The White Sox are just exhausted

[macsandz]

As we observe the team in the past several weeks it's obvious by the injuries, blown leads, slumps, mental mistakes...etc. that this team is just fried. It took so much to climb back from 9.5 games out and gain 12 games back to top the division, that they have nothing left right now. Couple that with the several intense Twins series, the series against the buzz-saw that is now the Orioles and the KC schedule screw that just happened and the boys are giving away games constantly. This is not to say they can't take this division next month as I think they can, but they are gonna needs some breaks to start to go their way and serious recovery time to get back on their feet. Hopefully the Sept call ups can provide a little help. I also think that Kenny acquiring Manny would be a huge jolt to the franchise. There is not much we can do about the beleaguered bullpen right now so it's time to add offense as a way to take the pressure off. Having Manny protecting Rios would do wonders for his slump and slotting Konerko behind him would really setup a dynamic heart of the order.

Edited August 23, 2010 by bucket-of-suck

[greg775]

Fair analysis.

But all teams are tired now. Gotta suck it up.

[dmbjeff]

well they were built on pitching and defense. they lost peavy, the bullpen has been bad. it is as simple as that. edwin jackson deal has helped give us a decent starter, but freddy hasn't been too solid lately and the offense all season hasnt been all that good obviously, you can't when your DH tandem should and would be DFA'd on most other teams. that June to Aug run was amazing but unbelievably lucky. they just were never that good, especially against the AL.

[Quin]

Acquiring Manny will propel them to the offseason, but thats about it.

 

Adding Threets and a few other bullpen arms will help come September.

[fathom]

The downfall/struggles of Quentin and Rios since the ASB are the biggest reasons for this team's failures (besides the obvious bullpen issues). Konerko has been a stready, great contributor all season. However, if you look at the players who are hitting well now, none of them are in a position to really knock in a ton of runs. Pierre, Vizquel, Beckham (and even Kotsay, to some extent) are swinging the bats well. However, Pierre/Omar don't have the power to knock in numerous runners per game, and Beckham in the 9 spot has not allowed him to be a dynamic force despite his .350 or so batting average over the last 35 games. We've said it before, but Rios has really hurt this lineup since the ASB by killing a lot of the momentum when Pierre/Omar get on base. Then you get to Quentin, who cannot seem to do anything productive on the road. It's a recipe for disaster given the lack of power at so many of our positions. The one man who really needs to get more at bats is Castro, as he's been an absolute beast. I don't care if Ozzie despises playing both of his catchers in a game...his bat is the hottest on the squad and when your offense is struggling, you need to do everything you can.

[WinningUgly85]

Acquiring Manny will propel them to the offseason, but thats about it.

 

Adding Threets and a few other bullpen arms will help come September.

 

They need to regroup and retool. Getting Manny would def help.

[greg775]

Nice post, Fathom.

 

We are five out. The race is pretty much over if it gets to 7. We got off life support once before this season; can't see it happening twice. We are down on an 8 count. Just two counts to go. If we fall seven back I hope we bring up Viciedo and Flowers and play them and give Sale some starts.

Maybe even give Pena more starts and see if he's a starter. He's been a pretty mediocre reliever.

Just release Linebrink. Eat the money, White Sox.

We can let Kotsay's contract run out, but Linebrink should really depart.

Edited August 23, 2010 by greg775

[Dick Allen]

Acquiring Manny will propel them to the offseason, but thats about it.

 

Adding Threets and a few other bullpen arms will help come September.

I know I'm in the vast minority but I don't see where acquiring a 38 year old juicer who has been hurt most of the year would be all that beneficial to the White Sox unless KW also has a time machine. Of course that has never stopped him before.

[BigSqwert]

Tired? I guess this rotating DH solution wasn't so beneficial after all.

[hogan873]

Tired? I guess this rotating DH solution wasn't so beneficial after all.

Hey now! That whole rotating DH issue hasn't been the problem!

 

Look at Kotsay. He's gotten some...I mean, he has been good at...well, I like his beard.

[chetkincaid]

I wonder if LaRoche or Damon is KWs backup plan if the Manny thing doesn't pan out? If the Sox fall 7 games out, I don't think the Sox will be adding anything.

[mmmmmbeeer]

The downfall/struggles of Quentin and Rios since the ASB are the biggest reasons for this team's failures (besides the obvious bullpen issues). Konerko has been a stready, great contributor all season. However, if you look at the players who are hitting well now, none of them are in a position to really knock in a ton of runs. Pierre, Vizquel, Beckham (and even Kotsay, to some extent) are swinging the bats well. However, Pierre/Omar don't have the power to knock in numerous runners per game, and Beckham in the 9 spot has not allowed him to be a dynamic force despite his .350 or so batting average over the last 35 games. We've said it before, but Rios has really hurt this lineup since the ASB by killing a lot of the momentum when Pierre/Omar get on base. Then you get to Quentin, who cannot seem to do anything productive on the road. It's a recipe for disaster given the lack of power at so many of our positions. The one man who really needs to get more at bats is Castro, as he's been an absolute beast. I don't care if Ozzie despises playing both of his catchers in a game...his bat is the hottest on the squad and when your offense is struggling, you need to do everything you can.

 

 

It's infuriating that Beckham is STILL hitting out of the 9 hole at this point in the season.

 

[Balta1701]

I wonder if LaRoche or Damon is KWs backup plan if the Manny thing doesn't pan out? If the Sox fall 7 games out, I don't think the Sox will be adding anything.

The Sox could have had either of them already, and unless Manram gives you a 1.200 OPS the rest of the way, having the other guy in the lineup for the extra 2 weeks would have made even more of a difference.

 

We're not adding a bat. Mark Kotsay is our DH. End of discussion.

[chetkincaid]

The Sox could have had either of them already, and unless Manram gives you a 1.200 OPS the rest of the way, having the other guy in the lineup for the extra 2 weeks would have made even more of a difference.

 

We're not adding a bat. Mark Kotsay is our DH. End of discussion.

 

 

Eh... I hope you're wrong. Apparently Steve Stone is saying that something big might happen this week.

[hogan873]

Eh... I hope you're wrong. Apparently Steve Stone is saying that something big might happen this week.

And I hope he's right. I'm not sure the Sox can get back on top, but having a bat better than Kotsay's right now would be sweet.

[chetkincaid]

And I hope he's right. I'm not sure the Sox can get back on top, but having a bat better than Kotsay's right now would be sweet.

 

 

That's what I'm saying. I said I hope he is wrong about Mark Kotsay being the DH.

[elrockinMT]

Eh... I hope you're wrong. Apparently Steve Stone is saying that something big might happen this week.

 

 

I thought Steve Stone was off this weekend? What is he saying? It could be the something big is Thornton going on the DL and Threets being reactivated and that's it

[BigSqwert]

I thought Steve Stone was off this weekend? What is he saying? It could be the something big is Thornton going on the DL and Threets being reactivated and that's it

Didn't he also say we would see a huge move at the trade deadline? I guess he meant we'd give up our cheap #4/5 starter for the next 5 years for an expensive 14 month rental.

[hogan873]

Didn't he also say we would see a huge move at the trade deadline? I guess he meant we'd give up our cheap #4/5 starter for the next 5 years for an expensive 14 month rental.

I think Stone had heard about the potential Manny deal and was talking about that. Still, I don't put a lot of faith in his prediction that something big will go down.

 

On a side note, do you think if Jackson performs well (as he has so far) into next season that the Sox won't try to re-sign him? Would he be too expensive?

[Buehrlesque]

On a side note, do you think if Jackson performs well (as he has so far) into next season that the Sox won't try to re-sign him? Would he be too expensive?

His agent is Scott Boras. Most likely, there's your answer.

[hogan873]

His agent is Scott Boras. Most likely, there's your answer.

Ah. I see.

[chisoxfan09]

His agent is Scott Boras. Most likely, there's your answer.

 

Well if we offer him arbitration and he declines and finishes the year as a type A (Big if but he has the potential to be a very good starter) then we get 2 picks. Not bad still.

[kitekrazy]

The pitching has sucked this year. There's no DH out there or ever will be to conquer that. It's not easy to manage in the big leagues when your pitching sucks. I know it's hard for some people to grasp that the season was lost coming out of the gate because of pitching and now the only way for Sox to win games is if games are 6 innings.

 

Since we like to get in the habit of blaming coaches, maybe Coop is no longer useful.

 

 

[Milkman delivers]

The pitching has sucked this year. There's no DH out there or ever will be to conquer that. It's not easy to manage in the big leagues when your pitching sucks. I know it's hard for some people to grasp that the season was lost coming out of the gate because of pitching and now the only way for Sox to win games is if games are 6 innings.

 

Since we like to get in the habit of blaming coaches, maybe Coop is no longer useful.

 

I love when people make posts like this, basically calling everyone idiots.

[hogan873]

The pitching has sucked this year. There's no DH out there or ever will be to conquer that. It's not easy to manage in the big leagues when your pitching sucks. I know it's hard for some people to grasp that the season was lost coming out of the gate because of pitching and now the only way for Sox to win games is if games are 6 innings.

 

Since we like to get in the habit of blaming coaches, maybe Coop is no longer useful.

If there was any part of the team most fans were comfortable with it was the pitching. Unfortunately the starting pitching began badly while the bullpen was decent. Then there was a stretch when both were great. Now the bullpen is struggling. But to say the season was a lost cause before it started (because of the pitching) is a very uninformed post.