iamshack

I just hope the team isn't in a similar frame of mind.... Let's hope they just let that one be the stinker and come back and regroup for tomorrow night's game. We still hold the advantage, folks. Let's get the game tomorrow and the best they can do is pick up a game while three more slide off the calendar.

QUOTE (scenario @ Sep 22, 2008 -> 09:48 AM) I don't think there is any question Brian is back next year. (1) What value does he have in trade? He is a virtual legend in some Sox fans minds, but he's worth a bag of balls in a deal at this point. (2) He could turn out to be something... and he's under our control contract-wise... what's the pressure to trade him? None. I think if he had value in trade, he would have been traded by now. I think he has risen his value this year, and there is always value for a good defensive CF, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking he is going to net us anything of real value at this point. I think Kenny recognizes that Brian holds more value to our club at this point than he does for others. And while he might not like what he is doing to Brian, it's for the good of the club.

I don't want to jump the gun either, but lets just say that I am not too happy that I had to move to Vegas this Summer. Chicago is about to get really, really crazy....

Not only did he get his 16th win last night, he kept us in games the last two times he pitched, once against Lackey, and once against Marcum. He's been an absolute pleasure to watch all season. Here's to you, Gavin.

I just want to go into Minny with more than a 3 game lead.....please make it so... I have a good feeling about tonight....

QUOTE (CQMVP @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 09:32 PM) By the way, why do people keep bringing up our improvement over last year? Seriously. Last year was one of the most underperforming White Sox teams I've watched in the last 10 years. We were picked to win the central last year with the team we had... Making zero changes to this team, we still would have improved dramatically over last year. There was no way not to. Couldn't agree more with that.

I think one can argue that the offseason moves that were trumpeted by the organization as big moves that would help us compete again this year have produced an underwhelming result. However, simply because the moves that were expected to produce the results were not those that actually did, certainly does not make Kenny's offseason moves poor. There is simply no denying the credit that is due both for acquiring CQ and signing Alexei. Looking closely at the entire scope of moves that were made, and not just those that were hyped, results in the quite obvious and indisputable conclusion that Kenny had himself one hell of an offseason.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 08:47 AM) Love it or hate it, but the Sox aren't going to go anywhere forcing the same arm or two to pitch out of the pen everyday. If no one else can step up, this isn't a playoff team anyway. Agreed. Ozzie has to figure out who has the stones to step in and get the job done and who does not. Last night helped show him who does not. Matt Thornton and OD cannot pitch every game. I was shocked when Ozzie didn't put the squeeze on with Alexei on third and Owens at the plate in the 6th. I thought for sure that was the only reason he was at the plate...

QUOTE (shipps @ Sep 1, 2008 -> 11:50 AM) Certainly wouldnt argue about CQ winning again but Alexei has been a rather stunning gentleman this month. I wanted to vote for Alexei....but just couldn't take him when Q has an OBP 130 points higher...

Chose DJ....stabilized a bullpen that was dangerously close to falling apart after Linebrink went down...

I don't disagree with the substance of Mark's comments- Gavin does look like a deer in the headlights quite often- however, I agree with the original poster. If anyone's mental toughness could be questioned, first in line for me would be Mark Buehrle. He cannot pitch over errors and hasn't pitched like the guy we signed him to be. Not that he still isn't a very solid pitcher. But he just isn't the guy with the killer instinct at the top of your rotation you need down the stretch and during a playoff run.

I understand the anger, but the bitterness that colors the posts in the loss threads is something that should be put into a compilation and reviewed later for some serious humor...

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 30, 2008 -> 12:43 PM) Are you saying that, because the offense didn't score, that Vazquez is not at fault at all for the loss? He gave up 5 runs. I would've liked to see him pitch better; that being said, we were overmatched last night. Just doesn't make much sense in constantly picking at your old scabs over this one...

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 30, 2008 -> 12:27 PM) Well, this is my first and only White Sox game this year. And, of course, it had to be Vazquez on the mound. I sure don't hate him less today than I did before. Also, as the other thread mentioned, we can't beat good teams. I believe Matsuzaka has averaged like 5 IP per start this year. Not surprisingly, he goes 8 strong against us. EDIT: I RUE the day we acquired Vazquez. We lost 8-0. Wasn't much Javy or anyone else was going to do about that.

QUOTE (shipps @ Aug 29, 2008 -> 10:58 AM) The Sox are going to mash at Fenway.Just like the Cell the ballpark suits are lineup,hell it suits anybodys lineup so I guess Iam not saying much but I expect alot of runs. It suits right-handed pull hitters...not so much left-handed pull hitters. Luckily, Thome can hit the ball oppo over the Monster and bounce plenty high off it for doubles.

It's crazy that the Angels are the only team in the AL with a winning road record...and they are 15 over .500 on the road! What are they doing that the rest of the league is not?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Aug 26, 2008 -> 02:01 PM) I will not, because by doing so and getting thrown out, you lose the possibility of multiple runs being scored via any base hit but especially homers and doubles. If you score, you get that run, and then a home run brings the total to the exact same that it would have been before; not worth the risk. If the offense were faster or played more like Minnesota's, then I'd love Joey at 3B; as is, prevent as many outs as you can on the basepaths and let this team try and hit their way to a divisional title. When the time calls for it, like Sunday against Tampa, then I have no problem with being overaggressive...it's been mentioned around here before. Even on a bullet like that was, the fielder has to come in, field it cleanly, and make a good throw, and the catcher has to come up with it cleanly, make a good tag, and hold on to the ball. I'd say that happens about 65% of the time, which means, unless you have Albert Pujols or Chipper Jones up there, you send that runner from 3rd. I'm not suggesting we send Thome when he is going to be out by 30 feet as he was the other day. But with players like OC, CQ, Alexei, Brian, Wise, etc., who have decent speed, I am tired of seeing him hold runners. It has happened several times where a player has run through a sign (twice by OC), or the hitter is looking to advance another base but cannot because Cox has clogged up the basepaths by holding the runner at 3rd (as is the case yesterday). I honestly believe we have left more runs out there by not running guys than we have picked up by holding them.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 26, 2008 -> 11:00 AM) And I miss having Darin Erstad bat leadoff. I will gladly take a few guys getting thrown out here or there for being aggressive than watching our players have to choose to run through stop signs because Cox is so damn conservative.

The ball Konerko hit was an absolute rocket right at the LF'er. There was no way to score that run unless there was a bad throw or hop (which we were lucky enough to get). Cox is actually extremely conservative...I miss having Joey over there...

QUOTE (WCSox @ Aug 23, 2008 -> 12:29 PM) Tell me which of Dotel's pitches qualify as "absolutely filty, nasty stuff." I see a really nice two-seamer, but no effective changeup or breaking ball. Seriously, are you saying that Dotel's stuff is on the level of Jenks, K-Rod, or Nathan? I hope not. There are more pitchers in the major leagues that have "absolutely filthy, nasty" stuff than Jenks, KRod, or Nathan. From what I have read, Dotel's best pitch may actually be his slider... Here is a scouting report: "Has a simply electric arm. Can dominate hitters who are unfamiliar with him with consistent upper-90s heat and a good slider. Has shown the ability to excel in a variety of roles." So I'll just go with that....has an "electric arm" and can "dominate." It's not worth it for me to argue the semantics with you. But the bottom line is Dotel's problem is not an absence of stuff, as was stated earlier.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Aug 23, 2008 -> 01:21 PM) K-Rod has "absolutely filthy, nasty stuff." From what I can tell, Dotel has a nice two-seamer and that's about it. Well, no offense, sir, but "from what 'you' can tell" is not accurate.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Aug 23, 2008 -> 12:59 PM) Dotel tops out in the low 90's and doesn't really have an effective "out" pitch (e.g., Hoffman's changeup, K-Rod's breaking ball, etc.). Outside of the good movement on his two-seamer, I consider his stuff pretty average. Frankly, I'm amazed that he's able to rack up so many strikeouts. But I agree that location is a big problem for him. And that really becomes magnified when you don't have an arsenal like Jenks or Linebrink. Dotel has absolutely filthy, nasty stuff. That was one of the first things coming out of ST this year from the hitters and AJ, was just how wicked Dotel was. To say anything else is just inaccurate. His one weakness is his fastball seems to stay too straight at times, so if a hitter can catch up with it, it tends to go a long way... Anyways, this thread is pretty nasty...we can't win every game, folks. And neither can the Twins. We just need to keep playing good ball, and we'll be there in the postseason. Mark my words.

Halfway to St. Patrick's Day John Danks #50 authentic jersey.....

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Aug 19, 2008 -> 08:09 AM) the way I see it, that is ALWAYS the shortstops ball. Cabrera has all of his momentum going towards first, Alexei has to stop his momentum and throw across his body to make the play if he takes the throw. The only time the 2nd baseman should be taking a throw for a DP should be when it is coming from the SS or 3rd baseman. Just my two cents. Agreed. OC has his momentum going towards the bag to make the throw to first. It would seem that the only time the 2b should take the ball is when the 2b cannot get to the bag because the ss is playing in the severe hole because of a particular batter's tendencies (dead pull hitter). This is usually discussed prior to the game in the scouting reports, so this should have already been decided. Maybe it was decided Alexei should take the throw but OC's first instinct was to take it and they both got confused. Who knows.

Anyone read Joe Sheehan's article on picking the AL MVP @ Baseball Prospectus? I am not a subscriber, but I'd love to hear who he went with....