June 25, 200322 yr It seems as if Billy Koch is enigmatic. He hasn't performed nearly to the expectations we had at the beginning of the year. Only recording 11 saves thus far is nowhere near where he should be right now. It seems as if he always comes out pitching erratic instead of taking command right away. I'm getting sick to my stomach every time I watch this guy pitch. Artie's gotta work on his techniques before he turns even more enigmatic.
June 25, 200322 yr sox were idiots for dealing him for foulke in the first place, anyone couldve seen foulke was a better closer and pitcher overall, but thats the sox for ya.
June 25, 200322 yr sox were idiots for dealing him for foulke in the first place, anyone couldve seen foulke was a better closer and pitcher overall, but thats the sox for ya. I'm still convinced that Keith MUST have had some kind of a falling out with management last season. A guy with the success that Keith Foulke had doesn't just get benched for having a few bad games. Something, I don't know what, happened behind the scenes and caused there to be an unfixable rift, and trading him was the only solution. I hope the Sox stay in this race and keep Koch, because he's in the upper level of closers IMO, and I'd hate to see the Sox give him up for nothing.
June 25, 200322 yr I'm still convinced that Keith MUST have had some kind of a falling out with management last season. A guy with the success that Keith Foulke had doesn't just get benched for having a few bad games. Something, I don't know what, happened behind the scenes and caused there to be an unfixable rift, and trading him was the only solution. I hope the Sox stay in this race and keep Koch, because he's in the upper level of closers IMO, and I'd hate to see the Sox give him up for nothing. There is no doubt about it. Frank Thomas and Royce Clayton played like s*** for long stretches of the season last year and only got benched for a game or two at a time at most. Keith Foulke has a bad stretch and never gets a chance to win back the closers role dispite how bad he was pitching, and then is traded right away in the off season. He pissed someone off.
June 25, 200322 yr There is no doubt about it. Frank Thomas and Royce Clayton played like s*** for long stretches of the season last year and only got benched for a game or two at a time at most. Keith Foulke has a bad stretch and never gets a chance to win back the closers role dispite how bad he was pitching, and then is traded right away in the off season. He pissed someone off. Steff? HSC? Insert insider information here.
June 25, 200322 yr Steff? HSC? Insert insider information here. Little edit there... " that should be dispite how well he was pitching
June 25, 200322 yr Foulke didn't want to be with the Sox anymore and I think the change has done him some good based on the numbers he's putting up this season. He will most likely make the all-star team if anyone has been watching him...
June 25, 200322 yr Foulke didn't want to be with the Sox anymore and I think the change has done him some good based on the numbers he's putting up this season. He will most likely make the all-star team if anyone has been watching him... Hmmm...but the Sox are the ones that made the decision to remove him from the closers' role. There had to be a reason.
June 25, 200322 yr Foulke didn't want to be with the Sox anymore and I think the change has done him some good based on the numbers he's putting up this season. He will most likely make the all-star team if anyone has been watching him... And Keith told you this... And no Clujer.. even though this is something I know a lot about - with hard evidence to go along - I'm not touching it. But you're close.
June 25, 200322 yr Foulke didn't want to be with the Sox anymore and I think the change has done him some good based on the numbers he's putting up this season. He will most likely make the all-star team if anyone has been watching him... Where do you get this assessment from??? I never heard a single quote that would suggest that.
June 25, 200322 yr Hmmm...but the Sox are the ones that made the decision to remove him from the closers' role. There had to be a reason. Exactly.
June 25, 200322 yr Exactly. C'mon Steff, don't pull this tactic. "I know what went on but I can't say" doesn't cut the mustard. Spill it sister.
June 25, 200322 yr C'mon Steff, don't pull this tactic. "I know what went on but I can't say" doesn't cut the mustard. Spill it sister. There was a disagreement. It centered around Kenny. Is that enough?
June 25, 200322 yr There was a disagreement. It centered around Kenny. Is that enough? Nopers. More! More! Disagreement regarding....????????
June 25, 200322 yr What does "enigmatic" mean? Like...he's an enigma. Kinda like a mirage I think. Just when you think it's there, it's not. "Hard to figure out" is another way of putting it. "Can't get a read on him" is another way. No?
June 25, 200322 yr Regarding Foulke: I don't know about any disagreements, however, I do know that Manuel lost confidence in Foulke. He wasn't going to use him and therefore it was time to move him. What we see in Koch is very similar to what Oakland saw. There is a reason the guy had 14 wins last year. Closers don't get that many unless they blow leads, the difference is the team he pitched for last year, could score in the late innings and win the game in spite of Koch.
June 25, 200322 yr Regarding Foulke: I don't know about any disagreements, however, I do know that Manuel lost confidence in Foulke. He wasn't going to use him and therefore it was time to move him. What we see in Koch is very similar to what Oakland saw. There is a reason the guy had 14 wins last year. Closers don't get that many unless they blow leads, the difference is the team he pitched for last year, could score in the late innings and win the game in spite of Koch. Nope, I don't buy the "Manuel lost confidence in him" statement. Foulke had a few bad games. PK this year had like 50 bad games before JM finally benched him (and that only lasted because Frank got on a roll and left JM no choice).
June 25, 200322 yr Sox should never have traded Keith Foulke. I was amazed that they did. Maybe it was that economics thing, but they turned around and signed Kock to a money deal. I think it was just a bad move and really had no basis in performance because Keith turned it around the second half of the season. There had to be more to the story, but we will probably never know. Now it is possible Foulke could leave Oakland as a free agent is that not correct?
June 25, 200322 yr Sox should never have traded Keith Foulke. I was amazed that they did. Maybe it was that economics thing, but they turned around and signed Kock to a money deal. I think it was just a bad move and really had no basis in performance because Keith turned it around the second half of the season. There had to be more to the story, but we will probably never know. Now it is possible Foulke could leave Oakland as a free agent is that not correct? Ummm...I think that's true, yeah, Keith should be a FA after this season. Right?
June 25, 200322 yr Koch scares the hell out of me every time he comes into the game...i really have no confidence in him at all. If he came in to pitch a complete 9th inning up one run, i'd say my confidence of him holding on is about 60%
June 25, 200322 yr And Keith told you this... And no Clujer.. even though this is something I know a lot about - with hard evidence to go along - I'm not touching it. But you're close. smart girl...... i will add however... the manuel losing faith in keith thing is a smoke screne....that coupled with a payroll slashing is why keith is no longer with us......he does fine as a closer.....hes showing us that now in oaktown....he could have very well done it here too......but when you speak out of turn you usually get "cut out" around these parts......
June 25, 200322 yr Foulke was acquired by Schueler. KW wants to win with players he's responsible for getting, he wants all the credit. He's an ego-maniac. Did anyone else notice at the Soxfest seminars he always sat a chair away from everyone else on the stage, separating himself. At no time last year did Foulke pitch as bad as Koch has this year, yet he was removed from the closers role and Koch stays. KW looks like a bigger fool everytime Koch takes the mound. I hope Foulke gets 50 saves, he was awesome here except for one bad stretch, we were totally ripped off that trade.
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