5/8/12 Sox vs Tribe IT STOPS TONIGHT

[Jake]

Alright guys...I sorta won my last game thread. I then did not make the next game thread We have not won since and I have to take responsibility. The past is the past, I cost us some games, but today we get back on track.

 

We're going to get some solid pitching from this guy:

 

 

And this guy is going to get hammered:

 

 

 

 

There will be no s***ty play today while Chris Sale gets his first save of the year and John Danks makes his way back into the good graces of Soxtalk!

[LittleHurt05]

JDIAA

[Cali]

I honestly have zero confidence in Danks right now. He's either hurt and not telling anyone or has just forgotten how to pitch. Both scare me equally.

 

I mean he's had stretches of inconsistancy throughout his entire career but this has just been brutal.

[flavum]

I don't even want to watch this one. I'll check at 9:30 and hope Danks did well, but I can't sit and wacth him get torched while Masterson shuts out our crap offense.

[TitoMB345]

Danks will give me 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, and we win 6-2. Let's do it!

[LittleHurt05]

ADA cf

Gordo 2b

Dunn DH

Paulie 1b

AJP c

Rios RF

Alexei SS

Tank LF

Brent M. 3b

[elrockinMT]

Alright guys...I sorta won my last game thread. I then did not make the next game thread We have not won since and I have to take responsibility. The past is the past, I cost us some games, but today we get back on track.

 

We're going to get some solid pitching from this guy:

 

 

And this guy is going to get hammered:

 

 

 

 

There will be no s***ty play today while Chris Sale gets his first save of the year and John Danks makes his way back into the good graces of Soxtalk!

 

 

I like your confidence. So yes let's stop the bleeding. A win would help everyone

[flavum]

It looks like they're giving Beckham one last shot at the 2-spot. Might as well.

[TitoMB345]

It looks like they're giving Beckham one last shot at the 2-spot. Might as well.

Agreed. It's not like he's going to disrupt any awesome mojo we have going. Give it a shot, if it works, great, if not, put him back at 8/9.

[fathom]

ADA cf

Gordo 2b

Dunn DH

Paulie 1b

AJP c

Rios RF

Alexei SS

Tank LF

Brent M. 3b

 

I like Beckham in the 2nd spot. But mercy, this is way too many righties in a lineup against someone with such extreme R/L splits like Masterson.

[LittleHurt05]

I like Beckham in the 2nd spot. But mercy, this is way too many righties in a lineup against someone with such extreme R/L splits like Masterson.

 

There are 3 lefties, who else do you have though? Fukudome?

[fathom]

There are 3 lefties, who else do you have though? Fukudome?

 

Part of the reason the roster was constructed poorly? I do think that Fukudome could give you good at bats against Masterson and his poor command. Sure seems like there's a ton of righty starters in our division though.

[southsider2k5]

Daryl Van Schouwen ‏ @CST_soxvan

 

Sox@Indians 6:05, CSN, 670: De Aza 8 Beckham 4 Dunn DH Konerko 3 Pierzynski 2 Rios 9 Ramirez 6 Viciedo 7 Morel 5; Danks v Masterson

[greg775]

Was just looking at the standings. Do you realize the Sox are just a game better than the Cubs and only have two fewer losses than the Royals? Time to start winning. Season could be ova by mid May.

Edited May 8, 2012 by greg775

[Eminor3rd]

Was just looking at the standings. Do you realize the Sox are just a game better than the Cubs and only have two fewer losses than the Royals? Time to start winning. Season could be ova by mid May.

 

I'm not usually this negative, but I have to point something out:

 

Has anyone else noticed that we're experiencing the elusive "bounce back" seasons from our scapegoats Dunn/Rios/Peavy and are still below .500? I was firmly on the side of "this team could win the Central in the unlikely event that everyone played well," but now that it's unfolding before me, I'm being forced to realize that this just isn't that great of a team.

 

Of course, I planned on Sale being a breakout SP and on Danks being better than Luke Hochevar, but there was no way that EVERYONE was going to work out.

[Balta1701]

I'm not usually this negative, but I have to point something out:

 

Has anyone else noticed that we're experiencing the elusive "bounce back" seasons from our scapegoats Dunn/Rios/Peavy and are still below .500? I was firmly on the side of "this team could win the Central in the unlikely event that everyone played well," but now that it's unfolding before me, I'm being forced to realize that this just isn't that great of a team.

 

Of course, I planned on Sale being a breakout SP and on Danks being better than Luke Hochevar, but there was no way that EVERYONE was going to work out.

If this is a bounceback season for Rios, it's still pretty darn bad so far.

 

And yes, this was entirely predictable. We lost multiple important pieces from last year because we cut $25 million in salary. We let Mark Buehrle go, we traded Quentin and Santos for minor leagues who are unlikely to contribute anything this year. We went into rebuilding mode. That meant we couldn't just win the division if Dunn, Rios, and Peavy got better, that'd just take us back to where we were last year, we also needed a number of other guys to get better for this team to be better. We needed nothing to go wrong, and Chris Sale has already gone wrong.

[fathom]

If this is a bounceback season for Rios, it's still pretty darn bad so far.

 

And yes, this was entirely predictable. We lost multiple important pieces from last year because we cut $25 million in salary. We let Mark Buehrle go, we traded Quentin and Santos for minor leagues who are unlikely to contribute anything this year. We went into rebuilding mode. That meant we couldn't just win the division if Dunn, Rios, and Peavy got better, that'd just take us back to where we were last year, we also needed a number of other guys to get better for this team to be better. We needed nothing to go wrong, and Chris Sale has already gone wrong.

 

Maybe my favorite post of the year, great job!

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I'm not usually this negative, but I have to point something out:

 

Has anyone else noticed that we're experiencing the elusive "bounce back" seasons from our scapegoats Dunn/Rios/Peavy and are still below .500? I was firmly on the side of "this team could win the Central in the unlikely event that everyone played well," but now that it's unfolding before me, I'm being forced to realize that this just isn't that great of a team.

 

Of course, I planned on Sale being a breakout SP and on Danks being better than Luke Hochevar, but there was no way that EVERYONE was going to work out.

 

Yeah, but everyone also assumed Sale would be in the rotation all year, Danks would be very good, Humber would be solid again, Reed would be closing out ballgames, and Morel would be hitting better. Yeah, we got the huge turn arounds from Peavy and Dunn, and decent production from Rios, but holes are appearing where we didn't expect them to.

[Eminor3rd]

Yeah, but everyone also assumed Sale would be in the rotation all year, Danks would be very good, Humber would be solid again, Reed would be closing out ballgames, and Morel would be hitting better. Yeah, we got the huge turn arounds from Peavy and Dunn, and decent production from Rios, but holes are appearing where we didn't expect them to.

 

I don't know though... I mean I don't think ever go into a season expecting everyone to perform average or above average. That's what our team needed, as Balta pointed out, and that's the mirage that gave the season a glimmer of hope.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Was just looking at the standings. Do you realize the Sox are just a game better than the Cubs and only have two fewer losses than the Royals? Time to start winning. Season could be ova by mid May.

 

Did you also realize theyre only 2 games behind the tigers and have the same record as the angels who before the season started were title contenders?.....there are 132 games left to play guys

[Eminor3rd]

Did you also realize theyre only 2 games behind the tigers and have the same record as the angels who before the season started were title contenders?.....there are 132 games left to play guys

 

Right, but what's going to improve? Our best players are playing well, and we can't expect the bad ones to get better. And we just sent our best starter to the bullpen.

[Balta1701]

Right, but what's going to improve? Our best players are playing well, and we can't expect the bad ones to get better. And we just sent our best starter to the bullpen.

If they do, we still have a shot, it's still early, but we absolutely need these guys to get better if we're going to compete this year. That said..if they don't get better, that's why it's a rebuilding year...if Beckham and Morel continue to fail, and Sale stays in the bullpen, then we'll know the places we need to upgrade in the offseason going in to next year. (and nicely, we at least appear to have one solid success in De Aza, who will fill a big need for the next several years cheaply if he just keeps doing what he's doing right now).

[2nd_city_saint787]

Right, but what's going to improve? Our best players are playing well, and we can't expect the bad ones to get better. And we just sent our best starter to the bullpen.

 

 

The slow starting cubans have yet to get goin. For as much heat Morel and Beckham have got theyre not the only ones doin bad at the dish and theyre bats mean less to the team than the cubans. We all know Lexi starts slow and once he gets goin he could be the spark plug this team needs, and hopefully Dayan shares that slow start tag as well and he becomes the middle of the lineup bat we all thought he would be. If those 2 guys get it going and Beckham continues to show strides of getting back to his former self then the offense will be fine.

Edited May 8, 2012 by 2nd_city_saint787

[Marty34]

If they do, we still have a shot, it's still early, but we absolutely need these guys to get better if we're going to compete this year. That said..if they don't get better, that's why it's a rebuilding year...if Beckham and Morel continue to fail, and Sale stays in the bullpen, then we'll know the places we need to upgrade in the offseason going in to next year. (and nicely, we at least appear to have one solid success in De Aza, who will fill a big need for the next several years cheaply if he just keeps doing what he's doing right now).

 

With the starters in complete dissaray for 2013 you might as well give Beckham, Morel, and Viciedo another chance next year too.

[Balta1701]

With the starters in complete dissaray for 2013 you might as well give Beckham, Morel, and Viciedo another chance next year too.

Viciedo, fine, I'm more than willing to accept him as a 3 year project. He should be.

 

Beckham and Morel are at the end of their ropes. Beckham in particular, as he's arb-eligible at the end of this year, and paying Beckham $3 million next year to put up a .630 OPS is not palatable any more. Morel...bah, he's had a job handed to him 2 years in a row and this is the 2nd year he's disappointed...he needs to start hitting very soon or be in Charlotte.