southsideirish71

Kudos to our pitching staff for pitching their asses off night in and night out. The offense needs to be a bit more consistant. Pods and Gooch have been getting on for the thumpers. However the middle of the lineup has barely been clutch this year. Watching a few stat padder solo homers at the end of the game when down 5-0 is easy instead of in the 2nd inning with men on and two outs. I hear interviews with Greg Walker and he says the right things. However our team constantly pulls the ball. We tinker with stances, we thinker with everything. Its one thing to tinker with a crede who has had nothing but problems, but why is Konerko using a new stance after he had a good year. Yes raising your hands gives you a better power stroke. But its hard to square up the ball when you have a dip in your swing. Pull Baseball Son!!!! This is our motto. If you want to shut down the sox for the last few years its a simple formula. Spot the fastball on the outside corner about 80% of the time. Every so often toss a cutter in to keep them off ballance. Our hitters dive over the plate and try to extend their arms to pull the outside pitch. This is why we make soft tossing 6+ ERA pitchers look like Cy Young. Our hitting approach in itself is a problem. If they have a pitcher that has the propensity to throw outside lthen the hitters who have better scouting than we should go up there trying to hit the ball up the middle and the other way. If they start to make solid contact with that approach the pitcher will try to get them to back off the plate and will go in. The minute they go in its time to turn on the pitch and launch it. Pauly and Dye are pulling the ball over and over. Pauly last year hit a bunch of pitches to right field especially with men on. This year I see a ton of strikeouts and a lot of grounds and lineouts to the 3rd basemen. If we want to play smartball then we need to commit the whole way. There is a time to launch a pitch into the stands. Its not with men on in the early part of the game. Its not when the count insnt in your favor. These guys can hit, these guys can succeed. Its time for them to approach this by trying to hit to all fields and to stop being one dimensional. If we do this our offense will start to click and make everyone a lot less nervous.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 16, 2005 -> 09:26 AM) Wait, wait, so what's your hobby again? The point is, when he's not letting the ball go at a totally wrong place, he's not all over. Yesterday -- it was high, high, high... He's not lacking command entirely (see Daniel Cabrera). That's something a pitching coach can help w/. Just f***ing stop trying to put words in my mouth. It's NOT okay to throw wildly. But s*** happens, pitchers have bad games and bad stretches, and they aren't always bad for the rest of their careers. Mind blowing concept. From the posts I read, we should replace about half the pitching staff. Good God, people, do you have no memory of what a bad pitching staff is? It wasn't that long ago. But s*** happens, pitchers have bad games and bad stretches, and they aren't always bad for the rest of their careers. Mind blowing concept. 2005: 6 BB per 9 IP 2004: 4.5 BB per 9 IP 2003: 13 BB per 9 IP My point is his wildness isnt something new. His biggest problem with his wildness is the fact that he looks for the plate late in the delivery and short arms the pitch. The pitch sails. Its fixable. But fix it in the minors and then bring him back up. Not in games with Baltimore. He should of never been in Saturdays game. It should of been Politte.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ May 16, 2005 -> 09:20 AM) Most of the time, at least with Cotts when he's on in the 6th or 7th, at least the Sox can come back for a rally. Quite amazing his ERA hasn't changed this month either, it was down to 2.89 before the Tampa game. See this is what I don't like with all the Cotts bashing. Who are you going to call up to replace Neal Cotts? Jon Adkins? He's struggling starting down at Charlotte. Brandon McCarthy. Don't go there. Arnie Munoz? Still needs more time. Jeff Bajenaru? A righty, and his September stats from last season are still going to hang over him no matter how great he's pitched down in the minors over the past season and a half. His ERA doesnt change when he gives up someone elses runners who are on base. The guys coming out of the pen after a starter has come out are there to stop the bleeding or to keep the situation from becoming a disaster. Cotts arm designation doesnt matter. He cant get lefties out so whats the point. You can replace him with a righty. I would take Arnie against a lefty over Cotts. Baj at least throws strikes.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 16, 2005 -> 08:58 AM) He didn't debut in NY. I know that's the style here, it's much cooler to proclaim early that someone is total garbage or the next Gagne. (How many fans did Politte and Hermanson have a few months ago?) But I'm not gonna do that. Honestly, I don't know how good he is, how good he will be. But I don't think a young pitcher being inconsistent is a rare thing. His splits against lefties are awful this year, agreed. (Why exactly is a lh changeup guy our lh specialist anyway?) He hasn't been great at stranding runners, but that doesn't mean he's been awful. His control is off, especially now. He throws those wacky pitches every once in a while, or keeps it high. That's something for the pitching coach to work on, not a sign that he'll never be any good. We're not talking about Rick Ankiel. And in terms of both control and stranding runners, Damaso's been just as bad or worse. What's his excuse, or should he go too? QP: Baseball Prospectus has some stats on this, link. This post makes my head hurt. I dont get the Cotts apologists at all. Especially after the gems he has put on the field over the last year. So let me get this straight. Its ok for a guy to come into a close game and launch a few pitches over the guys head, plunk a guy get behind hitters and then let the inheritted runners score or walk them. If that is the formula we should get Thriller or Koch back. They are both looking for jobs right now. He throws those wacky pitches every once in a while, or keeps it high. He throws these pitches with a few men on in a tight game. Do you really think after throwing the masterbator into the net he is going to get the close calls. He cant throw strikes. These are ankiel like pitches. Its not like he missed the corner or let one sail a bit. He rememinds me of the guy from Bull Durham. He doesnt look and just fires the ball. If he had any velocity I think he may kill someone. Maybe he can get his control. But the time to learn control is not in a major league game. Especially when the team is tryng to make the playoffs. I dont want this guy up when the game is on the line. Last year we jacked off trying to see if this experiment or that would work. And we dropped senseless games between the disaster at 5th starter and the Cotts, Thriller, Koch craptacular trio. Enough already lets get someone who can throw strikes and strand a few runners.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ May 16, 2005 -> 08:19 AM) Some of the posters odd and creepy obsessions really intrigue me... :banghead :headshake :rolly :puke Ok that about sums up my opinion of that I really don't get how Cotts is the 'downfall' of this team or how his promotion or demotion a 'priority'. He's the last guy in our bullpen how is his anything important? I'll never understand...but i digress How is he the last guy in our bullpen. He is up most of the time. And he came into two games over the weekend to stop the bleeding and he cant throw strikes. Its one thing to walk a guy, its another thing to plunk a guy and then throw a pitch almost over the head of a batter. His wildness is almost funny if we werent a good team. This guy coming out of the bullpen in a close game is terrible.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 16, 2005 -> 07:51 AM) As many of us said, Aaron has the tools to be a solid #3 hitter. I would like to see them slide Frank to #4 when he gets back even. That is a great idea. This lineup should be able to score runs. And Everett is not that much worst than DEAD in RF. Dead of old maybe, this years DEAD no way. Rowand will see a ton of fastballs with Thomas behind him. Everett and Thomas should be able to get some RBI's with Arow and crew up ahead. Pods LF Gooch 2b Rowand CF Thomas DH Everett RF Kong 1B Pierz C Crede 3B Uribe SS This and sending Cotts down are the priorities to keep this thing going.

QUOTE(JimH @ May 15, 2005 -> 04:22 PM) Naahhhh ... I remember plenty of times where you hide behind your uniform. That's ok ... if you say you haven't in certain forums, then you haven't. Fine with me, I know you're always right anyways. I could care less if you post anything negative about me ... when you post your over the top crap and you don't know what you're talking about, I'll call you out. Walker always preaches going the other way, if you knew anything about him and his philosophy, you'd know that. But you don't. Try reading and learning more, and talking less. When does walker preach going the other way. If he does then explain why the entire team when presented with a pitcher who paints the outside corner 90% of the time and we watch them roll their wrists over time and time again. Walker tinkers with hitters. Here is a very recent example. Carlos had a slow start last year. Then he had a 28 game hitting streak and raised his BA from 220 to 300. He has a very short compact swing. Then Greg Walker worked with him to change that nice compact swing into a power swing in the middle of the season. This goes against the theories of hit it to all fields.

PULL BASEBALL SON. JUST BECAUSE THE PITCH IS ON THE OUTSIDE CORNER REMEMBER ITS SLOW, IF YOU PULL IT YOU USE ALL YOUR POWER. greg walker

I am sick and tired of this boob routine. Has he said anything that is not a backhanded stab at the sox. How this guy is a paid journalist is beyond me, more like shock jock of writing. I cancelled my Suntimes subscription over a year ago because of this douchebag. I still wish I could get the Southtown, but I moved out of its subscription area. Just because we dont import the elderly of Iowa every week doesnt mean that our fans our any less. f*** YOU KOTEX BOY, AND f*** YOU SUNTIMES FOR PAYING THIS DOUCHE[/size] :fyou :fyou :fyou :fyou :finger :finger :finger :finger :finger :finger :finger :finger :finger :puke :puke :puke :puke

QUOTE(Jabroni @ May 14, 2005 -> 10:02 PM) Cotts throws "The Masturbator." You know why I am smiling. Some dumb franchise paid me money to go out there and throw the ball all over the place. Maybe one day I will learn how to throw a strike. But why start now.

Neal Cotts in spring training Neal Cotts after throwing the pitch over the backstop in tonights game.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:53 PM) Damn straight... Angry politte is so much better than Neal "Wild Thing" Cotts. Wild Thing you make my head sting. You walk everything, you are s***ty.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:51 PM) Politte hit 98 MPH on the gun in his last outing. Thats because Politte was angry. Dont mess with him when he is angry.

QUOTE(knightni @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:45 PM) 12-13 wins 4.25-ish ERA is average for a "#2" guy. Garcia has a natural sink to his fastball. Yet he continues to give up gopher balls at a good clip. This is not the first year he did that, he gave up 30 or more at Seattle and that is a huge park. The reasoning for this is he elevates his pitches. Most likely reason is he throws a downward breakin curve and uses the high fastball to give the appearance that the pitches are coming of the same arm slot. It gets you strikeouts in the first few innings but doesnt do anything to help you later. You get tired or your concentration goes away and you give up the dong. He has the talent. He just needs to get the ball down. Or its going to be a long summer for Freddy.

QUOTE(qwerty @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:36 PM) Vizcaino. Politte. Garcia. Koch. Who else recently has lost velocity once joining the sox? The sad thing is even shingos fastball is down from last year. If that is possible. The only one that is still throwin the same gas is contreras.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:35 PM) Maybe Freddy's inner ear infection has returned. Did you say Beer infection?

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:32 PM) Joey has to quit waving guys in who are out by 40 feet. That was ridiculous. Sending Garcia out in the 7th was a bonehead move. Only having Cotts warm up left me scratching my head. Vizcaino has appeared in 12 games coming into tonight. He seemed like he was in every game the first 2 weeks of the season, but has rarely pitched recently. Politte and Marte should be well rested. Use the bullpen. Joey has to realize who is running and what is their real chance at scoring. If the throw beats the guy by like 6-10 feet and they are waiting for him then its a real bad move.

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:27 PM) Maybe playing against the top offensive team in baseball contributed to the pitching woes... Just a thought. That and getting pitches up and not making smart pitch selections did more to do in Garcia than the offense. You cant make mistakes against a team like that. Last game Garcia had two times where he had 0-2 on a hitter and got too much of the plate and got hurt. Its about pitching smart and hitting your spots. Garcia for whatever reason has decided to become a curveball pitcher. When he came to the sox last year he was throwing a heavy fastball and using it to setup his strikeout pitch. This year he is using his curve for strike one more instead of using it to get the out. Its very similiar to what we complain about contreras. Contreras is filthy when he uses his 95mph fastball to setup his forkball and not the other way around. Hopefully Freddy gets it together for his next start.

QUOTE(JimH @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:22 PM) Here is my take on Cotts. He didn't get the job done tonite but a couple of the hits were bloops. His wildness continues to be cause for concern, but those making the point he's seldom used have validity. If at all possible, Guillen needs to pitch him as much as possible the rest of this month. His role on this team is lefty specialist at the moment, he is not the long guy or mop up guy, Kevin Walker is. The White Sox need to know if Cotts can be counted on to contribute in 2005. He has potential but this team is off to a huge start and has a 6 game lead on a very good Minnesota team. Sox are in "go for it" mode. This is not the time to be wondering what they have in a young pitcher. If he needs more seasoning or he has other issues, send him down and let him pitch consistently in Charlotte. If he shows he can work things out, great. Whether it's fair or not, this team has little room for a growing pains guy, we are not the KC Royals this year. He needs to do the job and exhibit better control, and fairly quickly. He does not have an established track record and should have a shorter leash. It's not fair but when you are a pennant contender sometimes the personnel decisions aren't fair. Scouting report on Cotts While Neal Cotts spent the full season in the big leagues, it was hardly a total success. Ozzie Guillen liked the way Cotts took his lumps and still wanted the ball, but he was hit harder than the White Sox had imagined a year ago, when he was dominating Double-A hitters. Cotts was scored on in 26 of his 56 outings as a long and middle reliever. He gave up one homer every five innings, including nine longballs away from hitter-friendly U.S. Cellular Field. Pitching & Defense A starter his whole career, Cotts struggled last year to set up his changeup, his best pitch. His fastball doesn't get much above 90 and his deceptive motion was not a big issue for lefthanded batters, who hit him surprisingly hard. Cotts was up with too many pitches last season, allowing more homers than he had in his minor-league career. He needs to work on his move to first base as he was easy to run on a year ago. 2005 Outlook Cotts figures to return to the White Sox' bullpen in a secondary role. He needs to improve his command if he is to get consideration for a spot in the starting rotation, which once seemed to be his destiny.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:16 PM) Y'all must be joking. Everyone says there will be rough patches, then after 1 f'n game, we're getting rid of our prize acquisition from last season and a reliever w/ a sub-4 era. 1 game, jeeeeeez. Noone's taken "Judy" off their fav hot key, I hope. So wait the 7 walks dont count because he only pitched 11 innings, but now his ERA come into play. He doesnt throw strikes, plain and simple. He comes in to face a lefty last week, walks the guy and gets pulled. Sure his ERA didnt go up, but did he even closely do his job.

QUOTE(JimH @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:15 PM) If that is indeed the case then the White Sox need another/different lefty reliever. Nothing against Cotts but let's get someone in here who has a good track record of getting lefthanded hitters out and can throw strikes. Easier said than done of course ... but I have a feeling this is the first change or upgrade that KW is looking at. Problem is you have 25 other teams looking to do the same thing. Cotts should of been down in AAA working on his control and a third pitch. Probably perfecting a cutter. Atkins should of been up with the team, he throws strikes. I know he isnt a lefty but Cotts doesnt get them out anyways. Viz has great splits against lefties. And marte has great splits against righties. Just because a guy has been given an left or right arm doesnt automatically make your matchups.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:08 PM) Well, Oz loves his lefty-lefty matchups, I guess. Cotts is the long guy, we just haven't needed a long guy much this season, and he is seldom used (obviously). I dont buy this seldom used crap. He throws in the bullpen right, he gets his work in right. You are telling me the fact that he doesnt throw in a game for a week all of a sudden he forgets how to throw the ball within 3 feet of the plate. His pitches arent even close.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 09:01 PM) Do you expect a bullpen full of Radkes? Yeah, he's wild. If we were discussing the rock of the bullpen, I'd worry, but we're talking about the little used long guy. This is manageable. Apples to Potatoes. I dont expect Cotts to be pinpoint control. But hey I do expect any reliever to do the following. Pitch ahead and stay ahead. Make them beat you. Dont walk the world. I need to add dont throw 3 pitches over their heads. When hitters see this and when umpires see this, the hitters might start to take pitches and umps might not give you anything close. Those were wild thing bad, not like he missed the strikezone within 3 feet.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ May 14, 2005 -> 08:49 PM) Yeah, I did, and I thought Cotts looked like s***. And he's wild, I agree. But he's got it done so far this year in limited work (until tonight), jumping all over him for this is just silly. And saying it's his 3rd season, c'mon. He barely pitched 2 years ago. At what point do you learn how to throw strikes. Or how about when you throw it within 3 feet of the strikezone. Throwing pitches over peoples heads. Come on. He pulled this crap last year.

According to the scouting report on Freddy Pitching Garcia looked like an ace early in his career but was disappointing for Seattle in 2002 and '03. He turned himself around in early '04, using one of the majors' best collection of quality pitches-a 92-93 MPH fastball, a good two-seamer, a quality changeup and both a curveball and slider-to frustrate hitters. He can struggle against lineups stacked with lefthanded batters, but was almost as tough on them as righthanded batters last year. Few pitchers are as durable as Garcia. Where is the velocity?