dayum... KC 6, Det 0, no outs, 1st inning

[WHarris1]

LOL, what happened? 13-8?

The Royals bullpen happened.

[hammerhead johnson]

How many people are getting f***ed after acquiring Elmer Dessens for their fantasy squads? Is there a safe pitcher to acquire on the Royals?

[Kyyle23]

How many people are getting f***ed after acquiring Elmer Dessens for their fantasy squads? Is there a safe pitcher to acquire on the Royals?

 

Ha, that is something you deserve if you put your faith in Elmer Dessens.

[Rowand44]

How many people are getting f***ed after acquiring Elmer Dessens for their fantasy squads? Is there a safe pitcher to acquire on the Royals?

You know the answer to that question.

[tigerfan]

LOL, what happened? 13-8?

3 run 8th, Pudge tying it with a 2 run triple, and a 5 run 9th. 3 homers in the inning, Pudge with the big hit, a 3 run bomb to put it away.

[KevHead0881]

Michael Barrett would give this Royals team a spark.

[Kyyle23]

Fatty Stairs finishes it off with a swinging K!

[hammerhead johnson]

Ha, that is something you deserve if you put your faith in Elmer Dessens.

 

I have quietly assembled a bullpen of death (K-Rod, Nathan, Valverde, Putz, Rodney), but I could have seen myself picking up Dessens when Burgos was demoted.

[JackTalkThai]

What are you going to do when you go under .500 in June?

 

I'm guessing probably the same thing that you're going to do if they don't.

 

This Tiger team is better than you seem to be giving them credit for. It's no big deal though, the masses were doubting the ChiSox last season, pretty much all season...just waiting for them to collapse and drop back to reality. It never happened though.

Edited May 25, 2006 by JackTalkThai

[Kyyle23]

I have quietly assembled a bullpen of death (K-Rod, Nathan, Valverde, Putz, Rodney), but I could have seen myself picking up Dessens when Burgos was demoted.

 

My staff goes as follows

 

SP-Peavy

SP-Haren

SP-Liriano

SP-Contreras

P-Schmidt

P-Sabathia

 

RP-K-Rod

RP-Tom Gordon

 

Im this 6 man fantasy league where everyone has a legion of stars. Its the most fun I have had playing fantasy baseball in a long time

[RockRaines]

I'm guessing probably the same thing that you're you going to do if they don't.

 

This Tiger team is a lot better than you seem to be giving them credit for. No problem though, the masses were doubting the ChiSox last season, pretty much all season...just waiting for them to collapse and drop back to reality. It never happened though.

Yes, comparing a team that had been steadily in 2nd/1st place for many years vs a team that has been in the crapper for the good part of this decade. Good comparison.

[hammerhead johnson]

My staff goes as follows

 

SP-Peavy

SP-Haren

SP-Liriano

SP-Contreras

P-Schmidt

P-Sabathia

 

RP-K-Rod

RP-Tom Gordon

 

Im this 6 man fantasy league where everyone has a legion of stars. Its the most fun I have had playing fantasy baseball in a long time

 

Yeah, that's cool. I wouldn't mind playing in a 6 man format. It has to suck when people bail in such a small league, though. If you have 6 devoted participants, then's it's probably awesome.

[Milkman delivers]

Can the Royals just forfeit the rest of the season? That's an honest question. That team really seems to want to just walk away.

[whitesoxfan101]

I'm guessing probably the same thing that you're you going to do if they don't.

 

This Tiger team is a lot better than you seem to be giving them credit for. No problem though, the masses were doubting the ChiSox last season, pretty much all season...just waiting for them to collapse and drop back to reality. It never happened though.

 

You better plan on staying healthy all season, and better hope all of your mediocre players that are playing over their heads continue, and that your 100 year old closer stays around, and that your injury prone everyday players stay healthy, and that the Sox continue to not click on all cylinders.

 

P.S.- Your ONE game ahead of us in the loss column and 0-3 against us head to head, all 3 being at your park. Enjoy this stretch of tough games you have coming up, see you back on earth and in 2nd place in not too long.

Edited May 25, 2006 by whitesoxfan101

[JackTalkThai]

Yes, comparing a team that had been steadily in 2nd/1st place for many years vs a team that has been in the crapper for the good part of this decade. Good comparison.

 

Naw, keep doubting them and continue claivoyancing their fall back to .500. Seriously.

 

What's the worse that can happen? You're proven wrong. Bid deal.

 

And if the Sox were steadily improving like you say (which I'm not arguing that they weren't), then why were so many fans across the league calling them a paper tiger last year? Why were they seeming to play so often with a chip on their shoulder? Doubt is doubt and outside of Chicago skepticism was prevalent last season with regards to the Sox. Doubt just has a way of motivating and binding together lineups who feel they deserve more credit than what they're receiving. That was my point. I wasn't comparing rotations and I wasn't comparing their #6 hitter versus your #6 hitter.

 

And how good was Florida's record the year prior to the historic run in 2003? They had fewer than 80 wins in '02 if I recall correctly. Fortunately there's more than one template to follow when engineering a pennant chase.

 

Cheers.

[Dick Allen]

Why does everyone keep saying that? Maroth has pitched so far over his head its ridiculous, today was more accurate to how great he is. Bonderman (the Ace) has a 4.57 ERA and is a career 4.94 ERA pitcher, 2 of his wins were against KC. Rogers fades in the 2nd half like clockwork. The rest of their rotation is garbage, Robertson career ERA 4.70 1.42 WHIP, Verlander is a rookie, you really think he is going to give you 200 innings of sub 3 ERA ball?

If you were to look at career numbers for the White Sox staff of last year, Buehrle's numbers were impressive, Contreras' besides winning percentage were horrible, as was Garland's. Garcia had a career ERA around 4.00, and El Duque qualified for social security. I hope the Tigers fade, but they have pitched great, and I'd rather go by what they are doing now as opposed to seasons past when they had a bad team behind them, a manager without a clue, and a generally bad team attitude. Bonderman is a guy who scouts expect to breakout at any time. Verlander throws 98 and is unhittable at times. Rogers is solid, he may not fade because he's not pitching in Texas anymore, and he has a big ballpark to pitch in. Robertson is a #5 starter. He has his moments, and Maroth is a decent pitcher.

[WCSox]

They are winning games they are supposed to win, and winning a few they probably should lose. Almost a third of the way through the schedule they have the best record in baseball. I think they have a pretty talented starting rotation. Their numbers have been good. Verlander is considered a stud of a prospect. Maroth, except for today has been excellent. Bonderman is a talented guy. Rogers has been a pretty good pitcher in his career, and has been very tough against the White Sox. Robertson isn't bad as a fifth starter. Their bullpen isn't the greatest, but they do have a couple of guys who potentially may be very good. Their line-up is very good, and they have an owner looking to spend some money on pre-deadline additions.

 

I agree to an extent. They're definitely not a doormat anymore... and possibly a playoff team if the Tribe and A's don't get their acts together. And they'll most likely be a strong team for the next couple of years. But I agree with Rock that their pitching staff still has a lot to prove. They remind me of the staff that the Sox had in 2000 - a bunch of not-that-great pitchers that simultaneously had career years. Maroth left the game today with soreness in his arm, so he might end up being the 2006 version of Cal Eldred. I could see Bonderman having a very good year, but the others are most certainly going to drop off of their current pace. Kenny Rogers is a poor second-half pitcher and is 41 now. Verlander is going to experience some arm fatigue later in the season, like most rookies do. I just don't like their chances.

 

People expected the White Sox to collapse last year, and they didn't even with El Duque in the rotation.

 

The big difference is that three of the Sox's starters last year were proven veterans whose numbers were either at or near the top of their respective leagues at some point in their careers and who had playoff experience (Buehrle less than Count and Freddy, but still). Outside of Rogers, Detroit doesn't have anything close to that. The Sox also had better defense and a better bullpen last year.

Edited May 25, 2006 by WCSox

[danman31]

I hope the Tigers fade, but they have pitched great, and I'd rather go by what they are doing now as opposed to seasons past when they had a bad team behind them, a manager without a clue, and a generally bad team attitude. Bonderman is a guy who scouts expect to breakout at any time. Verlander throws 98 and is unhittable at times. Rogers is solid, he may not fade because he's not pitching in Texas anymore, and he has a big ballpark to pitch in. Robertson is a #5 starter. He has his moments, and Maroth is a decent pitcher.

Rogers had an ERA of 3.76 in Arlington from 03-05. Don't blame the stadium for his late season fades.

[Dick Allen]

Rogers had an ERA of 3.76 in Arlington from 03-05. Don't blame the stadium for his late season fades.

I'll blame the heat then. He is a good pitcher. I hope I'm wrong and the Tigers become the Royals. But they've played the same teams the Sox have and have done a tad better up until now. We scoffed at people who said the White Sox would fade last year, and although the Sox had a history of finishing second (who cares) they fielded a completely different team last year than those teams that finished second, and last time I checked previous year's results have no bearing on the current year's standings. Leyland will not lose the team like Trammell did.

[kapkomet]

Well, one thing I can say for sure. Kansas s***ty f***ING SUCKS. Except when they play the Sox.

[Rowand44]

Well, one thing I can say for sure. Kansas s***ty f***ING SUCKS. Except when they play the Sox.

Or the tribe. 80 percent of their wins this year have come against the Sox and Indians.

[loltrain]

Javier Vasquez: Career 4.28 ERA including 4.91 and 4.42 the last two years. Most of that coming in the national league.

 

Jose Contreras: Career ERA also 4.28

 

Jon Garland: Career 4.42 ERA

 

Scott Podsednik: Career .279 hitter with .730 Career OPS.

 

AJ Pierzynski: Career : .764 OPS

 

Jermaine Dye: Career .272 hitter with a .803 OPS

 

Jim Thome: And you say our lineup is likely to get injured?

 

Pablo Ozuna/Brian Anderson/Juan Uribe/Chris Widger/Rob Mackowiack/Alex Cintron/Ross Gload: We're full of average players?

 

Bullpen: Cotts: Career 4.27 ERA

 

Politte: Career 4.06 ERA

 

Jenks: Basically a rookie, who can count on that?

 

Matt Thornton? Jeff Nelson? Please!

 

And I'm quite certain most of these guys numbers were even crappier before you won the world series last year.

 

Please, don't even bring up strength of schedule before you look at the crap you've been beating, at least we were able to handle the Royals.

 

So finally, let's compare:

 

C: Rodriguez v Pierzynski - Rodriguez

1B: Shelton v Konerko - Konerko

DH: Young/Thames v Thome - Thome (by a mile)

2b: Polanco v Iguchi - Even

3B: Inge v Crede - Even

SS: Guillen v Uribe - Guillen

OF: Monroe v Podsednik - Podsednik (barely)

Magglio v Dye - Even

Granderson v Anderson - Granderson (by a mile)

 

Rotation: Whitesox

Bullpen: Tigers

 

It looks pretty equal on paper to me.

 

I'll give the Sox credit, they're the defending champions and they've beaten us 3 times this year, for that matter I still expect them to end up winning the central, simply because you guys have alot more experienced staring pitching than us but some of the arguments you use to discount the Tigers are just ridiculous.

[Rowand44]

Jim Thome: And you say our lineup is likely to get injured?

 

Ya, Jim Thome is an injury machine. MY GOD, WHY CAN'T THIS GUY EVER STAY HEALTHY

Edited May 26, 2006 by Rowand44

[Gene Honda Civic]

Basically a rookie, who can count on that?

Granderson, Verlander, & Zumaya say high.

 

But since we all know how much better the Tigers farm system has been compared to crappy teams like the Indians and Braves, I'm POSITIVE these guys will continue to produce.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Comparing it player by player doesn't do the White Sox justice. When you have what is by far the best 3-4-5 combo in baseball, the rest of the line-up barely matters. Dye, Konerko and Thome are able to carry the offense months at a time.

 

 

The scary thing about the White Sox is that they can keep winning at this pace all year. This is because, well, their the best team in baseball from top-to-bottom and have proved it in the past. And the Tigers? We just can't be so sure.