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Sox @ Cubs in Mesa - Rivalry pre-season game 1


NorthSideSox72
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Wise must be playing on the warning track if that last one landed where it shows it on Gameday and was only a single.

 

Thank god this game isn't being telecasted! I'm sure the Tribune will make it into a headline sports story though. This game has turned into Little Big Horn for the White Sox.

 

And to think, once upon a time, Russell and Wasserman looked like future contributors to our bullpen.

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QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 28, 2009 -> 02:23 PM)
And to think, once upon a time, Russell and Wasserman looked like future contributors to our bullpen.

They still could be. It's February for crying out loud. People can be disasters in spring training and just be working on something, or having bad days, or having arm troubles, or not ready, or who knows. The Sox have put up a losing record, fairly badly, in ST every year since what, 2004?

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QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Feb 28, 2009 -> 05:16 PM)
I guess that might be the end of the Adam Russell era.

 

At least in the two games we've gotten pounded, the starting pitchers (Marquez/Richard) have both looked very good.

 

Russell sporting the 36 ERA, Dotel at 22.50 and Wasserman's is "down" to 9.00. LHP Randy Williams (ex-Marlins) has pitched two scoreless outings now. Don't get too excited yet, he's a 33 or 34 year old veteran.

 

On the hitting front, Quentin doesn't have a hit yet, Josh Kroeger has cooled down after a hot start, same with Lilli. DeWayne Wise has been the hitting "star," two for three today to get him up to .667.

 

Is is just me or is it lot more exciting when Viciedo and Beckham play in the same line-up? Hopefull that will happen in one of the webcasted games soon...would love to see how they look. At least Sunday's game is on MLB.TV and radio.

 

Russell's 36 ERA replaced by Salmon's 81. He's really getting filleted and sauteed out there!!!!

 

Russell quickly gives up five hits, a walk, 4 ER (so far) and leaves the bases loaded WITH NO OUTS for Salmon to give up a GS here probably.

 

And to think, none of it means anything!

 

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Well, yes, anything is possible...but I really get a sense that with so much competition around those 1-2 spots in the bullpen, it will take a Herculean efforts to recover from the ditch that Russell has already dug himself. Seems to be a mental issue with him, he has the size and the stuff to be effective. It's not like Dotel where you can afford to overlook his early outings and use the excuse he's just working on stuff....he doesn't have that luxury at this point in his career yet.

 

Wasserman, you know what you get with him...Russell seems a lot more like an Aardsma, Sisco or Politte, someone that could put it all together one year and have a 2.25 ERA and then be horrible again.

 

I don't think we have even seen Jimenez (Blue Jays pick-up), unless he pitched against the Dodgers yesterday in the B game.

 

I agree, the record means next to nothing, neither does the score. Actually, to be .500 after four games is a surprise!!!

 

However, don't kid yourself that Ozzie and KW don't look at the individual performances, even as early as the first week...and we can't say it means nothing, because ST allowed Logan to basically jump from A ball to the majors because he pitched so well. It's hard to ignore giving up 7-8 runs in 2 innings. I mean, in 2005, some of our relievers didn't do that for half-season stretches.

 

Gordon Beckham finally makes an appearance, PHing for Thome. GO to 1B. now 1 for 4 (2B) on the season.

Edited by caulfield12
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QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 28, 2009 -> 10:24 PM)
They still could be. It's February for crying out loud. People can be disasters in spring training and just be working on something, or having bad days, or having arm troubles, or not ready, or who knows. The Sox have put up a losing record, fairly badly, in ST every year since what, 2004?

 

 

I just haven't been impressed with Wasserman. He does good for a few games and then seems (prior to this ST) to get shellacked after that. Consistency is more bad than good. Russell must still be long tossing it and not pitching

Edited by elrockinMT
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QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Feb 28, 2009 -> 04:48 PM)
I just haven't been impressed with Wasserman. He does good for a few games and then seems (prior to this ST) to get shellacked after that. Consistency is more bad than good. Russell must still be long tossing it and not pitching

 

Is it just me or does Wasserman (and the an extent Russell) seem to be the career minor leaguer-type that is called up to the major league squad in favor of keeping promising prospective pitchers in the minors for more development?

 

He just screams cannon fodder to me.

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QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Feb 28, 2009 -> 07:34 PM)
Is it just me or does Wasserman (and the an extent Russell) seem to be the career minor leaguer-type that is called up to the major league squad in favor of keeping promising prospective pitchers in the minors for more development?

 

He just screams cannon fodder to me.

Wasserman, maybe, but Russell was once a decent prospect for this organization. The problem with Russell is that he has one plus pitch, his fastball. IF he can refine his change, and get some decent break on a curve or slider, he has a good chance of sucess in the majors. He already has a great frame, and live arm... in short, Coop can fix 'em.

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Well, that's exactly the problem that Cooper pointed out with Sisco and Aardsma. By the way, that Cooper ST article didn't highlight probably what was Don and Ozzie's biggest success, Jon Garland...

 

We know Russell has the size, but you can't get by with just one pitch...not when you're competing against 10 other guys for probably just one spot. Up until this point, even when he's throwing 94-98, he has gotten hammered at times in the big leagues. Of course we're not going to give up on him yet or release him, but he's been around Cooper for at least 3 years now at different points, you would think some of it might start to sink it. Maybe it's just our dearth of prospects over a 2-3 year period that elevated him to higher status than he deserved.

 

Yes, yes, I know it's just spring training. But I would be willing to bet anyone on this message board that Adam Russell doesn't make this team on April 6th. Not to mention the fact that Nunez went out there and got 3 K's and you know that KW always has a way of putting the players he traded for on the roster if there's a way he can justify it...like Julio Ramirez. Now if they don't perform, there's no fear to send them back down or release them (like D. Jimenez), but I would be almost shocked if Russell makes it.

 

Ozzie loves Carrasco, and there are a lot of young pitchers with live arms and multiple pitches and the ability to be starters/swing men for Russell or Wasserman to have much of a chance IMO.

 

 

 

 

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