LittleHurt05

A 16,000 square foot house in Scottsdale sure as hell doesnt make you any faster. I think I might like Alexei in the 5-spot

Wonderful top of the 1st

LOL at Russell Martin showing the ball in Carlos Pena's face after a home plate collision...that's asking for a HBP tommorrow

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 04:48 PM) When did I say they never should have won? I just pointed out the fine line between winning and losing. Was Bob Brenly a genius because the DBacks got to Mariano Rivera? Was John Hart not as good of a GM because Jose Mesa wet his pants? The thing is the only real argument anyone has as to what kind of a job KW and Ozzie do except for mediocre, is 2005. If that year didn't happen or they did lose in the playoffs, 99% of White Sox fans would want them gone right now. I still maintain the playoffs are a crapshoot. Get in them, hopefully with some season to spare so you can align your rotation, and give yourself a chance. Both have huge egos and believe they are the reason the Sox won that year. I pointed this out years ago, but I used to go to Soxfest and go to the talks. When KW and Ozzie shared a stage it was hysterical when fans would go up to the microphone and thank one for the WS title. The other became so uncomfortable it almost seemed like they wanted to scream, "what about me?". I definitely agree with the playoffs being a crapshoot & I think I better understand your point now. I think we actually are on similar pages about it. I also think 2008 is what bought them this extra time, even though they collpased at the end of the year and won a coin toss to not play game 163 in the Metrodome.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 04:03 PM) Actually, probably no one was more thrilled the correct color of Sox won that series than me. Its too bad winning a WS clouds your judgement about the job performance of KW and OG since. The team still tries to sell a championship tradition, but they still have only won one the past 94 years. Its also the only time they have won a postseason series in 94 years. All the momentum they had in turning Chicago into a White Sox town has fallen by the wayside. There used to be a waiting list for season tickets. Now season ticketholders of which I am one, can't give their tickets away. Just keep one thing in mind, if its because of Ozzie and KW the team plays well and wins a WS, its only fair its because of Ozzie and KW guys like Pierre and Rios and Dunn have totally sucked. I think its something more in the middle, but their absolute refusal to be almost halfway through a season and really not do anything about the struggles this team has had, when the ad campaign is "all in" indicates to me the shelf life on an 11 year GM and an 8 year manager should be expiring pretty soon. When did I ever say that KW & Ozzie should keep their job because of 2005? When did I ever say that they have done a good job in the past few years? Never. I agree with everything you say in this post. I just disagree with you playing the "what if" game with 2005, acting like they never should have won because of one or two random lucky plays. That was a good team that was more than deserving to win the WS. KW made some great moves and Oz put his team in a position to win. That was then, & this is now, and their jobs are rightfully in question because of the team's recent performance. Their recent struggles shouldn't change the perception of what that team did in 2005 though.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 02:36 PM) Considering the Sox didn't score another run after the Iguchi homer, odds are they would have lost the game. As for El Duque, KW had to be talked into even having him on the postseason roster, and he could have pitched well and a couple of runs could have scored in that situation. They didn't score a run, but they also had the lead so they didn't need to. Maybe if they were trailing, they would have been more agressive and they would have scored more runs. How do you know they wouldn't? What if? But KW did keep him on the roster and Ozzie trusted him in that situation and he came through. He didn't pitch well during the season as a starter, but in a couple relief appearances he was scoreless, just like in Game 3. Sorry that you are disappointed the Sox won the Boston series, you obviously believe they weren't deserving.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 02:06 PM) If a ball Graffinino makes the play on 999 times out of 1000 doesn't go through his legs and Iguchi homers the next hitter, the series is 1-1. If El Duque pitches like El Duque pitched the second half of 2005, the Sox would then be down 2-1 with Schilling raring to pitch. Take nothing away from that team, the were the World Champions and definitely earned it. I'm just pointing out however, even with the dominate numbers, they were very close to being in a very big bind, but since that didn't happen and they did win, KW and Ozzie are baseball geniuses who can do no wrong it a lot of peoples' eyes. Every team that wins a WS gets lucky. If the error doesn't happen, then they are down 4-2 in the 6th inning, but the inning starts off Iguchi/Dye/PK, instead of PK/Everett/Rowand. Maybe they start a rally and the Sox win the game anyway, it would have played out a bit differently. The play was in the 5th inning, not the bottom of the 9th. El Duque was a veteran with all kinds of big game playoff experience with the Yankees who stepped up when needed. It's not unheard of for a player to step up in a position like that.

Wish I could have seen/heard this...

QUOTE (High Mileage @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 10:50 AM) He's made some pretty good moves though. How about Joakim Soria as a Rule V pick? Or Francoeur for $2.5M? Betemit for $1M? Really? Signing Jeff Francoeur is never a good move. As always, he looks good on his new team for a month or so, then remembers he is Jeff Francoeur and starts hitting like crap. April OPS: .912 May OPS: .675 June OPS: .617

Sounds like Peavy may start on Wednesday vs. the Cubs

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 08:56 AM) Again, I'm not cheapening it at all, just mentioning the very fine line between being like Mike Ditka where you can do no wrong because you took one of the best teams of all time to the Super Bowl. or Lovie Smith, a guy a good percentage of Bears fans think doesn't deserve his job even though he took a team QB'd by Rex Grossman to the Super Bowl. Living off 2005 needs to stop. Ozzie believes it should go on forever. For many it will. If the Sox come back and win 85 games this year and finish in 2nd place, I'm not going to be one of the guys who thinks of it as a successful season. Its been brutal. I don't think expecting them to make the playoffs as often as the Yankees and Boston is fair, but they do have and have had in the past and advantage over their division opponents. Back in the 70s and 80s and 90s, making the playoffs once every 5 years was a lot bigger accomplishment than it is now especially considering the Central Division. I can't disagree with a single thing you said in that second part.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 08:25 AM) It's amazing how we looked like a team that would become a dynasty after 2005 and 2006 to a team that looks to quickly become a cellar dweller in the division. And after surviving 2008's near collapse to win the division, it looked like the future might be somewhat promising still, but the collpases only got worse

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 07:49 AM) So you're saying the second part isn't true? All I'm say is if they didn't get the breaks then, I guarantee you wouldn't be defending either right now. KW had nothing to do with either, at least Ozzie had something to do with El Duque being in the game, although if it didn't work out, he would have been called nuts. To be clear, I'm not defending what they have done the last few seasons and am not trying to save their present day jobs. Yes, I am defending the fact that in 2005 KW got the horses and Ozzie led them to a 99-win season and 11-1 playoff run. To try and cheapen that because of one or two lucky breaks, which every champion tends to get, is funny to me. It's not like those moments were even in elimination games.

Forget Jackson/Hudson, time to win some ballgames. Duke has a 5.61 career ERA vs. the Sox. Saturday's lineup from tonight's Twitter updates Lilli - LF Morel - 3B CQ - RF PK - 1B Alexei - SS Rios - CF Castro - C Beckham - 2B Danks - LHP

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 01:31 AM) Would you really trust this organization with a top 3 pick? Cause top 3 picks are guaranteed to be successful? Nearly every year a team screws up a top 3 pick, it's baseball, that's how prospecting works

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 01:14 AM) AKA Scott Podsednik the first four months of '05. But you're MUCH better off with prime Johnny Damon clones than the Podsednik's and Pierre's of the world even at their 'best.' I hear ya on that and would prefer the Damon type player. I just don't think you can write off a Pods/Pierre type player when they are at their best, cause they do contribute. The problem is, their years of contribution don't last very long, so you need to be able to realize that and switch gears quickly.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 01:20 AM) Basically, the league has made adjustments to him and he's failed to adjust back. His decline is no fluke. His BB rate has gone down each year while his K rate has gone up each year. The line drive, gap power he displayed in '09 has all but vanished. He can't hit a fastball. It's like Josh Fields all over again. I'd like it more if it was just breaking and offspeed pitches he struggled with. If you can't hit a FB you need to find another line of work. Thanks for ruining all the faith I had in Gordo turning it around, lol. There is one major thing that confuses me about him. He will sometimes have an at-bat where he battles, fouls off several pitches, til he gets a great swing on the ball, where he looks like a pro. Then the next day, he will go up there, strike out on 3 pitches, looking like Smalls in his first day in the Sandlot. Once in a while he shows signs of getting it, then he regresses to Brian f***ing Anderson.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 01:10 AM) Or maybe he's just not that good? We've had 2+ years to get a feel of his true skillset. The verdict is in: he doesn't really have many skills. You look at a guy like Andrew McCutchen and the skills smack you upside the head. You don't need to have a trained eye to recognize him. Then how was he so successful his rookie season? Just blind luck? I'm not calling you out, but just wondering, do you think that was just a prolonged hot streak? Or has he regressed and shouldn't he be able to get those skills back at some point?

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 12:55 AM) We play in the American League. I don't want track stars that generate outs and look busy and don't produce s***. We need young hitters who can hit XBHs and drive in runs. I was trying to prove my point with Jacoby Ellsbury, then I realized he f***ing has 8 HRs already. I still don't mind leadoff hitters that may not have the power swing, as long as they actually get on base and steal bases efficiently.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 12:59 AM) Ozzie officially has no f*cking clue: Pierre: .316/.451/.784 this season vs. Lefty pitching Career 4-24 (.167/.167/.167) vs. Zach Duke

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 12:54 AM) Kuhn is a legit prospect? Maybe by White Sox standards. Unless you believe he can maintain a .440 BABIP. Does Kuhn have one legitimate tool? The ladies say he does

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Jun 18, 2011 -> 12:40 AM) The fear is that we will use Viciedo to go out and get a new younger slappy leadoff guy. Look at our recent drafts. Lots of speed guys being selected with the high picks. Young slappy leadoff guys can be OK. 2003 Juan Pierre was a good baseball player. It sucks when the guy is old, bad, slow, and can't catch. And I'm not endorsing trading Viceido, just saying that the right leadoff guy can be helpful, just not the one the Sox currently have.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 17, 2011 -> 11:12 PM) Read the first sentence of what you are replying to, then pop off. I said they have every right to hang their hat on the championship. You do say that. Then you immediately move on to say, BUT if this or that doesn't happen, then they aren't champions and no one cares about them. You give them the right to hang their hat, then with the next line you question how lucky they were to win that title. That's my beef. Every championship team has to get lucky occasionally, it happens. b**** about the last 6 years, b**** about the Twins, b**** about the Hudson trade, but don't say their 99 win team in 2005 got lucky because of one or two plays.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 17, 2011 -> 07:43 PM) 2005 is something they will always be able to hang their hat on and rightfully so, but if a couple of crazy things didn't happen against Boston, like a ball going through Graffinino's legs and El Duque, a guy KW didn't even want on the postseason roster not pitching out of a jam, they might still be looking for their first postseason series win in 94 years, and I'm sure Ozzie and KW would have very little support from anyone on this website. I love how everyone demands excellence & championships, yet disregards 2005 as a lucky fluke and won't give OG/KW any credit. If you wanna argue that 2005 was 6 years ago and they have underacheived since then, that is fine, I completely understand and your arguments are warranted. But they did make all the right moves to win a title back in the day, and don't take that credit away just cause you hate them now.

Juan f***ing Pierre