Sox offense

[fathom]

This current Sox hitting slump should not be that surprising when you consider who is in the Sox line-up everyday. If you look at the 9 hitting positions, the Sox have below average hitters at catcher, RF, 3b,2b (slumping Uribe or Harris), and SS if they're facing a lefty. Considering that Maggs is still rusty, and that Rowand is primarily only good against rhp, there are too many holes in the offense right now. They're not playing small ball, and they're not really hitting homers. KW needs to acquire a reasonable hitting catcher, and a DH is important to acquire also. I really hope KW is not too infatuated with Everett. His numbers this year are not good, and I don't think he's the type of player to take the Sox to the postseason.

Anyone else see the possibility of the Sox acquiring Tony G., Everett, Alomar, and Sullivan again? I think it could easily happen.

[greg775]

I hate to keep saying it, but we ain't gonna finish more than

10 over .500 this year.

We don't have the talent.

So we better hope we finish 10 over and Minnie doesn't.

[WhiteSox311]

I hate to keep saying it, but we ain't gonna finish more than

10 over .500 this year.

We don't have the talent.

So we better hope we finish 10 over and Minnie doesn't.

Retard logic at its' best.

[greg775]

I ain't no retard.

I am a genius by Mensa standards.

In fact, put me on Jeopardy tomorrow and I beat Ken

Jennings.

 

p.s. You think our talent is better than 10 over .500?

I laugh in your face sir.

[Rowand44]

I ain't no retard.

I am a genius by Mensa standards.

In fact, put me on Jeopardy tomorrow and I beat Ken

Jennings.

 

p.s. You think our talent is better than 10 over .500?

I laugh in your face sir.

I think our talent is plenty to finish much higher then 10 over .500, however it's a consistancy factor and if they never become a consistant ball club well then they're not going to finish 10 over.

[WSoxShuf]

I ain't no retard.

I am a genius by Mensa standards.

In fact, put me on Jeopardy tomorrow and I beat Ken

Jennings.

 

p.s. You think our talent is better than 10 over .500?

I laugh in your face sir.

stop drinking that water in Lawrence

[witesoxfan]

p.s. You think our talent is better than 10 over .500?

I laugh in your face sir.

IIRC, we have one series in August against a team above .500(one or two anyways). The Twins have one series in August against a team below.

 

We could easily finish 10-20 games above .500. Another bat will be brought in to replace Thomas for the next 8 weeks, and the pitching will step up.

 

This is the time last year when the team really caught fire. That is, after they lost 10-9 against Detroit.

 

The division is definately ours to lose still.

[ZoomSlowik]

Take a look at the league, there are only 6 teams that are 10 games over. We're six games over despite the fact that we have played like s*** against solid teams like the Cubs and A's. I know these last couple games have been disheartening, but as Whitesox says, our schedule the rest of the year isn't all that tough. Plus, it's not like we faced two scrubs on the mound the last two games. Our lineup sucks right now, but what do you expect when Maggs is still getting back in a groove after and injury and Jose is sucking? Paulie and Lee can't do everything. A lot of teams have holes in their lineup. Even the all powerful Yankees have problems in center and at second, and the way Giambi is playing now first is a hole too. I know we need to play better against teams like the A's, but a lot of teams have trouble against their staff.

[AngelasDaddy0427]

I'm not worried at all about this. We are slumping because we are missing one of our key peices.

For all of you Big Hurt haters on here even you have to admit that when he is in the lineup he sees more pitches and thus the hitters in front of him see some better pitches to hit.

I do think that Ozzie needs to make one lineup and stick with it.

He needs to choose Uribe or Harris and then let them start everyday.

It doesn't help when they are both slumping to be on the bench every other day.

We just need to go and try to salvage this series.

[Ozzietheairedale]

Take a look at the league, there are only 6 teams that are 10 games over. We're six games over despite the fact that we have played like s*** against solid teams like the Cubs and A's. I know these last couple games have been disheartening, but as Whitesox says, our schedule the rest of the year isn't all that tough. Plus, it's not like we faced two scrubs on the mound the last two games. Our lineup sucks right now, but what do you expect when Maggs is still getting back in a groove after and injury and Jose is sucking? Paulie and Lee can't do everything. A lot of teams have holes in their lineup. Even the all powerful Yankees have problems in center and at second, and the way Giambi is playing now first is a hole too.  I know we need to play better against teams like the A's, but a lot of teams have trouble against their staff.

Our schedule can only be considered easy if you think that the Sox can handle Detroit. The Tigers are a question mark right now but I think that they will be tough to beat - especially if the Sox play their current lineup against them.

 

Watching Borchard against Dotel is scary - he's completely overmatched. Crede continues to just suck. Harris and Uribe are in free fall and if Ozzie doesn't pick one or both (Uribe to 3rd) there's no hope in sight for either of them.

 

Anybody still think the Sox need more pitching? With Frank out for the rest of the season the Sox need more hitting - like tomorrow.

[ZoomSlowik]

Our schedule can only be considered easy if you think that the Sox can handle Detroit.  The Tigers are a question mark right now but I think that they will be tough to beat - especially if the Sox play their current lineup against them.

 

Watching Borchard against Dotel is scary - he's completely overmatched.  Crede continues to just suck. Harris and Uribe are in free fall and if Ozzie doesn't pick one or both (Uribe to 3rd) there's no hope in sight for either of them. 

 

Anybody still think the Sox need more pitching?  With Frank out for the rest of the season the Sox need more hitting - like tomorrow.

Detroit and KC do not worry me because their pitching is terrible. Even Texas doesn't worry me a ton, although considerably more than the other two. Teams like Oakland and Cleveland worry me a lot more because they have several pitchers that can shut us down. I think our pitching is decent right now. Considering that Garland and Buehrle didn't have their best stuff, we still only allowed 9 runs in two games. I wouldn't mind another good arm in the pen, but I wouldn't get a starter unless we could get someone like Johnson. I'm still don't think the sky is falling when it comes to our offense. Another stick would be nice, but I try not to use games against the Oakland staff as a guage on our offensive ability, otherwise pretty much everyone needs offense. I'd like to see what happens when we play a lesser staff in Texas before we do something rash.

[winninguglyin83]

You'd better worry about Detroit.

 

The Tigers are much improved with Guillen and IRod -- and they kicked the Sox around pretty good last year.

 

And in the factor that we struggle to score when we don't hit home runs and Comerica Park makes matters much much worse.

 

I don't see this team finishing 10 games over .500 -- unless Frank comes back or a trade is made.

 

Of course, 85-77 might be good enough to win the division.

[ZoomSlowik]

You'd better worry about Detroit.

 

The Tigers are much improved with Guillen and IRod -- and they kicked the Sox around pretty good last year.

 

And in the factor that we struggle to score when we don't hit home runs and Comerica Park makes matters much much worse.

 

I don't see this team finishing 10 games over .500 -- unless Frank comes back or a trade is made.

 

Of course, 85-77 might be good enough to win the division.

Do you really think Guillen and I-Rod are going to keep hitting .325 and .363? I highly doubt it. Plus we are more likely to put up 5 or 6 runs against their pitching staff. I have no doubt we will win at least 10 against Detroit. By the way, IIRC, we still won 12 games against Detroit last year. That's not exactly kicking us around.

[winninguglyin83]

actually the sox were 11-8 against a horrible Detroit team that won something like 43 games all season.

 

When a team wins nearly 20 percent of its season total against you, that's getting kicked around.

 

At one point, the Tigers led the season series 7-6.

 

A primary reason the Sox lost the division to the Twins last year is Minnesota stuffed the Tigers and the Sox did not.

[elrockinMT]

I think our talent is plenty to finish much higher then 10 over .500, however it's a consistancy factor and if they never become a consistant ball club well then they're not going to finish 10 over.

I would like to believe our talent is better than 10 over too becasue at the end of the season 86-76 is not going to win it. If we are better these guys had better satrt showing it soon like on Saturday. If we go to Oakland and get swept or even go 1-3 it is not looking good for ther Sox when we have to start the playoffs with Oakland or Texas. This is about as painful as I can imagine it. We absolutely suck on offense and at least 6 or 7 out of the last 11 games have been horrible on offesne. We are way to streaky. And to top it off our vaunted pitching staff continues to give up homers at a record pace. These guys need to get their heads out from where the sun don't shine and they need to produce.

[Goober]

These guys need to get their heads out from where the sun don't shine

that would be their asses

[ZoomSlowik]

actually the sox were 11-8 against a horrible Detroit team that won something like 43 games all season.

 

When a team wins nearly 20 percent of its season total against you, that's getting kicked around.

 

At one point, the Tigers led the season series 7-6.

 

A primary reason the Sox lost the division to the Twins last year is Minnesota stuffed the Tigers and the Sox did not.

We still won the series. Those few extra losses didn't do it, even assuming that the Twins won on all of those days. It was the losses against the Twins. That sweep in early October killed the season. We've killed the Twins so far, so I'm feeling much better. In the end, the Tigers' pitching still sucks, I-Rod is good but not this good, and Guillen is a .276 career hitter that is currently hitting way over that. Other than that it is the same team. We got better by switching Garcia for Colon and Takatsu for Koch. The only guy I really wish we had back from last year is Gordon. In the end, a team that is 3 games under .500 just doesn't strike as much fear in my heart as others. I'm much more worried about how we do against Minnesota the rest of the year, since those losses hurt a lot more.

[winninguglyin83]

Whatever.

 

In 2000, they dominated Detroit 14-4 or 15-3. Also won the fight.

 

Need to do better than 11-8 this year.

 

Tigers, for the record, are only 4 back -- and probably feeling pretty chesty because they beat the Twins 3 out of 4 last week.

[ZoomSlowik]

Whatever.

 

In 2000, they dominated Detroit 14-4 or 15-3. Also won the fight.

 

Need to do better than 11-8 this year.

 

Tigers, for the record, are only 4 back -- and probably feeling pretty chesty because they beat the Twins 3 out of 4 last week.

Wow, something that happened 4 years ago has a huge impact on the current team

 

11-8 is just fine. Asking for any more than that is just ridiculous. A AAA team would probably win at least 3 games just on dumb luck. There's no reason that we need to bury them. They're a 3rd place team that is probably going to drop off unless their pitchers step up big time. Minnesota isn't going to be dominating any of these teams, especially the way they have been playing recently. We have bigger fish to fry then the Tigers. As long as we don't lose the series, we'll be fine.

[YASNY]

Let's look at our last 4 series. Cubs, Angels, Mariners, A's.

 

We all know the results of those series, so I won't go over all that. However, I have been saying all year that we do not have the type of team that can score enough runs off of a "good" pitcher. Cubs, Angels and A's are all playoff caliber teams. As of now we are 1-7 against those teams since we went into Wrigley.

 

I can gaurantee you this much. We will not face the Seattle Mariners in the first round of the playoffs this year. It will be a team that has playoff caliber pitching. Don't be fooled by all these stats we piled up against some of the lesser pitchers in the league.

 

Come playoff time we will be facing pitchers like Pedro, Mulder, Mussina, Vazquez, etc.

[witesoxfan]

Come playoff time we will be facing pitchers like Pedro, Mulder, Mussina, Vazquez, etc.

And we'll get f***ed up.

 

We need to make a move to help jolt this team offensively, and it the quicker, the better.

[SoxFanForever]

I ain't no retard.

I am a genius by Mensa standards.

In fact, put me on Jeopardy tomorrow and I beat Ken

Jennings.

 

p.s. You think our talent is better than 10 over .500?

I laugh in your face sir.

Geniuses use double negatives?

 

Just messin with ya.

[winninguglyin83]

if you go back to the KW press conference after he thumped Jerry Manuel, Kenny Kool mentioned this team's struggles and lack of intensity against inferior teams (read Detroit) as a reason he pulled the trigger.

[Ozzietheairedale]

Anybody wish we had Aaron Miles back instead of Uribe? Think we could use a switch hitting leadoff man hitting in the 320 range with a 350 OBP?

 

Another KW flop. As I've said in the past, and gotten clobbered for it, I don't trust him to make the right move here either.

[ZoomSlowik]

Let's look at our last 4 series.  Cubs, Angels, Mariners, A's.

 

We all know the results of those series, so I won't go over all that.  However, I have been saying all year that we do not have the type of team that can score enough runs off of a "good" pitcher.  Cubs, Angels and A's are all playoff caliber teams.  As of now we are 1-7 against those teams since we went into Wrigley. 

 

I can gaurantee you this much.  We will not face the Seattle Mariners in the first round of the playoffs this year.  It will be a team that has playoff caliber pitching.  Don't be fooled by all these stats we piled up against some of the lesser pitchers in the league. 

 

Come playoff time we will be facing pitchers like Pedro, Mulder, Mussina, Vazquez, etc.

We faced better pitchers in the Seattle series than we did in the Anahiem series. Piniero and Moyer both have a lot more talent, and have generally produced better. As for the Cubs, when we face a team without Maggs or Thomas with the pitcher batting, just about any pitcher is going to slow us down. None of those things will happen in the AL playoffs. I've made my views known about the staffs of the other probable playoff teams. Just for fun, I'll go 1 by one on the 5 teams we would be most likely to see(I'm not counting Minnesota, since I doubt they would get the Wildcard if we make it):

 

1) A's- could be a major problem, especially considering the last two games and that they are without Hudson. Hudson and Mulder are deadly, Zito, Harden, and Redman can all come up with solid starts. However, we aren't exactly hitting well, and Zito and Harden came up with solid starts, neither of them have done it consistently. Harden scares me as a potential pitcher out of the pen though. However, if our offense can put up 4 runs(that's not a whole lot, mind you) I think our chances would be good, because their offense is not stellar and their pen has had some problems.

 

2) Red Sox- Schilling and Martinez are an issue. Schilling is a stud, but there have been some chinks in Pedro's armor. He doesn't go deep into games much anymore, he's been pretty inconsistent in his starts, and he doesn't have as much zip on his fastball as he used to, making him more vulnerable. The rest of their starters are a collection of crap. Unless Lowe really straightens things out or Wakefield's knuckleball baffles us, we can definitely beat these guys.

 

3) Yankees- Vasquez is a stud, but the rest are a bit of a question mark. Brown is a pretty good starter when he is healthy, but that doesn't happen very often. He hasn't really been a stud that can alter a series in a while. Mussina has sucked this year. We are complaining about how bad Loaiza has been, Mussina has been even worse. Hernandez or Contreras would also have to start, and they have all kinds of problems. El Duque has pitched one game in two years, and probably isn't dependable, and Contreras has had all kinds of problems. They also have some problems getting to the back end of their pen, which has been stellar. As long as the Sox staff doesn't get pounded they should compete, and I don't think the Yanks offense is THAT good to be able to put up 6 or more every game.

 

4) Angels- Not a very good rotation at all. They are depending heavily on Washburn and Colon, which has not worked out. If Colon doesn't get back to his old form, they are in major trouble.

 

5) Texas- Their only two starters that have been effective are Drese and Rogers, neither of which are the kind of guys you worry about in the playoffs. Their pen looks pretty solid, but they really aren't a pitching threat.

 

In summary, in my book Oakland is the only staff that I would be worried about is the A's. The Red Sox and the Yankees would create tough series, but that's true about anyone in the playoffs. All of these teams are far from unbeatable. Basically, let's worry about it when we get there.