MLB has it in for Sox

[DBAHO]

From the Southtown;

 

DENVER — Even after the White Sox's 2-1 win over Colorado at Coors Field on Tuesday, Carl Everett wasn't going to change his mind about how much he dislikes interleague play.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Everett suggested a much bigger problem exists in Major League Baseball, one he feels could possibly cost the Sox a trip to the playoffs this season.

 

As far as the Sox outfielder is concerned, the league has done everything it can to predetermine who makes the postseason by the way it sets up the schedule. Everett's conspiracy theory insists the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees are the main beneficiaries of the so-called loaded schedule.

 

"I don't think it's going to come down to us and Minnesota," Everett said. "I think it comes down to the way the schedule is laid out. The schedule is laid out for us to fail.

 

"We're saving everyone until the last part of the season. The schedule is basically built for Minnesota. But I don't think we're worried about Minnesota ... I hope we're not worried about Minnesota. Like I said before, if we just go out and win against the teams in our division, it doesn't matter how slanted the schedule is, we're going to win."

 

Everett offered into evidence the fact that the Sox have their most off days in June, compared to only two in September — the last Sept. 12.

 

On the other hand, Minnesota has three off days in September, as do the Yankees.

 

"Our schedule is made out to where we have a relaxing June and a September with no time off," Everett said. "The team that is going to have the most days off in the second half is who the schedule makers want to win it. But at the same time, if we beat Minnesota, Cleveland, Kansas City, like we have, it doesn't matter how that schedule is filled out. Beat your division, you win the division."

 

Everett also doesn't like the fact the Twins are done playing Boston and New York by Aug. 7, and the Sox don't even play the Yankees until Aug. 8.

 

As far as interleague games, the Sox are matched up with the Cubs, while Minnesota gets to play Milwaukee.

 

"They call it an unbalanced schedule, and it really is," Everett said. "The whole schedule is made out for the Yankees, but in our division, it's made for the Twins.

 

"They need to get rid of interleague play, because it doesn't do justice for all the teams. If you want to make it fair, have everyone play each other. It was good for the first two years, but now it's time to give it a rest."

[EvilJester99]

First Dinosaurs and now this... man Everett needs smoke a joint or something.. oh wait that will make him even more paranoid... NM

[Al Lopez Ghost (old)]

I apply my Dennis ROdman rule to Carl - ignore everything he says, only watch how he plays.

[robin_ventura_eternal]

First Dinosaurs and now this... man Everett needs smoke a joint or something.. oh wait that will make him even more paranoid... NM

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

maybe he's on to something. not that pointing it out will change anything.

[wherehaveyougoneharold]

Somebody check our 2003 or 2004 schedule. I'm not sure, but for some reason I remember us getting done with New York very early in the season and before they started rolling.

 

If it were some kind of a conspiracy, with all of the pop culture love for Boston, why wouldn't they lay the schedule out for a Boston repeat?

[DABearSoX]

Other then the rest factor.....if your gonna get to the playoffs, facing these teams near the end is the best way to season the ballclub for what they should expect

[I-HATE-CREDE]

I have a strong feeling that the CIA, FBI, and possibly the NSA are behind the White Sox September schedule. And I'm not ruling out foreign intelligence services, either.

[RockRaines]

Somebody check our 2003 or 2004 schedule.  I'm not sure, but for some reason I remember us getting done with New York very early in the season and before they started rolling.

 

If it were some kind of a conspiracy, with all of the pop culture love for Boston, why wouldn't they lay the schedule out for a Boston repeat?

I think last year we had a schedule that could have favored us, the problem was, we didnt win the easy parts.

[Steff]

:headshake What a dip s***. MLB doesn't even make the stupid schedules.

[GreatScott82]

Let him preach. I agree with some of his points. Why do we seem to play the Yankees and Red Sox in August and September every year. And why do the Twins get a lot of days off in September while we are getting many days off in June when the season is still relatively early? Conspericy? Possibly...

But as long as they keep playing like they have been all year- we will beat the Yankees and Red Sox in August and we will beat the Twins for the Central Division title. IMO the whole division will be determined in those final 13 games with the Twins starting August 15th to the end of the season.

[southsider2k5]

I hear Carl Everett is next in line to manage the Cubs if Dusty ever gets fired.

[ChWRoCk2]

this is why we should trade him

[LosMediasBlancas]

I think we have like 20 games in Sept. against either KC, Detroit or Cleve.....yeah they really got it in for us. :headshake

[I-HATE-CREDE]

If I'm a reporter, I'm asking Everett questions about every controversial topic I can think of. Like, where do you stand on the Terri Schiavo debate or what do you feel needs to be done to achieve peace in the Middle East. There is no limit to how unintentially funny Carl's answers could be.

[Chisoxrd5]

Every time Carl Everett speaks, he weakens the nation

 

I mean seriously where does this stuff come from? I thought at worst he was gonna complain about the umpiring yesterday night (which was terrible)...But a conspiracy theory like this? :headshake at the same time

[Controlled Chaos]

Somebody check our 2003 or 2004 schedule.  I'm not sure, but for some reason I remember us getting done with New York very early in the season and before they started rolling.

 

If it were some kind of a conspiracy, with all of the pop culture love for Boston, why wouldn't they lay the schedule out for a Boston repeat?

 

Seems kind of a wacky thing for carl to say, but here ya go...

 

September off days

2005 5,12

2004 13

2003 1,4,15

2002 16, 23

2001 17,24

 

2004 we played our 6 games with the spankees in April. 2003 we had 3 in late August and 3 in late September. 2002 3 in the end of May and 3 in middle of September

 

The yanks have 3 days off this September, 2 days off last September and had 3 off in 2003, 2002 and 2001

 

 

I guess if anything comes out of it the yanks seem to usually get 3 days off in September...but heck that's only going back the past few years....I have no idea how it works out if you go back the past 20. Maybe it all evens out...maybe not

[agame]

I don't necessarily agree with him but maybe it's his way of getting himself (and maybe his team) fired up with the whole "disrespect" thing that many teams like the patriots and pistons have used to motivate themselves. I don't know that this is what's actually going on for the whole team but it seems to be the way he carries (and motivates) himself.

[GreatScott82]

I think we have like 20 games in Sept. against either KC, Detroit or Cleve.....yeah they really got it in for us. :headshake

We have to remember the critics picked us to finish 4th in the division. So maybe they thought Cleveland and Detroit would be a way to stick it to us?

Who knows- maybe this is just a way for Carl to pump up his team. They say is a great leader in the clubhouse.

[southsider2k5]

One thing... Carl is a funny dude. It wouldn't surprise me if he was just screwing with the reporters. This is right up his alley with the sense of humor he has. I watched him about make a girl cry at Soxfest by telling her that they had told him not to sign for her. He thought it was hilarious.

[BlackBetsy]

I have thought the schedule is biased against the White Sox for a while now.

 

A couple of reasons.

 

First, the Sox v. Cubs "rivalry" series is, more or less, costing the Sox 1 game more per season than the Twins vs. Brewers "rivalry" series. I'm not saying end it, but 6 games per year is a lot vs. a really good team like the Cubs.

 

Second, have you ever noticed that the Sox tend to play night road games in LA, SEA or OAK and then have to TRAVEL the same night to a midwest/east coast city. This happened last year at least twice (and the Sox lost the first game of the next series) and has already happened this year with the LA to TEX flight. I thought the MLBPA negotiated that this couldn't happen, but it does. Check the Twinkies' schedule. This doesn't happen. Every time they travel from the west coast, they have a day-game getaway day.

 

Luckily for us, the next two times the Twinkies come to the Cell, they will have had games the day before in Oakland and will have had to fly cross country.

[Controlled Chaos]

We have to remember the critics picked us to finish 4th in the division. So maybe they thought Cleveland and Detroit would be a way to stick it to us?

Who knows- maybe this is just a way for Carl to pump up his team. They say is a great leader in the clubhouse.

 

 

I always assumed a computer spit out the schedule??

[Controlled Chaos]

I found out it isn't a computer and also found this article with Steinbrenner b****in about the schedule...

 

Yanks' Boss reportedly calls out unfair interleague schedule

 

June 3, 2003

 

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner criticized baseball schedule makers and complained his team is treated unfairly, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

 

The Boss is unhappy about New York's road trip this week, when interleague games begin. His problem: While the Yankees are in Cincinnati and Chicago, the rival Boston Red Sox play Pittsburgh and Milwaukee -- two of the three worst teams in the National League.

 

"I just hope we play well against the National League clubs," Steinbrenner told the Times in a telephone interview. "I don't think the schedule is fair."

 

The Yankees play three games each against the Reds and Cubs, who lead the NL Central. New York doesn't face the Pirates or Brewers this season.

 

"Katy Feeney makes the schedule, and she has never been a favorite of mine or a favorite of the Yankees," Steinbrenner said. "We play Cincinnati, which is a fine, fine ballclub; they're going to be in the middle of it. Then we play the Cubs.

 

"Now who is the other guy playing? They're playing against Milwaukee. Now what's right about that? They're playing Pittsburgh and Milwaukee while we're playing Cincinnati and the Cubs. I think they got the best of that deal.

 

"Bud Selig told me personally that he was overseeing the schedule, and that he'll see to it that it's fine. I used to be for it, but I'm not for it anymore. It's too easy for discrepancies," Steinbrenner said.

 

George Steinbrenner has ripped his players, and now sets his sights on the schedule.

 

Feeney, a Major League Baseball vice president, told the Times it was impossible for every AL East team to play every NL Central team this year. There are five teams in the AL East and six in the NL Central -- plus, the Yankees play six games against the crosstown rival Mets.

 

"You talk to the 29 other teams and they'd probably say I didn't like them," Feeney told the Associated Press Tuesday.

 

"When we go back to the current rotation in 2005, the teams will play teams they didn't play this year. Besides, you can't predict how games will come out. What looks good on paper turns out not to look so good."

 

"I can assure you, I do not, and the other schedule contractors certainly do not, purposefully think, 'How can we make life more difficult for the Yankees?'" Feeney said.

 

She said the interleague schedules were made 1½ years ago, and the Yankees would play Milwaukee and Pittsburgh in 2005.

 

Steinbrenner said he would be at Wrigley Field on Saturday, when Roger Clemens is scheduled to make his third bid for his 300th victory against Cubs ace Kerry Wood.

 

The Boss also talked about the state of his team in interviews with the New York Daily News and New York Post.

 

The Yankees are 15-20 following an 18-3 start and have a 1½-game lead over Boston.

 

"I'm not satisfied with the team and neither are they," Steinbrenner told the Daily News. "I don't think we're playing as well as we're supposed to, or as well as we're going to be playing."

 

The Yankees blew a 7-1 lead against Detroit on Sunday, costing Clemens his 300th victory, before winning 10-9 in 17 innings.

 

"I didn't like it at all," Steinbrenner told the Post. "But I predicted in spring training that when a team has a player going for any record it can lead to distractions. They are all trying too hard for Roger."

[LosMediasBlancas]

I can't even imagine how difficult it must be to make the schedule. It can't favor every team and if it screws a team, I'm sure it's not intentional.

[Leonard Zelig]

:headshake What a dip s***. MLB doesn't even make the stupid schedules.

 

Then who does?

[I-HATE-CREDE]

One thing... Carl is a funny dude.  It wouldn't surprise me if he was just screwing with the reporters.  This is right up his alley with the sense of humor he has.  I watched him about make a girl cry at Soxfest by telling her that they had told him not to sign for her.  He thought it was hilarious.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yeah, I'm sure Carl is a master manipulator of the media. Anyway, you guys are obviously close, since you saw him at Soxfest, so you would know better than anyone.