Pumpkin Escobar

I'm not sure PK goes anywhere just because it seems easier to let Dye and Thome walk. Hopefully we can get arbitration offers extended where they wont accept them and end up with some draft picks. After last years fiasco though I am a tad worried. I don't think this team can suffer losing all 3 of those big bats. We'd need to make sure we replace them heavily. Meaning they need to get the best hitter out there if they can or deal for 2 of them. Rios wont make up for it from the looks of it. CQ wont remain healthy. Beckham could potentially hit 100 homers but lets let him hit 20 first. I think if we move PK, let Dye and Thome go - you'll see Figgins on this squad, and someone we hardly expect via trade (Adrian Gonzalez, Joey Votto, I'd touch myself for Hanley - it'd be something over the top). I know theyd like to change the dynamic of the club but it's one thing to change things - it's a complete asinine move to change them and not play to your home ballparks advantage. Which we all know is the long ball.

''In a matter of 72 hours, everything can change, and we have to keep hanging our hat on that we can do that,'' Konerko said. That quote is exactly what my problem is. I feel like our veterans have no fire to go seize it and make things happen, they just keep banking on it happening so they have no reason to get worked up or fight for things. It seems like theyve been around the block so many times that they think it's just going to be the same way as before and things will fix themselves because thats what happened in the past.

I was embarrassed and enraged when we went into Sunday - IMO a must win game - and we trotted out the "B" squad. I don't mind Ozzie always resting our guys but I always get confused because I thought the point was to keep them fresh for the late season run and these type of must-win situations. Seeing Castro and Lillibridge out there made me ill. Lillibridge doesnt even deserve to be in professional baseball. You have a must win game and your "Ace" on the mound. Aout to hit a huge road trip against the best teams in baseball and your plan for success is to run Brent Lillibridge out there? Really? You end up scoring 2 runs off a guy who has an era north of 6? Its pathetic. The other embarrassing part is that we don't have any other options anywhere. From there its embarrassing that our bullpen is just so awful that our guys may need to start going all 9 to get a win. Its all sad and pathetic more then embarrassing I guess but its very close.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 11:38 AM) I think the Sox are going to take this one tonight... and roll into New York and take that series. I'd love to keep beating the Yankees and plant that seed in their heads if we make it. Because we will see them in the first round since Boston will be playing the Angels.

QUOTE (WSoxMatt @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 11:37 AM) I cant believe all of you have thrown in the towel...there is still a month left and ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!!! How about a big win over the Cubs at the end of this trip ignites the Sox on a tear to win the Central!! It's tough not to when we haven't seen them really do it outside of one time this year. Longest win streak we had was 7 and not remotely in the realm of quality teams we are playing now. They should beat up on Cleveland and KC as they did during that streak. I wanted to be within 5 games at the end of the road trip if things went south for us. At worst 6. And that is only because of how many times we play Detroit because I'll hang onto that - "we have a chance" thread. Realistically I just don't see us overcoming anymore bad losses as we've had. It's one thing to lose but when you have a team struggling to hit, and they score 8 runs and you lose because you have a bum on the mound. You get what you deserve. Then you watch them crawl back into their shell and blow the next games with bullpen. Those are tough losses and take a huge mental strain on these guys. The season isn't over but as each days passes and we don't just show any sign of life - you have to wonder why not just throw in the towel from a fan standpoint. We're a .500 ballclub so to think we are going to run off an play .700-.800 ball in September to win the thing isnt realistic.

Taking monster blows to our moral both on the field and off of it.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 10:54 AM) I'm not really in agreement with every point on this. I think there's two position players that need to be replaced with established still-productive vets. Both are corner outfielders. That's replaceable. I dont put it past them to go out and get Abreu on a short term deal this offseason. That takes care of one. DH....well we'll see. I have my own thoughts on how to handle that within the system, but it involves bringing in Flowers and a utility guy who can catch. A cheap viable solution. Thome my homie can always return if he's willing to take a huge discount just to chase the ring and 600. I think we have guys who are very good players but I am sick of others. I really think that if Pods is going to play the way he is playing that he is capable of playing average LF for us. But it needs to be LF, not CF. I think Quentin has lost a little on his arm and is still not 100% out there running but he should be able to handle an average RF. Rios in CF to me is above average and that is all much better then what we've been playing. To go sign Abreu isn't a bad idea but it'll leave us without a leadoff hitter. Quentin and Rios arent going anywhere. So taht means Pods is and probably Dye (unless he comes back to DH). Not too sure about you all but I don't want him as a DH when he cant have a .600+ OPS in the 2nd half. I still think landing a Figgins boosts our lineup and defense. It makes Alexei available and teams would come crawling for his contract and his ability. We could net a nice young arm, a true 2nd baseman, prospects or a very good OF. I for one don't want to see him go though. I do think we need to improve our OF defense but I think Rios starts that and I think we need to shed some of this dead weight. All of this is pending the emergence of our veterans. Step up or step out.

I hate to be down on this team because theyre so good on paper and I still have that hope they run off 9 in a row and then sweep the Tigers to take the thing but there is no way they bounce back from what happened this week. The teams we lost to last week and how we've lost the games this week by just blowing up is going to be too much to overcome. I think KW and AJ are right. I was one of the people who openly supported a firesale 2 years ago after 2006 when we won 90 and didnt make the playoffs. I figured Detroit and Minnesota would both hover around 90 wins+ and we'd finish third with our fading bunch of veterans and needed to sell them for youth because of the shape of our farm at that time. We lucked out and finished way worse than third - netting us Beckham. Danks and Floyd have obviously emerged to become very good players. Quentin, if he is healthy, can hopefully join that mix. Last season was a blast. The new acquisitions this year of Peavy and Rios have backed me off Kenny for being a blithering idiot and not getting youth for our veterans because he managed to do it without dealing them and I didnt think it was possible. But at this point. It's sink or swim for our vets. I dont care what Thome's OPS, I don't care that Jermaine Dye was hitting close to .300 until the All-Star break and I certainly don't give two flying tummy tucks about Jenks or anyone in that bullpen (minus Matty). If this team doesn't take this thing - then their run has ended. They no longer need or want to be here. Their is no passion out of these guys. Say what you want about Ozzie or young players but you needthat fire. Dye, Kong, Thome are too professional, too emotionless, and just seem dead right now. Maybe they don't care, maybe theyre worn down because theyre old, I don't know. I will say this. I watched David Ortiz, a guy who gets the same treatment as Thome with the shift, try to bunt the ball away from that shift last night. Maybe I am wrong again but I don't think I've ever seen Jim Thome try and even present that he was thinking about doing it. Not Jim Thome - I'm going to hit 600 homers. I don't show bunt so that it festers in the back of someones mind. And same goes for Dye. It's like this Rios thing has made him even worse because he feels like he deserves better. Play for you life - like a guy like Podsednik is doin. If you told me one of those two are coming back next season then I want Podsednik. Dye is playing like Carlos Lee did here when he refused to play for the team. Last night he pulled his head out on every swing trying to hit a homer. Put the damn ball in play. Sorry for the rant. Needed to be said. Get rid of these bums if they dont step up. Plain and simple.

I hate to blame managers for their teams lack of execution. Thats never quite been my style. I say say lack of execution because most of our losses do in fact come more from lack of execution than they do playing a Dewayne Wise. There has been numerous errors, poor base running, inabilities to get a guy in from 3rd with under 2 outs, and just horrible pitching from our bullpen for me to solely blame Ozzie. I think he has botched quite a few things and its on him to make sure this team is prepared but lets get real, these guys are veterans, you shouldn't need Ozzie to tell you not to be swinging for the fence on every pitch because its floating in at 66mph. They shouldn't need him to light a fire under their ass. This one to me is solely on the veterans. They show no life. From Dye to Linebrink, Thome, Buehrle, back to Contreras. And until this past week - Konerko wasn't doing anything either. If you look at our kids - they're playing like they have a pair. Beckham is playing well, Quentin is playing well, Floyd and Danks have been pitching great. So I don't know if I am going to point to Ozzie just yet. He makes his mistakes and I don't think he can really do anything further to light a fire under these veterans. I don't think they react to it anymore and I'd rather see some of them go then Ozzie. Not because I love the guy - cuz I dont. But just simply because I think it may finally be time for a change in personel.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Aug 27, 2009 -> 09:21 AM) The Sox are trying hard. We're just not that good offensively. We need some of those handy .375 OBP types. Other-Sox sure have em. Won't matter. Those .375 obp guys will get into scoring position and will pop up into foul territory, strike out, or ground into a double play. Eventually you need someone with some balls and can step up in the clutch. Then next inning - we'll do it again. This is the team I expected to see all season. Had it not been for Detroit being god awful and Minnesota struggling - we wouldn' be remotely in one of these races. What a pathetic bunch of players.

I think the best part of this quote is it directly effects our veterans. Obviously Dye, Thome, Pods, Contreras, Dotel, etc. are free agents and he is flat out saying he'll change things. You'd assume as a player it'd start right there with the guys who will just be let go. Obviously AJ understands and reiterates that. Cuz MB, Rios, Peavy and Kong probably arent going anywhere and the kids certainly arent soo....Then again the way KW sticks in that imagination quote in there all fronts should take it to heart but AJ is right with core guys. Dye is someone who needs to take this quote to heart and snap out of it.

This whole thing is like a soap opera. BacIs he healthy, will they deal him, the mini-fight with Papelbon (who should just keep his mouth shut btw), im invoking my ntc if you dont let me hit free agency and now its back to accepting the deal...Way too much press on the waiver claims this year.

QUOTE (jenks45monster @ Aug 25, 2009 -> 10:18 AM) I believe no errors can be made in a perfect game, regardless of whether or not the runner reaches first. And that is where our confusion lies which is why I was saying they should revisit the scenario in the rule books. I understand it was put in to seperate the two but the error didn't allow the man on so it shouldn't be held against the pitcher but I feel like it would be under the current rules. Just something interesting on the topic of rule interpretation that I thought I would ask you all.

QUOTE (Tex @ Aug 25, 2009 -> 09:38 AM) 27 up, 27 down and no one reached first. Sounds like a perfect game to me. And by the way, the next time it happens, will be the first. Thats what we were lost on. 27 up and 27 down. But we weren't sure how that error would effect things.

As long as we are doing interpretation of rules I have one for you all... My buddy and I were wondering about it during MB perfect game. We figured it'd have ruined the perfecto and made it a no-hitter but it's interesting and perhaps something to be reconsidered in baseball. Buehrle is cruisin lets say. 8 innings 24 up and 24 down. 9th inning rolls around and Sox get a pop up in foul territory, Beckham drops it. Thats an error but no runner obviously got on base. Buehrle continues on and gets the next 3 out. I presume just a no-hitter but I'd also score it a foul ball and cheat for my SP if it was a home game. What do you guys htink?

Tough game to come back with. We need to turn it on big time.

Gotta love putting up 7 runs to start out your road trip. Against Boston no less.... And still losing. God my rage towards Contreras just grows by the second.

I have a feeling this one may turn real ugly.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 24, 2009 -> 07:40 PM) Its amazing how much s*** AJP gets around here. Wait until he's gone. He will be greatly appreciated. He's no Mauer so why bother keeping him?

QUOTE (SoxFanForever @ Aug 24, 2009 -> 07:28 PM) Ozzie should just be embarrassed at himself for leaving him out there that long. That was to be expected. I often don't blame manager's for leaving in pitchers that are throwing moderately well and have some misfortunes or errors....but with Contreras, the second he walks anyone or has something not go his way, he needs to be pulled. He mentally cannot get past it and is just horrible. It's like everyone and their brother knows its coming yet he leaves him in. Why does this guy have a job in our rotation? I dont think I've ever seen a worse inning from a pitcher in my life.

Wow. Just. Wow. Why is this guy in baseball?

I never want to deal Alexei but the errors drive me nuts sometimes because they're such easy plays. I am all for giving him time because he still isn't used to the position and everything else. He is cheap, can hit, can run...Lots of positives but he needs to fix his glaring weakness. I see minimal reason to dump him unless... Watching MLBN last night. There is a handful of players I would deal Alexi for. The most realistic/non-realistic move would be in a monsterous packge for Hanley. I say realistic cuz they'll probably end of moving him regardless of their stance right now and non-realistic because, well, we're talkin about Hanley (and their new stadium and all the other reasons to keep him). Now my mind often goes off on its own with these kind of thoughts and I began to think about just that. What if they moved Hanley or Uggla for instance. I think an inexpensive Alexei would appeal to them for a lot of reasons, albeit by the time they move those kind of guys Alexei won't be as cheap. So we go a different route. Anyways, I'm totally babbling but it's no secret they're mlb's minor league club and I would love to get Josh Johnson. I would love to give them Alexei and stuff for Johnson this offseason please and enable them to move an Uggla or Hanley for a large package if they wish. Is there anyway we can push this issue so it becomes an internet sensation and hope they decide to go along with it? Please guys, for me?

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Aug 21, 2009 -> 09:10 AM) I love MB but I don't think his changeup is even in the discussion. Granted, I don't watch every other team play so I can't tell you how 90% of the pitchers in this league throw their individual pitches, but MB doesn't have great stuff. If anything, I'd think his cutter would have performed better. To me, MB has 4 plus pitches, but none are plus-plus. I'm surprised he got voted that. But if the players/managers did that I'll say they probably know better than I do. I'm just surprised. MB survives on speed of delivery, location and mixing pitches. You always hear this kind of thing about Buehrle. How his stuff isn't great. He doesn't have the "Stuff" in regards to velocity or a dominating slider but most of the guys that have those things lack the control. To me, control is a huge part of stuff because whats the use of throwing 99 if you miss your spots. In this case, his change-up doesnt dive live pedro's and isn't 15mph like flamethrowers. But he puts it pinpoint and has enough movement on it that it really is a nasty little pitch. Coming off a pinpoint fastball or cutter inside and pasting the corner with his change right after is a nasty combination. Making his stuff very good. At least in my opinion. I'm not the scout though.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Aug 19, 2009 -> 09:23 PM) Well supposedly almost every player gets placed on waivers, so it really would not be newsworthy unless he was claimed. Ya I saw Robbie Cano cleared waivers. God I'd love to have claimed him.