SpringfieldFan

Borchard with a 1 for 4, which as usual, raises his average.

What ever happened to bat day? I fondly remember hot Saturday nights at old comiskey where drunk fans disgruntled over a losing team would be brandishing 30" authentic wood bats - and in some cases "using" them... Ahh for the good old days.

I'll agree with you on the rest, but I think kid's day is cool. Dog day rocks too.

Hey, what a coincidence. Sunday will be my first trip up there to a game this year, and we are bringing my 16 month old. So, Sunday is the day the kids can go on the field? No kidding! I hadn't even known and we had just picked that day because it fit our schedule best. You better darn well believe I will get my daughter out there to run around! This is waaay cool!!!

Just what is it about him that has made him so dominating in AA? I mean sheesh, he struck out a guy and a half per inning down there! He doesn't throw 100 mph and he doesn't have a curve ball with a 2 foot break on it. He is, as Hawk says, "crafty" and "sneaky", but in my mind that describes guys more like Buehrle or Maddux, not a guy whom you consider a strikeout or overpowering pitcher. What is his secret weapon that has made him able to dominate and toy with the guys in AA (and those 6 Rangers last night)??

One observation: we better be careful promising Cotts will do really well considering that every time Garland has a rough outing, we are so quick to point out how young he is and how poor outings from time to time can only be expected...

Well, I think these optimism threads have helped me out alot. I could have wallowed in a stupor of self pity but I think I can hold my head up a little more now with some reason to feel good things are in store. Maybe we need just need some peer to peer therapy from time to time. Maybe with a little graphic like this:

Okay, I'll give you credit. That's not a bad point, not bad at all.... That helps.

I just want to be able to have an image in my mind of Jerry Manuel getting champagne poured over his head. I'm trying, I'm trying! It just ain't easy!!

You are absolutely correct, I don't disagree. However, your assertion is in the context of our divisional race. I am looking at our chances of playing in the World Series. I want good reasons to have confidence that we can, for example, beat Seattle at Safeco to advance to the ALCS. The best reason I have heard so far is that "anything can happen in the playoffs". It is not a lot to go on, especially given the Sox history out west, but it will have to be enough, I suppose.

CWSox (and Forkit) I tip my hat to your level headed thinking, optimism, and the way you can enjoy the race. You have done well in making the case of why to be excited for the rest of the season. I really want to share your optimism, honestly, but for all the wisdom of what you have said, a couple of things do still nag at me. First, you accurately mention how well they have played and the guts they have shown to get back in the race. I agree that it has been quite an accomplishment, but in my mind it is not a precedent for success the rest of the way. I say that because for all the Sox have shown us these last few weeks, it has not included passing the tests they will have to pass in the future: winning out west and winning against contenders on the road. That is what will face them squarely down the stretch and especially in the playoffs. I can enjoy being in a race, and cheer and root enthusiastically, but those nagging doubts in the back of my head remain. I guess we just have to take it one game at a time, having faith they will accomplish things that may surprise us as these weeks play out. Thanks for the "chin-up", folks

You ain't helpin' me, guys!

Hey, I need a little reassurance right now, so hopefully you all can set me straight. What kind of hope should I realistically be keeping for this season? I grant that they are firmly in this race right now at 2 game back (hell, as long as they are within 4 when the last week rolls around they are still in it). However, I won't beat around the bush about it: I want the Sox in the World Series. Period. Now, what kind of evidence can I be looking at to assure me they at least have a reasonable chance at getting there. Even given their recent surge, there are still unresolved issues. So far they still cannot win out west. They also haven't shown they can create victories when the bats have off nights. Finally, they still haven't proven they can win on the road against quality opponents (except for KC, if you call them quality). Now, they still have difficult trips to make to the homes of some of the best the league has to offer, and if they manage to get the division title, it may very well mean a trip to Seattle or Oakland soon after that. Given all this, I could really use some specific concrete reasons to be optimistic and believe that these handicaps will simply go away or at least not stand in their way. Can anyone give me any? LT

I am just tired of hearing people excuse him because of his young age. It may be true, but how much longer do we have to hear it?

Let me try:

I just thought I would check sportsline's rankings to see how our guys are faring. Such rankings are worth slightly less then a grain of salt, but what I saw was surprising, both good and bad. First the bad: The Sox team itself ranked only around 17th in MLB, behind the Cubs! The Sox rotation only ranked 11th! Also, Olivo is nowhere near the top among catchers. I guess this is all because these compilations look at the complete numbers, not just recent trends. Now the good surprises, which are regarding the individual players: Mags is the #3 right fielder, which is good news in itself but the icing on the cake is that BEHIND him at #4 is none other than...Corky. Frank Thomas is the #1 DH, even ahead of Edgar! He has *always* been top 3, but he is numero uno right now. And finally, guess who else is #1 in his position? Would you believe its Esteban Loaiza?!! He is right there at the top, in front of Pedro, Randy, Mulder, Halliday - all of them! The "experts" may not think he is for real, but the computers sure do. Well the game isn't played on paper or computers, but the fun thing about this is that it is saying that the best right fielder and pitcher in Chicago play for Sox, not the Cubs. Who would have thunk?

Hey, is anyone listening to the B & B show on the score? They are discussing Hawk Harrelson and one of them ( I am not sure which) is doing his hawkism impressions. It is absolutely hilarious! What makes it so funny is that the impressions are dead-on: he's gownnn...mercy!...YES!...stay fair... etc. etc. etc. In fact, he sounds more like Hawk than Hawk himself, right down to the tone in his voice. I think these two are kind of corny usually, but they are growing on me - especially as they continue calling Sosa out for the samME his is. Othersise, I dunno where I'm going with this thread but I just had to remark about my laugh for the afternoon.

Believe it or not, folks, but he has also put himself in the running for the A.L. batting crown.

At this particular time, I would not deal Colon. His last start was dominant, but the context in which he did it is very interesting to me. I heard that before his last start, Manuel encouraged him to go back to being more of a power pitcher and trust his heat, and he evidently concurred. If that change was the reason for his strong outing -- then we could be seeing a whole new Bartolo for the rest of the season. Before dealing him for anyone, I would like to hold on to him just long enough to see if he has indeed turned a corner.

I agree completely. If JM for some reason insists on continuing to dh Frank, then I guess you can leave it up to Sox management to let a talented hitting left handed first baseman's career fizzle while the current snail hitting .197 makes his 7 digit salary.

Hey, I was fortunate enough to catch some of the AAA all star game last night on ESPN2 while flipping tv channels. It was actually my first chance to actally see Gload and Miles. I was impressed by both of them. Gload had a couple hits and ripped the ball every time up (of course all the IL stars were hitting last night). He has a good looking lefty swing and the ball seemed to jump off his bat stronger then you would think to look at effort in his swing. I don't hear much about him when we talk about the future of the Sox, but at the least, he should be some valuable trade bait in the near future. Aaron Miles got into the second half of the game and the announcers remarked on how he reminded them of Fernando Vina from the other side of the plate. He is indeed scrappy, but he swung a pretty good bat also, getting on at least a couple times, including a good rip for a single to drive a guy in in the 7th. I sure hope he can wind up being acceptable defensively, because he sure looks like a gamer. I didn't catch the whole game and didn't see the rosters, so I don't know if any other Knights were in the game. I don't think Borchard was there, as a Pawtucket speedster was manning CF the entire game. I don't think any Knight pitchers were there either (as if any deserved to be!). BTW, has Charlotte always worn green on their uniforms? I thought used to wear red and blue. Does anyone else have any thoughts on the game?

All I can say is that if JM's days are numbered, the firing had better come awfully quick - none of this "see how the homestand goes" or "wait until the end of the month" stuff. If getting a new guy in there is going to salvage the season it has to happen almost immediately. I say this because although the all star break is "midseason", we are well past the halfway mark aleady. The Sox are 45-49. That is 94 games in the books. My math skills tell me that leaves only 68 games to turn it around and make up 8 games in the loss column. Sure, the all star break is happening, but we are already well into the second half...

Honestly folks, why are you putting yourselves through all of this for the freakin' all star game? Don't you realize it essentially a popularity contest providing a showcase for those who are hip with their peers, the public, and the media? Did you honestly think the White Sox would be well served in circumstances like that? I never expect then to have more representatives then the one "token" player every team is required to have.

MB for Edmonds would be a terrible trade better then MB for Drew though?

Ok, back to the "knock your socks off" trade rumor. I have heard a lot of opinions on who people think would be involved in the trade. I would just like to add my own predictions FWIW (which ain't much!). Forget about the Buehrle for Drew rumor. I don't think this will happen but I can envision a similar trade with the birds. St. Louis is starved for pitching, both in the rotation and in late relief. The Sox are much improved with Everette's bat, but face it, he is not a true center fielder. Therefore, I can see the Sox sending Buerhle to St. Louis for Jim Edmonds. Edmonds is as near a perfect center fielder as you will find and would be perfect in Chicago, allowing Everette to either play left (Lee to DH) or to DH himself. Losing him is a steep price for the Cards, but getting a 2004 Cy Young candidate with contract time left could be awfully tempting for them. If not, KW might just include a reliever as well to help the Cards' late inning woes. Do you think such a deal would be possible and would you approve? I can picture it happening, although I don't know if I like the idea or not. Losing Buehrle this year would be tough, but the rest of the rotation has stepped up and Edmonds would be perfect in the Sox lineup. Maybe if they could acquire someone like a Ponson the deal would be worthwhile.