29thandPoplar

QUOTE(fathom @ May 19, 2007 -> 04:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Also, I was referring more to his tirade about how he'll let all of his players test the market from now on and he'll never re-sign a pitcher, etc. I guess my feeling on this is, he has a boss. One thing I will tell you though, he works his ass off trying to get a good rapport with these guys. If you could see him in Tucson you would know how hard this guy works. Sorry game threaders these comments belong in another thread/topic probably.

QUOTE(fathom @ May 19, 2007 -> 03:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Terrible swings by Erstad so far today. Agree and he needs to be better. He needs to make a positive difference.

QUOTE(fathom @ May 19, 2007 -> 03:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't have to be a professional though and deal with players/agents like KW has to. It is always a good idea to be professional no matter where you are or what you do ... or what you are saying. My dad taught me that and he was right. Just pulling your chain, you obviously know the game but I think you are over the top on slamming Guillen and your negativity. Anyways, its a message board and certainly your right. Let's win this game and we'll all be happy.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ May 19, 2007 -> 03:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Three grindouts for Darin today. You are 100% correct, it's not good enough, he needs to deliver there. And I am a supporter of Erstad. But that's where you need to get it done, especially after not getting it done in previous AB's.

QUOTE(fathom @ May 19, 2007 -> 03:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> He's making a great scapegoat for KW, who royally f***ed the 2007 team with his whining and b****ing this offseason. I've been here for a few days, you are seriously not criticizing someone for whining and b****ing are you? Ha, just kidding. But you do whine and b**** a lot.

A lot of hitting is mental as in the hitters mental approach and I'm sure this board knows it. Von Joshua was, how do we say this nicely? Von was abrasive and he wasn't well received and didn't mesh. Well so what. But that's a big part of things in clubhouses. The players didn't get on too well with Joshua and neither did the manager and neither did Williams, end result see ya later. Winning is not a popularity contest though. Either the hitters get it going or Williams will not stand pat. I for one feel they need a pain in the butt hitter, a guy who works counts and will take walks and get on base. Owens is heating up and maybe they will find a place for him soon. Who knows.

Ok, I have read a lot of chatter about the hitting coach and the hitting situation here for a few weeks and now I will add my comments from personal observation, what I have seen, and what I think. My sense is they will wait until Thome gets back and see how this offense is doing after he's been back for 10 games or so. They will not fire Walker in my opinion but he could quit. He does not need the job as he has plenty of coin. It is very possible the hitters need to hear a new voice. It happens, that's why coaches are changed frequently. In some orgs every year there is a new coach of some sort. Walker is a nice guy and everyone likes him but frankly who cares. Its about results. But what this board doesn't like to hear from what i see is this, the White Sox, meaning Williams and OG, are very loyal and patient. This can be good and it can be bad and I think most Sox fans understand the loyalty concept. My guess is Walker would quit b-4 he gets gassed. One other thing is that I am lucky enough to spend lots of time in ST in Tucson and have rented a condo out there 3 of the last 4 years because my job and schedule lets me do that at this point in my life. Lots of time on the back fields in late February and you hear things and learn things if you shut up and be polite and open your ears etc. There is a fallacy that Walker teaches hitters to pull everything and that is so far from reality, believe me or don't I don't much care but you are hearing the truth. He doesn't like to mess with the power hitters swings cause he and the other coaches feel these guys are vets and they know their swings. He is always saying "head down on the ball" "watch it all the way back" "up the middle hard" and I have seen him work with hitters on weight shift and such. He preaches about going up the middle but he has no illusions that these guys are spray hitters, they aren't, most are power guys. Personally? Sometimes a change for change sake is good and maybe they need a new voice. Walker is probably as good or bad as any hitting coach, the job sucks. I tend to blame the hitters more than the hitting coaches because I know GW is talking to them and trying to prepare them. But the frustration is boiling over and he may fall on his own sword of his own choice. Anyways just a few thoughts from what I have seen down there and heard. Hopefully they break out of this because it sure needs to stop, games cannot be given away as it is too tough a division as many have pointed out. Great site you have here by the way and i will try to contribute. Sorry about the Mackowiak mixup earlier for some reason I had Ryan Sweeney on the brain but I have seen Pablo fooling around with catching stuff in spring. Lets go get them tomorrow, go Sox.

QUOTE(BearSox @ May 18, 2007 -> 04:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> There is a difference between hitting left handed and throwing left handed. Mack bats lefty, but he throws righty. That's why he plays 3B and 2B to go along with the OF. My mistake, yes. I do believe Pablo is the emergency catcher though.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ May 18, 2007 -> 04:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> According to Guillen in his post-game interview, MacDougal pitched the ball well. Was he watching a replay of yesterday's game? That is insane. I can see defending your players to the media but that is nuts.

QUOTE(BearSox @ May 18, 2007 -> 04:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ryan Sweeney has quick hands and can turn on the ball at any time. Well that's not what Bombard and the people in Charlotte are saying. Ryan needs to get stronger and he also needs to get the head of the bat out quicker. A lot of this is maturity, he is a good kid and he works hard.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ May 18, 2007 -> 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Mackowiak is the emergency catcher FWIW. A left handed throwing catcher? Are you sure it's Mackowiak? I watched some workouts in late Feb. in Tucson and Ozuna was tinkering with warming up pitchers which led me to believe he's the emergency 3rd guy.

QUOTE(caulfield12 @ May 18, 2007 -> 03:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If MacDougal isn't effective for the rest of the season, then we're done, pretty much. Aardsma can do well enough, but we will lose too many games due to Sisco, Masset and MacDougal....just change the names from Politte, Cotts, Nelson, Tracey, Montero, etc. What MacDougal did in this game is exactly why he drove KC fans nuts.

Derek Lee is not in the lineup for the Cubs for what its worth.

Do not want to step on anyone's toes but here is the box score from tonight's game: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/st...94&sid=t494 Jerry Owens was 3-5 and Paulino Reynoso, left handed reliever, continued his fine start by pitching a scoreless inning of relief. His ERA is 0.55 . Columbus stole 6 bases off Charlie Haeger/Wiki Gonzalez. Haeger threw 115 pitches. Thome batted only twice, not sure why. Brian Anderson was 0 for 3 but walked twice.

He's been dealing with blisters on his pitching hand. They are keeping an eye on his pitch count.