aboz56 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I know a lot of Sox fans, particularly many of the posters here at Sox Talk, were disappointed to say the least with William Koch this past season. So, what do you all think will become of Koch next season? Will he return to form or fall deeper into oblivion? Interested to see what everyone says about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubKilla Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 So, what do you all think will become of Koch next season? Will he return to form or fall deeper into oblivion? Interested to see what everyone says about him. BullPen bathroom attendant. Stick a fork in him. He's done. The Organization should do whatever they need to do to unload this waste of space. If that means eating the majority of the contract this Organization was dumb enough to give him before he threw pitch 1 for the White Sox, then so be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASHWOUND Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I know a lot of Sox fans, particularly many of the posters here at Sox Talk, were disappointed to say the least with William Koch this past season. So, what do you all think will become of Koch next season? Will he return to form or fall deeper into oblivion? Interested to see what everyone says about him. I'm still thinkin last year was an abaration...I'm SURE he'll be back to the old Billy we knew in OAK..He has to be...Something wasn't right about Koch's arm..maybe he had a little discomfort or something and he was to manly to admit...finally did.. He just need to put last year behind him and start anew...I see Kock becoming our closer next season and doing a good job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesox247 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 He will remain our 9 million dollar mop up man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I'm still thinkin last year was an abaration...I'm SURE he'll be back to the old Billy we knew in OAK..He has to be...Something wasn't right about Koch's arm..maybe he had a little discomfort or something and he was to manly to admit...finally did.. He just need to put last year behind him and start anew...I see Kock becoming our closer next season and doing a good job Ditto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubKilla Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 He will remain our 9 million dollar mop up man. If KW is ordering around his management hire like it was reported that he was doing to JM earlier this past season, I'd agree with you. Damaso Marte should be our closer next season. He's earned it and I believe the new manager hire will put Damaso in the closers role if he's a baseball man..... not a waste of space without Clue 1 about the BP like JM was. Botch is done. Book it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac9001 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 He will remain our 9 million dollar mop up man. 6 Million Maybe he'll be man enough to give some of it back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KipWellsFan Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Spring training is going to be very important for Billy. If he can show that he can consistenly be up close to 96-99 mph again he will be given the shot to close at the start of the season. If he is pitching down in the 90s in spring training then who knows what we will do with him. Probably just mop-up or maybe even a chance to start. Marte will close if Koch isn't back to his old form. It is important to note that even when Billy is at his best he's still not that great and I still believe Marte is a much better pitcher. It comes down to the $$$ we're paying for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSteve Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 He will be our closer next year. He will be setup my Dam and either Flash, Sullivan, or a FA (Hasegawa or Hawkins preferably). I think he will be a stud in this league again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDsDirtySox Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Billy Koch is a fighter. You can see that in him. Some guys suck and don't seem to care, but I could tell Billy was truly dissappointed in himself. I look for him to bounce back next season and have a lot better year. I'm not sure how he will be used, but I think he will be a main part of our pen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubKilla Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 He will be our closer next year. He will be setup my Dam and either Flash, Sullivan, or a FA (Hasegawa or Hawkins preferably). I think he will be a stud in this league again. Flash is gone IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesox247 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Billy Koch is a fighter. You can see that in him. Some guys suck and don't seem to care, but I could tell Billy was truly dissappointed in himself. I look for him to bounce back next season and have a lot better year. I'm not sure how he will be used, but I think he will be a main part of our pen. First part I agree with. He is a fighter. But guys just dont easily come back from the offseason with 10 more miles on their fastball + movement. He wasnt an automatic closer to begin with, and Oakland just f***ed him up with all those innings in 2002. I certainly wish him the best but he doesnt deserve to be our closer at start of 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KipWellsFan Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 He will be our closer next year. He will be setup my Dam and either Flash, Sullivan, or a FA (Hasegawa or Hawkins preferably). I think he will be a stud in this league again. He never really was that huge of a stud though. He had a million saves with Oakland but he wasn't exactly a stud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bones Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I see Kock becoming our closer next season and doing a good job I'm sorry but I'm surprised no one pointed this out yet. In all seriousness, something tells me that Billy will be back to his Toronto-Oakland style of pitching, which was wild but effective. People will still b**** about him giving up hits and walks, but he'll get out of it next year. He won't be an all-star, but he'll be much improved from Carl Crawford HR Hitting Machine material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Lopez Ghost (old) Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 First of all Gordon will be elsewhere, maybe to the Cubs, maybe the Yankees, but he won't be with us. Because of his contract and history, they will give Koch the chance to prove he's back as the prime closer. If he struggles in April and May, then it's plan B, which will be Marte. But one warning: even if Koch is effective in Spring Training...wait. Don't get too excited until he shows what he can do when the real thing begins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 My first hope for next year is that we sign Flash Gordon. I think he would like to return and has said as much when he mentions that it was the Sox who gave him a chance. Billy Koch will be back in pre-2003 form. He was obviously not overused and if he puts himself through the training regimen he said he will I think he will be ready for 2004. I truly think Koch was hurt last year and tired besides that. Many good pitchers have had a bad year and 2003 was BK's. I was not in favor of the trade that sent Foulke to Oakland, but now that we have Koch you just have to accept it and hope for a revival. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Koch might be the closer, if he makes some drastic strides to improve to his prior season self. Otherwise he can restock the toilet paper in the clubhouse for all I care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capn12 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Not sure that Gordon: a) will return to this team considering he can go to a number of teams for more $$$ and B) I don't have much confidence in the arm of Flash Gordon being able to survive 2 straight years of great ability. Thats a numerous surgically repaired arm. With that being said, I have the utmost confidence in Billy coming back righted in ST, and hopefully Coop and the trainers told him to not even pick up a baseball until February 2004. I don't want him to throw a ball for 4 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchetman Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Although the velocity MAY return, I have no reason to assume it will. Bobby Howry was a pretty good pitcher at one time and the BAM suck city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Although the velocity MAY return, I have no reason to assume it will. Bobby Howry was a pretty good pitcher at one time and the BAM suck city. Welcome aboard. I think the comparison of Howry/Koch is a pretty good one. The only difference I can think of is they actually found something wrong with Howry's arm. I still believe something has to be wrong with Koch's, but you'd think now that its the offseason and they shut him down that something would come out about him having some type of surgery. I'm gonna hope that it was just overuse and his arm will get back into shape, but odds are it won't happen. I think the better shot and what Koch has to go with is to assume he doesn't get the fastball back and that he has to finesse his control and maybe add another pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capn12 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Welcome aboard. I think the comparison of Howry/Koch is a pretty good one. The only difference I can think of is they actually found something wrong with Howry's arm. I still believe something has to be wrong with Koch's, but you'd think now that its the offseason and they shut him down that something would come out about him having some type of surgery. I'm gonna hope that it was just overuse and his arm will get back into shape, but odds are it won't happen. I think the better shot and what Koch has to go with is to assume he doesn't get the fastball back and that he has to finesse his control and maybe add another pitch. Well, I agree, and I think that Billy is already preparing to face that possibility. He stated that he started to work on his off-speed pitches more. I love Billys work ethic, and I know that if it means he has to go Trevor Hoffman style, and learn to use breaking pitches to get the last outs of a game, then by all means thats what he'll do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Welcome aboard. I think the comparison of Howry/Koch is a pretty good one. The only difference I can think of is they actually found something wrong with Howry's arm. I still believe something has to be wrong with Koch's, but you'd think now that its the offseason and they shut him down that something would come out about him having some type of surgery. I'm gonna hope that it was just overuse and his arm will get back into shape, but odds are it won't happen. I think the better shot and what Koch has to go with is to assume he doesn't get the fastball back and that he has to finesse his control and maybe add another pitch. Well, I agree, and I think that Billy is already preparing to face that possibility. He stated that he started to work on his off-speed pitches more. I love Billys work ethic, and I know that if it means he has to go Trevor Hoffman style, and learn to use breaking pitches to get the last outs of a game, then by all means thats what he'll do. Only thing was that Hoffmans best pitch was always the changeup, so it wasn't too big when he lost velocity on the fastball. I'm with ya 100% when it comes to Koch's work ethic. He seems like such a great guy and I think its why I pull a little extra for him. Always tries hard and yet he just can't get it done. I sure hope he can get things figured out. But a good changeup would definately be sweet. Too bad Foulke can't teach it to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capn12 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 How ironic would it be if Billy goes to more of a changeup pitcher to get outs, when our last closer, who had arguably the best Changeup of anyone in baseball, was driven off because our GM wanted a power closer.....makes me kinda laugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 How ironic would it be if Billy goes to more of a changeup pitcher to get outs, when our last closer, who had arguably the best Changeup of anyone in baseball, was driven off because our GM wanted a power closer.....makes me kinda laugh It would be funny, but whatever gets the job done. Koch still has a 94-95 MPH heater and a solid slider. If he can get a good change, which is a very teachable pitch, then I definately think he could regain his sucess and in all honesty get even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I really think that Damaso's most valuable role isn't as the closer. He is much more important as the set up and bridge man, when there is real big trouble. I also get the feeling that not pitching much at the end of the year, that either Koch is going to recover his velocity or have major surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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