WCSox

QUOTE(RibbieRubarb @ May 19, 2007 -> 12:58 AM) You forgot to mention the one year we didn't make it, we won the World Series. You might have forgotten. If you are going to blame him completely for the bad times, give him all the credit for the good times, too. You guys crack me up! +1 For Christ's sake, is it Ozzie's fault that McDougal has been sucking nuts for the past month or that Paulie is hitting below the Mendoza Line? Ozzie may not be Sparky Anderson or Tony LaRussa, but the hatred here is just ridiculous.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Apr 27, 2007 -> 12:11 PM) I think that's pretty much the point I was trying to make. If Thome is out for a long time, this team would almost certainly be done for the season. It would certainly hurt, but I wouldn't go THAT far. Hopefully Thome will be back on Tuesday, as I'm going to the game at Safeco. But it doesn't look good.

Didn't Dye foul a ball right off of his ankle a few days ago?

QUOTE(chisox72 @ Apr 23, 2007 -> 07:28 AM) But the bottom line is, based on everything published about this situation this year, BA has been whiney and arrogant about the situation. Knowing how petty Ozzie can be about things, that was the worst thing he could have done to try and make a case for himself. I hadn't read that, but it doesn't surprise me. One of my sister's friends knew him at Arizona and from what I hear, he isn't the most mature person in the world. Somebody said this earlier and I'll repeat it: If Ozzie is absolutely hell-bent on NOT playing BA in CF ever, I'd like to see him sent down after Pods is activated. BA would be much better off getting some at-bats in the minors rather than rotting on the bench and playing freaking LF as a "defensive replacement" for a perfectly-good corner outfielder. Mack playing sparingly in CF (when Erstad needs a rest) wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

These guys are looking good. I don't like the chances for a firesale.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Apr 23, 2007 -> 12:51 PM) 14 GS 81 IP 6.44 ERA 1.64 WHIP those were Buehrle's second half numbers. Josh Stewart or Felix Diaz would have pitched better. Replacing Mark after a bad first half would've been a lot easier than going into a time machine in early September and removing Mark from the rotation in late July.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Apr 23, 2007 -> 12:27 PM) Like by accessing the DL, which they did only once last year with the starters (and even then, they called up Haeger initially). They could have very easily put Garcia and Buehrle on the DL last year at some point, let them catch their breath and let their arms recuperate a bit, and gotten McCarthy some time in the rotation. With the way that McCarthy was pitching in long-relief, less-than-100% Mark and Freddy were arguably better options at the time.

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ Apr 23, 2007 -> 11:45 AM) After the Javy aquisition, what would have been the best way? I agreed with Ozzie's decision to put him in long-relief last year. My point was that B-Mac regressed big-time last year. That said, that might've had more to do with him than Ozzie. Coop should get most of the credit/blame for pitcher development, but it's Ozzie's job to put those guys out there and motivate/instill confidence in them. He did a great job of handling the then-rookie Jenks in '05.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Apr 23, 2007 -> 11:39 AM) Ozzie is pretty excellent at developing young pitchers though, especially bullpen guys. Outside of McCarthy, I agree.

QUOTE(knightni @ Apr 23, 2007 -> 09:22 AM) The main thing I see is that Ozzie sets up young guys to fail, not succeed. Why else would he throw a young situational lefty out there against RH batters in an extra inning tie game? Because they (Oz/KW) wanted an excuse to send Logan down to AAA. Agreed that Ozzie isn't into developing younger players, but the 'pen had been used heavily over the past few days and they'd already won the series going into Sunday. Managers need to pick their spots and to give their best relievers a day off every now and then.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Apr 21, 2007 -> 03:00 PM) The one thing Brandon has is superior control but Danks has better pure stuff because with the movement he gets his heater mixed with that change and curve (once he starts throwing strikes) its hard not to see why Ken Williams made this move (and thats not even considering Massett or Rasner). You've probably seen more of Danks than I have (a whole two games), so I guess I'll take your word for it. McCarthy had no movement at all on his heater. I would hope that Danks is still building arm strength, though, because that 91 mph heater isn't going to blow away anybody. I also get the feeling that part of the deal involved KW wanting another starting LHP, knowing that Buehrle is gone next year.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Apr 21, 2007 -> 02:23 PM) He was being sarcastic as hell That's what happens when I try to multi-task.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Apr 21, 2007 -> 02:35 PM) I maintain that McCarthy's stuff is mediocre, his control is iffy, and his mechanics will injure him and end his career prematurely if "being bad for Texas" doesn't. If there was any veteran pitcher that I could compare McCarthy to, it would be Mike Mussina... especially with regard to their mechanics. Mussina and B-Mac have VERY similar deliveries (although B-Mac doesn't pause for as long when he's pitching from the stretch). Given Mussina's very long and (relatively) injury-free career, I don't see how McCarthy's mechanics are going to tank him.

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Apr 21, 2007 -> 01:33 PM) He's obviously just lost it. Gave up a soft single on a 1-2 count to blow a save in a place where we are so awesome normally like Oakland, a mere 6 for 7 overall in saves, struck out Sheffield with a man on 3rd 2 outs last night.....get rid of him. If he can't hit 100 every pitch, he can't get people out. I don't agree with that. Bobby would be successful throwing 94-95 and being able to locate a mid-80's hook. Maybe not dominant, but still pretty good. He's getting hit now because he can't locate his offspeed stuff and the opposition are sitting on a hittable mid-90s fastball, not because he isn't throwing 99-100.

Geez, I thought that Jenks' WHIP would be over 1.5.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Apr 21, 2007 -> 10:34 AM) McCarthy has mediocre stuff for a righty. Danks has very good stuff for a lefty. That assessment has more to do with statistics than an actual comparison of their stuff. I'd also say that B-Mac's stuff is a little better than "mediocre." But I agree that Danks being a lefty is an inherent plus. LHP starters don't exactly grow on trees. I regularly saw B-Mac hit 93 on the gun last year. I have yet to see Danks top 91 in the two starts of his that I've been able to watch. B-Mac also has a Mussina-like sweeping breaking ball (that he, unforutnately, has trouble locating). Danks doesn't have that kind of movement.

QUOTE(robinventura23 @ Apr 21, 2007 -> 08:54 AM) Don't forget we also got Masset in the deal, who has been good out of the bullpen. McCarthy has been getting rocked. As for Danks, he has great composure for a pitcher with only 3 MLB starts and 16 IP. I see a little Buehrle in him. In terms of pure stuff, I haven't been awfully-impressed with Danks. McCarthy's stuff is better, IMO. That said, Danks has been producing. And while it's still way too early to call, he alone may have justified the trade.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Apr 20, 2007 -> 07:15 AM) I thought he looked solid last night. The one guy who reached base looked at strike 3 but the ump called ball 4 for some reason. Agreed about the ump squeezing him, but I don't think that he looked solid at all. He has no command of his breaking ball right now. That's the pitch that made him a stud last year. Even with "only" a 95 mph fastball, Bobby can be an elite closer if he can locate that hook. If he can't locate a good offspeed pitch, he'll be above average at best... even at 98-100 mph. It's nice to see the Sox scoring runs again, although they're living and dying with the long ball and are still leaving too many runners in scoring position stranded.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 18, 2007 -> 04:53 PM) MLB Audio has had all kinds of background noise and hiss too. Yep, I'm experiencing that problem as well. How freaking difficult is it to get an quality audio feed? Putting up a microphone to the radio would probably sound better.

Wow, I'm glad that I didn't give them any of my money this season.

QUOTE(AddisonStSox @ Apr 17, 2007 -> 10:29 AM) You make some valid points; so, I think I'll tighten up my argument. I disagree with the logic that trading for a young reliever with less than 9 major league innings and a young left-hander with no major league experience (no matter how heralded he might have been at the minor league level) puts the team in a better position to win than a young pitcher with whom you have had success in starting situations and have brought up through your own system (this presumes you know this pitcher's strengths and weakness more than anyone else)...especially considering you best alternative for filling McCarthy's slot, outside of Danks (whom projected to need at least one more year in the minors), is Gavin Floyd. Danks being a lefty might've influenced Kenny's decision substantially, especially if Buehrle is gone next year.

Uggh, more corpseball. But I'm really encouraged with how our starters have done, especially Javy and Danks. I'll take strong starting pitching and a struggling offense over what we had last season.

The old ballpark was very intimate. I was about 8 the first time that I went and I remember being surprised by how small it was (very few things are seen as "small" by young children). The upper deck seats were incredibly close to the field and were arguably the best seats in the house. The only thing that I didn't like about it was the support beams that obstructed the view in the lower deck. I agree that the new ballpark isn't as nice, but it looks much, much better after the renovations and has taken on an atmosphere of its own.

QUOTE(TheOcho @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 03:18 PM) 2/3 in Oakland is still pretty damn good. They're OK, but not as good as what they've had there in the recent past. We should've taken 3/3. The attitude of "Well, we never do well there anyway" isn't acceptable, IMO. Did anybody who watched the game notice what Mark's fastball was clocked at?

Nice to see that our starting pitching has really turned the corner from last week. We're not going to be in this offensive drought forever and when we get out, I like our chances.