The Ultimate Champion

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 14, 2013 -> 08:34 AM) You must be new here... Right. Every week is bad here.

My baaaalls Wanna rock n roll all niiight All over Swishers face Lets get these stupid fakers and take them out back to the woodshed & stop being such Negative Nancys around here

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 12, 2013 -> 09:08 PM) Gillaspie still has to hit for power to be a regular. We'll see. Santiago, I've been advocating that since Day 1. Flowers, no idea...not encouraged particularly, we've always known he'll be an all or nothing hitter, along with Dunn and Viciedo....the biggest concern right now, besides hitting with RISP, is the OBP (for the entire team and organizational focus, for that matter). As far as the point about Rios...it's hard to say how much of it is simply Ozzie being gone, how much is Ventura, how much is Manto, how much is the position switch back to RF. In the end, Rios isn't part of the long-term/big board plan, either. You're never going to see me saying "Gee, Ventura's done a great job" simply because he's not Ozzie and the team was due to respond to ANYONE who wasn't Ozzie in the first half of 2012. What he have seen out of Ventura in terms of in-game management/strategy/tactics/decision-making has been perhaps the most discouraging factor of all....looking at the results in August, September and now April again. Luckily, it's easier to change managers than on-field personnel. Ventura won't be fired, but you can easily see him walking away if the team struggles again this season. Rios has the skillset to be a part of the long-term (next 3-4 years) plan. His contract would need to be re-worked, but if Alex can go 2+ seasons in a row without taking a month off mentally, then you can think about that. It's too early though, Alex's head has been in the game for 1 year plus half a month. The team OBP isn't a concern when you are factoring in Dunn, who is a prime candidate for a Linebrink-style exit after the season, and other players like Flowers & Viciedo who won't be on the next great Sox team without picking their games up. The Sox are seeing what they have. You are craaay caulfield, I mean really, what are you looking for out of Robin? He's not a game manager, he's a player's manager. We aren't good enough yet where we need both. Last year's Robin could do what exactly? His team didn't hit the baseball and eventually some of his starters ran out of gas. Robin took that dogs*** 2011 squad, subtracted a bunch of talent, and came up with a much better team. And this year at least we've been in the games. s*** pickles, tonight I thought was a good performance: Rios keeping the hit streak alive, Gillaspie with another hit, excellent start by Quintana. If Veal had made an appearance and found a way to throw the damn ball over the plate I'd have been thrilled. You craaay.

Good God you f***in people are craaaay First, Robin is a player's manager. Rios has had his head in the game ever since Robin got here. This is why you keep Robin. Secondly, we don't exactly have a world of talent here to begin with. I try to be as optimistic as anyone once the games are underway but coming out of ST it was pretty clear that as an organization we were middle of the pack at best and would need players to take steps and/or need to make outside additions to be a division champ. We're 10 games into the season and are 4-6, and most of our losses are games we could have won. None of this should be surprising, we're pretty much acting like a middle of the pack club. Third, there are potential positives all over the place. Gillaspie is one, Santiago about to "take" the fifth starter role is another (actually he may be about to "take" John Danks' spot in the long-term picture, as we can handle 4 lefties for a couple months after Floyd is traded), and the absolute BEST thing about Tyler Flowers isn't the power or walks, it is the fact that he has had to fail, learn, and rebound/overcome his entire career, ever since the steroid bust in Atlanta's system. Tyler has had to learn how to catch, how to hit a fastball, etc. and he has worked his way into this spot. He may still be a good player since he kind of has been an overachiever, and just like I've said since the getgo, all you people expecting an improvement over AJ are grossly underrating the job AJ did here just as much as always. Catching is difficult. Overall, the Sox need to see what they have at multiple positions and right now they are doing that. The season is 10 games old for f***s sake, there may be light at the end of the tunnel re: long-term talent on the ballclub. Fourthly, as I said initally, yall are craaaay. Stop being so craaay. It's annoying. 10 GAMES!!! ITS 10 GAMES!!!!!!!

All I know is that you can't polish a turd.

QUOTE (robinventura23 @ Apr 11, 2013 -> 04:34 PM) it might make sense to bring up an extra reliever. with no off days for awhile, you run the risk of burning out your bullpen. Plus, they have sanchez as backup IF. That's really the only option I think, a pitcher. I wouldn't be surprised if they bring up a starter though since Veal is struggling and the rotation has been hit, so that spells work for the lefty Santiago regardless. Whoever comes up should be able to go 3 IP IMO. Omogrosso probably has the leg up.

QUOTE (CryptviLL @ Apr 9, 2013 -> 11:22 AM) Bryce and Strasburg If salary is no issue I would take Verlander + Cabrera over that duo, and the Tigers have definitely been beatable since those two hooked up. They still will be this year since we're taking this division. f*** yeah.

^I'll add to the above post, Phil Humber threw a perfect game for us on FOX with less excitement than your average September loss to the Twins.

One other thing, too: as much as I love Hawk I can't go 9 innings without rolling my eyes or saying "Shut up Hawk!" or something like that. But I also can't go 9 innings listening to anyone else talk about baseball without doing the same thing, nor can I scroll through 1 page of any thread here without thinking the same thing, etc. There's no one out there that won't annoy us individually as fans at one time or another, but when it comes to passion for the team, knowledge of the game, translated excitement and the "big game feel" he helps provide during a key series, there's no one out there better.

Awesome! Quick, too. Excellent service here at SoxTalk, faster than Amazon even.

I agree with everyone who likes & defends Hawk and vehemently disagree with anyone who thinks Hawk is anything less than the best man for the job.

Just wanted to make a suggestion here & am hoping others think this is a good idea & will sign this official petition. I believe that when you ban a poster, instead of putting "Banned" under the username you should put "Grab Some Bench" there. Why? Because that's funny. Agree or disgaree? Please sign this official petition. Thank you for your time & consideration.

QUOTE (Jake @ Apr 8, 2013 -> 07:55 PM) Just remember, lots of people give those players paychecks too. Hawk gets paychecks to say nice things about them. And Hawk will at least rip a player now and then. Ranger Rongey stuck up for Ohman right up until the very day of his release/DFA/whatever it was, basically saying his average of 6 ER per pitch thrown or whatever didn't really cost the team since anyone else who would have been in that role would have been just as worse. This is the Linebrink Defense IIRC, and Hawk doesn't go that far. He's just a nice guy, a real Southern gentleman.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Apr 8, 2013 -> 08:15 PM) I think Hawk and Stone evaluate players the exact same way and I almost always agree. Spot on IMO. They recognize intangible tools and it's a delight hearin them complement other teams' players. Of course the rehashed stuff bothers ya, that's not a new or insightful observation. Everyone feels that way. Quit thinking selfishly because it's for the kid who hasn't heard about keeping his butt down or the late teenager trying to hit curveballs. I just take the bad with all the good because I know I'm gonna miss the hell outa him when he goes. Can this thread be deleted so those of us that can still tolerate Hawk don't have to see this thread title everyday? Or at least change the title to "I've lost that loving feeling". I agree with all of this, but deleting the thread would be anti-SoxTalk and maybe even worse, so I propose that all negative comments re: Hawk Harrelson should be routed by the mods to the latest attendance thread so that way I don't have to see any of them since I don't ever open those threads and read that crap anyway. And then we could change the name of the thread, maybe something like "Your What Hurts?!" would do.

QUOTE (whitesox901 @ Apr 5, 2013 -> 01:33 AM) I think its cute. DJ is absolutely adorable. He's even softened up Farmio a bit, who for example used to go on a tangent whenever an opposing player wore his hat crooked, but now he doesn't mind it.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Apr 2, 2013 -> 10:16 AM) Read the lead post. Sight of something I don't understand --> Immediately react with anger --> Re-read ---> Uh, oops... That's my order of operations, sorry.

The real joke is that you don't know what day it is. Wait a min, you did know, and you did it anyway. That's wrong.

Also I don't think there's anything a hitter can do about Sale anyway if he's making his pitches. The delivery & constant changing of speeds is enough to throw off a hitter even if he thinks he's got him dialed in.

He's only doing that on fastballs up in the zone, so if he's tipping anything it's location... he isn't doing that on his change nor his fastballs lower in the zone in that video

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 2, 2013 -> 08:42 AM) This list needed to be corrected Thank you wite.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 2, 2013 -> 12:29 AM) It's not really fair to lump in Mark Buehrle and AJ Pierzynski with Hawk or Beltin' Bill Melton. That criticism has to do with their professional career outside of the sport, as it pertains to broadcasting ability. I don't think very many fans were upset with either Buehrle or AJ for taking the money...everyone knew the White Sox weren't going to match, JR said as much to Mark and his family. And the budget numbers for 2013, and Flowers having to be given a chance AND, most importantly, AJ coming off unexpected career highs where we would be overpaying for him just didn't make much sense. Nobody ever said Melton was any good. Nobody "blames" Mark or AJ for taking contracts offered by other teams, especially since in both cases it was abundantly clear that the players wanted to stay but the Sox wanted to move on. The hate for AJ has been here since 2006 really I think, I think 05 was the one year pretty much everyone liked him. And the Mark hate has always been this veiled type of hatred where the fans say things that basically amount to "I love/respect Mark but he's not really that good and so I don't want him on my team anymore." The Hawk hate IMO is primarily from those fans who either don't understand the game enough to find truth in what he says and/or don't understand the role of homer in Chicago sports broadcasting. Hawk BTW definitely is a legend & definitely deserves to be lumped into that category of legendary Sox figures.

QUOTE (Jose Paniagua @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 11:54 PM) I thank the living legends for their 'service'. Done. Am I to never think critically about them, ever? There's a difference between "never thinking critically" and "b****ing relentlessly." QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 11:38 PM) Maybe if that living legend didn't ruin every TV broadcast of the franchise people wouldn't hate him? I grew up with Hawk and used to like him, but he is now hot garbage on the air and it's amazing that people don't see that simply because he says STRETCH! Hawk's left pinky finger knows more about baseball than you or I ever will (not so much me though). His signature calls are totally separate from that & if you can't respect his knowledge of the game then you should actually listen to him more, because he will teach you something.

QUOTE (flavum @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 06:10 PM) Bill Melton sticking with calling him Chris Sales. Seriously, the best they can do is Melton and Frank? Unbelievable. Farmio was calling him "Sales" all game and I couldn't remember him doing that last year. Maybe Chris changed his last name & forgot to tell us. Or maybe after the contract extension they are pronouncing the dollar sign.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 1, 2013 -> 09:41 PM) I had to listen to Rex Hudler today on the Royals' broadcast and he's a total homer and has a terrible voice. Hawk is a total homer but he also criticizes the Sox enough when they deserve it. Also KC radio man Steve Physioc is so bad it's laughable. He enunciates too much and talks to "you the fan" way too much. He'll say, "Fans .... leading off this inning is Lorenzo Cain." Is Rex Hudler the one that sounds like Hulk Hogan?

Hate AJ? -Check. Hate Mark? -Check. Hate Kenny Williams? -Check. Hate Hawk and want him gone? -Check. Yep, this is still Soxtalk. I was getting worried there that maybe we'd go a full game into the season without disparaging a living legend of the franchise but whaddayaknow, here comes the hate train and it's carrying a full load of bulls***.