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Sox @ Padres


SkokieSox

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Well the only starters I can think of off hand thats been mentioned in trades for Mags that I would want and I think could help this team, would be Washburn, O. Perez or maybe Kaz Ishii. Anyone I miss??

I am not sure if he's been mentioned, but I'd take Derek Lowe.

 

My thing is, if he'd go to Boston, I would ask for Lowe and Nixon along with Williamson.

 

I know Maggs is not worth that(and anyone who knows anything about baseball knows that), but we have the leverage, not them. We do not need to get rid of Maggs, in fact, we damn near need Maggs to win. So they need to blow us away to get Maggs.

 

See where I'm going with this?

 

My thinking is that we would only have to get them relatively interested, and then we work out a deal with them. It could happen. Just like a year and a half from now, I could win the lottery.

 

Anyways, why can't Monday get here already. This Spring Training s*** is starting to piss me off.

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Game report from da Trib,

 

PEORIA, Ariz. -- So much for the "little ball" offense new manager Ozzie Guillen vowed to bring to the White Sox this season.

 

"They're not giving me a chance to play little ball," Guillen said of his offense, which has spent the last couple weeks pounding opposition pitching.

 

The Sox had a spring-high 25 hits in a 15-11 victory over the San Diego Padres Wednesday to improve their American League-leading spring batting average to .320.

 

With three games left before heading north to begin the regular season Monday in Kansas City, the Sox are averaging 6.4 runs a game after scoring just 10 in their first three games.

 

"It's better for me because I have less chance to goof up," Guillen said. "They are swinging the bat real well and I look like a genius."

 

Of course, this was an offense that was supposed to be a force last season as well. But the Sox stumbled badly for in the first half, hitting just .245 with 107 home runs in the first 94 games. They finally turned it around in the final 68 games, with 113 home runs and a .288 team batting average.

 

"That was the reason why we didn't win last year," shortstop Jose Valentin said. "We didn't hit in the first half."

 

The Sox stayed close into July last year based on their pitching. With the loss of Bartolo Colon and some questions marks in both the starting rotation and bullpen, they may not have that luxury this season.

 

"We have to save their arms early in the year and score some runs and make it easier for them," Valentin said. "Hopefully our offense doesn't wait until the end and we can score some runs right away."

 

Valentin, who is trying to stop a three-year slide in his batting average, has hit everything in March with a .396 average and .736 slugging percentage.

 

Certainly the Sox are not going keep batting like this after they leave the hitting friendly environment of Arizona. They no longer will be facing pitchers more suited to the minor leagues once the regular season begins Monday in Kansas City.

 

But they may be suited to better withstand some slumps by their big bats—Magglio Ordonez, Frank Thomas, Paul Konerko and Carlos Lee—than they were last year.

 

Last year's offense featured a station-to-station, methodical attack that waited for extra-base hits or home runs. The Sox are hoping that a full season of Willie Harris in the leadoff spot and Guillen's more aggressive mindset can inject some spark and give them the ability to scratch out a run or two if the bats go silent.

 

"I think I can steal second and third, and with no outs Valentin hits a fly ball and I score," Harris said. "I'm capable of doing that."

 

Like the rest of the lineup, Harris has turned it up in the last week, lifting his average to .355 with an on-base percentage above .400.

 

Harris also has stolen five bases, though he has been caught four times. The Sox have 25 stolen bases, tying Texas for the AL lead and easily surpassing the 13 they had all last spring.

 

"We have a good hitting team and anyone is capable of hitting homers, but it's not going to happen all the time," Valentin said. "If we have some motion you're going to put some pressure on their defense and give guys holes and find some hits."

 

Guillen has said that when his big hitters are hitting, he'll let them swing and not take the bat out of anyone's hands. But he realizes there will be times when he'll play for one run instead of hoping for a big inning.

 

The Sox's 12 sacrifice bunts are by far tops in the American League this spring, with the closest being six by Kansas City and Detroit.

 

"Obviously we will play little ball and we have done it in spring training," Guillen said. "I'm happy with the way we have bunted, moved the guy over and gotten two-out base hits. We won't hit like this every day, and when we don't, that's when we have to execute."

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Agree.. but he did start off with a hot bat.

For sure. That base hit to win the game against the Cubs in Comiskey, even though it was the middle of the season, was classic. Unfortunately so was a dropped pop up against Oakland with the bases juiced and two outs, scoring three in the first inning, lol. I like him though, especially since he is in the National League.

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