caulfield12

There aren't very many areas you could say that we need a definite improvement right now. Of course, David Wright would be nice, but at what expense? Hudson might end up doing an adequate job, and there's reason to believe that Morel could also return to being a productive player after all of his health care problems (gluten-free diet, weight loss, back problems) are behind him. In the everyday line-up, the main holes (after Hudson) right now are Beckham and Ramirez, and regardless of our offense, both are very solid defenders. Beckham has been hitting much better the last 2-3 weeks, and Ramirez has been hitting in awfully bad luck, with lots of line drives recently and not much to show for it. Messing up our stellar middle infield defense and DP combination seems to be a no-go from the start. The pitching has been shaky after Sale and Peavy (the two blown leads against DET and CLE notwithstanding), with Danks suffering from diminished velocity and clearly not 100% for most of the season, and Floyd and Humber on the consistent path of inconsistency. That said, all things considered, it's a rotation that is capable of winning the division and carrying the team for stretches, just as our offense has carried us in recent days. Trading Gavin Floyd would force Axelrod, Stewart, Quintana, Hernandez, Doyle, Castro or Hernandez into the starting rotation for 40-60% of the season, and while the evidence suggests one of those young guys COULD potentially replicate Gavin's numbers, can you take that risk NOW for the cost/salary savings and to get prospects back for 2013 and beyond? It doesn't seem to be KW's way. Second, we could trade Thornton and/or Crain with the emergence of Reed, Jones and Santiago to fortify the bullpen, but that would lead to us missing all veteran leadership and depth. You have to expect Jones will go through a down period, and we already let Frasor go, so trading Crain seems less likely. Dealing Matt Thornton might make the most sense, with Santiago, Ohman and now Quintana ready to supply depth there. But, once again, like in the Gavin Floyd case, if you're not getting something amazing back and the payroll level right now isn't killing you (with attendance expected to spike up in the summer), do you pull the trigger? Other than that, the only two places we could look to improve are replacing Fukudome and especially Escobar. If it comes down to it, we could bring up Danks, McPherson or Dan Johnson, but hopefully Kosuke can show some signs of life soon.

QUOTE (2nd_city_saint787 @ May 27, 2012 -> 01:23 AM) 2nd best Run Differential in the AL now. 6th in MLB at +24, right behind Atl @ +25 and Wash @ +26. Like I've been saying this team is awesome. There's room for improvement. 5 blown saves (7 total) resulting in 5 losses OBP Everyone in the starting rotation not named Sale. Our bench. Winning at home and winning close games (3-6 in one run games, CLE is 10-2)

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ May 26, 2012 -> 11:03 PM) I'm gonna be mad when he's not the starting 1B and AJ isn't the C. Pujols is actually getting closer to respectable numbers. 7 homers, 26 RBI's, 671 ops Considering where he was about two weeks ago (before they played the White Sox), its been a pretty remarkable, albeit overdue, turnaround.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ May 26, 2012 -> 05:28 PM) If there really is an Iron Throne (and I like to think there is), I want Konerko on it. (Viciedo can be the "Hand" of the King or whatever...not like he needs help anyway, I mean this s*** is totally doable with just a king). For some reason, this made me think of that scene from "Role Models" where everyone's supposed to bow down to the King (the ever-present Ken Jeong)...that or those inane Burger Kong ads that eventually ended up getting their advertising agency replaced and Burger King beaten down by Wendy's in the US. http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=...jkw&cad=rjt

And Mitchell, perhaps just as importantly, had his 29th walk. What a streaky season is has been for him, though. Seemingly no in-between at the plate.

Poor Cubbies. 11 losses in a row now. 2 out based loaded HBP by Dolis in the bottom of the 9th forces the winning run in.

Danuel is the Lion's Den? Omar Vizquel's legend lives. 3 hits versus the Rangers, first one hitting RH'ed, including what is looking like the game-winning RBI in the 13th.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ May 25, 2012 -> 04:16 PM) Actually I think a worse business decision was moving the Sox to pay TV (Sportsvision) in the 80's while the Cubs stayed with WGN. Letting Harry go to the Cubs ranks right up their too. Umm, letting Buehrle go was a move that the majority of realistic White Sox fans knew was due to happen. Would it have happened had Peavy, Dunn and Rios lived up to their contracts since 2009, of course not. And even had they made the playoffs in 2010 or 2011, it still probably wouldn't have been a wise move economically for the team long-term to make that kind of commitment. But sure, you can argue that giving Danks that kind of money in retrospect wasn't warranted, either. If you really want to discuss heartbreak, it would be Paul Konerko having his 2010-2012 seasons with a team like the Yankees. That would be MUCH harder to stomach for most Sox fans.

12-5 and streaking. Only 14 more to go to equal the streak from 2010, lol. The funny thing is that streak 2 years ago happened at roughly the same time...maybe a couple of weeks later, to the point where there was a lot of speculation about trading off some of our veteran pieces. But it definitely coincided with interleague play in May/June. This team has been so up and down, though. 10-6 (we were 8-6 after Humber's perfect game and won the next two) 3-11 12-5

Heath Bell knocked out in another save opportunity but Choate survives to get the win over the Giants, 5-3.

The only time I saw Rios talking was that video of him cursing out a fan who was trying to get an autograph somewhere in Chicago after a not-so-great game by him one of the last couple of years. But the fans was kind of taunting him, so what do you expect when someone's not playing well?

14 in a row retired by Sox pitching to end the game going away.

Meanwhile, Konerko at .396 and threatening Brett/Gwynn/Williams, as the slowest player in baseball history to challege .400 into June.

Now only 3 behind Baltimore for 4th place in AL runs scored. Amazing. What is about playing Cleveland? Just like the opening series last season in CLE. Viciedo hammered that one, too. Laying out clotheslines in all directions of the park.

Trade Rios, Trade Rios, Trade Rios. LOL. Hide the children, incoming missile. Should have really been 5 for 5 with a homer and at least 4 more RBI's. What the heck is going on?

They might as well start the statue design and construction right now. Wonder what kind of contract they'll be able to work out after 2013 to retire him as a White Sox? Would be a shame to see him finish his career in another team's jersey.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ May 26, 2012 -> 05:33 PM) When was the last time we finished top 5? Probably 2006 or 2008. Although possibly 2010, but I'd doubt it. 2010, 7th in AL runs scored 2008, 5th 2006, 3rd (1st for most of the first four months)

AL RUNS SCORED 1. TEXAS, 261 2. BOS, 240 3. TOR, 223 4. BAL, 219 5. CHW, 214 6. NYY, 213 7. TB, 204 Manto Power. 27,000+ in attendance. We do have to remember no Hafner, no Cabrera, no Carlos Santana, no Grady Sizemore. Santana is actually on the DL now after that shot off the mask. Not sure I've ever seen that...so many concussion-related issues in sports the last 5 years, MLB and NFL especially.

Jeez. 70 pitches already. Peavy has to give us at least a couple of more innings somehow...but Robin's got to keep him from completely blowing us out of the game. 1st and 3rd in the AL in ERA coming into the game, 9 runs already allowed in 2+ innings.

QUOTE (Jake @ May 26, 2012 -> 03:54 PM) Those free baserunners f***ing suck. We had 5-6 great swings in the first, they've had two. But Peavy has nobody to blame but himself. And Kipnis is quickly becoming the most dangerous hitter on the Indians.

Well, that sucks. 6-0 and 4-0 leads against our two biggest divisional rivals. POOF. Leads gone, just like that.

Another argument, +21 RS/RA differential leads the AL Central. Not to mention our 3-6 versus Cleveland's 10-2 record in one run games...and the overall home record has to improve as well. We finally have our bullpen as well-organized as it's going to get, and Chris Perez just isn't that good.

20 RBI's now for Viciedo. Blame it all on Hudson (kind of like when they added Vizquel to the 3B equation in 2010). If Beckham can get rolling in the 2 hole, this team legitimately does have a good chance. You have to believe Ramirez will pick it up at some point, too.

The offense is just rolling. Still gave up 4 runs. That almost never happens when you lose a 3 run homer. Six balls killt today already in just the first inning.

12 game hit streak for Paulie. 21 for his last 39 (.538). 4 homers and 10 RBI's. .385 overall average. Remember the beaning. Dammit, lost a three run homer!!! Crap.