Balta1701

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 01:13 PM) Unless a team makes a come back today, it's been a terrible day in the standings for the Sox. The next 7 days, it's time for us to make our own luck in the standings.

QUOTE(Jordan4life_2006 @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 01:09 PM) Just give the Tigers their due. They're flat gettin' it done. Notice they know how to finish off a team after taking the first two. Seriously though, Wilfredo Ledezma? At this rate, it seems like you could stick Arnie Munoz and Danny Wright in their starting rotation and somehow they'd start throwing shutouts.

Ok, so I know we've heard this before around here, and I know I'm going to either be labeled as annoying or as a flip-flopper, because I've been one of the loudest advocates for keeping Thome's OBP in the 3 slot, but as of today, I'm convinced. Our lineup would be more effective if Jermaine Dye were in the 3 hole, Jim Thome were in the 4 hole, Paul Konerko were in the 5 hole, Joe Crede were in the 6 hole, and AJP were in the 7 hole. So, why am I convinced today? All of the old arguments still fit. Moving Thome out of the 3 hole will probably cut into JD's RBI chances, because he will have fewer people on base. Thome may also score fewer runs because Dye won't be 2 guys behind him. Thome may drive in a few more from having JD in front of him, which would reduce the impact overall. But none of those are the key reason. The reason we need to do this is the lefties. In the 6th inning today, Scott Schoenweis came in as a Loogy. Started off with Pods, got him, Iguchi, and Thome in short order. The problem of course is that in terms of their numbers against lefties, these are basically our 3 worst guys in our lineup. Excluding Brian Anderson, and part-time guys, who's numbers will all be skewed, against lefties, the top 3 in our lineup look like this BA OPS Scott Podsednik .237 .608 Tadahito Iguchi .221 .650 Jim Thome .259 .768 Why is this important? It is important because it allows an opposing manager to, every game, send in a Loogy, and be able to get a quick, easy inning at the start of our lineup, and it allows that LOOGY to pitch to 3 people instead of one. Here are Jermaine's #s against lefties: Jermaine Dye .361 1.112 So, right now, we are struggling against lefties, and we have for much of the season. The weakness of our first 3 hitters against lefties, I feel, is one of the primary reasons. It allows managers to use 1 lefty to take out Podsednik, Iguchi, and Thome late in games without having anyone in there who we can count on to pound that lefty. By spreading out our lefties, and sticking Dye in there, I believe that our gains against left-handers will overcome the losses of total runs by moving Thome's OBP slightly lower in the order. Anyway, I know Ozzie won't do this, as in his eyes what he's doing is working, but I wanted to make a thread about it anyway. Schoenweis's inning today just really pissed me off, because having these 3 guys in a row who aren't hitting lefties is giving opposing managers a big advantage. If they want to bring in a Loogy against Thome, they get the added gifts of Podsednik and Iguchi for that one pitcher. Sticking Dye in there would break that up, and make managers either feed a lefty to Dye, give a righty to Podsednik and Iguchi, or deplete their bullpen by using 3 pitchers.

QUOTE(elrockinMT @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 12:48 PM) That's my gripe with FOX too. I wish MLB would offer more free-tv packages for the networks to bid on. Sunday day games, etc, etc. Or just don't block out the damn early game just because Fox buys it. I'm paying $150 for the extra innings package, and you're gonna steal Saturday from me? one of the two days I'm guaranteed to be home? That's fishing awful.

Brian Anderson can't hit righties.

Can o' corn Can o' corn Can o' corn Whoops.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 08:31 AM) i dont think there is any validity to this. francisco liriano pitched in the WBC, did he not? So, you're saying that if Freddy had spent the first 2 months of the season in the bullpen, he'd be in good shape? I could buy that.

QUOTE(Felix @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 11:28 AM) He has a chance, mainly because his offense is so much better. His defense isn't nearly as good as last year, but with the better offense, he has a much better shot at winning one. Not with the people who get bigger press than Crede. He'd have to be playing better defense than he has thus far this season. I mean he'd have to be doing everything right to get enough attention.

Is there some reason why this can't go in the other thread?

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Aug 6, 2006 -> 08:47 AM) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,207195,00.html Next step is to kick out the IAEA inspectors ( I give em about a month before that happens ) and withdraw from the NPT. Is anyone still nieve enough to think diplomacy is gonna work on Ahmenenajad & these guys? See, here's the thing though...if Ahmadinejad actually does do exactly what you say he's going to do...then when we do wind up having to strike them, we will be doing so with at least a few allies behind it. Why? Because we've done this the right way. We have plenty of time, we still have years before they succeed at anything, and we've avoided making ourselves into the bad guy, just by taking our time. You can say the U.N. is as useless as you want, doesn't make it true.

Few things piss me off as much as the Fox exclusive Saturday Morning deal. Costs me so many damn games, out of the select handful I'm actually home ot watch all the way through.

QUOTE(greg775 @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 05:46 PM) It's 10-0 Twins in the fifth inning. This is why I wanted to sweep the Royals. Our competition always beats the piss out of the Royals. We merely win 2 of 3. I wonder, if you took Morneau and Mauer out of their lineup for almost the entire series...if they'd be able to win 2/3 as well.

Kick some ass JC. Oh, and I think an ideal place to play Mack tomorrow would be at 3rd base.

I've said it a couple of times in the game thread, and i'll repeat it again here. The rest of the league doesn't know it yet. But right now, the Yankees, Carmines, Kitties, and Twinkies should be scared. Damn scared. A little bit of pitching and no one touches this team. And if JV finds some confidence, and keeps his focus, like he did today...then that's more than the little bit of pitching we need.

Thank you David. Do it quicker next time. JAVY JAVY JAVY JAVY JAVY JAVY JAVY JAVY

Flappin' Base on Balls...

This is a springboard type win. The Yankees, Kitties, Twinkies, and Carmines don't know it yet, but now is the time they should be scared. You give this team a little itty bit of pitching, and no one is going to slow them down. By the way, thanks Baltimore!

QUOTE(Jake @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 03:45 PM) Only take Javy out once a baserunner reaches. He's already thrown 109 pitches. He's done all we needed him to do. Maybe Cotts can have a good inning and everyone on our staff will suddenly be out of their slump.

YAY! Smiling manager and pitcher!

109 pitches, 13 strikeouts, 2 walks, 2 hits, 1 run. Heck of a game Javy. hit the showers.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 03:36 PM) Pods looked like a decent defender there.....cause Brian wasn't gonna get it. It's tempting to let Javy start the ninth at this rate. 105 pitches, not a shutout, big lead, at least one struggling reliever...no good reason to give Javy the ninth. Cotts really ought to get it.

"Stiffness in his lower back" for Crede. Now that's nice outfield play.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 03:30 PM) Just once, I want to see Tad argue with an ump. I bet he really curses umps in japanese when he's walking back to the dugout.

QUOTE(Felix @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 03:29 PM) Pods never dropped the bat.. lol Someone posted earlier in the thread it was day-to-day, he'll probably sit out tomorrow. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if he sat out the make-up game on Monday also.

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Aug 5, 2006 -> 03:25 PM) OK, for argument's sake, let's just say that Javy has turned a corner. Why did it take so long, do you think? Maybe Vazquez finally decided to let Coop change whatever he thought necessary, whereas before he wanted to pitch his own way? Ever have a bad habit someone was trying to break you of? Every time Vazquez got nervous, or got runners on in his last few starts, he'd get nervous, and his technique would start breaking down. And he'd go back to trying to nibble, and he'd start throwing a lot of balls, and then he'd get hurt. He didn't have the confidence in what he was doing to really focus. I bet that Cooper coming out in the 5th after that walk was really important today.