caulfield12 Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/ra...ticle835291.ece I don't even think I've seen such a one-sided "hit job" on a team in post season, even one by Cubs' beat writers. Seriously, the White Sox will always have a "puncher's chance," and while they have pointed out a couple of obvious flaws in the White Sox, they haven't really considered many other important factors. 1) How a rusty Crawford will come back. 2) Can a team without Percival (off roster) and being led by JP Howell, Balfour and Dan Wheeler get it done in the heat of post-season? 3) The Rays' starters have no post-season experience...we at least have Buehrle and Jenks to lead the way. 4) The White Sox have very little pressure on them 5) The White Sox already have won the WS this decade, although of course Thome and Griffey would like to get their rings 6) In order to run, the D-Rays have to hit our pitching and get on base, and that's been very difficult to do the last three days. Mauer bunting? 7) Say what you want about Pierzynski's throwing and Vazquez and Floyd not holding runners on, we wouldn't have been there without any of those guys. 8) The White Sox have won 4 of 10 in the series, all they have to do is win one of the first two and the pressure shifts heavily to TB (if it's not already on them!) 9) The White Sox have respected veterans and leaders in Thome, Dye, Griffey, AJ, Konerko, Buehrle...who do the Rays have to fill that role? Matt Garza? Carlos Pena? Longoria? 10) 2001 Seattle Mariners 11) The White Sox have significant momentum now, and Rays have been playing so-so baseball for the better part of a month now. 12) The monkey is off our backs again, just like 05. I think the White Sox will really relax and play well, maybe even Vazquez. This really happened the last three games against CLE and then continued on into the post-season three years ago. Pessimism 1) White Sox only win about 20% of their games on turf. 2) Vazquez is starting Game 1, along with Dewayne Wise 3) White Sox never play well in domes, going back 20+ years to our struggles in Toronto at Skydome and SEA. 4) Jerry Owens and Adam Russell are on the roster. Maybe Owens will be the Willie Harris of 2005 Game 4! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Even if TB won the season series, it was VERY close to swining our way, epsecially when our 1-3 trip there could of very easily been 3-1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scenario Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I love how they throw in the Toronto and Twins games to try and make us look like a weak opponent. We were 3-4 at the Trop and we probably should have won a couple more of those games. Meh.... No matter. I'm glad they're giving us some locker room poster material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 This is their 11th season in the major leagues, and not only is it their first season in the playoffs, it's their first season not being one of the most pathetic franchises in North American sports. Their fans, beat writers, even players are a bit overexcited because they've never been here before, and to me that's understandable. Let's sneak in there and take advantage of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsideirish71 Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Yeah and it continues. AJ Crybaby Mask Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 i heard an interesting interview with pedro gomez on the series yesterday. although he didn't pick the white sox, he likened the rays to the 99 diamondbacks, who he covered that year as a beat writer. he said that diamondbacks team was really talented probably much moreso than the mets, and it won 100 games. but he said that group (although it did have some good veterans) struggled in that series (ultimately losing 3-1) because they'd never been in the playoffs as a group and were not prepared for the pressures of the postseason. he felt the sox had a better chance than others were giving them because their manager and a few key players have been here together before. gomez thought that gave the sox an immeasurable intangible benefit the rays wouldn't enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Zelig Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Eh, what do you expect from a Tampa newspaper? Its their first time in the playoffs, of course they are going to be positive. If the Sox need this article to get them up for this series, then they don't have a chance anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 Eh, you know, nothing in that article stuck out to me as blatantly false. The Sox do have their weaknesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Controlled Chaos Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 It's pretty simple. I don't care about the turf or the speed or whatever. If the Sox bats are hot...they'll crush. Rays can get as many bunt/slap hits/steals etc... they want, they won't keep up with the Sox if they're hitting. If the Sox bats are cold....and they need to scratch out a win...they're toast. The only thing that can save em would be a shutout and one long ball...ala the Twins game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I had to listen to the tgamba Bay announcers over XM when the Sox played there and they are the most one sided folks I have ever listened too. You can't expect anything from them except rudeness and insulting comments and analysis. Best way to show them what they really are and that's losers is to beat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iWiN4PreP Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 its funny living in tampa, tampa has got to be THE CORNIEST of all baseball franchises. These dumbass cowbells are the worst invention in all the league. A COWBELL? Are you serious??? Then they got these blue mohawk s*** things going on.. theres old guys young guys all of them together in mohawks, i guess their suppose to look like.. fishes? I just dont get it.. miami heat had that white out which was sick tho (in floridas defense), white sox got their sick black out (i love these ___ outs, they make the stadium look so dominant) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted October 2, 2008 Author Share Posted October 2, 2008 (edited) Dave Wills used to do White Sox games...you can't be referring to him, are you? I listened to their play-by-play team during the Twins-Rays series a couple of weeks back and found nothing objectionable. FWIW, I like (or liked) Wills as much as, and probably a little more than, Rongey. Maybe the trash talk by Longoria is what set me off. Not only is he a rookie who might very easily lose Rookie of the Year to our Alexei Ramirez (Vin Scully did a shout out to Alexei, saying that Chicago was now crowded with Aramis, Manny Being Manny Ramirez and Alexei)...but he violated the unspoken rule of never showing a preference for a particular opponent. It almost always comes back to bite you in the butt. Edited October 2, 2008 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBetsy Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I think they put the fact that every ESPN "expert" picked the Rays on the bulletin board as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa1334 Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 how the rays won 97 games and "The 89-win White Sox" yea like that really matters, ask the cubs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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