caulfield12

QUOTE (He_Gawn @ Jun 18, 2012 -> 08:08 AM) Today, Quintana was a stud... He threw 77 pitches and didn't give up a run. You don't take him out. As Hawk would say, "You don't know s*** about baseball". It has gotten to the point where EVERY big league manager hides behind the "that's what we have a closer for." It's far too specialized now. Go with your gut and instincts, that's why you were hired as a first-time manager with zero experience. To not just go by the book in those situations. If you go with your best reliever, Nathan Jones, on Friday night in the 6th...and leave Quintana in Sunday, you're sitting in a much different position. Jones did have ONE recent hiccup, but, all things considered, he's been the most dominant reliever on our staff since Opening Day. Maybe his using Crain there in the 6th is a sign that Jones has passed him in Ventura's mind...but it sucks we had to lose two games this series due to "on the job training" for Ventura. In all fairness, nobody expected the White Sox to be in first place at this point in the season and there was reason to believe these games might be like every game played by the Cubs since the middle of May.

Bad, bad weekends: Tiger Woods Robin Ventura Sox relievers The umpires Adam Sandler's production company movies with Julianne Hough or Tom Cruise singing

We're going to end up going through five closers in one season. Santiago, Thornton, Sale, Reed and eventually Nathan Jones. Reeds' stuff just hasn't been as crisp, for whatever reason. He's not going to get away with throwing 93-95 MPH up in the zone three times consecutively against any big league hitter.

The only argument against leaving Quintana in there is simply the fact that he's less than a year removed from foundering in A Tampa. That said, you have to go by the evidence of his performance ever since he's been with the big league team...which is indisputable. 0.063 BAA against in day games. Matt Thornton doesn't pitch 1/3rd as well against LHBer's in his prime. I just don't understand why they didn't leave him in to TRY. That would have taught him more than being pulled did. We all get the fact that he gives up a baserunner and he's probably getting lifted, that's fine. But the pitch selection and execution was just horrible in the 9th and the 10th. If we want to compete for the division title, we can't leave 2 games out there like that. Now the Tigers are only 3 games back when we should be back to 8 games over and with a much more comfortable 5 game margin, and 3 1/2 over the Indians. We can't seem to get out of our own way in close games or extra inning games. First time the Dodgers have taken a series in interleague play against the Sox.

1-4 now in extra innings, also very bad in one run games. 11 blown saves leads the American League...which is pretty amazing when all you hear is raves about Reed, Jones, Thornton, Crain, etc.

QUOTE (Jake @ Jun 18, 2012 -> 07:06 AM) Matt Thornton gave up two soft liners to left field He no longer can get K's when he needs them. Everytime the batters put the bat on the ball, something bad happens to him, and it has been the case since April of 2011 or really since the ASG and Thome beating the hell out of him in the 2nd half of 2010. He's just been a shell of his former self the last two years. No confidence. It's almost like he expects something to go wrong.

They should just put Thornton on the waiver wire and see if anyone will claim his salary. I'm convinced that even if there was a runner at 1st or 2nd instead of 3rd, he still would have managed to choke the game away somehow. It's what he does. Once again, another hitter well under .200 against LHP comes through against Thornton.

QUOTE (Baron @ Jun 18, 2012 -> 07:02 AM) Clearly that goes on both. Its not like Matt didnt have a game ending Wild Pitch yesterday. Aided greatly by AJ's defensive apathy. But that wasn't yesterday, it was Friday night. Thornton absolutely can NEVER EVER in 100 years come up with a key out when we need it. God, it's so tiring, year after year after year.

Might as well have Treanor bring back memories of Carlos Guillen's walkoff squeeze to end the 2000 AL Division series. God, this series has been miserable for the Sox. The Tigers will only be 3 games back if they were to lose this game. What will Thornton manage to do now? Can he actually get a key out against a LHB or wil the ball dink in somewhere, somehow....?

Might as well have Treanor bring back memories of Carlos Guillen's walkoff squeeze to end the 2000 AL Division series. God, this series has been miserable for the Sox. The Tigers will only be 3 games back if they were to lose this game.

Great. Jesus Christ, we will never win a game in extra innings. No matter what happens, Matt Thornton's always cursed by something that happens behind him defensively.

QUOTE (Baron @ Jun 18, 2012 -> 06:53 AM) Who said during that AJ is lazy discussion that they wanted to roll with Flowers and Phegley? Do we want to pay AJ Pierzynski $15 million for the next 2 seasons? Other than Napoli, there are ZERO free agent catchers that are interesting options. Maybe Doumit would be okay, Iannetta's the other guy there. The thing is, we'll never know whether Flowers could be serviceable hitting-wise because nobody in baseball can be effective playing once every 10-14 days.

Now we have to use up our bullpen when Quintana was in a position for the complete game, knowing that Zach Stewart's chances of getting past the 5th inning tmrw night are about 5%. The AL Central just is going to be a grudge match all season long. Still, with Fister back now, you'd have to expect the Tigers to start making their run.

Dodgers have never won an interleague series against the White Sox until today possibly. The funny thing is that it should have been a sweep the other way. Guess AJ isn't available. 0 for 4, 4 K's from Flowers, that's what happens when you play once every 2 weeks. Now Escobar? Is Ventura trying NOT to win this game on purpose? This is taking one out of the Ozzie Guillen playbook of managing. Still don't understand why DeAza didn't take a shot at swiping 2B, either.

Well, if nothing else, Quintana is proving he's for real. Since we never can win extra inning games, maybe Ventura should start earning his money and utilizing his bench now. Still has Konerko and AJ, and Alexei can be used as a pinch-runner.

Thanks White Sox bullpen. Choked away two leads in this series. Leading the American League in blown saves. And of course we can't get a good throw out of Rios and haven't played worth a damn in extra innings. Well, all things considered, this game should have been tied anyway, but it absolutely sucks for Quintana not to have a chance to finish it.

Perfect.

Nice to see the White Sox aren't the only team with bunting problems in the big leagues. Huge out there. Let's get this pesky kid to hit into a double play.

Well, this decision is going to get second-guessed...and first guessed. Who called for yet another FB with 2 strikes? No slider?

78 pitches, 58 strikes. Orlando Hudson in the game at 3B? I guess RV thinks Hudson is actually better defensively than Lillibridge over there. Reed 8/8 in save opportunities so far.

Danks was told by Dr. Yocum there's nothing wrong structurally, but apparently he's still going to seek a second opinion. Someone with the White Sox? Any more updates?

Some insurance runs would be nice here. We have LOTS of options off the bench to do some damage, starting with the best hitter in the AL...but those first three hitters aren't too bad. Capuano one away from his career high in K's, which is 13. Bellisario and DeJesus into the game. PH extraordinaire DeJesus Jr. will lead off the bottom of the 9th.

His upper body/momentum left early...but his foot was still in contact with the bag, so Darling or Jerry Meals were definitely wrong. Umpires weren't in a great position to see the play, and strange for the 3B ump to defer to the home plate ump when he should have been the one to make the call. Jesus, Ethier is playing the hell out of RF today.

Quintana ERA down to 1.59

Charley Steiner says that's the angriest he's ever seen Don Mattingly in 20+ years. Standing O from the sell out crowd.