103 mph screwball

Welcome aboard! All of these runs are starting to make me optimistic. Hawk and DJ are right. If this team hits like it should along with the great pitching, the Sox will be a steamroller. Then the team will get a swagger and play some extra games in October.

We are lucky to have him as our GM and he deserves our benefit of the doubt for a long time. I'm so happy to have an aggressive GM that wants to win in the worst way. I'm so happy that he is ahead of his peers in acquiring non performance enhanced players and young pitching. I'm happy he ignores the media and us fans and follows his three year plan. I'm happy that when his plan doesn't work out that he can improvise and adjust. I'm happy for the championship he's brought us and the one he's working on right now. You know he's thinking about to do next right now. KENNY WILLIAMS? YES!!!!

The win is what's most important of course, but it doesn't suck to have Quentin, Ramirez, and Crede in my fantasy lineup today. Sweep them and send them home doubting themselves!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 8, 2008 -> 04:34 PM) It's the weather. Has anyone ever seen Hawk and Balta in the same place? Is that you Hawk?

Ozzie has a controversial post game interview in Tampa. All of a sudden the Sox are hitting the crap out of the ball. It could be coincidence, but it sure seems like Ozzie's methods work well sometimes. Maybe the team didn't need loosy goosy. Maybe they needed to get angry.

KW Jr has hired Boras and wants first round money.

That Williams kid is unsignable. I wonder if he is a Boras client.

QUOTE (bighurt4life @ Jun 6, 2008 -> 01:40 PM) personal connections, etc... Like a brother on the team? Danks? Yes!

QUOTE (Cali @ Jun 6, 2008 -> 12:29 PM) Weaver was born in 1990, and just got drafted to a major league baseball team....I have accomplished nothing in my life.... Sure is making me feel old. I'm old enough to have a kid his age.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 6, 2008 -> 11:32 AM) I don't know if anyone has mentioned this or not, but how about a little conspiracy theory based on nothing... Danks told Borass to make an outrageous demand so that the Sox could pick him again, knowing it would scare off the other teams. Interesting thought. I'll bet with his brother on the team there might have been a way to find out what it would take to sign him with the Sox. I always thought that was how it worked when the Sox traded for Garcia. Since Ozzie was his relative, he probably knew how much it would take to sign him to an extension. Now that I think about it, the Sox must have some idea or they would not have picked a Boras client. Danks should definitely make less than Kenny Williams Jr since he was drafted in the 7th and KWJr went higher in the 6th.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Jun 5, 2008 -> 05:36 PM) Cabrera ARam CQ PK Thome Dye Swish Hall Ozuna Ramirez moving on up. I like it. Remember Alexi, touch home plate. Several times.

Will the Sox pick again today? I like this Beckham kids Junior numbers.

Quickman is NO cub fan. Please do not throw around that insult lightly. That is all.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 3, 2008 -> 10:44 AM) Good call. The results this year are hard to argue with. Wow! I thought he was fired after reading the thread title. We usually appreciate players on their way out. Agreed. Great job Cooper!

QUOTE (Controlled Chaos @ Jun 3, 2008 -> 07:03 AM) "If 'Walk' and [computer analyst] Mike Gellinger weren't here, it would be worse for me," said Konerko, who is batting .202. "It never has crossed my mind, not even once. I don't even want to comment on it because I don't want anything getting written wrong. Anything I've done over the past three or four years is because of Greg Walker and Mike Gellinger. Maybe they think too much and are constantly trying to remember what a pitcher throws on a 2 and 2 count with a runner on third instead of seeing the ball and hitting hard somewhere. Maybe they are concentrating on keeping their elbow an inch higher as the fastball blows by them. Konerko seems to think a hitting coach helps him. Maybe a better hitting coach or a hitting coach that is just as good with a different approach would have had him hitting higher than .202. That's awesome. He's hitting .202 and praising the hitting coach. Talk about damning with feint praise. He has to change something about his preparation because it is not working. I think the previous poster had a great point about Einstein's definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over and over and expecting different results is insane. I think the fact that some of the fans want him fired have made it less likely. Our GM and manager are very stubborn. Sometimes the set opinions pay off, sometimes they don't. I hope they do something. This team could be 7 games up with just an average offense. The pitching staff has been great.

QUOTE (103 mph screwball @ Jun 2, 2008 -> 11:40 PM) One more thought, I'd be interested to see what a DL trip for Konerko would do to the clubhouse atmosphere. Would things be a little less intense and relaxed. Pauly just seems so understandably uptight when he's in one of his epic slumps. Is that contagious? I do not think it is stupid. In fact, I'll bet it has happened already and Ozzie refused. We are not talking about a marketing person or a lawyer. He has been a member of a team his whole life. He's coaching a team that he played for and with other coaches that were and still are his friends. If he feels he is letting the team down, then he should resign and not make his friends fire him. The fact that Ozzie mentioned his name in a tirade would be a big hint. I know he works hard and is a great guy. I worked really hard to be a major league baseball player, but I did not have the anywhere near the talent. The Sox have underperformed offensively for over a year. If major league players are professionals and do not need a hitting coach, then why not get rid of the hitting coach and make Walker the Ambassador of clubhouse great guys. Anyhow, Soxtalk has strong opinions from both sides of the Walker issue. A new hitting coach would be my first "big changes by Tuesday", then Anderson starting in center, then next month trade Cabrera for someone with speed and a better attitude.

One more thought, I'd be interested to see what a DL trip for Konerko would do to the clubhouse atmosphere. Would things be a little less intense and relaxed. Pauly just seems so understandably uptight when he's in one of his epic slumps. Is that contagious?

I'll add my take before we find out the "big changes" Walker should ask to be reassigned or resign. Ozzie can't bring himself to fire him because I'm sure he is a great guy who is really busting his ass for the team. Why Walker? Because you can't fire Konerko, Swisher, or Thome and Walker is not getting it done. I think it could help to have a fresh perspective. Baseball is a very mental game. Having a new hitting coach with a new direction could have a placebo effect or some sort of wake up call. Hawk has mentioned the idea of more than one hitting coach on occasion. Why not? Be creative! A hitting coach salary is chump change compared to a 12 million dollar player hitting below medoza. Maybe get a 6 million dollar Mendoza and use the other 6 million for a personal hitting coach for every position player. I have nothing against Walker, but something needs to change offensively. Do we really want to start dumping off players like just to have them go to a new team and go back to their career averages. Anderson should be the starting center fielder. He played very well in the spring and he has been a good boy with some production from the bench. It will at least be a defensive upgrade and I just have a feeling he could actually hit this time if given the chance. He has won the job and Swisher has lost it. Swisher can get it together with the new hitting coach and get his at bats either for a DL'd Konerko, resting Thome and Dye, or coming off of the bench. Swish can still be a big part of the Sox for years to come. Wouldn't it be a pleasant surprise if Anderson was too. I could see a future outfield of Swish, Anderson, and Quentin with Dye at DH. When the trade market heats up a bit, trade Cabrera in a package for a shortstop or second baseman who can leadoff. Trade him back to LA for Figgins. I'm personally ready for the Richar / Ramirez experiment when ever Richar is healthy. Sorry, I'm not a Cabrera fan. I hope he makes me eat my words. Give Konerko and Thome 6 weeks to heal or get themselves hitting with the new hitting coach. Pray they do because there aren't many options. Liefer or Eldred could hit 200 a lot cheaper. Maybe when they pop up they won't drop their head thinking "damn I was afraid i was going to do that again." Would it be too much to ask for a fly ball with a guy on third with less than two outs? How about Big Jim putting down a bunt to the third base side over and over until the defense has to cover the whole field. Have Jim lead off and go 5-5 with five bunts to the big open space on the left side of the diamond. Try another blow up doll ceremony? Magic bats? A shot of whiskey before each at bat? Scream "I Am Iron Man" every time you step into the batters box. Sing the the Seseme Street Elmo's World song after each strike. Shave every single hair off of their bodies. F U Jobu, we need some different Mojo. Tuesday lineup projection Ramirez 2b Cabrera Quentin Dye Thome Crede AJ Anderson CF Swish 1b Play Hall against lefty's either at catcher or DH. He's been hitting well and has earned the Abs. Play the guys most likely to win the game. I'm sick of carrying 3 or 4 guys working out slumps. Play the guys hitting until they stop hitting. Maybe the pine on the ass will light a fire under a few guys. Thanks for the rant Ozzie. I didn't see it as knock on KW but more of a disgust for the offense (except CQ) that I happen to share.

Is this the green light to hire a new hitting coach? Stay tuned to as the clubhouse turns.

Anderson should be playing CF. He has more power, better D, and can hit for better average than Swish right now. If Swish is a team guy, he can be the sub. Swish might need a fake minor injury and get him self worked out in a minor league rehab assignment. Good thing the Sox have Walker who surely will fix Konerko, Thome, and Swisher. I think Dirty 30 will be alright as long as it's not something related to Balco. Swish seems like he would not have a problem there and KW has been avoiding those players for several years. Maybe everyone on the team needs to play AJ's Nintendo DS game to help their recognition speed.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxfan1986 @ May 19, 2008 -> 03:17 PM) Rockford, not too many Sox fans here. I'm in the Rockford area. My wife and three people I work with in Rockford are big Sox fans too. Unfortunately, we are out numbered.

Pat Neshek injured.

Gavin Pitched like an ACE tonight! Cheers to Floyd!

KW needs to call Ozzie into his office and tell him to choose from a short list of new hitting coaches. This is starting to smell like last year. Stubborn loyalty failed already last year. Even if it hitting coaches don't do squat, then the shake up will send a message. Why Walker? Because you can't fire Konerko. Time to try a spark with Owens. Konerko, Thome, Swish, and Dye can rotate between 3 positions. Tell them they are old and need to be kept fresh. Ramirez needs to go to AAA and there needs to be a new 2nd baseman. I know none of this crap will probably work, but for goodness sake, DO SOMETHING! I can't watch another year like last year. The Sox are wasting solid starting pitching.

Something needs to shake up fast. This team is too talented to fall into another 2007 funk. 2b Ozuna ss Cabrera lf Quentin dh Thome rf Dye 1b Konerko c AJ 3b Crede Cf Anderson Quentin needs to be in the 3 spot. He is the Sox best hitter and with Thome behind him will get better pitches. Quentin must get 4-5 abs per game. Put someone else behind Thome. They just pitch around him to get to Konerko and a double play. Swish can sit and sort it out for a day or two. If Dye isn't 100% then put Swish in left and move CQ to right. Do something! Bring up Bourgois {sp?} and let him play 2b. Send down Ramirez! He needs at bats. Bring him back up when he is ready to take someone's starting position. I still think this team has it in them to make a run. 2007 will creep in the back of their mind if something is not shaken up quickly.