RockRaines

QUOTE(Texsox @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 12:55 PM) 1/2 the interests are sports After you've been around for a while, that will make sense. it IS hard for someone from Cleveland to be a fan of football. Especially when your team is now playing in Baltimore.

QUOTE(Wiredawg1 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 12:25 PM) Pronk OPS last six weeks= 1.500 plus. Thats how I know. The man has been the best hitter in baseball for the last six weeks, and he was kicking butt before Burhle beaned him in the face. Damn shame too, because we all lost witness to that month of greatness. He'd probablt be in contention for the batting title, or hell even the triple crown. Yes and crede would've kept us his current pace if he didnt miss the ball so much in the first half.

QUOTE(1549 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 11:23 AM) I don't know about that last part. MSU will be looking to avenge Michigan's comeback victory last year. The solution: Hurt Stanton again Whatever wins games Im all for that. We choked Sorgi a couple of years back, and I think it was warrented.

Either way, im sorry to snap. But I just have been sick of these knee jerk threads lately, and this may have caught me at a bad time.

QUOTE(JimH @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 11:28 AM) I don't need to show you anything. All of your three points listed above are entirely your opinion, nothing more. He's entitled to his opinion too. If that doesn't fit with your definition of logic and reasoning, that's fine. Every time someone makes a statement about the minor leagues you don't agree with, it's "WTF are you talking about" or "What are you smoking". It's a little over the top. Jimbo, this is the third thread he had started in one day that had no thought out argument, or any basis of truth. I dont agree with Randar very often, infact, I dont think we ever have, but in this situation it was pretty much cut and dry. If we dont give any slack to younger posters, then older ones shouldnt count as well.

QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:45 AM) thanx Rock! I think you are the first person who doesnt want to blow up the core of players that has gotten us our best record in years. There are some pieces that need moving. Marte, El Duque, maybe Crede, im even opening up to moving A-row or Dye now so Anderson can see some time. But we cant blow up the team and move pieces that we cant find in FA.

QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:40 AM) We need a healthy Pods. A healthy Hermy, a consistent DH (#3 hole hitter), re-sign Pauly, trade Marte and El-duque for anything, we need a new hitting coach, a lefty reliever, need to have Bmac in the rotation full time, and a 3B with more power. I love Crede lately but this is his last season here. Finally someone with at least a feasible idea.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:36 AM) Pods is average at best in LF. Dye has had his moments in RF, but really hasn't been anywhere near the Gold Glove caliber defender he was several years ago, and Iguchi has been solid, but has definitely had some head scratching moments in the field. AJ I agree has been a big part of the pitching success, but you can't give him all of the credit, and if you go back in time, you will see that I was one poster who said signing him was a must, even when KW said it wasn't going to happen. POds>Carlos Dye>Maggs AJ>everything for the past 10 years Iguchi>Willie

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:22 AM) Read what he wrote. He never said that it was a real world scenario. He simply stated IF we had the offense of 2003-2004... Oh, so we arent talking about real world scenarios. Hmmm then if we had the offense of texas and Boston combined we would be the best team. Is that along the same lines?

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:28 AM) Amen...the pitching staff has been so good ALL SEASON it has gotten to the point of people here expecting this to keep up day in and day out. How quickly they forgot a few years ago when the ERA was an entire run higher. That is why I almost think we should just fill the lineup with power hitters (borchard, gload, Anderson, whoever) because you ONLY have to score 3-4 runs a game to win the way the pitchers are going right now. You can Amen all you want. The fact is, its not that simple. AJ is a HUGE reason why the pitching is so good. Without him, regress. We dont have a large amount of strikeout pitchers, our defense is what helps out the pitchers more than anything. With less defense without pods and Dye and iguchi, less outs. The pitching stats wouldnt be as good without these players, nor would the teams record, and that my friend is the bottom line.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:17 AM) I couldn't agree with you more. Put the 2003 offense with this pitching staff...we would've won 100 plus games or more already at this point. so put together two parts of a team that could never co-exist. Getting rid of that lineup let us have THIS lineup. You cant have both. Sorry.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:12 AM) The old line-up and the current pitching staff would do a heck of a lot better than 3rd place. You know that. This team has already won 15 or 16 games scoring 2 or less runs. 2003 and 2004 they won 2 each year. Considering in 2003 they won 86, give them an extra 13 would be 99 victories, hardly third place. This team is the worst in the league hitting with RISP. They have won 94 games. It doesn't add up, and I would be willing to bet if they are the worst in the league hitting with RISP next season, 3rd place might be fortunate. So.....last year's lineup, with the addition of El Duque would be better than third place? Because you cant add Hermy, Vizcaino, or AJ with the old lineup. Wait, or Iguchi. So Ben Davis is catching, Willie harris is playing 2B, not to mention our bullpen. Think again perfect world guy.

QUOTE(Y2HH @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:08 AM) Yes, then next year they will complain about the lead off spot never stealing bases and pitchers not being afraid of our leadoff man when he gets on. Who cares? A lead off hitter doesnt NEED to lead the league in stolen bases. He needs to get on base. And if you think that his SB's arent effected by his groin then you are crazy. All he needs to do is GET ON BASE. Who is this magical player that you all want to replace PODS with?

QUOTE(Texsox @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:06 AM) In summary Get rid of all the players who's value is high (had good seasons) to Replace players who's value is low (had poor seasons) and Keep all the average players Doesn't that just shift the problem around? Now what was good sucks and what sucked may be good? At best, it produces a perfectly average team. That's buillding a winner its making moves just to make moves. Too many people are mad that we lost and are trying to come up with someway to make themselves feel better or look like they are smarter than people in baseball. So soon you people forget being .500 And all this complaining about our lead off hitter, this lineup, without our power and non-existant lead off hitter is what got us to this record. If you want the old lineup, welcome to third place for the next 3 years.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:02 AM) It's an EMPTY AVERAGE...I'm well aware that he has hit well in September. But when you're a singles hitter and are unable to knock in runs, steal bases and consistently get runners over (yes I know he bunted sucessfully last night) you have a minimal amount of value. Pods without the baserunning is simply not good enough to start everyday in LF. The facts are clear as day, I can't spell it out any better than that... Wow, I wasnt aware that RBI's and sacrafices were the key to being a lead off hitter. I was sure it was getting on base and hitting singles. I guess I was wrong..... :banghead

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 10:02 AM) Pods is on pace to score 81 runs and knock in 25. He really shouldn't be too hard to replace. ok, who?

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 09:59 AM) And that's why a lot of us want to trade him when his value is high. And who are you going to bring in to be the lead off man?

QUOTE(Frankensteiner @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 08:58 AM) Pods in Sept: .325 AVG / .391 OBP. The guy is garbage, complete garbage. Oh wait, what has he done for us lately? Just be a lead off man. Apparently nobody remembers our lead off guys the past few years huh? I guess Willie Harris can be our guy next year, right? PODS isnt gonig anywhere. he is one of the few successful lead off hitters in the MLB. There are MANY teams uncluding one in our city that would die for a lead off hitter like PODS.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 09:51 AM) Success in the sports world is NOT about loyalty and happy endings. As fans we can hope that so and so will stay with the team and remain productive, etc, etc.... Look how the NE Patriots release their so-called 'money-players' year after year when they notice they're skills begin to decline. Can you fault them for not being loyal? Definitely...but can you fault the end results? Three Super Bowl wins? I doubt it. Professional Sports, no matter how you sugarcoat it, is a what have you done for me lately business. And what has he hit in sept?

Im done with this ridiculous thread. I still cant believe there is anyone who can think like this. I cant wait until we have another .500 season and everyone is begging for this team, or Ozzie again.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 09:27 AM) I still think if the Sox win the divison he should be manager of the year, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't rather have a slew of other guys making out the White Sox line-up card. Manager of the year really is a team award. A lot who win the award are looking for a job within 2 seasons. I can't get over him using Blum yesterday, and its the difference between the first half of the season and the second half. It was the wrong move. Blum can't hit, especially when he has about 5 at bats the last month. He rolled into the DP. The first half he probably breaks his bat and bloops one into RF, 2 runs score and Ozzie is a genius. Results aside, it is stupid managing, and while sometimes you get lucky, bad managing eventually catches up to you. His decision in that situation to use willie as a pinch runner to make Guillen hurry his play was a great move. Using Borchard as a pinch hitter in that situation. Is a great move. Bring up a switch hitter to keep that pitcher in the game, was a decent move. The pinch hitter swinging at the wrong pitch, bad play. Thats it. He is trying to put players in a position to succeed. And the player didnt come through. I've never seen so much disloyalty before on this site, and it really is sickening. Someone performs for you all season, has people calling it "magical" "best team ever" "greatest summer of my life" and now he doesnt deserve a home here next year. Unbelieveable.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 09:23 AM) IF this team blows a 15 game lead with 2 months left, then either KW or Ozzie will be let go. Will KW try to fire Ozzie first before he becomes the scapegoat? It could become a battle between two very strong personalities. However, I hope it never gets to that, and this team makes the playoffs. Frankly, blowing a lead is not what this team has done. They have basically just kept their lead. The indians have played 26 over 500 ball. We are still a better team than Boston, New York, Cleveland, Anaheim (who clinched), Oakland. These are all teams that were supposed to be much better than us. We are better than they are at this point. There is no doubt in my mind that nobody will be fired.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 09:17 AM) I don't think anyone was about ready to call Ozzie a genius. I wasn't saying it, but there were some strong posters on here saying that they feared Ozzie's decisions were really going to hurt us in crucial games (when the playoffs were thought to be a lock). And for all the love the players are supposed to have for Ozzie, it doesn't seem like they're all getting along too well right now. My hope is he goes to Florida, an the Sox bring in Pinella, Torre, or Steve Stone. Calling him the outright manager of the year, is saying he is the best in the AL. And MANY larger baseball minds than anyone on this site, were saying that over and over and over. Torre-less success with more talent, please Steve Stone-not even the cubs would hire him, come on. Pinella-he WAS a good manager. Firing Ozzie after a successful season is so beyond knee-jerk its ridiculous. How can you even say this about your team.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 09:14 AM) Mr. RockRaines, you are a good poster, a season ticketholder who gives tickets away on this site, I have respect for you, but I really don't understand your logic. You mention how Ozzie knows more baseball than any of us, and how basically his decisons should never be questioned, but you ripped Jerry Manuel's handling of Garland. Using your logic, shouldn't Jerry Manuel, the AL Manager of the Year in 2000, know more about baseball than you, and questioning his use of a player be off limits? Nicely put and all, but I wasnt ripping Manuel. Manuel was a decent manager, and its obvious by his success for the last 5 years...... Garland matured when Ozzie began to give him more confidence, and you cant argue with the numbers. You guys can try and argue little tiny facts all you want, and try and vent your frustration on Ozzie. But you were the same people who thought he was manager of the year in the first half. Funny how quickly you can turn on YOUR team. He has made this team, made up of average offensive players, and put them in a position to have the best record in the AL. To me, that is not even close to fireable, and mentioning it is downright ignorant.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 28, 2005 -> 09:09 AM) I hate that freaking argument. It's the same as the one "if you know so much, then why aren't you managing?" Well, Ozzie had the athletic ability to be a baseball player in the majors, and 99 pct of the world didn't. If he has so much baseball knowledge, then why are other people that played the game completely baffled by the decisions he's making? Ozzie is a cheerleader, but he's the worst in-game manager you'll ever see. With the team slumping, we needed his guidance to rally this team down the stretch. Are you satisfied with how he's been managing the last month or so? Yes, because only really good ballplayers are managers...... When he made the same decisions in the first half of the season, his moves were called genius, whats the difference now? Im not happy with the player's performance lately, thats it. How many people did we leave on base last night? Im sure thats Ozzie's fault. Face it, this team winning 96 games is amazing in its own right. Did you really think that they were going to win that many games when you looked at the roster. There is a reason that the team loves Ozzie so much, and they play for him. You can play the blame game all you want, but you wont find any negatives in Ozzie that outweight the positives.