SoxHawk1980

Even when that happens, there will be fans saying that the Sox are just one hot streak away from taking the wildcard, and they'll actually be expecting it to happen. Some fans just expect everything to turn out fine, despite the available evidence which is right in front of their noses.

I suspected it before the Boston series, and with some good evidence. I haven't seen WS-caliber fire in the belly in this team all year. My suspicions turned into reality with this prolonged slump against good teams in big series. Winners sack up for big series. This team has laid down.

Does anyone still think this is a playoff team? I sure don't. They don't look like it, they don't play like it, and I'm not sure they have sufficient hunger for it. I know they won't always play this badly, but I don't see this team putting together the kind of runs it would take to overcome a 7.5 game deficit or hold off the Yankees and Twins for the wildcard.

This slide has entered "free-fall" territory.

I love the catching upgrade we made.

I hope Contreras settles down and settles in. He certainly isn't pitching his best so far.

And effective

Wow, Sandy looks great behind the plate! Ugly early.

It's nice to see the Sox come out playing well right off the bat in this big game.

It's too bad that Sandy's arm is as old as the rest of him.

Great start! I love this team's intensity. Not.

Is it just me, or are Poppy's predictions typically the most optimistic outcome that is humanly possible? That being said, I'm hoping and praying that you are right, Poppy. Santana has to have a bad start every now and then, doesn't he?

I have no problem trading good prospects for proven major leaguers who are known commodities that can help the team immediately. MacDougal had a good, but not great season last year. It was his only genuinely good season. Because of injury, he only pitched 11 innings in 2004. Because of injury, he missed the entire first half of the this season. He's not proven, he's had a long history of injuries (including in the minors even before he made it to the majors), he's had a history of blowing leads and control problems. You don't trade one of your best minor league arms for a guy with MacDougal's resume.

Ozzie's stupid decisions speak for themselves. His handling of SP's and the bullpen is indefensible. He stubbornly sticks with SP's for too long and makes poor bullpen usage decisions. And those screw ups are leading directly to losses. It isn't all Ozzie, but his horrible in-game decision making is losing this team games. And it is no defense of his horrible decisions to point to the championship. His in-game decisions didn't win us that championship. And they may well be a big reason for why we don't even get to the playoffs this year.

He did good work outside of game time which I'm sure was responsible for a lot of the improved performances of players. But his in-game decision making consistently has hurt this team. It hurt a little last year and it is hurting us a lot this year.

In some things, he is a F'n idiot. His in-game decsion making didn't help Chicago win its title. He has been consistently bad in in-game decision making both this season and last season. He makes serious mistakes based on a poor knowledge of how to handle both SP's and the bullpen.

What a F'n idiot. I'm sorry, but that is simple stupidity. His every thought should be about how he can help the Sox win the game. Sometimes that means pulling a starter early. Team wins mean a lot more than pitcher wins. But Ozzie will never learn. He does what he does and he is willfully stubborn about not ever changing anything he does.

That doesn't mean that MacDougal's history of blown saves is meaningless. You don't have to be a closer to lose a lead. You don't have to be a closer to blow a save. The fact that MacDougal has a history of giving up leads too often is certainly relevant to how good he is, and has been.

Actually, bullpen arms are very important in holding leads. And, btw, MacDougal has shown some significant difficulty in his career in holding leads. 50 Saves, 14 blown saves. That is a save conversion percentage of 78% which, sucks.

Can someone give Ozzie a brain transplant? Javy had no business finishing the 6th, much less starting the 7th. It was clear that he was done, as he was in his last start. And yet Ozzie lets him start a new fire in the 7th. Ozzie isn't a horrible manager, but this kind of decision (which is makes too often) is pure incomptence.

Somebody needs to change the sheets, Javy is making a mess on the bed.

More 6th inning magic from Javy.

I find it interesting that the only things I have read on here with regard to MacDougal are: Positive - power arm, high velocity fastball Negative - injury history We are ignoring his significant and fairly consistent control problems. Throughout his major league career, he's had great stuff which he has had a good deal of difficulty controlling. He may be a guy who comes in and walks the first couple of guys he faces and throws a wild pitch or two. He certainly hasn't been a consistent slam-the-door fireman.

As I said, intelligent fans can handle hearing criticism about their team and don't close their eyes to reality. I'm sure there are lots of cheerleading threads for you to post in.

Looks like Tracey isn't the highlight of the game anymore.