug 23, 2006 -> 10:27 AM) Well, I'll get s*** for this, but I don't want him getting hurt for 2 1/2 months of the year trying to make a single play if he comes back to this team. We all love the intensity, yes. But catching a fly ball in the 5th inning just isn't worth sitting out a big percentage of the season. I agree. The kamikaze stuff may be gutsy, but it's a pyrric victory if you break your ankle and are now out for months. Running into the wall is one thing, but going banzai like that without any thought to the consequences is just... well, reckless. I'm not saying that's what he did on this play, but this play was bad. A perfect example of what happens when communication breaks down. It's what cost us Magglio in 2004, and what damn near cost us Gooch this year. That said, of course I'd love Rowand back on the Sox. Not sure where we'd put him (sorry but I like Anderson in CF), but it sure wouldn't suck, if there's a legit place for him. I highly doubt Philly's gonna dump him though...

Yikes. Thanks for doing this, BTW. That's barely above .500 ball, which is absurd. The two out of three rule I thought wouldn't be that hard to accomplish. Oh well.

There's no reason you guys shouldn't kill this year; nobody expected us to do anything last year. I think we were picked to come in 4th in the Central. Enjoy it, dude! Lord knows, it doesn't carry over that easily!

We basically are the Red Sox of the midwest right now. A team that looks great on paper, that's been to the WS in the past two years, that should be killing everybody but cannot get as their division leader and even worse, has jeopardized their WC chances by losing, inexplicably, too many games to lesser opponents. Whichever Sox you root for, we're in the same boat.