caulfield12

The great debate of this offseason will be Nix/Getz at 2B (the same Nix who is only 0.18 behind Beckham in OPS), where Ramirez ends up and who will our leadoff hitter be...along with the fifth starter and reconstructing our bullpen, although it trading Jenks seems unlikely right now with his value so low. Getz has really proven to be injury-prone this season...and very streaky. He needs to put up a .340-.360 OBP to be effective with his lack of power, and he hasn't done that consistently in 2009. His main advantage now is a LH bat (especially with Pods on his way out probably) and his speed.

Only Cotts over Buerhle in 2003 at Yankee Stadium and having to start Vazquez in the first game of the playoffs (but that was because of the four man rotation we used down the stretch)...would rival this. But this season turned for the worse finally in the middle of all those losses at Fenway that were winnable games. Supposedly, the White Sox were considering Hudson and Torres (not Carrasco) for the start.

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ Aug 29, 2009 -> 12:29 PM) Ramirez will be traded. We will have a new SS or 3B next year. I honestly think Beckham could be a great SS in this league. Theoretically, if we can get Alexei's production from Getz/Nix at 2B, then we make this trade (because his contract, his age and his Soriano-esque potential production from the middle infield will entice SOMEONE) and find a leadoff hitter (OF), fifth starter and/or rebuild our bullpen as Dotel leaves and Jenks might be out the door as well, although I think KW will hold onto Jenks for one more year because his value is so diminished, even compared to this offseason. From being the "Cuban Connection," if we ditch Contreras and Ramirez and Viciedo doesn't pan out, that seeming advantage we had in attracting Cubans might be out the window as well.

They have to replace Dye with Quentin...that will help with the range, or find another RFer, and I doubt that will be Vladimir Guerrero, who's about as limited as JD now physically. I really wouldn't even mind someone like Fr. Gutierrez or Endy Chavez in our outfield, but there's no way in hell I'm relying on Pods to be a starter next year...forget it. Ramirez moves to 2B (or is traded, or the Nix/Getz platoon again)...Beckham to SS and Fields/Viciedo/Nix (but probably a veteran 3B on a one-year contract while waiting for Viciedo) is the most likely. Fields and Getz definitely look to be the odd men out at this point, although we might need to keep Fields because his value is so low and because Thome AND Dye might both be gone, so we'll need to produce offense somehow. A better LFer, Rios in CF, Quentin in RF, Beckham/Ramirez up the middle, a better defensive 3B....we're not going to get any better with AJ/Flowers at catcher.

Whisler will never see any roster time...they should look at Hudson, Torres, Nunez and Santeliz, why not see what they have to work with in the bullpen, because they'll have to replace Dotel and still aren't sure what they have in Pena. Flowers should be given some type of platoon time with AJ, and perhaps Fields and/or Viciedo. They should move Ramirez to 2B (or trade him), move Beckham to SS and find a 3B if they're not going to give the position to Fields or Viciedo. CJ Retherford might get some playing time, but Shelby/Danks/Mitchell are a long ways from being ready for the majors.

Quote of the Day... "You won't believe how terrible this White Sox team is defensively..." Anonymous AL Advance Scout to the Yankees' broadcast crew. Guillen is pissed, pissed, pissed. It seems that the intimation from the announcers is that Guillen didn't want to start Contreras and was forced to against his will by KW.

Don't forget LHP Willliams, Josh Fields, Jerry Owens, DeWayne Wise, Brian Anderson and Corky Miller. It's amazing how many players we've run through this roster...but at least we seem to be set up well for next year. The sting would be much, much worse had we not made the playoffs last year.

LOL at Ramirez. This team is playing like they're already mailed it in and this is the final game of the season and they're holding tickets for a 330 flight out of LaGuardia.

QUOTE (PeavyTime @ Aug 29, 2009 -> 12:49 PM) Jose is the man. He gets a pass forever because of 2005. But Nix is a joke, and so is Mitre. They are why I'm pissed. The same Nix who was half of our offense the last few days? Last time I checked, Nix didn't give up 4 runs in the second inning, it was Contreras. This team has MANY MANY more problems than Jayson Nix, who, by the way, has almost as good an OPS as Gordon Beckham (.797 to .781).

Well....I guess we can't be surprised we're about to be down 4-0 or 5-0. There's really no point to go with Contreras from here on out. They should try Hudson, Torres and maybe Garcia once or twice each and see what they have for the 5th starter's spot heading into 2010. This game is pretty much over essentially, with the way our offense has looked recently. We've only lost five games in the standings the past month to the Twins and Tigers. At one point we were 4 1/2 games ahead of the Twins and tied (for ONE day) with the Tiggers.

If it involved RISP in late inning situations, I don't really trust the White Sox shooter to hit the target and put this team out of its misery. Probably we'd end up paralyzed and on life support and have to remove the plug on September 15th or 20th, with the agony prolonged a bit.

Okay, sorry....thought it would be a single....but it wasn't surprising in the least. And that's your White Sox season right there.

Shades of Miguel Ascensio here in NYC. 8 balls in a row. What else will happen this season? Nobody warming up for the Sox, bullpen mound covered, Cano a textbook line-drive hitter....YOU KNOW THE GODS OF BASEBALL DEEM CANO to get the walk off single.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Aug 28, 2009 -> 08:17 PM) why walk matsui? Ozzie wants to humiliate Swisher instead?

Ironic, gets two righties out and then walks LHP/LHB match-up in four pitches. Put Gardner in here to steal 2nd? Hairston.

Thank you, WIND. Everyone in the ballpark and the announcers called it as a home run.

Are we really bringing in Randy Williams at this spot in one of the most important games of the season? WOW. Ozzie throwing out the book, using a lefty against two of the game's top 5-10 RH power hitters.

Beckham hitting only .238 in his last 101 AB's, but that single was clutch. Well, at least he didn't strike out...and Beckham's defense is getting better and better over there, so obviously he's more comfortable.

Our old friend Damaso Marte warming up to face Jim Thome. Maybe we can beat him?

Quietly tonight, Nix might have taken the 2nd base job. .240 BA, great defense and .785 OPS reached during everyday play.

Well, I didn't believe it was possible. Good job, Scott. And thanks for helping to bring Peavy to the SoxSide. Of course, we might end up cursing Linebrink twice if we're stuck with Peavy and Linebrink well into the future and neither performs up to expectations again. From a psychological aspect with this team, I've found it's easier to just expect late inning bullpen failure, so now I don't get upset anymore, prefering to laugh and click off MLB GameDay as the ball is inevitably falling in safely or landing in the stands.

I feel a Damon 2 HR game coming...and cries of "Johnny Rocket" by the Yanks' broadcasters, Go Johnny Go!

QUOTE (whitesoxmanager @ Aug 28, 2009 -> 07:50 PM) #1. Frank Thomas #2. Harold Baines #3. Carlton Fisk #4. Chet Lemon #5. Tim Raines #6. Lance Johnson #7. Ozzie Guillen #8. Paul Konerko #9. Robin Ventura #10. Tom Paciorek Lemon and Paciorek? Are you counting his "Whimpy-isms" as an announcer in that ranking? I might even take Karkovice over Paciorek. Claudell Washington? I'd put Ivan Calderon over some of those guys....and Raines was never that great with us, his base stealing days were over. At least you didn't list Sax or Cory Snyder.

Jeter, Cabrera or Damon WALK-OFF??? Who will be the Yankees' hero tonight?

I would pick Dotel over Linebrink, but I'd still cross my fingers and try Contreras. Just a hunch. He's been so Jekyll and Hyde this year, he'd probably go 3-5 scoreless innings but our offense wouldn't score and we'd lose anyway. P.S. And that's why we needed BOTH those runs with 2nd and 3rd and no outs. Usual horrible execution by Sox bailed out by Beckham. but it's all academic regardless. Rivera showing what a real closer looks like, in tie games or save situations.