captain54

"Allright.. you guys played great tonite.. that's baseball.. we gotta get better, and we will... there's always tomorrow…." "Anyways, I'm bushed.. nite all, see ya tomorrow" Later in the hotel room, on cell to JR RV: "Boy Jerry, that closer sucks.. what was Hahn and Kenny thinking? JR: "Really Robin? hmmm.. what happened? I didn't watch the game" RV: "Yeah, we lost.. in the bottom of the ninth" JR: "Damn…anyways, if the wife is in town next week, you guys are invited for little dinner party..Kenny and Rick will be there" RV: "That sounds good.. man this a long season, is it over yet? (laughter) JR" "OK, nite .. nice job tonite, as always"

QUOTE (Real @ Jul 19, 2016 -> 01:18 AM) how long before ya'll find something else to do besides watch a s***ty baseball team? there's no point in watching a team that's bad, and puts you in a terrible mood for the next 24 hours. I had stuff to do..Didnt watch... I was on the road and listened in the car, then checked the score periodically on the phone.. when I got home I watched the bottom of the 9th, figured it was a W.. F### me

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jul 19, 2016 -> 12:56 AM) No one was talking about 2015 . That's down and over with.He was very bad tonight missing location pretty bad . That's rust from the injury layoff. s*** happens. s*** happens on a regular basis to the 2016 White Sox.. yet the status quo remains. the sun will rise tomorrow and the happy bunch will all remain employed... but thank God there's a manager and pitching coaching, AND a BP coach, with their finger on the pulse of the situation, putting their rusty closer in the best possible situation to succeed

1) It's a long season, there's a lot of baseball left to play 2) Anyone that wants to give up on a .500 baseball team a few games out of the WC is foolish 3) That's baseball. you win some, you lose some 4) Go get em tomorrow, we can still win the series 5) The 2016 Sox are an improvement over the 2015 Sox, so we're moving in the right direction You get the idea... There's a few more I may have missed. someone? anyone?

QUOTE (miracleon35th @ Jul 18, 2016 -> 02:35 PM) The pitching core stays for stability of the team and the franchise. a steady diet of a lot more games where the opposition scores three runs or less .. and the Sox lose….. oh joy

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 18, 2016 -> 01:36 PM) The obvious conclusion is that "all about the money" does not accurately describe JR and company's decision making. Clearly they do care about funds at some level based on the type of signings they do make, but that they have continued to try to force themselves into competition when their organization is far from ready does imply that there's a mandate to win ballgames right now that is at least of equal importance. I would totally agree with this…. wonderful analysis.. the organization efforts are there, its the capabilities that are lacking… a .500 ball club just might be all this system is capable of right now.. it is what it is...

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 18, 2016 -> 01:25 PM) I just think that there's a lot of baseball left, and that if a few of our guys hit like they always have, and a few of THEIR guys cool down, the long-term outlook of the franchise may look substantially different. I think doom and gloom belongs in September, especially when you're around .500 in July. I appreciate your effort in attempting to sprinkle magic fairy dust over the proceedings, but I can't help but point out that you are ignoring the fact that the Sox, since the 23-10 start, have gone 22-36 and the 2nd worst record in the AL since early May.. not to mention a near historic feat, not to be duplicated in 50 years, of almost going scoreless in 4 straight games.. I would say, given those two factoids alone, a fan slumping into doom and gloom in July, could be understandable…. I would also say that it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that there are some serious defects in the FO and on the field, that would indicate a turnaround being unlikely

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 18, 2016 -> 10:26 AM) White Sox will likely not win another game in any of our lifetimes. no matter.. when's the next 2005 WS commemorative championship celebration?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 17, 2016 -> 06:52 AM) What is the cutoff to competent Lip? Torborg's career winning percentage is only .006 higher than Robin's. Torborg's record with the Sox. .515 Ventura's record with the Sox…465 Manager of the Year award.. Torborg 1 vs Ventura 0 Torborg.. 2 seasons above .500, 1 season under .500 Ventura.. 1 season above .500, 3 seasons under .500, and one currently @.500 Torborg brought the 1989 Sox from a 69 win team.. to the 1990 Sox, 94 win team (finishing behind the 103 win Oakland A's, managed by the Sox reject, Tony LaRussa) Ventura is very kind to the Reinsdorf family and always brings a nice deli platter when he's invited to a Reinsdorf family event

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jul 16, 2016 -> 11:22 AM) I understand not making the playoffs at either record, but if you are 86-76 and not make the playoffs, you're probably a player or two away rather than 4-5 players at 76-86. Also, injuries play into this as well. A good bet would be a .500 finish for the 2016 Sox. This team is just terribly inconsistent. Not terribly crappy, but not terribly good. When all is said and done, the FO will deem the season a success, because of the improvement from 2015. Selling off the "core" would send Kenny Hahn into a state of delirium and panic, of which they would never recover.

I noticed my Comcast signal on my TV went brighter after about the 7th inning. All those cable boxes and tv's being switched off added more juice to the signal

How soon till the first Bears game? In the meantime, the only other entertaining thing in Chicago sports this summer is keeping an eye on when the Real Cubs emerge, or rather ... Submerge

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 13, 2016 -> 12:16 PM) I think you can make real and fair criticisms on the organization's ability to properly recognize talent and put that talent in the best position to succeed. But it's difficult to argue that the current team isn't moving in the right direction, albeit slowly. I guess I just wonder if there aren't about 25 other fan forums having similar discussions. In a sport where failure is so pervasive, you're bound to deal with a lot of failure, sometimes unfairly. But when you are forced to evaluate your options going forward, you have to look at the process as it is today. If it makes sense, it makes sense. There might be 25 other fan forums, but the Sox are in the 3rd largest market in the US, are a historic franchise in a potentially huge geographic demographic, including not only Chicago but South, West, and SW burbs, more or less further downstate, but certainly NW Indiana and parts of SW Michigan. The other MLB team in town's claim to fame is that they have a tradition of losing. It bears at least a look as to why the FO has failed to capitalize on that I'll risk an unfair assessment, but the process as it stands today, is still being engineered by the same group that is responsible for a decade of futility. You can dress up a duck to look like a chicken, but at the end of the day it still waddles and quacks

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 13, 2016 -> 09:11 AM) Sometimes a good plan can yield undesirable results. In professional sports (ESPECIALLY baseball), that happens more often than not. Only one team in 30 actually succeeds at winning the World Series. That doesn't mean that only 1 team in 30 did a good job; that 29 front offices should be fired. It's simply the nature of competition. When you go head to head, only one winner can emerge. This front office has not tasted success, but analysis suggests that it's still moving in the direction of success. It makes sense to stay on that course until the direction changes. Your analysis of why a teardown might be ill advised is spot on, but I don't think it addresses the root of the Sox problems.. And I don't think a reasonable fan is expecting a WS title every year. However, with a playoff drought of this duration, I think we need to look deeper in the organization than just shuffling players around, constantly throwing the players under the bus as "non performing"… the fact that the Sox haven't even been able to sniff a WC 2 since it's inception, is telling.. That a FO pretty much remains static despite the track record…is sending the message that the organization accepts mediocrity.. reflective in the attendance and TV viewership numbers… I read somewhere recently that watching the Sox every year is like watching someone build a sandcastle too near the incoming tide…. it looks pretty good going up, but somehow you get the imminent feeling of it being washed away...

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 11, 2016 -> 04:13 PM) Therefore, the most sensible goal is to be "in the hunt" every single year. A successful plan to this end is one that sees the team in a state of constant but gradual system-wide improvement. And while our ML teams' records have been disappointing the past couple years, it's tough to argue that we haven't seen "gradual system-wide improvement" in each of those The Sox had a decent record in 2012, and were "in the hunt" for the duration. Bottom line, they went home in October. At the risk of being labeled a whiner and moaner, that doesn't qualify as a successful season, in my book The same could be said for every of the past ten seasons with exception of 2008 The decision makers that have compiled this dubious 10 yr record of achievement, have brought us to a point of near bottom attendance and TV viewing numbers. I'm not trying to be bitter, or argumentative..but where's the logic in assuming that this brain trust is capable of "gradual system wide improvement" Ultimately leading to an elite, big market, perennial playoff contender?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 11, 2016 -> 10:18 AM) You let me know when you are willing to do that on your side. Oh well, I tried.. I pointed out an inconsistency in your logic in the Robertson thread… My point earlier was that the BP #'s are skewed because of early positive numbers, you said Robertson's #'s are skewed because of negative numbers..but because my point leans more towards the negative, I'm wrong and you're right.. Difficult to have a discussion with someone who dances around the central point of debate, then manufactures the other person's POV to fit however narrative they wish to promote… So for that, I'm out . chief...

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 10, 2016 -> 01:40 PM) l, you were perfectly consistent. You focused on the worst possible scenario and tried to sell it as the big picture. Again. But please tell me about the game you were at that you saw someone pitch badly, so that is how the whole season has been. Please show me where I said that the Minny game that I was at, and the crappy performance by Jennings, was how the whole season for the pen has been…. I see what you've done though.. very skillful. you've taken something I've said and twisted it a bit, taken a kernel of it and molded it into an aberration of what I actually said..you then prop it up and display AS IF .. it's in fact.. my opinion. And what i actually said though about the game I was at..., was the crowd booed when Jennings was lifted…and that's about it.. oh, and maybe some tongue in cheek comment about how the crowd should have cheered instead of booed….but if you were at the game, you would have sensed the fans expressing their general frustration .. like "HERE WE GO AGAIN" I'm perfectly willing to engage in an intelligent debate with you…you don't get personal, and I appreciate that.. but don't start making crap up.. It's annoying as hell…You're better than that, boss….

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 10, 2016 -> 01:31 PM) I prefer the big picture. You prefer the worst case scenario. It isn't that hard to see. The only tap dancing is you trying to turn something completely unrelated into the same argument from the other day in attempt to rehash it for some unknown reason. You were caught in an inconsistency and it bothers you. That's understandable

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 10, 2016 -> 01:05 PM) It really isn't that difficult. Instead of focusing on the worst possible scenario, I look at the big picture. No you don't. But keep trying to convince yourself that you do You must have been a big hit on vaudeville cause your tap dancing skills are par excellence I'm saying the BP numbers are off because of out of the ordinary positive numbers. You are saying Robertsons numbers are off because of out of the ordinary negative numbers. Somehow you are right and I'm wrong. Whatever

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 10, 2016 -> 09:35 AM) The whole team just ran out of gas (Sale, Peavy, Quintana, the rookies), we had the injuries to deal with constantly throughout the 2nd half...most of us were not as angry as Greg about the "collapse" as it was pretty predictable to those who follow both the Tigers and Sox closely. (That said, I believed we would actually take it after winning the final Tigers game and then again when Dunn hit the homer to win another one in the following days). It certainly didn't help that the Sox went 6-12 against the 72-90 Royals. That was the season right there

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Jul 10, 2016 -> 12:20 PM) It's not a stretch. It's one appearance. Take away that outing in Kansas City and nobody is talking about this. I'd trade Robertson in the offseason and go with Burdi and Jones because I don't believe in paying relievers but Robertson is pretty damn good. Call it a stretch or one appearance. Whatever you would like. The point is, his numbers are skewed. Just as the BP numbers are skewed because of their April 2016 performance. Which I was reminded is the wrong thing to do

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 10, 2016 -> 11:28 AM) I think it really is this simple. Robertson has given up 13 runs this entire year. 6 of them, or essentially half, were in one single outing. Does it change his season long stats? Absolutely. Realistically it means that his entire season era has been doubled by one outing, meaning this isn't something that has been happening all season. You called me out for being irrational and negative when I mentioned the BP as a whole cant be judged by a single stretch of good numbers that skewed the stats as far as getting a true pic of the quality of the pen Now you are saying Robertson can't be judged by a single stretch of bad numbers..that it doesn't reflect the quality of his overall performance. So which one is it? Pick a lane, man

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 6, 2016 -> 03:13 PM) So again you are going to substitute 30 days of numbers, for one person's performance in that one game you were at. C.mon man. I just had a nice venti Veranda at Starbucks. You're ruining my caffeine buzz Beg pardon for disagreeing with you. Must of been that fit of irrationality and whinyness.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jul 6, 2016 -> 01:24 PM) The bottom line is that you're accusing others of cherry picking when you're doing the exact same thing. I disagree.. I don't have an agenda other than to look at the Sox and the organization realistically, without rose colored glasses…I was the one that was called out for somewhat negative point of view concerning the Sox pen and their numbers... QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jul 6, 2016 -> 01:24 PM) You're also painting a pretty broad brush. Pretty much everything you're criticizing other posters for you're guilty of yourself. Possibly.. But I think calling out fans for being whiny babies and irrational is totally out of line.. and disrespectful .. the colors on each individual brush are on opposite ends of the color spectrum...

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 6, 2016 -> 01:18 PM) But Albers isn't a microcosm of the entire staff. He is one man, and about the 4th/5th man out of the bullpen at that. Focusing on one guy who has been awful, while ignoring all of the primary guys out of the pen who have been very good sure doesn't tell the whole story either. They have also been good recently. Pretty much every guy, including the recent call ups, are at or better than what you would expect for them For example the numbers show over the last 30 days.... Jennings 0.84 era Jones 1.65 Putnam 2.08 Duke 2.16 Robertson 3.38 Beck 4.05 Ynoa 4.91 Albers 8.53 Yet, who is being focused on as "microcosm of the entire staff" when it comes to the bullpen? Matt Albers. You list Jennings as having the lowest ERA among the relievers in the last 30 days.. funny, that was the guy that got booed at the Minn game I was at, and was the main culprit in almost coughing up a nine run lead…. I guess the fans should have consulted their stat sheet before they commenced to booing.. We could go back and forth with this all day, boss…. Go ahead and trot out your ERA stats. I'll assume it was just an honest mistake on your part to not include the Sox pen…having the worst BB % per 9 in the AL. by far.. also, just a fraction of a percentage from having the worst WHIP in the AL….