Dick Allen

He's lucky that one didn't go about 450

I know it gives the guy at second a huge jump, but Floyd needs to go to the wind up right now. He's a minor leaguer from the stretch tonight.

Its a good thing the ump blew the call at first or this game would be tied. Amazing Hawk doesn't bring it up.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Aug 18, 2010 -> 08:56 PM) WHY WHY WHY WHY are you pitching Mauer away? Unreal. He should drill him and then stare at Delmon Young.

QUOTE (bighurt574 @ Aug 18, 2010 -> 06:44 PM) Ozzie is an idiot. No need to throw Thome under the bus... http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/...-departure.html "I'm not afraid," Guillen said. "I can care less what people think. We're in second place. When Jim Thome was here, we finished third three times out of four years (actually two third-place finishes and one fourth-place ending). We went to one playoff because he hit a home run to go to the playoffs. I think he mean's couldn't care less, but if that's really the case, how come Ozzie gets so upset when people have a different view than he does? The I really don't care what you think but I'm going to go off and tell everyone that that view is wrong with no valid points and get pissed off every time someone disagrees with me act is stale. Thome is a Twin now, so I couldn't care less and actually applaud Ozzie for not kissing his ass today, but you know the organization is very sensitive to the Thome situation. On telecasts and now in print, they really don't make much of his successes. Hawk last night kept saying "a whole lot of guys are going to hit that pitch hard" each time Thome did something positive. They need to get over it. Realize Thome would have helped the Sox and move on. Quit trying to spin the situation. You want a LH bat. In his last 640 plate appearances Thome has 40 HR 120 RBI over 100 walks. To say he wouldn't help is sour grapes.

QUOTE (jhonnydanks @ Aug 18, 2010 -> 07:28 AM) why would we hit mauer? clearly delmon young is the one who deserves a fastball to the face. anything less and i will be ashamed. Go after their best. If anything will deter their BS, its the prospect that Joe Mauer will pay.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 17, 2010 -> 04:29 PM) I don't think anybody fears the Twins, but I do think many of us expect them to not only beat us, but blow us out in games. I fully expect us to lose all 3 games. I would be shocked if we win two. I wouldn't be totally surprised if we win one. I dont fear Minnesota. I'm a realist. This is another season where they again have our number. They have no pressure on them going into this series and frankly figure to bury our ass. That's all right though. The Sox had a chance to kick their ass in Chicago and promptly lost 2 of 3. And I do expect a fight this series, which may turn out the way it did when Robin Ventura charged Nolan Ryan. Bad timing for a fight/beanball war. But I sense it is coming tonight in game one, to try to set the cliche-like "tone" to the series. After the Toriiiiiii Hunter-esque move Young pulled on AJ last night, its time for some retaliation. If they get the first couple guys out in the first inning tonight, its time for Mauer to feel some pain, and if you miss the first time, try try again.The fact that there really was never any retaliation for Hunter, in fact, Ozzie praised him, Quentin getting thrown at, nothing, and the reaction like the Young BS was just another play last night, is ridiculous. Exorcise the demons, show the Twins enough is enough.

Look at Thome's numbers between last year and this season. If you add them together they are about equal or maybe even better than Adam Dunn's numbers for 2009. 640 plate appearances, 40 homers 120 RBI, 170 k, 100+ BB.............. What would you have been willing to give up last winter in order to pay Dunn $10 million to do it again? Thome would have cost a fraction of the cash and no players. There is no argument it wasn't a mistake letting him go. He wanted to be a White Sox.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Aug 17, 2010 -> 11:20 PM) BTW, what were the options in FA for acquiring another DH? It really didn't matter. If the Sox need another bat, KW will just get Gonzalez or Dunn at the deadline. Oh wait.................... Offense was not the reason the Sox lost tonight however.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 17, 2010 -> 11:18 PM) He also had a great game tonight and isn't the reason we lost. We couldn't hold a lead ... again. In a way he could be the reason the Sox lost. If they didn't have him, maybe they have Thome and the Twins don't. Of course maybe the Twins score a couple in the 10th anyway.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 17, 2010 -> 11:08 PM) Who the hell is going to be the closer next year? Santos? I just don't think Thornton's cut out to be the closer...obviously tonight wasn't really his fault, he's been overpitched all season. I just think it would be better to have a closer with at least two consistent pitches, as good as Matt's fastball can be, it's not unhittable, especially when he gets behind in the count. Hello Liriano and Pavano. Great timing to see those two guys. One inning and he's fine. It will be interesting to see how they piece the bullpen together next season. The Sun Times ran something today implying the Sox bullpen was worn down. That can't be good. They are used less than every other bullpen except two.

I would think by now, even Thome's biggest critics would have to admit not bringing Thome back for $1.5 million was a mistake. He has just as much production in half the ABs as White Sox DHs.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Aug 17, 2010 -> 11:01 PM) I'm not even going to blame Ozzie for that final inning, he really doesn't have any good options right now, anything he does could have blown up in his face there. I am still going to blame him for not having a real f***in dh though and no I wont ever get over that bulls***. The Sox did get some DH production tonight, however, if they had signed Thome, the Twins wouldn't have him, and maybe this game is a different story. Maybe a lot of things are different. All I know is the Sox better start winning quickly or their nice comeback will be long forgotten with tumbleweeds returning to USCF in September.

QUOTE (J.Reedfan8 @ Aug 17, 2010 -> 10:59 PM) I agree with you except this part which is false. Other than Badger, few of the posters were surprised that Thornton was back out there for that inning in the game thread. Not saying I didn't agree with it or did (other than Matt's low velocity I thought they still would have pitched Thome better and BTW we have poorly scouted Jim whom we should know his weaknesses that game) but just throwing that out there. High fastball, Thome doesn't touch. Low fastball, Thome touches. Simple. The Sox know Thome's weaknesses as well as or better than every team. Just because you want to throw a high fastball doesn't mean you will, especially if you may be a bit gassed.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Aug 17, 2010 -> 10:55 PM) I don’t have a problem with Thornton being in the game. I have a problem with him throwing Thome’s kind of pitch in Thome’s wheelhouse. That’s a troubling piece of pitch sequencing. He was probably in too long, and you lose some command and some stuff, but the other options were just as ugly.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Aug 17, 2010 -> 10:53 PM) That bomb put Thome in a tie for first on the all-time walk-off HR list. He's so unclutch. I really can't understand why the Sox don't dominate the Twins. Gardenhire is so handcuffed. His DH can't play the field. I wonder if the show "The Club" gets Thome's blood moving a little quicker. It always has the JR quote "It doesn't matter what we feel about him, its about winning" in the into. They were talking about him. It is a must the Sox get at least one of the next two.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 16, 2010 -> 07:45 PM) I know for a fact that some small market teams have claimed some guys you would not expect them to have claimed... There is more money out there than you think. The White Sox spend every dime they have. They found extra money in the drop ceiling of Uncle Jerry's office last season to bring in Peavy and Rios. The thing is, with guys like Scott, its not big money being moved. I didn't think any team would claim Manny, but now I believe the Red Sox will. They have nothing to lose. Manny won't go back there and it prevents their competition from acquiring him.

The Sox have to win at least one of these. 4 games back is far better than 6. Of course, being tied at 10 pm on Thursday would be optimal.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 15, 2010 -> 02:27 AM) Caulfield, I was just going by the analysis of Hawk and Stoney who, even as homers, crucified AJ on the play. Said on ball four it was inexcusable to throw the ball. Stoney said AJ "knew" that ball was high. I love AJP, I'm just going by our announcers. Curious as to why you see this one differently from those two. Remember it was ball four. We should have a separate thread on Soxtalk's feelings about AJ. I sense some growing disgust with him this year. I still like him, just don't understand his batting stance sometimes. I think AJ lost the count on that play. He turned around and was talking to the umpire after the play.I hope he comes back if Tyler Flowers is the answer as a replacement. AJ has been pretty brutal offensively this year, but has had a real good defensive season. Castro is a nice back up. He was very popular in NY as a back up, fans always wanting him to have the regular job. When he plays more frequently he tends to show why he is a back up, which is fine. I think the Sox have a cheap option on him next year.

Infrequent ABs for 21 year olds in the major leagues spells struggles. He needs to play, and Ozzie really doesn't appear to like to play him, so going back to Charlotte is probably for the best. He obviously is going to have to learn how to take a walk once in a while to keep pitchers honest. To me, Viciedo is going to be a star or bust, no in between.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 12, 2010 -> 09:40 PM) Well, Gardenhire pulled Liriano before Ramirez batted, while Ozzie let Floyd stayed in. Right or wrong, Gardenhire is the huge winner in the managerial game tonight. I like the match-ups vs the Tigers, but would be nice to see Teahen called up for Viciedo with those 3 righties on the mound. I've always been big on a quick hook, but Ozzie does have his bullpen in better shape for the stretch. The only other bullpens used less than the White Sox are Philadelphia and Seattle, and Seattle was only about an inning more.

QUOTE (Allsox @ Aug 12, 2010 -> 09:37 PM) He struck out the other two guys with them, what can one do? Normally I can see your point, but a hot humid night, more pitches than he usually throws, he's been laboring for a good portion of the game, a huge situation with a lefty ready to go against Kubel, its easy to say now obviously, but you have to make a move in a 3-1 game. If you're going to yank him if he gives up a homer, why leave him in?

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 12, 2010 -> 09:33 PM) I think he'll be fine...he's doing a great job as a lefty reliever brought in to face righties. I just see that motion and think he's going to know surgeons quite well.

Is it just me..........the more I see Sale, the shorter I think his career is going to be.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 12, 2010 -> 09:29 PM) Wow Ozzie, you deserve all sorts of bashing for that move. Gavin was hanging every pitch he threw this inning. One batter too late. Mercy. Stone called it too.