The whole team is slumping

[fathom]

Tonight's debacle highlighted many of the problems that we've faced recently, as well as some news ones that have been on the verge for a while:

 

- Our offense just flat out blows. We have way too many easy outs in our lineup, illustrated with all the ridiculous first pitch outs we made tonight. How many times did you see the Twins swinging on first pitch?

 

- We're living or dying with the homer. Outside of Timo's clutch hit, we're going up to the plate hoping to hit homers (not just extra innings). The approach by some guys, especially Crede, is sickening.

 

- Hermanson is just not the same pitcher. He's had a tremendous season, and is just as responsible for our great start as anyone. However, he's been getting away with a ton lately, and I can't count how many times people have hit balls to the fence against him lately. He seems to have either lost command or control in his splitter, and his little slider has just been begging to be hit. I'm just thankful tonight was the first time in a long time he blew a save.

 

- Is Ozzie allergic to using a hit-and-run? Maybe, just maybe, it's something like that which will force the player to concentrate more on the pitch.

 

I've been saying this for a while, and I still feel the same way: There's absolutely no guarantees in sports, and there's nothing saying this team is destined to even play .500 ball the rest of the way. We have got to get better performances from everyone on this team, especially from our manager.

[CWSGuy406]

Tonight's game felt like a kick right in the sack.

 

Sorry to be so blunt, but I hope this team can bounce back.

 

I don't need them to rattle off the next ten games, but they need to start playing better.

[kev211]

Konerko is the only one doing good

[fathom]

Konerko is the only one doing good

 

I know Blum made a nice play at 1b and had a few hits, but can we please stop removing PK late in the game? He's by far our most dangerous hitter, and in a one run game, there's definitely the possibility he'll bat again. I've never liked it when a team pulled a player for defensive purposes, especially when they're not terrible at that position.

[fathom]

You know what's hard to "fathom"? The fact that I don't think there's any solution to our offensive problems. Crede's just a disaster right now, but Ozzie won't bench him for an extended period. Our manager and GM seem to want to live or die with our current roster, which is not nearly talented enough (especially with Frank gone). We've lost Thomas for the year, and we basically decided to rest Pods for a few weeks. The problem is that we've made absolutely no moves to try and replace their offensive contributions.

[Chisoxfn]

The problem with the Sox is execution. From getting guys thrown out on the bases, to not doing as well moving the runners over and getting them in, to not making the plays they used to do. They get that back and they'll be fine, but as of now they are definately in a slump.

 

Luckily, a slump for them is near .500 baseball. Hopefully they can get their arses back in gear. One improvement I"d like to see next year is a legitimate hitter or two. The types of guys that can just flat out hit (a couple .300 hitters would be nice, cause I think good average hitters stay out of slumps).

[fathom]

Who here agrees with me that we're just trying to coast into the playoffs, and we're playing not to lose too often? I didn't see jack s*** done by Ozzie in order to spark the offense tonight. I don't call having a dead power hitter in Dye trying to bunt as smartball.

[Flash Tizzle]

'Best Record In Baseball' argument for ignoring our troubles has officially been eliminated tonight with a Cardinals win.

 

I suppose now members, as well as Hawk, will have to actually examine this team rather than rely on this distinction.

[fathom]

'Best Record In Baseball' argument for ignoring our troubles has officially been eliminated tonight with a Cardinals win.

 

I suppose now members, as well as Hawk, will have to actually examine this team rather than rely on this distinction.

 

Good, I hated that f***ing thinking. Even in tomorrow's tribune, it talks about Ozzie wanting the best record in baseball. Hey Ozzie, clinch the f***ing division, and then worry about best record. Even Don Cooper was on the pregame radio this week saying how they want to clinch the division soon so they can get the pitchers some rest. Did I miss something, or is there still a hell of a long way to go in order to clinch this thing?

[bulokis]

We left the game during the 14th inning. Fans were great the whole time. Offense didnt show anything that made me believe we were gonna win in the extra innings.

 

I thought Brian looked lost but he was trying to make adjustments on his swing. I love AJ and his attitude, he was so pump when he reached 2nd. He hit that double then when Uribe pop fly, I saw him with a disgust face when Crede again is coming up.

 

This is the worst game Ive seen. Crede was given a lot of chances to finish off the Twinks and did nothing. Offense suck! Everett tried his best to hit a HR each at bat. There were lots of Twins fans and it sucked ass seing them celebrating. Offense needs some help KW.

[3E8]

'Best Record In Baseball' argument for ignoring our troubles has officially been eliminated tonight with a Cardinals win.

 

I suppose now members, as well as Hawk, will have to actually examine this team rather than rely on this distinction.

Whoa whoa whoa there. We're still the best team in the AL, so that title should hold us over for a few weeks at least. We can worry about facing the facts if it comes to a point where we don't have the best record in any categories.

[YASNY]

Sox .632

Cards .630

 

We are STILL the best team in baseball.

[IlliniKrush]

Sox .632

Cards .630

 

We are STILL the best team in baseball.

 

Correction: We still have the best record in baseball.

 

Whether or not we are the best team in baseball, well that's a matter of opinion.

[YASNY]

Correction: We still have the best record in baseball.

 

Whether or not we are the best team in baseball, well that's a matter of opinion.

 

I'll agree with that.

[AirScott]

I'm not too worried about Hermanson, he's been pitching over his head all year anyway, never overwhelming hitters but still getting it done night after night. keep in mind he only gave up one hit tonight, thought it was a long one.

 

when it comes to taking out Konerko for better defense late, that's just one of those moves where it looks smart if you win and stupid if you lose. Blum made a nice scoop, but Konerko probably would've done the same, he almost always catches what he can get to.

 

that said, I was encouraged by Anderson's night (two really good at-bats, fouling pitch after pitch off, getting a nice hit in one of them), and it's probably not such a good idea to put Crede and Uribe back-to-back, that killed two chances at scoring when Rowand was intentionally walked.

[YASNY]

Replacing Konerko with Blum probably saved a game in NY as Blum snared a liner headed for the RF corner with the tying and winning runs on base for the Yankees.

 

Edit: Now, I'm suddenly not so sure it was against NY.

Edited August 17, 2005 by YASNY

[fathom]

Replacing Konerko with Blum probably saved a game in NY as Blum snared a liner headed for the RF corner with the tying and winning runs on base for the Yankees.

 

Edit:  Now, I'm suddenly not so sure it was against NY.

 

I sure hope that PK could have caught that same liner. It was hit right to Blum, who was guarding the line. I know Konerko is slow, but he deserves more credit than that for his defense.

[Harry Chappas]

Good things about last night.

 

Bullpen was great even Adkins at least now we know he isn't going to be thought of as an option hopefully never to be heard from again. Baj better be a plane right now. Hermanson is going to blow one once and a while.

 

Iguchi blocked the ump, he couldn't see the play.

 

Dye is the Dye from April talk about looking lost at the plate.

 

The Twins know Crede and Uribe are not Major league hitters and Rowand is somehow this escaped DJ.

 

Can someone explain to Harrleson that Thomas and Everett played at the same time why can't Griffey and Everett.

 

We can not work a count. The Twins won because they foul off good pitches and work a count. This is what Crede, Iguchia nd Uribe need to do but they are incapable.

 

I thought Anderson looked lost but got it together he, Blum and Pyrz looked good. Again Dye, Crede and Uribe utterly lost.

 

We need a bat, big time.

[Guest JimH]

Good things about last night.

 

Bullpen was great even Adkins at least now we know he isn't going to be thought of as an option hopefully never to be heard from again.  Baj better be a plane right now.  Hermanson is going to blow one once and a while.

 

Iguchi blocked the ump, he couldn't see the play.

 

Dye is the Dye from April talk about looking lost at the plate.

 

The Twins know Crede and Uribe are not Major league hitters and Rowand is somehow this escaped DJ.

 

Can someone explain to Harrleson that Thomas and Everett played at the same time why can't Griffey and Everett.

 

We can not work a count.  The Twins won because they foul off good pitches and work a count.  This is what Crede, Iguchia nd Uribe need to do but they are incapable.

 

I thought Anderson looked lost but got it together he, Blum and Pyrz looked good.  Again Dye, Crede and Uribe utterly lost.

 

We need a bat, big time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You sum it up nicely, this is how I saw it too.

 

They are not hitting on all cylinders, not even close.

[fathom]

Can someone explain to Harrleson that Thomas and Everett played at the same time why can't Griffey and Everett.

 

We can not work a count.  The Twins won because they foul off good pitches and work a count.  This is what Crede, Iguchia nd Uribe need to do but they are incapable.

 

We need a bat, big time.

 

I have a feeling that Hawk has been told to shoot down the chances that Griffey Jr. comes here. If you watched the last two nights, it seemed very obvious they were doing their best to state their main reason why he won't be coming here. Hawk loves Griffey Jr., and I find it hard to believe he'd really rather have Everett, etc.

[fathom]

BTW, I just posted this in the gamethread, but we face some ridiculous starting pitching in the next week or so. By my calculations, we'll face Randy Johnson, Radke, Santana, Silva, and Felix Hernandez on consecutive nights. Oh boy, this might not be pretty.

[SpringfieldFan]

I have a feeling that Hawk has been told to shoot down the chances that Griffey Jr. comes here.  If you watched the last two nights, it seemed very obvious they were doing their best to state their main reason why he won't be coming here.  Hawk loves Griffey Jr., and I find it hard to believe he'd really rather have Everett, etc.

 

 

I remember even a couple years before McGwire broke Maris' HR record, that Hawk gushed over KGJ, saying he believed one day he would hit 70 homers in a season. Had he stayed healthy, who knows...

 

SFF

[Ozzie Montana]

Who here agrees with me that we're just trying to coast into the playoffs, and we're playing not to lose too often?  I didn't see jack s*** done by Ozzie in order to spark the offense tonight.  I don't call having a dead power hitter in Dye trying to bunt as smartball.

^^^agree

[Rex Kickass]

So we're in a slump?

 

We waited til August, to have our first of the year.

 

Seems like good news to me.

[daa84]

Who here agrees with me that we're just trying to coast into the playoffs, and we're playing not to lose too often?  I didn't see jack s*** done by Ozzie in order to spark the offense tonight.  I don't call having a dead power hitter in Dye trying to bunt as smartball.

i personally think ozzie resting guys like iguchi, pods and others now for a reason instead of in 1 month. he wants them sharp by sept and i think hell have this team ready come septemeber