VAfan

Nice job, Detroit. Blown save and loss for Curt Schilling.

My biggest beef is putting Timo in the lineup as the leadoff hitter. He hit Matt Clement in the rainout, so Ozzie thinks it is a good idea. But he has the worst OBP on the team. I'd rather see Joe Crede hit leadoff. I just hope this experiment is over after 1 game. Ozzie can't afford to screw around. We better see Iguchi and Anderson in there tomorrow and hope Anderson doesn't start his ML career in a funk.

QUOTE(fattyguy78 @ Aug 16, 2005 -> 01:06 AM) I can understand why people on here do not care for them or there numbers, they are not my favorite players either...that being said, they are still a member of this team that I love. They go out there and give there best whenever they are called upon and there has been nothing that I have seen that has been reported that they are a nuisance in the clubhouse...so give em a break. They do there best and they are a part of the team chemistry, sure I wish they where better, but hell I wish we had Albert Pujols on our team too. All Im saying is give em a break there not going out there trying to throw games for the other team...they are apart of this team and they deserve to be rooted for as well....sorry for my rant By all means, have your rant. But Ozzie is playing with our lead here, which, after tonight, may well be just 5 games over Boston. Perez, Uribe, and Blum are all well under .300 in OBP, and Crede is in a horrible slump. That leaves 5 guys to make an offense, with Contreras on the mound. Do you think we're going to rally for at least 5 runs tonight??? If we screw around and think we can beat Minnesota just because they are down on their luck, they would like nothing better than to lay it to us, as they have done in the 4th inning. All we would need would be a little pitching funk, which Buehrle and Garland both had in Boston, and we might not have the best record in the AL before August is out.

Another question: what are the worst two OBPs of any Sox player with more than 50 ABs?

Anyone care to guess?

The only open dates for both teams are August 22nd (Boston will be between playing the Angels in Anaheim and KC in KC, we will be coming off a home series against the Yankees on our way to MN) and September 5th. They can't screw around and think they don't have to play the game. It should be no factor in the AL Central race, but it could easily be a factor in who finishes with the second best record in the AL, in whether Boston wins the AL East, or even who finishes with the best record in the AL (had Boston beat us Sunday they would have been 5 games back of us in that category). Neither date is great, but they are a lot better than having it hang over things at the end of September.

With Anderson up, I hope Ozzie plays him. Tonight can be written off as a travel issue, but tomorrow can't be. Don't relegate him to the bench like Ross Gload. Let's find out if he can hit.

I've been on the fence about the Griffey trade, for a few reasons. 1. Money allocation. This year we took Carlos Lee's contract and spread the money over Pods, El Duque, and Pierzynski. Lee v. Pods straight up is a bad deal, but Lee for Pods, El Duque, and Pierzynski is the reason we're #1 right now. Next year, do we spend $12.5 million on a DH? Or should we take that money and sign AJ Burnett for the same 3 years we have a declining, injury-prone Griffey? I'd say the money is better invested in top pitching. 2. Chris Young. Could be better in each of the years 2007-13 (when he's ours) than Griffey will be in any year 2005-08. 3. Is Griffey the missing piece this year? In 1999, Griffey laid an egg in the ALDS. 2 for 15, with 1 BB. That was when he was good. I also remember Frank Thomas in 2000, a year he should have been MVP. On the other hand. 1. We need lefty power. We haven't had a lefty middle-of-the-order guy in who knows how long. And all of our likely AL playoff opponents will not have faced our team with Griffey in it. So it is going to give them a completely different look. 2. It's only money. If we make a serious playoff run, I believe JR will increase the payroll enough to keep Griffey AND pursue Burnett. 3. Chris Young could be great, but how many times has a Sox team won 100 games and had a shot to win the World Series? Only once. In 1917. The last time we won the World Series (or any playoff series). So what is hanging up this deal? I think it is money. I bet if the Sox took on all of the non-deferred portion of Griffey's deal, that the Reds would say okay. They might even accept something other than Chris Young if we'd pay all of Griffey's $12.5 million/year through 2008. But then we'd have to give Griffey a carrot to say yes to the deal too, because he wants Spring Training in Florida where I guess he lives. To come to Tucson, we'll have to sweeten the deal. On balance, I'm now in favor of it. I think Pods going down has made the difference. Indeed, I actually like this Pods-less lineup better than any we've used this year. Iguchi 2B Rowand CF Griffey LF Konerko 1B Everett DH Dye RF Pierzynski C Crede 3B Uribe SS Make the move Kenny.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 15, 2005 -> 02:01 AM) Griffey Jr. would play CF, and Rowand would play LF. Griffey Jr. has played CF his entire career, while Rowand has a lot more experience playing LF. That would be a NO. Here's the zone rating of all major league CFs. Notice that Rowand is #2, and Griffey is dead last. Sure, Griffey could fill in for Pods while he's on the DL (if he goes), or spell Dye like Everett does, but he's a DH, plain and simple. Jeremy Reed, Sea .950 Aaron Rowand, CWS .930 Grady Sizemore, Cle .923 Vernon Wells, Tor .919 David DeJesus, KC .917 Nook Logan, Det .907 Corey Patterson, ChC .903 Brady Clark, Mil .896 Torii Hunter, Min .891 Andruw Jones, Atl .890 Jim Edmonds, StL .889 Brad Wilkerson, Was .888 Carlos Beltran, NYM .880 Juan Pierre, Fla .872 Johnny Damon, Bos .872 Preston Wilson, Was/Col .867 Willy Taveras, Hou .854 Mark Kotsay, Oak .850 Steve Finley, LAA .845 Ken Griffey Jr., Cin .821

QUOTE(JimH @ Aug 14, 2005 -> 01:43 PM) You bring up this exact same point every other day. Let me try to put it succinctly for you, maybe it will sink in. THERE ARE 12 PITCHERS HERE TO KEEP ALL THE ARMS FRESH. THE TEAM IS BUILT AROUND PITCHING. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE ARMS FRESH THAN GET ROSS GLOAD 5 AT BATS PER WEEK. God damn man, Ross Gload is a marginal reserve player for a reason. If he were that good, don't you think other teams would've scooped him up long ago? Give it a freakin' rest. Every other day it's the same stuff from you. Adkins has had two appearances for a total of how 3.2 innings since August 1st, when he came up. In that time, Carl Everett missed 5 games in a row (he pinch hit in the 5th game), and now Podsednik is about to go on the DL. Ross Gload could have played every one of those games. Instead, we've had 8 games of Timo Perez since July 31, 6 as a starter, in which he had a total of 3 hits in 22 ABs (until today, which was washed out). Now they are talking about bringing up Willie Harris to play LF. It is insane. Gload hit .320 last year in his 200+ ABs. There is no Sox player close to that number. Give the guy a chance. If they want to bring up Harris too, and send Adkins down (with Gload taking Pods slot), then fine. I'm not averse to having a pinch runner in a close game. But pay attention to who is of value. An everyday replacement player or a pitcher who has pitched less than 4 innings in 2 weeks? Moreover, Ross Gload could actually have value in the postseason as the first lefty pinch hitter if they would cultivate him. Jon Adkins has no chance of making the postseason roster. The only reason I can think of that this isn't happening is that Gload is in Ozzie's doghouse. Does anyone know why???????

My point about Adkins not being sharp is secondary. Most of the year we've played with 11 pitchers. Now when we bring up 12 pitchers, one of our position players has been hurt practically every day. We've had to use a utility player, first to sub for Everett, and now to sub for Podsednik. Gload, instead of Timo or Ozuna tonight, could have played every day Adkins has been here and actually helped us in every game. He's tearing up AAA because he's getting regular at bats. Bring him up and start him. Put Pods on the DL.

Bringing up Adkins and going with 12 pitchers was a big mistake. Next thing we knew, Everett pulled up lame. Now Pods is lame. And Adkins gives up 2 big runs tonight in a game that could have made Boston sweat anyway. We can't afford to go with only 12 healthy fielders. Personally, I would have kept Gload and let him play. Everett can play left field, and Iguchi/Rowand can hit 1-2. The Sox don't need to worry about overworking their pitchers as much as keeping a lineup healthy. Vizcaino can use more work. It makes him sharper. And Jenks is a full member out there. I would send Adkins down and have Gload back tomorrow, even if it is a 1 pm game.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 12, 2005 -> 05:07 PM) No. He's in the ol' Shingo/Viz/Walker role right now...pitching whenever a game is a laugher. Which means, given the fact that almost every game is close...he never pitches. Sox would have been much better served to have kept Gload and started him when Everett was resting. We could still use Gload more than Adkins. Our pitching is fine, it is more offense we need.

Right now, I would pitch Buehrle #1, Garcia #2, and Garland #3 and not worry about matchups. That could change, but my thinking is to go to our strengths. I'd have to see how August/Sept. shapes up to choose between Contreras and El Duque, but I'm inclined to start Contreras in game 4 unless Buehrle is on 4 days rest, with El Duque available out of the bullpen in any game. I just think if you start moving guys out of the rotation they've been in all year that it suggests some lack of confidence in them. I can see the logic of matchups, but right now I'm not convinced.

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Aug 10, 2005 -> 11:13 PM) I think this was already posted. Okay, I found it. I'll transfer my comment there. Thanks.

Razor thin margins are okay with me as long as we are on the right side of them. I actually think they help us immensely in preparing for the postseason. In 2000, we went in expecting to crush teams. But when we ran into good pitching and tightened up from the pressure of the postseason, we had no resiliency. This team knows it isn't going to score a lot, but how often do we get shut out? We've won back to back games scoring 2 runs against a ferocious offensive team. That's a huge plus if you ask me. We also have unlikely heros step up. Uribe's triple off Rivera today for example. Contreras throwing 7 shut out innings. Iguchi's recent long balls (won two games).

What do y'all make of this Tribune article? http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...tesox-headlines It basically says that Ozzie will wait to see the probable first round opponent to set his postseason rotation. It also suggests, though I don't think Ozzie really said this, that Buehrle might not go first if Oakland is the opponent. What would you do if you were Ozzie? Plus, if we all can agree Buehrle is the staff ace, how to you choose between Garland and Garcia, and between Contreras and El Duque? Would you mix and match to the likely opponent, or just go with your strongest overall pitchers ranked from top to bottom? Since I'm going first, what would I do? Right now, I would pitch Buehrle #1, Garcia #2, and Garland #3 and not worry about matchups. That could change, but my thinking is to go to our strengths. I'd have to see how August/Sept. shapes up to choose between Contreras and El Duque, but I'm inclined to start Contreras in game 4 unless Buehrle is on 4 days rest, with El Duque available out of the bullpen in any game.

So, after today, we are 4 of 6 scoring 2, 4, 3, 2, 2, and 2 runs. Our pitching held the powerful Yanks lineup to 3, 1, and 1 runs. El Duque and Contreras showed they may be able to help us a lot in the postseason. Freddie had a dominant game, Cotts and Hermy closed it down, and Uribe and Pods came through in the end to manufacture the winning run. 6 Ks in the game until then, but they became the heros. Plus ARow caught the final out at the CF wall. We battled in these games and won 2 of 3 in Yankee Stadium against a team that is desperate to get back in the playoff hunt. Outstanding! It's all about the Ws.

You can look at the negative side and say we need to score more than 2 runs a game to beat the Yanks. Or you can look at the positive side and say we beat the Yanks in a game where we scored only 2 runs. I say look at the positive side. Without Everett, our offense seems pathetic. But we've won 3 of 5 scoring 2, 4, 3, 2, and 2 runs. I'd say that's the Sox team that started out the year on fire. Pitching, defense, and just enough O to win the game. GO SOX!

Chris Young for Ken Griffey is not a good deal for the Sox, as much as I want us to win a WS. 1. What are the odds Griffey even makes it through August-Sept into October this year to do us any good? 2. In 1999, when Griffey was still in his prime, he went 2 for 15 in the ALDS. He's just one bat. Sure he's hitting better than Everett from the left side, but the marginal difference between him and Everett is anything from a slight positive to a slight negative depending on which one of them got hot. 3. Next year, Griffey's $12.5 million is better spent signing AJ Burnett. Pitching is what is carrying this Sox team, and what will continue to lead us of KW is smart. 4. Griffey isn't reliable enough to count on filling any position over the 2006-08 years of his deal. He isn't good enough to play the outfield anymore. He's a very expensive DH. 5. Is Griffey going to be happy as a DH? Is he going to be happy with the Sox? Did you read his comment about having spring training in Tucson? He cares more about where he plays spring training than he does getting to the World Series. 6. Chris Young is the best athlete and has the best speed of any player in our system. You can bet the year he makes the majors he will be better than Ken Griffey Jr. is at that time. Get off the Griffey trade. The Sox were lucky it was killed if that is in fact what happened.

The Yanks and BoSox have weak pitching, and we are still playing very well on the road. Meanwhile, the Twins have no offense. We have stolen their game and are beating them at it. Our only real rival in the AL is the A's. We have to hope their young pitching tires in October.

But don't forget the year when steroids-Giambi robbed Frank of his 3rd MVP because he "finished strong." The A's get a lot more play from ESPN and it helps them in the voting I think. Buerhle is the most deserving, but he has to keep his form down the stretch. It would also help to win 20+.

QUOTE(HSC's Biggest Fan @ Aug 5, 2005 -> 12:46 PM) I think Ozzie thought we would score in th 6th or 7th on their bullpen and make it easier at the end with a bigger lead. This what I thought too. The best news out of our pen is that Vizcaino is reliable for the first time this year, and he loves work. So Ozzie should use him and save Cotts/Politte/Hermanson as much as he can. The bad news is the Marte appears lost. But is it fatigue or underuse that is his problem? He was great the last time he came off the DL, but only for a game or two. Should we rest him or use him? I don't know. All I know is we need to rehab him by October because when he's on, he's unhittable. Otherwise, bringing Jenks along is the other key thing.

I think all these - "we're better than you" - posts make no sense. The Sox haven't won a postseason series since 1917. Saying we're going to win one this year isn't going to make it so. Actually, I think the Sox will play better in the postseason if they are seen as the underdog in all their matchups. In 2000, our swagger didn't do us any good, did it? Other teams recognize how good we are, but if they don't, so much the better. And so much the sweeter for us Sox fans when our guys go all the way! GO WHITE SOX!!

Anyone think the Sox should put Everett on the 15-day DL and recall Ross Gload? I think the Sox could get some value out of seeing him play every day while giving Carl a little mid-season rest.