LVSoxFan

A couple of points: a) Right now KC has the worst record, but to say they're the worst and we should win every game is dreaming. Anybody can beat anybody on any given day. Remember last year how we were maligned because we had winning records against teams with... losing records and because of this, we weren't for "real"? Well... whether it's KC or NYY, a win is a win and a loss is a loss. To whom the loss is really doesn't matter to me. B) It's hardly over guys. The Sun-Times today had a piece on teams that were way up on August 1st throughout history, only to blow the lead (sound familiar?). Anything can happen. c) Yes, it's frustrating what happened last night but Freddy wasn't awful and we got some good hits. Cotts is worrisome but like others have said: we're all still waiting for this great-on-paper lineup to "click," which hasn't happened yet. Let's hope it does this month, before it's too late. d) As far as the negative thread thing goes, I am just as passionate when I complain about the Sox as I am when I praise them. In fact, you'll notice that the traffic here spikes when there's a loss, because people want to vent/commiserate/weigh in, etc. There is nothing wrong with that, and that's a normal part of being a fan. Things get hinky when you're prohibited from talking about that and instead are coerced into only saying "positive" things. That's not being a fan, that's drinking the Koolaid. No thanks.

"Doogy" just ain't gonna cut it.

BMac and McD. Pretty simple, I think.

It was a blurb in the Sun-Times Sox notes today. What, is this because of the spate of errors lately?

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 2, 2006 -> 09:39 AM) It appears to me that Thome's absence has made the guys remember how to play again. That's a very interesting observation. I have mentioned before that I wonder if all the big bats somehow derailed our smallball mentality. It's not to slam Thome or to suggest he wasn't a good addition, but we'll see how this plays out. Granted, KC's pitching isn't exactly killin' either.

That stat on Freddy is just mind-blowing, though.

I'm not so sure that KW is conceding that the pitching will never get better so we're going to have to slug our way out of this season. Not yet at least.

Yes the Royals have been hot lately, and as somebody who's been to three games there in KC and we've lost them all, they're not as dog**** as everybody makes them out to be. Record notwithstanding. On any given day... Besides, a win is a win...

I agree that he's faster than people think; because he has such long legs, it looks like he's running slower than he is. And I also agree he doesn't shy away from the fence. I really have on qualms about RF right now.

I really have no problem with his "D"; he'll miss one every now and then but not to the point where it's noticeable to me. He's also made some nice diving catches. Granted, they aren't always pretty and he doesn't seem to have the instinct that Anderson does for knowing where the ball's going, but I have no complaints.

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Aug 1, 2006 -> 12:07 PM) That'll never happen, though it should. It won't happen because he simply makes too much money to relegate him to the bullpen. Also, his trade value would be shot. I see it as a sunk cost. No matter where Javy pitches, he's going to be making the same amount of money. We're paying it one way or another. So, why not put him into the bullpen where he would have a good chance to succeed (because he does so well the first two times through the order), and bring in someone who is more likely to succeed out of the rotation in McCarthy? Let's face it, his trade value is on life support anyway. There was a quote from a scout that someone posted saying something along the lines of the entire baseball world finally figuring out that Javy will never live up to his potential. Either way, it doesn't matter. We'll never put him into the pen. Oh I agree, and it's a shame that considerations other than winning are preventing us from doing so. So that leaves us with hoping that Buehrle is returned by the aliens who abducted him, and hoping that the five hole (actually should we call it the five-and-dive hole this year?) won't sink us in '06 like it did in '04.

KW's right on about the whole on-paper thing. On paper we should sweep the WS. On paper, Detroit was nowhere to be found. On paper, supposedly it was going to be a shootout between us and Cleveland for the Central. Oh well! But I like that attitude. Time to stop thinking about coulda/shoulda/woulda and just get on with it. It's clutch time.

Well there's about three "Let's put Vasquez in the bullpen!" threads if you'd care to indulge...

I see what you mean about Mark. It's just that losing like 10 MPH off the fastball (Freddy's) seems so EXTREME, doesn't it?

Yes Brandon did seem like he was on a mission last night, like: "Try and hit THIS you mother******ers!"

Thank you, COC!

Don't they get tested for pot in MLB?

I agree with you Milkman; I guess what I'm saying is that Buehrle is sort of the lynchpin of the rotation--his consistency is what it's built around and it's what served us so well last year. So to you others; I respect your opinions sincerely, but again: I stand by my statement. I will impart some good news; I was watching a piece on the Twins the other night and they were talking about their struggles in the beginning. One of them, and I quote, was "Our pitching was a mess." Now look at them. So I'm not waving any white flags here...

Do I detect the color green here?

//runs for cover...

Fine, you want to be on that? I don't. If Buehrle doesn't regain form, who do we have behind him? We've got Contreras and Garland. Freddy's all over the place, and Javy is five and dive. That means two reliable starters and three question marks. Buehrle was never a question mark last year, whereas Garland had a shaky second half, El Duque was all over the place, Contreras had a crap first half. Through it all, Buehrle was there, pitching eight inning games. If you think we're going to muscle through the season if he continues in his slide, well: you're entitled to your opinion. I stand by my statement.

That dropoff for Freddy is INSANE. Wow. That explains a lot. Buehrle? Whatever, he was never that fast to begin with. But Freddy? Wow. Do we really think it's that extra month that did them in? Or is it something else (my co-worker swears he thinks Freddy's hurt)?

Um, you mean Contreras is? What I'm saying is (he was last year!) that even in bad games for him in the past, Buehrle has always given us a CHANCE, and lots of innings to boot. And if somebody as reliable as him can't even get to five this season and continues to get shelled, I stand by my claim: as Buehrle goes, the Sox go. How could we ever compensate for that? I'm not trying to be fatalistic, just pointing out how vital he is to our starting rotation.

I agree with the person who says we need to just leave Anderson in and let him do his thing; he's coming along, and like Milkman says, he's not costing us any runs in CF. I also believe that as Buehrle goes, so the Sox will go for the rest of the season. He is, after all, our #1 starter.

He's now officially calling out for KW for not taking bold steps before the trade deadline to ensure another White Sox playoff team. Now I'm more than willing to listen to critics of the Sox, but I'm curious whom he thinks we were supposed to pick up. -There were no starters available -Soriano? So we supposedly were offering Pods but not McCarthy for Soriano; how would Soriano solve our starting pitcher issue? -He mentions how the NY Yankees made some big trades but as far as I know we're not hurting anywhere else in the lineup except STARTING PITCHERS -He refers to Vazquez as five-and-dive (fair enough) but to Buehrle as basically a worn-out has been, which I think is more than a bit premature (guess we'll find out tonight) The only point he did make was that if Mac was too valuable to trade away with Pods for Soriano, then why is not Mac starting? I'll give him that. But no I will not be starting another "Move Vasquez to the bullpen!" thread. Bottom line: Mariotti is has just put a plate, utensils and a nice placemat in front of himself, for eating crow if this lineup (which he heralded as brilliant last winter) finally clicks.