WCSox

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 11:36 AM) Last year Ozzie pulled Pods in most every late game situation where a defensive replacement was necessary, he stopped doing that this year. Seems to me that he changed his style in that regard. Pods was slowed with nagging injuries last year and wasn't hitting. That's not the case so far this season. Plus, Ozzie's "style" is so irrational and unpredictable at times that it's almost a waste of time to try to define it.

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 10:38 AM) I'm not talking about replacing Ozzie. I'm not sure where you got that. There's no reason Ozzie can't fix his decision-making process. Ozzie isn't going to change his style. I thought that would be obvious by now. So, while I agree that Ozzie's irrational prejudice against young players such as Anderson is counter-productive, Ozzie is going to do what Ozzie wants until the day that he gets fired. We're going to have to take the bad with the good.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 10:24 AM) We are criticizing moves made by the current manager, not comparing him to other managers. QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 10:25 AM) I love SoxTalk hyperbole. It's not easy to get a pitcher to pitch better. Its easy to explain to a manager why his decision was really stupid and why he shouldn't make it again. Wake me up when you find a suitable replacement for Ozzie. Given the Sox's track record with managers, I should probably fatten up before beginning my hibernation.

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 10:21 AM) The one most easily rectified is managerial decisions. Yeah, the Sox should re-hire Jerry Manuel or Terry Bevington. Because, you know, ANYBODY is better than Ozzie.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 09:54 AM) But since our hitting is so anemic right now you have to rely on your best defense and pitching scenarios in order to give your team a fighting chance. Ozzie put in his best pitching option and that didn't work out. He did not utilize his best defensive options. I agree that he should've put BA in as a defensive sub. That said, Jenks and the anemic Sox offense lost that game.

QUOTE(fathom @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 09:45 AM) How is it a bizarre chance? There was a single to the left fielder in which he had a chance to throw out the runner. That play happens numerous times throughout baseball every single night. But it shouldn't be relied on to bail out an anemic offense and poor relief pitching.

QUOTE(iamshack @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 08:46 AM) See, this is the prototypical Soxtalk post after a game like this. It's Pods fault. It's Ozzie's fault. No. It's f'ing Jenks fault! I watched 7 innings of Jon Garland pitch his ass off and manage to avoid "ground balls through the infield." Stop looking everywhere to place blame, when it's so obvious where the blame needs to be placed. Jenks didn't get the job done, and he blew the damned game. Not Ozzie. Not Podsednik. Jenks. Players have to perform. I agree. Sure, Ozzie probably should've put BA in as a defensive replacement in the 9th. Then again, the Sox lineup should've socred more than 1 run in 9 innings. Jenks shouldn't have given up four hits in the 9th. While solid defense is always important, you can't rely on extraordinary defense to bail you out when your lineup can't score runs and your closer can't get three outs.

QUOTE(Jimbo @ Apr 10, 2007 -> 09:05 AM) by the way, why does it sound like a muppet musical in that stadium..kazoos, bongos, drums, airhorns, tubas what a f'in bunch of weirdos. Welcome to the West Coast.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 10, 2007 -> 09:16 AM) I still don't understand why the best defensive outfielder on this team isn't being used as a defensive replacement late in games. They're sticking with a Pods/Erstad/Dye outfield in the 8th and 9th innings instead of taking advantage of his skills. I just don't get it. Pods should NEVER be in LF as late as the 9th, he has no arm and no clue. +1

QUOTE(shoota @ Apr 7, 2007 -> 01:21 PM) That's neither here nor there. Let's stay on topic: Is Contreras's career done? I have a better idea: Let's wait until Contreras sucks for a few straight starts. Or, better yet, TWO straight starts before declaring that he's done.

QUOTE(shoota @ Apr 7, 2007 -> 12:53 PM) Buehrle has neither of those characteristics, therefore no thread asking if his career is over. Buehrle has mediocre stuff, has thrown 200+ innings for six straight years, and lost 5 mph off of his fastball last season. How does that make him a better Season Opener option than Contreras?

QUOTE(shoota @ Apr 7, 2007 -> 08:20 AM) (Guillen should have had Buehrle start; another bad Guillen decision) LOL, the anti-Ozzie sentiment is off-the-charts ridiculous here. Here's my question: Is Buehrle "done" as well because he was throwing an 86 mph fastball during the latter half of last season? I think that it would be best to give these guys a few more starts to strengthen their arms and shake off the rust before declaring that their careers are over.

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Apr 6, 2007 -> 10:02 AM) I would assume now that Extra Innings is going to be available to Comcast subscribers that they will be stopping this promotion soon. Perhaps, but I was still able to get them to mail me a voucher yesterday.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Apr 6, 2007 -> 06:48 AM) How do I go about getting the voucher? Call Comcast and ask for it.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Apr 6, 2007 -> 08:44 AM) Dear writers, Watch from home. Love, 'Corn +1

QUOTE(maggliopipe @ Apr 5, 2007 -> 01:11 PM) I called Comcast (well, not Comcast in Chicago but Comcast in New Hampshire) and the lady said that it wasn't going to be in their system until next week. I don't know if that means we can't order it until next week but the free preview will be starting prior to that or if nothing will be available until next week. There was an announcement on probably Tuesday by iNDemand that when and if an agreement was reached, they would have it available to order for consumers within an hour. I guess that was bogus. Comcast in Oregon didn't know anything about it this morning, but still offered me the $50 voucher for MLB.TV.

Do they have an X-ray machine in the ballpark? Anyway, glad to hear that it's only a bruise.

QUOTE(EvilJester99 @ Apr 4, 2007 -> 01:04 PM) This ump is friggin ridiculous.... So I take it that Gameday's pitch track is somewhat accurate. Been watching Gameday and it looks like these guys are getting squeezed pretty badly.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Apr 3, 2007 -> 03:18 PM) The only way he gets canned is if he says something way too offensive. +1

If the Sox lose, it will be because their aging starting pitchers are falling apart. I'd address that problem before firing Ozzie.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 3, 2007 -> 11:30 AM) Since when is being concerned the same as panic? No need for hyperbole. Given that Soxtalk is often nothing BUT hyperbole, you'll have to excuse me.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 3, 2007 -> 09:57 AM) Jenks was throwing mid 90's for the great majority of last season so if he's hitting that right now then he's not down at all from last year. Jenks was also throwing low 90's just a couple of weeks ago in Tucson. He also hit 97-99 in a several save opportunities last summer. You're right, we should all panic now because Jose failed to hit 94-95 in the first game of the season. EDIT: I seem to recall Jose hitting 93-94 regularly into early June of last year, but I could be wrong about that. Either way, I think it's a bit premature to say that he's definitely lost velocity. Pitchers often don't have their best stuff in early April. Sabathia didn't yesterday.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 3, 2007 -> 09:16 AM) The Cell gun also had him in the high 80's low 90's. Jhonny Peralta this morning said that Contreras was throwing with a lot less velocity than he normally has. I don't trust radar guns (nobody seems to know how to calibrate them properly). But I do give some credence to what other players notice. I wouldn't exactly be surpised if an aging pitcher whose arm was abused by the Commie regime in Cuba began to lose some velocity at this point in his career. I'm surprised that he was still able to throw a mid-90's fastball in his mid-30's after all of that. That said, it's important to keep in mind that it's early April and many of these arms aren't at full strength yet. Sabathia, who also throws a mid-90's fastball, was only 1-2 mph above Jose yesterday. Jenks is only throwing mid-90's fastballs right now. I'll worry about Jose's velocity if he's still throwing Buehrle-like fastballs next month.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 06:07 PM) Santana isn't looking sharp tonight either. Didn't Santana go 1-3 last April? Debating whether or not JC is an "ace" or not obviously depends on one's definition of the word. But I think we can all agree that one bad outing doesn't mean that he sucks or that he's done or that he's a financial albatross now. QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 08:50 PM) When the Cell gun and the Comcast gun have Jose clocked in the high 80's and low 90's, his stuff is not fine. The Comcast gun is garbage. The Gameday gun had Jose at 92-95 yesterday and Sabathia at 93-96. If he's throwing as hard as Sabathia with limited ST innings under his belt (i.e., his arm isn't fully-conditioned yet), I don't see a reason to panic.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 03:16 PM) Why do I even make the Contract Sheet if no one is going to use it? I was thinking that it was through '08 for some reason. My bad. QUOTE(hitlesswonder @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 03:10 PM) Contreras is signed through 2009 And how does that make him a financial albatross?