Keep Jermaine in the #3 hole

[VAfan]

I have a few reasons I would line it up Dye, PK, Thome.

 

1. Pods and Iguchi suck against lefties. But if you hit Dye #3 and Thome #4, the opposing manager will just intentionally walk Dye at times and keep his lefty to face Thome. Putting Paulie #4 kills that idea.

 

2. PK is a better contact hitter behind Dye. I don't want Thome's strike outs in the #4 hole any more than I want them in the #3 hole. Plus, PK lives for that 4 hole.

 

3. The #5 slot is the middle of the lineup. We hit best last year when a lefty occupied that slot (Everett).

 

4. Thome's HR damage should come with more men on base. Having JD and PK ahead of him is going to maximize that impact. Plus, with men on base, the shift becomes less available.

 

5. Putting Thome #5 also puts Crede #6 and AJ #7, where they belong.

[RockRaines]

I have a few reasons I would line it up Dye, PK, Thome.

 

1. Pods and Iguchi suck against lefties. But if you hit Dye #3 and Thome #4, the opposing manager will just intentionally walk Dye at times and keep his lefty to face Thome. Putting Paulie #4 kills that idea.

 

2. PK is a better contact hitter behind Dye. I don't want Thome's strike outs in the #4 hole any more than I want them in the #3 hole. Plus, PK lives for that 4 hole.

 

3. The #5 slot is the middle of the lineup. We hit best last year when a lefty occupied that slot (Everett).

 

4. Thome's HR damage should come with more men on base. Having JD and PK ahead of him is going to maximize that impact. Plus, with men on base, the shift becomes less available.

 

5. Putting Thome #5 also puts Crede #6 and AJ #7, where they belong.

I agree with every point.

[beautox]

I have a few reasons I would line it up Dye, PK, Thome.

 

1. Pods and Iguchi suck against lefties. But if you hit Dye #3 and Thome #4, the opposing manager will just intentionally walk Dye at times and keep his lefty to face Thome. Putting Paulie #4 kills that idea.

 

2. PK is a better contact hitter behind Dye. I don't want Thome's strike outs in the #4 hole any more than I want them in the #3 hole. Plus, PK lives for that 4 hole.

 

3. The #5 slot is the middle of the lineup. We hit best last year when a lefty occupied that slot (Everett).

 

4. Thome's HR damage should come with more men on base. Having JD and PK ahead of him is going to maximize that impact. Plus, with men on base, the shift becomes less available.

 

5. Putting Thome #5 also puts Crede #6 and AJ #7, where they belong.

 

100% agree

[cgaudin]

I am very impressed to read your posts, people. However, none of us has the power to make the lineup, and unfortunately Thome will continue to hit 3rd. If Thome gets hot, then we're in good shape. If Thome slumps, the offense is designed around him and it will sputter big time, which will likely cost the playoffs. I truly hope JD remains in the 3 spot and Thome goes to 5th. I can't begin to tell you how HUGE a difference it will make in the ability of the offense to score with more regularity, perhaps even more production. Ozzie is a creature of habit, and he's not likely to change, unless Dye goes on a superhuman tare while in the 3 spot and the Sox continue to win. Then he won't mess with what works......I cringe to think of the White Sox going into that last series with Minnesota less than 3 games up with Santana and possibly Liriano pitching and having Pods, Gooch, and Thome at the top 3. It would be a f***ing disaster.

[GreatScott82]

When the White Sox were in that August/ September slump last season and the Indians were on our tails, Ozzie saw that Everett was slumping and he put Dye in the 3 hole. Well after he did that the team started to turn it around. I'm not saying Thome is slumping as bad as Crazy Carl did at this time last year, HOWEVER he is not as powerful as he once was at the beginning of the year. The move to put Dye in the 3 hole for the rest of season can only help this team. And having Thome in the 5 hole can help benefit him to get back to his powerful self.

[LVSoxFan]

I've been saying this all year. Everybody drinks the Thome kool-aid because he's got big numbers. Problem is when he gets cold, so does the rest of the lineup, and the offense sputters. Having him in the 3 spot has cost the Sox several ballgames, DESPITE Thome's big numbers. And yes I know this is the most potent offense in baseball, and Thome has a lot to do with it. But the offense is INCONSISTENT, and that inconsistency costs ballgames. Dye has been a more consistent hitter throughout the season, and although his strikeout ratio I consider to be high, it is not the astronomical 30% ratio that Thome whiffs at. Thome has, by far, the highest strikeout ratio of ANY 3 hitter in baseball. The closest one to him is Derek Lee of the beloved Cubs in the northside at 24%. I contend that the offense will be more fluid and consistent, possibly even more productive by having Thome batting cleanup against righties and moving down to 5th against lefties. And all you sabermetricians out there, save your bull**** 'cause I don't want to hear all that stupidity.

 

BINGO.

 

Me likey the new lineup.

[Balance]

I have a few reasons I would line it up Dye, PK, Thome.

 

1. Pods and Iguchi suck against lefties. But if you hit Dye #3 and Thome #4, the opposing manager will just intentionally walk Dye at times and keep his lefty to face Thome. Putting Paulie #4 kills that idea.

 

2. PK is a better contact hitter behind Dye. I don't want Thome's strike outs in the #4 hole any more than I want them in the #3 hole. Plus, PK lives for that 4 hole.

 

3. The #5 slot is the middle of the lineup. We hit best last year when a lefty occupied that slot (Everett).

 

4. Thome's HR damage should come with more men on base. Having JD and PK ahead of him is going to maximize that impact. Plus, with men on base, the shift becomes less available.

 

5. Putting Thome #5 also puts Crede #6 and AJ #7, where they belong.

That just makes too much sense not to do it. Let's just tell Ozzie....

[RockRaines]

I am very impressed to read your posts, people. However, none of us has the power to make the lineup, and unfortunately Thome will continue to hit 3rd. If Thome gets hot, then we're in good shape. If Thome slumps, the offense is designed around him and it will sputter big time, which will likely cost the playoffs. I truly hope JD remains in the 3 spot and Thome goes to 5th. I can't begin to tell you how HUGE a difference it will make in the ability of the offense to score with more regularity, perhaps even more production. Ozzie is a creature of habit, and he's not likely to change, unless Dye goes on a superhuman tare while in the 3 spot and the Sox continue to win. Then he won't mess with what works......I cringe to think of the White Sox going into that last series with Minnesota less than 3 games up with Santana and possibly Liriano pitching and having Pods, Gooch, and Thome at the top 3. It would be a f***ing disaster.

Its not really him slumping, he just doesnt hit LHP, and they effectively take away alot of thome's hits with that shift. Its almost impossible for him to dink a single with a man on 2nd. JD does that very well. He can spray the ball all over the field. And it breaks up the worst LHP hitting trio in baseball.

[Dick Allen]

There is no need to worry about how Pods will fare against Santana or Liriano, because Pablo will be in the line-up. There is a school of thought, however, to stacking the line-up with lefties against Santana, taking his change away. I don't really know how that would work out. Lets face it, you could have an All Star team facing Santana and Liriano, and if they are on, you aren't going to score many runs. LH batters have hit .263 against Santana this season while RH batters have batted .211. Lefties have had more success, but it could be a little deceiving as most teams would only leave there best LH hitters in the lin-up against him.

Edited August 25, 2006 by Dick Allen

[Drew]

On a similar note, I want someone not named Podsednik in the leadoff spot. Ozuna has been hustling his ass off, swinging the bat well and making some solid plays in the field the last few weeks.

[Dick Allen]

On a similar note, I want someone not named Podsednik in the leadoff spot. Ozuna has been hustling his ass off, swinging the bat well and making some solid plays in the field the last few weeks.

I think the Sox are at the end of the rope with Pods. I think he needs to start doing something quick, or he'll be riding pine the rest of the season.

[Hangar18]

You know, Ive been "upset" with Thome since mid May, and made comments about Thome being dropped in the lineup to some friends at a recent tailgate, and was lambasted big time. We looked like a COMPLETE lineup without Thome yesterday. That said, in April, when Thome was refusing to swing at bad pitches and taking his walks, AND GOING THE OTHER WAY with the pitch, the man was a ONE MAN WRECKING CREW. I'll take the April 06 Thome in this lineup in a heart-beat batting 3rd, otherwise drop him in the lineup!!

 

I think the Sox are at the end of the rope with Pods. I think he needs to start doing something quick, or he'll be riding pine the rest of the season.

 

 

Ive said it before, Im going to keep saying it. Scotty Pods needs GLASSES. I dont think he can see.

Watch, next year when hes in the NL and enjoying a "renaissance", it will be because he has contacts.

[cgaudin]

You know, Ive been "upset" with Thome since mid May, and made comments about Thome being dropped in the lineup to some friends at a recent tailgate, and was lambasted big time. We looked like a COMPLETE lineup without Thome yesterday. That said, in April, when Thome was refusing to swing at bad pitches and taking his walks, AND GOING THE OTHER WAY with the pitch, the man was a ONE MAN WRECKING CREW. I'll take the April 06 Thome in this lineup in a heart-beat batting 3rd, otherwise drop him in the lineup!!

Ive said it before, Im going to keep saying it. Scotty Pods needs GLASSES. I dont think he can see.

Watch, next year when hes in the NL and enjoying a "renaissance", it will be because he has contacts.

 

Indeed, Thome almost single-handedly led the Sox to victories early in the season. However, When he slumps, so does the rest of the offense. But it's not so much that. Thome batting 3rd has provided an eye-opening revelation about the Sox's futility against top-tier left handers. It is his futility, coupled with Podsednik and Gooch having a tough time as well that's the tell tale. The top three guys are going to have the most opportunities to bat, so those are extra outs that are being given away. Moving Dye to 3rd should give the offense some protection against lefties at the top of the order. I contend that Paulie may be the bigger beneficiary since Dye will put the ball in play more often than Thome, so Paulie's chances of having RISP will be greater, presumably. If Dye goes on a tare, he will collect most of the RBI's. If he plays his normal game the rest of the year then Paulie will likely have more opportunities.

[TitoMB345]

Not gonna happen, period.

[DBAHO]

Someone's been listening to ya VA;

 

Damp weather kept Jim Thome out of Tuesday night's starting lineup, but manager Ozzie Guillen intimated changes could be made in the White Sox lineup once Thome returns from a left hamstring strain.

 

Guillen's thinking is that Jermaine Dye might stay in the third spot because he's faster than Paul Konerko and Thome, who ran down a corridor before Tuesday's game without any limp or discomfort.

"Having Dye on base, then Paulie or Thome in a row, you have a chance to score," Guillen said. "That's in my mind right now."

 

Konerko and Thome could flip-flop in the fourth and fifth positions, depending on how Thome's leg feels and the opposing pitcher.

 

"It's just about speed," Guillen said, adding he wanted to talk to the players involved and his coaching staff.

 

If Thome bats fifth, A.J. Pierzynski would slide to seventh and Joe Crede would move to sixth so the middle of the lineup would have no left-handed hitters batting in succession.

 

The move would be temporary, lasting until Guillen thinks Thome is fully recovered. Guillen said Thome probably would have started Tuesday night's game against Tampa Bay if the weather had been better.

 

"That's one thing about Thome," Guillen said. "He goes one way and one way only: hard. You can't say hit a ground ball and slow down. I respect that. I want my players to play that way."

 

Thome has batted in the third spot all season and has a team-high .413 on-base percentage. His ability to reach base frequently has allowed Dye, who was named the American League player of the week for Aug. 21-27, to hit .362 with runners in scoring position and .414 with runners in scoring position and fewer than two outs.

 

Declaring himself ready to play, Thome said he appreciated teammates like Dye stepping up during his four-game absence.

 

"Guys have held the ground when we've needed it," Thome said.

 

In the five games Thome has been sidelined, Dye is 8-for-20 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in the third spot.

[cgaudin]

It will be very interesting to see the complete lineup with Thome hitting further down the order. Please, for all its worth, KEEP DYE IN THE 3-HOLE!

[whitesoxin']

Not gonna happen, period.

[VAfan]

On a similar note, I want someone not named Podsednik in the leadoff spot. Ozuna has been hustling his ass off, swinging the bat well and making some solid plays in the field the last few weeks.

 

Right, see my other post on this topic.

 

Who do you want? Personally, I would move Iguchi to lead off and use Gload/Ozuna to platoon in the #2 hole, since both bunt well and neither one strikes out. They could actually HIT AND RUN!

 

We're stranding so many guys at 3rd in part b/c Pods/Iguchi/Thome are 5/3/1 on the K totals for the team. We could use some contact hitters to break that up.

[LVSoxFan]

I love the new lineup and thought this was overdue.

 

That said, GET. PODS. OUT. OF. THERE. NOW. He is WORTHLESS.

 

Thanks for 2005, buddy--seriously. But this year? See ya.