Complete agreement here, and I think that is one explanation to why we have such trouble in Oakland.  Those hitters just go with the pitches and look for singles and solid contact, rather then the dinger.  The trouble is that that is the only kind of pitcher the Sox usually have.  They are all very good, but they don't match up with the unique  A's hitters.

 

LT

 

I have to disagree with you there. It's in their heads. It has been pounded in the White Sox heads that they don't play well in Oakland. Soooo, they end up not playing well in Oakland. This team is built to win anywhere. It's that old chestnut of not being able to win on the West Coast. They can win and they will win, if they put their minds to it.

I have to disagree with you there.  It's in their heads.  It has been pounded in the White Sox heads that they don't play well in Oakland.  Soooo, they end up not playing well in Oakland.  This team is built to win anywhere.  It's that old chestnut of not being able to win on the West Coast.  They can win and they will win, if they put their minds to it.

 

I will admit my explanation is just a theory and could very well be wrong. However, I think it is worth consideration. Case in point was Buehlre's game Sunday. Even before "THE ERROR", Oakland was just spraying hits all over the place, and it didn't appear he was leaving pitches over the heart of the plate either. I still remember Byrnes line hit to right field in the second inning. They showed a side view replay of his swing at that outside corner pitch and he made it look so easy that it honestly looked like a cartoon.

 

LT

Edited July 5, 200520 yr by SpringfieldFan

Against the A's you would want control pitchers over "stuff" pitchers because they will wait out stuff. The A's are more likely to hammer Contreras than Buerhle because the A's are taught to take pitches and get ahead of the count. When you are ahead of the count, control is much more important than stuff because most MLB can hit a 100mph fastball if that is what they are looking for. They are not going to swing 2-0 at a fastball on the corner, or any other pitch with great location. They will swing at something that gets the middle of the plate.

 

SB

Against the A's you would want control pitchers over "stuff" pitchers because they will wait out stuff. The A's are more likely to hammer Contreras than Buerhle because the A's are taught to take pitches and get ahead of the count. When you are ahead of the count, control is much more important than stuff because most MLB can hit a 100mph fastball if that is what they are looking for. They are not going to swing 2-0 at a fastball on the corner, or any other pitch with great location. They will swing at something that gets the middle of the plate.

 

SB

 

 

I am not baiting an argument here, honestly. I just want to know. If the control is the key to beating the A's hitters, why did they have 7 hits against MB halfway through the game before the error? And why did they have 11 the last time they faced him? It also seems they have had this success against him for the last 2 or 3 years...

 

SFF

Don't know if this was posted, but this is from the San Jose Mercury news today:

 

San Jose Mercury News (registration required) (scroll down): "The Giants are actively pursuing potential trade partners, but Colletti reiterated that right-hander Jason Schmidt will not be included in any deal. 'We don't have any intention of trading Jason Schmidt,' Colletti said. 'If we can improve our starting pitching, we've got a chance to put ourselves in a better position in the second half, and I don't think we put ourselves in a better position by trading Jason Schmidt.'"

My guess is that they know Buerhle will throw a lot of early strikes so they are told to try and get hits early in the count. Buerhle on the other hand is told that the A's are going to wait for pitches so he tries to throw early strikes.

 

::shrugs::

 

There are a million explanations for why something happens in baseball, some of them are important, some of them just fog the truth. Its not like a science experminent where you control a, b, and have only variable c. Every single part of the equation is a variable, therefore you just have to try and go by your best guess.

 

SB

Quote:

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The Giants are actively pursuing potential trade partners, but Colletti reiterated that right-hander Jason Schmidt will not be included in any deal.

 

"We don't have any intention of trading Jason Schmidt,'' Colletti said. "If we can improve our starting pitching, we've got a chance to put ourselves in a better position in the second half, and I don't think we put ourselves in a better position by trading Jason Schmidt.''

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this pretty much sums up the schmidt rumor

Quote:

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The Giants are actively pursuing potential trade partners, but Colletti reiterated that right-hander Jason Schmidt will not be included in any deal.

 

"We don't have any intention of trading Jason Schmidt,'' Colletti said. "If we can improve our starting pitching, we've got a chance to put ourselves in a better position in the second half, and I don't think we put ourselves in a better position by trading Jason Schmidt.''

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this pretty much sums up the schmidt rumor

 

 

Alright well this rumor has been out there for a week, and just after mcarthy proved he won't be able to pitch in the bigs for two years everyone is making comments. My take is if mcarthy would have at least shown he was capable this trade would be still moving along. Just my opinion.

This is the Sox year, noone knows if konerko will be back next year or if frank thomas will be the big hurt next year etc. This is their year and their chance to win it all and in order to do that they should make whatever moves they can to improve this team. And that means trading away our minor leaguers to get talent back and can quickly improve this team and help them cruise to the world series.