a great post overlooked in the game thread...

[Harry Chappas]

I have been away most of the weekend but my feeling was that this series would not be good. The O's on paper are decent. Millwood and Guthrie can win games and their line-up always gives the Sox fits.

 

My main concern is that he Sox turn it around at home but they have to play better on the road.

 

The negativity in general comes from the fact that fans tasted the World Series and a nice .500 record doesn't do it anymore.

[Greg Hibbard]

It's not a nice .500 record, though. It's a nice .568 record. Big difference.

 

I wouldn't be happy with a nice .500 record, even with the way we started at 24-33, because I had us penciled in for at least 12-6 in interleague against s*** NL teams, and a few more over as the season went along and we had home series against the likes of Sea and Oak and Bal and KC. I think I would have been happy with 85-87 wins, which I felt would have allowed us to compete for this division with what we had all expected earlier in the year...again, even with the way we started at 24-33. 83-84 wins I would have shrugged my shoulders at. 81-81 is and would have been a real disappointment.

 

This team, even with a 24-33 start, is currently on pace to win 92 games. That's an unreal number of wins, to me. If we were to win 92 games, and if the Twins were to win 93 games, and if we didn't get to the postseason via the WC, yes, I ABSOLUTELY tip my cap. 92 wins is a great season, especially given the Peavy injury and how thin our DH has been. It would be disappointing to have the Twins edge us out again, but I just don't know how we can look at the winning percentage this team currently has as anything but a real positive.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Greg Hibbard

[lord chas]

taking 3 out of 4 from the twinkies needs to happen

[BigSqwert]

taking 3 out of 4 from the twinkies needs to happen

When is this 4th game whence you speak of?

[jenksycat]

I'll never understand why it has to be one or the other. You can be a fan of the team, and involved in following them without needing to be extreme about it. Freaking out about everything doesn't make you more of a fan than the people who see only the positives, or vice versa. It almost gets to be a contest amongst the fans of each team to see who can out D-bag each other over who is more right, the optimists or pessimists. You can enjoy the game and the team, without needing to be an absolute homer or only expecting the worst. Being the loudest person doesn't mean anything.

 

^ That is the best post concerning this topic. Being to one extreme or the other is ridiculous, I think there's a lack of common sense and "we're the only f***ing team that this happens to!!!!" s***. Every team has horrible losses like we had. And we will have a few (hopefully not many) more through the rest of the season.

 

This place is like dealing with a schizophrenic 8 year old sometimes: we go down 2 runs and the season is over, Oz is horrible, KW failed, Bobby is fat, etc etc. Go up 3 runs and we are setting up our playoff rotation. This has been probably the most entertaining season we've had in years, I'm going to enjoy it and not give myself a brain aneurysm over not pinch hitting one average hitter for another average hitter in one game or whatever other arm-chair GM move should have been made.

 

We caught the Orioles at the absolute 100% worst time. Teams get a brief boost when they get a new manager/regime change. They just so happened to be trying for the first time in a while and we probably took this series too lightly. Split this one and take the Floyd/Danks games vs the Twinkles. If we lose 2 or 3 to them, then I'll get worried.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Jenksy Cat

[lord chas]

When is this 4th game whence you speak of?

oops this monday nite get away game goofed me up

[hogan873]

When is this 4th game whence you speak of?

Did...did you say "whence"?

[greg775]

I couldn't disagree with you more.

 

In fact, I don't know that I have ever disagreed with a series of posts more so than these that you've been posting over the course of the last week.

 

If I wanted to cheer on a team this way, I would wear a royal blue cap with a red "C" on it.

 

You disagree that we are a mediocre to decent team? What are we then? I criticize the team as well. I don't like Kotsay. I don't harp on it day after day after day. He's in the lineup against righties. That's how it is.

I'm still not crazy about Pierre. I despise Teahen, etc. I also hated Randy WIlliams and despise Linebrink and still am not crazy about guys like Pena.

Yes Kotsay sucks. Yes AJ is having a bad season offensively. Yes Bobby has blown some saves. We get it.

I just don't see how anybody would take the energy to write more about Kotsay on here. We know. He sucks.

 

I feel we're a mediocre to slightly above average team that is contending for a division title and I'm enjoying the baseball.

Edited August 9, 2010 by greg775

[Jordan4life_2007]

Badge, you are one of the last posters here I want gone (especially to one of the original guys). But at the same time, I'm not gonna beg you. Just do what you want to do. That said, we need those posters on this site that add solid arguments. As much as people rip Greg, I think he is actually a poster who keeps arguments/discussion (usually not smart, but 'discussion' nonetheless) key.

 

Agreed. Now Wite? Ship his ass outta here.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Jordan4life

[hogan873]

You disagree that we are a mediocre to decent team? What are we then? I criticize the team as well. I don't like Kotsay. I don't harp on it day after day after day. He's in the lineup against righties. That's how it is.

I'm still not crazy about Pierre. I despise Teahen, etc. I also hated Randy WIlliams and despise Linebrink and still am not crazy about guys like Pena.

Yes Kotsay sucks. Yes AJ is having a bad season offensively. Yes Bobby has blown some saves. We get it.

I just don't see how anybody would take the energy to write more about Kotsay on here. We know. He sucks.

 

I feel we're a mediocre to slightly above average team that is contending for a division title and I'm enjoying the baseball.

 

What are you saying here?

[southsider2k5]

You disagree that we are a mediocre to decent team? What are we then? I criticize the team as well. I don't like Kotsay. I don't harp on it day after day after day. He's in the lineup against righties. That's how it is.

I'm still not crazy about Pierre. I despise Teahen, etc. I also hated Randy WIlliams and despise Linebrink and still am not crazy about guys like Pena.

Yes Kotsay sucks. Yes AJ is having a bad season offensively. Yes Bobby has blown some saves. We get it.

I just don't see how anybody would take the energy to write more about Kotsay on here. We know. He sucks.

 

I feel we're a mediocre to slightly above average team that is contending for a division title and I'm enjoying the baseball.

 

For a little perspective, if we went .500 for the rest of the season, we would end up at 89-73. Who would have taken 89 wins going into this season? I don't think many people had expectations above that number.

[hogan873]

For a little perspective, if we went .500 for the rest of the season, we would end up at 89-73. Who would have taken 89 wins going into this season? I don't think many people had expectations above that number.

That's a good point. I'd be willing to bet that there were a number of posts before the season started saying that the divsion could be won with around 85 wins. The Sox shoud have no problem playing .500 ball the rest of the way. The trouble is that playing .500 ball the rest of the way probably won't win the division. I for one did not think it would take 92-93 wins to win the AL Central. That many wins is good baseball.

[witesoxfan]

Agreed. Now Wite? Ship his ass outta here.

 

I will also be taking my talents to South Beach.

[lostfan]

I will also be taking my talents to South Beach.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?...+to+south+beach

[lostfan]

I'll never understand why it has to be one or the other. You can be a fan of the team, and involved in following them without needing to be extreme about it. Freaking out about everything doesn't make you more of a fan than the people who see only the positives, or vice versa. It almost gets to be a contest amongst the fans of each team to see who can out D-bag each other over who is more right, the optimists or pessimists. You can enjoy the game and the team, without needing to be an absolute homer or only expecting the worst. Being the loudest person doesn't mean anything.

I have emotional swings sometimes but I think they're pretty normal when you're invested in a team the way I am... actually, when the Sox are bad (like I thought they'd be going into June) I get disconnected and tend to not care.