witesoxfan

QUOTE (harkness @ Jun 13, 2016 -> 08:53 AM) Lawrie has pop when he makes contact.. he just has poor pitch recognition. He swings at balls and takes strikes. What you have said is not untrue. However, if a hitter is going to swing and miss at balls, why would you throw him strikes? Regardless,, he just does not make contact in general. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playe...platediscipline (click on 'averages' to compare to the league)

QUOTE (harkness @ Jun 12, 2016 -> 06:41 PM) Today was especially horrible. The KC pitchers will throw 1 strike in 10 pitches and the inning will be over. I'm sorry but how people/players coaching staff couldn't be angry in that dugout at what our hitters are doing after the past couple days is beyond me. I wish I could have been above that dugout today. Unbelievable. I hate to be this guy, but have you ever seen an 87 MPH slider come at you from the left side? Do you know how much time you have to decipher that pitch? Do you know why the best hitter only hits .330 or so every year? Baseball is not easy. s***ty games happen, and bad matchups happen, and the Sox really don't match up well with the Royals right now, especially with Jackson out for an extended period of time. But I'm sure you wish you could have been above that dugout. I'm guessing that if Avisail Garcia were watching every little thing you did while you were working and he say you screw up, the first thing he'd do was yell "BOOO!"

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jun 13, 2016 -> 11:38 PM) He was facing someone who leads the league in saves and hasn't allowed a run this month Oh you mean Matt Albers.

QUOTE (ChiliIrishHammock24 @ Jun 14, 2016 -> 01:42 AM) What does Reverse Texas mean? I don't get the joke. Aww jeez, I barely follow and I got it. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TE...201605100.shtml They may as well have used the Robertson game against KC too, but perhaps that's too soon.

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Jun 14, 2016 -> 01:09 AM) Just random way past bedtime thoughts- would this organization (rather than outright firing the manager) pull something wacky like having him "temporarily step away/take a leave" with no intention of returning as a way to lessen the mess? It would be clumsy as hell, but what's up and what's down with this FO anymore? No. The White Sox, as much as they are a team that we love, are still a business, and unless it were a medical leave (or something Ventura agreed to, which would be a sabbatical without pay, which, no), then they would never be able to do this. It would also create a dichotomy between Ventura and Renteria or Cooper or me or whoever as to who was in charge of the clubhouse. That would not solve a thing and would create more problems than it solves. Also, it would solve no problems.

You mean listening to Rick Renteria talk about the team having good at bats for 4 minutes? Oh yeah, he had that spell in there where he said Shields was struggling with his command and then that other part where he said that Robin Ventura has been doing a great job of keeping all of the negative vibes out of the clubhouse. This post reminds me of when a guy hears a song he likes, or maybe thinks is OK, and then he hears a relatively s***ty cover of it by a band he likes and says "WHAT A GREAT COVER, WAY BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!" when neither one was really that good. Renteria didn't say s*** for f***, buddy. --- Tbey're making wholesale changes, and Ventura might be next. I won't shed a tear. I just won't be surprised if it doesn't make a difference. I won't be surprised if it does.

QUOTE (GhostofDickeyKerr @ Jun 13, 2016 -> 04:33 PM) Exactly right. They aren't. Show me. He traded Trayce Thompson away and he's having a fantastic season in Los Angeles. Semien has become a regular in Oakland, Bassit was a quality starter before he went down for Tommy John. I think the Sox farm is doing OK right now. Not the best, but it's OK. It's not Anaheim's, that's for sure.

QUOTE (Footlongcomiskeydog @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 10:37 PM) Shields has gotten absolutely demolished in two straight starts now. He looks gassed and/or hurt. There was a reason San Diego gave him up for peanuts. He's 36 years old (or something). Did you expect him to be an ace? Because they wouldn't have gotten an ace for Erik Johnson, Fernando Tatis Jr, and $20+ million.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jun 14, 2016 -> 12:21 AM) That game was memorable to say the least. I remember my little dickhead brother chirping at me as a 9 year old and me, as a then 14 year old, saying "this game isn't over yet buddy. Wood sucks." Had no idea how prophetic I was at that time.

QUOTE (ron883 @ Jun 5, 2016 -> 03:33 PM) Jose has been just terrible this year. Seems like it started late last year. I wish wasn't dead on with my prediction about Jose. We could use his bat "Seems like it started late last year." When do you begin "late last year?" Second half 2015 Abreu: .284/.352/.514/.866, .365 wOBA, 131 wRC+, .324 BABIP August 2015 Abreu: .265/.325/.513/.838, .357 wOBA, 126 wRC+, .293 BABIP Sept/Oct 2015: .295/.356/.500/.856, .356 wOBA, 125 wRC+, .349 BABIP (Abreu's career BABIP is .336. All of those are completely and entirely reasonable, though technically not sustainable given the small sample size) What exactly did you see "late last year?" --- He's currently walking more and striking out less than he has in his career, and his BABIP is currently at .299, which is significantly lower than his career average. I won't argue that there could have been some sort of change in his talent, but watching him at the plate, I don't see anything different than any other non-elite but still very good hitter goes through from time to time. He's just fine.

This was the Sox biggest comeback since 2002. Unless I missed another deficit of 8 or greater in the season that was 2002, that would be this game.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 12:59 PM) If he ever interviews for a managerial job after this season, I'll start a new thread and call myself out. We all know this will be it for him. I don't think that at all. I won't say you're being unreasonable, but I bet he'll stay in the game and that he'll interview for a job again at some point in his life.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 12:49 PM) I know this about the Pirates and Royals... I've seen the Royals win two World Series and lose two World Series in my lifetime. I've seen the Pirates win a World Series and make the postseason the last three years....something the White Sox have never done. Yes, they had years of suck under a economic system that killed them. But here we are in a better economic system and a double wildcard format, and they're actually doing well, and the Sox are trying to duplicate 2005-- and doing terribly. Years is an understatement. Try decades. Would you be OK with the White Sox tanking for 20 years?

QUOTE (soxfan49 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 10:49 AM) It was a semi idiotic post, but his point was that Albers is bad, and well, he's right. After one month, we are in the process of declaring a guy BAD because he pitched poorly. Mike Trout is bad then too buddy. I'm not a big fan of Matt Albers and didn't know how he was doing what he was doing, but to say he's dogs*** based on that would be to say that the entire league is dogs***.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 12:55 PM) All you need to know about Robin Ventura is that he never aspired to be a manager, his teams have been terrible under his tenure, and he'll never interview for a managerial job ever again, let alone manage a big league game after this season. He's in a class by himself for the only franchise that would go this way for this long. I hope you know how to spend his retirement for him too.

QUOTE (Tex @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 09:11 AM) Ventura has had his opportunity. This offseason he should be replaced. It may only result in a couple three more wins but it is the accumulation of all of those small improvements that make the difference. I believe he could be a very good to great manager in the right position. This just isn't the right time nor position. This is the time to make a move. If you fail to make the playoffs again this year, or so any significant improvement whatsoever, then you replace him in the offseason when you can actually do the full fledged interview process. What the hell is a managerial change going to do right now? For every Jack McKeon in Florida, there are 100 Luis Pujols's.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 06:41 AM) I am a Kansas City Chiefs fan, so I know what's it like to be apathetic towards a team. HEY! They won a playoff game this year. Baby steps, right?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 06:36 AM) Thornton was done the moment Jim Thome touched him up in the 2nd half of 2010...even though he lived on until this day in the big leagues. Forgot Jones, 3 rookies. Considering where he was drafted and his lack of success starting, that has to qualify as another success overall. Crain is an example that supports the Don Cooper Theory of Excellence. (Brett Myers and Liriano do not). And the fact that Jake Peavy could be rehabilitated through a once in a lifetime surgery and come out the other side AND get back Avi/Montas or Iglesias and not have to subsidize any of his salary was a minor Don miracle. (Except for when he faced the Tigers that year). Myers and Ohman? More indictments of KW/Hahn. HAIL HAHN! So if the front office gets a pitcher, say Felipe Paulino, and he fails, it's the fault of the front office, but if he succeeds, it's Don Cooper's success. Right on.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 06:30 AM) FIRE NOBODY. Let's remain in Dante's 9th circle of hell forever!!! Stuck perpetually between contention and getting Top 3-5 draft picks (well, we did manage that feat once, which isn't surprising with the 5th worst record in baseball for the last 3+ years).

QUOTE (captain54 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 01:39 AM) On the other hand, Ventura is a KW hire. More than likely with JR blessing it. Ventura has gotten a free pass through all the suckage so far, and Hahn always comes forward to claim the fault lies not in the manager. I just don't see this trio publicly admitting they blew it. Only way RV goes during the course of the season is if he resigns. OK, Ventura resigns. What is it that you, captain54, will do to change the culture of the clubhouse and make this team win again?

oh good god QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 03:31 AM) Please name ONE team that would commit to paying Zach Duke $8 million for the next 1 2/3rd's years. Brewers, Phillies, Braves, Reds, Padres, Twins, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays. Do you understand talent distribution and how little left handed pitching there is in the majors Duke would get sucked up in a heart beat at his current contract. Back. My back hurts, but that's mostly due to work. Not sure what you're saying here otherwise, because if I don't/can't have sex, I choke my chicken. Are you trying to make a Hawkism relevant in a non-relevant situation? Because that's what it looks like. I also call it spanking the monkey. Of course Jennings isn't special. He still throws 93 from the left side with a semblance of command. He'd get eaten up immediately. (also, no there are not. There are similar, but this one is throws hard, and has command. While there are many that throw harder and have better command, this one is the White Sox, and no one else shall have him) Well, #1, it takes one hit. How about Heathcliff Slocumb from the Red Sox to the Mariners? You remember that one, right? Or Doyle Alexander from the Braves to the Tigers for some prospect named John Smoltz. I'm sure there are more recent examples, but you still don't make sense because #2 OH HEY GUYS, DON'T DO WHAT THE BEST TEAM IN THE MAJORS HAS DONE, THEY'RE THE CUBS, THEY SUCK, WHAT A BUNCH OF WUSSIES #3 this has nothing to do with the issue at hand. I expect him to actually make more pitchers than he has "good." Quintana doesn't have many quotes in the press - understandable. Sale does. Sale said he was trying to cut down on his pitches and would work more towards contact so he can work deeper into games. Is that something he came up with on his own or did he have a heart to heart sit down with Don Cooper on that? So what has Don Cooper done that's so good? I like the guy. When he's the pitching coach for my favorite team, and I haven't seen a thing but a turnstile of pitchers, I'm going to light fires. There are 29 teams in the major leagues. If I had the power to put him on waivers, I would do so to prove a point, but I imagine that, given his contract, there'd be like 4-5 teams who would NOT claim Duke on waivers given his current contract. Thanks for qualifying it as "rookie," so that way you can eliminate Peavy, Sale, Liriano, Jones, Floyd, Thornton, Crain, Myers, and, oh, Will Ohman. The miracle workers for that team were Alex Rios and AJ Pierzynski, because had they posted their normal career numbers, that would have been a 78 win team. --- I'd feel bad not ending this with an ALL HAIL DONALD COOPER

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 8, 2016 -> 03:16 AM) Fire Robin Ventura is the diametrical opposite of a blanket statement, if you've watched this team over the last 4+ years under Ventura. If you're deliberating seeing Robin with rose-colored glasses, that's not a helpful solution by any stretch of the imagination, either. blah blah blah with with the first part. Players not performing, players non-existent, the Sox haven't been hit with injuries, yada yada, the Sox are underperforming. However, I have watched Robin Ventura manage the last 4 years. Compared to a guy like Ozzie Guillen, he has been a breath of fresh air. He pays attention, he manages by the book, almost too religiously, he controls his clubhouse. If the clubhouse feels that they have overwhelmed their manager at this point, then someone is going to be let go. At some point though, as a manager, you have to know your employees and what they can do. Caulfield, have you ever been a manager in any manner in your entire life? As in, you could hire and fire. It's not that I try and be an "elitist" in saying that I am a manager now (because it sucks), but I've been there, and when someone is not doing something you want, and you have to talk to them, it sucks. Imagine doing that with 200x the ego. Fire Robin Ventura and then bring in Rick Renteria so we can what? Win more? Maybe Jose should hit better. Maybe Albers should pitch better. Maybe Robertson shouldn't get lit up with a 6 run lead. But naturally, that's Ventura's fault.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jun 5, 2016 -> 07:27 PM) Keep being an apologist for a team that hasn't made the playoffs for seven seasons going on eight. Glad you weren't a Pirates or Royals fan. Hell, I hope you're not a Bills fan either.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Jun 5, 2016 -> 03:49 PM) Boycott until changes are made. Boycott? You mean 13th out of 15 AL teams in attendance isn't boycotting? You want them to be the Montreal Expos, where they draw 2,000 people a night? How can they boycott any harder? Do you understand what you're even saying? Ohhhh, I get it. They played better with an empty park, like in April, and now that the fans are showing up, the pressure is on and they're crushing under it. I get it. You're smooth.

I'm not one to do this, but smh