Thoughts

[gettysburg32]

- Game 2, we caught a miracle 9th inning. Game 3, they caught a miracle 9th inning, so we deserved to win 2 of 3 and that's what happened.

 

- Baseball is a really funny game.

 

- We have a good number of guys playing together for the first time (Pods, Iggy, AJ, JD, Pablo, Widger, Hermy, to some extent Contreras, The Duke, Vizcaino) but they are playing very hard and with energy (at least from watching on TV, so take it for what it's worth). This is what Ozzie preaches, so I'd think he's happy despite today's disaster.

 

- The key to Ozzie-ball all year will be the top of the order getting on base and gaining momentum. In that motive, I agree with moving Rowand to the #3 spot. Carl's never been a #3 hitter anywhere else, so why start using him their when speed, contact, and versatility is what this team is banking on to score runs. This isn't a knock on Carl, just that one, Rowand seems more suited here, and two, with the year Rowand had last year.

 

- Pods and Iggy must get on base a lot.

 

- The starting pitchers were all impressive, but the next three games will tell us much more.

 

- Hermanson looked good today and will be quietly important all year long. Not questioning Ozzie for bringing in Taguchi for the 9th, that was the right move, but in general, Hermanson seems like a solid addition to the pen.

 

- I love baseball season.

 

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

- Just as easily as we could have swept this series, we could have easily been swept by the Indians. 

- Ozzie can't have the same patience this year with Shingo as he did w/Koch last year.  Shingo was great last year, but it's not like he's a young man.  All the AL has seen him and his trick pitches.

- Against lhp, I think Rowand should be batting 3rd.  He's a stud vs lefties, and Everett typically struggles against lhp.

- What's wrong with Uribe in the field?  He was incredibly lazy today, and seemed to be in another world. 

- I love the addition of A.J. Pierz.  He's the best catcher the Sox have had in a long, long time.

- Anyone else think that Dye kinda looks like what Michael Jordan would have in the Sox uniform with the number 23 and his physical characteristics?

 

Anyways, time to go to the Metrodome.  I'd be ok with a 1-2 series there, as the pitching matchups aren't in our favor.

 

 

We had no business winning on Wednesday and they had no business winning today. It all evens out I suppose. We still got the series win and should still be feeling pretty good going into the Minny series.

[WilliamTell]

the way I look at it is that we stole a win from then yesterday, they stole a win from us today. That evens out. But I know one thing for sure, we need to do good on the road out West to have a good shot at winning this. No more 1-5 West road trips. We need to be at the .500 mark out West.

[greg775]

Hopefully we can build on the nice pitching efforts.

With our suspect scoring power we need to pitch and field all year.

[TLAK]

Just looked out the window to the east and, lo and behold, the sun came up!

 

After yesterdays game and reading all these posts I was sure the world was going to end. -but I guess they will play the rest of the season anyway.

 

Beat them Twins tonight!

[retro1983hat]

I watched the game on TiVo and I was so excited when Hermanson mowed the Tribe down, but I first-guessed Ozzie by saying they should've left him in for the ninth.

In my opinion, Shingo should only be seen once a series. Last year he seemed to do well on the first go round against a team.

Shingo needs to be on a short leash, and Hermanson I think knows he could get the call at any moment to close.

 

Pods - Looks decent

Gooch - Looking good

Jurassic - Slumping

Kong - Rocking

JD - Solid, professional

Rowand - He doesn't look comfortable

AJP - Solid, rock

Crede - sucks

Uribe - He just needs to keep us in games with his O and D

[beck72]

--Keeping 12 pitchers makes more sense than keeping Willie as a backup for 2b, in order to keep the bullpen fresh

--The Sox are better prepared than other teams the closer goes down/ is ineffective [like the Dodgers w/ Gagne, or Mariano]

--The sox aren't hurting themselves, making stupid mistakes [just look at Jose Valentin's week--makes a key error to blow a game, and helps win another one with his bat--yet the team is still at .500 with his contributions]

--the bullpen should keep the games close once the starters leave

--Freddy looks stronger than last year when he was throwing mostly breaking pitches

--AJ is finding a groove with the SP's, likes calling breaking pitches when hitters are looking for fastballs

--Iguchi has better base stealing abilities/ speed than I thought

--A healthy Frank in the #3 hole would complete this lineup

[Rex Kickass]

In the major leagues, as of yesterday there were 21 save opportunities this year.

 

11 of them were blown.

 

It's April. One bad outing means little.

[ZeroHour]

Do you chalk that up to relievers still getting some experience under their belts? Not getting enough IP in spring training because thats the nature of the beast? I think thats the case in MLB for the first 2 weeks or so...I expect alot more league wide BS this month (hopefully not the Sox)

 

I dont think Shingo's "figured out" yet. Go back and watch the 9th again if you can. He had strike 3 a couple of times on a couple of different hitters. Game over, Sox by three or Sox in a squeaker if the umpire gives him those sliders on the outside corner (vs RHB, inside vs LHB).

 

Shingo backed into hitters counts scare me, because he almost HAS to serve it up and hope they get ahead of it/knock it down. The Tribe sat back...fought it off, got the calls, and kudos to them. End of story.

 

I want to see Shingo take Torii, Morneau, and Ford 1-2-3 for a white sox winner.....

 

Edited April 8, 2005 by ZeroHour

[FlaSoxxJim]

I think we should kidnap Joe Nathan this weekend.

[ZeroHour]

I think we should pistol whip him, but ok.

[southsider2k5]

Boys, boys. First we kidnap him, and then we pistol whip him...

 

Everyone wins

[ZeroHour]

Dont we have to pistol whip him first? Or do we have ether for the takedown?

[Steff]

Dont we have to pistol whip him first? Or do we have ether for the takedown?

 

 

 

Zero.. you scare me.

[YASNY]

Let's kidnap Santana and make him pistol whip Nathan.

[southsider2k5]

I like the way you guys think!!!

[ZeroHour]

People will notice Santana's missing. All those bulloen guys look alike.

[bjm676]

-I'm more encouraged by how Contreras pitched than anything else. He pitched better than Garcia, IMHO.

 

-Iguchi seems to be as good as advertised (3 hits yesterday, stolen base, solid D).

 

-Vizcaino just plain ran out of gas. He's still a good pitcher. It was bad managing on Ozzie's part. Politte & Marte for 1/3 of an inning each? Then Hermanson for only 1 inning? I thought he was then long man? Then Garland was warming up in the bullpen in the eleventh inning.

 

-Konerko, AJ, Dye & Everett look to be solid.

 

-Crede..... well, let's not go there. :headshake

[aboz56]

--Keeping 12 pitchers makes more sense than keeping Willie as a backup for 2b, in order to keep the bullpen fresh

Not early in the season with plenty of off-days.

[JUGGERNAUT]

If you take a look at the 2004 pitchers for the CSox for pitches 1-15 there really is no one worth calling up for a 7th arm in the pen. Adkins has pretty bad numbers. Walker & Munoz would be dark horses.

 

The 6 guys we have can get the job done. Ozzie just needs to use them MUCH better.

[TheBigHurt35]

And you jumped to that conclusion after only 3 games. At least give him a month, before you start ragging on him.

 

Why? He's completely blown for the past two years, so why should this year be any different? Crede needs to prove that he doesn't suck.

[beck72]

Not early in the season with plenty of off-days.

 

My thinking is that only cotts is the long man in the pen. A starter gets rocked and the bullpen is taxed for a while, even this early in the season. Adkins or even walker up would help keep the bullpen fresh.

[Guest JimH]

If you take a look at the 2004 pitchers for the CSox for pitches 1-15 there really is no one worth calling up for a 7th arm in the pen.  Adkins has pretty bad numbers.  Walker & Munoz would be dark horses.

 

The 6 guys we have can get the job done.  Ozzie just needs to use them MUCH better.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not my dept., but any way you can crank down that sig a little bit? It takes a half page to scroll past it. Not trying to be testy here, but that is one looooong sig line.

[Chisoxfn]

Ozzie was quilty of overmanaging today with using his entire pen, when it really wasn't necessary.  It's weird that he only allows pitchers to face 1 hitter, but leaves Shingo in to allow 3 home runs. He blew through his  entire bullpen and Vizciano had to take one for the team. I'm not a fan of Ozzie as a manager, but I don't think he's dumb, and I'm sure he has learned something from this game. Taking 2 out of 3 is a positive first step.

Like I've said all along, if Ozzie's going to succeed as a manager it sure as hell won't be for his managerial skills. It will be for his ability to get the best out of his players...being a players type of manager, etc. Dusty does the same thing in a sense. No matter what he seems to get his guys to play for him. And Dusty makes some absolutely awful managerial decisions, but in the end the positives outweigh the negatives.

 

I can only hope the same bodes for Ozzie, although I have had my doubts since day 1.

 

Also dead on with the person who said the Sox should have Aaron batting 3rd against lefties. Thats a fan-freaking tastic idea and one that should be done immediately. Everyone knows Carl isn't that good from the right side of the plate, so why have him in the 3 spot in that situation, when Aaron creaking crushes them.