caulfield12

QUOTE (MO2005 @ May 6, 2009 -> 07:00 AM) Here are the Sox problems.. Alexei Ramirez - timing is wayyyyy off. Late on fastballs and early on breaking/curve balls. Hawk said it great last night that when this happens, usually it can last almost a whole season. If that's the case, we have problems. Brett Lillibridge - Just can't hit period or play defense. First of all this guy has no place in center field and his defense is horrific. It is almost like Ozzie and kenny are refusing to send him down because they don't want to feel like the Vasquez trade went for nothing. AJ - Cannot throw runners out, so everyone runs on us. Gavin Floyd - I said it before the season started. Had a career year last year and was going to be hard to duplicate. He is not in command up there on the mound right now. Mentally he is breaking down, losing confidence, and allowing the big hits. Jacobs 3 run homer last night. Josh Fields - Strike Out King Pods - Last Resort for now and using it. Jose Contreras - Shouldn't be starting or even playing. But how can you sit 10-15 million a year in salary? Bullpen - Relying on them too much right now to save games for us with our starting pitching/ inconsistent offense. We all remember what happened in the 2nd half last season when our bullpen was lights out in the beginning of the year, right? The problem is our bullpen is not even lights out right now. Is there anyone in this bullpen you feel 100% comfortable with to hold a lead? Situational Hitting - Still does not exist. I don't care what anyone says, but if you do not have a situational hitting ballclub, you will not win a championship. Yes we could still wina division title because our division is weak, but not a championship. I blame this entirely on Kenny Williams for STILL not getting the players that can do this well. Since the 2nd half of 2006 we have not been great at getting runners over and in. Hitting sac flies when we need them or like last night runners on third with less than 2 outs and failing to get them in. Fields K rate... 2007=33.5% 2009=32.6% Crede, at age 26, was striking out roughly half that rate (16.5%). Of course, Josh has a 700+ OPS because of his higher number of walks, so, even agreeing they were roughly equal offensively, there's still an advantage to Crede because of his defense (when healthy)...but we have to give Fields the whole season to see if he can put up a 775+ (minimum) OPS.

I think Shelby is 22, turning 23 this year?

Shelby and Danks are plenty athletic...there's some question, though, whether Shelby can legitimately play major league CF. Scenario would be able to discuss this, because I think Shelby mostly played LF last year, at least that was my impression, after they moved him off the infield. Shelby III seems to be one of his favorite players. Cutting down strikeouts is one of the biggest issues for both, although Danks has improved in that area recently. Ultimately, I don't think BA will make it here in Chicago (there are questions about Fields and Ramirez, too), but KW has to let him play from mid-May through mid-July and see if he can legitimately win the position and keep it. No platoon with Pods or Wise, just play him everyday. Same thing with Fields (with some Betemit against tough RHP) and Ramirez. The trade chips would have to be Shelby OR Danks, Poreda (if they don't see him as a starter) and possibly Getz, but only if Fields and Ramirez play like expected for the remainder of 2009 (because Beckham has to go somewhere, and MOST logically to SS or 2B). So Shelby OR Danks, Poreda (but we will need to replace at least two starters next year, probably) and Getz/Ramirez/Fields (one of the three). It's not like Milledge has established beyond a reasonable doubt (especially low OBP), that he would be the answer in the tougher AL. And Dukes is the wildcard with that organization...not sure if they would be willing to give up on Lastings quite yet. Hopefully KW is smart enough to stay away from Eric Byrnes...but it would be REALLY nice if the D-Backs would give up on Justin Upton.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 6, 2009 -> 06:13 AM) We just have to pray BA has no setbacks... if he comes back after Wise (I don't know when he's due for return), then we'll have to suffer through that some more. Anywhere from late May to mid-June, depending on how he does with his rehab one would imagine.

Cupboard? I think you have have the Chicago Cubs on the brain, or Mike Cubbage, lol. Maybe the Cubs having a winning streak (until Lincecum) while we've been sucking hasn't helped so much!

There was an article in spring training about this, too...when the leadoff hitter issue was at the forefront...he went to a CAL game that weekend, supposedly scouting college OFers who were possible leadoff hitters. There's no doubt that Shelby and Jordan Danks are at least 1 1/2 years away from contributing... Other than that, we have Gartrell who might become a prospect if he has a really good season at Birmingham. Viciedo, if they decide to stay with Fields at 3B, would seem ticketed for LF or DH...but he also, right now, looks about 1 1/2 years away.

Seriously...it's WEIRD that you always have something to say for no real apparent reason. If you want to comment on what I wrote, fine. I purposely didn't post last night because there wasn't very much productive to say at 1130 pm after a game like that. If this site is going to become like WSI where people are FORCED/COERCED to say only positive things about KW and the organization or labelled as "Dark Clouds" for being realistic about their team, well, then I guess everyone can live in their dreamworld where Gordon Beckham and Aaron Poreda arrive just in time to save this season from the abyss.

"Some people on this team better check their [rears]," Guillen said after the Sox squandered two four-run leads and failed to hit in the clutch in an 8-7 loss to Kansas City in 11 innings at Kauffman Stadium. "Some people think for sure they're going to be the stars and they're going to be there, they'd better check their [rears]. They better start thinking about the way we're playing. "I'm not talking about everyone. I'm talking about players who want to take it for granted. Well, they better be careful. I'm not afraid to move people. I'm not afraid to make changes." Really, there's not much he can do. It's kind of sad. We can bench Ramirez, but are we really going to win with Getz at 2B and Jayson Nix playing SS? Nix has almost as little experience playing SS as he does 3B and RF...which isn't much. Getz would be fine at short for a couple of games, but lacks the arm strength and doesn't have enough range to his right to play that position, unless Gold Glove version/healthy Joe Crede is playing to that side and not Josh Fields. Beckham is far from being ready to play the position. If we take Contreras and Floyd out of the rotation...then we use who? Richard? Poreda? Carlos Torres? I agree Ramirez and Floyd should feel like they're on the "hot spot," but is it really going to make either of these somewhat "fragile" players perform better? I don't really believe it will. We're pretty much stuck with what we have. He certainly wasn't calling out Broadway, that would be like picking on the weakest kid in 3rd grade. He shouldn't even be on the roster (along with Lillibridge, Pods, possibly Nix, Miller, etc.) Betemit is a good hitter, when used properly and in the right situations. The only players who really performed under pressure last night were DJ Carrasco and Dotel getting out of that inning tied, even though he wet the bed, which was kind of to be expected after pitching so well for most of the early season. And I guess Linebrink walked the tightrope too, but there must have been 50+ 3-2 counts in that game, mostly from our pitching staff. There were a couple of situations that we could have PH Nix (for Getz) and Betemit (for Alexei) and I suppose Ozzie's argument (especially with Alexei) is that he needs his horses to come through for him if he's to have a prayer of competing...and taking Ramirez out of the line-up as a threat by getting him in the mentality that he should bunt the last couple of games, you're basically telling him you don't believe he can get a hit, when he came through is so many clutch situations last year (and even earlier in the game). It's kind of a no-win situation for Ozzie. Maybe getting the squeeze down to score AJ would have energized Alexei and the club...but there was better than a 50/50 chance he'd miss the bunt and get AJ thrown out at home, too, and everyone surely would have been all over Guillen for that move. Also, kudos to AJ for a great game last night. The stolen bases against him are/were not preventable. They sensed the hit and run last night, it's just that Broadway isn't a good enough pitcher with his shaky command and stuff to miss bats. You knew that walk was going to score, somehow, and at least you could go to bed knowing the result of the game, instead of staying up another hour or two. Also, Carlos Quentin has been playing some really good D these two games...and that was a very nice play to get Maier (their first round bust version of Broadway), even though he might actually have been safe. That was the point in the game you thought they MIGHT have a chance to come back and win, but then our normal offense for the past two weeks returned to roost.

The Royals perfectly executed a hit and run. We had two opportunities to score with runners on 3rd with less than 2 outs and failed to get them in, with Getz and Ramirez both striking out. Always the kiss of death. But, as someone mentioned, Gavin Floyd has to be the biggest concern after last night's game, not Lance Broadway, with Alexei Ramirez a close second. The game was over right there...on the road...we might as well have put Wandy Rodriguez in the game to throw to Geoff Blum just for old times' sake.

Well, Getz had a chance in the same situation as Ramirez and failed to get the job done, too. We're just not very good at this point, at much of anything.

Don Cooper has walked about 4 miles tonight. That's one positive of a game that's headed for 350 pitches.

CoCo Crisp with 20 walks this year already. AJ 1 for 19 throwing out runners...around 6-7% or so.

Hopefully our hitters don't study Hall of Famer Thome this year or we'll lead the AL in GIDP's again like in 2008. Damn, I wish I could be there for the Ponson/Carlos Silva match-up tmrw in KC. Ought to be a good one!

Linebrink or Jenks in a tie game=Joakim Soria save situation We're not right around the 300 pitch mark for both teams combined. Geez...I can't imagine the game that was 500+ the other day, good thing Contreras and Floyd can't pitch against each other, unless Jose is released.

KC radio station talking about Bonds coming to play for the Royals. Wouldn't that be something? They concluded that Bonds' ego was too big for that market...not enough fanfare. "White Sox have been giving up leads all night..." says the Royals' broadcasting crew. Apparently Jamey Wright, a career journeyman, is this year's JP Howell.

QUOTE (fathom @ May 5, 2009 -> 07:30 PM) The Tigers aren't playing terrible right now. They also made some interesting lineup decisions today. I'm sticking with that pick to win the division at this point. If Porcello and Verlander get rolling with Galarraga, they'll be awfully tough to beat, just like Greinke and Meche.

Walks kill. Maybe KW has ordered them to play for the first round draft pick. Check that, we are still trying to win this game. Big games this series from Quentin, who has come to play this year defensively.

Not getting a good feeling about this ballgame after that inning. Momentum has definitely shifted. Between Floyd not shutting down the Royals with the 5-1 lead and now Thornton and the lack of offensive execution...not good. Octavio has been so good this year, you wonder how long it will last before he has one of his 2008 outings where he just doesn't have it at all. Plus, he pitched the Royals.

Time for Mahay, Farnsworth (probably not) or Juan Cruz.

And here's another reason why Matt Thornton is not a closer. Gavin Floyd (6.29 ERA) and Bartolo Colon thank you for your efforts. He's great when there's no pressure or nobody on base...but those situations make me more nervous than when Jenks is in there in the 9th or a tie game.

Crisp is dangerous...he just broke out of his hitless streak tonight. Be careful here, Matty.

Hopefully we'll get the 06 and 08 Thornton and not the 2007 version...or we'll be in trouble this season. Let's get this 3rd out, please!!!!

Konerko really seems to have sustained his approach of taking the ball up the middle and to RF into the season. The home runs will come.

Sometime, those surrendered without even a glance stolen bases by Gavin are going to bite him in the butt when he throws a wild pitch.

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ May 5, 2009 -> 06:19 PM) Pods offense has never really been an issue it is the defense. With the power in the line-up already. Pods at DH makes sense to me. He seems to be more aggresive than when he left. You really want to sit Thome for Pods? More likely, Pods would be splitting time with Anderson...although some here won't/wouldn't like that.