flavum

If they get rained out tonight, they'll probably play a doubleheader on Sunday. Then the question is---what will they do with the rotation? They might be forced to start Marquez, Harrell, or Dolsi the last game in Tampa. Peavy ready for 5 innings?

Once again, do what you want, but it better work. If this team doesn't make the playoffs, Kenny and Ozzie have to go.

The problem with the bullpen isn't the arms--it's the roles. I feel very confident that if they give Santos a shot at closer, he'll thrive. The first step is to get Thornton back to his old role. And I'm sure I'm in the minority, but I think Chris Sale needs to go down to the minors and start. It's not a penalty for having a 7+ ERA. It's just that they probably don't need three lefties in the pen if Thornton isn't the closer. Let's develop Sale as a starter the right way. Let him go down to Birmingham and build up innings, so he's ready to go next year when the rotation will have an opening or two. I had suggested Anthony Carter come up, but that's probably premature. But how about a Brian Bruney or a Josh Kinney for middle relief for now? Once Peavy comes back, you can have Humber and Pena in long relief. Ohman and Bruney (or another righty) in mid-relief. Thornton and Crain setting up. And Santos closing. I think this is the best bullpen setup given who they have in the organization. All is not lost with the bullpen. They just need to put the puzzle pieces in the right order.

I think the off day will give them some clarity. Santos has to close. They'll figure it out.

It could be early May, but I'm assuming it's 80 pitches tonight. 90 next time on the 18th. 100 pitches on the 23rd in the minors. And then it's a go on the 29th vs Baltimore. Isn't there a limit on the amount of time on a rehab assignment?

I think 72 pitches is ok. No idea where his velocity is at. I think he's going to have 2 more rehab outings, and then he'll be up around the 29th. Home vs Baltimore for a return?

Through 6: 72 pitches, 55 strikes 2 runs on 8 hits. His pitch count was supposed to be 80 tonight, so we'll see if he goes back out. edit: he's done for the night.

Is Jim Gallagher a late bloomer prospect, or just a guy?

I had no problem pulling Danks today with well over 100 pitches and a 3 run lead. Buehrle at 99 pitches, and a 1-0 lead...that was a mistake, despite what some radio postgame host might tell you.

Through 5: 59 pitches, 44 strikes 2 runs on 6 hits

Peavy just gave up a lead off homer in the 5th.

at Charlotte through 4 innings: 49 pitches, 36 strikes 1 run on 5 hits, 2 K

J4L-- I'm giving Ozzie and Kenny the benefit of the doubt, because I absolutely believe both should be fired if the Sox don't make the playoffs this year of "all-in". Plenty of time to figure this out and there's plenty of talent on this team, but at the end of the season they have to be on top of the standings, or it's time to make organizational changes.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Apr 13, 2011 -> 05:55 PM) Makes perfect sense. We are 2 1/2 and 2 games up on the Twins and Tigers respectively despite our bullpen doing everything it can to cost us games, so you want to send Sale down and call up some average right-handed relief prospect who isn't ready for the majors. I'm sure that will solve our bullpen problems and help us maintain our lead over our real rivals. Yes. I want a decent arm to be in middle relief. Thornton and Crain in setup roles, where they belong. And Santos to close, because he has closer stuff and a closer demeanor. I think Sale is best served starting in the minors, and I'm not changing my opinion.

Chet is listening to B&B. They used Linebrink goo left over.

Just going with pitchers in the Sox organization, this is the pitching staff I'm looking forward to: Starters: Danks, Peavy, Buehrle, Jackson, Floyd Bullpen: Humber--long relief Pena-- long relief and slop Ohman--LOOGY and slop Carter-- inning here and there and setup when Crain and Thornton are taxed Thornton--lefty setup Crain--righty setup Santos--CLOSER I want Sale to be in the minors starting and I'm going to be consistent about this the rest of the season.

New White Sox closer, Lori Moreland.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Apr 13, 2011 -> 04:51 PM) Haha, yesterday everyone was "SALE YES!!!!" and now he's the worst bullpen arm of all time and should be sent down. This place has an attention span of roughly 20 hours. Quite comical So everyone thinks the same way? Based on what I've seen from Sale so far, is that hitters aren't fooled by him as much as they were last year. The long term plan with him is to start. I'd like him to go to the minors the rest of the season to get 130-140 innings, and possibly be ready to go into the rotation next season. It doesn't matter that he had one good outing last night. I want him to learn to be a professional starting pitcher now. We can get by with Ohman and Thornton as long as neither is the closer.

So....Thornton isn't the closer? That's why he didn't start the 9th? And then Sale sucked. And then Crain sucked.....and THEN Thornton sucked. Wow. Send Sale down to start all year. Call Carter up. Make Santos the closer.

Ok, it's been cute and all, and I guess we're lucky to be 7-5 after 12 games, but Sergio Santos needs to be the closer for the next 150 games. Enough. And I'm almost ready to say Sale needs to go to Birmingham to start 23 games.

As I mentioned in the game thread yesterday, winning series only matters in October. I hate when Don Cooper mentions winning series during the regular season, because it gives the team a false sense of security in the third game of a series if they have won the first two. The season is 162 opportunities to try to win 90+ or however many games it takes to make the playoffs. But I do like the angle of taking it a home stand or a road trip at a time to evaluate where they stand record-wise.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 13, 2011 -> 08:02 AM) The sad part is that we get a walkoff homer and the thread is now 14 responses long. Yesterdays post game threads are now 75 and 142 posts long. Soxtalk really does love losing... When the game ends bad in the 9 o'clock hour, you'll get a lot of comments. When the game is slow paced and ends after 10:30, you won't.

Santos looked like a closer tonight. Hope Ozzie comes to his senses. Tough win, but it was good.

They have 36, 3-game series, and the other 54 games make up 2 and 4-game series. How about just ignore how many games you play a team at one time, and try to win every one of them? Obviously, it's not going to happen, but the mindset should be to take the field THAT DAY to try to win a game. Rinse, wash, repeat the next day. I just think if you win the first two games of a series, they fall into a false sense of security knowing they "won the series". Don Cooper says this all the time, and it drives me nuts.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 12, 2011 -> 01:52 PM) Yup. The sox have finished 3 series, and are 2-0-1. Just keep winning series. I would like to rid the world of this mindset. Winning series only matters in October. They have 162 opportunities to try to win 90+ games, or whatever it takes, to make the playoffs. Winning streaks win divisions.