I honestly wish that Contreras was somewhere else.

He's the dead weight in our rotation so far this year.

 

Lance Broadway might do better.

I actually not ready to write Contreras off yet. He doesn't have the 95 MPH fastball and 87 MPH splitter anymore, but he's still about a league average #3 or #4 starter, and he's pitched well in pretty much every clutch situation put forth at him. If he can stay healthy or if the Sox can keep him rested well enough throughout the year, he'll be just fine, and that I have no doubt about.

I actually not ready to write Contreras off yet. He doesn't have the 95 MPH fastball and 87 MPH splitter anymore, but he's still about a league average #3 or #4 starter, and he's pitched well in pretty much every clutch situation put forth at him. If he can stay healthy or if the Sox can keep him rested well enough throughout the year, he'll be just fine, and that I have no doubt about.

 

Well there you have it! Great performance by the Count tonight. He had his fastball in the 92MPH range even into the 7th (Jenks at 94-95), and had great command and movement on his pitches. If he can just be league average and stay healthy it will be a huge boost to the pitching staff.

FIRE JIM THOME!!1!!

The pitching is as good as it literally could be but the offense really is stagnant. They are showing signs of last season again. Two days in a row against sub-par pitching where they have done very little as far as consistency goes.

 

This team should kill LHP.

I honestly wish that Contreras was somewhere else.

He's the dead weight in our rotation so far this year.

 

Lance Broadway might do better.

If Contreras is going to keep pitching lights-out like this I'm going to keep bashing him and talking about how bad he sucks. I'm superstitious.

If Contreras is going to keep pitching lights-out like this I'm going to keep bashing him and talking about how bad he sucks. I'm superstitious.

You won't see me changing my tune. He's old and overpaid.

 

For what he's making money-wise, tonight should be the rule, not the exception.

 

 

For what he's making money-wise, tonight should be the rule, not the exception.

 

It would seem you are unfamiliar with the going rate for veteran #4 or #5 starters.

 

It would seem you are unfamiliar with the going rate for veteran #4 or #5 starters.

$10 million a year is too much for a #4 or 5 SP.

$10 million a year is too much for a #4 or 5 SP.

 

Yeah, Jose's contract is clearly the one big mistake we've made in terms of "unmovable contracts." However, I'm not ready to give up on him yet. Should he return to the pitcher he was in the beginning of 06', he'd probably be earning his $ (I don't think he will ever return to the guy he was from May of 05' through the WS).

Help me with this one.

 

''The reason we are where we are is because of Uribe,'' Guillen said. ''He turns big double plays for us. Our defense has been great.

 

''Obviously, he's going to strike out; we all know that. But since spring training, he's always given me good at-bats, and that's what we expect.

 

Exactly what about a typical Uribe AB would one consider a good AB. Is it the first pitch popup after 2 guys walked, or is it the swinging as hard as he can and missing the 45 foot dribbler that the pitcher threw out on 2 strikes to see what if.

 

 

Help me with this one.

 

 

 

Exactly what about a typical Uribe AB would one consider a good AB. Is it the first pitch popup after 2 guys walked, or is it the swinging as hard as he can and missing the 45 foot dribbler that the pitcher threw out on 2 strikes to see what if.

 

Well, I think we often forget that Ozzie is human, and has to be in the presence of these players every day for 9 months or more. It's a bit difficult to rip on these guys in the media when he knows he's going to be standing next to him at the urinal tomorrow afternoon. If you've ever coached or managed any number of people, you can realize how it might be difficult to be blatantly honest about a person's failures if you know that person will become aware of your comments.

 

Additionally, for what little it's worth, Juan does seem to be seeing more pitches these days, which is what Ozzie claims are "better at bats."

 

Either way, it doesn't matter. The fate of this team has little to do with what Juan Uribe does offensively. It does have a heck of a lot more to do with what he does defensively.

$10 million a year is too much for a #4 or 5 SP.

 

I'm not saying what is or isn't. I'm just referring to what the actual market rate is.

Carlos Silva got 4 years and $48 million this offseason, you'll recall. Barry Zito is making 74 infinity dollars.

I'm not saying what is or isn't. I'm just referring to what the actual market rate is.

Carlos Silva got 4 years and $48 million this offseason, you'll recall. Barry Zito is making 74 infinity dollars.

 

^that

 

Jose Contreras is only hard to move because he's injury prone, he's older than dirt, and he was absolutely terrible last year. His contract has little to do with it, and if he can put up an ERA around 4.75-5.00, he'll be absolutely fine as a 4th starter.

I miss the 98 mph fastball Jenks. This 4 pitch stuff isn't going to cut it all season.

Uribe.

I question Ozzie's handling of the relief tonight.

 

Why pitch Linebrink (8th) and Jenks (9th) just because the manager's rule book says so?

 

Certainly they've both pitched quite a bit in the last 14 days. (Jenks 9 IP/Appearances; Linebrink 5 IP/6 App.)

 

Why not have Logan in the 7th (4.1 IP/5 App.), Dotel to the 8th, (4.1 IP/5 App.) then Thornton (4 IP/ 3 App.) to close it?

 

None of those guys have pitched as much lately as Jenks or Linebrink. In fact, Line-y has started looking tired out there since Tuesday's game vs. Oakland.

 

I miss the 98 mph fastball Jenks. This 4 pitch stuff isn't going to cut it all season.

but it did cut it for 41 consecutive saves?

With the way he managed tonight, he got the ball to his closer with a two run lead. Jenks blew the game, and a loss followed.

 

I believe that the reason he gave up runs was that he and Linebrink have been pushed out there too much lately and were tired.

There are downsides to winning. Killing your setup man and closer by pitching them too many games in a row is one of them.

I believe that the reason he gave up runs was that he and Linebrink have been pushed out there too much lately and were tired.

There are downsides to winning. Killing your setup man and closer by pitching them too many games in a row is one of them.

 

very true post. I guess the blown saves are going to happen. What I want to see is how this team responds to the let down

thome, konerko, and uribe should not be given a free pass because we're winning, these 3 players should be held to a certain standard of performance given how much they are being paid, it's unacceptable that they're not playing up to their potential, and yeah uribe's potential is way higher than how he's played the last 3 years (2004 wasn't terrible)

 

perhaps a..

 

swish

cab

dye

thome

konerko

aj

quentin

crede

uribe

 

lineup, wouldn't be so terrible until these guys start hitting. let dye get more RBI opportunities since he's actually hitting the ball right now, by batting 4th

Edited April 18, 200817 yr by joesaiditstrue

I believe that the reason he gave up runs was that he and Linebrink have been pushed out there too much lately and were tired.

 

Can we pin the blame for this loss on the A.J. miscue, letting Millar get on base and eventually score? Sure, it's fluky, but that's kinda how this loss felt: fluky.

I blame myself.. when Bobby was coming up in the 9th; the O's broadcasters announced he hadn't blown a save, and I thought to myself that he was due. I'm sorry.

I really can't fault Ozzie in the least tonight. With the way he managed tonight, he got the ball to his closer with a two run lead. What more can you ask for in a game? Jenks blew the game, and a loss followed. Go back out tomorrow and get a W.

If Ozzie blew anything, it was not having Anderson in defensively in the ninth. If he were in for Dye, the double would have easily been cut off and would have been a single. If everything else then went the same, the tying run would never have scored, but I doubt Ozzie will be lifting Dye for defense in a non blowout.

If Ozzie blew anything, it was not having Anderson in defensively in the ninth. If he were in for Dye, the double would have easily been cut off and would have been a single. If everything else then went the same, the tying run would never have scored, but I doubt Ozzie will be lifting Dye for defense in a non blowout.

He should have pinch run for Dye with Anderson first.