soxrwhite

I once again question Ozzie's and KW's honesty with the fans. They said they could not guantee Thome enough at bats to interest him. Yet he signs with the Twins as a pinch hitter & part time DH. If they didn't want Thome, fine, go in another direction but why B.S. us?

The White Sox said they could not offer Thome many AB, but he signs with the Twins as a pinch hitter? More shady rhetoric from Ozzie and KW? I don't mind letting Thome go but it wasn't because he was sekking more AB as a full time DH.

Does anyone know the dimensions of the Twins new ballpark? With Mauer, Morneau, and Kubel (all lefties) perhaps they have a short right field porch. Thome would fit that plan.

Dh by committee. Possibly closer by committee. Hmmm, kinda scary.

Bullpens are so hard to call When you think they are going to be good they suck and when you think they will suck they work out fine. The same guys can do good one year bring them all back and they stink the next. Doubtful the 7th man will be Hudson. AAA unless needed to start. Don't have confidence in Linebrink or Williams but like Thornton and still like Jenks. Putz must be expected to contribute or they wouldn't have signed him. Over all not bad. Of course if starters can go deep into games everyone looks better.

Do you have a date for the prom?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 19, 2010 -> 10:07 PM) Going into the season, the rotation looks pretty damn good and it's a top 5 rotation in the league. Injuries can and have happened, but they haven't yet. Prove it, right now, this second. One or two of the five COULD very easily go down for a period of time, but I don't think WILL go down for some time is even close to correct. Ready enough. In Pittsburgh. He started one game for the White Sox in the past 2 seasons, that's how much they trusted him. He signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, that's how highly he was sought after. Carrasco is a mediocre pitcher who was barely used in non low-leverage situations. Considering he's been a full-time starter for 9 years now, has had only one season with an ERA+ below 100 and only two seasons below 121, I'd say he's just fine. He knows how to take care of himself, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he went through a dead arm period late in the season. He has, throughout his entire career, generally had about a month stretch late in the season where he has nothing. I think you worry a bit too much. What me worry? How many of our starting five were hurt last year? That would be all of them right? I'm just realistic it looks good on paper but lets see how it goes. I'm being realistic not pessimistic or optimistic. I still think you are a Sox fan with a cub's fan mentality.

Carrasco was one of the best long men in the game. Pena is an if. I'm tired of winter. I'm getting antsy for some baseball games.

Hopefully he will be OK. I just don't want to hear this best starters in the league stuff until they have done it. One or two of the starting five will go down for at least some of the time. Is Hudson ready? Where is Carrasco? Beurhle has been durable, limit his innings and maybe he will be alright.

I'd still rather have one world championship than a dozen division championships. Creating high expectations is not winning. Building confidence sounds like a moral victory. Cleveland won how many divisions and went to two world series in the nineties. Did it get them a world championship? Minnesota is respected and competitive but I'd rather have 2005 and finish last every other year than be them. You gotta win it man.............don't settle!

He is ok, but doesn't excite me. Some one remind me why we let Carrasco go? He did a great job for us.

The white sox did not win with Thome. That is the truth. Winning the world sieries is the only win. If you think winning 90 games or a division is winning maybe you belong in wrigley where they accept losing and losers.

I might be mistaken but I'm not a liar. You go too far. We are on the same team remember. Can't some one disagree and still be loyal?

I'm sure we would like a five tool player at every position including DH. I think the differing opinions here are more on the definition or type of DH than on individual names. Thome is a HOF player and did a great job for us, no doubt. I think the team wants to move on to a platoon and different approach at DH. I know there were alot of other factors but we did not win with Thome. Give Ozzie his rope and let him hang himself or prove he can really manage.

Why are we so locked into the stereotype of a DH being a power hitter. There wwere times last rear I would have had Pods at at Dh because we needed him at lead off but his defense was so bad I wouldn't want him out there. If you have a guy that can not play the field but can still hit what you have is a pinch hitter. Ozzie wants the Dh spot to be able to hit in match ups run the bases and go into the field if necessary. The DH does not have to be a home run or nothing guy. He will use his bench to fill that spot. That also gives him room on the roster for another picher.

I guess every staff has question marks. I just don't like our side mouthing off about how great our rotation is. I'd hate to eat those words later. I too have high hopes and feel good about what we have. Lets win this division.

I have high hopes for our starters as most of us do. I have some concerns however and I think we should not annoint them just yet. 1. Beurhle had a great start to his career and remains solid but no longer great. He is not a number one and has some off nights. He could easily go .500 say 11 and 11 2. Peavy seems like a great competitor with a Cy Young but has had injury problems. 3. I love danks but what is with this blister/circulation problem on his finger? Remember his outing against the Twins before he went on the DL? He went out of the rotation twice due to this didn't he? This seems like a mystery type of injury that could be chronic. 4. Floyd can't hold a runner on. So he uses the slide step and then injures his hip. He missed the end of the season with this injury. Leave his motion alone and A.J. has no chance to throw any one out change it and? 5. Garcia??? I'm hoping for the best but a reborn junkballer..... I am not predicting total collapse or gloom but lets be realistic, will these guys prove to be the best staff in the A.L.? They might, I hope so.

Ozzie will not DH Vizquel. The way he does it is have Vizquel start at short one day third another and second another. Then the likely Dh is Ramirez or Teahan or Beckham. So in essence what difference does it make if he bats while playing the field or bats as Dh? I think Ozzie (rightfully so) wants a bat handler like Vizquel batting second behind Pierre. It still comes down to juggling the players on the roster. Do we need another bat? A lefty? An outfielder or a DH only? Who? It will not be Thome. Ozzie wants some running and bunting and hit and run moves available to him. A double switch where a guy at least can play in the field for an inning or two. Thome is too one dimensional.

When Jones, Kotsay,Nix or Vizquel are in the field then the DH will likely be who ever they are replacing that day. Either way it comes out to the same players. The guys on the roster. Do we need another bat on the roster? Sure but Jones has replaced Dye, for better or worse. An average fielder, right handed power hitter. Ozzie loved Thome as a man but doesn't like statues as ball players. I think they go with what they got and maybe go after some one at the trading deadline.

Ozie has said it again and again. He doesn't want a set DH. He wants to manage his defense and his batting order game by game match ups and hot hands. He wants versatility and double switches. No lumbering base cloggers in the middle of the lineup.

Ozzie wants to manage. he doesn't want some one who is a DH only. He wants to mix and match in the field and in the batting order.

Flowers has been hyped as the heir apparent but what has he really done at any level? We need some one who can throw some body out. A.J. can't lets face it. He is a good backstop and handles the pithers well and of course he hits so we will take him, but you can't have a defensive liability (Flowers) behind him. If A.J. goes down then Castro and Flowers will be one and two. Until then give Flowers another year in AAA and see what A.J.'s situation is then. As for DH I think what we have is what we are going to get. I don't want to see a slow base clogger in the middle of the lineup. We got guys who can hit (Konerko,Quentin, Beckham, Ramirez,Teahan,and Rios?) Lets run a little this year. Play some Ozzie ball.

Not a whole lot to chose from on the pinch running choices. Providing Vizquel and Nix and Kotsay are not in the lineup then it is those three with a pitcher as a last resort. Hopefully we can avoid the base running blunders that have occurred far too often. Smart running doesn't necessarily require tremendous speed. These guys will do if they execute.

Branyon? No way, not what Ozzie wants. This will probably get laughed at, but how about Vizquel and bat him second?

We had to give them Getz or they wouldn't have taken Fields! Getz will not be a hall of famer but may make an all star team before he is through. A guy you could win with or lose with depending on your team. Injury prone?