Sox fans will love this

[KipWellsFan]

Haha I saw was watching the game on and off and I switched it back and for a second I saw Billy in the stands decked out in D-Rays gear. I was like WTF now I come on here and I find out why. Billy's a PIMP!

[Chisoxfn]

Apparently Billy Koch is so bitter about his release from Toronto that he bought a seat behind the Blue Jay dugout and is decked out in D-Rays gear with a foam finger. I wish I was making this up

Lol, thats awesome. I know one thing, I won't be mad about Koch. He may of sucked with the suck but he did nothing but put the blame on himself and thats as class as it gets.

[Chisoxfn]

The Blue Jays drafted him and gave him a closer role. They are also paying him almost $1 million this year, and he couldn't get anyone out. He is still being paid by the Blue Jays. He doesn't want to hook up with another team because he wants Toronto to have to pay his entire salary. Or is it that no other team is interested in his services? Perhaps all the batting practice pitching positions are taken. Its ok, they don't pay that well anyway. Its decent of him to take the kids to the game, but if he's decked out in Tampa gear, its not only a shot at Toronto management, but also an insult to every player in their dugout. If the Sox released Koch last year, and he showed up in Tampa at a Sox/DRay game decked out in Tampa gear with a foam finger, you wouldn't think its so funny. What it is is pathetic. The guy needs to grow up. Its a lousy example for those kids.

And instead he could of easily followed the loophole and signed for a ton more money then the million and a half signing bonus he got. He was nearly as good of a prospect as the other guys that followed the loophole and got big time bucks.

 

Billy is nothing but a class act. Awful pitcher since leaving Oakland, but the way he goes about his business is classy. I also think its wrong for the Jays to cut him after just 3 outings.

[SoxFanForever]

Lol, thats awesome.  I know one thing, I won't be mad about Koch.  He may of sucked with the suck but he did nothing but put the blame on himself and thats as class as it gets.

Sucked with the suck huh?

[Texsox]

Anyone else notice he talked about a sore back that has bothered him for 4 years? I cannot recall any mention of a back problem while he was offering batting practice in a White Sox uniform.

 

I like the guy. He's an example of a great attitude guy with a major drop in effectiveness. I think everyone who has ever been fired, downsized, or felt in general screwed with by a corporation wishes they could go and cheer on the competition.

[YASNY]

Anyone else notice he talked about a sore back that has bothered him for 4 years? I cannot recall any mention of a back problem while he was offering batting practice in a White Sox uniform.

 

I like the guy. He's an example of a great attitude guy with a major drop in effectiveness. I think everyone who has ever been fired, downsized, or felt in general screwed with by a corporation wishes they could go and cheer on the competition.

 

 

I did notice that. I also don't recall any talk of a bad back.

[Middle Buffalo]

A guy on the radio here in AZ speculated that Koch was a steroid user, and that's why his velocity fell from mid 90s to high 80s. Might explain his lack of production lately.

[qwerty]

A guy on the radio here in AZ speculated that Koch was a steroid user, and that's why his velocity fell from mid 90s to high 80s.  Might explain his lack of production lately.

The lowest his fast ball ever was in is the low 90's. But i do agree with that speculation.

[YASNY]

A guy on the radio here in AZ speculated that Koch was a steroid user, and that's why his velocity fell from mid 90s to high 80s.  Might explain his lack of production lately.

 

 

That's been speculated around here too. Of course, we all know Koch was a musclebound freak. :rolly

[Middle Buffalo]

The lowest his fast ball ever was in is the low 90's. But i do agree with that speculation.

Did you get a peek at Ivan "Slim" Rodrigues? No need to speculate there.

[qwerty]

That's been speculated around here too.  Of course, we all know Koch was a musclebound freak.  :rolly

 

Alex sanchez.

[santo=dorf]

Koch can become even more classless if he were to go to every Blue Jays game just to boo them, but I don't know if he would be welcomed at the Cell.

[YASNY]

Alex sanchez.

 

 

Whatever. It's asinine to throw out unfounded speculation and accusations.

[qwerty]

Whatever.  It's asinine to throw out unfounded speculation and accusations.

 

How do you lose several miles per hour over night. Some will say he was overused but i don't think being overused will decrease your velocity that much and never have it come back? All that i am saying is it is a possibilty if alex was gonna break the all time bunt for a hit in one season sanchez is on steroids.

[YASNY]

How do you lose several miles per hour over night. Some will say he was overused but i don't think being overused will decrease your velocity that much and never have it come back? All that i am saying is it is a possibilty if alex was gonna break the all time bunt for a hit in one season sanchez is on steroids.

 

 

Pitchers have been losing velocity for about ...oh ... a century. Nothing new with a guy losing some zip of his fastball. They just usually donm't stick around the big leagues.

[qwerty]

Pitchers have been losing velocity for about ...oh ... a century.  Nothing new with a guy losing some zip of his fastball.  They just usually donm't stick around the big leagues.

 

Pitchers lose velocity when they were either injured or getting up there in age. Koch was neither. It is very rare that i know of that a pitcher is throwing 100 and six months later cannot touch 95. I could maybe see a mile or two loss but five to seven is too drastic.

[Middle Buffalo]

Whatever.  It's asinine to throw out unfounded speculation and accusations.

For awhile I felt the same, but then I thought that the players' silence and unwillingness to step up and get steroids out of the game puts every player under a cloud of suspicion. They brought this on themselves.

Take someone like Luis Gonzalez. Nicest guy in the world. 57 home runs all of a sudden in 2001. Cashes in with big check. Did he? Didn't he? We may never know. Seems kind of fishy, though.

Then you see some of the BALCO names - Randy Velarde and Marvin Bernard. Not big power hitters. Most of the minor leaguers named yesterday. Not big time prospects. Makes it seem as if Caminiti and Canseco are closer to telling the truth than Schilling, et al.

[Jabroni]

The lowest his fast ball ever was in is the low 90's. But i do agree with that speculation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I heard that Koch was only hitting 88 MPH this spring. Hell, even Shingo can throw that fast. I wouldn't be surprised if Koch was on roids when he was with the Blue Jays and A's. He pitched 93 innings for the A's in 2002. Last year, Koch was only hitting the low 90's. I don't buy the speculation that he wore out his arm from pitching so many innings for the A's. I think he just got off the roids. How do you lose 10+ MPH off your fastball in 2 years?

Edited April 6, 2005 by Jabroni

[Chisoxfn]

Supposedly Alex Sanchez says he never ever took any steroids or anything along those lines. He is pissed over the suspension and is going to appeal and his attorney is stating he's never done anything along those lines.

[qwerty]

Supposedly Alex Sanchez says he never ever took any steroids or anything along those lines.  He is pissed over the suspension and is going to appeal and his attorney is stating he's never done anything along those lines.

 

I really believe him too.

[Capn12]

I really believe him too.

 

 

Honestly I do too....MLB, what a sham job there...they knew the results of that test up to 4 weeks ago, and waited until Opening Day to announce it, in an attempt to show how their new policy was "Stern and just!" :rolly

[YASNY]

For awhile I felt the same, but then I thought that the players' silence and unwillingness to step up and get steroids out of the game puts every player under a cloud of suspicion.  They brought this on themselves.

Take someone like Luis Gonzalez.  Nicest guy in the world.  57 home runs all of a sudden in 2001.  Cashes in with big check.  Did he?  Didn't he?  We may never know. Seems kind of fishy, though.

Then you see some of the BALCO names - Randy Velarde and Marvin Bernard.  Not big power hitters.  Most of the minor leaguers named yesterday.  Not big time prospects.  Makes it seem as if Caminiti and Canseco are closer to telling the truth than Schilling, et al.

 

 

I somewhat agree with your sentiments here. I still think it's asinine to pin a name to steroids with nothing solid to go on. And qwerty ... yes, a guy can just lose it. The pitching motion is an unnatural motion that does wear down parts of the shoulder and elbow structures. It happens, whether you want to admit it or not.

[Jabroni]

I really believe him too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So do I...

[qwerty]

Honestly I do too....MLB, what a sham job there...they knew the results of that test up to 4 weeks ago, and waited until Opening Day to announce it, in an attempt to show how their new policy was "Stern and just!"  :rolly

 

If the mlb made something up this serious why have alex sanchez be their victim? Makes no sense to me... could have been someone more believable at the very least. He took them until proven otherwise for me anyway.

[Capn12]

no no no...I'm not saying MLB made the story up at all..

 

I'm saying they knew about the positive test 4 WEEKS ago, yet they waited until Opening Day to announce it. Thats my only beef with it. And I still don't think Sanchez is an actual roid user myself...