April 2005 - White Sox, 1st Place 17-7

 

April 2004 - White Sox, 2nd Place 14-8

---------------------------------------------

 

Only a 2 game difference standings wise. But overall, this 2005 team is much deeper and rotation is far more consistent....SO FAR. I stress so far because it is still so early. I'm liking what I see from this team. The offense has been slumping lately but yesterday's game went back to the real 2005 Sox. Timely hitting, good base-running....."smartball." The last 2 games in Oakland and the 1st game vs Detroit was the 2004 "Corpseball." This has been a very excellent April for OUR Chicago White Sox. Jon has been the real key point this season. 4-0 with 1.80 ERA is great and in 45 minutes or so, he'll be looking to make it 5-0. This rotation is leaving me flabberghasted. Only 2 starters on the Sox had over 25 starts last season (with the Sox) and those 2 were MB and Jon....look for them to guide the Sox to the playoffs this season. All is well on the South Side.....let's keep it going and continue a new streak today!

 

Edited May 1, 200520 yr by SoxFan1

i like optimism!

i like optimism!

Me too.

"I love when you analyze"

I'd suggest that it was a big April in that a lot of people were expecting the Sox to start slow, dig themselves a hole and stay down.

Which is not to say that they're a lock to win the Central by any stretch, but at least they started off competitively and have shown that they can beat division rivals, which I think is very important.

I'd suggest that it was a big April in that a lot of people were expecting the Sox to start slow, dig themselves a hole and stay down.

Which is not to say that they're a lock to win the Central by any stretch, but at least they started off competitively and have shown that they can beat division rivals, which I think is very important.

I agree. But you have to consider that they beat good teams last season in April too.

 

4-1 vs KC

3-4 vs NY

1-1 vs Cle

2-0 vs Tor

4-2 vs TB

 

Not necessarily great teams but they played extremely well against NY, almost swept KC, 1-1 vs Cleveland, 2-0 vs Toronto, and did pretty well against Tampa Bay. The main thing I see is that this year's Sox team doesn't stoop down to the opponents level and I like that poise and confidence a lot.

I like this years schedule better because we've gotton a chance to play all of our division rivals quickly this year. Last year it seemed like forever to get to play the Twins and Tigers.

August and September of last year:

 

21 division games in August (6 vs KC, 7 vs Det, 8 vs Cle) and 17 in September (6 vs Min, 6 vs Det, 5 vs KC).

 

August and September of this year:

 

6 division games in August (all 6 vs Minny) and 25 division games out of 28 in September! (8 vs Det, 6 vs KC, 7 vs Min, 4 vs Cle)

Edited May 1, 200520 yr by SoxFan1

August and September of last year:

 

21 division games in August (6 vs KC, 7 vs Det, 8 vs Cle) and 17 in September (6 vs Min, 6 vs Det, 5 vs KC).

 

August and September of this year:

 

6 division games in August (all 6 vs Minny) and 25 division games out of 28 in September! (8 vs Det, 6 vs KC, 7 vs Min, 4 vs Cle)

 

 

Dangit, I should've looked at the schedule harder for September. If we're going to win it, it's going to have to be won in September.

Edited May 1, 200520 yr by WilliamTell

Dangit, I should've looked at the schedule harder for September. If we're going to win it, it's going to have to be won in September.

Definitely, the only games we don't have vs division opponents is the 3 game weekend series vs Los Angelos Angels of Aneheim of Hollywood sponsored my Monte Carlo next to Laguna Beach...

May will tell the story for the rest of the year. We play 1st place teams & mostly teams near or above .500. It's a good thing KC & TBD are squeezed in there.

May will tell the story for the rest of the year.  We play 1st place teams & mostly teams near or above .500. It's a good thing KC & TBD are squeezed in there.

August could also be kind of a b**** for the Sox.

Minny twice, Mariners twice, Rangers at Arlington, Red Cubs at Boston, post-trade deadline Spankees twice, and Blue Jays.

Not very easy, I don't think.

August could also be kind of a b**** for the Sox.

Minny twice, Mariners twice, Rangers at Arlington, Red Cubs at Boston, post-trade deadline Spankees twice, and Blue Jays.

Not very easy, I don't think.

Thats a pretty s***ty August lineup of teams to play. Lets hope we are still healthy by then, and not coasting on fumes a la the 2000 season

August could also be kind of a b**** for the Sox.

Minny twice, Mariners twice, Rangers at Arlington, Red Cubs at Boston, post-trade deadline Spankees twice, and Blue Jays.

Not very easy, I don't think.

 

 

Tough but I think we can handle it.

 

Minny & Toronto will defenitely be tough but we can handle the Mariners & Red Sox. Spankees and their 100 million dollar rotation aren't worth a s*** either.

 

The matchup I really want to see is us versus the Orioles. Two top teams in the AL us with our pitching versus them and their hitting.

Edited May 2, 200520 yr by NUKE_CLEVELAND

Tough but I think we can handle it.

 

Minny & Toronto will defenitely be tough but we can handle the Mariners & Red Sox.  Spankees and their 100 million dollar rotation aren't worth a s*** either.

 

The matchup I really want to see is us versus the Orioles.  Two top teams in the AL us with out pitching versus them and their hitting.

 

What looked like was going to be a "Sosa returns" series is shaping up to be a battle of the titans. Who'da thunk it?

I hate to say it, but Minnie is hanging even with our hot start, which I would expect nothing less.

 

This is going to be a nip and tuck season all the way.

I hate to say it, but Minnie is hanging even with our hot start, which I would expect nothing less. 

 

This is going to be a nip and tuck season all the way.

 

 

You are correct. We are going to fight with them until the last week I think.

I love the way we've been handling teams in our division. I can't wait to play more games outside of our division, especially against the East, to get a better feel for where we stand.

Does anyone see Cleveland getting hot in the middle of the season again?

Does anyone see Cleveland getting hot in the middle of the season again?

 

 

Nope. For all the hype around them and Detoilet neither of them are going anywhere this season. The reason is pitching. We are 3rd in the MLB in pitching and 1st in the AL while those two are in the middle of the pack with team ERA a full point higher than ours. As long as that remains the case they aren't going anywhere.

I agree. But you have to consider that they beat good teams last season in April too.

 

4-1 vs KC

3-4 vs NY

1-1 vs Cle

2-0 vs Tor

4-2 vs TB

 

Not necessarily great teams but they played extremely well against NY, almost swept KC, 1-1 vs Cleveland, 2-0 vs Toronto, and did pretty well against Tampa Bay. The main thing I see is that this year's Sox team doesn't stoop down to the opponents level and I like that poise and confidence a lot.

Where are the good teams in that list, I see NYY, but KC, Tor, TB?? bottom of the barrell, and Cle wasnt good at the start, and is a third place team, explain to me how thats good??? We have dominated our division rivals this April, while beating Min as well. I think that this April was much more productive.

Does anyone see Cleveland getting hot in the middle of the season again?

 

I don't see them doing anything this year. They might get hot when it is over, but I just don't see the Indians hype this year. They just aren't ready.