After this ugly loss going into the All-Star Break we are still a game and a 1/2 up in 1st place. We have 2 All-Stars (should have at least 5) Thome has gotten his average up to .253, Danks and Floyd are alot better than most thought at the begining of the season, we have a Rookie of the Year canidate in Alexi and Juan Uribe is still with the team

 

So looking on the Bright Side, we are alot better than the so called experts thought we'd be and hopefully the second half (I know it's not really the 1/2 way point) we'll be even better

Edited July 13, 200817 yr by Jim Spencer

We're fine, but the Konerko issue has to be addressed. He can't field anymore, and he gives so many horrible at bats. I've never seen a guy ruin a 4 for 4 with a walk day by being twice as bad the next day as he was good the previous one like PK did today. We look so much better with him out, and with Thome hitting now, you can even moreso afford to have one of the defensive minded guys like Wise or Anderson in CF and Swish at 1B.

Edited July 13, 200817 yr by whitesoxfan101

There is nothing to address with Konerko. It's either they trade him somewhere or he's starting at 1B for the Sox. They're not going to have the $12M team captain sitting on the bench.

There is nothing to address with Konerko. It's either they trade him somewhere or he's starting at 1B for the Sox. They're not going to have the $12M team captain sitting on the bench.

 

I agree, and he really can't be traded. They won't bench him, and he'll probably continue to hurt the team. It is a very bad spot, but there is nothing any of us can do about it.

After this ugly loss going into the All-Star Break we are still a game and a 1/2 up in 1st place. We have 2 All-Stars (should have at least 5) Thome has gotten his average up to .253, Danks and Floyd are alot better than most thought at the begining of the season, we have a Rookie of the Year canidate in Alexi and Juan Uribe is still with the team

 

So looking on the Bright Side, we are alot better than the so called experts thought we'd be and hopefully the second half (I know it's not really the 1/2 way point) we'll be even better

I'd love to know who your 5 are because I can think of 4 maybe 5 tops.

 

Not only is Thome's average up to .253 but his OPS is at .887 (14th best in the AL) and he's doing the majority of his damage on the road.

There is nothing to address with Konerko. It's either they trade him somewhere or he's starting at 1B for the Sox. They're not going to have the $12M team captain sitting on the bench.

 

 

He has to Ok any trades (5 & 10 guy) plus who's going to want him with his salary?

 

This is a looking at the bright side thread: Looking on the bright side, Paulie has a higher average than Danks and Buehrle (.167)

I'd love to know who your 5 are because I can think of 3 maybe 4 tops.

 

Not only is Thome's average up to .253 but his OPS is at .887 and he's doing the majority of his damage on the road.

 

Crede and Quentin are already picked (even though I wouldn't pick Crede), Linebrink, Dye, and AJ would make 5.

 

Crede and Quentin are already picked (even though I wouldn't pick Crede), Linebrink, Dye, and AJ would make 5.

 

Danks?

Danks?

You're welcome?

On the bright side...THIS TEAM IS IN FIRST PLACE!!!

 

Also, let's see what Konerko does in the first couple of games after the break. Maybe he will realize that this is a game and chill out and just play. At least I hope so.

I guess you're right. If the Sox would have won today, though, it would have been perfect: kept Detroit their distance but would have put Minny back another game, and then the Brewers and Cards won while the Cubs lost.

 

The bright side, though, is that we're 2 up at the break and we should sweep KC at home and should win 2/3 from Texas at home (knowing how well we play at home). That could be a good 3-5 games up going to Detroit, and even there we should win 2/3. I'd take a split in Minnesota, although knowing we'll have Contreras, Buehrle, Floyd, and Danks going, that could be 3/4 for us.

The Sox sure have a lot of problems when they play in Texas.

The bright side is we are in first place as you all said.

I think KW should make a deal this year. Why not?

When we are going well, it looks like the team is set. But this year I'd be all for a deal.

What deal? Dunno. I trust KW to make a good one.

Well, if you don't feel all that bright-sidey about things, think about this. We have 7 games left with Minny, and none of those will be played in Chicago.

You know that no one feels worse about the poor performance today than Konerko himself. We should be rallying around him and not trying to burn him at the stake. I think Paulie will get things turned around in the second half. He is hitting the ball hard when he does hit it and that's got to be a good sign.

You know that no one feels worse about the poor performance today than Konerko himself. We should be rallying around him and not trying to burn him at the stake. I think Paulie will get things turned around in the second half. He is hitting the ball hard when he does hit it and that's got to be a good sign.

 

Not holding my breath. My bright side would be the Dodgers taking Konerko and Uribe for Kemp.

Konerko has been awful this season, but for the most part he has an excuse (injuries). He's been back what 5 games and had one very good one, one solid one and a couple bad ones.

 

Bottom line we shouldn't really be making any final decisions on him for at least 15-20 games (and than at that point, if he hasn't done s***, than I think its obviously time to start considering not playing him everyday). The reality is the club is counting on him and we can only hope he's finally healthy and its just a matter of time until the timing clicks and he starts producing.

 

Defensively I have no idea what to say other than he isn't the only Sox that has blown balls defensively this year. He had a horrible game, get over it people. He also had a great approach earlier in the game in a key situation and Byrd just happened to be shaded at the right spot.

Best way to look at this:

If you were told that we would be in 1st place in this division at the All Star break, four months ago........everyone would have been ecstatic!

Yes, we should win this division.....no question. But we are only two games back in the loss column for the best record in baseball. The second half will be exciting, we are at least guaranteed that is something we should all be looking forward to.

Best way to look at this:

If you were told that we would be in 1st place in this division at the All Star break, four months ago........everyone would have been ecstatic!

Yes, we should win this division.....no question. But we are only two games back in the loss column for the best record in baseball. The second half will be exciting, we are at least guaranteed that is something we should all be looking forward to.

Exactly. This team has lost at least 10 games which they should have won, imo. I'm sure they've won a few that they shouldn't have won either. Bottom line the squad is in first place and I have little to gripe about when it comes to something like that.

All you have to do is bump the where the sox will finish predictions thread to see that most Sox fans should be overjoyed at being in 1st place. I predicted a .500 or worse team based on only 1 or 2 of the young players improving on last season along with career norms for the rest of the team. Almost every young guy has done way better than expected. CQ, Alexei, Danks and Floyd in particular have catapulted this team into a bonafide contender. The bullpen's 1st half numbers far exceed the numbers from last year. I fully expect the young hitters to keep up the pace. It's the pitchers I worry about returning to the mean. But if everyone keeps doing what they're doing we're a playoff bound team and I couldn't be happier about that.