Dick Allen

Thome has been an on-base machine since he got back. I doubt Ozzie moves him out of the 3-hole now. He's also due for a barrage of homers. Hopefully that starts tonight.

Pods fans should ask themselves what does Pods do that is above average for a major league LF and leadoff hitter. Is he a good hitter? .267, lower than everyone in the Sox every day line-up except Uribe, Anderson. Does he get on base? Lower than everyone in the Sox everyday line-up, except for Uribe, Anderson and Crede. Does he hit for power? 1 amazing time he sure did 10/23/05, other than that, he's Guillen-esque with the homers. Does he drive in runs? Ha. Although he has been much better actually this year over last. He is the White Sox best base stealer by far, although he has slowed up in that category, and is nowhere near the basestealer he was in Milwaukee, and his baserunning is average. He gets throw out at home the other day on a stupid decision to go, and I've seen several instinces of an infield playing back, conceding the run with Pods on third, and he doesn't move. Basically, in the every day line-up, he is at best the 7th best offensive player. Given Uribe's streakiness, if Juan is hot, Pods is 8th, and Anderson will catch him eventually. When Mack is in the line-up against a RHP, Pods is arguably the worst offensive player on the field for the White Sox. Its very strange to have one of your worst offensive players leading off, getting perhaps the most plate appearances. Now defensively, I don't think anyone can argue he has been a few shades below weak. He drops balls, gets bad jumps, and throws like he has a separated shoulder. I read the stats his defenders put up about how when he gets a hit the Sox usually win. Wouldn't that pretty much hold true with anybody in the White Sox lead off role? Its not like Pods would be replaced with a guy who hits .000. You know you are reaching when one of the few good things you could say about him is he takes a lot of pitches. Its really debatable how much that really helps the other hitters. Most of these guys have faced these pitchers before and know what to expect, and watching from the dugout certainly isn't the same perspective as seeing a pitch in the batter's box. Someone stated earlier that if he isn't stealing bases, he's worthless, and I agree. Start running Pods, or you're going to have to find a new way to support your family.

QUOTE(Wedge @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 09:06 PM) He was asleep for the Todd Richie trade as well as the David Wells one. Let's not forget the Jamie Navarro instead of Roger Clemens signing or the Albert Belle instead of Bonds.... The Ritchie trade was bad, Kip Wells won as many games as Ritchie did the previous season and he was younger and cheaper. No one turned into a superstar but Wells and Fogg could have helped the White Sox in subsequent years. Fogg in the bullpen, and Kip Wells as the #5 starter. David Wells wasn't a bad trade. KW gave up nobody who did anything on the major league level ever again. Sirotka never played in the major leagues again and Simmons was so bad the White Sox re-aquired him the next spring off waivers I believe and wound up releasing him. Navarro over Clemens was Schueler, and if you look at their records, you could see why he chose Navarro over Clemens at the time. Clemens was 1 game over .500 the previous 4 seasons combined I believe and had a very high ERA. Navarro was coming off a couple of very impressive seasons with the Cubs, and had had some success in Milwaukee. In fact, Navarro was at least as successful in his major league career as Javy Vazquez had been when they were acquired. Schueler was also the GM when Albert Belle signed instead of trading for Barry Bonds. Bonds wouldn't have been long for the White Sox, and I'm glad he didn't because if Barry Bonds was a White Sox this board would be filled with denial of his cheating. All I know is when KW traded for Vazquez, he may have penciled him in as the fifth starter, but he didn't expect him to pitch like one. And anyone who says he's better than any fifth starter in recent White Sox history forgets that Esteban Loaisa was the fifth starter at the beginning of the year in 2003. He didn't do too bad that year.

Pods is a below average major league LF. There is no better way to describe his defense other than brutal. He apparently has zero confidence out there because he rarely goes aggressively after balls. How many times do you see him tip toeing to a ball that he doesn't even pick up until the batter is just about at second base? His steals are nice, but he has been picked off several times and made a lot of boneheaded baserunning decisions. Yesterdays' in the first didn't cost the Sox a run, but it easily could have. He has little power, and Ks frequently. You could do worse, but you also could do a lot better than Pods.

I don't think I've ever felt more uncomfortable about a 5 run lead with a pitcher who has only given up 2 hits thru 4 1/3 in my life.

Vazquez usually pitches very well with a big lead. This game looks very promising.

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 04:26 PM) Did that look intentional to you? If he's hitting Iguchi on purpose with Thome and Konerko and Dye coming up, he is the biggest fool in MLB.

QUOTE(CYGarland @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 04:00 PM) GODAMMM is PK Slow. 3-0 Sox! At least you know he won't lose much speed for the duration of his contract. He would need to be using a walker to be any slower.

If Iguchi scores, the umpire will have given the Sox at least 1 gift run, in fact any run the Sox score this inning will be a gift, because Thome's grounder would have been routine with no runner on. I hope if an umpire's bad call gives Toronto a run later, Hawkeroo will remember this.

Vazquez looks unhittable through 2. I still hope, even if he has a perfect game going after 5, Ozzie has someone ready, just in case.

That was not a strike

He had no chance.

Chances are McCarthy is toast for tomorrow anyway. I say leave him in, and everyone else will be well rested and ready for the Vazquez meltdown tomorrow.

QUOTE(iguchi=dank @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:33 PM) just throwin it out there. latroy H. out for balt in the 8th... I always kind of liked Hawkins, but he's brutal now. I think he gets less than 4 ks/9 innings.

QUOTE(The Ginger Kid @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:32 PM) shoulder, hit by Mike Brown When Mike Brown hits someone, someone gets hurt. Unfortunately its been Brown too much the past couple of seasons.

QUOTE(iguchi=dank @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:30 PM) wow, base hit by buck, now kc gets 2 in on a single, 4-3 against santana Obviously, its still way too early, but if the White Sox beat Halladay and KC beats Santana, the tide could finally be turning. The odds you probably could get on that in Vegas must be staggering.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:23 PM) I was thinking that also. However, I really think a lot of people personally don't like Garland, and it makes them jump on him more (and yes, I know myself and others do this with other players also). He does have that demeanor that makes it look like he doesn't care.

Here's to Mr. Pratt.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:20 PM) Here's the way I view Garland. He sucked to start the year, and every bad pitch he made was getting hammered (his D didn't do him any favors). Now, he's trusting his sinker more, and he's been our most consistent pitcher the last two months. Buehrle is now in the same funk that Garland was in. However, people generally like Buehrle more than Garland, so they give him a bigger benefit of the doubt. I think its because of Buerhle's much better track record.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:18 PM) Brian needs to be in CF now. They will probably let Pods hit once more and then move Mack to LF.

Are the Blue Jays running down the line? The Sox seem a little slow turning the last 2 DPs, and the plays at first haven't been close. I think they have some problems in Toronto. I have the feeling they will have a new manager in 2007.

QUOTE(SoxHawk1980 @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:12 PM) Yes, and ALL one can say that is good about Garland this season is that he's been good over the last 6-8 starts. That doesn't make up for 3 months of suckage. He only has 3 losses.

One great thing Garland did tonight was not hang his head after the big homer in the first. It would have been very easy to become demoralized being down 3-0 against Halladay even with the Sox sporting their A team offense. He kept them at 3. I would never have guessed it.

QUOTE(SoxHawk1980 @ Aug 4, 2006 -> 08:04 PM) I know he's had some good starts of late, but he's had more bad outings than good ones this season. That doesn't make for much of an ace. He's still Judy in my book, with an ERA appropriate for a #5 starter. I've given him a hard time this year, and you're right, the ERA is bloated, but if he gets the win tonight, he would be 12-3. You really can't complain about that.

Thome has reached base 12 of the 16 times he has faced Halladay.