witesoxfan

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 17, 2009 -> 01:21 PM) You guys that say the NL sucks ... do you realize we just got Peavy?? Why are you assuming he'll thrive in the AL? He has legitimate stuff. Pedro Martinez is smoke and mirrors; that can work in the NL, but it doesn't in the AL. You generally need a good fastball to pitch in the AL, and Peavy has that.

the correct answer to this question is Dewayne Wise

3-run homers to be exact defense, pitching, and the 3-run homer. Earl Weaver was a pretty smart guy

do you remember how the Sox got their early lead in games 3 and 4? nothing wrong with how game 5 worked out...just an honest to God curious question (becaaaaaaaause I rememberrrrrrrrrrrr)

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Sep 17, 2009 -> 10:17 AM) Angel Hernandez was in two places at once? Griffey get 5 in the Sox game although only one was actually called a strike. Umpiring in baseball is atrocious. I don't mind the Griffey thing at all because it didn't make a huge difference in the game. I didn't even see it happen, but there is also a level of respect given for guys who earn it. A player of Griffey's caliber getting calls in his favor is part of the game and will always happen. This was Nick Green. Of the .667 OPS. Of the bounced around the league consistently for the better part of a decade. Even HE knew he went around on his 0-2 check-swing, and it wasn't called. And then Fuentes made a perfect pitch to ring him up, only to see it be called a ball to bring the game tying run home. It was brutal, and was a home-town and homer call.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 16, 2009 -> 09:07 PM) Detroit's good enough. They are the best of our division. And a 4'2 midget is still a midget.

The Angels got absolutely screwed tonight by the umps. Nick Green got 5 strikes.

QUOTE (b-Rye @ Sep 14, 2009 -> 06:36 PM) NL AVG OBP SLG 260/.331/.411 AL AVG OBP SLG 266/.335/.430 Not much of a difference, if you put the DH factor into it. NL isn't that much easier. Pedro hasn't really been healthy in a few years, but he has really good stuff when he is. I can't believe it took him so long to be signed. a 23 point difference in OPS is f'ing huge. I mean, .742 versus .765? That's over 77,000 PA's in the AL and over 87,000 in the NL. Yeah, you can talk about the plate appearances of the pitcher, but the point of the matter is that pitchers make up 5.7% of the plate appearances in the NL and pinch hitters make up 4.1%...yeah, that's not enough of a difference. The NL is far, far inferior to the AL.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Sep 14, 2009 -> 09:52 PM) Wite is gonna be a happy person today.. facebook status - "Leodis McKelvin can suck it."

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Sep 13, 2009 -> 11:27 AM) The dig was against Sox pitchers not holding on runners and then their slow deliveries to the plate didn't give AJ a chance. He has looked pretty good the last few games I have been able to watch, but you see guys like Buerhle and Danks holding runners close. Contreras weas one that runners etole on a lot because of that slow move to the plate Buehrle has always held runners close. It's very rare when players steal against him, simply because of how good his pickoff move is and his quick delivery to the plate. You literally have to wait for him to commit towards home before you can take off, and that doesn't give you any time at all to get to 2nd.

It doesn't really matter what you do, playing in the NL is way easier than the AL. The NL is an absolute joke.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Sep 12, 2009 -> 05:23 PM) I'm to the point where I find joy in his failures. And to anyone who complains about this feeling, your whining will only intensify my happiness. So, any potential "how can you wish ill will towards a former WS MVP" posts are just a waste of time. I've complimented him for years. It's time for his ass to go. but dude he drove in the game winning run in game 4

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Sep 11, 2009 -> 09:08 PM) Excuse me, sir. NEXT TIME I WILL SEND A PRIVATE MESSAGE IF SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING IN THEIR SIGNATURE that's not even 100% correct, unless we're willing to say that our own CF is even worse. Because apparently people have nothing better to do than complain about other posters or yell "you lie!" at the President. What ever happened to civility in our society? but really, Ryan Sweeney hasn't been that good this year.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 31, 2009 -> 03:33 PM) I don't know why a day off is always the cure all to people. Cal Ripken says days off are overrated. But if that's the cause of his s***ty at bats, give him a couple days off. I imagine Ripken's career numbers would have been much better had he gotten a day off here and there. He just didn't want to come out of the lineup, ever.

QUOTE (oldsox @ Sep 11, 2009 -> 04:28 PM) I think the better question is why did we trade FOR Swisher? We gave up a great prospect in Sweeney, who can play CF and hit. He's around .280 now and is bound to improve; plus a promising lefty in Gio. because they thought he was going to be better than he was. That's pretty simple, isn't it? Ryan Sweeney is also getting a hell of a lot of love around here for a .734 OPS. That's decent and all, but it's not earth shattering.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Sep 11, 2009 -> 02:04 PM) I agree that Beckham would be a bad choice to lead off. It would be a waste to have #8 and #9 hitters in front of a guy who drives in a ton of runs. Beckham should hit 2nd or 3rd. I disagree with Getz in the two-hole. A mediocre OBP guy who bunts all of the time would be overly predictable and ineffective, and he doesn't have the OPS to hit in the two-hole. If he brought up his OBP to .350 or so, he'd be a solid leadoff hitter. Especially considering his raw SB numbers and very low CS percentage. Grady Sizemore and Curtis Granderson could be RBI machines too. They're hitting leadoff because they get on base, hit for power, and steal bases. Chris Getz would also be a solid #2 or #9 hitter in that lineup. #2 because he does have the contact ability, hits left handed, can lay down the bunts, whatever...you don't do it every time he comes to bat, but you do it when you need a run. It actually makes a lot of sense to me. And if Getz gets on at a .330 clip from the 9 spot, that will still leave Beckham with quite a few opportunities to drive him in.

of course, you can just look at the 1-2 punches. And then after that, you can compare offenses. St. Louis's is ridiculous.

QUOTE (CQMVP @ Aug 1, 2009 -> 08:33 PM) Pods may get caught stealing here and there, but he's putting pressure on their pitcher when he's on base. The pitcher isn't just thinking about the batter in that situation, he's trying to keep Pods close, they're pitching out here and there, etc. He's also scoring on hits that Swisher wouldn't score on. Swisher just doesn't have a niche that he fills, especially not on the Sox. He's not a better power hitter or RBI guy than Quentin, Konerko, Thome, or Dye, so where does he fit? He just doesn't. He's not the CF of the future for us, and he wasn't taking a corner OF or 1B job any time soon. You replace Podsednik with Swisher this year, and we're even MORE of a station to station team in the middle of the lineup, and, of course, who is our leadoff hitter then? will ypu please, pretty please, prove that to me statistically? Not that they are the end all, be all, but when a guy is stealing at around a 68% on the year and has been picked off atleast 6 times, it wouldn't appear that he's putting much pressure on anyone but his own team.

Podsednik - DH Beckham - 3B Pierzynski - C Quentin - LF Konerko - 1B Kotsay - RF Ramirez - SS Rios - CF Getz/Nix - 2B it's not spectacular, but at this point, this is the lineup that gives the team the best chance to win. With that lineup, you get good defense in the outfield, good defense in the infield (outside of Konerko...scooping is nice, but ranging to your right saves hits), and a lineup that may put up some runs. When a pitching staff is struggling, the best thing you can do for it is to save any balls in play that would normally be hits. JD is relegated to 4th outfielder, meaning when PK needs the day off (knowing Ozzie, and what would atleast be preferable under his lineup management...Kotsay to 1B, Rios to RF, Pods to CF, and Dye to DH on those days that Dye plays and Konerko needs/should have the day off) or Kotsay needs the day off (Dye to RF). Come the 8th inning and later, Wise takes over in RF, Kotsay shifts to 1B, and Konerko is removed...assuming it's extras or the Sox have the lead. This lineup allows for pinch hitting opportunities within the actual 25-man itself...Nix and Dye will both be available to hit lefties, Getz and Kotsay for righties. If a lefty starts and a good right handed reliever comes in, look for Timo2 (that's Wise) to pinch hit when a lefty comes to bat, and if a righty starts and a lefty comes in, Josh Fields can try and catch up to 88 MPH junk. just an opinion. I think that is the lineup that allows for the most reward, with an actual bench to use.

QUOTE (joejoedairy @ Sep 11, 2009 -> 12:40 AM) just when i think im out... the tigers get swept by the f'n royals and they pull me back in divisions like these shouldnt get an automatic playoff bid so say the 87 Twins and 06 Cardinals

so, what, exactly is wrong with Beckham being the leadoff hitter next year? It allows the Sox to concentrate their efforts on a LF or RF (whatever they want to do with Quentin) and spend roughly the same amount on a 1-year deal, it allows a consistent starting lineup (Pierzynski, Konerko, Getz/Nix, Ramirez, Beckham, dude/Quentin, Rios, Quentin/dude, Thome (because I think he'll be back)), and it puts a great OBP with great baseball instincts and the ability to steal a base while putting himself in scoring position without having an adventure (and getting eaten by a dragon 1/3 of the time) a ton. Is there really anything wrong with having a guy who will put up, say, .280/.360/.480/.840 with 20 steals and 15-20 homers in the leadoff spot? full-well knowing that you can move him down in the order as he progresses as a hitter?

QUOTE (Palehosefan @ Sep 10, 2009 -> 10:38 PM) Time for Logan to have a big return, he's a lot of fun to watch. 22 yard line, huge return there. AND THATS A KICK RETURN TO THE 22 FOR YOUR USD COYOTES WOO-WOO

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 10, 2009 -> 11:47 AM) I sense a threadjack coming, but Carlton Fisk's impact on the White Sox is far and away bigger than Dye's. I don't think its even close. Fisk was a HOF catcher on the club for over a decade - Dye has been a very good OF for 5 seasons. Zero doubt in my mind that Fisk had a bigger impact. This isn't to diminish Dye's achievements BTW, he's been huge. 2nd best FA signing ever, I'd say. I was just saying that there is a big leap from there to Fisk. agree Dye has great counting statistics, but it's worth noting that Fisk played in an entirely different era. Carlton Fisk put up a career 109 OPS+ with the White Sox with a .766 OPS, while Dye put up a 122 OPS+ with an .872 OPS. For comparison's sake, AJ Pierzynski has put up a 92 OPS+ with the White Sox while coming in at .748 during his tenure. The fact that there is only 18 points of difference between Pierzynski and Carlton in regards to actual OPS, yet there is a 17 point difference in OPS+ should tell you that it is a bit unfair to compare counting statistics from era to era. The fact that Fisk never won a World Series in his entire career is irrelevant, because winning a World Series is completely about timing and the other 24 guys around you. And, if you want to say that Dye is right up there with Fisk because he helped win a World Series title, than you, quite frankly, must include AJ Pierzynski in that discussion too. The fact that Carlton Fisk was a good offensive player during his entire career while also being able to throw out runners at a good clip for 13 years, in my mind, makes him the best. I'd still say that Dye is the best free agent signing of the past 25 years; from there, it's a bit scattered, but Pierzynski is probably top 5 during that time period simply because he's one of the few catchers the White Sox have actually had that have been decent offensively (Fisk included...Charles Johnson can't be included because you really can't count less than a half of a season as having much of an impact, even if he was fantastic offensively).

QUOTE (joeynach @ Sep 10, 2009 -> 02:03 AM) Once you get paid it doesnt end. I had this conversation with Robbie Gould hes a friend of mine. When your getting paid you're a star by contract. Stars want to succeed, they want to be cheered for, they want chics coming up to them, they want to see people wearing their jereseys, they wanted to be praised by media, fans, teammates, etc. It all feeds the ego. There is no player that says hmm I got my contract now I want to be embarassed, berrated, and chastised constantly. Athletes are athletes because they want to perform well and win. They dont want to be the guy that walks down Mich Ave having people boo and call you a bum, having good looking women tell you that u suck, and restaurants and clubs consider u a nobody You want to walk down Mich Ave and be welcomed, be wanted at the Top Restuarants, Bars, Shows, stores, wanted hot women coming up to becuase your studly at what you do. Rios doesnt want to be a scrub player, no one does. Actually, I would argue that there are athletes who just want the payday, and then they will stop giving a s***.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 10, 2009 -> 07:36 AM) Carlton Fisk says hello. But I agree on principle, Dye was a fantastic signing, but its time to cut him loose after the season is over. Okaaay, you win. Best free agent signing of the past 25 years. Better?