White Sox fans

[retro1983hat]

See Barry Rozner's article today:

 

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/col_rozn...?intid=38380245

[KevHead0881]

See Barry Rozner's article today:

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/col_rozn...?intid=38380245

 

Telling Cub fans to be more optimistic? When have they ever needed to be told that?

[LosMediasBlancas]

I'm taking a 'wait and see' attitude. I think most Sox fans are just happy to see change. Waht we had the past 4 years didn't work, period. If we fail, we fail, but it won't be from lack of effort by our GM.

.....and who the F has them winning the World Series?

 

See Barry Rozner's article today:

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/col_rozn...?intid=38380245

[Guest JimH]

Speaking of optimism, there are a few people we haven't seen around lately.

Cubkilla?

 

I guess we'll have to wait for the first spring training game they lose,

[thedoctor]

i think you should be optimistic, but i also don't have any gauge at all whatsoever on how this team will fare. when you alter your roster as dramatically as the sox have, i think it's almost impossible to predict how they'll perform.

[southsider2k5]

It was a cute column, nothing scientific about it. It was more a comment on everyone's mood.

[Leonard Zelig]

I really haven't see much optimism for the Sox outside this board.

[greasywheels121]

I haven't read the article yet, but what's the point if you're not going to be optimistic? Yes, I know you can take that to an extreme, but if you think in a pessimistic nature and just think the Sox aren't going to do anything, what would be the point of being a fan?

[Jordan4life_2007]

Here's the problem: The day after the Podsednik-Lee deal was made, people had the Sox finishing third or fourth. Today, everyone's got them winning the World Series. So what changed? If it's Chicago off-season optimism, that's frightening.

 

What the hell is he talking about?

 

As far as Sox fans being too optimistic, I'm gonna take the wait and see approach. I will say this team has the "potential" to be VERY good. We need some guys to have bounce back seasons "Posednik" we need some guys to stay healthy "El Duque, Dye" and we need a couple guys to realize their talent "Contreras, Crede."

 

If all that happens, this team can be scary good, all are realistic possibilities.

[CubKilla]

Speaking of optimism, there are a few people we haven't seen around lately.

Cubkilla?

 

I guess we'll have to wait for the first spring training game they lose, 

 

I've been here everyday. Reading posts and such. Not replying if I happen to agree with everything said.

 

And I have said, on more than one occasion, that I'm very happy with the job KW has done this offseason. This offseason has eclipsed even my expectations. KW deserves a s***load of credit. And if this season works out, I'll be the first to congratulate KW on a job well done and will be more inclined to chalk up his first couple of season's as GM to inexperience rather than idiocy. But let's not pop the champagne just yet.

 

I'm looking forward to this season for no other reason than it will be exciting to see how this team plays as a unit. No one knows what to expect and that's the reason why I'm thrilled with what KW has done. Everyone knew what to expect from the Sox last year..... 2 weeks of baseball driving, 10+ run scoring blowouts..... followed by 1.5-2 weeks of utter CorpseBall. This year is a huge "?". That's one of the reason's why '05 should be exciting..... hopefully for more than a week or two.

 

An offseason with the number of moves I have seen tells me that the '05 White Sox are going to try something different to win and I will be attending plenty of games this year to show my appreciation. An offseason with the number of moves that the '04 White Sox had showed me that, for '04 atleast, the Sox were content with the status quo and after what happened to end '03 I found that absolutely disgusting.

[Rex Kickass]

We got a shot this year. Just like last. So I'm optimistic.

[JUGGERNAUT]

I won't refer to the article because again it's pro-Cub & con-Sox. But I will say this much about both:

 

Sox - KW should have gotten more for Lee. Lee was our most productive bat in 04. But he didn't get fleeced & the potential is there for grealty filling 2 pressing needs. So on the Lee trade I give KW a C. But just about everwhere else I give him an A.

 

Rotation make-over:

Garcia over ELO

El-Duque over Schoen

Contreras over Garland

Garland over Grili

 

Any one who can not see how much of a substantial upgrade that is has to be blind. The Sox have a rotation that should produce 70-75 wins alone

on the strength of quality & dominant starts.

 

Pen makeover:

Hemanson over MJ

Vizcaino over Diaz/Munoz/Cotts

 

With the addition of Iguchi the 05 makeover for the offense has barely skipped a beat in power while greatly improving in speed, consistency, & obp. How can you not be optimistic?

 

The other thing the con article fails to mention is the Sox had 1 healthy yr in the last 5 (03). Bad luck has followed the team. Hopefully the luck of the forest green irish will send it away.

 

Cub - They lost their most productive hitter of 04 (like the Sox) & replaced him with squat. The Sox had least replaced Lee with Pods. A guy who had a career yr in 02. They are pinning thier hopes on a SS who is expected to have no more than 400 ab's. They still are stuck with the bad chem of Sosa who has yet to apologize to either his mates or his fans. They have no proven closer. Either in the MLs or in Japan. The Sox have 3 guys with more closer experience than the Cub.

 

Their rotation consists of 3 health marks, a Cy Young candidate, & fluke.

Who expects Rusch to pitch as well in 05? I don't. Prior, Wood, & Maddux are all high risks & good odds to sit on the d/l for some stretch of the season.

 

Did STL get weaker? Sure they lost Renteria, but didn't they also gain Mulder? If he's healthy they still have a team capable of winning 100 gms.

Something the Cub is not. Astros are probably out of it, but the Cub will face tougher competion for the WC from most in the NLE, & most in the NLW. If I were a Cub fan, I would be saying who is going to make up Alou's production? The Cub are one of the slowest teams in the MLs.

They can't win w/out the big hit.

[LDF]

i have yet to see where anyone is saying to are going to the playoff or the world series.

 

so is is wrong to have some optimism as suppose to being talking as we are the ones to beat?

[WilliamTell]

i have yet to see where anyone is saying to are going to the playoff or the world series.

 

so is is wrong to have some optimism as suppose to being talking as we are the ones to beat?

 

 

Yeah, no kidding. We're not saying we're going all the way or anything. All fans should have at least some optimism about a good year.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

Most people here, whether they choose to admit it, seem to believe they are going to win the division. Those who don't come out and say it are sorta winking on it and trying not to jinx us. I have to believe that the Cubs will win more games than us this year, but its hard to say how it goes for the playoffs. Our division may be easier to win but we cannot win the wild card wheras they very may well.

[The Critic]

s***, man, if we're pessimistic we're bad fans, and if we're optimistic we're delusional or something.

Can't f***in' win for losing.

 

Call me delusional, but I'm excited to see what this "new look" team can do.

[thomsonmi]

Like most everyone else here, I'm excited to see how the new team looks on the field. Anything can happen, but I feel like we have added so much depth on our pitching staff that we have to be better. The bullpen is deep and we have a couple relief pitchers who can step in for starters if they are needed.

 

And, I like the lineup...

 

Posednik, LF

Iguchi, 2B

Dye, RF

Konerko, 1B

Everett (Thomas), DH

Rowand, CF

Pierzynski, C

Crede, 3B

Uribe, SS

 

And, yes, there's no sense in being a fan if you can't be optimistic this time of year.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

I'm definitely taking a wait and see approach, which I feel is justified when a team rids itself of two of its top 5 players. We have SERIOUS health concerns with Hernandez, Thomas, and Dye (although not as much him). If we are able to avoid major injuries I think we have a shot. Still, I will pick the Twins if I had to bet my life. I feel this is a "throw against the wall" type year and we'll get what we need in 06 to make the playoffs for sure in 06. BTW, who is gone after this year? I know Konerko, AJ, Judy, and Shingo are up. Anyone else to resign?

[qwerty]

I'm definitely taking a wait and see approach, which I feel is justified when a team rids itself of two of its top 5 players. We have SERIOUS health concerns with Hernandez, Thomas,  and Dye (although not as much him).  If we are able to avoid major injuries I think we have a shot. Still, I will pick the Twins if I had to bet my life. I feel this is a "throw against the wall" type year and we'll get what we need in 06 to make the playoffs for sure in 06.  BTW, who is gone after this year? I know Konerko, AJ,  Judy, and Shingo are up. Anyone else to resign?

 

We have pierz's rights along with garland next year.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

That's good then. I hope for Judy's sake that he wins more than 12 games otherwise Kenny is going to have to make a tough tender decision

[Gene Honda Civic]

We have pierz's rights along with garland next year.

Which is kinda scary. What happens when this team wins 75 games in 05?

 

Everett(buyout), Shingo(FA), Konerko(FA), and Vizcaino(FA) are the only ones who I can think of off the top of my head who we get out from under (unless guys like Harris, Pierz, Crede, Gload, perez aren't picked back up). We've resigned ourselves to this new style of play for the next couple years. This experiment has the opportunity to really blow up in KW's face. He'd take the team back down to '98/99 levels.

[qwerty]

Which is kinda scary.  What happens when this team wins 75 games in 05? 

 

Everett(buyout), Shingo(FA), Konerko(FA), and Vizcaino(FA) are the only ones who I can think of off the top of my head who we get out from under (unless guys like Harris, Pierz, Crede, Gload, perez aren't picked back up).  We've resigned ourselves to this new style of play for the next couple years.  This experiment has the opportunity to really blow up in KW's face.  He'd take the team back down to '98/99 levels.

 

I don't think vizcaino is a free agent.

 

http://www.mlb4u.com/0506FA.html

 

http://kmbumb.people.wm.edu/

 

Edit: It is his second year of arbitration.

 

White Sox agreed to terms with RHP Luis Vizcaino on a one-year, $1.3 million contract.

Vizcaino, who had a 3.75 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 72 innings for Milwaukee last season, receives a $700,000 raise in his second year of arbitration. He'll work in the sixth and seventh innings after being acquired in the Carlos Lee trade.

[Gene Honda Civic]

I don't think vizcaino is a free agent.

 

http://www.mlb4u.com/0506FA.html

 

http://kmbumb.people.wm.edu/

 

Edit: It is his second year of arbitration.

I thought it was his 3rd -- My mistake -- the point still stands....

 

Frank

Uribe

Dye

Pods

IGGY

Rowand

MB

FG

OH

JC

Hermanson

MArte

Politte?

 

Are all guaranteed for 2006... If the rotation falls apart, or Rowand, Uribe, Hermanson can't earn thier contracts, we're in it deep.

[whitesox91403]

We just all need to let this thing play out. I will honestly say that I don't think Minnesota will win the division this year. It's going to be the Sox or Cleveland. Just my honest opinion.

 

One other thing, isn't Barry Rozner a huge Cubs fan?

 

The reason I ask, is everywhere people are talking how The cardinals got worse, I know they lost a bunch, but I really don't think they got worse. They have a full season of Larry Walker, provided he stays healthy and Mark Mulder.

[Gene Honda Civic]

One other thing, isn't Barry Rozner a huge Cubs fan?

 

I don't know why this has taken hold... Rozner grew up as an usher and vendor at Old Comiskey.... He didn't have those jobs because he was a Cubs fan.

 

I've never seen anything written by him that would prove that he's anything other than an objective journalist, who does a good job walking the fine line of nuetrality in his columns. He'll take his jabs at the Sox/riensdorf, but there's an equal amount of shots at the Cubs and Sosa.