caulfield12

Dodgers and Nationals in one of the most exciting games of the season (along with last weekend's Red Sox/Yankees). Two best teams in the NL right now, both teams score 2 runs in the 9th, Nationals to take the lead and the Dodgers to rally for the tie and near win. Strasburg tears through the Dodgers for most of the game. 9 k's and 5 hits in his 7 IP, along with a double at the plate. Harper with his first MLB hit, a double. Harper shows off perhaps the best outfield arm in recent MLB history from LF...gunning down a runner at 3rd but the ball getting punched out of Ramos' glove. Dodgers rally to tie with an incredible inning against a closer (Henry Rodriguez) throwing 100-102 MPH. Tying run scores off a wild pitch at 102, Juan Uribe coming up with a huge RBI double. Jesus, the White Sox miss those clutch RBI's from the likes of Uribe and Crede, as an aside. Two wild pitches (one resulting in a K) end up going to the backstop at 102. Rodriguez finally pulled by Davey Johnson, ex-Cub Tom Gorzelanny gets out of the inning and they're in extras.

Justin Greene of all players hits a homer in the late innings to provide the winning margin for the Barons. Nevin Griffith with his first save. Castro gave up seven runs (6 earned) in 7 IP.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:32 PM) We aren't talking about Walker here. We are talking about Manto. He is the hitting coach. Walker is in ATL. He's watching the Braves hitters, they lead the NL in runs scored. Its Manto;s fault these guys aren't hitting now. A week ago, you would have been laughed at for bringing this topic up. Same thing could happen for both Walker and Manto in another month's time. A week ago, Bobby Valentine was being hounded out of Boston after blowing the 9 run lead on Saturday. I'll ask this question. How many hitting coaches have "fixed" an entire major league roster of hitters in 2 months? Are you claiming the success of all the Braves' hitters this season is entirely due to Greg Walker? REALLY?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:29 PM) Himes drafted Durham, but Schueler definitely provided more major league ready hitters from the minor leagues, although he really got lucky with Maggs. The scout who signed Maggs showed up like 6 hours late for his workout, but Maggs stuck around. He also left him exposed in the rule 5 and no one took him. After the strike though, Schueler was a different GM. While KW has his player as his best hitter 12 years later, every year Schueler was the GM, his best player was a Larry Himes draft pick. Yeah, I remember when I worked in Augusta in 1994, looking at the Elias Sports Bureau numbers every morning and seeing Ordonez and Jeff Abbott putting up huge numbers. Abbott at that time was a bit more of a prospect, hitting nearly .400, Maggs seemingly came out of nowhere, he had that kind of penguin-shaped body and he wasn't putting up huge power numbers (more doubles) in the low minors, so scouts overlooked him. Always was a concern about him putting on too much weight and not being very fast.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:25 PM) Why would you say that? All I said is what the majority of Soxtalk has said for years. If guys aren't hitting its the hitting coach's fault. Its time to make a change. As far as Cooper/Humber, if you're going to give Coop the credit for the perfect game, don't you have to blame him for the implosion his next outing? It's a game of expectations. Nobody in baseball expected anything out of Humber when we picked him up, Jenks, Santos, Loaiza, Contreras, Thornton, etc. Peavy hasn't been healthy for most of his time with the White Sox, although I guess you could blame Cooper for injuring him if you want. With Beckham, Dunn, Rios and Viciedo, a LOT was expected/predicted out of them. I'm willing to give Walker a pass on Morel, because I never considered him a sure-fire major league starter like some here. The Walker "success" stories are Konerko, Quentin and Lillibridge, that's about it in recent years. And Paulie figured out a lot of those things on his own, through self-analysis and critical thinking in his 20's.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:22 PM) Schueler was pretty good at the beginning. He picked up Raines, always seemed to find someone to do a decent job in RF from year to year, DJ, Burks, even Tartabull had a decent year. But he got ultra conservative, but he did have a division winner his final season. He also has to get some of the credit for Ordonez, Carlos Lee, Ray Durham...can't remember when we drafted Rowand and Crede, although KW was director of scouting/minor leagues by then, right? Drafting Buehrle where he got him so late in the draft, etc.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:18 PM) But its pretty obvious it isn't getting better. Why wait? Every time a White Sox made an out it was Greg Walker's fault. It should now be Manto. They have 10 runs their last 5 games, only 8 in regulation. Its time to make a change. He obviously isn't working out. And I suppose you also are going to argue that Don Cooper is still overrated despite the fact that we have one of the best pitching staffs in the AL? That any random pitching coach could get a no-hitter out of Phil Humber? Most quality starts in the AL since 2003, etc., despite playing half our home games at USCF?

In summary, Marty. The White Flag trade. Albert Belle. Terry Bevington. Steve Sax. Norton/Snopek. Cory Snyder. Wil Cordero. Cordero and Belle are two of the worst human beings the White Sox ever had on their major league roster. REBUILD AWAY, lol.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:09 PM) Paul Konerko was traded for by Ron Schueler. Schueler should do the "rebuilding". YOU DESERVE THIS REBUTTAL, M-34 (courtesy of WSI) First Base - Wil Cordero Sure, you could blame this acquisition on manager Jerry Manuel. But Manuel has made it clear he wants to win --- yet Schueler hasn't run out to get any high-priced talent, has he? A willing accomplice. Second Base - Steve Sax Schueler's first big mistake. Acquired from the Yankees for three (!) pitchers (including Melido Perez) and cash. A complete bust most Sox fans have forgotten, probably for sanity's sake. Third Base - Greg Norton Well, at least we know he can't play first base. With Ventura gone we'll now find out if he can't play third base, too. Here's hoping "You're the Greatest" will prove better at his natural position. Of course pitcher is Jaime Navarro's natural position, and look what happened there. Shortstop - Mike Caruso Could be a terrific shortstop and is certainly young enough to develop into an all-star. But don't forget, Mike Caruso's biggest claim to fame is how he was acquired. He is the first major league player ever traded at the expense of a stretch run at a championship (the infamous WHITE FLAG trade). Another Schueler first. Outfield - Chris Sabo One of Schueler's low cost reclamation projects you won't hear him bragging about. A disgrace with the bat and in the field. A distraction in the clubhouse, too. He was Jaime Navarro before there was Jaime Navarro. Outfield - Darren Lewis We let Lance Johnson go for this dope? Outfield -Mike Devereaux Sucked before we got him, sucked while we had him, and has sucked ever since. Any questions? Catcher - Chad Krueter (twice) Never underestimate how many times Ron Schueler will repeat his own mistake --- as long as it's cheap and expedient. (See also Jim Abbott). Designated Hitter - Cory Snyder Acquired by the Sox just months before he developed true softball league form. What was Schueler thinking? And who better to manage this collection of trash... Manager - Terry Bevington Better to keep your foot in your mouth than disgrace yourself further by uttering the next thought rattling inside your head --- a lesson never learned by Boomer.

Lillian was a week or so ago, but that was for Dunn as a platoon split and that call has died out with the focus now being on Beckham, Morel, Viciedo and Ramirez. And Rios is regressing again. But promoting Conor Jackson to play 3B at the major league level when he's played about 10 games there his entire career is insane.

Except Jeff Manto's had two months. Greg Walker how many years? At a certain point, it becomes an issue of either being totally lost and lack confidence psychologically (Beckham/Morel) or just not being talented enough...to the point where no hitting coach could possibly make a difference, not even Lau, Hrniak or Rudy Jaramillo.

And the turning point was Dunn not easily scoring in the 1st inning when Ross fumbled the ball around in LF. Sigh. Konerko hit a double...Dunn had been on 1B with a walk, he didn't look at the play in front of him and just assumed he would be held up by McEwing instead of waiting to be stopped. When he realized what was going on, it was too late for him to score.

Well, Conor Jackson's been playing 3B. Who knows what the White Sox are thinking in regards to Morel and Beckham at this point.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:47 PM) It's insane to think that our best hitter in 2012 was traded for by SCHUELER!! That exclamation point at the end for sure means you have enough emphasis with your ongoing campaign to tip JR over into firing him.

Ventura's going to have a lot of questions to answer if he doesn't use Fukudome (Viciedo), AJ (Flowers) and possibly Escobar next inning against Aceves. Marlins got a homer in the bottom of the 8th from Logan Morrison to tie against the D-Backs. Looking at a 7 game losing streak. Doesn't seem to matter who is managing the Sox or Marlins with both teams reeling.

And the ugly hitting with RISP continues. What new? Konerko needs some protection or no pitcher will challenge him with a fastball he can square up. Peavy starting the 9th inning with 107 pitches, now 108.

Paulie missing the protection of AJ behind him tonight. Rios simply has to come through here with a base hit and change the momentum of this game.

Harper grounds out to Billingsley in his first big league AB. Padilla Flotilla on the mound...not one of the most well-liked players in the game.

QUOTE (jeffro2525 @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:26 PM) If we had this Jake Peavy the last two years we're a play-off team. Not last year, but definitely in 2010.

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Apr 28, 2012 -> 08:18 PM) Man, we have some weak sticks in this line up right now. Changes have to come, Viciedo no rbi's other than his solo shots, Beckham 2 rbis and both of them have played almost every game. At least they have to respect him to an extent. He's been really bad with RISP, but so have much of the rest of the hitters with the exception of DeAza, Dunn, Paulie and AJ. Rios isn't going to light the world on fire with only only 1 HR and 7 RBI's. And he can't hit with RISP, either. LHP Morales in. Farmer in heaven with ND head coach Kelly in there.

Pretty darned pathetic when you're hoping as a fan that Morel and Beckham don't actually need to get a hit...that they'll get bailed out by a wild pitch or passed ball. Gordon at .15254 and falling.

Mitchell with his 5th double of the season, already has 20 RBI's. At .346. Gilmore actually had a two-run RBI. 7-4 Barons.

Who would have thought Viciedo would be our best defensive outfielder and worst (so far) offensively? That kind of a season...

Here's a very telling stat. If we went on to lose this game, our home record since the beginning of 2009 would be 127-126. You can't be competitive in any division unless you can play at least .550-.600 at home.

Gordon Beckham a scintillating 9 for 58, for a Dunn-like .155 average. Ryan Sweeney has 11 doubles ALONE, Konerko with 9 now, the same as Gordon as hits. How can you be so bad after looking so good? Sweeney at .397 with a 1.021 OPS. 88 pitches for Peavy through 5 1/3. Bullpen nights for both teams. Luckily, no Bard throwing 95-98 against us tonight.