Do the Sox need to look over their shoulders

[LosMediasBlancas]

f*** oakland, why the hell are we thinking about them, cleveland has been doing pretty damn good lately if i dont say so myself, IMO the twins are out and  the injuries have hurt them even my friend who is a twins fan admitted that they are done.  Everyone is forgetting that the indians have been doin pretty damn good lately and are able to catch up to us now that their team is starting to hit a little better

 

 

Cleveland will not catch us, but it'd be nice if they caught Oak. and won the W.C. and Ana. won the west.

[ChWRoCk2]

Cleveland will not catch us, but it'd be nice if they caught Oak. and won the W.C. and Ana. won the west.

im just hoping for oakland to move up to the top of the al west so we dont have to play them

[fathom]

im just hoping for oakland to move up to the top of the al west so we dont have to play them

 

I'm just hoping to make the playoffs. If that is accomplished, then you have to take on any and all comers. This isn't like the NCAA Tournament, where you can hope that a massive underdog knocks off a favorite before you play them.

[LosMediasBlancas]

I'm just hoping to make the playoffs. If that is accomplished, then you have to take on any and all comers. This isn't like the NCAA Tournament, where you can hope that a massive underdog knocks off a favorite before you play them.

[/quote

Well of course, but IF I had a choice, I'm not gonna choose to face the team that has given us the most trouble.

[ChWRoCk2]

I'm just hoping to make the playoffs.  If that is accomplished, then you have to take on any and all comers.  This isn't like the NCAA Tournament, where you can hope that a massive underdog knocks off a favorite before you play them.

oakland is an exception here, if you cant beat a team you guys are mentally beaten when you play them

[kev211]

The angels are scary we were barely able to beat then without vlad and fransico

[Kalapse]

The angels are scary we were barely able to beat then without vlad and fransico

Bartolo Colon

Jarrod Washburn

John Lackey

Paul Byrd

 

Not the scariest playoff rotation. 4-3 record vs. them in the regular season. Though them not having Vlad or K-Rod didn't hurt, especially the game we won against Shields. Their bullpen is f***ing sick though with Sheilds, Donnelly, Peralta and K-Rod going in the postseason is gonna win you a game or two.

 

Oh yeah Vlad beat the living piss out of the Orioles tonight, 3-4 with 5 RBI and 2 HRs.

[kev211]

Bartolo Colon

Jarrod Washburn

John Lackey

Paul Byrd

So in a 5 game seris it be like this

 

Angels

1.Buehrle vs Colon

2. Garland vs. Washburn

3. Garcia vs. Lackey

4. Contreas/duque or buehrle depending on series/Colong or Byrd depending on series

5. Garland or buehrle vs. Colon/ Washburn

 

A's

 

1. Buehrle vs. Harden

2. Garland vs. Zito

3. Garcia vs Haren

4. Contreas/duque or buehrle depending on series/ sarloss or harden

5. Garland or buehrle vs Zito or harden

 

Your right id rather take my chances with the angels pitching staff, but the A's offense could be shutdown by us and all we would need is 2-3 runs. If it got the angels bullpen we would be screwed we got lucky earlier this year.

Edited August 3, 2005 by ScottPodRulez22

[Leonard Zelig]

^^^

That is assuming that all the teams involved would be able to set their post season rotation, if there any kind of race at the end of the season, that will not be the case.

[Kalapse]

People talk all about the White Sox lack of experience come playoff time, hell just take a look at the A's rotation. Zito not included the other 4 starters have absolutely s*** of experience especially playoff experience.

 

The A's 2-5 starters have a total of 5 gms pitched and 0 GS in the playoffs which equates to 9.2 IP.

 

Career #s:

 

Harden - 59 GS

Haren - 41 GS

Saarloos - 44 GS

Blanton - 21 GS

--------------------

Total: 165 GS

 

Where as the Sox' 2-5 starters (- Buehrle) have a total of 31 gms pitched and 20 GS in the playoffs which equates to 147 IP.

 

Career #s:

 

Garcia - 207 GS

Garland - 147 GS

Contreras - 61 GS

Hernandez - 150 GS

------------------------

Total: 565 GS

 

Who's starting rotation 2-5 seems to have more experience the Sox' 31 Playoff Games and 565 career GS or the A's 5 Playoff Games and 165 career GS?

[Soxfest]

You got to give Oakland credit I do not want them to win the wildcard at all, I would rather they won division. At least would not play till 2nd round.

Edited August 3, 2005 by Soxfest

[soxfan3530]

this is so dumb. its the playoffs. obviously were going to have to play somebody good. we're just going to have to play great to get to the world series no matter who we play. that's just how it goes.

[YASNY]

this is so dumb. its the playoffs. obviously were going to have to play somebody good. we're just going to have to play great to get to the world series no matter who we play. that's just how it goes.

 

Exactly. It's way too early to be worrying about that s*** anyway. There's a lot of good baseball left between now and October.

[ltravisjr]

Wow, upon starting this thread, I thought it would be flamed and put to an early grave. I appreciate the serious discussion on it. FWIW the only reason I brought it up was because of possible home field playoff implications. I can live with playing Oakland; I would just rather play against them in Chicago. Now, as has been mentioned, if Oakland has the best record, they have home field advanatage for the first series, which wouldn't be against the Sox. However, if both clubs advanced to the ALCS, would the team with the best record also have home field for that series? I think that much is a valid concern.

 

LT

Edited August 3, 2005 by ltravisjr

[RockRaines]

This may seem ridiculous, and it probably is, but Oakland is 9 back of the Sox.  In recent years, they have often gotten really hot in the second half and just not let up.  They are doing it again.  Do you think there is any remote concern they could catch them if they win 40-45 of their remaining 56 games and the Sox play .500?

 

I self nominate this as dumbest post of the year, but hey, I have given up waiting for the A's to cool off...

 

SFF

9 back from what??? They arent in our division and we arent fighting for the WC. So exactly what are we looking back for??

 

I also nominate this for dumbest post of the year.

[jphat007]

I'm a big proponent of not looking ahead and worrying about your division, but I almost have to act like we've got the division sewn up. To think otherwise is utterly depressing. It is pretty much impossible to lose the division at this point.

 

If we lost the division now it would be one of the biggest chokes in baseball, if not sports, history. Only 2 teams had lost 9 game leads after the all star break before. We had a 15 game lead yesterday. It would be the biggest choke ever to lose the division now. It really is unprecedented I believe. Crazier things haven't happened as far as this is concerned.

[soxhawks]

this is so dumb. its the playoffs. obviously were going to have to play somebody good. we're just going to have to play great to get to the world series no matter who we play. that's just how it goes.

 

its too bad we dont get to play the nl west though

[LosMediasBlancas]

its too bad we dont get to play the nl west though

 

I'd like to see us against the NL East, that'd be fun.

[LosMediasBlancas]

I'm a big proponent of not looking ahead and worrying about your division, but I almost have to act like we've got the division sewn up. To think otherwise is utterly depressing. It is pretty much impossible to lose the division at this point.

 

If we lost the division now it would be one of the biggest chokes in baseball, if not sports, history. Only 2 teams had lost 9 game leads after the all star break before. We had a 15 game lead yesterday. It would be the biggest choke ever to lose the division now. It really is unprecedented I believe. Crazier things haven't happened as far as this is concerned.

 

You're right, but it would depend on HOW we lost. If we have 4 key guys go down to injury, well that's not a choke IMO. Last year Frank and Maggs went down, game over. If the whole team stays healthy and flat out just sucks for 2 months, then yes, huge choke job.

We're in.

[SpringfieldFan]

9 back from what??? They arent in our division and we arent fighting for the WC.  So exactly what are we looking back for??

 

I also nominate this for dumbest post of the year.

 

 

RR, did you read my post from right before you posted? I thought I made it pretty clear I was looking at playoff home field ramifications. WC has nothing to do with it. I have no problem with you nominating it as dumbest, but I would at least hope you base it on the context of the discussion.

 

SFF

[RockRaines]

RR, did you read my post from right before you posted?  I thought I made it pretty clear I was looking at playoff home field ramifications.  WC has nothing to do with it.  I have no problem with you nominating it as dumbest, but I would at least hope you base it on the context of the discussion.

 

SFF

This may seem ridiculous, and it probably is, but Oakland is 9 back of the Sox. In recent years, they have often gotten really hot in the second half and just not let up. They are doing it again. Do you think there is any remote concern they could catch them if they win 40-45 of their remaining 56 games and the Sox play .500?

 

 

Where did you say that??????

 

If the sky is falling I will use you as an umbrella.

[YASNY]

This may seem ridiculous, and it probably is, but Oakland is 9 back of the Sox.  In recent years, they have often gotten really hot in the second half and just not let up.  They are doing it again.  Do you think there is any remote concern they could catch them if they win 40-45 of their remaining 56 games and the Sox play .500?

Where did you say that??????

 

If the sky is falling I will use you as an umbrella.

 

Strange, but I knew exactly what he was talking about.

[RockRaines]

Strange, but I knew exactly what he was talking about.

I didnt, and this looking over our shoulders crap is getting extremely old. I have a feeling that half the people on this site are miserable that we are so good. There is almost nothing to b**** about. One loss and the sky is falling, one bad outing by Jon in his last several, and he has a dead arm. Give me a break.

[YASNY]

I didnt, and this looking over our shoulders crap is getting extremely old.  I have a feeling that half the people on this site are miserable that we are so good.  There is almost nothing to b**** about.  One loss and the sky is falling, one bad outing by Jon in his last several, and he has a dead arm.  Give me a break.

 

I get tired of that too, but I really didn't take this thread that way. You're right though, we can't expect things to be any better than they are and more people should be just enjoying what has so far been a very magical season on the southside.

[Tadahito15]

People, it seems like the playoff team who gets a big momentum changing series (Pudge holding ball w/marlins, red sox coming back after down 3-0) always propels themselves to their highest playing ability. Suppose we do get Oakland in the first round. Oakland has really sucked in the playoffs. If our team pulls out a big first round win against a team that has always owned them, just think of how good they would feel and how much that would pump them up. That could be the big momentum builder in the postseason. Either way, I would like to see us prove to Oakland and ourselves that we can beat them. And for right now, JUST ENJOY THIS MAGICAL SEASON!