TLAK

QUOTE(SoxRock05 @ Mar 28, 2006 -> 11:54 PM) I know that we are still in ST...but are we going to be able to start winning games with a snap of a finger? The White Sox, or any baseball team in history, can not win games with a snap of a finger. The line between winning and losing in baseball is very fine, every game is a battle. The White Sox will have to 'bring it' and compete every inning of every game in the season to be successful, and even then it is not a sure thing. If they play with their heads and their hearts, I'll take my chances.

Why does everyone get so wrapped up in what writers predict. Their votes don’t count. Only the player's votes count; they vote with their arms, bats and legs everyday of the season. By the end of the season we'll all know who won.

QUOTE(Wsoxmike59 @ Mar 25, 2006 -> 08:36 AM) There's a great documentary on the Sox at MLB.com called "Quest for Respect" It's one hour in length and has a good recap on the team's long frustrating history and their climb to the top in a "Quest for Respect" by winning the 2005 A.L. Pennant. http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/mediacenter/programs.jsp Click the link and scroll down the page to the lower left hand corner. There you will see a section titled LCS Documentaries. Enjoy! A Quest for Respect Led by manager Ozzie Guillen, Chicago showed off a historic rotation and a champion's heart. • Watch the documentary: 350K Thanks for posting it! I really enjoyed it.

Teams play 30 games in the spring. Everybody wins 10 and loses 10, its the other 10 that don't matter.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Mar 22, 2006 -> 09:02 AM) Philly will love his work in the field, but unless he has done a lot of work on his fundementals, hitting Aaron second is a mistake. I see he's hitting .174. If he starts the regular season like that they will eat him alive. A new player has to earn any patience he gets from the fans, not just in Philly. Look how badly Jermaine Dead was bashed early last year here. Hopefully Arow starts well and doesn't have to go through a month of abuse.

QUOTE(beck72 @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 07:08 PM) Everyone knows this guy is a reclamation project. Did anyone expect to see him change uniforms and pull a Boone Logan? I'll reserve judgment until after the sox have had him a bit. But the guy should start in AAA, not with the sox. He could easily turn a 3 run game that he's mopping up into an absolute blowout. Wisdom.

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Mar 20, 2006 -> 10:18 PM) But most of the knowledgeable posters and people that followed Cotts in the minors knew that good things were going to come from him.... it was just a matter of time and experiance. He was a much better prospect than this guy we got from Seattle. The only question with Cotts was could he handle the big time. In ST 2004 there was a long debate here on whether he would be better served building up his confidence as a regular starter in Charlotte. Everone liked his stuff but the question was would he get tense and fold up? ---like he did in the famous 2003 Yankee Stadium start when Jerry Manuel basically threw to the dogs and he looked awful. Ozzie kept him on the big team in 04 and never put him in a bad match up, building him up slowly while getting important outs for the team. Then getting him the hell out of there before something bad could happen. As 2004 unfolded and 2005 began you could just watch him grow. Now people don't even think about 'deer in the headlights' and he is used like the proven major leaguer he has become.

QUOTE(ottawa_sox @ Mar 19, 2006 -> 12:53 PM) My sentiments exactly. Hitters react in a similar fashion to Cotts. If he is used in a true loogy fashion and is thereby protected by just facing a lefthander here and there, big leads not-withstanding, he could go a long way to being a true contributer this year. I saw him hit 91 mph on one fastball. Hitters react like he is throwing 95. Excellent observation. Readers need to remember just what role is being auditioned for here.

QUOTE(Jordan4life_2006 @ Mar 19, 2006 -> 09:41 PM) I thought he would automatically be offered back to us if he didn't make the team? So he would have to clear waivers first? I didn't remember that either, this if from ESPN transactions primer: So the only way the White Sox lose him is if someone keeps him in the bigs for the entire season ---or works a deal with the White Sox.

Its too early to tell. I want to see how they will play together as a team and I just can’t tell based on the early ST games. The team is so different I can’t use last year as a frame of reference, if Hermanson can’t go that will be 9 new guys since the WS. That’s a lot. If they can play like last years group, and I don’t mean statistics, but how the players, including the subs, all knew their role and did their jobs, they could be even better –I concede, except for the bottom of the pen, there is more raw talent. My fear is players going for homers instead of moving runners and trying to make the great play instead of basic baseball. While 7 of the 8 regular position players are back, there will be enough playing time from the new guys to spoil the mix. If they play together like the ’05 Sox, who played the game like the White Sox I grew up watching in the 50’s and 60’s I think they will be fine. If they play like the bopper teams of 2002-4 they will finish just like the bopper teams. If they play together like the ’05 Sox, I’ll be happy where ever they end up.

If the kid keeps getting guys out, who cares about his experience. This isn't Strat-o-matic baseball where you spin a wheel based on a player's past stats. You pick the guys you think can help you today. Picture Logan in Cott's 2004 role. Ozzie picked his spots with care, usually only one or two guys he thought he could handle, and got a lot of mileage out of him while he was maturing.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Mar 14, 2006 -> 09:13 PM) He nearly lost a finger searching for that nose nugget. I thought he was gonna poke his eye out.

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 14, 2006 -> 08:33 PM) Pods won't be ready for opening day. Fathom, isn't Jerry Owens best suited to take Pod's lead off role? My God, two rookie OF on a defending WS team. One other thing to bounce off you, Alex Cintron looked fantastic on TV last night. If Iguchi struggles could you see Cintron at short and Uribi at 2nd?

QUOTE(kevin57 @ Mar 12, 2006 -> 07:56 PM) When the Yankees do fall, will Torre's job be at risk? Oh, yes, he's one of the greatest managers around, but King George has little patience with his subordinates. one of the greatest managers around? The average salary in the American League last year was $75,275,804 and finished 81 and 81. Torre managed a team with $208,306,817 in salaries so he should have gone 224 and -62. Instead he finished with 95 wins or 129 games below expectations! Yeah, I'm joking with the numbers, but there is so much talent on that roster that he has to be considered an under performer. Ozzie won 99 games with $75,178,000. Before he got the Jankee's he was 894 - 1003. He's Joe Blow without King George.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 12, 2006 -> 04:35 PM) Jas, I really dont think you should waste your time. If you want to kind of complete the circle by adding in the Hawks, thats one thing, but I really dont know if there will be that much of an interest. If you do go down that route, I will be all the help I can be... Tony, pal, there was a day when many talked about the White Sox like you talk about the Hawks.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Mar 11, 2006 -> 05:42 PM) I think your way wrong. Cintron has such a pretty swing. In fact if Iguchi hickups in his 2nd year, I have zero problem with Cintron stepping in as a starter. He's been drilling the ball in the WBC too. Hit a HR for Puerto Rico (Bernie Williams also hit a big time bomb; looks to be in tremendous shape). But I was watching the Puerto Rico/Mets game about a week ago and saw Cintron hitting. The boy can hit. I don't know what kind of a fielder he is and I realize he doesn't have a great OBP, but I wouldn't be too concerned about his bat. Its a pretty swing. I'd like to add that Cintron, based on the numbers, is a much better middle infielder than either Ozuna or Mack. Mack can hang with him at 3B but Cintron is head and shoulders better in the middle. Ozuna can earn his keep with his legs and his bunting. While he can survive at just about every position, which lets you use him in a pinch role without burning two players, I don't think he would be first choice to sub a whole game at any position.

QUOTE(Princess Dye @ Mar 10, 2006 -> 03:44 PM) no, that was the worst post in this thread. that blind go-team-go attitude, to the point of completely forgetting the contributors you rooted for in 05...it's just embarassing to read. Carl's hitting nearly carried us at the beginning of the year, a part of the season where more talented Sox teams in the past have shot themselves in the foot for good. he covered Jermaine's comatose bat early in the year, Jermaine covered his later. Carl also hit near .450 in the series. he argued his points well, takes no cheap shots, and actually represents the same beliefs of some still-diehard Sox fans. i dont see anything here inappropriate, and we'll just have to see whether KW's plans were right. i personally like our moves, but i'm not going to insult Carl's take on this. I nominate this for the best post in this thread.

My line on Jose: IP :3 H :5 R:1 ER:1 BB:0 K:5 NP:56 Str:34

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Mar 5, 2006 -> 02:58 PM) Are you watching this game or something? How do you know? Contreras breaks Luis Gonzalez's bat on a grounder to Uribe. Hudson to 3rd base. 2 outs. RBI flair hit to RF by Conor Jackson. 1-1 tie. Damion Easley grounds out to Crede at 3rd base. Inning over. 1-1 tie. Look at my avatar, Farmer said it hit off the CF wall, that would put it well out at US Cellular.

That didn't take long. 6 pitches, 6 strikes.

Line ups from Scott Reifert's Inside the White Sox: Gload in left ... It will be interesting to 'hear' how he throws.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Mar 4, 2006 -> 02:28 PM) this is an improved outing for redding since the other day He's throwing strikes, by my count 22 of 25 pitches.

Rotoworld sarcasm:

I noticed Casey Rogowski's name in yesterday's box score at catcher. I didn't know he could catch. If any SoxTalk spies saw the game could you let us know how he looked? I've long felt the White Sox need a third catching option on the roster. If Rogo can survive behind the plate, plus handle the OF corners and 1B, you can start thinking about him as a sleeper to make the team. It's still a stretch to think he would start the season in Chicago, but keep him in mind. As guys get worn down and dinged during the season he might see some time in the show.