elrockinMT

I thought Koch was more of a pitcher in Saturday's game. He was using a good curve and a changeup to go along with a fastball, but I admit I was looking for more heat than the radar gun showed. The homer was freak thing and goes to show you when things aren't going well anything bad can and does happen to you. I hope he's not hurt, but with an ERA over 8 it does bring up the question.

look into the dugout sometime and see whos standing in the doorway when he should be riding his tower with jr...............and on nites when hes not standing there notice how many times jm is on the phone.....he may as well have that thing glued to his ear on some nites......kw has him play who kw wants to see on the field......jm is nothing more than a mere puppet in the dugout............ the whole story will come out soon enough...........fireworks are about to ignite and i dont mean the homer ones from the scoreboard either.......... I will be watching WGN tonight so I will pay attention to the dugout shots and see what I can see. It still doesn't sound right, but if the story breaks there will be hell to pay.

I agree with what EVERYBODY has said. In other words I feel strongly both ways about this issue. I will feel better when we win. It's a long season and let's get started playing baseball.

I just can't believe that KW gives JM a game plan before every game and then calls the dugout to give him directions. It doesn't make sense and any self respecting manager wouldn't stand for it. Those stories are probably born out of frustration with past poor trades and our inability to play like a winner. What we need isa manager to be more aggessive in making things happen and for players to turn their frustration into concentrated effort to turn things around. The best case scenario I can think of is tonights game where Garland steps up and shows his ability and it translates into a win and brings the rest of the guys up to the level we know they can play at. If they don't... well it's a long and hot summer

I said it in a different post... you got to do something to get the team going so why, why, why, why don't you have the runners moving with DP Konerko up? Can't we at least try and be a manager???? This is beginning to be very pathetic. I will be watching our punchless Sox Saturday on WGN. Let's hope we don't implode.

I just had a chance to check in on the gamecast at MLB.Com. I wish I had stood in bed... This is pathetic

I want to make it to Chicago for a weekend series this year. Hope to meet some of you guys if and when I do. Meanwhile I'll be watching WGN Saturday night.

My sentiments exactly and I have said so in other posts.

The manager can only make the moves and it's up to the players to produce. However, there seems to be no motivation or outside the box thinking going on from JM. Konerko isn't producing but with runners (both decent in fact) on base Konerko GIDP. What weren't the runners sent? Do things differently when people are in slumps and make things happen. White is sick and tells the coach he isn't sure he can contribute (Thur night), but JM uses him anyway. JM says that with Sanders with the team and 12 pitchers on hand he can use the relievers for 2 innings. Makes sense too so they can get some more work in and get stretched out, but he uses Wunsch for only one (the guy hasn't given up a run all season) and uses White. He seems to never adjust his approach and never plays the hunch or stays with who is hot. Anyway I guess in all fairness there is plenty of blame to go around and if we can start winning on a regular basis none of this will matter anymore. I just hope winning regulalrly isn't to big of an if...

Here's what I don't understand: The Sox send Paul down and bring up Sanders and now have 12 pitchers on staff. Manuel says we can use the relievers for two innings and have a well rested pen. OK! That makes sense, but what does he do? He brings in Wunsch, who hasn't given up a run yet this year and leaves him in for one scoreless inning and brings in a guy who is sick and said so to the coach and blows it!!! What is wrong with this picture? I think Manuel is so stuck with his idea of using these guys for one inning and bringing in someone else he can't think differently. It would make sense to let the relievers go two, especially when they are working on building up their arms and have been effective in the past going more than one and not bring in three guys to finsh a game. I think you stay with who is hot and not sit him down.

I guess we will all see about Garland on Saturday versus the Twinkies. I will be glued to WGN as I am sure most of you will be. Let's start a chant (mantra) "Go Jon Go" when he is pitching and see if we can help him. Jon Garland has so much talent and has pitched some fantastic games, but is so inconsistent it hurts. I want to see him and the Sox win because we have to get going. Plus Fri-Sat-Sun versus the Twinkies? I hate those guys.

It doesn't matter if you throw 92-95 or 100 MPH, if you are a one- pitch pitcher eventually you will get burned by big league hitters. Koch needs another pitch and more command to hit his spots. He is a battler, but we need success in the closer position not just effort. I hope he is just struggling a bit with mechanics and with a few saves will get back on track. Heck, I saw that Foulke blew one last night for Oakland.

If we don't win this thing can we bring back Al (Senor) Lopez to manage?

In other posts I have advocated sending Garland down, but I wouldn't trade him. The questiuoin is-can we send him down on waivers without risking losing him. I see him at the same point Kip Wells was at before the crazy trade with Pittsburgh. For some reason (t)he(y) can't find his consistency and he has soooo much talent. He can be spectacular. I agree that Nardi screwed up Wells and screwed up other pitchers too, but Garland has to produce or learn the harsh realities of big league ball- You don't produce and you go down. Don't trade him though. Maybe he just doesn't listen to his coaches. Very disturbing.

I always think the Sox should be in first place from day one. Patience is a virtue and that's what Jerry Manuel always preaches although it frustrates me to no end. It seems that almost every year we struggle early to establish as a contender. We can't dig a hole early and then start playing great after the All-Star break. I just can't figure out why it takes so long for the Sox pitchers, hitters and fielders to get on the same page. We have too much talent not to be there on top at the end of the season. At least we are not playing like the Tigers, but still four games out behind Kansas City? Come on... get fired up. We have some good surprises and some bad, but if we can start jelling by mid-May we will all be singing the Sox' praises and JM will be a genius. Heck even KW will be. Maybe.

They did pitch back to back and I thought Manuel said he wouldn't do that becasue their styles were too similar and he wanted a team to see a different kind of pitcher? Colon should be in the middle of Buerhle and Stewart's days.

I agree. Loiaza has been the best surprise we have had and is a solid performer. I am impressed with the way Stewart keeps battling when in trouble. He hasn't been as sharp as I would have liked to see especially after his spring training starts, but unlike Garland he keeps the score low and us in the game.

I agree that Garland needs to go down when Wright is ready. Apparently Jon has a cement thick head and can't learn what he needs to do to be a winner at the major league level. However, I'm sure JM will give him another chance or two as usual. He'll be a consistent winner in September when we are 10 out because of everything he blew earlier. The same goes for Koch. What's up with this guy?

I would have to say the two biggest disappointments so far this young season are Koch and Garland. You almost wonder if Koch is hurt or something, but I think his fastball has been clocked in the high 90's so I lean towards mechanics. Plus ESPN made an interesting comment about Koch is just a thrower and not a pitcher yet. You can't just throw fast and down the middle and be successful. Maybe Garland needs to go down when Wright is ready to return. It might get something through to him about how to pitch in the big leagues and what he needs to do to stay here. He is just too inconsistent.

I like Jerry Manuel and his patience and management theories, but... It seems we come out of spring training every year and struggle to establish as a consistent winner. It gets a bit tiring listening to players take the blame for a bad outing that loses a game, then getting a win, but coming back with another bad outing days later for another loss. We need consistency and the final days of spring training should have everyone in a winning mindset. Why can't we do it? Do they fool around too much in the spring games and concentrate on seeing all the youngsters and not enough time zeroing in on getting that winning mentality?

I just loved it to see Hurt show some fire!!!! He beat the Royal's with his bat and that's good enough. Too bad the pitching staff didn't respond that way too.

Sorry, I got carried away in my enthusiasm for the greatest team in baseball.

Plus the fact that even a cubbies fan should know it's not 5-14 (May 14). Can't wait for 4-15/16/17 and a Sox sweep of the Royals.

Watched the game today on WGN. Only the third time I have seen the Sox this young season, which SUCKS. I was disappointed in our big hitters in the number 3-4-5 spots. We left 14 runners on base when it appeared the Kitty Kats just wanted to give us the game. I couldn't believe it. I thought Josh Stewart did reasonably well and in fact struck out 6 meow meows. That homer he gave up was a pretty sad pitch though. That curve just hung up there begging to get hit and it did. As for Rowand I was very impressed with his throw to home plate that nailed a runner. Josh Paul did a good job too on the play. I don't want to blame Jerry Manuel and as has been said many times the season is young. I just want to see some consistency develop and not in August or September when it's to late.

Shades of 1968, for all of you old enough to remember the Sox demise after the Great Pennant race of '67. The Sox made some deals over the '67 off season thinking it would put them in contention again. Most notably was the Tommie Agee for Tommie Davis trade with the Mets. I think Davis ended up with 7 doubles all year for his total slugging accomplishments and the Sox started out the '68 season 0-10. Eddie Stankey was gone and it took years to recover. I just can't believe we lost three stratight to the Royals. We were supposd to murder them and the Tigers and start out great. We suck and the Twinkies are 3-0. Now, all that said, I just can't believe with our line up we are that bad. Today is a must win so we can get a jump start. It's early in the season, but on the other hand we shouldn't be in a position to have to be saying "it's early!"