Post-game curse-a-thon

[CWSGuy406]

Couple of comments that I don't think have been mentioned yet...

 

-No reason Thome should have played today. Gload has done a MORE than serviceable job out there the past couple nights. It was absolutely pathetic watching Thome "run" out that double play he grounded into. And, I'm not saying that Thome was dogging it, not at all; but looking at the replay, it seemed like he was running WORSE than Frank Thomas this year. His AB against Gobble in the 8th inning was really, really pathetic, too, BTW. One of the worst ABs I can remember this season. DJ tried to make it seem like Gobble threw him two spike curveballs to get him out, but those last two curveballs were awful.

 

-Podsednik is teh suck. If anyone who sits near or around the Sox dugout could bring a "Free Ryan Sweeney!" sign, it'd be much appreciated from a large portion of White Sox fans. I think it'd be funny as hell if someone in the Scout Seats -- preferably the ones in the first row -- held up a sign like that so it was on TV the whole game. Not that it would actually do anything, but it'd make me laugh.

 

-In that big six run inning for KC, one thing I couldn't understand is why Ozzie called for the infield to play back when the Royals started the inning with runners on second and third with nobody out. The next three hitters were, if I remember correctly, Paul Bako, Joey Gathright, and Andres Blanco. If you even come close to making your pitches on these guys, not one of them is going to make solid contact. Something minor, I know, but I thought it would've been the right move there.

 

Man... Boone looked good. Fastball at 94, good biting slider, and I think he even threw a cutter. Sure sucks, though, that if we are blessed enough to back into the playoffs, he won't be on the roster.

 

Did I mention that Podsednik sucks?

[southsideirish71]

Couple of comments that I don't think have been mentioned yet...

 

-No reason Thome should have played today. Gload has done a MORE than serviceable job out there the past couple nights. It was absolutely pathetic watching Thome "run" out that double play he grounded into. And, I'm not saying that Thome was dogging it, not at all; but looking at the replay, it seemed like he was running WORSE than Frank Thomas this year. His AB against Gobble in the 8th inning was really, really pathetic, too, BTW. One of the worst ABs I can remember this season. DJ tried to make it seem like Gobble threw him two spike curveballs to get him out, but those last two curveballs were awful.

 

-Podsednik is teh suck. If anyone who sits near or around the Sox dugout could bring a "Free Ryan Sweeney!" sign, it'd be much appreciated from a large portion of White Sox fans. I think it'd be funny as hell if someone in the Scout Seats -- preferably the ones in the first row -- held up a sign like that so it was on TV the whole game. Not that it would actually do anything, but it'd make me laugh.

 

-In that big six run inning for KC, one thing I couldn't understand is why Ozzie called for the infield to play back when the Royals started the inning with runners on second and third with nobody out. The next three hitters were, if I remember correctly, Paul Bako, Joey Gathright, and Andres Blanco. If you even come close to making your pitches on these guys, not one of them is going to make solid contact. Something minor, I know, but I thought it would've been the right move there.

 

Man... Boone looked good. Fastball at 94, good biting slider, and I think he even threw a cutter. Sure sucks, though, that if we are blessed enough to back into the playoffs, he won't be on the roster.

 

Did I mention that Podsednik sucks?

 

I have no idea why Ozzie continues to play Pods. It makes no sense. There isnt one thing he is doing that helps the team right now.

[greg775]

If we need to replace Pods I'd rather roll the dice and play Sweeney and

see if he can pull a miracle the last month.

I don't wanna see Ozuna or Mack play much.

Sorry I don't.

[SinkingShip06]

I have no idea why Ozzie continues to play Pods. It makes no sense. There isnt one thing he is doing that helps the team right now.

 

Pods 2006 = Timo 2005

[southsideirish71]

From Macks own mouth...

 

 

"I've been horrible, actually," Mackowiak said. "There's no point in lying or candy-coating anything. It's been bad.

 

"I don't know if it's not being out there much in your career and you get out there and you are overexposed. Before, I would play one [game] in right, one in center and maybe play third. But when you go out there on a daily basis, you see the stuff you need to work on to get better at a certain position."

 

It's something I need to work on in the winter and try to get better defensively, because it has been absolutely terrible this year," Mackowiak said. "My routes are not as crisp as a guy like Brian's are. You are taking banana routes to balls and it becomes a struggle.

 

"You continue to keep trying to get better, but it's frustrating because it's an important position up the middle to have good defense. It's frustrating to not do your best out there and that it sometimes hurts the team."

 

 

Maybe Ozzie should read the f***ing paper, and keep Mack out of center. The only one who thinks Mack can play CF seems to be Ozzie only.

[SinkingShip06]

From Macks own mouth...

"I've been horrible, actually," Mackowiak said. "There's no point in lying or candy-coating anything. It's been bad.

 

"I don't know if it's not being out there much in your career and you get out there and you are overexposed. Before, I would play one [game] in right, one in center and maybe play third. But when you go out there on a daily basis, you see the stuff you need to work on to get better at a certain position."

 

It's something I need to work on in the winter and try to get better defensively, because it has been absolutely terrible this year," Mackowiak said. "My routes are not as crisp as a guy like Brian's are. You are taking banana routes to balls and it becomes a struggle.

 

"You continue to keep trying to get better, but it's frustrating because it's an important position up the middle to have good defense. It's frustrating to not do your best out there and that it sometimes hurts the team."

Maybe Ozzie should read the f***ing paper, and keep Mack out of center. The only one who thinks Mack can play CF seems to be Ozzie only.

 

no doubt.

[SnB]

Pods 2006 = Timo 2005

except we have to deal with pod's s*** every single day.

 

I've never seen a team that is this inconsistent. They can come together so perfectly for one game, then look absolutely terrible the next.

 

If jose doesn't find whatever he lost, this team is done.

[shoota]

From Macks own mouth...

"I've been horrible, actually," Mackowiak said. "There's no point in lying or candy-coating anything. It's been bad.

 

"I don't know if it's not being out there much in your career and you get out there and you are overexposed. Before, I would play one [game] in right, one in center and maybe play third. But when you go out there on a daily basis, you see the stuff you need to work on to get better at a certain position."

 

It's something I need to work on in the winter and try to get better defensively, because it has been absolutely terrible this year," Mackowiak said. "My routes are not as crisp as a guy like Brian's are. You are taking banana routes to balls and it becomes a struggle.

 

"You continue to keep trying to get better, but it's frustrating because it's an important position up the middle to have good defense. It's frustrating to not do your best out there and that it sometimes hurts the team."

Maybe Ozzie should read the f***ing paper, and keep Mack out of center. The only one who thinks Mack can play CF seems to be Ozzie only.

 

Mackowiak has earned even more respect from me. He's telling Ozzie and us fans that he shouldn't be playing center field with regularity! Not only did he say his center field defense was "horrible," he specifically mentioned Brian by name and how he's a better option.

 

This is exactly how Mack should handle this situation. He can't insult his manager saying he's foolish to start him over BA, he can't go to Ozzie and tell him to play him over Podsednik in Left. He respectfully made his point to Ozzie and us fans, that he's trying his best but thinks the team's better with BA starting.

 

The way he handled it offers the best chance at changing the situation for the better. Well done Mack.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I just finished reading this whole thread. I couldn't find one post, not one, that I disagreed with. I made it known a couple weeks ago how I felt about this team. I've see enough. This team is nowhere near as good as we thought it was gonna be. I've accepted that fact. And, if we get into the playoffs, it will be because we backed into them. This team doesn't deserve jack. If Liriano and Radke were healthy, I would already be looking towards 2007.

[SoxHawk1980]

Contreras is hurt. His back has a problem. He went from throwing 97 consistantly to now he cant hit 93 consistantly. He also went from predominantly over the top, using side arm as an out pitch for the sweeping slider and running fastball to predominately a side arm pitcher who doesnt follow through. I am surprised that they havent done a put up or shut up on Jose's health.

 

If you think he is just done then I suggest you review reality. Next spring, poof he will be back to hitting mid 90s with great stuff. Back injuries to a pitcher, epsecially a power pitcher can just shut them down.

First, unless you have some inside information I don't know about, you have no idea if Contreras is injured at all, much less that he has a back problem. Personally I think he has some minor injury which is causing him pain when he pitches but that's all. What I do know is that the odds are that he is 40+ years of age. How many pitchers bounce back and improve after age 40. This is why it was never a good idea to sign Contreras to a long-term deal.

 

So, your prediction of Contreras magically snapping back to top form with a fastball in the mid 90's next spring amounts to wishful thinking. It is possible, but unlikely.

 

Also, I hope your speculation about a back injury isn't true. Back injuries tend to nag, linger and recur, particularly at Count's age. I'd much rather it was some muscular soreness or a minor fraying of the labrum. A nagging back problem is the kind of thing that could make count a 5+ ERA pitcher for the rest of his career.

[southsideirish71]

First, unless you have some inside information I don't know about, you have no idea if Contreras is injured at all, much less that he has a back problem. Personally I think he has some minor injury which is causing him pain when he pitches but that's all. What I do know is that the odds are that he is 40+ years of age. How many pitchers bounce back and improve after age 40. This is why it was never a good idea to sign Contreras to a long-term deal.

 

So, your prediction of Contreras magically snapping back to top form with a fastball in the mid 90's next spring amounts to wishful thinking. It is possible, but unlikely.

 

Also, I hope your speculation about a back injury isn't true. Back injuries tend to nag, linger and recur, particularly at Count's age. I'd much rather it was some muscular soreness or a minor fraying of the labrum. A nagging back problem is the kind of thing that could make count a 5+ ERA pitcher for the rest of his career.

 

 

The inside information is that he went on the DL for Sciatica earlier this year. They jabbed a needle in his spine(an epdidural to calm it down), if it was something minor they wouldnt of given him that. Before he was on the DL he was throwing the ball 95-97, and was pretty much over the top, dropping down only to give a righty a different arm angle. Now he is exclusively 91-92, and is throwing sidearm to every right handed hitter. You dont need to be sherlock holmes to figure this one out.

[Cerbaho-WG]

The inside information is that he went on the DL for Sciatica earlier this year. They jabbed a needle in his spine(an epdidural to calm it down), if it was something minor they wouldnt of given him that. Before he was on the DL he was throwing the ball 95-97, and was pretty much over the top, dropping down only to give a righty a different arm angle. Now he is exclusively 91-92, and is throwing sidearm to every right handed hitter. You dont need to be sherlock holmes to figure this one out.

 

This is sadly the case. On one hand you're glad to see Contreras give it his all out there, but on the other, he's injured and isn't helping the team. There's nothing wrong with taking September off, plug BMac into the rotation and hopefully come back in October with recharged batteries.

 

With regards to what Mack said, he's earned even more respect from me. He's a great asset to have, but everyone except for Ozzie knows he should playing left field instead. Thankfully he contributes a lot from the offensive side of things.