Dick Allen

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jun 21, 2008 -> 08:05 PM) Minnesota won again. We're 2.5 up, maybe this is a must-win... Only a 2.5 game lead with 88 or 89 remaining. I think the Sox almost have to win out if they really have any playoff aspirations.

Carlos Zambrano has an interesting take on the Sox/Cubs rivalry from Chicagosports.com: I don’t like to pitch in American League ballparks,” he said. “I feel bored. The games are too long. I like the National League. You’re competing and you do something for yourself. No one has to come in for me and do the DH part. I like to compete and play against the White Sox. It’s good. Every time I go to U.S. Cellular, or Comiskey, or whatever is the name of the ballpark, people starts screaming at you and saying all kinds of things, calling you all kind of things. “That’s good. They say something like ‘Homosexual.’ Sometimes I’m in the outfield and they say bad words. ‘You’re a homosexual.’ I say ‘I’m going to show him I’m (not) a homosexual on the mound.’ That’s kind of like a good feeling between the Cubs and the Sox.”

QUOTE (joesaiditstrue @ Jun 21, 2008 -> 03:12 PM) this is pretty funny. it's clear brian anderson isn't good. he constantly fails in situations where all he needs to do is make contact. it's happened multiple times this year. he also, most of the time, looks clueless with a bat in his hands (which leads to his failure in advancing runners) but he's better than DeWayne, because DeWayne has had limited at-bats. Got it. What's funniest is Dwayne Wise is a much better hitter than BA. He hit a homer today. Screw his past in the big leagues, forget his age. Who cares if nobody claimed him on waivers thus were not willing to pay him slightly more than minimum to play for them.

QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Jun 21, 2008 -> 02:50 PM) We aren't looking for an answer- we're looking for just average-solid play in the field and in the batter's box. Sure, Anderson is 10 notches higher than Wise in the field, but at the dish they off-set each other. I don't care how old and how many ABs Wise has had as a major leaguer, the bottom line is, he can't be any worse then Anderson. What if he went 1-4 today and didn't hit the homer? You're pretty much basing Wise's offensive potential on 1 at bat. Wise made it through waivers without anyone claiming him. BA would be claimed.

Today was probably the least enjoyable time I have ever had at a ballpark. The Fat Boys in front of me were high fiving each other and jumping up and down on strike calls and White Sox foul balls. The Sox had the quieted for a little while, but after the 9 spot, it was brutal. I just think texting someone in between innings and then jumping up and down saying "9 runs" to yourself probably means you have a problem.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 06:40 PM) Some stupid Cubs fans or NL fans in general say the DH needs to be abolished because it favors the AL. BS, the fact that we have to have our pitchers hit is worse. At least NL teams can trot out a real hitter when they play in AL parks, we have to trot out a pitcher who gets 5 ABs a year when we play in NL parks. And one of the biggest reasons Danks was pulled today was because of the lack of the DH. I know Uribe got a hit and all, but he didn't score! Be grateful Cubs fans, so many things handed you this game. The rule should be uniform. I think it affects the visiting AL teams the most due to the fact that most DH's are integral parts of their offense.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 06:04 PM) There are 2 totally separate issues between the yanking of Garland and the Yanking of Danks here. When the Garland yanking was at its worst, in 2002 and 2003, Garland had already piled up a bunch of innings. 190+ in both of those years. The reason to keep Danks on a tight leash is not struggling, it's health. Ask guys like Zambrano, Prior, and Wood how throwing a lot of innings early in their career has done for them, ore even how it's done for their shoulders recently. The rule of thumb with a young pitcher is you can jump their total innings up by about 30 or so per year. That number puts Danks on a 160 inning limit for this year. When Garland in 03 was still getting Yanked by Manuel every time he got in any sort of trouble, he'd thrown 190 innings the year beforehand, so the yankings then had nothing to do with keeping his innings low, it had to do with a lack of faith in the guy. Taking Danks out early today would have been similar to the Garland move if Danks allowed 2 runners in the 5th and Ozzie didn't give him a shot to finish that inning. You may want to go back to those years and look at pitch counts. You don't think health was involved with any of Manuel's decisions?

From Phil Rogers at chicagotribune.com: By pulling Danks only 85 pitches into his afternoon, Guillen was being consistent in how he has handled the 23-year-old left-hander for two seasons. He has been babied almost beyond belief, throwing 100 pitches only three times in his 15 starts this season and never even 110 in his 41 career starts. Those numbers will make old-schoolers want to throw up. But consider these numbers, as well—5.50, 2.80. Those are Danks' earned-run averages from his rookie season in 2007 and this season. The improvement is staggering. Something clearly is working in the job Guillen, pitching coach Don Cooper and others are doing in developing Danks. If the plan calls for him to be handled with kid gloves, so be it. Too much caution is always better than not enough when dealing with young pitchers, who as a group represent the most valuable assets in baseball. I have no problem with him getting yanked. Its funny neither Hawk or anyone else has really picked up on this considering this is the exact same treatment Jerry Manuel gave Garland and was ripped so much for. Its was the right move. People would have been b****ing if Danks started struggling.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 03:21 PM) That wasn't a bad decision, it's not Ozzie's fault Dotel sucked it up. Blame his offensive decisions. Not bunting with Anderson doubling and Jim Thome up? In that situation, you put in Ozuna or Wise and you bunt him over. At least get him over on a grounder to the right side. Cabrera probably could of gotten the run in with a sac fly. We had so many opportunities, screwed them all up. It's too bad Cabrera almost had a 2 run shot in the 7th, it just missed the foul pole. The White Sox are a poor bunting team. Bunting against a guy who throws as hard as Wood is difficult. I'm sure Ozzie would have liked if Thome would have made an out for it to be a grounder to the right side, but it didn't happen.

QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 03:21 PM) Right, so it's definitley fine we just played awful baseball. Except for 3 or 4 games this year, Dotel has pretty much been unhittable. The 7th inning is his. The 8th would have been Linebrink's and the 9th would have been Jenks'. It didn't work out. It doesn't always. I don't like Ozzie as a manager, but I can't fault him today.

QUOTE (ChWRoCk2 @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 03:18 PM) I understand Linebrink is our best guy but you really have to bring your closer in for that situation, thats a closer type situation. Oh well, we should knock up Marquis tomorrow but Contreras can be just as bad. So wait, Ozzie was wrong not to use Linebrink, and was wrong using Linebrink in a non save situation. Got it.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 03:18 PM) STFU. I'm tired of people defending Ozzie. He didn't put us in the best position to win. The outcome itself could be a direct result of it. Ozzie blew this game. We'd be in a much better position to win if he'd left Danks in or Brought Linebrink for the heart of the order in the 7th. Linebrink gave up a homer to the only batter he faced. Why is it assumed he would have done better?

QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 03:17 PM) IT'S OK GUYS Right, Tony?? No its not. The world is coming to an end. The Sox actually blew a game to the Cubs. How can we go on?

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 03:13 PM) I wish we would have pinch hit Ozuna for the pitcher and have him bunt Anderson over, and go from there. Instead, we have guys going for the 2 run homer and we blow another runner at second, nobody out situation. It's just bad fundamentals right now. Could someone tell me the harm in bunting the runner over???? Wood is a hard guy to bunt.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 03:11 PM) On the road, the ball kicking off wall he had to try for triple. Your post would have meant more if you posted it before there were 2 out with the runner still at second. At the time, if BA tried for 3rd and was thrown out, I'm sure you would have criticized it.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 04:06 PM) There was no rational picking Dotel out of all people when you have seen what he has done in hostile environments. Like when he came in against the Yankees in the opener against them I believe it was. Completely choked and I called it. He is not the same pitcher he was. Stop using him. I honestly have more confidence in Masset because at least his stuff is pretty good. He actually has a chance. Dotel has the mentality that he could still go right down the middle with his fastball or slider because he hasn't come to terms that he's lost it. He can't blow anyone by anymore. He only averages 1.5 k's an inning. He's lost it. Get real.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 04:03 PM) I could see pulling Danks for Thome against a righty in the 7th, but certainly not Uribe. Good news. Uribe got a hit and Thome is still available.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 02:59 PM) Also, does Linebrink have some clause in his contract where he can only pitch 1 inning at a time? You think if we sign a SU guy for practically 20 million over 4 years that he'd be able to pitching 2 innings. I felt strongly that Linebrink should have been the 7th inning guy. I like Dotel and all, but he has shown he can't be trusted late in close ball games, IMO. He's way too streaky. So Dotel should only pitch in blowouts?

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 02:59 PM) 1-2 to fuk, nasty breaking ball to outside should get him Nasty breaking balls from LH pitchers get most LH hitters. Way to go out on a limb.

There could be a couple factors why Danks was lifted early. Maybe he warmed up before it started raining. Maybe he told Ozzie he was gassed. Of course, that's not possible for a lot of people here, Dotel just sucks. Get off it. Ozzie uses his bullpen less than everyone. There was a good reason why Danks was yanked.

I love Dotel, but when they are hitting flyballs off of him, its time for him to grab some bench.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 20, 2008 -> 01:05 PM) 17 pitches by Danksy in the first. Even when he's rolling, he's been throwing a lot of pitches. Hopefully he will be able to eventually be able to improve on it, and then he could probably be an all star.

Nice job getting out of that even getting squeezed with their best hitters at bat. Now the Sox need a big crooked number.

That's OK

Something tells me today is going to be ugly. If he can get out of this with 1 given up, it could be a good omen.