Controlled Chaos Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 I know it seems like we need controversy or negative happenings to keep the board interesting, but let's take a look at some bright spots. This is the beginning of the season...and we are in great shape. There's usually some kinks to be worked out in the first month. We have a new manager and a new coaching staff and a new approach. I was expecting a learning curve, but overall the sox have pulled it together. We have handled one of our division nemesis pretty well, going 4-1 over our first 5 games against KC. We're finished with the Yankees and took a split 3 & 3 and we grabbed 4 out of 6 from Tampa Bay. We did this without Buehrle having his best stuff. Frank missing some games. Jose being out of the lineup. Rowand not hitting. Crede not finding his groove yet and Lee struggling the last 10 games. We will be fine... Takatsu is gaining confidence. Konerko is back. Thomas is consistently smackin the ball...Maggs is steady and will produce the same numbers he always does. Lee will turn it around and Crede always starts late. There have also been some nice surprises such as Olivo hittin the ball well. Uribe is pounding it and Gload is showing why he deserves to be here. Schoeneweis has surprised us all!! We are 3rd in the AL with a 3.99 era. Our starting pitching has been solid and our bullpen is coming together. We have turned 26 double plays(league tops) to show that if our pitcher gets in trouble we can bail him out. We have had some good comeback wins...and some good games from start to finish. We have had some tough losses that could have easily been W's. We are always aggressive on the basepaths and constantly have the other teams concerned about it. This is a solid team top to bottom. When everyone is hitting on all cylinders...watch out. The team has good chemistry and is playing good ball. We are 11-7 and 4-1 in our division. We are playing hard and aggressive. There is a good reason to be optimistic right now... Let's go SOX!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wong & Owens Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 I know it seems like we need controversy or negative happenings to keep the board interesting, but let's take a look at some bright spots. This is the beginning of the season...and we are in great shape. There's usually some kinks to be worked out in the first month. We have a new manager and a new coaching staff and a new approach. I was expecting a learning curve, but overall the sox have pulled it together. We have handled one of our division nemesis pretty well, going 4-1 over our first 5 games against KC. We're finished with the Yankees and took a split 3 & 3 and we grabbed 4 out of 6 from Tampa Bay. We did this without Buehrle having his best stuff. Frank missing some games. Jose being out of the lineup. Rowand not hitting. Crede not finding his groove yet and Lee struggling the last 10 games. We will be fine... Takatsu is gaining confidence. Konerko is back. Thomas is consistently smackin the ball...Maggs is steady and will produce the same numbers he always does. Lee will turn it around and Crede always starts late. There have also been some nice surprises such as Olivo hittin the ball well. Uribe is pounding it and Gload is showing why he deserves to be here. Schoeneweis has surprised us all!! We are 3rd in the AL with a 3.99 era. Our starting pitching has been solid and our bullpen is coming together. We have turned 26 double plays(league tops) to show that if our pitcher gets in trouble we can bail him out. We have had some good comeback wins...and some good games from start to finish. We have had some tough losses that could have easily been W's. We are always aggressive on the basepaths and constantly have the other teams concerned about it. This is a solid team top to bottom. When everyone is hitting on all cylinders...watch out. The team has good chemistry and is playing good ball. We are 11-7 and 4-1 in our division. We are playing hard and aggressive. There is a good reason to be optimistic right now... Let's go SOX!!! I agree, things look pretty good thus far for the south siders. Given that I didn't think we'd manhandle KC the way we did, I'd say were even a little better off than I thought we'd be at this point. However, here's a couple things that concern me(realizing, again, that it's only 20 games into the season): 1) Buehrle is seemingly very hittable. He's not walking people much, and he had a bunch of k's yesterday, but he got hit--hard. Wouldn't think it's a control thing, based on his good walk numbers, but maybe it is. I'm not panicing--he's been far from terrible--just concerned. 2) Is anyone on this team happy with base hits? It seems like(just like last year) when the offense starts to go into a little rut, everyone is swinging for the fences--often at pitches they should be swinging at at all. Did the Sox have more than 2 ground outs yesterday? Couldn't Carlos Lee shorten his swing just a bit for christsakes? 3) Crede. Uppercut swing. Bad. Needs fixin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 Takatsu is gaining confidence He is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 2) Is anyone on this team happy with base hits? Nope. Only Kelly Dransfeldt punches the ball to RF; everybody else wants to turn'n'burn, to drive the ball with an uppercut into LF corner stands. It's fine and dandy when you're ahead in the count against a crappy reliever in a blow-out, but guys like Vasquez and Zambrano are gonna make a fool out of you. Sitting on a pitch and jumping all over it is one thing, but our guys overswing even when they're behind 0-2/1-2. Remember how silly Chavez, Nomar and Sheffield looked in the AL/NLDS in 2003 when they had to go up against good pitchers? And how great Lofton and I-Rod looked on the other hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wong & Owens Posted April 26, 2004 Share Posted April 26, 2004 Remember how silly Chavez, Nomar and Sheffield looked in the AL/NLDS in 2003 when they had to go up against good pitchers? And how great Lofton and I-Rod looked on the other hand? Yes, yes I do. If the Sox make the playoffs, chances are excellent that our best hitter will be either Kelly Dransfeldt, or Willie Harris. I will now set myself on fire.(line stolen from Bill Simmons) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Controlled Chaos Posted April 27, 2004 Author Share Posted April 27, 2004 I'm not so concerned about swinging for the fences by everyone. Ozzie will nip that in the but. I mean we were just praising this team a couple weeks ago for hittin to the opposite field and now we are saying that they all swing for the fences. It's only been about 5-10 games difference. We'll be fine. I think Crede will end up in the top echelon of major league 3rd baseman. 25 Homers, 90 RBI's, and .293 avg. Yeah it's going out on a limb...but I think he's gonna get it turned around. Come on JC!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I'm not so concerned about swinging for the fences by everyone. Ozzie will nip that in the but. if he nips it in the bud that will be one thing but I sure as hell hope he's not nipping anyone in the butt, at least not in the clubhouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 We're finished with the Yankees and took a split 3 & 3 I feel like I am picking on you today - sorry! That would be, we lost the season series to the yankees 3-4. Still better than we might of thought pre season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I'm very happy. The Sox were 14-13 in March/April last year (one game was in March). 4 games over .500 with 4 to go in the month, hell yeah, I'm happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Controlled Chaos Posted April 27, 2004 Author Share Posted April 27, 2004 I feel like I am picking on you today - sorry! That would be, we lost the season series to the yankees 3-4. Still better than we might of thought pre season. Thanks for catching that. My enthusiasm must have blurred my vision and I forgot it was a 4 game series, but yes there's still reason to me optimistic. The chemistry is great...and so is the attitude. I'm quite sure Oz is nipping in the butt!! That's why these guys are so alert in the dug out. Gone are they ways of the congratulatory ass slap...the oz has brought in the ass nip for recognition as well as mental awareness.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreye Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 Gone are they ways of the congratulatory ass slap...the oz has brought in the ass nip for recognition as well as mental awareness.. Ooooo, can I play on this team? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I'm not so concerned about swinging for the fences by everyone. Ozzie will nip that in the but Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandoFan Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 if he nips it in the bud that will be one thing but I sure as hell hope he's not nipping anyone in the butt, at least not in the clubhouse That's right, cuz Doug Jones ain't gonna stand fo' such blatant display of degeneratery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFanForever Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 if he nips it in the bud that will be one thing but I sure as hell hope he's not nipping anyone in the butt, at least not in the clubhouse :puke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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