Flash Tizzle

Anyone else growing concerned with Freddy's drop in velocity since returning from the DL? Ever since Manny Ramirez's HR several weeks ago he's yet to exceed 90 mph on his fastball. Great. Now Garcia gives up two straight hits to the anemic KC offensive and coughs up the lead. Only one solution can arrive from this development: Ozzie will leave Garcia in for 115 + pitches and continul to add unneccessary arm stress on our ace.

Cell Induced HR for Carlos Lee. If it weren't 60 degrees out I'd blame the flight of the ball on the high humidity. Winds must be swirling inside USCF tonight to carry his line drive into the bullpen. 2-0 Sox.

Rangers needed nothing less than a sweep entering this series and rightfully earned their way back into the AL West Race. Currently, Anaheim and Texas have matching records with 5 games remaining between the two clubs. While I have no preference for either team, I'm gleafully anticipating the Billy Beane bashing which will ensue after an improbable late-season collapse. Afterwards, I suggest baseball executives collectively agree to refuse trade with Beane and Jim Hendry during the offseason. Beane will be unable to promote his "moneyball" tactics while Hendry supporters will shut their mouths about him waving a "magic wand." Sick of these goofs being heralded as geniuses.

I've patiently waited for someone to create a thread referring to tonights game so I can mention Neal Cotts. Merely because I love pointing out every miniscule failure of this kid as to enrage his loyal fan club. () This evening the Overlord of stranding inherited runners allows two to score while giving up a HR to Stairs the following inning. Vintage Neal. Oh yeah. /JOE CREDE!!!!!

6-3 Twins. Mediocre performance from Jason Grilli punctuates this night and effectively ends our season series with the Twins on a sour note. Great to witness another Minnesota minor league callup comes through with a two run homerun. It's sad when I'm praying for our current organization to develop a player of Kubel's talent. Forget Morneau, Cuddeyer, or Ford because that will never happen.

As stated before, do you seriously expect a large contingent of White Sox fans, many of which live around the Chicago area, to journey into Minnesota for a tailgate/game? Its much more practicial for you to drive out here.

I substituted the second reference of Joe Borchard for Felix Diaz, although it could have been any of our outstanding minor league callups. Everytime I watch Minnesota promote a player who immediately contribues against our team I feel the need to vomit. Is it this easy? Is our minor league organization this terrible? How long do I have to wait for our Lew Ford, Justin Morneau, Ricardo Rincon, or J.C. Romero? What's disheartening about our position in the standings is once again the Sox well be void of a decent draft choice. Sox sign a Class A FA and their first round draft selection is gone. Might as well lose the remainder of the games and hope several teams below us rebound and overtake our record.

What about Everett? Sox are likely stuck with his 6 million dollar raise because Williams was desperate to salvage this season. Another OF (even one at the capabilities of Beltran) creates a log jam/headache for Guillen. As evident with Koch, Sox management won't allow Guillen to bench a 6 million dollar man unless poor performance dictates it. KW's ego forbids anything less. So what would consist of the 2005 outfield if Sox were to sign Beltran? LF: Lee/ CF: Beltran/ RF: Everett LF: Everett / CF: Beltran/ RF: Rowand LF Lee/ CF: Beltran/ RF: Rowand. Everett is the odd man out in every situation. With Thomas' likely return to DH we're stuck with a poor defensive, injury prone OF. Beltrans signing any surfaces this problem and leads myself to believe Lee would be traded. While I wouldn't mind signing Beltran, the possibility of an albatross contract and black holes in the infield would suggest the money is better suited elsewhere.

White Sox team ERA has now dropped to 4.99; second to last in the AL behind Kansas City. Blame the ineffective bullpen or conditions at USCF for inflating the stats, but this teams pitching is horrid and this the real reason this team choked away the division. Fortunately for KW, he has a gift wrapped excuse of Maggs/Thomas injuries to postpone his firing. I simply don't believe the argument of some that "many teams won't win without their two best players." If so, why did the Sox fall short last year? Healthy Thomas, Ordonez still embarrassed the Southside and we all were fooled into believing Manuel was the reason. While I understand Williams hands have been handcuffed by Uncle JR, 2005 should undoubtably be his defining year. Assemble a team of grinders who play inspired baseball, fine, but if this team fails to reach the postseason it should be the end of the line. 5 years after inheriting a division champion with the highest rated minor league system and having nothing to show for it equals unemployment.

Wait. So teams strive to have players rise through the minor league system whom immediately contribute? For so long, watching White Sox soft tossing pitchers (94+ mph is seemingly out of reach) and another assortment of bust prospects, I believed every player was supposed to be given 5 years to develop. I don't despise the Twins organization. While I dislike their team, I hope they advance far into the playoffs and bring some respect to this division.

Bajenaru walks him a run with the bases loaded; a specialty of Sox pitching this season. 8-2 Minnesota. Now just throw out Nathan to clamp this coffin shut.

No, you have a legitimate complaint. Does Ozzie not realize Buehrle and Garcia (who pitched well over 100 yesterday) are essential components of our future? What exactly is he doing by pushing our starters to pitch counts routinely touched by Dusty Baker? Winning is FUNG, sure, but I rather have seen Bajenaru or another reliever out earlier in this game. Sox are one inning away from ending this putrid seasons playoff hopes. Officially atleast. Now maybe Ozzie can impose a strict 100 pitch limit on his starters the remainder of this season.

5-0 Twins. Look for Minnesota to add another few runs. They appear intent on embarrassing the Sox.

He's been doing that quite often within the last several weeks. "STRETCH! GET BACK THERE!" ...... "It won't."

Quite a suitable ending for this dismal team. Mark Buehrle verbally spars with Hunter, so what does Torii do? Hits a HR. It's almost comical how Minnesota appears to shove our faces in the dirt at every available opportunity. Here's my prediction: Twins murder the Sox tonight and bring in Joe Nathan to strike out the side; just to shot down morale even further. Twins celebrate on the field while Ozzie Guillen puts on his Twins jersey and joins in on the champaign celebration. He seems so adament on praising them and ignoring his own team it would only be fitting.

So, this is what occurs when Cotts is left in to pitch over his own mistakes. /apologists are uncharacteristically silent this evening

I'll buy dead-arm. Last several outtings Adkins velocity has fell 3-4 mph off its usual mark of 94. While his breaking ball is sharp, John fails to throw it over the plate. It's almost like watching a clone of Cliff Politte on the mound. .

"We're interactive tonight Fiesty." http://www.whitesoxcentral.com/chat.html

I'm critical of the Neal Cotts lovefest evident on this site, but Aaron Rowand was responsible for those runs. His wild pitch only advanced Ford into second base.

Aaron Rowand took a horrible read on that ball. Simply dreadful. 10-1 Twins. This is BY FAR the most embarrassing series of the year. Kick us while were down and bleeding. Watching the whores of the National League (Pittsburgh, Cinncinnati) give themselves up to the Cubs sure doesn't make matters any better. Not a good evening any way you look at it.

Yes, that's exactly why. What other reason would be suitable for your liking? When another team throughly dominates you for three years its expected that a bit of anomisity would build among fans. STOP WHINING. Wishing injury upon a player is shallow. Yelling racial slurs or personal insults towards someone is shallow. But a fan admitting a Minnesota clinch on our field is terrible? Nah, not even close.

Before the season began I quickly glanced over our schedule and recieved a strange premonition of Maddux winning his 300th game against the Sox. While that didn't occur, I agree Minnesota clinching at the Cell would only be a fitting end to this dismal season. In order for Minnesota to clinch on our home field Twins will need to win tonight, and at the least 5/6 proceeding games. In order to comply with this plan Sox would have to lose whichever game Minn loses. More then one Minnesota loss within the next 7 games (especially tonight) and embarrassment is postponed. If all goes according to plan this disgrace would truly be the perfect storm of Sox futility.

No one forced him to leave. Numerous instances I recall Jason/Heads clarifying to cwsox he was more then welcome to stay. It was his own decision. I won't cry about it.

Surprisingly active. Of course nowhere near the traffic of the regular season but its by no means a ghost town. Every bit of baseball news is posted regardless of how it relates to the Sox. After a long, cold winter most are anticipating another exciting year of White Sox baseball. Anything to avert the attention off Bears football is applauded.

It's not going to be any easier next year with the development of Detroit and Cleveland. KW can no longer acquire underachievers hoping for "lightning in a bottle." Nor can he convince Sox fans our team will win the division by "default." Rebuild the system. Spend some god damn money. Nothing in between.