JUGGERNAUT

Dude! We've been tracking MN's since it was > 50!!!! Where you've been? It's been pretty cool, because the volatility has been fast & furious. Presently the SOX are 4 up on both MN & KC in the Magic Number. Predictions: MN 3-2 before SOX SX 3-2 before MN KC 2-3 in that time SOX MN before the MIN series : 20. SOX MN after the MIN series: 14 vs MIN, 15 vs KC There's still a chance the SOX can clinch before the end of the season.

I feel a need to go bold. This is NOT about limping into the playoffs. Think of winning the division as being in the top 10 after the last pit stop with about 30 laps to go at the Daytona 500. The goal is to be the fastest car on the track & win the race. The NYY are leading the race (I believe) but they do NOT have the fastest car right now. WE DO! So let's keep it going & win every F'g SERIES! And of course watch the BBTN guys bumble over themselves to talk about us .. finally! As for DET, I think the Sept callups will make it difficult for the Twinks to win ev game.

Yet another method to track the race: WINS to CLINCH. This is essentially GL+(MN differential). WINS to CLINCH: SOX = 21W KCR = 25W MNT = 25W As you can see our opponents are on the edge of lose control of their own destiny.

What a beautiful day! If it holds ... Magic Numbers: SOX: 163 - 73 - 64 = 26 MIN: 163 - 71 - 64 = 28 KCR: 163 - 70 - 64 = 29 sCrUBs fading fast ... What a beautiful yet rainy labor day it was! I'm revising the MN formula because as long as ea. team plays 162 gms, the team with the fewest losses will win the div. Magic Numbers: SOX:137GP:73W-64L: 163 - 73 - 65 = 25 = -4 on both teams. KCR:135GP:70W-65L: 163 - 70 - 64 = 29 MIN:137GP: 71W-66L: 163 - 71 - 64 = 28 SOX have a 4GM edge on the Magic Number on both KCR & MIN. Now this is where it REALLY gets fun! If the SOX win the series against MN & KC, they can shave 20 gms off the MN. This is all within their control. Then they just need to win 5/11 vs BOS, CLE, & NYY. They are the only team in the ALC that completely controls it's own destiny. Prediction: KC will finish with 161 GP. Book it!

RJ is not himself yet. He's pitching purely on smarts. He's struggled to reach a speed over 92MPH. The heater is not there yet. Don't expect miracles in a hitters ballpark from him. More importantly KC goes to ANA which is playing very well. The game that was postponed over this weekend in KC will be made up on Sept 29th if it factors in the division race.

FRANK THOMAS

1) Who will win the series (CHW/BOS/Split) (2 points)? CHW 2) Which team's 3-4-5 hitters will have more RBI (CHW/BOS) (2 points)? CHW 3) How many errors will the Sox make (4 points)? 1 4) How many walks will Mark Buehrle issue (4 points)? 3 5) How many batters will the bullpen face in the series (within 2 either way) (5 points)? 20 6) How many substitutions will Manuel make to position players (5 points)? 5 7) Who will lead the Sox in slugging percentage (4 points)? Frank 8) Will Joe Crede hit a HR (Y/N) (2 points)? N 9) Who will lead the AL Central after the series(2 points)? CHW 10) Will David Ortiz have an RBI (Y/N) (2 points)? Y TIEBREAKER: 39,999

What a beautiful day! If it holds ... Magic Numbers: SOX: 163 - 73 - 64 = 26 MIN: 163 - 71 - 64 = 28 KCR: 163 - 70 - 64 = 29 sCrUBs fading fast ...

I could care less about 11-8 vs the Tiggers this year. They played us tough & we are done with them. That's all that counts. Right now both the Twinks & Roys are losing so this is shaping up for a good day for the SOX. I've said all year long that the talent can overcome Manuel's stupidity & all of you naysayers lose hope every time they lose 2 in a row. Well the MN is down to 27 & could be 25 if KC losses both. 2 bad boys left in BOS & NYY & then it's head to head winner take all. Sounds like a perfect scenario for our beloved SOX.

Oh please! You debate like an infant. Of course everything in baseball is speculation. The success rate of any ab is about 40% & that's if you're any good. But there are numbers for which the odds tip the scale in a teams favor. And even the odds makers agreed that Buerhle vs NYY on Thursday GREATLY improved the SOX chances of winning. As for Cotts vs DET, Cotts had no business pitching against DET. Only a moron would deny Wright a start given his 2.42 era @ Comerica this year & 3.28 era @ Comerica over his career.

I just have to hope for the best: the SOX overcome Manuel's stupidity. It won't be easy. Both the Twinks & the SOX have 27 victories since the break. Magic Numbers: SOX: 163 - 72 - 63 = 28 MIN: 163 - 71 - 63 = 29 KCR: 163 - 70 - 64 = 29 I think it's time to call Mr Soprano to help us out for a pc of the action. For sCrUB fans: SOX 72-64 .529 CUB 69-65 .515 :fthecubs :sosasucks :puke back a REAL team!

More evidence that Manuel is a MORON: 1) Wrights stats @ Comerica career: 2.42 era, 22ip - makes sense. Wright is a fly ball pitcher & they rule @ Comerica. 2k3: 3.86 era, 7ip OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR opening the series vs DET. 2) Garlands stats @ Comerica: career: 6.23 era, 17ip - makes sense. Garland is a ground ball pitcher & has less room for error @ Comerica. 2k3: 2.57 era, 6ip - proven that he's improved his control. OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR starting SAT vs Moroth. 3) Loaiza stats @ Comerica: career: 5.65 era, 14ip 2k3: 0.56 era, 7ip - obviously the New Loaiza rules. 4) Buerhle vs NYY: Everyone knows how similar the Cell & Yankee stadium are. So I'll take MB's 4.61 career era vs NYY & 3.68 career era @ the Cell over walk me to the park Cotts any day of the year! Now those are the #'s a REAL MAJOR LEAGUE MANAGER looks at! We should have swept the NYY & should be 1 up on DET in this series. :fyou MANUEL!

Manuel should have played the DET series by the numbers. Buerhle had not pitched in DET all yr & yielded 4R he last time he faced them at the Cell. It's true 3/4 were unearned but those runs still count. Garland on the other hand pitched 7in earlier in DET yeilding 1 run. When you consider Garland's overall #'s @ Comerica he was the obvious choice to start that series. Having pitched last on Sun, Fri would have been a start on 4 days rest. So you have the 2nd best pitcher on your staff @ Comerica opening that series. This is the difference betw having a GOOD mgr & a BAD mgr. MB should have pitched in NY, Garland should have opened in DET, & Cotts should be going against Moroth tonight. Moroth has a 5.06 era @ Comerica. Cotts gives up very few long balls. As long as he's throwing more strikes than balls he should succeed there. If you don't like Cotts, then Wright's an obvious choice. He has a 3.86era @ Comerica this year & a 2.42era there over his career. NOW DON'T GIVE ME ANY MORE SHEIT THAT MANUEL'S A GOOD MANAGER! Even the numbers tell what we already know : HE MADE A VERY BAD DUMB ARSE MOVE with the rotation these past 3 games. Hopefully the team will once again pick up the slack for his lack of smarts.

Are the #'s with us to win the next 2? Garland @ Comerica : 7ip, 2.57 era Moroth @ Comerica: 78ip, 5.06 era. , has beaten the SOX twice this yr at the Cell giving up 8 runs total Adv: Garland Cornejo @ Comerica : 68ip, 4.74 era, 14 ip, 1 er vs SOX this yr Loaiza @ Comerica : 16ip, 0.56 era, 1W - 1L Slight Adv: Loaiza Me not worried.

Anything's possible in Comerica. You can't win it with the long ball there. You must manufacture runs.

Stop looking at the numbers & look at the facts. How many of the SOX 71 wins are due to the long ball? How many of the SOX 71 wins are at the expense of RH's? How many of the SOX 71 wins are in pitcher's ball parks? We can't win in DET for the same reason we can't win in SEA. These are pitcher's parks that negate the long ball. Without Frank's homer in Comerica (a big surprise to everyone) the SOX score a paltry 2 runs. They can only win in Comerica if they out-pitch the Tigers. This staff has never been able to out-pitch the opposition when it was a MUST key to the game. That's why I'm voting on the M's to miss the post-season. The SOX can win in NY, BOS, & with a Mulder-less OAK in OAK. It's a team built for the post-season if the DET's & CLE's don't keep us from getting there.

I think Bobby V (at the right price = cheap) could be a strong fundamentals type manager for the SOX. I know he would be a MAJOR LEAGUE improvement over the Tinkerer.

I'm going to make this simple for the Cotts supporters. His walk totals sucked in the ml's & are worse in the MLs. YOU CAN'T PITCH IN THE AL WITH A 5/6 WALK per START AVG. PERIOD! He might survive in the NL w that, but never the AL. He needs to stay in the minors until the walk totals decline. Period.

I disagree. With the exception of the M's (mainly because of Ichiro & the RH's they have) we play MUCH better against the better clubs in the AL than we do against the weaker. Many of you kissed them off when DET swept them, & they roared right back. As long as they remain healthy(Maggs?) I think they are very capable of winning the series that count the most : 2 vs KC, 2 vs MIN, 2 vs BOS, 1 vs NYY. They typically bring their A game vs those opp this year.

You've pushed me over the edge. I'm starting a TRACK MANUEL's BLUNDER thread. It's not hard to find media coverage of them. They show up in the game reports. You don't have to take my word for it, because it will be right there in the game logs. It's not too hard. Just search through the losses. I would say so far, he's factored in at least 10 losses with 5 being momentum busters. NYY, & OAK are the most notable in the 2nd half.

11) Fielding fundamentals. Even if he doesn't know better, all he has to do is show a tape of the STL Cards to Crede & Olivo on how to defend their positions. Rolen gets his body in front of 3B to block the runner when a play is being made. Crede stands behind the bag in foul territory - every time. On the Cards, when there is a play at home, the throw and the catcher are in the runners path to block access to the plate. On the SOX Olivo stands in front of the plate facing the pitcher (leaving the plate wide open for a back door slide) & the throw usually bounces in front of him or veers to the 1B side. Again I ask the question: Do they practice these fundamentals? How is their lack of fundamentals NOT a reflection of Manuel.

Manuel's mistakes are systemic not incidental. 1) Benches too many starters on a given day 2) Hired Kim who has led to more base-running outs than scores 3) Replaced Wright with Cotts 4) Insists on 5 bench players & 11 arms instead of 4 bench players & 12 arms 5) Doesn't understand the importance of defining a setup & closer role 6) Doesn't understand the importance of players needing time to adjust to their place in a lineup 7) Doesn't have the balls to tell his (poor-arse) switch-hitters who suck as RH ab's to always be a LH ab. 8) Doesn't know when to pull a starter or a relief pitcher. It's always well after the damage is done. 9) Doesn't stress fundamentals. Why is it that R. Alomar is the only good bunt on this team? Do they ever practice bunting? 10) Doesn't understand the importance of momentum. At least 10 series this year include times when Manuel killed momentum with either a severe lineup or rotation change. Cotts for Buerhle in NYY is only the latest. This is by far the worst of Manuel's pedigree for managing. Since Cotts for Buerhle is his latest blunder, let's analyze it. The SOX were coming off 2 wins @ NYY where the combined score was 24-4. With Mussina on the hill the odds were that the 3rd game would be low scoring. THIS WAS THE NYY FOR GOD'S SAKE! DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN THEY GOT SWEPT IN NY? ALMOST NEVER! Imagine if you will that Buerhle had started. Do you really believe that with the momentum the SOX had & the adrenaline pumping in Mark that they lose that game with 5 runs scored? If you would have asked me if the SOX score 3 vs Mussina & 1 vs Nelson will the SOX win? I think most fans & analysts would have picked the SOX. Especially with Buerhle pitching. Need more proof? Look at the odds makers on the game when Buerhle was starting vs Cotts. Coming off a loss in NYY, the momentum had weakened & Buerhle was emotionally ripe for let down. So Manuel's blunder cost the SOX not just 1 but 2 games. Add it to his list of about 10. Now he might look like a genius if all 4 starters are fresh & invigorated in the post season to take the SOX to the 2nd round. But if they fail to win the division that strategy is going to be useless. As the cliche goes, you take it 1 game at a time. Your focus should never stray from trying to win the game you are playing today. Manuel's future-watch needs to stop.

JOSE VALENTIN

JOE CREDE

On the bench because of alphabetical order. Can I change to a AJUGGERNAUT?