South Side Fireworks Man

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 02:53 PM) You must have stopped watching games after the all star break last year because the hitting was was very mediocre in the 2nd half. The Sox offense has sucked since July of '06. The main reason the Sox are off to a poor start this year is not the bullpen but the offense, specifically the middle of the lineup. As for Thome, although he is a good hitter, since he's been playing for the Sox he has been one of those players that isn't really as good as what his numbers seem to indicate.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 02:50 PM) You are misunderstanding LVSoxFan's point. Aaron Rowand is a jedi knight and he has unbelievable powers. That is his unmeasurables - he can just will a team to win. He is a winner. I don't understand why so many people seem to despise a player giving 100% and playing hard all the time and contributing to the team with his attitude and leadership. I guess all that matters is the stat sheet.

QUOTE(southsideirish @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 02:46 PM) 1983? Didn't they acquire Cruz like a third of the way through the season? Didn't they win by 20 games? That was a hell of a spark if that is indeed the case. 9 wins? Thome didn't pitch for the White Sox. That was the problem with them last year - not the hitting. Right. And the '03 & '04 Sox' problem as well as the '06 Phillies problem was not a lack of contribution from Rowand. I was just answering the poster using his own reasoning.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 02:37 PM) So where was his unmeasurable contribution to push the Sox over the edge in '03 (88 wins) (Carl Everett was stealing ABs in CF) and '04 (84 wins)? Or for that matter where was it for the Phillies last year, besides on the bench? Well using your own logic, where have Jim Thome's contributions ever carried a team to a World Series Title? In fact, I guess you could say he took Rowand's place on a World Series winning roster and the result was a drop down to third place.

QUOTE(Jenks Heat @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 11:35 AM) The reason this deal gets done is simple. The Yanks will give the Sox $10M to free up a roster spot to go after one of Hunter, Ichiro, the Japanese Centerfielder, or Jones. These are guys that KW wants as well but if he can get Abreu and thinks he can lock him up, he doesn't play the FA game. Yanks outfield is set next year if they have to DH Giambi with Matsui, Damon and Abreu. If the Yanks like Dye, they can keep him as a DH. The Yanks also may feel that they could be ridding themselves of A-Rod which opens more cash up. Could a real blockbuster be in place involving Crede? Let's rotessirie this, you want a splash, McDougal, Crede, and Dye for Abreu and A-Rod. How about Dye, Crede and Buehrle for Abreu, A-rod, Cabrera, and ca$h?

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Jun 4, 2007 -> 10:26 AM) Regardless... how much worse than Crede can Fields be??? Please trade JOE CREDE! If they can trade Crede for a pretty good starting SS, Uribe can play just as well as Crede at 3B until Fields is ready.

Send down Aardsma for Floyd. DL or send down MacDougal and replace him with Bucvich. Send down Andy Gonzalez and bring up Fields and start him at 3B tomorrow. Alternate starting Crede and Fields, and if Fields shows he's ready, Crede can be traded.

Konerko, Dye and Crede have been killing the Sox this year so far. And since he's been with the Sox, Thome has always been a guy who is not nearly as good as his numbers would seem to indicate. Blame the bullpen all you want, but the reason the Sox are off to such a poor start this season is the underperformance of the Sox offense, particularly the middle of the order.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 11:43 AM) Gavin Floyd is awful. By the way, since when have teams only been able to make roster moves when they're at home? I keep hearing about how all of these changes are going to happen tomorrow. I think it has more to do with the Sox playing a day game in Canada. They just didn't have the time to get someone up to Toronto in time for today's game.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 11:45 AM) Marcum's been nasty as a starter, as he gives up very few hits in his starts. I said before the series that Thome needs to help lead us against righty pitching this series, and he's been brutal so far. Big game for the confidence of Danks today. He's looked bad his last few starts. Maybe the Sox will start playing typical White Sox baseball: Seven or eight solo home runs today.

In Dusty I trusty.

QUOTE(MHizzle85 @ Jun 3, 2007 -> 11:13 AM) Owens, CF Iguchi, 2B Thome, DH Dye, RF Konerko, 1B AJP, C Crede, 3B Mack, LF Uribe, SS Danks going for #4 It's time for Thome, Konerko and Dye to step up and start earning their salaries and carry this team. They have to hit enough to pick up the bullpen. Three or four runs isn't going to cut it even when the bullpen is pitching well. There have been many reasons why the Sox are off to a slow start this year, but I place most of it squarely on the shoulders of the middle of the Sox order. This gives cause for some optimism because it can be reasonably expected that these hitters pick it up for the rest of the season. But they must start NOW.

QUOTE(LVSoxFan @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 04:46 PM) I don't think anybody can claim with a straight face that, post-2005, we were all clamoring to get rid of Konerko, Dye, Crede, Uribe and/or Iguchi. The only one I remember everybody being down on heavily last year was, rightfully so, Pods. I was one of them. I was like: get rid of that motherf******--but thanks again for 2005, Scotty. Nobody could have anticipated last year's almost-MVP (Dye) being this bad for so long first half, or Crede (after finally breaking out in 2005) back to his 2004 ways, or Paulie back to his... what? 2003 form? So for that reason, I'm hardly going to take aim at KW for keeping those guys on. The bullpen, though? Yep, that was pretty much his creation, and if you were going to trade away a top starter (Freddy) and a top starting prospect (B-Mac)... it appears what he got for those trades went bust. Boom goes the dynamite, as somebody put it in another thread referring to something else. Let me throw something out there: KW hasn't made a decent trade post-2005. Think about it. What was the big trade post-2005? He got rid of A-Row to get Thome. Was that worth it? Think about it. That meant: a) You just took out a fan favorite and a proven team cheerleader, Aaron Rowand B) You did this immediately after winning the World Series with this squad--what happened to: if it ain't broke? c) Thome was fun for homers the first half of 2006 but quickly faded; he's been a non-factor this year as well, and he doesn't bunt or play smallball d) Brian Anderson was a bust and created a 9-hole Was that worth it? Don't get me wrong I love Thome and he's a class act and a gentleman, but were we really that better off with him and then BA in center than with keeping the 2005 team more or less intact? This year we kept Jenks (of course) and Thornton (despite his shaky year, I'm all for him) but unloaded B-Mac and Freddy for a crew of flamethrowers almost all if not all who have proven to be a bust. The only other potential culprit that nobody mentions is--gasp--Don Cooper. Although, like Ozzie, Don can only work with what KW provides him. Proven talents and even underrated ones like our starters seem to do fine with him (including Danks) so it's a mystery why the bullpen can't seem to get "fixed" by him. Unless they're unfixable. I'm not sure what the solution is here because I can't remember a year where the bullpen was this atrocious but at the same time we've got our overwhelming offensive woes. I don't know how you "fix" a bullpen at the beginning of June when you've already sent a bunch of guys down. As for Walker I can't think of any more excuses to make for him. Unless you want to try something weird for the team like sports psychologists, I would imagine somebody's gotta get fired soon. Hell at this rate KC could overtake us. Great post. I disagree on one point. McCarthy for Danks and Masset was a good trade. QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 04:55 PM) Some of you guys are complete f***ing morons. The Sox were the best team BAR NONE in 2005. They have always been a competitive team since 1990, and the team has never finished below .500 with KW as GM. Ortiz signed as a free agent in 2005, so the Sox would not have had him during that season because Kenny was after him in 2002 and 2004. There is little evidence, if any, that the Sox were close to acquiring Jason Kendall like they were to Erstad. I also find it hypocritical to bring up his name when people were clamoring for him in 2004 and before 2005 and when Beane's rear was kissed because he "only" gave up Redman and Rhodes. Give it a rest. Even as loyal as JR is to his employees, he's not going to dump a GM who is showing the most frustration of any coaches or front office and knows when to make a move. I also doubt ANY team would dump their GM if the team was .500 a week before the minor league draft. Compare the current reactions to the team's play so far: Baines: Nothing. Walker: "You know we'll hit sooner or later. Just look at the back of these guys' baseball cards." Guillen: "Maybe they should fire me." KW: "Yes I am frustrated right now. We are underachieving." (told that to Ken Rosenthal. But hey, let's just keep ripping the guy and try to take away his accomplishments because we're all better armchair GM's. Somehow KW looks more foolish for showing interest in Kendall when we had people here hammering out their own trades to get the guy. Great post too.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 11:25 AM) It makes no sense than Printz wasnt moved up, and Day was. Supposedly Prinz has had a "tender" shoulder.

It's the offense, specifically the middle of the lineup, that is killing the Sox today.

Anytime Thome, Dye, and Konerko want to step up and carry this offense won't be a minute too soon.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 10:22 AM) Lets keep making Dusty Baker look smart. Keep winning. In Dusty I trusty.

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Jun 2, 2007 -> 10:53 AM) haha, well so much for him being a 'tough guy'. i guess he's only good for a lucky sucker punch. I'd be willing to bet he came up from behind Zambrano in the clubhouse "to talk" and held him with one arm while sucker punching him with the other. Zambrano probably then proceded to kick the little punk's ass.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 06:48 PM) In all fairness, Barrett acted like a dick in this, too. I know Zambrano made the first move in the dugout, but Barrett pointing to the scoreboard was stupid as s***. And then to go into the clubhouse to try and take on Zambrano was dumb, too. Actually, Barrett walked toward Zambrano. After Barrett suckerpunched A.J., he claimed it was because A.J. started walking toward him. So using Barrett's standards, Zambrano was totally justified for taking a swing at him. And Barrett was totally at fault for going into the clubhouse to confront Zambrano a second time. I'll bet he tried to sucker punch him and Z kicked the crap out of him. Kudos to Zambrano for that.

QUOTE(Wedge @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 02:11 PM) Remember when Pods/Erstad/Dye was the worst OF in MLB? The worst got worse. That's usually what happens when 2/3 of your starting outfield goes down with injuries.

I hope Owens starts every game in LF and Terrero every game in CF for the next few weeks. Since Mackowiak is hot, he can get starts at 3B and 2B, and maybe come in late in the game in RF.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 01:51 PM) awesome. That is the right move. And he should get every at bat this coming week to see what he has. I agree. I'm looking forward to seeing him get his shot. Maybe he will ignite this offense. Let's hope Jerry Owens winds up making Dusty Baker look like a genius!

Owens Called Up. Erstad on 15 Day DL with Sprain

QUOTE(retro1983hat @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 01:34 PM) 15 day DL, just an ankle sprain ....per the SCORE. Wow. That is good news if indeed it is "just a sprain." Some sprains can be worse than others however. I just hope he can return at 100% speed. A 75% Erstad is not going to help.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 1, 2007 -> 12:04 PM) Why in the world would the Yankees do that trade? If anything, they need a stud 1b right now. Also, the Yankes and interest in Contreras can't be mentioned in the same sentence. Paulie, Crede, Iguchi, and Broadway for A-Rod, Cabrera and Cano.