witesoxfan

QUOTE(White Sox Josh @ Oct 12, 2005 -> 11:19 AM) I wouldn't mind seeing LeCroy in a Sox Uniform. Be a nice guy to come off the bench. If LeCroy has a decent agent, he'll get $3 mill next year...perhaps even a 2-year deal with $6-7 mill. If not, he winds up back in Minnesota making $1 mill or so probably. And I don't want LeCroy. It's not that LeCroy's a bad hitter...it's just that all he does is hit lefties, and the last thing the Sox need is another bat that hits lefties very well and righties not well at all. The Sox need a LH power bat to stick in the middle of the lineup that will actually hit better against RHP than LHP(unlike one Carl Everett).

QUOTE(Reddy @ Oct 13, 2005 -> 02:10 AM) f*** replays. this should be a human game - not a computer one. lol yeah you're right i havent seen the replays but from where i was it REALLY looked like he went. obviously i could be wrong. I had work tonight and only caught moments of the game(luckily, I did see the whole AJ s*** live)...but I'm pretty sure I saw the Konerko check swing thing we're talking about. I will honestly say, the instant I saw it happen, I knew he went around. Replays will not change my mind. If another of the exact same scenario occurred, and I just missed it...then I lose.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Oct 13, 2005 -> 01:35 AM) I think you could say that about each and every pitcher on this team. Look at Jose. What's been different for him in the 2nd half? The league actually has a slightly higher batting average against him in the 2nd half...but in slightly more innings, he walked 27 post all-star as opposed to 48 pre all-star. It has been huge for every one of our pitchers. This is a staff that works well when they have control. Most pitchers do...but some, like the Clemens's and the Santana's, can make up for their lack of control. Our staff completely depends upon control. When anyone in our rotation has any type of control, they can be flat out disgustingly dominant. When they are wild in the least, they get hit around. What is nice to know is that the only pitcher thus far in the postseason who has struggled with their control some was Freddy...and he pitched around that as well as he could have. If he finds some control of his pitches...it could be more fun things to come.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Oct 13, 2005 -> 12:25 AM) I told wite before this series started that escobar worried me more then any other pitcher on their staff. And I told you he was hittable, even considering. Bad thing you were right - because he was tough as nails tonight - but it is also a good thing I was right. Anyways, the key to game 3, atleast for Garland, is control. If a little research were done, I'm sure you'd find Garland's ERA is much higher when he walks a lot then when he does not. Hell, what I hadn't realized until I finally looked at the numbers was that Garland has only improved on his walk total this year...and that is exactly why he had anywhere close to 20 wins. If he doesn't walk anybody and goes 7 strong...I say we win.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Oct 13, 2005 -> 01:02 AM) Bad defense and not executing?? The pitching has been tremendous all year but we're not going to win this series if we keep making errors and mental mistakes. Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining or anything cause I'm loving how we've managed to not play so well and be 1-1 in the series, I'm just saying that we're not playing up to our capabilities yet and when we do, watch out. Give some credit to Anaheim. They're playing their asses off too. They are part of the reason we are not executing.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Oct 12, 2005 -> 11:23 PM) This year is so special. I want to take every chance I can to stick it to these motherf***ers. To make em eat s*** for all the disrespect they gave us, for all the snubs we got, for all the bulls*** in the press about how we couldn't do this that and the other thing. Feels good, doesn't it? God I love this so much. EVERY f***in sportswriter and baseball analyst in America picks against the Sox because they make no sexy moves, except Rob Neyer who picks the Sox every year. f***in' Neyer then backs out after a month because they are playing Ozzieball instead of Moneyball, even considering we are in first place...so we have no one with our backs. f*** if the Sox care...they'll just shut all the critics the f*** up by putting up the best record in the MLB before the break. Still getting no respect. The Sox play .500+ baseball in the second half, which was obviously worse than the first half, but the Indians happen to get on a hot streak...like they did last year...and got within a game and a half. Everyone in America seemed to have "seen it coming", and there was even a Yahoo! poll that had the majority of people thinking the White Sox were going to lose the division to the Indians. The Sox pulled out, clinched in Detroit, and swept Cleveland to end the season in a series that meant virtually nothing for the White Sox and everything in the world for the Indians. In the offdays in between the start of the playoffs, those same writers and analysts that predicted the Sox to tank preseason are again talking up a f***ing storm saying how the Sox will lose again...everyones favorite KC homer Rob Neyer predicted Sawwwwwwwwwwx in 5 and Yanks 5, going for that horrible east coast matchup again that everyone got f***in sick to their stomachs of seeing in the regular season. Sox proved him wrong, and the Angels proved him wrong as well. Nothing makes me happier than not only seeing the Sox in the ALCS, but to see them continue to prove all the doubters wrong. Part of me f***in' hates this though...the Sox are still getting no respect, and even if they were to win the World Series, it would be called a fluke. Why? Because the Sox are not a sexy team, they are the bad guys, and no one likes them. That is one of the reasons why this is NOT f***in' "America's team." f***in' America isn't even backing them at the worst of times. f*** everyone else...it's Sox time baby. This is no one's team by Jerry Reinsdorf's, everyone in the White Sox organization, and every White Sox fan's team. You can root for the White Sox...but no way in hell will I want to be called America's team when America isn't even backing us. In conclusion...f*** yeah I love this win. Sure it's a little wrong...but we are now the bad guys again, the underdogs again, the team everyone hates again...and I think that's why I'm a White Sox fan in the first place. In an unrelated note...I think RATM has made me carazy.

Having thought it over a little bit later on after I cooled down a little bit...it kind of looked like the Sox hadn't played in 4 days, didnt it? Facing a team with some crazy momentum on their side and adrenaline running through their veins. Those f***ups that the entire team had last night are just things I see happening because of rustiness. Not much more. Tonight's game pretty much seems to be a necessity. As Rock pointed out, the last 4 teams to advance to the WS from the AL have lost game 1, it should also be pointed out that in the history of the 7 game ALCS(which dates back to 1985), there has never been a team that has lost the first 2 games at home in either league to advance to the World Series. FWIW, the '96 Yankees were the last team to lose the first 2 games at home in a 7 game series that later went on to series...that was the Jim Leyritz 3-run game-tying homer in the 8th off of Mark Wohlers series, which essentially ended Wohlers career - he put up a solid 3.50 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP the following year, but that was not the Mark Wohlers of 95 and 96 that everyone saw. He pitched in 27 games in '98, busted s*** up, and was never the same ever again.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Oct 11, 2005 -> 12:19 PM) Would it be that out of the question, or dumb if we traded Cotts insted of Marte, getting alot back for one of the best LHRP in the game,then signing BJ Ryan? While your payroll goes up because of Ryan, you could get alot back for Cotts, correct? A package of El Duque, Cotts and Anderson could bring us a nice bat, no? Arthur Rhodes, with a nasty contract and coming off a bad season, was a large part of a deal for the underrated offensively but way, way overpaid catcher Jason Kendall(although he was quite bad this year), and he then got traded for Matt Lawton, who put up like .278 20 70 .366 OBP, .421 SLG, .788 OPS the year before with Cleveland. Consider that Marte probably had a better season than Rhodes, is younger, and has a more affordable contract. Marte is more attractive to other teams than one might think, considering he is only 1 year removed from a very solid season all around with the Sox(about a 3.25 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP...while not spectacular, you cannot tell me that's not solid). The prior two seasons he was damn near untouchable.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Oct 11, 2005 -> 02:50 PM) El Duque was incredible getting out of his jam which was bigger, but less pressure. If Duque gets lit up and Boston wins the White Sox are still up 2-1 in the series. You remember what happened last year when Boston had a late inning rally, 1 game away from being eliminated? They reeled off 7 more after that. I dont care what anyone says...Duque's jam was way, way bigger than Santana's. Pitchers get out of 1st and 2nd no outs middle of the game while up 3 situations quite often...I don't have the numbers on hand, but they do get out of them. Rarely do you see a pitcher get out of a bases loaded, 0 outs in the 6th up by 1 with the team hitting being in an elmination game without giving up atleast one run. Santana's was big...but to ccompare it to Duque's is wrong, IMO. It's over and done with, and I personally got the matchup I wanted all along, so if they want to call it Duque-esque, I'm not going to complain.

Widge is God. There is no other way around it.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Oct 10, 2005 -> 11:16 PM) It will be interesting to see just how much heat slappy takes tommorow and beyond. Yankee fans want him gone. Which is why I hate Yankee fans. He puts up .320 48 138 .421/.610/1.031 and plays very solid defense at 3B, and they want him gone because he grounds into a DP in a 5-3 game. I guess I didn't know ARod pitched in the series too.

QUOTE(Wedge @ Oct 10, 2005 -> 11:26 PM) that demon sort of looks like Michael Jackson... I was thinking lead singer of My Chemical Romance, whatever the hell his name is. You say tomatoes, I say tomottos.

QUOTE(AnthraxFan93 @ Oct 10, 2005 -> 11:30 PM) I guess ESPN still can't get off the yankee kick... It's funny, because its a flat out lie. I would f***ing HATE to see Jeter, Sheff, Giambi, Matsui, ARod...f***, any of those guys out there. Erstad had to make a hell of a play to end that game.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Oct 10, 2005 -> 11:29 PM) And that ball that Bonds hit is still going. Bonds just f***in went off that series. I still remember the matchup everyone wanted - Percival against Bonds. Percival got like strike 1, and then the next pitch came, and it has not landed. I also clearly remember seeing Salmon saying something like "Where'd that go?"

QUOTE(ZoomSlowik @ Oct 10, 2005 -> 11:15 PM) The Angels were already in deep s*** with Byrd and Washburn probably going in the first two games, now it's even worse with Colon's status up in the air. There's no way you can win a 7 game series with Byrd/Washburn/Lackey/Santana. That's about the exact type of rotation they won with in '02. The difference of course is that their bullpen this year is garbage compared to their bullpen in 02. Percival-Weber-Donnelly was pretty much lights out during the regular season, while good in the playoffs too, Levine was solid, Scho showed(no pun intended) up in the playoffs, and then some kid named Francisco Rodriguez just f***in went off on opposing hitters in postseason play, minus like 1 game.

QUOTE(Antonio Osuna @ Oct 10, 2005 -> 10:30 PM) Colon threw just 23 pitches. Santana just 85. These guys will be well-rested soon enough. The Angels are headed for the World Series. Colon threw 23 pitches, but he will almost undoubtedly not make a start. He's injured. Or have you not been alive the past 4 hours? And Santana threw just 85 pitches - after having not thrown in an actual game since October 2nd.

I'd say the one key thing I can think of is to get out to a 2-0 lead, however you have to do it. They will be sending up about their 4th and 5th starters in games 1 and 2 in all likelyhood against our 1-2 punch. Those are must win games. As for the actual series is concerned...their defense is good, but that does not mean it is not prone to mistakes. Keep the pressure on it. Hit and run, run and hits, hit-bunting, sac-bunting, squeeze-bunting. Also, while Felix is sort of right in saying to be aggressive on the basepaths, you gotta try your best to keep this at a low priority. The last thing the Sox need is rallies being killed by being thrown out on the bases. Also...do NOT keep it close...get a big lead early, and keep it. The Angels are pesky as hell...but pesky as hell doesn't do a damn thing when you're down by 7 in the 8th.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Oct 10, 2005 -> 12:07 AM) How so? There is an element of surprise when stealing 3rd base but the catcher's throw to 2nd base is longer than the throw to 3rd base. Bigger lead, catcher throwing across his body, RHB being in the line of vision of the catcher all lead to it.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Oct 10, 2005 -> 12:03 AM) True, but Podsednik did get injured and it did affect his basestealing. Podsednik was only 1 for 3 stealing bases in the Boston series. He stole 3rd but he was caught twice trying to steal 2nd base which should be much easier. That's not good. I hope these few days of rest will be enough for Podsednik's legs. Agreed very much. I was just suggesting that the numbers would be much closer had Podsednik not gotten injured. After all, the Boston-Chicago series may have just ended tonight had Graffanino only taken that ball 4. :rolly

QUOTE(3E8 @ Oct 9, 2005 -> 11:54 PM) Well the difference must be in the SLG% and stolen base % because Figgins produces about 60% more offensive WS/G than Podsednik. Figgins did slug better than Podsednik...nothing is stopping that. However...if I can delve into the "what if" excuse game for a moment...what if Podsednik does not injure his hamstring? How many bases does he steal? And more importantly, how many of his caught stealings now are translated into SBs due to being fully healthy? Pehaps, 80-90 SBs?

QUOTE(Antonio Osuna @ Oct 9, 2005 -> 10:35 PM) they got a better leadoff guy than Pods, etc. How do you figure? Figgins - .290 AVG, .352 OBP, 62 SBs Podsednik - .290 AVG, .351 OBP, 59 SBs Vlad is better. He is not a semi-god while Konerko is dog s*** though either. .283 40 100 .375/.534/.909 in roughly 650 PAs for PK .317 32 108 .394/.565/.959 in roughly 580 PAs for Vlad (pssssssss...Guerrero had 355 PAs hitting 3rd. Garret Anderson is unfit to even carry Konerko's jockstrap) Don't be so specific with your insight :rolly Colon - 3.48 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 222.6 IP, Buehrle - 3.12 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 236.6 IP Garland - 3.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 221 IP Contreras - 3.61 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 204.6 IP Looks to me like the Sox have 2 pitchers who were on the same level as Colon this year, and I'm pretty sure we all know the story of Contreras. KRod - 2.67 ERA, 1.14 WHIP in 67.3 IP, while posting roughly a 4.5 BB/9 and also putting up a ridiculous 3 K/BB ratio. Seems like he'll strike you out or walk you, does it not? Hermanson - 2.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP in 57.3 IP, posting a BB/9 of roughly 3, and a K/BB of 2. Jenks - 2.75 ERA, 1.25 WHIP in 39.3 IP, putting up a BB/9 of just over 3, and a K/BB of just over 3, which is BETTER than KRod. But KRod is a god Also...last time I checked, Politte threw it 95, Marte threw it 95, Cotts threw it 93, Vizcaino threw it 93...the Sox have guys that can throw it hard too. They also happen to have one of the best postseason pitchers of the past 10 years in the pen...perhaps you recall him getting out of a bases loaded, 0 out situation when the Sox were up by 1, allowing no runs in doing so. I also find it interesting you made no mention of the Sox #2 hitter compared to the Angels #2 hitter. Iguchi > Cabrera/Erstad. The Sox did too. That point holds absolutely no ground whatsoever. Or maybe you don't recall that the Sox lost something like 7 out of the 9 games to Oakland this year. Credit Iguchi for hitting the bending curve...no runs scored because of Graffanino's error whatsoever. They all scored because Iguchi hit a hanger. I'm not really surprised to see you give no credit to Duque...it's all the Sawx fault. Someone had to execute at some point in time, no? The Sox swept because they executed everything correctly and they capitalized on mistakes. Period. Chacon is 27(assuming I did my math correctly), Wang is 25, Small is 33...they are not all old and overrrated. And it's not like New York can't play defense either. Jeter won a gold glove last year, undeservedly as it may be, and ARod has won a gold glove in the past at SS, and is above average defensively at 3B. Tino Martinez is still solid defensively at 1B, and Matsui is very solid no matter where he goes in the OF. Anaheim is probably better...but Anaheim is not like exponentionally better than New York defensively like you are trying to portray it. You also failed to mention how much better Mariano Rivera really is than KRod. Krod - 2.67 ERA, 1.14 WHIP in 67.3 IP, BB/9 of 4.5, K/BB of 3. Mo - 1.38 ERA, 0.87 WHIP in 78.3 IP, BB/9 of 2.07, K/BB of just over 4. You tell me which is better and who you'd rather face.

:headshake :headshake :headshake There is playing hard and agressive and unintentionally going after a player's injuries(such as forcing action his way, etc, causing him to reinjure it), and then there is s*** that is f***in disgusting like that. I got a little sick to my stomach watching that, and I have do not have a weak stomach at all.

There are multiple differences between New York and Boston. New York actually has a starting pitcher with an ERA under 4.00(counting Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon, they had 3, with RJ also doing it, and Wang had an ERA of 4.02, which isn't bad in itself). They are also a multi-dimensional offensive club, having had 4 people still double digit bases, and 2 steal 20+, though Womack won't be starting any time soon. There is also something about Mariano Rivera that scares the s*** out of me...perhaps something to do with his 0.87 WHIP on the year. The Angels may be a worse matchup...but I like facing their starting pitching more, I like facing their bullpen more, and I like our offense and pitching staff at Edison more so than I do at Yankee stadium. The whole west coast thing could suck, but I honestly don't invision that being a problem. Either way...if the Sox play up to their capabilities, they should be able to beat either team with relative ease.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Oct 8, 2005 -> 10:54 AM) In Damon's defense, it should be noted, that the entire second half he was playing injured aswell. Doesn't surprise me. A .343 OBP and a .740 or so OPS in the second half clearly signals something was wrong. What bugs me about it is players consistently playing through pain, especially when they are not putting up numbers they should be putting up. Damon is a .380-.400 OBP when healthy, but when he's not, he's .340...there is a huge difference, one being very good, one being very mediocre or even bad. Why not go after a Matt Lawton type who, while relatively bad in the second half of the season, would likely have been helped out enormously by hitting in Fenway Park. Thankfully, Damon can talk up a storm, and for whatever reason, the chicks dig him...so he'll get $10 million a year from whomever, and put up numbers worthy of $5-7 mill a year.

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Oct 9, 2005 -> 11:01 AM) Either the Angels are so rich in pitching that their cup floweth over or they are stupid. Since they won it all in 2002 (unlike the Cub in 2003) I tend to believe it's the first one. You're suggesting they have too much pitching? Doesn't the saying go that "you can never have too much pitching"?