southsideirish71

Quote from last year SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: Hitting coach Greg Walker couldn't identify a specific physical problem during his team's prolonged hitting woes, aside from the fact the Sox were trying to pull the ball too often. The struggles were more a case of sagging confidence that caused several hitters to tinker with their swings and develop mechanical problems. Recently, the team's confidence has returned.--Scott Merkin Sounds familiar. Next year and we still have prolonged hitting slumps. The only reason we are doing well now with this offense is speed at the top. Guys hitting clutch at the top. And our outstanding pitching.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ May 26, 2005 -> 11:57 PM) How do you say "pull the ball son" in Japanese? I dont want to know. He probably lurks on this board and would pick it up and then gooch would be batting 240.

QUOTE(rangercal @ May 26, 2005 -> 11:43 PM) You would think Greg Walker would point that out Like 2 years ago. Greg is working on breaking everyones swing down. The team should be hitting 210 by July. AJ for years has been a very good batting at hitting the ball the other way. AJ is now opening his hips up and pulling the ball more. He credits Greg Walker for helping him with his new stance and approach on his power stroke. He better not learn japanese.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ May 26, 2005 -> 11:41 PM) What's so frustratingly obvious to anyone watching on TV is the deep knee bend that he does... If he eliminates that, or just cuts down on it, all of those infield pop ups turn into line drives and HRs. His swing can be broken down like this 1.) Joe Crede's brain tells his body to start to swing 2.) Cruddys body says why swing its a lovely night, and look over there is that an owl? 3.) Cruddys brain says, dammit start the swing 4.) Cruddy moves the front foot over and it starts to turn 5.) Cruddys hips start to fly open 6.) His swing starts a downward arch towards the batting plane 7.) Cruddy opens up completly his knee bends 8.) Cruddys back shoulder dips down so he can get the golf swing into effect 9.) A wooshing noise is heard as the 91mph fastball wisps past cruddys bat 10.) about a half a second latter the bat wooshes through the strike zone 11.) Cruddy follows through on the swing so hard, his head snaps 12.) Cruddy slams his bat down

Pitchers are throwing fastballs down the plate pretty much saying I dont think you are going to hit it to Crede and company.

QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ May 26, 2005 -> 11:25 PM) At least last year Crede would hit random homeruns off a pitcher that was dominating our lineup. This year he's swinging a 3 iron. Same swing. The only difference is this year they keep challenging him with fastballs. Last year they would get cute and throw a breaking pitch that would break into his hitch and he would golf the home run out. He looks like he is flipping a switch when he hits its very mechanical.

QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ May 26, 2005 -> 11:19 PM) It's frustrating when the team collectively struggles like this but firing Walker would be like rearranging deck chairs. Except we are in first place so that doesn't really work either. Man I just miss having Ross Gload in the lineup. Ross Gload giving Mr. Kong some time on the bench to figure out the mysteries of life would be good. Thomas letting Everett try and figure out what that Jurassic movie was about. No more guys slamming batts into the ground after an AB. Everyone is worried about if we trade for a hitter it will mess up our chemistry. Keep f***ing our pitchers over on 2-1 3-2 loses over the next month and chemistry will be a bit more strained. We are leading the majors in ERA. If we score 3 or more runs we will win games.

QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ May 26, 2005 -> 11:04 PM) I just love when we start talking about Greg Walker. Especially because we get a chance day in and day out to hear what he is telling the hitters. This gives us a chance to give him the feedback he needs to start giving better hitting tips than "Pull the ball son". Let's see the offense hit alot of homeruns last year and Greg Walker was here along with some players. This year alot of the players changed but Greg Walker is still here so I believe he is at fault. Fundamental attribution error that is repeated every time we lose a game. One of the reasons that Carlos is not with the team this year is attributed to the series with Minny last August when with men on and less than 2 outs he was swinging for the fences. He struck out 2 times with men on in that first game. KW had a quote that if he ever sees a guy swing for the fences with less than 2 outs when we need a hit he will puke. Looks to be the same to me. Men on less than two outs, guys with long looping swings. Its so obvious the announcers are making comments about it. This teams needs to be less selfish with less than two outs. Make contact, a single drives in a run which is the most important thing when down by a run. We also take first pitch strike every single time. This series its been an automatic 0-1 count on everyone. Dallas McPherson jumps on a first ball fastball for a dong. If you are going to take the big cut and go for the dong, thats probably the pitch to do it on. Our guys are 0-2 on every single AB.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ May 26, 2005 -> 10:52 PM) .261 - league average We are 24th in the league with BA with men in scoring position. The BA slide in may continues. Uribe is down to 197 in May Crede is down to 167 in May Everett is 182 in May

Greg Walker probably thinks the offense is doing good.

KW needs to get some guys who can consistantly make contact. Our 4-5-6 guys aka the bermuda triangle(runs just disappear) should be leading the league in RBI's with the number of times we have had guy after guy in scoring position with less than 2 outs. Guys taking long home run cuts instead of making contact. 3-1 game on the line tonight in the 8th, two men on and Everett takes a huge cut and misses. If he shortens his swing up and gets a basehit we score one and the game is tied. This is the same crap we did in that 10 game losing streak in august of last year. Guys getting up time and time again with men on and people having the wrong approach at the plate. Contact, just make contact you dont need to hit a home run or drive the ball to mars. This offense is pressing. Thomas needs to come up and bring Gload with him. Gload is a doubles machine and is a hell of a better option off the bench than Timo or Willie Harris. Thomas cant do any worse than our bermuda triangle offense. Cruddy is done. They are now challenging him with fastballs down the middle like last year. He hitches, his hips fly open and his long looping swing misses it completely. Thank god for our pitching they have been absolutley amazing. With our offense we could easily have a terrible record. Lets give it up to KW for getting this great pitching staff.

WIGERMANIA RUNS WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank god Walker doesnt know Japanese. :finger :finger GOOOCH Buerhle Someone needs to clue the coaching staff that the angels for two nights in a row are throwing fastball down the cock for strike one then going outside like crazy.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ May 24, 2005 -> 01:19 PM) He also said that Uribe would get a rest. I think Ozuna will be playing LF or SS tonight. I am putting my money on Timo playing LF and leading off. I hope I am wrong.

QUOTE(ptatc @ May 24, 2005 -> 01:10 PM) One thing you seem to miss is that if you can spot a 90+mph fastball on the outside black all day long you will win nearly every game. Most pitchers can't do that consistently. Santana was on yesterday, let's move on and try to win at least one on the left coast. If you see that once through the lineup you adjust and start to take the ball the other way or hit it up the middle. You dont stand off the plate, step into the bucket opening up,. trying to pull the pitch on the outisde corner. If thats they case, you will never ever hit that ball.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ May 24, 2005 -> 12:17 PM) He was our best hitter in April, period. Is this is a current slump he is in or is he reverting back to what he was last year, I just don't know, I'd like to give him another month to see which way it is. Earlier in the year his hips werent flying open early and he was keeping back. Now he is flying open and is coming off the ball. This is trademark Joe over the last few years. I think the Batting Cages and the extra batting time was good, but he is going to go with what comes natural. And that is flying open with a long looping swing. I am sure you will get the rest of the year. I hope we are not sitting in August with 7 out of 9 guys hitting below 270. Our pitching better be lights out for the rest of the year.

QUOTE(knightni @ May 24, 2005 -> 11:42 AM) Timo in center? Why not Willie? I agree. Willie at least is fast.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 24, 2005 -> 11:41 AM) That I would have no problem with. I think Ozuna would be a great supetutility guy. Pablo has been great. Anyone but Timo in at leadoff.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ May 24, 2005 -> 11:35 AM) He played last Wed versus Texas at third. Pablo has been great. I would rather have him as our first option off the bench instead of Timo.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 24, 2005 -> 11:25 AM) I would rather see Carl Everett in CF, than Timo Perez as a starter, and I am not kidding. Also Ozuna is a solid guy off of the bench, and a good defensive SS, but is not everyday material at 3B. There are plays that Crede makes look routine, that many 3B's don't make. Crede's defense alone makes him the starter, without a doubt. I wasnt talking about for good with Crede. He needs a rest though. A night off is something that needs to happen. I would like to see gload back to spell Konerko also. I still think Everett is hurt, he couldnt catch up to 3 fastballs down the middle of the plate. Everett has been a great fastball hitter. I dont know why Ozzie keeps marchng VIz out there. He is the most used pitcher and he has been our worst in the pen.

Our pitching has been great. The back of the bullpen has been great. My favorite lineup is when its Pods Gooch Arow To start it off. Dead is coming around. These are things to be optomistic about. Having Timo, Uribe and Crede hittiing back to back is not good. I think we all would of rather have had Timo in LF, Pods in CF and Pablo in at 3rd. When Thomas and Gload get back a lot of this will get better. But for now its frustrating watching Uribe, Crede and Timo swinging out their asses at the end of the lineup.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 24, 2005 -> 11:15 AM) Ask and ye shall recieve. http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...ndpost&p=694299 We faced Cabrera and Bedard last year. In fact I remember Cabrera shutting us down and getting the win. He came up from AA also last year.

QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ May 24, 2005 -> 11:00 AM) For every "Sweeney/Jeter/Manny/etc" there are a hundred Credes. It's time to accept that fact and move on. I remember when we had Royce clayton. Good glove no bat. He batted .251 and .263 for us. Now we have a bunch of guys with sub .250 BA. Last year was the same thing. For this offense to go we need guys who can put the ball in play and hit line drives. Not a bunch of guys trying to jack the ball.

QUOTE(Spiff @ May 24, 2005 -> 10:53 AM) Well then don't talk to me about a changeup that "has a chance to be average". If you saw the game, you know it is a lot more than that. Lets get off that this guy is the second coming of Johan Santana the minny pitcher. He spotted a fastball on the outside corner and threw a few breaking pitches that we fished for. Chris George, Jaret Wright lots of crappy pitchers shut us down on 4 or less hits doing the same thing last year. Take Mike Sweeney/Jeter/Manny/etc and put him in that situation. He might get fooled the first time. The next time he is driving the ball to right. They make adjustments. Our guys are stepping in the bucket trying to park the slider in the dirt in the othe batters box.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 24, 2005 -> 10:49 AM) Not surprising though. The Twins are a damned good team, as usual. I still expect them to make a run at us, and it wouldn't surprise me if they overtake us. Unless the girls start to swing the sticks that is entirely possible. FRANK come back NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!