southsideirish71

QUOTE(TheDybber @ May 17, 2005 -> 02:38 PM) When is .262 not good? It's ok, but considering he was below .240 last year, that's a marked improvement. If he can keep it at .265 the rest of the year, I would call it a success. Walker can only get in their ears. He doesn't have the respect of a Charlie Lau, who was his hitting coach when he played. Charlie Lau wasn't about homers at all, he was about open stances, waiting on the back foot, and hitting line drives. And don't forget, nobody thinks this team has the big boppers like they had with Carlos, Maggs and Frank. So when Frank gets back, if he can hit like we all know he can, that will open up the lineup to some good ol' hitters pitches. Don't give up on Walker yet. Thomas will produce and that in itself will help. But its not like these guys have been aced time and time again. These guys are missing on fastballs down the middle of the plate. Your right, teams dont respect the power and they are going after Dye and Kong. Both of them as fastball hitters should be tearing it up. Thats the problem. If Greg is preaching it and they arent listening. Then its time to bench players. and worry about their fragile egos another time. We are trying to win a divsion here.

QUOTE(ptatc @ May 17, 2005 -> 01:45 PM) I agree the first three have been doing well. If we begin to get any production from the 3-4-5 we will be in business. Back to the walker discussion. "I wonder if the little guys" are more capable of following the opposite field thoery than the others for whatever reason? Its not just about hitting the ball the other way. Its about not forcing the issue. This is what these guys have been doing so far. Arow started a few weeks ago with some power strokes to right. People were pitching him away and he started hitting the ball to right center with power. He has a great power stroke to center/right center. Gooch what else can you say, he pulls the ball when its thrown in, and he goes with the pitch and hits it to right. Nice line drive swings. I have been very impressed with him. The 2 hole on this team is a very difficult position. You have to take a ton of pitches to let Pods get a jump. You have to give yourself up at the expense of your BA. Pods has been doing everything. He has been walking, bunting, hitting the ball up the middle. Doing what he can to get on. If the big guys did some of these things we wouldnt be talking about a slump right now with the offense. But our big guys are pulling the ball too much and making themselves easy targets. If you make yourself into a one dimensional hitter major leaguers are good enough to pitch to that and get you out more and more.

QUOTE(ptatc @ May 17, 2005 -> 01:21 PM) This is an interesting take on the situation. While your points are valid, everytime you hear walker talks he discusses going the opposite way and up the middle is the most important part of hitting. This brings up a few possible scenarios. Either he isn't teaching what he discussing, the hitters aren't listening or the hitters are truly just stuck in a slump and are guessing at pitches. None of these possiblities show well on Walker. One thing I have noticed is Walker keeps talking about his hitters did not walk enough last year and they worked on it in ST. I wonder if they are becoming too passive and wind up going after pitcher's pitches, which may explain the high rate of pop ups. Let's hope the professional experienced hitters can turn it around. In the Month of May 2005 the bad news first Our power guys Joe Crede who everyone is claiming is a Walker success is batting .191, he has a .268 OBP Kong is batting .149, Everett is batting .233 Dye is batting .239 Our swing players AJ is batting .243 Uribe is batting .245 Now for the good news Our little guys Arow is batting .340 with a .404 OBP Gooch is batting .283 with a .345 OBP Pods is .308 with a .429 OBP And now for the news of hope Our first three guys are doing their job, the rest of the guys needs to kick it in gear. If they hit at all this team will score some runs. Frank should be licking his chops looking at all the ducks that will be on the pond for him.

QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ May 17, 2005 -> 12:24 PM) It's so easy to just blame the hitting coach. How many hitting coaches did we go through under Manuel? And how often did it a result in a noticeable improvement? Jermaine Dye was a risk when we brought him on. His decline has been well documented over the past 3 years. Konerko is a streaky hitter. How many good half seasons has he had in the past 3 years? It's a struggle with him for consistency. Joe Crede's swing was a bit quicker coming into this season. Honestly I think he has already done more this year than any of us expected. I keep hearing references to people saying this would be "Crede's year" but I think for most of us, this was always just a pipe dream. We've been lucky to have some pretty darn good hitters here with guys like Maggs, Frank, and Carlos around. Podsednik doesn't need to hit .270 to succeed, just look at his on-base percentage. Try to keep some of these things in mind before thinking that ANY hitting coach could raise a team's batting average by 30 points or anywhere close to that. What is the purpose of the hitting coach then besides to be a cheerleader. If its not that important and it really doesnt matter why not just eliminate it all together.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ May 17, 2005 -> 11:50 AM) At the All-star break last year, I was calling Greg Walker one of the better (if not best) hitting coaches in the league. Last year, Juan Uribe came to the Sox, and his bat absolutely went wild the first half. On top of that, Paul Konerko managed to turn around his terrible 2003 season and was on fire in 2004. Thomas was hitting hard until he got hurt, and so was Ordonez, although I doubt Walker spent much time with them. Carlos Lee had a nearly 30 game hitting streak. Aaron Rowand suddenly found the bat everyone was saying he had. And even guys like Gload were hitting .300 off the bench. Last year I was ready to bow down and worship the job Greg Walker was doing as White Sox hitting coach. When guys turn around their entire career with a new hitting coach, I felt that was saying something. This year, my confidence in Walker is rapidly turning into concern, and I want to hear other opinions on it. This year, we started very hot with some of our key bats. Crede was hitting over .300 for a while. Konerko was on Fire. Everett came back from a terrible 2004 and was driving in runs left and right. Podsednik was improving from his dismal .240 average last year. But that only lasted a few weeks. Now what do we see? We see Jermaine Dye mired in a month and a half long slump that he can't seem to find his way out of, despite receiving help from Walker. We've seen the surge from Konerko completely disappear, and both his and Dye's averages have dropped below .200. We've seen Crede lose about 40 points from his batting average with a slump of his own. We've seen Aaron Rowand start off another season slowly, even though it seems he may be hitting his stride this week. We've seen Uribe have his own difficulties, and his average has dropped below .270. And Podsednik has been both up and down - his average was in the .250's a week ago. Not to say there haven't been successes this year. Tadahito Iguchi is clearly one, although I doubt Walker has much input there given the language barrier. My question then is this; how long does this go on before if nothing else, we start considering whether a new hitting coach might get through to these guys better? In 2003, we dumped our hitting coach after a few months of our hitters playing like they are now. I had a lot of confidence in the job Greg Walker was doing after last year. But this year, I'm really starting to wonder. With guys like Dye and Konerko seemingly unable to pull themselves out of slumps, and quite a few comment-writers here saying they have seen decent flaws in their hitting technique, how long should we let this continue before we start wondering what Walker is doing? Walker is a complex subject. Everytime I have heard him talk he states on preaching his hitting to all fields. Yet I see nothing from this team over the years to back this up. Last year anyone and I mean anyone who was a soft tosser who could spot the fastball on the outside corner would shut this team down. Why is this. Well look at our players hitting stances and styles. Hands high up, standing away from the plate. If a pitch is inside they murder it foul. On the outside corner they still try to pull that slow pitch and either pop up or roll their wrists over for a weak ground out. Its hard to square up a ball when our hitters are putting hitches and archs in their swings. How many hitters over the last 3 years have had BA's that sit around the .200 level. I have never seen this on a major league team. Yes one player can slump, but groups of our hitters slump at the same time. Konerko is completely lost now. The minute you start changing your stance every single time you go up to the plate you are going to K. He doesnt even have pitch selection right now to go with. This is a mirror of where Crede was last year. Always 0-2. Kong has been a good fastball hitter, however is getting beat this year on 89 mph fastballs down the middle. This is exactly what Crede did last year. Crede would come up with the big home run late in games last year because pitchers would get 0-2 on him and would throw a 12-6 pitch down and in. When you have a hitch in your swing a curve that plays into your upper cut swing is the best remedy. Now Kong is doing the bat resting on the shoulder routine. This is a Walker thing. He had Miggy doing it, Crede and now Kong. The hitting coach should be able to use video of good swings to help a hitter find his swing again. When our hitters get lost they are completely lost and for like 3 or more months at a time. What Walker should be doing is to try and get Konerko's back elbow up a bit. This would stop the upper cut swing and allow him to square up a ball or to for a hit. Watch Arow, his back elbow is up again( which is not where he started the year off with). His hitting is more mechanical than others but very effective. He has great oppo power. Gooch has a goofy open stance, but watch his hands through the hitting zone. Its a line drive swing. This is what I would expect Walker to be teaching the guys. Line drive swings. Line drive swings are less likely to get into slumps. Yes they dont hit the monsterous moon shots, but the BA comes up and the homers will come. Our team has been remade into a smartball team. Its time for them to start to hit like that. Smallball teams dont have a group of hitters hitting below 200. Rob Deer, Jose Valentin teams are the ones with the 200 averages and the upper cut swings. And before we state that Walker helped Carlos get into the 28 game hitting streak lets look to the tinkering he did to get him out of that approach. Walker helped Carlos Lee change his stance and extend his arms at the end of that hitting streak so he could hit for more power. Before Walkers tinkering Carlos had a very tight compact swing with opposite field power. After Walker helped him change his swing, a longer swing that allows Carlos to pull the ball. A month later we are all upset watching Carlos swing for the fences and trying to pull the outside pitch. This is cause an effect. Remember the press was hounding Carlos about the power numbers. Well guess what he changed his swing, told the press he would hit 30 and did. At the expense of situational hitting during a strech in August. Remember when Kenny made the comment about "If I ever see another guy swing for the fences when we need a basehit I will puke."

Joe Borchard works his ass off, he had desire and he has talent. He however cannot hit the round ball with regularity. That is why statements like this drive me nuts. Does Walker actually spend time watching the hitters hit. When we watch Dye I dont think anyone is amazed at his talent. Trib story on sox hitting woes

QUOTE(Jabroni @ May 17, 2005 -> 12:40 AM) Cruddy has been getting a hit lately? Could've fooled me. I thought he was 1 for 17 on this homestand. I never figured out the resting the bat on your shoulder bit. Olivo did it and it drove me crazy. Nothing like putting a hitch in your swing on purpose.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ May 17, 2005 -> 12:35 AM) "Free-Agent Busts" http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedi.../content.1.html Adrian Beltre Edgar Renteria Magglio Ordonez Eric Milton Steve Finley Christian Guzman Jared Wright Armando Benitez Al Leiter Jermaine Dye Part of the Pull Baseball Duo. They should seriously put on one of those crazy shifts where they put 3 infielders to the left side of the field. Both he and Konerko would be hitting a collective .050 if that ever happened.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ May 16, 2005 -> 11:33 PM) I'm pretty sure Paulie has always done that lean back thing. I hate the bat on the shoulder move because it reminds me of that slug Cruddy. That must be a walker thing. He had Olivo doing it, then cruddy and now Konerko.

QUOTE(YASNY @ May 17, 2005 -> 12:20 AM) Paulie needs to stop pulling the damn ball. He pulls everything. He's hitting hard, but it's either foul or right at the 3rdbaseman. He is approaching the plate like Rob Deer did for the tigers. He hit some moon shots, but never batted that much over 200.

I wonder what the lineup will be tonight. If Timo is out there, he has some photos or something to lord over Ozzie.

The problems with Marte can be summed up by watching his delivery. His problems started towards the end of 2003. He stopped following through on his fastball. Now if you watch he short arms it instead of bending over and following through on the pitch. When you short arm pitches(ala Cotts) the ball has a propensity to sail. You never quite get on top of the pitch and it just takes off. Thats what happens when Marte pops it. He can throw his breaking pitch over for a strike like crazy. But he gets to into that and hitters lay off of it. He then drops the velocity a bit to get a strike over and then whammo. To be successful as a reliever you must pitch ahead and stay ahead. He has the stuff, he just needs to locate it more. When he throws strike one he K's hitters at a good clip. When he gets to 2-0 and 3-0 the conga line starts. The ability to throw strike one and be aggressive is what seperates Hermy and Polite from Cotts and Marte and Shingo.

We better get it in gear. Drese, Maddux, Zambrano and Prior await after tonights cupcake.

Mods can we pin my first game thread. Maybe the luck of the Irish can break this mini-losing streak. MAKE THEM EAT s*** JON.

El Duque is an idiot. He just was interviewed on TV. I threw the ball good, location no location the batters just had a good swing on the ball. Its just a bad day. You threw the ball good? You nibbled like a squirrel on nuts and got hurt.

QUOTE(Capn12 @ May 16, 2005 -> 09:34 PM) Between El Duque and Contreras, we could single handedly set a new record for BBs allowed...f***ing hell...HI! attack the hitters please, quit trying to nitpick them to death. Remember all of the press on how having El Duque would help Contreras throw strikes and be better. Maybe Contreras is a bad influence for El Duque. The mirror each other as far as wildness.

The constant strikeouts are the most disturbing trend. Watching fastballs down the middle of the plate with the game on the line for strike three is unacceptable.

QUOTE(elrockinMT @ May 16, 2005 -> 09:28 PM) Yes! If Konerko could ever get back on track- and/or the Big Hurt gets back I think we will start having some production and it will be led by Aaron. Konerko will get back on track the minute he stops changing his stance like 50 times in a week. Pick something and use it. I am all for making an adjustment, but good lord.

QUOTE(ptatc @ May 16, 2005 -> 08:21 PM) They'll go through the same thing. Like I said everyone does at a certain point in the season. I hope this is the problem but it could just as easy be they are reverting to past poor habits. Pitchers dont go through dead arm phases in May. In July/August/September maybe they can go through a dead arm phase. If they are all having dead arm phases now, injuries are on the horizon.

All the hitters should watch what gooch did in his AB tonight. He fouled a bunch of pitches off and hit a pitch where it was pitched. Our big hitters right now swing at crap in the dirt or take pitches down the cock for strike 3. If they get fooled on strike 3 by a slider or a curve but a fastball down the plate. They should be able to handle that.

EAT s*** RUMP RANGERS!!!!!!

QUOTE(sox-r-us @ May 16, 2005 -> 10:54 AM) Even when Frank Thomas makes it back from his minor-league rehab stint, Guillen says nothing will change for Konerko. "When Frank comes, I hope to give him some DH [at-bats]. Carl [Everett] is there, and he'll play some outfield, and I'm going to mix my lineup more often. But Paulie's going to be my first baseman.'' ======================== http://www.suntimes.com/output/telander/cst-spt-rick16.html ========================= Personally I will be happy with Carl in the OF and Frank and Paulie in the line up. That makes our middle of the line up so much more formidable. Its not like Dye has been a shadow of his old self in the field. I think Everett can do better than dropping fly balls, missing cutoffs and not reaching ground balls and then letting them run by you. At least Everett can make contact.

QUOTE(Steff @ May 16, 2005 -> 10:53 AM) I had a dream the other night that Sweeney was on first base.. in a Sox uni.. I wish KW would have that same dream. Heavenly.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ May 16, 2005 -> 10:48 AM) I agree..Gload at least is a more viable alternative. However, his injury sounds very odd...Inflamed Shoulder, unable to throw and barely able to swing a bat, he could be on the shelf for a long time. We really dont have any insurance policies at first base right now so Paulie has no choice but to step it up. I also miss Gload coming off the bench to pinch hit. The idea of having a free swinger like timo coming off the bench in tight games scares me.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ May 16, 2005 -> 10:40 AM) I think it would be fine to bench him for a game...but Chris Widger as our everyday first baseman? Thats comical To bad Gload is hurt or we could bench Konerko here and there.