witesoxfan

That's a great article by Moronotti...to tell the whole-hearted truth. He actually hit it head on. And as he pointed out....why didn't we take Jose Cruz Jr instead of trusting Aaron Rowand? Cruz's numbers are somewhat inflated by hitting somewhere around Bonds....but they'd be better than Rowand's, guaranteed, and we'd have better team speed and a strong lefty bat in the middle of the lineup. That would have cost us about $2.5 mill more or so. That was the worst non-move of the offseason.

I think Koch is fine. He's just hit a very rough patch. We need more team speed. We're slow as hell and we don't run. I don't think we need to run a lot....but we don't need to play Earl Weaver ball all the time. I'd like to be more than a station to station team. Someone has to get the fact that baseball is not a 1-man show....some of our guys have forgotten that. They need to realize that if you help the team get the win...then you are as big a hero as the guy who drives in the winning run. If you wanna make a trade...I'd say it's gotta be a position player. I don't think anyone from the pen needs to go....and no one from the rotation will go. Some guys on the bench have a little value, but nothing important enough to wake the team up. I'd say that if we wanna wake the team up...we trade one of Carlos and Konerko. We trade Carlos....we trade him to Toronto for Shannon Stewart. We trade Konerko....I'd say we trade him to Arizona....and I'd get one of Miguel Batista or John Patterson...and Quinton McCracken. Both of the position players we get can leadoff, and have good speed. If we get Patterson or Batista, it just sweetens the deal and brings in another pitcher. Odds are, we won't have Colon after this year(especially if we don't make any noise in the playoffs) and having either Patterson or Batista help fill out the rotation would be nice to have.

Happy BDay guys. Too bad we sucked tonight

Nobody thought our lineup would suck as badly as it did in June and July last year either. If we averaged 6 runs a game during that stretch....it was because we'd put up a 12 spot once every six games. I remember the Expos series last year....we got beat like 3-2 the first game...2-1 the second game....and won like 12-3 the last game. I think it will get going....but then again, we had a ton of speed last year too....or atleast more than we do this year. When your fastest starter(excluding Willie Harris who shouldn't be starting if he is, IMO) is your catcher...you got problems, even if you catcher is one of the fastest catchers in the game.

And haven't his 2 losses come to the Royals and Indians?

The offense is struggling. If we come out of this west coast trip over .500....I'll be incredibly happy.

Something tells me you're right. As always....I wish Aaron the best.

OK....cw wanted me to do this....so I'm gonna do it. The way the AFC East in my mind plays out right now that it is the most competitive division in the NFL....with the AFC West being the second toughest in the league. I'm seeing some very good matchups right now...but I am really liking the Bills-Dolphins matchups for this year....and that's not because of the fact that I'm a Bills fan and cw's a Dolphins's fan. I am looking at this and seeing a great offense matched up against a great defense....especially their line-backing crew. When you have Zach Thomas and Junior Seau in the same defense....you're gonna do some things. Then you add in Jason Taylor and a great secondary....and I am thinking the Dolphins are a very, very good team this year....espcially if they pick up Brian Griese. I think that with a good quarterback, the Dolphins will be a good team. It's a matter of whether or not Griese can play well. I also think Ricky Williams will have another big year. They're most definately a potential division winner. I like the Bills because of the fact that their offense is looking to be a good one. They're rather shallow as far as receivers go...but I also think Olandis Gary will be playing a little more receiver than he has in the past. It would not surprise me if he played as a receiver on some plays....and not just one coming out of the backfield either. I don't think the Bills came out winners in the draft....but I don't think they came out losers either. Their first real pick was Chris Kelsay out of Nebraska....I think he is a DT, but I'm not positive. I know he is a d-lineman. Now obviously, they drafted McGahee too, but I feel he is atleast a 2004 pickup....because he won't play this year except at the very most a little at the end. He won't be ready come training camp and he won't be playing over Travis Henry. I think this year....they'll be concentrating a little more on the running game. I can almost guarantee you right now Drew Bledsoe will not throw for over 4000 yards. If he does...it will be because a WR stepped up big. I also think their defense has improved immensely. They added Jeff Posey, Sam Adams, Takeo Spkes, and Izell Reese....Posey and Reese are probably there mainly to provide some competition for a starting spot come training camp(though I believe the CB's are very good as it is in Buffalo....Winfield and Clements are very good). Sam Adams is a very good pickup to help stop the run, which the Bills couldn't do last year...and Takeo Spikes and London Fletcher are going to be louder then hell. They're both pretty good too. I like the Bills-Dolphins matchup mainly because of the fact that it is a great offense up against a great defense, and a good defense up against a good offense. I think those two will finish 1-2 in the division...just not sure who will be where. I'm not as sure about the Patriots because I didn't follow their draft as closely, and I haven't seen who all they've picked up. With as many picks as they had....I am quite sure that they got deeper as a team. I'll guess 9 wins for them and a solid 3rd place finish. All I know is that Tom Brady will pull atleast 3 wins out of his ass this year some how, some way...and one of them will probably come against the Bills. As for the Jets...while I believe they are a good team....and would win some divisions....they just won't win the East. Pennington is a very good young QB...but I think they lost too much in FA, especially to the Redskins. I know they lost Laverneus Coles and Chad Morton....and I know they lost some linemen as well. I feel that they've lost too much to recover from, and I firmly believe that Dewayne Robertson could be a very good player, and they'd still finish last. I just think they could have used those 13th and 22nd picks in the draft to do a lot to help their team. Right now, they didn't really need a Dewayne Robertson....they could have gotten someone suitable in the draft at 13 or 22....wherever they want to draft someone....and they could have then drafted something else to help their team significantly. IMO....both the Bears and Jets lost in that trade. Rex Grossman could be a stud....and Michael Haynes could be a very good player...I still think Leftwich would have done a lot of good in Chicago. I also think that the Jets would have drafted Haynes and taken someone else instead of getting Robertson. Maybe they saw something in Robertson....I assume so, or else they wouldn't have drafted him....but with everything they lost, I just don't think they'll get out of the cellar. I'll predict 7 wins. So cw......and everyone else who cares....there you have it. My breakdown of the AFC East.

Cerb...good luck. Get well for it too

I think I'm afraid to hear your answer

Whoever said a manager needs balls is absolutely correct....and I agree 100% and then some. IMO....you don't have to be a manager that yells your ass off all the time. Right there....I look at Tom Kelly. In like 15 years managing....Kelly was ejected 4 or 5 times. He was still one of the best managers in the game. I'm not so sure he's the type of manager that will work well with a young team....all you have to do is look from 1995-2000 to realize that....because the Twins sucked ass. But you look at his 1991 team....full of veterans, and a young player here or there(Knoblauch sticks out in my mind)....and they dominated in the playoffs. That's what I liked about Tom Kelly. And he had balls....you can't tell me that sending Jack Morris out for the 10th inning in a 0-0 game in the 7th game of the World Series isn't ballsy. I just don't think Manuel has that. You gotta take risks as a manager....sometimes, they'll bite you in the ass(for instance....in that game 7, Morris could have gotten his ass lit up...the obvious decision there would have been to take him out, looking at it in hindsight. Maybe he goes to the pen....and that pitchers gets his ass lit up....the obvious decision would have been to keep Morris in. Hindsight is always 20/20). Also...I don't think Joe Torre is a great manager. Any manager could start out 22-6 if their payroll was $160 mill or so. I think if you switched Jerry Manuel and Joe Torre spots....we are all b****ing about how Torre is a s***ty manager....while there are some backers....and we're saying "look at what a great manager that Jerry Manuel is. 5 World Series appearances in 6 years and 8 straight playoff appearances. JMHO

This is a great move by the organization. You send down guys that are struggling as badly as Rowand....plain and simple. I'm also liking this move because of the fact that we now have a little more speed....and Harris didn't get caught stealing at all last year. If this guy keeps hitting the ball well....he can hit it wherever the hell he wants to. Is he leading off though? Also....is DJ hitting 2nd? Here's hoping Rowand gets back on track and is up in the bigs ASAP hitting well for us. I think he'll be a solid major leaguer some day.

The mute button comes in handy sometimes, doesn't it? Another good thing....I will get to see Bartolo pitch this Sunday for the first time....that's awesome. I am looking forward to that and looking forward to watching the Sox all weekend long. They do play this Saturday on WGN, right?

I haven't been around....I've been busy with baseball after school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday's from 3-5....and I've had some homework to do as well. You want me to give an AFC East evaluation? I can do one if you want me to. Right now....regarding the Sox....I'm thinking it's pretty obvious, and I'd be Captain Obvious if I were to point out what's going wrong. We aren't hitting the ball well....and we aren't playing enough small ball....manufacturing runs. If we manufacture 1-2 runs a game....we are probably a 16-11 or even a 17-10 team. Because we haven't manufactured runs....we are 14-13(hopefully 15-13 by the end of the night). The most runs we've given up all year is 12....and that really was a fluke. The offense has to get going for us to be somewhat successful at all. We atleast need the guys in the middle doing what they can do. Right now....they aren't doing it.

once in 5 years twice in 15 years JM wins again! I am looking at the talent on those teams as well though. JM has had very good talent and with this he should be winning. He is not. The injury bug bit us in the ass in 2001....but in 2002, we were once again one of the healthiest teams in the majors. The only ones that were really recovering from surgery were Thomas, Osuna, and Wunsch. He should have won. He didn't. Meanwhile....Bobby won with seemingly bad teams in Texas....with Nolan Ryan, Jose Guzman, and Kevin Brown as his best pitchers...and Palmeiro, Gonzalez, Sierra, Franco, Beuchele, and Kevin Reimer as his big bats one year. Compare that to what Manuel had last year....and you'd figure that Manuel would be the one with the better record. Last year....Manuel finished 81-81. That year....Bobby V finished 85-77. A full 4-games better. You might say that had we had better luck, say, against the Twins last year in the last series of the year when we lost 2 straight games by way of Bobby Kielty two run homers....that it would be closer. Not in my book. IMO....and this is a possibly a stretch....we win those games with Bobby V. Bobby V doesn't let Buehrle, who had been tired, pitch to Kielty. Instead, he brings in a fresh arm. With Bobby V...Buehrle doesn't lose 12 games. He loses 11. With Bobby V....we win 20 games. As I said...that's quite possibly a very big stretch....but that's a possible way it could go with Bobby V. And if I'm thinking of the right Bobby Valentine....that's the way it does go.

I did miss it...I was busy typing away.

I also want to ask two quick things. How many playoff appearances has Manuel made? By my count....it is 1. Bobby's made it twice. How many World Series appearances has Manuel made? By my count....none....and Bobby's made it once. IMO....getting to the playoffs is key. You get there....and you got a helluva shot at a World Championship even if you are outmatched and outgunned. The Twins were both by the A's....yet still scratched out 3 wins. You win any way you can. I think Valentine would make a fine fit in Chicago. Then again....that's JMO. I say that mainly because he'd bring a small-ball, NL type of play to the South Side. I like that. That would help this team a lot. Getting back to fundamentals should be this team's #1 goal(with World Series at #2 of course...lol)...and if that means making a manager change...so be it.

I just now looked this up. In 1999...too far back for me to remember...the Mets had a record of 97-66. Their offense was very good....comparable to ours. However....that team either did what we did in 2000...or Bobby V had something to do with it. Either way....if brought in....I think he could make a difference for the long run. Only one had an ERA of about 4.00(Kenny Rogers started 12 games...had an ERA of 4.03). Al Leiter had an ERA of 4.23....Masato Yoshii had an ERA of 4.40....Rick Reed had an ERA of 4.58...as did Orel Hersheiser....and Octavio Dotel had an ERA of 5.38. They won a combined 62 games. They did have a great bullpen...with no one having a ERA above 4.00. That 99 Mets team is comparable to ours....except for 2 things in my mind. This White Sox team has much, much better starting pitching than that team...and we have two big game pitchers in Buehrle and Colon. The other thing is the fact that that Met team had much, much more speed. Hell, Rickey Henderson and Roger Cedeno had a combined 103 steals....that's more than we've probably gotten the past two years combined. I guarantee you we'd be playing a little more small ball and we'd be manufacturing runs. Rey Ordonez doesn't drive in 60 runs by hitting the crap out of the ball. Last I checked....you couldn't hit 25-run homers. This team, IMO, would be better off with Bobby Valentine instead of Jerry Manuel. HSC....you said Bobby's record isn't exactly stellar. Jerry's is?

They need to play with neon colored balls in roofs that have white ceilings. It'd be too damn hard to paint the ceiling, so forget that idea. And they could use a variety of colors. Use bright blue, bright green, bright orange, bright pink, bright yellow, bright purple....bright any color that can be bright, I guess. It'd be better than those damn white balls. Man those suck. Pisses me off that a team can play in a stadium like that and get used to it, having to play 81 games there, and an opposing team comes in once a year. I think some day a team will go in there and will lose a very, very, very important game because they lose a ball in the ceiling. I hope it's not us Damn....I just jinxed it.

Damn....I hadn't realized that. WHITE SOX SUCK ASS! THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE THE REST OF THEIR GAMES!

I can't imagine it would be KW....I mean, I don't like the guy as a GM....and many don't....but you can't fire a guy that did what he did this offseason....regardless of who helped him. He brought in Bartolo Colon(for practically nothing....when you get a guy like Colon for stuff you don't need...that's a great move), fixed a problem in the clubhouse by getting rid of Foulke, brought in Dauback for dirt cheap, brought in Loaiza for dirt cheap, brought in Rios for dirt cheap, got us 3 good guys for the pen in Gordon, White, and Koch(though Koch has been s***ty thus far and has lost a little heat on his fastball). And while getting Koch and getting rid of Foulke are the same thing....in my mind, that's killing two birds with one stone. Manuel, on the other hand....that wouldn't surprise me if he get the boot. He's shown no emotion and the team has taken his point of view on the game. And this team is underachieving yet again. I hope we do bring in Valentine. He's a clown. It would give our team a whole new personality. IMO, he isn't a great coach....but it seems that when his team is winning, his teams are having fun. His teams play with a lot of fire(except for last year when the situation in New York got out of hand and he had too many egos on the team). I'm not sure how to describe Valentine...but, IMO, he brings a lot to the table. And hopefully, if he came in, he'd bring in that NL style of play...where we'd play some small ball. And if he told KW to go f*** himself and KW flipped a few tables and called everyone a b****....that'd be fine with me.

Was that Ravech? I thought it was either Mayne or Patrick

I think it would be great if he came in, hit a homer that gives the Brewers a lead, and then closes out the game.

When a pitcher has his good stuff...we will score very little. We manufacture very few runs. When a pitcher has mediocre or worse stuff....we will win a lot of games. We jump all over guys when they do not have great stuff. With some manufacturing ability....this offense could score 900-1000 runs easily. Hell, with no coaching, this offense would score 750-850 runs all by itself. I guess I pretty much hit the button with that last statement. IMO....it's good bye to Gary Ward. Bring in Darryl Boston or whoever....maybe Harold Baines even. Who knows.

God what an asshole. This kind of stuff just sickens me. I think he needs a little anger management