WCSox

QUOTE (WilliamTell @ Jun 16, 2008 -> 09:26 AM) It's doable as long as the pitching keeps being strong. +1 QUOTE (DBAH0 @ Jun 16, 2008 -> 09:27 AM) I'd let Paulie rest up for 15, and have him healthy to key this offense in the 2nd half, because if you look at his splits, he is notorious for being a 2nd half hitter. I think BA deserves to be starting however, and I rather him get AB's than say call up Owens and have him play everyday. And that's with Swisher at 1B and Ramirez at 2B. Don't want to see Uribe in there playing. I'd also like to see BA in CF and Swish at 1B while Paulie is out, and to slowly work Paulie back in afterwards. Also agree that Alexei is the best option at 2B with the offense struggling. If Anderson hits while Paulie is recovering and Thome continues hitting in the low .200s with few walks and many K's, the Sox really need to re-evaluate his future with the team. I don't think that releasing a guy to avoid a contract option is the most honorable thing to do, but his production hasn't even been close to his price tag this year. If he's still hitting like this at the end of July, the Sox would be better off upgrading defensively in CF and moving either PK or JD to DH.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Jun 16, 2008 -> 07:05 AM) The media is playing this off like its a huge deal, but why? The guy is horrible right now. Everyone here knows, you throw him a breaking ball, he ain't touching it. He has always been a fastball hitter and now he is barely that anymore. This is a blessing because we actually get someone up who can do something whether a legitimate base stealing threat who can help manufacture runs (Owens) or we get a legit power threat (Fields or Eldred). Then in two weeks, Paulie hopefully is recovered from his hip and hopefully the finger and can be productive the rest of the season. Agreed and I'll add that Thome going on the DL might not be a bad thing either. Paulie hasn't been healthy for at least a month, but Thome looks like he's done. His BB/K ratio is terrible right now. And that's alarming because he's getting blown away with low-90's fastballs, which suggests that he's lost bat speed due to age. As for Griffey, he'd only be a marginal improvement over Thome. And the Sox would have to cut Thome if they made the move. And I'm not sure that they'd want to do that, as (1) Griffey probably wants to play close to his home in Florida and (2) the PR backlash from cutting Thome might be significant. Lofton is still available, but who knows how long it'll take him to get his swing back. And since neither Fields or anybody else in the Sox's farm system would be an improvement, I don't see them doing anything. The bottom line is that the Sox are going to have to win with JD, Quentin, Crede, AJ, and Swisher. They can't rely on PK or JT this year. It's doable because that's still a pretty solid lineup, but all of those guys are going to have to have solid second halves.

QUOTE (VAfan @ Jun 13, 2008 -> 08:46 PM) I haven't seen a single response on here defend Pablo Ozuna. It seems to me that you have to do so, or come up with some alternative that's better than Josh Fields as his replacement. There is a place for Josh Fields in this lineup 3-4 games a week, or as a pinch hitter for interleague road games. He'd offer something that Pablo Ozuna cannot: better hitting, much better power, better defense at 3B. And, BTW, you totally misunderstand why I'm calling for Fields. I don't have anything for Josh Fields. I'm just looking at who is in our minor league system and picking out the guy who could fill a need. He's the only one that, over 100 ML games, has proven he can hit major league pitching. He hits lefties. If we had a better option, I'd happily take it. The point remains that Pablo Ozuna is NOT a better option. He's taking up a roster space that could be put to better use. The Sox are playing with 24 guys -- 23 really because Uribe, until tonight, hadn't played in a couple of weeks. We've got to have one of the thinnest benches in baseball. And for what reason? Becasuse we made a mistake and gave Ozuna a contract north of a million bucks? I say eat it or send him down. We have been losing close games where a single hit could make the difference. Trust me, at the end of the year, we'll want to have 3-4 games or more that we could have won with some better hitting. I disagree with this. Ozuna can play almost any position and, unlike his teammates, has speed and can bunt. Although he is inferior to Fields overall, his skill set makes him a much better fit with the Sox right now. What the Sox DO NOT need at this point is another high-strikeout slugger who is average defensively. Especially one who was injured earlier this year and hasn't exactly been lighting it up in the minors. I think that Fields will be a fine ML player a couple of years down the road, but bringing him up to Chicago wouldn't improve the team at all at this point.

QUOTE (tommy @ Jun 13, 2008 -> 02:05 PM) What would happen to Anderson if they signed Lofton? We already have a 4th outfielder. If they targeted a leadoff that can PH and PR they would wanna move either Uribe or Ozuna, no? They would have to move Ozuna in that case. Uribe and Anderson are way too talented and versatile defensively.

If Lofton would be such a great signing, I find it odd that he's currently out of baseball. It's not like his numbers over the past few years have been bad.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 06:00 PM) If he was our leadoff hitter, he would be the most effective one to date most likely. Unfortunately, there's no room for him. I would've loved him replacing Mike Cameron in CF 10 years ago, but he's not worth benching Quentin, Swisher, or Dye. I also recall him being somewhat of an assholio in the locker room the last time he was here.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 08:06 PM) Well, he was also a Free Agent at the end of the year he was traded, and he'd clearly lost something if you paid attention to the first half games at all. There was plenty of reason to trade him at that point, especially if you didn't think you'd be able to sign him or if you didn't want to (and man, what a move not signing him was). I forgot if his velocity was down of if his two-seamer had lost its bite, but there was indeed a major change in his stuff from '03 to '04. I would've liked the Sox to give him a little more time to build arm velocity, but given his up-and-down (mostly the latter) history with the Yankees, A's, and Dodgers and his arm injuries, it's not surprising that Kenny's looking elsewhere now. QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 07:27 PM) Paging Freddy Garcia... As long as the price is right, it's worth a shot.

Good thing that the Sox have series against the Rockies, Pirates, and Dodgers this month, as the two Cubs series will be tough.

I would've loved Lofton 10 years ago. But now? Eh, not so much...

QUOTE (daa84 @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 12:29 PM) ok well if you throw out dotels first outing of the year.... he came into the game with 1.86 ERA in 29 IP, 20 H, 13 BB, and 41Ks, good for the best K:IP ratio in the majors...he has been fantastic...dont forget linebrink gave up a walk off HR a week and a half ago too Dotel has given up 7 earned runs and 2 homers since his first outing. That's good, but far from lights-out. Linebrink's WHIP is also much lower. Look, I'm not saying that Dotel is trash or anything, but there's a reason that he's not a closer or a setup man. He struggles to hit 92 on the gun and his offspeed stuff is average at best. If you want to shut down the opposition late in a game, you go with Linebrink or Jenks. Dotel's a nice guy to have around for the 7th inning, but he's not the stud that you're making him out to be.

QUOTE (robinventura23 @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 11:25 AM) If we play like this and get dominated by the Pirates and Rockies, then I'll complain. Still, losses like these are always hard to take. They are. Then again, I feel better losing with Mark going 8 excellent innings than winning 11-10 with Mark and Dotel getting absolutely shelled. As long as the pitching is there, we're still in good shape.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 11:16 AM) im not gonna complain....dotel has been fantastic since just after his first game of the year.....not to mention he made cabrera and maggs look silly yesterday....in a tie game i was completely fine with dotel being in tbere I'm not really complaining, but just disagree with Ozzie's decision. Dotel has been good over the past month or so, but not exactly "fantastic." And Linebrink has been much better. Considering that the Sox were on the verge of getting swept and that Detroit's bullpen isn't all that, I would've gone with Linebrink, Jenks, and then Dotel if it got to the 11th inning. JMO.

I don't understand Ozzie's fascination with Dotel. Sure, he's improved significantly since the first month or so, but still. I want Linebrink in there to face Maggs and Cabrera.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 11:05 AM) if he takes the loss, it was still the right guy to have in there Coming off of two straight losses and on the verge of getting swept, I would've used Linebrink instead. Especially facing Maggs and Cabrera.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 12, 2008 -> 06:10 AM) The team is better with Brian Anderson in CF and Swish at 1B than with a Fields variation in the line up. +1 That said, I'd like to see Paulie, JD, and JT getting a little more rest at some point. These guys have a lot of wear and tear on them. And now that Quentin has come back down to Earth a bit, giving him a day off might not be a bad idea, either.

QUOTE (DBAH0 @ Jun 11, 2008 -> 02:17 PM) And that's why it'll be very good if we can build up a nice lead and keep it until then, so we don't have to depend on Danks to throw quality innings for us to win the division. I'd make it a priority to go easy on Danks (and Floyd, if necessary). Keeping those guys healthy is more important, IMO, than winning the division this year.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 11, 2008 -> 10:18 AM) Well, I don't necessarily like the Freddy Garcia option, but it's the truth. Danks wound down in the past and he may again this year in the dog days or near the playoffs. It's just a function of him being young. Acquiring some depth, especially that with postseason experience, can never hurt. Especially if it's cheap.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 11, 2008 -> 10:48 AM) The first game he pitched in, this is what the TV radar gun readings were showing. 88mph that is... He hit 88 ONCE on the TV radar gun. Most of his fastballs were 85-86. If that gun was even remotely accurate, I'm not holding my breath on waiting for him to regain '03 form, or even roster-worthy form.

QUOTE (scenario @ Jun 11, 2008 -> 06:42 AM) There are a lot of team who are only an injury away from needing an experienced MLB shortstop... and it's a long season. I wouldn't be in a hurry to dump Uribe. +1 The Sox would also be screwed if they dealt or DFA'd Uribe and Cabrera got hurt. Keep Juan on the bench and use him as a defensive sub and to spell the starters when they get a day off. His bat makes him worth so little that trading him is almost pointless.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jun 10, 2008 -> 03:26 PM) A note on that... one thing that is also true about coaching in basketball and baseball alike, is that the manager has more effect on psychology and personalities, than they do on actual in-game events. This is especially pronounced in basketball. Its in large part glorified day care. Football would be an example on the other end, where its much more about strategy and design. I completely agree about the psychology and managing of egos in both sports (and for that matter, for ALL professional sports). And for all of its physicality, football is definitely the most cerebral of the major professional sports. That said, I think that there's at least as much strategy in basketball as baseball. It's more subtle in some cases, such as Phil Jackson scrapping the triangle and going to the pick-and-roll with Kobe in the second half of the first NBA Finals game. A more obvious example would be Gregg Popovich having his bench players constantly foul Shaq and taking their chances with him at the line in the Spurs/Suns series.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jun 10, 2008 -> 02:12 PM) I'd have to say basketball takes that title, over baseball. Maybe, but I think there's a reason that guys like Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, and Jerry Sloan have had major success (and multiple titles in the first two cases) with completely different teams.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxfan1986 @ Jun 9, 2008 -> 05:07 PM) I give LaRussa a ton of credit for thinking outside the box and hiring a former catcher as his pitching coach in Dave Duncan. Dave Stewart and Dennis Eckersley wouldn't be who they were without LaRussa. Or Bobby Cox for teaming up with Leo Mazzone. LaRussa should take some heat for losing to the Dodgers and the Red Sox in the WS with superior talent, but he also gets major props for winning with an 83-78 team and getting stellar pitching out of Jeff Weaver, Anthony Reyes, and Jeff Suppan. Sparky Anderson should also be up there.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 10, 2008 -> 01:04 PM) The better paper is the one that shows more viewpoints and isn't in the tank for one side. Or at least the one that doesn't feature obnoxious, over-the-top retards who use their columns as vehicles to attack their enemies, rather than to logically discuss sports. Telander needs to get the heck out of there.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 10, 2008 -> 11:36 AM) but as I said a couple pages ago, if you replace Uribe with anyone who can't play the infield, you're setting a trap for yourself that could easily cost you more games than it wins you by only having 1 backup infielder. If anybody is going to be replaced, it's going to be Loaiza or somebody else from the 'pen. I don't see either Uribe or Ozuna going anywhere.