http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines

 

Good article, although I dont agree with this:

 

Oakland actually has more pitching than the Sox. After signing Esteban Loaiza and hanging onto their 2005 inventory, including Barry Zito, the A's have a group of starters who won 79 games, worked 1,279 innings and made 199 starts last season. Closer Huston Street gives them strength at the end of the bullpen

Yea, I feel the same way. Good article, but I think the Sox have more pitching, or at least, the same amount, but better pitching.

I thought the article was well-written as well.

Agree or disagree, he does know baseball better than most.

I thought the article was well-written as well.

Agree or disagree, he does know baseball better than most.

 

I would certainly hope so, he is paid to write about it

I would certainly hope so, he is paid to write about it

 

FWIW, Mariotti's paid to do so too.

FWIW, Mariotti's paid to do so too.   

 

Well, Not JUST baseball.

Let me see.

 

Contreras

Buehrle

Garcia

Garland

Vazquez

 

vs

 

Zito

Harden

Haren

Loaiza

Blanton

 

Well, it doesn't look as one sided when I match em up this way. However, I don't think Loaiza will come close to matching what he did last year. For one, he was in the nl. Two, that was a massive pitchers park he was in. I think you'll see his era well over 4. I still think you have to factor in B-mac. That's a luxury just about no other team has. Our rotation is clearly better.

I dont see how the A's have a better staff, who are their starters: Loiza, Zito, Haren, Harden, Blanton?

Zito and Street are good but nobody on that staff even had 15 wins, and Loiza has had one season with more than 12 wins

Going off the top 5 starters on each team in 2005 (using El Duque)

White Sox: 72 wins 1017 innings

A's: 60 wins 805 innings

and Loaiza and Vasquez were virtually even in these categories

I dont see how the A's have a better staff, who are their starters: Loiza, Zito, Haren, Harden, Blanton?

Zito and Street are good but nobody on that staff even had 15 wins, and Loiza has had one season with more than 12 wins

Going off the top 5 starters on each team in 2005 (using El Duque)

White Sox: 72 wins 1017 innings

A's: 60 wins 805 innings

and Loaiza and Vasquez were virtually even in these categories

Wins are team dependant. Look at the other stats (ERA, WHIP) for a better indication of how a pitcher is.

I think we all saw from the games they played against the White Sox last year what the A's staff is capable of. They've owned us for a long time now. Maybe a healthy Thome will give us an edge but I don't see any other reason to believe we can take the season series from them.

 

If we can't beat them in the regular season will need a LOT of luck to beat them in the post season. The A's last yr finished with 88 wins after a horrible start. They were nearly as good as the Tribe. As much as the White Sox have improved on paper they've improved more.

Edited January 29, 200620 yr by JUGGERNAUT

Let me see.

 

Contreras

Buehrle

Garcia

Garland

Vazquez

 

vs

 

Zito

Harden

Haren

Loaiza

Blanton

 

Well,  it doesn't look as one sided when I match em up this way.  However,  I don't think Loaiza will come close to matching what he did last year.  For one,  he was in the nl.  Two,  that was a massive pitchers park he was in.  I think you'll see his era well over 4.  I still think you have to factor in B-mac.  That's a luxury just about no other team has.  Our rotation is clearly better.

 

Oakland has Kirk Saarloos, who will serve almost the exact same purpose as BMac.

 

Blanton was also a top 3 pitcher in the second half of last season...Contreras and Santana were the other two.

 

Both teams have very good pitching staffs...I think the pitching staffs are pretty much equal...and the A's remain the favorites in the west, atleast to me.

 

This will be a very fun matchup this year...so long as the Sox don't piss down their leg when they matchup, be it in the regular season or postseason.

Edited January 29, 200620 yr by witesoxfan

I got the Rangers being the dark horse in the AL West this year they will take care of the A's for us

Oakland has Kirk Saarloos, who will serve almost the exact same purpose as BMac. 

 

Saarloos with a lifetime 4.80 ERA is in the same role as McCarthy, but B-Mac is a much better pitcher.

 

The Sox bullpen is better, if you call Street and Jenks a wash, who compares to Cotts and Politte? Duchscherer and Calero?

 

The starting pitching is pretty even, but we now have 4 guys with a lot of post season experience, and a 5th who has shown some nasty stuff in the past.

 

Buehrle 3.12 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 236.2 IP

Garland 3.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 221.0 IP

Contreras 3.61 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 204.2 IP

Garcia 3.87 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 228.0 IP

Vazquez 4.42 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 215.2 IP

 

Harden 2.53 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 128.0 IP

Blanton 3.53 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 201.1 IP

Haren 3.73 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 217.0 IP

Loaiza 3.77 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 217.0 IP

Zito 3.86 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 228.1 IP

 

Overall the Sox have a slight edge. Also consider where they pitch half of their games, and the Sox pitchers stats look even that much better. Also, Haren had some great numbers, but can he do it for an entire season?

Edited January 30, 200620 yr by RME JICO