caulfield12

Castro must have learned that pull hook on the outside pitch from somewhere, lol...maybe BA?

It happened, he finally ran into a fastball. 2-2. Still not having much confidence with the way our pen has been the last 2-3 weeks. At least we're still in the game, the first inning looked like it could be a knockout punch to the solar plexus. How did he hurt his foot again? Limping? On swing or running?

You can't ask much more from Contreras. Their running game and the Dome is a bad match-up for him...if we can't beat their middle relievers in spot starts (even without Thome), we don't deserve to go anywhere this year, ANYWAY. It seems, though, that no matter how badly we try to knock ourselves out of the race, the Twins or Tigers will keep letting the other two teams back into. Bullpens will be tested tonight...which is the way it should be. The White Sox will need to cover at least 3 innings with their pen in "high stress" situations.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 29, 2009 -> 08:14 PM) I can't wait to see Kotsay get way too many at bats. This year's Erstad, Daubach or Mackowiak, undoubtedly. Armando Rios, anyone?

Would you rather have Wise playing that Kotsay? Thome's out for how long? AJ DHing with Konerko at 1st? That might be better, AJ's around a 700 OPS against lefties this year and loves to play against the Twinkies, of course.

Wow, someone actually made Duensing work....the guy's getting a spot start and we're letting him stretch all the way into the 6th or 7th inning. Exactly what the Twins needed. We start someone out of the bullpen, we consider ourselves lucky to get 4 or 5 innings. DET and Verlander hammering Texas 6-1 early. I'll just count that as a Tigers victory and hope to jinx them like a couple of the Twins' losses last week, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Kotsay's 607 OPS this year with BOS is right up there with Wise and Quentin.

QUOTE (beckham15 @ Jul 29, 2009 -> 08:05 PM) nope it's just frusterating watching them you can't help but complain because they've showed a definite lack of enthusiasm, effort and there is no spark what so ever with this team That's how all teams look when they're losing...didn't we LOOK/SEEM the same in September of 2005? Of course, that club was OBVIOUSLY much better, but last year's team was maddeningly inconsistent too. They just barely survive the 2nd half of the season to hold on....and the Twins 50% choked it away, too. PS: WHAT HAPPENED TO LIRIANO?

We play well against the Yankees, at least this decade. I expect us to take 2/3...not a shocker for the schitzo nature of this year's team. Maybe this is the series that Quentin runs into a couple of fastballs for homers.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jul 29, 2009 -> 07:59 PM) Jayson Nix would be insane to have if he could raise his OBP slightly. .766 OPS and Gold Glove caliber defense. Better than anyone else in our division...especially what the Twins have produced at that position, it has been like our CF (minus Pods). Although if would trade me Polanco for Nix, I'd take that deal for the remainder of the season in a heartbeat.

The White Sox have actually been sighted in MINN after 3 games. Way to go Nix, at least someone's not lying down for the inevitable defeat.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 28, 2009 -> 07:07 PM) He's just swinging up there with really no plan. He's killing this team right now. I love him, but he's got to start producing. 5/31, now a .429 OPS in his return. Making Corky, Owens, Lillibridge, Wise and Anderson look like members of the '29-31 Yankees.

Tigers surrendered their 3-0 lead already....4-3 and man on second with the Rangers still batting. Dye slumping a bit, and Alexei Ramirez all the way down to a .722 OPS now. By the way, why is Wise playing with Thome on the bench against a RHP? I understand they want to get some AB's for Quentin without playing him on the turf...is there anything wrong with Big Jim?

How many consecutive batters did Jenks get out without giving up a hit when he had his streak?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 28, 2009 -> 01:54 PM) We do know that Colon pretty much as to start that last game of the Twins series because otherwise Richard would be going on 2 days of rest. Or Jose. But Contreras, holding runners on base, Twins/Piranhas/Metrodome, not a good combination. Agree with Ozzie. And Jose always seems to get fired up facing the organization that gave up on him so quickly, only to witness him becoming the best pitcher in all of baseball for a 4 month time span.

Shouldn't he be in Minnesota with the team Wednesday?

Why didn't anyone ever do that with Brian Anderson for wasting his talent? Second, whenever Ozzie and the team become embroiled in controversy and the media is circling like sharks, the team historically has played much better under Guillen....the "circling the wagons" effect.

The Tigers have a two-game edge over the White Sox, and despite losing three of four to the Tigers, the White Sox still improved their playoff chances by 8.4 percentage points. The White Sox took three of four from Tampa Bay earlier in the week and Detroit dropped two of three at home to Seattle. The White Sox are closing the gap on Detroit in simulations because the Tigers have more games against the tough AL East teams than the White Sox, and Detroit is 4-13 against the AL East. AMERICAN LEAGUE WEEK 16 REVIEW PLAYOFF % CHANCE TEAM 20-Jul 27-Jul % DIFF WIN DIV New York Yankees 67.2% 85.8% 18.6% 63.5% Los Angeles Angels 67.8% 86.0% 18.2% 79.6% Chicago White Sox 36.9% 45.3% 8.4% 44.6% Texas Rangers 28.0% 31.5% 3.5% 18.1% Detroit Tigers 38.0% 40.6% 2.6% 39.9% Baltimore Orioles 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Cleveland Indians 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Oakland Athletics 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Kansas City Royals 0.1% 0.0% -0.1% 0.0% Toronto Blue Jays 2.8% 2.6% -0.2% 0.4% Tampa Bay Rays 28.8% 25.0% -3.8% 7.4% Minnesota Twins 30.8% 15.6% -15.2% 15.4% Boston Red Sox 78.2% 62.5% -15.7% 28.6% Seattle Mariners 21.3% 5.0% -16.3% 2.3%

QUOTE (Brian @ Jul 28, 2009 -> 04:43 AM) This. For years we had to watch Fordyce, Johnson, etc behind the plate. Now we have a catcher who is hitting .300 and people are down on him and his "act". Please. I wish we had 9 guys in our lineup with his "act". When AJ is gone, we will see teh effects immediately with the pitching staff. Charles Johnson (along with Pudge Rodriguez) was once the best catcher in the NL. Unfortunately, his defense had deteriorated...and offense had improved greatly...when he came to us in the 2000 season. But I would still never put him a sentence with the likes of Fordyce or Widger.

Was that incident b4 or after Ramirez's throwing error? Obviously AJ felt he might have had a CS or the play should have been made on the throw (Ramirez late getting there, maybe because he plays too far in the hole...), but the runner didn't advance to 3B or score, right? Is AJ really that upset about a stolen base against him after all this time? Maybe it's just because he is so competitive against the Twins. Surprised Konerko wasn't involved, but not his style...but he played horrible D tonight. He did cancel it out for Danks with the two run homer though.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 27, 2009 -> 10:00 PM) What do people think about Dye being able to clear waivers in two weeks or so? Just to see if they could get a player like a young Ethier to replace him via trade? But probably pull him back after the offer has been made?

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 27, 2009 -> 09:55 PM) Ramirez is not going to be put in CF. You're wasting your time if you actually think that's going to happen. Well...knowing KW, and since Erstad was the last guy we brought in for the position (not counting Swisher or Griffey), do you really think that KW dares to go into 2010 with Pods and Quentin as his starters with nobody else in the mix for those positions as "insurance"? Just very frustrating to go for 4+ years now without a legitimate, everyday, above-average MLB CFer, when the division has Granderson and Sizemore to show our ineptitude every series. Even Crisp and Gomez/Span are All-Stars compared to our production from that position.

The defense certainly didn't help today. One of those "close" losses....but not a heartbreaker. Danks isn't quite as good or consistent as he was the last two months in 2008. Quentin's ball goes out in 2008 at the end of the game. Konerko makes those scoops or at least stops the ball from getting past him. Ramirez also made a sloppy throw. We're 2nd or maybe now last in errors committed in the AL. We have a bright future, still, but it doesn't seem this is the year...just frustrating with how beatable both the Twins and Tigers are...both teams are begging to be wiped out by a massive trade (Haren/Halladay), but there are so many potential flaws and weaknesses in this team. Our offense and pitching really came together for about a month, but now both have slipped, especially the offense recently. We're barely hitting .240 at home, there's simply no excuse for that at all...or explanation even. The home field advantage we enjoyed last year has disappeared almost completely. KW is in a very tough position....if we are swept by the Twins and lose to the Yankees Thursday, he should hold off or maybe trade Dotel and then ride out the season, trying to find out what Getz and Fields can do everyday. Maybe put Ramirez in CF and rest Quentin a lot and see if Pods can hold up over a full season of play.

Quentin 5/28, .472 OPS so far in his comeback. D. Wise numbers. Hopefully he'll snap out it, because we can't win the division without him putting up at least an 800 or higher OPS.

Tigers left the bases loaded. 1-0 DET in the bottom of the 5th at Arlington.

Giveth and taketh away. Konerko's now well past his RBI total for all last season with about 35% of the season left.