thedoctor Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 we might as well get used to this because it's what we're going to see until the season starts. i doubt anyone is going to rank us any higher than third in the division, and i'd bet even a few people will put the tigers ahead of us. the twins are the twins and have been better than us so they deserve to be ahead of us. a lot of the baseball analysts have had a hard-on for the indians prospects for the past few years so it makes sense they'd predict the tribe's imminent rise. the tigers improved last year and added two potentially big pieces. our biggest offseason move was trading away arguably our best hitter for a middle reliever and a guy coming off a bad year. as a sox fan, i realize how important that deal was, and the fact that it freed us up to make a bunch of smaller moves that probably bettered the team while staying within budget constraints. however, i doubt most prognosticators will look that deeply into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 since when is pitching depth and Cleveland used in the same sentence??? Their bullpen is atrocious, and their starting rotation is average at best. I dont see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanOfCorn Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 What no "expert" talks about, or even can truly know about, are the intangibles. Chemistry, enjoyment, coaching, offseason programs. I mean, Ozzie wants these guys to have fun playing, that says something. What if Crede and even Borchard fix those long-ass swings, Everett is 15-20 lbs. lighter, and Contreras stops throwing as many splitters? It could happen and make this team better. And then of course, there is 2000. That team gelled right after the fight with Detroit (damn Robert Fick). You can't predict those things. And you can't know what's going to happen during the regular season. Without injuries last year, I bet the Sox win the division. Who would know in ST last year that Maggs and Frank would go down with season ending injuries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakes Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 National sports writers always look at big names. When we lose two of our biggest name players and gain no one of national interest, the writers will never think we improved. We've read a lot of this already and it will continue until we start winning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSF Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I'm just happy that he wrote an article about the AL Central, period. Whaddya know, baseball does exist outside of NYC and Boston, Mass. That said; the article still sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakes Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 QUOTE(RockRaines @ Feb 9, 2005 -> 09:33 AM) since when is pitching depth and Cleveland used in the same sentence??? Their bullpen is atrocious, and their starting rotation is average at best. I dont see it I can't wait to see how hard Millwood is going to get rocked in the AL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JUGGERNAUT Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 He didn't even mention Iggy! Now let's be honest here. If Iggy were the starting 2B for the Red Sox this year how many paragraphs would Gammons write about him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winninguglyin83 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 the division race should be very close. the point Petey was trying to make is that financially it is the most competitive division in baseball. There is no team like the Yankees, Angels, Mets or Diamondbacks trying to buy a title. let's play ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JUGGERNAUT Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Does he not respect Japan players? Iggy over Harris is expected to produce 22 more R & 55 RBI for the Sox in 05. That's the biggest upgrade of all of our new bats. Yet Gammons doesn't have the decency to mention even his name. That's why I don't put much stock in these analysts. They are completely overlooking this signing & what he means upgrade wise for the Sox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 QUOTE(shakes @ Feb 9, 2005 -> 09:52 AM) I can't wait to see how hard Millwood is going to get rocked in the AL. Thats what I am saying exactly. On average, a pitcher who switches from the NL to the AL gains at least a point in their ERA, so how does Millwood, who was not fantastic in the NL go to the Indians, and all of a sudden they have an ACE in their rotation. As far as I am concerned, Garland might put up better numbers than Millwood. Does anyone think otherwise??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawksBell28 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Hey fellow Hoseheads, First time poster. Man, I LOVE some of the avatars (TheBlackSox8)! BTW, I post under this handle on BiscuitBabble.com, THE best Blackhawk forum. Gammons is a fool. The Sox have been an 85 win team for years with the following formula: an abundance of right-handed power and decent pitching. But we were always lacking speed, lefty hitting, defense and competitiveness. So what did we do this offseason? Lost Lee and Maggs, but we still have two righties around #4 in the order who can put up 40 HR, 130 RBI seasons (Konerko and Thomas). If Dye stays healthy (and none of his injuries are chronic —like Maggs' are), then you have a guy who can put up 25/95 also. We've also heard hints that the clubhouse will be a better place without those two. Remains to be seen, but it's possible. The defense overall is MUCH better. Yeah, Pierzynski is not great defensively, but he's not terrible. The outfield has much more speed. Rowand is much better than Lee. Podsednik is probably as good as Rowand in center. Dye is a notch better than Maggs. Uribe and Iguchi tighten up the middle infield. Pierzynski might not have Valentin's power from the left side, but he'll get on base a lot more. Plus there's Crazy Carl and Podsednik is a lefty too. Podsednik stole 50+ more bases last year than our lead-off guy. Period. When he's on, Konerko and Thomas will see many more fastballs. The 'pen is at least deeper, if not better. The rotation is probably better, maybe much better. To me, the only thing that keeps the Sox from adding 5-10 more wins this year is better competition in the division. But the Tigers are really the only team that's markedly improved itself— and that's only on paper right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa1334 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 :puke you know what i found sickening? the fact the sox and tigers payroll is almost the same amount. the only positive i find about that is we have better players than them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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