Harry Chappas

Are you trying to say he is no Everett Sanapas (forgive the spelling.)

I'm not arguing that JM should stay. The only logical thing they can do is relieve him of his duties. You can't fire the whole team, so the manager is the scapegoat. I've never bought into the whole concept of the manager being the difference maker. They say a good manager can get you what, 6-7 more wins a year. 7 out of 162 are won by the manager. It's done between the line. Just my opinion, of course. The manager can't be a difference maker? ....... Jack McKeon. I rest my case. Exactly right, Chicago and Florida r 2 very similar teams, and 1 could be going to the playoffs with the NL Wild Card and the other will prob have their team broken up during the offseason. It's all JM's fault, we should have never been below .500 bf the all star break in the 1st place, KW actually gave us a chance to win this but in the clutch the players didn't deliver. Simple as that. "...but in the clutch the players didn't deliver. Simple as that" Exactly how is that JM's fault? Like I said before, I am not arguing that JM should stay, I believe he needs to go. It's the only logical thing to do. The Jack McKeon might hold a little water, but like the Sox, Florida wasn't hitting early. When the Sox started to hit their stride, was Manuel doing something different? No, the players were doing what they were supposed to do. Winning builds confidence and both these teams were able to pick up the pieces after their bad starts. The Marlins and Chicago are similar teams except for the fact that their clutch players are delivering down the stretch. My contention is that the Sox players looked at their "easy" April schedule and thought they could sleepwalk through the first month. They dug their own hole. You said it yourself..."but in the clutch the players didn't deliver. Simple as that". I rest my case. Players do not come through becasue they are not focused enough. Being held accountable for your actions forces you to play at 100%. After Jimenez' follies he was never held accountable until he was eventually traded. There needs to be consequences for not giving 100%. With this team, there is not and that is JM's fault.

Barry Larkin has been done for a couple of years.

Is there a post blaming this on the fact that Loiaza and Garland had both pitched on three days rest? Why they did this I am not sure. Am I mistaken? I get the feeling Garland is being shut down because there is nothing more to prove this season for him.

In the game against the Twins a division winning effort on a fly ball to the gap in right by Ordonez is caught and game is tied at 1 instead in falls and a sacrifice fly later it is 4-1.

What high priced guys are out there. None every manager is a gamble.

I agree 100%.

His change in hitting style screwed Ordonez. Ordonez was an RBI machine until Thomas deciding hitting home runs was the answer. At that point he and Ordonez should have switched spots in the line-up. Oh wait that would have taken managing sense. Forget it.

Who is George Romero? If you heard that they are building a statue in front of the park, that is BS, there is already one in the oversized batters box whenever there is a man on first and less than 2 outs. What is shakin? Any reason for them to keep my money as a deposit? I told the ticket guy that if Colon doesn't come back, seats will not be hard to come by and my season tickets will go the way of out pennant hopes, out the window. He chuckled and agreed.

Who has played for Backman that is on this team? Could the quote have come from someone that is not on the team but played (was playing) for Birmingham or played with him. Could it have been Rafael Santana? Could these thoughts been the reason why Backman was not brought in earlier? baines when he passed through as a roving instuctor? Walker while working at the lower levels? I think the only current guys may be Crede, Harris, Olivo, Rowand, and maybe Wright???? Has Backman been with us that long. I could someone yelling, really scaring Willie Harris.

My feeling is that Backman will replace Bruce Kimm and be tutored by an older manager. Leyland, Torborg, and Whitey Herzog come to mind. There also could be movement with the bench coach. I think Manuel will resign rather than be fired.

Sounds like the same thing as a bad plan is better than no plan at all. Farmer for pitching coach and Harrleson for hitting coach.

I think he was defending you.

Funny thing is, right now the only guys I want back are Buerhle, Loiaza, Garland, Colon, Marte, Crede, Graffy, Lee (can't beleive I said that,) Olivo and Everett. The rest of the team shoudl be traded for hitteres that can hit and not swing for the fences. I am tired of the Ordonez and Thomas hot streaks, Konerko's s*** slumps, valentin's clueless appraoch at the plate. When the bell rung, they ran and hid. If they don't Backman becasue he is in your face, sorry you all f***ing choked, f***'em all.

This team has a-lot of potential to be traded away. As slow and unathletic as we are there are teams that can use the Konerko's of the world, see L.A. Dodgers. We could draft a ton of players if we offer arbitration and get picks. We have three major league pitchers. If by some miracle of God Colon is brought back, I think we'll be fine. Outside of the four starters, I would clean house. I would bring back Foulke and sign Luis Castillo and go from there.

The Twins made up 4 games in a span of 7 games played. Can we make up 2 1/2 in a span of 11 games sure, especially when we can make up one tonight. The thing is, this team is stupid. The pitch selection in this series has pushed me over the brink. The mentality of this team appears to be lets go out and see what happens, there never seems to be a plan of attack other than swing from your heels and hope for the best.

Makes no difference who shows up, the Heartless Wonders will be there to go three and out. I advocate an off season house cleaning as this team and its psyche are finished. 11-0 though nice would be pointless as they will b**** and moan that they ran out of gas at the end of the season to perform in the playoffs. You know the same old s*** about having to play hard. Lazy f***s, all of them. If the Valentin v. J.C. Romero at-bat wasn't enough to make you sick nothing will. 2-0 swing at a ball in the dirt and then fake a bunt at a fastball down the middle. Geez.

The problem I have is that I do not think the hitters are as good as we are making them out to be. If you can trade a Carlos Lee for a Juan Pierre do you do it? The most glaring example of the make-up of our team costing us a game was the bases clearing triple last week. Ordonez and Everett did not get to that ball. The center and left fiedlder on the Twins both would have. I feel that Ordonez does not go all out in the outfield and pulls up on some balls he could get to. We have a weak make-up and lack of direction on the theory of playing the game. I am not avocating trading guys for nothing I just feel that if we are going to have a $45M payroll, spending $14M on Ordonez instead of $10M on a top flight pitcher and $4 on an average hard nosed rightfielder doesn't makes sense. I like Ordonez and feel he brings a-lot to the table but that fact is we are not winning with what we have. We lose too many games by not scoring runs to pay the money to the hitters that we do. How many clutch hits have we gotten compared to GIDP's?

Not to jump the gun but the only guys I would really like to see next year are Bartolo Colon, Loiaza, Garland and Buerhle. If our hitters were that good we wouldn't be in this place. Ordonez, Thomas, Lee, Konerko, Valentin, and Everett can all be traded. I watched the Twins and they have not a single player in their lineup with stats that can compared to our top hitters yet they know how to win. I have a feeling we overestimate greatly what we have. I'll take Frank Thomas with 30 homers and 110 walks over 40 homers and 110 K's anybody know the last time a homerun champ won a world series? Take a cue from Sammy, homers are pretty but wins are what count. I hate Sosa but his two run shot Tuesday won the game. Start with Manuel and Williams and go from there. Pitching and defense wins not pitching and untimely home run, me only guys!

That's fine in the middle of the season but right now I want the guy that gives me the best chance to win. Olive struck out in 8 of 9 plate appearences going into last evening.

The funny thing is, you would think so wouldn't you. I do not get the feeling there are sensible moves made here. Remember this was the guy throwing Julio Ramirez out there before Chris Singleton, with Singleton coming off of a .300 season. How about giving up on Foulke, now that was a great judge of talent there. The topper being not pitching Koch or Paniagua against Cleveland up by four but doing so against the Twins and using Gordon in both games. Why isn't the more experienced well rested catcher playing after the day off? Right now we need the best guy out there and that is Alomar.

Maggs is due $14M next year. If he agrees to a restructure along the lines of 5 years $50M, there is a chance he will be brought back. Sad as it sounds, he may be too good for JR and the White Sox.

I think depending on what happens over the next week to a month, the next couple years could be drastically different. Lee, Ordonez, Reed, and Konerko all could bring some good pitching in return. We will for the first time realize the loss of Kip Wells. The signing of Colon or another top flight Free Agent pitcher will be the leading indicator. With over 2 million fans, attendance should be less of the issue. I think one of the four right handed bats will be moved. I see a move along the lines of Lee for Javier Vazquez or something like that. If Colon is resigned I see Ordonez being moved for something major. More so than making the playoffs the next two week will prove the fate of 2004 and beyond.

In a division that should have been clinched by now.

In a world of twisted reverse psychology, I only play against the White Sox. In the last week I am up a little over $400. $150 on the Twin this eve would be a good $225 to lose. The cub cost me $350 and mixed with the sweep of the Twins I was in a little hole but it was well worth it. I do have $50 on the Twins at 5 to 1 for the division. Made the bet around teh break. I also have the $25 on the cub to win their division at around 10 to 1.