In this thread, I will be tracking this seemingly impossible stretch of games. Aside from the 4-game set against the Royals, every other team is a Wild Card/Playoff contender. Good luck, White Sox. I'm hoping for at least 15 wins in this stretch...

 

Bold is home games.

TOR W 6-4

TOR W 7-1

TOR L 3-7

LAA L 3-6

NYY W 6-5

NYY L 7-6

NYY W 5-4

DET W 5-0

DET W 4-3

DET W 7-3

KC W 12-2

KC L 2-4

KC L 4-10

KC W 5-4

MIN L 3-7

MIN W 4-1

MIN L 3-7

DET L 1-7

DET L 0-4

DET W 7-5

DET W 10-0

MIN L 4-5

MIN L 7-8

MIN W 6-1

Edited August 29, 200619 yr by Steve9347

In this thread, I will be tracking this seemingly impossible stretch of games. Aside from the 4-game set against the Royals, every other team is a Wild Card/Playoff contender. Good luck, White Sox. I'm hoping for at least 15 wins in this stretch...

 

Bold is home games.

 

LAA

NYY

NYY

NYY

DET

DET

DET

KC

KC

KC

KC

MIN

MIN

MIN

DET

DET

DET

DET

MIN

MIN

MIN

 

That's 21 games in 21 days. I'd take 15-6. As long as no more than 2 of those losses came to Detroit.

 

In my opinion though, this important stretch started 9 games ago and we're 6-3 so far.

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...=52912&st=0

Edited August 7, 200619 yr by Controlled Chaos

That's 21 games in 21 days. I'd take 15-6. As long as no more than 2 of those losses came to Detroit.

 

In my opinion though, this important stretch started 9 games ago and we're 6-3 so far.

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...=52912&st=0

I don't really care about losses to Detroit, because I really don't think we can catch them. We have to take care of business against Min. My best guess:

LAA-W

NYY-L

NYY-W

NYY-W

DET-W

DET-L

DET-W

KC-L

KC-W

KC-W

KC-W

MIN-W

MIN-L

MIN-L

DET-W

DET-L

DET-L

DET-W

MIN-W

MIN-W

MIN-W

 

I would be happy with 14-7. I see some hiccups, but overall good play. Key series is the Royals, we have to sweep a spiffty team like that, but I can't see it happening.

My best guess:

 

LAA-W

NYY-L

NYY-W

NYY-W

DET-W

DET-L

DET-W

KC-L

KC-W

KC-W

KC-W

MIN-W

MIN-L

MIN-L

DET-W

DET-L

DET-L

DET-W

MIN-W

MIN-W

MIN-W

 

No, no, no, you're not even close.

No, no, no, you're not even close.

 

Oh really? Do you have a time machine? How can you determine what is close, and what is not?

 

Some of you guys crack me up.

Oh really? Do you have a time machine? How can you determine what is close, and what is not?

 

Some of you guys crack me up.

I guess it's the same way some people have determined that we cannnot possibly catch Detroit.

I say you're not even close, but only because trying to predict a win-loss on every game, over the next 21 games, is a futile effort. Nobody would be close.

I say you're not even close, but only because trying to predict a win-loss on every game, over the next 21 games, is a futile effort. Nobody would be close.

 

Nice try, but I ain't buying what you're selling.

Unless Detroit completely collapses I don't see us catching up to them at this rate. Their winning percentage is just sick. It's like they keep inventing new ways to win just when you think they finally lost one.

Unless Detroit completely collapses I don't see us catching up to them at this rate. Their winning percentage is just sick. It's like they keep inventing new ways to win just when you think they finally lost one.

Yeah...39 games over .500 is ridiculously good. It would be a miracle if we overtook them in the division.

Nice try, but I ain't buying what you're selling.

 

So it's not a futile effort to predict the next 21 games? If you can get over 75%, which in school is only a C grade, I'll take you to a game and buy all your beer and food. If you get below 75%, you do the same for me. OK?

The 21 game winning streak starts today...

Actually I see the next two weeks as a way to turn the season around, so I'm looking forward to it.

 

Look, if we scuffle against the Yankees and don't kill the Tigers and don't sweep the Royals (or close to it), then I'm not going to have any delusions about how we'll end up this season.

 

Let's be real here: Detroit is BETTER than we were last season (at least so far) and being that many games over .500 is insane. And that's also the sad part: we are 20+ games over .500 and we're a distant second? Geez.

 

Unless the wheels fall off Detroit in the last two months--which granted, could happen to anybody--we're looking at wild card or nothing IMO. Nine games is a BIG lead for a team that hot. Although, weren't we up like 13 at this point last year, and almost blew it?

I'd be perfectly happy with the current 2-of-3 pattern, and if they swept anyone I'd prefer it to be the Tigers, just to put a touch of doubt in their minds.

If that's even possible - they just seem to have it on cruise control right now. 7-6 win? Check. 1-0 win? Got it. Come from behind every game? Done.

Actually I see the next two weeks as a way to turn the season around, so I'm looking forward to it.

 

Look, if we scuffle against the Yankees and don't kill the Tigers and don't sweep the Royals (or close to it), then I'm not going to have any delusions about how we'll end up this season.

 

Let's be real here: Detroit is BETTER than we were last season (at least so far) and being that many games over .500 is insane. And that's also the sad part: we are 20+ games over .500 and we're a distant second? Geez.

 

Unless the wheels fall off Detroit in the last two months--which granted, could happen to anybody--we're looking at wild card or nothing IMO. Nine games is a BIG lead for a team that hot. Although, weren't we up like 13 at this point last year, and almost blew it?

 

We don't need the wheels to completely fall off, we just need a flat tire. Sweep or not they have looked vulnerable the last few games. We need to handle them like we have all year. We are 7 losses back. We need to put together a winning streak and put some pressure on them. If they start caving and playing .500 ball this will be a race come September 18.

I'll take a 13-8 record or better. That .620 winning % for the rest of the season would take them to 98-64, which should be enough for the playoffs.

 

I haven't seen who the Sox play after this 21 gamestretch, but my guess is that it has to be a little easier.

Really sick and tired of the negativity. We can catch Detroit and beat them. We have 10 games head to head and a great ball club, solid manager and coaches. Screw the next 10, the next 24 or what ever. Our current goal is this. Beat the Angels. One game at a time. Stop watching the standings. Stop targeting the wild card. Just win baby. Your playoff position will take care of itself if you do that.

Really sick and tired of the negativity. We can catch Detroit and beat them. We have 10 games head to head and a great ball club, solid manager and coaches. Screw the next 10, the next 24 or what ever. Our current goal is this. Beat the Angels. One game at a time. Stop watching the standings. Stop targeting the wild card. Just win baby. Your playoff position will take care of itself if you do that.

 

I agree with most of what you say, however this may just be Detroit's year. (to win the central, the playoffs is a whole different monster) They've gotten a lot of luck, people seem to forget that we had a lot of balls bounce our way last year.

 

I agree, a 6-3 road trip is a great start, hopefully we have a great homestand and carry it into September...and OCTOBER.

I haven't seen who the Sox play after this 21 gamestretch, but my guess is that it has to be a little easier.

 

off day

TB - 3

@KC - 3

@BOS -3

CLE - 4

@LAA - 3

off day

@OAK - 3

DET - 4

SEA - 3

@ CLE - 3

off day

@ MIN - 3

 

the west coast trip could be tough, and cleveland kind of scares me. they seem like a team that would just love to play spoiler for everyone in the central.

Edited August 7, 200619 yr by fullcollapse

The manager really has to step up here-maybe more than the players do. His best is needed. Manage the bullpen, as there are no days off. No more than 1 replacement player (non-starter) at a time. And keep the mood easy and put the clamps on the 3rd base coach.

I agree with most of what you say, however this may just be Detroit's year. (to win the central, the playoffs is a whole different monster) They've gotten a lot of luck, people seem to forget that we had a lot of balls bounce our way last year.

 

I agree, a 6-3 road trip is a great start, hopefully we have a great homestand and carry it into September...and OCTOBER.

 

It may be the Tigers year. But we won't know that until Oct 2nd and should not give a rats ass about what the Tigers do from day to day until they are standing in front of us. One thing is for sure, the Sox are not going to beat the Tigers tonight.

 

and put the clamps on the 3rd base coach.

 

Please explain....

18-3

 

announce your presence with authority

The manager really has to step up here-maybe more than the players do. His best is needed. Manage the bullpen, as there are no days off. No more than 1 replacement player (non-starter) at a time. And keep the mood easy and put the clamps on the 3rd base coach.

 

Meh, I don't know why this has gotten to me, but here is what I think. Despite what the arm chair managers want to say, Ozzie isn't stupid.

 

This is from the Trib

Sick bay

 

The left side of the infield was missing Sunday because of sore backs, but shortstop Juan Uribe and third baseman Joe Crede could return Monday.

 

"They're both sore," Guillen said. "I don't want any of my guys performing without being at least 80 percent. You're not going to be 100 percent in July, August and September. You'll always be sore.

 

"Hopefully a couple days off will help them."

 

Crede, who left Saturday's game with ongoing problems, is the worse of the two, but he has learned to play through moderate pain.

 

"It's not as bad as it's been in the past, which is a good sign," he said. "It's more uncomfortable than anything else."

 

Odds are these injuries haven't appeared out of nowhere, especially for Crede and Thome who have real injury histories with their backs. Ozzie isn't just starting these guys because he loves them, he is starting them to preserve them so that instead of missing a game here and there, they don't miss a few weeks from not being able to go out all because their backs have locked up. Ozzie Guillen played baseball for a longtime, and still has a pretty good idea what it takes to be able to play a full season of baseball physically. Its easy to say that we should send out the best team for 162 days straight, but in reality, if you try that, you will hurt guys, especially guys that we know are prone to certian injuries. Personally I would rather see Cintron start a game or two at third, versus seeing him and Ozuna play it for a month straight, or seeing Josh Fields's baptism by fire in a pennant race.

Please explain....

 

Waving Wally Cora

cleveland kind of scares me. they seem like a team that would just love to play spoiler for everyone in the central.

Well, they did a pretty piss-poor job of playing spoiler against Detroit this weekend.

That said, they'll probably take 5 of 7 from the Sox.