Dam8610

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 27, 2005 -> 06:37 PM) A.J. Burnett has some serious durability issues that must be looked at before even thinking about trading for him. '99 - GS: 7 IP: 41.1 ERA: 3.48 '00 - GS: 13 IP: 82.2 ERA: 4.79 '01 - GS: 27 IP: 173.1 ERA: 4.05 '02 - GS: 29 IP: 204.1 ERA: 3.30 '03 - GS: 4 IP: 23.0 ERA: 4.70 '04 - GS: 19 IP: 120.0 ERA: 3.68 '05 - GS: 15 IP: 103.1 ERA: 3.14 He's played 7 professional seasons in his career (5 Full -1 for Rookie season -1 for injury in '03) and over those 7 seasons he's only had 1 seaon of 200 IP or more and he's only had 2 seasons of 150 IP or more. In the other 5 seosons he didn't even break 121 IP in any of them. This should be a serious concern for any pitcher that thows as hard as he does. Last year was his comback season after having Tommy John's surgery at the beginning of the '03 season. He has only missed a few starts since then which is incouraging seeing how TJ surgery tends to strengthen the arms of some pitchers who have the surgery. Before you just start throwing McCarthy, Sweeney, Anderson, Marte or any other prospects/major league talent at them you first have to be absolutely sure that he is fully back from the injury and a flare up is not on the horizon. I know that it is impossible to gaurentee a player will not get injured but when you're going to be dealing some of your most promising prospects and/or major league players you have to take into account his past injuries. He's a 28 year old fireballer who has had success in the past and is doing well this year. Of course when a player has been injured before, another injury is a concern, but if he stays healthy (and as you said, it is impossible to guarantee a player will not get injured), he is an awesome starter, and possibly even the #2 starter on the team, behind Buehrle. If we are going to throw a big package at any team for any attainable player, it should be the Marlins for Burnett. I know I'd want him more than an aging Schmidt who is struggling with his velocity and could have some kind of arm problem.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Jun 27, 2005 -> 06:03 PM) I have a feeling Brandon is going to give us something to be really excited for Wednesday. His changeup wasn't working his last start, and he knew that;He said that in the postgame agaisnt KC. If he can get it working, and get comfertable with it, I think Brandon can pitch pretty well agaisnt the Tigers. Go Get'em Brandon. He threw his change more than once last start? I saw one where the batter swung and missed, and he didn't throw it again. Did he decide from that one change that got him a strike that it wasn't working?

QUOTE(Dam8610 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 09:47 PM) Okay, I think I'll inject some logic into this venting. As of today, the Sox are 50-24, STILL the best team in baseball, and 9.5 games up on the Twins. 74 games into the season, the Sox are on pace to go 109-53. However, let's say the Sox fall into mediocrity for the remainder of the season. They play .500 ball for the remaining 88 games, going 44-44. That would produce a record of 94-68. Meanwhile, the Twins are 40-33, 7 games over .500 through 73 games. At their current pace, they will finish the season 89-73. However, let's say the Twins suddenly catch fire and go 53-36, 17 games over .500 in those 89 games. That would make them 93-69 on the season, one game worse than the Sox record if they only play .500 ball from this point on. My point? The Twins have a LOT of ground to make up if they want to catch the Sox, and they'd have to count on the Sox for some help too. If a race can be over in June, then both Central division races are.

OMIT must go! Bring back the Gload!

Maybe I put too much stock into age and Schmidt's velocity dropoff, but if we're going to pay top dollar for a starter, I'd rather it be Burnett than Schmidt.

Damn, damn, damn! I was really hoping they'd be able to get him an outing or two from the pen before he had to start again. His problem thus far has been two things: He hasn't thrown his changeup AT ALL (once in his last start), and he appears to lack confidence in his stuff. Two problems that I thought could be corrected by some relief outings. Oh well, I just hope he decides to throw that good change a few more times in this outing, which will hopefully help him get some outs and build his confidence. Pitching in Comerica and against the Tigers should help some though, especially considering they have very little plate discipline and he has shown an ability to get Ks with great frequency. His K/9 at Charlotte is still over 11.

If the Sox two WS wins sandwiched the other team's win, I could deal with that. Every one of us would hear all about it for that whole year if the Flubs won the WS first, and I'd really prefer not to have to put up with gloating from Flub fans.

Of the most recent names suggested: A.J. Burnett - I'd get him at a big price tag (trade value wise) if neccessary, especially if I thought I could ink him for another 3-4 years. He would be worth McCarthy, Marte, and their choice of Timo Perez or Ryan Sweeney to me. I'd even be willing to give up Everett if they would take a lesser reliever than Marte. Then again, who wouldn't pay that much for a 28 year old fireballer who's had success at the ML level? Unfortunately, the White Sox aren't interested at the present time, unless Kenny and Ozzie have completely fooled the media. Jason Schmidt - Despite his past 2 starts, he's struggled this season, and his velocity is nowhere near what it used to be. In the right deal, I'd get him, but the Giants will be asking WAY too much. Jaime Moyer - He can't be an ageless wonder forever. This is definitely what I'd call a rental player, and I DO NOT like rental players. Ted Lilly - He might be worth one or two lower tier prospects, but I think Neal Cotts could fill the role that Lilly would. Andy Pettite - The Astros will probably be in the market to trade him, and depending on what they're asking for in return, I'd like getting him. As of now, he's the 2nd best pitcher that could be on the trade block (Burnett is the best, and the Rocket isn't going anywhere). Jason Jennings - We need a pitcher who can succeed now, not in a year or two. A 27 year old with a 1.69 WHIP including 54 walks in 91 innings is not going to succeed this year. No thanks. Brad Lidge - It'd be nice to add him, but it won't happen Eddie Guadardo - If there are health concerns with him, then it might be a risky move. However, if he does stay healthy, he has a couple more years left in him, and it would be so sweet to have Eddie Guardado throw the last inning of the division clinching game to A.J. Pierzynski against the Twins. Eric Chavez - It's not going to happen, nor do I want it to. He may seem like a good addition now, but a couple years down the road, some of you would probably talk about him the way you talk about Kong now. Joe Randa - Another rental player. No thanks.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:08 PM) Fine. We'll explore that down the road. Why mess with what he's doing now? All that does is weaken our 'pen, and we'd have to stretch out Cotts -- which would take at least a month, right? Well maybe, but if he could be as effective as a 5th starter, then there's no need to go out and waste prospects on a possible rental player or possible junk pitcher. I'd like to at least see this option explored before a trade is made. QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:08 PM) Same goes for Hermy. He could help us out, but why mess with the bullpen? I didn't really suggest that he should be removed from the pen, but before the season, wasn't he brought in to be a reliever/spot starter? I was just pointing that out. NO WAY I want him out of the closer's role though. QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:08 PM) McCarthy -- I personally don't think he's ready. His fastball is straighter than Felix Diaz', and he's not throwing his changeup very much. I don't feel very confident handing him the ball in a pennant race. I know he's struggled in his starts, but the way he's pitched so far, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he had the same type of success that Cotts has had coming out of the pen this year. He always goes out there and does awesome in his first 1-3 innings, then starts giving it up as he goes deeper into the game. Well, if he's only pitching those first 1-3 innings each time he goes out there, he's going to be a lot more successful, plus he won't have to think about holding back and conserving energy if he's coming out of the pen, something that helps a lot of pitchers. QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:08 PM) And El Duque, I don't see how it affects him. If El Duque goes down, Lilly fills in. If he can only throw four-five innings, Lilly gives you the two-three that a "normal" starter would give you, if more, then that's fine too. I'm not suggesting that they give up a top flight guy for Lilly, but one or two of C+ - B- (a little above average, in other words) prospects for him and I do it. If Duque is healthy and pitching well, he's one of the top 2 5th starters in MLB. However, he's already been on the DL twice this season, and depending on his health is obviously not the best of plans. That said, I'm all for a trade that Kenny and Ozzie think will help the club, but if you can find a replacement part from within your organization without much dropoff in production, why not use it and keep the C+ - B- prospect(s) that you would be inclined to trade for Lilly? After all, I'm sure Mike Piazza was at one point in time much less than a C+ - B- prospect. Probably a few other players as well, but that's the one that comes to mind quickly.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 09:38 PM) No, No, and No. 5 words for you.......... Don't. f***. With. The.Pen. If you want to make a trade to aquire someone, fine but don't take anyone out. Hermanson, while shaky the last few times out, has been a savior for us this season, and screwing with him now is a horrible idea. Same goes with Cotts. I give him the MVP award for the month of June. Guy is turing out to be a stud in the pen, don't screw with it. Oz also said he sees Cotts as a future closer rather than SP. Lilly isn't going to cost us what Freddy did, think a little more than what Everret did. I remember another "future closer" about 15 years ago by the name of Curt Schilling. Anyone know what happened to him?

Okay, I think I'll inject some logic into this venting. As of today, the Sox are 50-24, STILL the best team in baseball, and 9.5 games up on the Twins. 74 games into the season, the Sox are on pace to go 109-53. However, let's say the Sox fall into mediocrity for the remainder of the season. They play .500 ball for the remaining 88 games, going 44-44. That would produce a record of 94-68. Meanwhile, the Twins are 40-33, 7 games over .500 through 73 games. At their current pace, they will finish the season 89-73. However, let's say the Twins suddenly catch fire and go 53-36, 17 games over .500 in those 89 games. That would make them 93-69 on the season, one game worse than the Sox record if they only play .500 ball from this point on. My point? The Twins have a LOT of ground to make up if they want to catch the Sox, and they'd have to count on the Sox for some help too. If a race can be over in June, then both Central division races are.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 08:02 PM) Those are stats from this year. Composed of what, 15-20 starts? Mercy... Off the top of my head, Lilly is right around a career 4.00 ERA pitcher. His ERA+ has been right around league average. For the right price, he's the guy this team needs. Cheat and Jim (among others) have been calling it for months, we need a swingman who can fill in for the fifth starter's role, and help us in the 'pen. Well, we've got 4 candidates on the team. Brandon McCarthy and Orlando Hernandez have been splitting the 5th spot for a while. Then there's Hermanson, who could be a spot starter if neccessary, but he's not likely to be since he's already in the closer's role. Which leads me to what I think is a very intruging possibility: Neal Cotts. He's done great this year, and he was a starter throughout his career in the minor leagues. I think he might actually be ready for a starter's role with your choice of McCarthy or Hernandez coming out of the pen. Personally, I'd take McCarthy from those two, because although he's struggled as a starter, he's been great in the first couple innings of every one of his starts. Also, I think coming out of the pen would take some mental pressure off of him and he might get more confident in his stuff, eventually leading to quicker development into a ML starter.

QUOTE(qwerty @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 01:31 PM) His stuff has always looked medicore at best up until this year. His sinker had very little bite on it at all. This year his command and movement on pitches has been 180 from years past. I am afraid that he is gonna have a career year and get paid a kings ransom ( last year of arb and they will lock him up if he has a good career) and he will go back to his mediocore self. It happens all the time around baseball... i don't see why it can't happen to us. It's possible, but he obviously has to have some talent, being a former 1st round pick. That said, some pitchers take longer to develop than others, and this may be one of those cases where a young pitcher finally puts everything together and goes on to have a long productive career as an important member of the staff.

QUOTE(qwerty @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 01:14 PM) Yes, fact is he was an average starter in the major leagues as his 101 ops+ will prove. There is no reason for me to believe he will keep up what he is doing. You go right ahead... but be prepared for the worst. It is also a fact that garland is not an ace or a number one starter... arguement can be made that he is pitching like one now, that is about it. Believe what you wish. Well, he is doing this at the ripe old age of 25 after all. I can see why you'd think that this couldn't be a sign of things to come from an aging pitcher like Garland.

Hey you can think what you want, so can Ozzie, and so can I. I think it was a dirty cheap shot by a classless, wannabe thug. Remember the Erstad-Estrada play at the plate from earlier in the year? That play was MUCH closer than the Hunter-Burke play, and most people thought Erstad unneccesarily hit him. As for the Sox having a "meltdown" last year, I'd like to see any offensive powerhouse team lose its two biggest bats and still make the playoffs.

QUOTE(Soxnbears01 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 11:10 AM) i hated the play just as much as you. But if one of our guys had done it, we would have loved him for it. I wouldn't have. It's a cheap shot, plain and simple. I probably wouldn't have had ill will towards a guy who did it on our team, but I wouldn't have liked him for doing that.

Has anyone else heard the rumor about Capuano?

QUOTE(Soxnbears01 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:56 AM) Say what you want about torri hunter. But i respect him. I would respect him had he not taken that cheap shot on Jaime Burke. That will not be forgotten, and makes him a classless, egotistical "star" IMO.

QUOTE(Soxnbears01 @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:57 AM) you could have 100 physcologists in a room and none of them would be able to figure you out. Huh? If he actually IS a Sox fan, then I think I've got him figured out, and I definitely am NOT a psychologist.

QUOTE(POPPY_HIDALGO @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:27 AM) HOLY f*** SOX ARE LOSING TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Garland just isn't going to be able to cut it. Not like it makes a difference though. This is a World Series team! Winning the season series against the Cubs doesn't mean much and its not going to happen. There is no shame is a 3-3 series tie. : Are you a Sox fan, or a Flubs fan? I really can't tell. I do know that Garland has pitched extremely well this year and I expect that to continue today. I really hope we shell Prior too.

Cubs soundly defeat best team in baseball, move into better position to capture NL Wild Card White Sox unfortunately maintain 10.5 game lead over Twins

I got a better one for em: The Sox went up to the dome to take on the Twins at their home They took 2 of 3 emerged with a lead and haven't since let go How's that for pulling something out of your ass?

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Jun 25, 2005 -> 10:09 PM) BTW - Garland at home this year: 7-0 with a 2.94 ERA opponents batting .205 against him I like our chances. Finally, a stat that no one can be negative about. Maybe we won't hear of the forthcoming gloom and doom in this game thread?

If the Sox have some patience, Prior will have to throw them pitches to hit, since he's on a pitch count and all. If they take a few pitches, I think they'll be rewarded with a few runs.

We might be able to go to the Urinal and take a series, but we can't let them come to Comiskey and take the series. WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!