hawkjt

QUOTE (th0mas35 @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 09:46 AM) Anything less than 2/12 is sorta an insult to the year he has had and what he's done for this team. I think 2 for 12,with a club option for a 3rd with a 2 million dollar buyout type of deal is fair. Worst case,AJ walks away with 14 million for two years...best case, he makes 18 million for 3 years. I think AJ does really like Chicago,and the White Sox organization. As he said, he is Hawk's son.

Yea, you are a bad guy. Peavy did a great thing,that did not effect his performance one iota. You should chip in to this foundation just for suggesting otherwise.

Hughes's record vs the Sox is daunting. 2-0, 19 innings,with only 1 earned run given up? The Sox have never hit this guy for some reason. I guess he is good. Time to break this insanely bad roll vs Hughes! Both Kuroda and Hughes have been very good in their last 7 starts,after horrible starts to their seasons. Bad luck to catch them now. Gavin has to be razor sharp vs those 7 leftys in the Yank lineup as that short porch beckons.

I cannot imagine the pain of being a Dodgers fan this past week. They have gone 20-30 innings without scoring! Was watching the Red Sox-M's game last nite and they mentioned that the M's have the second fewest errors in the AL...only behind the White Sox. Sox are playing good defense, and hitting with RISP....which adds up to a solid team.

Lets cross our fingers and hope that Crain can come back soon. One silver lining to all the pitching injuries to Danks,Crain,Humber ect...is that if they come back healthy, they could be stronger in September than normal with so few innings. Septimo looked good, in a non-pressure situation. Live arm,decent control. Can he do it in a one run game late? We will see,but hope so. I like how Matt Thornton has looked his last two outings. Tonite his breaking ball was sharp. If Gordo catches that popup he has a clean inning. Great sign for Matt. Love that Reed,and the rest got the nite off. Need them tomorrow and Sunday,then a day off.

It is not a good time to be coming to NYC to face the red-hot Yanks,no doubt....my god...25-7 in the last 32....15-3 in their last 18..yikes.... I swear that right field fence is about 290 ft from home plate....yesterday I saw the 2nd baseman almost make the warning track on a high pop up before he yielded to the right fielder....it is crazy,stupid short,and the Yanks have a lineup built to take full advantage...it is similar to the Twins in the old Metrodome...huge home court advantage. Now,Sox face 4 righthanders in Nova(hot right now, with a 1.28 era in his last 4 starts),Warren,Kuroda and Hughes,so in theory our lefties, (DeAza,Dunn,AJ,Danks,Hudson,Escobar) could maybe pull a pitch over that short wall also...but hard to match Cano(7homers in 10 games),Jeter(might as well be a lefty with his swing,altho Gordo's swing is similar right now),Tex,Swisher,A-Rod,ect. I would be very happy with a split,but am braced for worse.

In Ohman's last appearance before yesterday vs the Brewers, Robin brought him in to face a lefty,and the other manager promptly put in a right handed pinch hitter,who got a hit. And I even think his numbers vs lefties are a bit deceptive....he struggled with control vs lefties,and gave up critical hits/walks, and got them when there was no pressure. He stunk out loud,period.

America! What a great country!! What a difference a few days can make in this young man's life,eh? Like winning the lottery.

Sale vs Oswalt on Tuesday in Soxpark.....should be a good one,but I like the Sox chances.

They flashed Warrens numbers in the minors this year during the game today....99 hits and 27 walks in 89 innings. Sox need to welcome him rudely to the big leagues in his first MLB start. Kuroda has been good this year and Nova is 9-2,so no picnic,but it sure beats facing CC and Pettitte.

Listening to Bernstein on the Score right now he said when he heard about Ohman leaving that there will be plenty of guys around the Sox that will not be sad. Said the word around the clubhouse was that Ohman was way too cocky for a guy who sucked as bad as he did. So,this comment from him really does ring true...he thinks he is super,and the Sox have treated him unfairly.......goodbye,Oh-man,and good riddance.

Very lefty lineup....hope it works out vs Blackburn. I do think that PK,Tank and Gordo could use the day off before heading to NYC. Now, please,can someone other than Alex,Alexei and Youk get a hit?

Not Greg. Is he a fact based opinion guy?

I think the Red Sox scouts saw Stewart hit 94mph in the middle innings on Monday nite,and that convinced them that he has a future as a power sinker pitcher. I was surprised that he was able to clock that as a starter,when he did not as a reliever. Now, problem was that as he hit 94mph,his stuff was straight and hit repeatedly for homers. Youk is 6 of 14 in his last 4 games,with a .500 oba in those games,so I think he is on the mend. He did leg out that triple yesterday,so his legs appear ok. I like that he is not changing leagues,so he knows the pitchers already. Tonite vs a hot Liriano is an immediate challenge. Sox have stunk vs lefties,so maybe a righthanded bat like Youk's can help with that. The thing about deals like this is that if the Sox do not end up winning the division,even if Youk is good, it is ultimately considered questionable. Rentals are all or nothing deals. I like the deal,but the Sox must make a real run to have it really be meaningful. Our pitching will tell the tale...come back Johnny Danks!

Sox struggle vs lefties anyway,and Liriano is hot. The Sox offense has been shut down 4 times in the last 7 games. Jake is coming off of a 125 pitch outing. This is gonna be a tough game.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 8, 2012 -> 07:40 AM) I've just come to the realization that Hudson is a stone cold idiot. His baseball IQ is approaching T-ball. Brain cramp? Yes. Stone cold idiot? Harsh. Lacking in MLB level 3rdbaseman instincts after playing 13 games at that position in his career? Yes. Bottom line, he had no errors last nite,and did not cost the Sox any runs with his brain cramp. He had the game-winning hit,along with another hit last nite. In summary....he had a good game,cus the team won,and the Sox are now 10-3 with him manning the hot corner. I will take that.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 8, 2012 -> 09:34 AM) Just write with some balance. Dunn's heading towards the all-time K record while still being very productive. Will that pace continue? The bullpen's blown 9 saves, tying us for first in the AL with the Angels. Only the Mets and Rockies have more. Is that likely to continue as a trend? We have far and away the best rs/ra differential in the AL Central. We've recorded the AL's best record in interleague play...approaching that time of year again. We're only 15-16 at home and 6-6 in one run games. The Indians are 10-2, the Tigers 9-10. We're 1-3 in extra innings. All those trends could just as easily turn, and we're still in first right now. We get a LOT more games against the Twins and Royals in the next 2/3rd's of the season. While it's been our downfall, it's also a great opportunity and assuming we're going to struggle in those games isn't necessarily warranted under a new manager. There's no easy fix for the Tigers' defensive problems. Do they have the resources to go out and add more, sure, but there are no guarantees. It would be one thing if it was Detroit 1 1/2 GB and gaining steam, but it's not. It's the Indians, and they already added Jiminez (some would say foolishly) last year. Their attendance is last in the AL, so it's not like they have tons of manuevering room. Sure, if all those players like Fister, Austin Jackson, Albuquerque, Avila, Hafner, Hannahan, Sizemore, Santana, etc., come back and start playing to their potential, we might not be able to hold onto the lead unless we add another piece or two. You never know. But there's not that aura of inevitability the Tigers had last season when Papa Grande never blew a single save. They're more vulnerable than a year ago. Actually, with Cabrera and Kipnis looking the most solid up the middle of any of the three teams, I'd be tempted to go with the Indians over the Sox and Tigers if I were a betting man, but is Derek Lowe going to keep performing so well for the rest of the season? Is Scherzer going to be so bad? Or Floyd? Or Humber? Or Danks? Or Tomlin. At least when you're writing an article, consider BOTH sides. McNeils effort read like something he tossed off on his train ride home from his radio gig....pure substance-less fluff. You should write that column instead,with all the above incorporated into a concise thesis that reaches a logical conclusion....this team is still hard to figure,but more good than bad so far. McNeil's column was fashioned by a guy who missed 7 straight wins last week while up fishing in Canada. What he knows is that they have lost 3 of 5 since he returned....snapshot anyone?

Wandy is their best starter,so this is a big game.....the next two starters are very hittable in a small park on a hot weekend. The Astros are horrible on the road,so let prolong that misery,eh?

I hate the Jays...they kick our butts. I was rooting for Morrow to miss a start when he got hit in the leg with a linedrive in his last start,but alas,he is going to go tomorrow. Romero is tough,but has given up more earned runs his last 4 starts than Humber...so there is hope. It is going to be good baseball weather this week,not too hot,but not cold,so the ball might not be jumping out of the park like vs the M's...at least til the Astros hit town,without Carlos Lee who went on the DL. I expect tight, 4-3 or 5-4 type of games vs the Jays...not blowouts,or big offensive games,but some scoring. Just hope they can get tonites game,so they can avoid a losing streak. Winning 2 of 3 would be huge.

QUOTE (flavum @ Jun 4, 2012 -> 11:42 AM) Do you adjust the rotation to give Peavy one more start before the break, or just stay the course? Then it would be one more start for Humber, and then Peavy would likely pitch in the AS Game? Me? I want Peavy an extra start, with 2 games the last week before the break. vs Tor - Humber, Quintana, Peavy (6/7) vs Hou - Floyd, Sale, Humber off at StL - Peavy (6/12), Danks, Floyd at LA - Sale, Humber, Peavy (6/17) vs Cubs - Danks, Floyd, Sale off vs Mil - Peavy (6/22), Danks, Floyd at Min - Sale, Humber, Peavy (6/27) at NY - Danks, Floyd, Sale, Humber off vs Tex - Peavy (7/3), Danks, Floyd vs Tor - Sale, Humber, Peavy (7/8) Agree, screw the All Star game, Sox need Peavy to start for the team that pays him,as long as it is on normal rest.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 4, 2012 -> 10:50 AM) The Sox hot streak started the second game in Anaheim. Counting that game until now Dunn is 10-56 .179 5 homers 10 rbi 18 walks 37 strikeouts During the time the White Sox have gone from stepping back a season or two and rebuilding to solid contender, he hasn't done all that well. If you want to give him an A, you probably want everyone to have a trophy. This is a 14-2 stretch of the last 16 games so it makes the math easy to project Dunns numbers for a season at that level. OBA= .380+ 50 homers 100 rbis 180 walks 370 strikeouts...whoa. Still, I would give those numbers an A. My grades: This is based on the Sox being one game back of having the best record in the AL and two games back of bing the best team in MLB. Not so much stats only,but also just a sense of big,clutch performances that have impacted wins. PK- A+....incredibly consistent season...only funk is this last week. Dunn- A... as Hawk has said, he has hit some huge homers that won games. Also made everyone better around him. AJ- A+....very clutch this year, unlike in the past,and very good behind the plate,stopping running game cold. Rios-B+..also clutch this year,altho power is down...still getting big hits,and playing great right field. DeAza- A+..clutch hitter, scrappy leadoff, very good on the basepaths,solid in the field,his contribute cannot be overstated Beckham- B-...defensively he is an A,offensively a C...coming on hitting-wise,but our infield defense is the key to winning Ramirez- C+...defensively excellent,at the most important position. Hitting very spotty,but 20 rbis shows clutchness. Morel/Hudson..incomplete. Tank- B...hitting was horrible in April but amazing the last 3 weeks...defensively better than expected,great arm in left. Danks- C-...underwhelming,no matter what his salary is...needs to bounce back,hopefully with a healthy arm. Humber-B-... has had 3 good outings recently,and of course the perfecto gives extra credit...not bad for a #5 starter. Peavy- A+...Flat out dominant til recently,but still only a couple shaky starts...set the tone early for the staff. Floyd- C...good April,bad since. Still, eats innings,and was solid early,when they really needed it. Must rebound. Sale- A+....Awesome. Incredible....the ACE. Reed- A-...rookie taking the reins as closer? Well done. A couple of hiccups,but everyone has them...keep it going. Jones- A-..see above...has been very good. Crain- C+...injury set him back,and not yet in a groove,but will rise,I believe. Quintana- A...has been very solid in every role. Ohman- D+...shaky,even vs lefties. Thornton- C....only slightly more dependable than Ohman. Stewart- C-...has not done much,maybe one good outing all year...lacks stuff. Santiago- B-...struggled in closers role ,but settling in lately. Robin and coaching staff- solid B+....offense woke up and fundamentals great. Robin has made mistakes but that is the nature of the beast. Good clubhouse management,which is huge.

Sit tight,Kenny. O-Dog has a .633 OPS,which is not great,but it makes a big difference over Morel's .425 OPS. I love the switch-hitting angle with O-Dog....it makes pitchers uncomfortable. Also the speed factor. He gets on more often,and when he does, he can mess with the pitcher who is facing the dangerous DeAza.

Dodgers have come back to the pack also...only 2 games better than the Sox for best record in MLB. Sox need to keep this rolling at home the next 8, so that when they go on the road vs the defending World Champ Cards and the best team in baseball Dodgers,they have some cushion. Being on a roll when they get to interleague play is a good concept,instead of waiting until they start interleague play to get on a roll. Roll into interleague play,then keep rolling!

Thanks for validating my support,Gordo!! The kid is looking good lately!

Joe Crede was getting hammered by fans on message boards right up until he returned from his hand injury in Sept,2005....he caught fire then,and was amazing in Sept/Oct 05,and the 06 season. I defended ''Super-Joe'' for years before he took off. I will defend Gordo now. Beckham is a valuable player,defensively,like Joe,and will hit better as his career progresses. He has good speed on the basepaths also.