Moronotti

[Controlled Chaos]

Even after a kick ass 15-0 shalacking and a great performance from Buehrle, this article still comes off as negative. Oh and I love how he points out that there were some punches thrown in the outfield. Had to put that in there huh Jay?? Those mean white sox fans...gimmie a break....there is some kind of scuffle at every game I have ever been to in my entire life..but leave it to Moron to have to point it out

 

 

That's the Buehrle Sox need to contend

 

May 12, 2004

 

BY JAY MARIOTTI SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

 

It's a good thing Donald Trump wasn't standing near home plate Tuesday when Bill Rancic threw out the ceremonial first ball. His errant pitch, which bounced through the batter's box, might have mussed up The Donald's comb-over and meant a sure pink slip for ''The Apprentice'' winner. Fortunately, Rancic could leave U.S. Cellular Field and not have to worry about his ERA.

 

 

 

The same can't always be said for the professional pitchers who normally inhabit the mound, men whose outings have been more erratic this season than Omarosa's moods on the program. If the White Sox have any chance of capturing a winnable division, much less contending with powerhouse ballclubs in the American League playoffs, they'll need more muscle and consistency from their starters. When the front office chose not to offer Bartolo Colon a four-year contract and let him slip away to Anaheim, it put more pressure on the incumbent starters and bumped up each pitcher's level of responsibility.

 

Meaning, Mark Buehrle and Esteban Loaiza have to stop performing like Rancic. If the Sox don't know what they're getting from their two top starters, it's going to be a lonely, disappointing season at The Cell.

 

At least The Good Buehrle emerged on a pleasant, breezy night on the South Side, where 8,945 fans walked up to the gates on Half-Price Night to pump a respectable turnstile figure of 20,400 fans. Coming off various stumbles and entering the game with a 1-1 record and 5.27 ERA, Buehrle shut out the improved, payroll-buttressed Baltimore Orioles on four hits over seven innings. Not that he needed all the zeros in a rocking 15-0 rout, which resembled batting practice and matched the franchise's largest home-park run differential, a record dating to 1907. The hitters are noticeably relaxed when Buehrle is in command like the old days, smacking around overpriced Sidney Ponson in an outburst that kept the Sox atop the AL Central just days before the first litmus test of the season, this weekend against the Minnesota Twins. Too bad some fans in the outfield concourse also were in the mood for action, with a few of them throwing punches in the ninth inning. Fortunately, the game-winning fireworks exploded a few minutes later, returning our thoughts to a rousing game and a splendid night for the Hurly Buehrle Man.

 

''I was kind of joking around before the game. I came in and told the guys, 'I need eight [runs] today,''' Buehrle said. ''In the bullpen, I didn't feel too good. Sometimes you don't do that well in the pen, but you go out and have a great game. I asked for eight, and they doubled it. I kind of needed one of these games where I didn't give up a lot of hits out there.''

 

''A great performance,'' Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of his pitcher. ''I really think he has been throwing the ball pretty well, except for the New York game. He can go out tonight and, you know, not relax, but not make a pitch that can get you beat. When you get that kind of run support, he can go out and perform. When you play behind Buehrle, it's fun. He keeps us in the game and he keeps us alert.''

 

Still, questions linger about Buehrle, Loaiza and the maddening Jon Garland, none of whom has been as good as No. 4 starter Scott Schoeneweis. What the Sox lack is a classic, power-throwing ace who can dominate long stretches of a season and carry the team on his arm. In direct contrast to the North Side ballclub, the Sox' rotation is a strikeout-challenged group that tries to get by on guile. In truth, Buehrle is a No. 2 starter who's required to be a No. 1. And Loaiza, despite his 21 victories last season, isn't nearly as effective with his cut fastball in his encore season and is pitching like a No. 3 who's asked to be a No. 2.

 

No one doubts the Sox are going to mash the baseball, as observed on a 19-hit night. ''We're going to do a lot of damage,'' Guillen said. ''A lot of people are worried about my offense. I know my offense is going to be there.'' But they don't want to waste a potent lineup with uncertainty in the rotation, which is further complicated by the ongoing bullpen follies. After the flop of fifth starter Dan Wright, someone named Felix Diaz will fly in from the minors and fill the role Thursday afternoon. Maybe the Sox could withstand the unknown if they were getting lights-out stuff from their best starters. But until we see a better rhythm, every game could be an adventure.

 

This begs the issue of whether general manager Ken Williams, who has done a nice job so far weaving through the obstacles of a middle-of-the-road payroll, already should be eyeing another starting pitcher. In this era of blatant salary-dumping, a contending team never can do homework too early on potential July acquisitions. Naturally, the New York Yankees are contemplating how to solve the rotation hole left by the demoted Jose Contreras, which means the archrival Boston Red Sox won't be far behind. The options are enticing, some more expensive than others.

 

Forget about chairman Jerry Reinsdorf approving a trade for Randy Johnson, who might be on the block this summer if the payroll-slashing Arizona Diamondbacks continue their losing ways. The Big Unit is due $33 million through next season, and going on 41 with a tricky knee, he isn't worth the whopping investment. A smarter option, one Williams is said to be considering, is Seattle right-hander Freddy Garcia, who beat the Sox in the 2000 AL playoffs. In his last season before free agency, the 28-year-old Garcia has become one of the hottest starters in the game, sporting a 1.55 ERA in 10 starts dating to last September. With the Mariners stumbling for the first time in years, the club isn't expected to make him a major offer in the next few months. Therefore, he will be the best pitcher on the market -- and the Sox should make a bid. If not Garcia, there are other pitching options: Al Leiter, Kirk Rueter, old man Jamie Moyer, Kris Benson.

 

For a change, the Sox weren't worrying about much after their crispest night of the season. Why do they hit so well at home? ''Maybe guys miss their girlfriends and their wives,'' said Willie Harris, who had four hits. Whatever the case, Buehrle appreciates the support very much.

 

Now he can return the favor by producing similar nights all season long.

[hammerhead johnson]

He actually showed the Sox some respect in this column, though. Not a typical Mariotti column.

[quade36]

I like how he knows nothing about Felix Diaz and what he is doing in the minors. He should do some homework before he writes anything about a player. But all in all, besides the usual Sox bashing, he actually gave this team some credit. Its nice to hear from the guy who probably hates this team and wants to see them fail more then anyone.

[Texsox]

Again, I've always like Jay. I thought last year, that dispite his .500 record, that Colon was the guy I wanted pitching in a big game. I do not have the same feeling about any of our starters.

 

I suspect that JR and KW will make some moves in June/July. I am hoping that part of the slow offseason was keeping some payroll flexibility to fill holes as they come up.

[Controlled Chaos]

I like how he knows nothing about Felix Diaz and what he is doing in the minors.  He should do some homework before he writes anything about a player.  But all in all, besides the usual Sox bashing, he actually gave this team some credit.  Its nice to hear from the guy who probably hates this team and wants to see them fail more then anyone.

Yeah, Diaz is the other thing I wanted to talk about. Diaz is playing unbelievable. Instead of saying we are bringing up a starter who has been lights out...he says "someone named Felix Diaz will fly in from the minors and fill the role Thursday afternoon"

 

In my opinion, that is just bad reporting or it is just trying to make the sox look bad. We are bringing up a pitcher that is 5-0 with a 1.83 ERA. 5 walks and 32 K's in 39 1/3 innings. That should at least be noted in the article.

[aboz56]

Yeah, Diaz is the other thing I wanted to talk about.  Diaz is playing unbelievable.  Instead of saying we are bringing up a starter who has been lights out...he says  "someone named Felix Diaz will fly in from the minors and fill the role Thursday afternoon"

 

In my opinion, that is just bad reporting or it is just trying to make the sox look bad.  We are bringing up a pitcher that is 5-0 with a 1.83 ERA.  5 walks and 32 K's in 39 1/3 innings.  That should at least be noted in the article.

Playing Devil's advocate here for a second...Neal Cotts was doing such a "great job" last year and came in and got pounded...Truth is, most guys who come up and make their ML debut don't have much success right away...Let's hope that's not the case for Diaz, but for any of you are expecting him to be great right away, you may come away extremly disappointed.

[Controlled Chaos]

Playing Devil's advocate here for a second...Neal Cotts was doing such a "great job" last year and came in and got pounded...Truth is, most guys who come up and make their ML debut don't have much success right away...Let's hope that's not the case for Diaz, but for any of you are expecting him to be great right away, you may come away extremly disappointed.

I agree with what you're saying. I'm not setting any expectations for Diaz right now.

 

However, I think his numbers are solid and he deserves more recognition on his call up than "someone named Felix Diaz"

[southsider2k5]

>Why people keep reading this stuff, I'll never know. Are there a lot of tabloid buyers on here?

[Harry Chappas]

The outfield fight reference was unneccessary and the remainder sounds like a thread from a day or two back on this site. They talked about a fight on the radio in the 5th and man was the crowd loud but Jay.....well he is an asshole.

[WSox30]

gimmie a break....there is some kind of scuffle at every game I have ever been to in my entire life..

What games have you been going to? Scuffle at every game? Maybe some jawing but not consistent fights. I like Jay and although I dont want the Sox to get a bad rap, I think the fight as necessary to be said because if there are consistent problems at the cell maybe it will alert the organization to do something about it!

[aboz56]

After reading the story posted by Cheat, to me this isn't a scuffle and if you got beat down, I doubt you'd consider it a scuffle either.

[The Critic]

His ignorance ( or attempt at downplaying Diaz's minor-league stats ) is typical lazy writing by Blew Jay. I REALLY hate to take this road, but we heard ( and continue to hear ) about almost EVERY Northside minor league pitcher for years before they come up. Sometimes it's warranted ( Zambrano ) and sometimes it's not ( Cruz ). But we hear about them anyway, with the latest example being Angel Guzman. There's practically an Angel Guzman Watch, and he's never done a thing at the ML level.

The fact is, Felix Diaz is pitching lights-out in Charlotte, and whether or not he succeeds right away for the Sox, he still deserves some mention for what he's doing on the farm. For Blew Jay to ignore the numbers and write him off as "someone named Felix Diaz" undermines what tiny shred of credibility he may try to cling to as a journalist.

[WSox30]

Yea that is total bulls***! "someone named Felix Diaz" WHO IS 5-0 BUDDY AND LIGHTING IT UP IN THE MINORS. SCREW YOU JAY! thats just lazy writing. that pisses me off

[Goldmember]

>Why people keep reading this stuff, I'll never know.  Are there a lot of tabloid buyers on here?

i'm with ss2k4 on this one. who gives a s*** about kotex boy anymore? everyone in this town knows he's a cubby lover who will hardly give the southside any credit at all. GET OVER IT! IF YOU DON"T LIKE WHAT HE HAS TO SAY, THEN DON'T READ IT! What he said in this article is mostly true and has been said on this site before. and you guys are nitpicking over the lack of credit he gives to diaz for lighing up triple-a when you know mariotti doesn't follow white sox baseball let alone our farm system.

 

i'm tired of seeing on this site how the white sox aren't given enough credit whether it being from the chicago media, espn, or wherever. i've got caught up in some of this and have been mad over some of it so i'm also preaching to myself here. it's human nature when something we love so much is mistreated to act in such a way. but that lack of respect is not going to go away in the foreseeable future. we need to get over it, move on, and let our performance doing our talking...

 

/RANT

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

This column wasn't a total hatchet job on the Sox. He did bring up a good point, albeit old, that we are desperately in need of another starter. His suggestions, for the most part sucked, though.

 

 

He is totally wrong in saying Burhle and Loaiza aren't really a No 1 & No 2 combo. What we need to do is solve the 5th starter dilemma once and for all through a signing or a trade. This merry-go-around job cant be allowed to go on all season.

[YASNY]

This column wasn't a total hatchet job on the Sox.  He did bring up a good point, albeit old, that we are desperately in need of another starter.  His suggestions, for the most part sucked, though.

 

 

He is totally wrong in saying Burhle and Loaiza aren't really a No 1 & No 2 combo.  What we need to do is solve the 5th starter dilemma once and for all through a signing or a trade.  This merry-go-around job cant be allowed to go on all season.

Neither Buehrle or Loaiza is the type of pitcher you can count on to be a stopper, in the classic sense of the word. So, I'd have to say that they aren't really a top of the rotation combo. They have the potential to be so, but as of yet they have not shown the dominant consistency to be considered that highly.