RockRaines

QUOTE(SoxFanForever @ Apr 26, 2005 -> 11:14 AM) If you think Darren is still a Pro Bowl caliber safety you are crazy. He has been slowly on the decline the past few years. He was supposed to be the next leader of the secondary when LeRoy Butler retired and has done nothing to claim that title. He has looked lost more and more in defensive coverage, been prone to bonehead injuries and open his mouth up way too much. I enjoyed watching him in his prime when he was actually getting the job done after a shaky start to his career where he couldn't tackle worth a lick. However, I feel that his best days are behind him. He always seems to miss his coverage and go for the "Big Play" such as an interception and return to get himself on the ESPN highlights. He did exactly this a few years ago in the endzone and got himself hurt before the playoffs and really hurt the Packers chances. As far as the Vikes winning the NFC North, I hope you are joking. What have they done the past few years to show that they can win the divison? They always start out strong and then swoon like the Cubs with their June Swoon. The team has a ton of talent and I won't take that away from them. However, the coaching ineptitude and lack of heart on the part of the Vikes is pretty bad. The Vikes have never won a Superbowl and I don't see it happening this year, no matter how many "great" free agent acquistions and draft studs they got. This is just my opinion though TRU so don't yell at me Even with career years by those two players that he mentioned, what happened to them??? There is a reason why their coach is the lowest paid in the league, he is terrible.

DP is trying to bring something out of Kenny, but he isnt havin it. DP got owned by KW.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Apr 26, 2005 -> 12:24 PM) Last year, the twins of the DL were on the cover of this magazine and that. They had this "romantic" idea of the cubs vs the bosox in a curse off. We retool over the winter and get crapped on for taking the power from this team. Everybody has been against us, like it always is. Ozzie should print this crap out and paste it on the board. No one respects you, play with a chip on your shoulder. I keep going back to the scene in Slaptop where the old man is hitting the bus with a sledge and the guy comes up what are you doing. Making the bus look mean. Lets play mean and ugly. Whitesox Pride :finger All you baseball analysts Slapshot.

KW is on now

QUOTE(YASNY @ Apr 26, 2005 -> 08:47 AM) Totally awesome post Gettysburg. Best post of the season so far, I think the same things. I was thinking, these are the types of things that championship teams do, just like the twins used to do to us. Find a way to win.

I dont even see how there is a comparison. Prior is an ace, Garland is a number 3 at best, and is consistanly average. He has had a couple of good games this year, but Prior is downright better. Better pitches better delivery, hes just better.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Apr 26, 2005 -> 11:14 AM) Shingo has struggled for 1 reason; his control hasn't been there. His struggles have not been because people have seen him too much. In the outings where he's had problems, his problems have happened because he couldn't get his best pitches over on the corners, which has allowed hitters to sit on a pitch and drive it. Shingo has already shown me that he'll turn this around, he just needs to get enough work in. And Hermanson is now letting us knwo that he's had problems recently with back spasms. That makes me worry a lot about putting him in the closer's role permanently. great post my sentiments exactly. I would be too sure that KW would ever trade with the cubs, especially now while we are grabbing some headlines. Hendry better really start power dialing, because he is going to have to give up someone, and it might be Angel.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Apr 26, 2005 -> 09:03 AM) I think the steal of the draft will be Jason Campbell. I think its Adrian Mcpherson

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Apr 26, 2005 -> 08:21 AM) The Vikings success as a team is always going to lie on Daunte Culpepper. If the good version shows up, this team can beat anyone, and it makes them so dangerous on offense with the running game and Daunte scrambling around. Bulls***, their fate always rest with Randy Moss, look what happened to them last year when he got hurt. Now hes gone, nothing will help them in their below average running game now. UH oh Bye bye

Molding their area after wrigleyville huh?? Makes me hate them even more.

A much more effective game caller than our last 3 catchers by far. I actually said this earlier when we dropped Ben Davis.

I have 2 box seats on the 100 level for saturday and sunday if anyone is interested

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Apr 26, 2005 -> 06:25 AM) The heavy movement of his sinker is the key to his season, without a doubt. Before this season none of Jon pitches had much of a different angle to them to change the slant of the hitters eyes. His fastball and change were on the same plane, so if you guessed the right speed, you would crush the ball. (which his change was usually going 400 feet somewhere) His curve also didn't have much of a break to it, and was obvious once the hitter picked up the spin. Now with the sinker he has a pitch that moves downward, with some occasional sideways movement if he cuts it, between 6 inches to a foot. He throws it out of the same release point as the change and fastball so it gives him 3 pitches that the hitter has to guess. Also the sinker and the change have pretty simliar speeds. What this does it make the change much more effective, because the hitter has to wait and see if the bottom is going to fall out if it, until he can pick his swing plane. It also makes the curveball more effective as even if the hitter recognizes the spin, he has to guess on sinker vs curve to get his swing plane, and speed of the pitch as the curve is a bit slower. Finally his fastball is instantly better, as instead of just having to guess speed, the hitter has that sinker in the back of his mind, and if he hestitates, even a 91-93 mph fastball will get past him. That sinker is huge. I was just going to post this. I noticed that the angle of his pitches is very different this year, with the sinker cutting and his fastball going in on right handed batters. Also his change seems to have break towards left handed batters. I think the catchers also are calling a much better game than previous as well. When Widger is behind the plate the pitchers are posting a 1.0 ERA

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Apr 25, 2005 -> 03:50 PM) You still havent answered my question. How is this a valid comparison? Nothing about the '03 Kansas s***ty team and the '05 Sox is even close save for the W-L numbers in April and the fact that BBTN and the like vastly overrated them as a ball club early on then promptly forgot about them when they started to suck. I was comparing the win-loss record in April of the two teams, then showing the demise of the Royals after a hot start. I figured that information was clear. I for one dont think that there is much of a comparison between the two teams, I think the sox are far superior to the Royals that year. Then again I am a very biased person on the topic. I believe its been pointed out that in comparison our starting pitching is much more experienced and talented. I also think our bullpen is much superior as well. I do believe their lineup did have very good speed and baserunning ability, and they had an unknown middle infielder who came in to contribute.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Apr 25, 2005 -> 03:45 PM) What, may I ask, is the point of such information? There is no comparison between us and the "Got no starting pitching" Kansas s***ty Royals fro 2 seasons ago. If you dont see a point in the information, then dont post under the topic. Let others have a crack at the debate. Its not that difficult of a concept. Others have chosen to refute the argument with a rational post, thats also another way to go.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Apr 25, 2005 -> 03:39 PM) LOL!! OMFG. You think because we had a similar April to KC that we're gonna end up like them? BUZZKILL!!!!!!!!!! BUZZKILL!!!!!!!!! BUZZKILL!!!!!!!!!! If you have to stretch that far to find something negative about this team you really need to keep your mouth shut. Right now there is no legitimate argument that this team will falter so save it. Read the rest of my posts you ranter-wanna be. I wasnt trying to be negative, just posting some information that i had seen out there. Frankie says relax

Washington Nationals: The Nationals have added the tallest pitcher in major-league history to their pitching staff. On Monday, the Nationals recalled 6-11 righthander Jon Rauch from Triple-A New Orleans of the Pacific Coast League. He took the roster spot vacated by lefthander Joe Horgan, who was optioned to New Orleans on Sunday. Rauch, who became the tallest pitcher to appear in a major-league game while a member of the Chicago White Sox in 2002, was 1-1 with a 2.51 ERA in three starts for New Orleans. Acquired in the trade that sent outfielder Carl Everett to the White Sox last summer, Rauch went 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA in nine appearances, including two starts, for the Washington franchise last year.

QUOTE(HSC's Biggest Fan @ Apr 25, 2005 -> 03:00 PM) Is this whole f'ing site a promo for the chicken little the sky is falling crap. We are f***ing 15-4 and people feel the need to determine how we will be 70-92 at the end of the season beacuse the buffons on ESPN say so. We are not playing good and we are f***ing 15-4. The god damn Royals were lucky as s*** and were using smoke and mirrors we have a solid team they did not. Anyone with any baseball sense knows that. We have talent they did not , once again, we have talent, they did not. Same as the Reds last year or whenever the hell they were hot for one week. Wanna know something the Orioles may hang in there with Boston and New York, why you ask? They have talent but the idiots on ESPN won't tell you this because then the Yanks and Red Sox Nation may not watch ESPN. The Royals were talentless that year, we are not. NEWS FLASH we are not going to be 120-42 ok, we are going to lose some games. If we play at .500 clip the rest of the way, we will be in it to the end. Jesus this site is out of control with negative crap. Midol, lots of midol. Nobody is saying the sky is falling, just bringing up something to think about, I personally think our team is vastly underrated, and that we have the chemistry and talent to take the ALC. But I was just posting something to think about and debate about. Take a breath.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 25, 2005 -> 02:53 PM) Which Lineup would you rather have? C - A.J. Pierzinski 1B - Paul Konerko 2B - Tadahito Iguchi 3B - Joe Crede SS - Juan Uribe LF - Scott Podsednik CF - Aaron Rowand RF - Jermaine Dye DH - Carl Everett Or.... C - Brent Mayne 1B - Ken Harvey 2B - Desi Relaford 3B - Joe Randa SS - Angel Berroa LF - Raul Ibanez CF - Carlos Beltran RF - Aaron Guiel DH - Mike Sweeney ummm can i mix and match, cause im pretty sure I would take Beltran and Randa, and Berroa in his rookie season.

QUOTE(tonyho7476 @ Apr 25, 2005 -> 02:52 PM) Apparently so....lets just enjoy the team and root for them to keep it up. nobody is trying to be pessimistic, or not cheer for the team. Im just posting a thought pattern, and a suggestion for debate. People need to not take a good sports discussion so seriously.

I have been thinking about our great start to this season and the negative reaction from sporting press. Many observers are linking our team to the 2003 KC Royals and their great start and 3rd place finish. Over achieving by the pitching staff, and lucky 1-run wins. Many people on this board are wondering if our numbers are going to come back to earth as well, especially when we have to face tough opponents in august etc. KC win/loss splits Month by Month Split W L RS RA WP March 1 0 3 0 1.000 April 16 7 122 95 0.696 May 10 19 131 177 0.345 June 15 12 155 160 0.556 July 15 11 136 125 0.577 August 13 15 146 155 0.464 September 13 15 143 155 0.464 Our April is starting to look alot like KC. Longest Winning Streak: 9 (March 31 to April 12) Lets all hope this is not the case, but what do you think?

they cant figure it out, they went at each other face to face and got separated by everyone. Then JC romero lef the game. There were people still holding romero back, im sure it was pudge who did something.

QUOTE(JimH @ Apr 25, 2005 -> 11:38 AM) The original Billy Goat Tavern was located on West Madison St., across the street from the Chicago Stadium and about 1/2 block west. It sat exactly where the United Center is now. It moved to the N. Michigan location in 1963. My dad went there a lot in the 50's and early 60's, he said it was a Blackhawk fan hangout and actually leaned more to the White Sox. Sam Siannis, the original owner, wanted to bring the goat in for some pregame festivity at the '45 WS and thought he had something arranged with the media/PR people. He got turned away, got pissed off, and hence the "curse". Which, by the way, he supposedly "reversed" in whatever year it was ... '89 or '98 or something. there is still a billygoat tevern at ashland and madison, down the street from where it was before. I know it was a big blackhawks hangout, but they appear to lean more towards the cubs these days. Overrated burgers.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Apr 25, 2005 -> 11:13 AM) It's not bulls***. It happened. I meant the curse

pudge and JC romero get into a brawl, benches empty, both are tossed.