Anyone else love the versatile bench?

[Kyyle23]

Speaking of Borchard, does anybody else see him as a a possible Adam Dunn type?  I don't think he could put up as many HRs, but I see a similarity.

 

Borchard = Power + Strikeouts

 

Dunn= Power + Strikeouts + Walks

 

 

Borchard just doesnt strike the fear into opposing pitchers that Adam Dunn does, and pitchers wont try and go around him.

[Kalapse]

I don't think Joe Borchard could even hit .248 over the course of a season as an everyday player.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Speaking of Borchard, does anybody else see him as a a possible Adam Dunn type?  I don't think he could put up as many HRs, but I see a similarity.

 

Nope.

 

I do think he can be very valuable off the bench, though.

[Balta1701]

Speaking of Borchard, does anybody else see him as a a possible Adam Dunn type?  I don't think he could put up as many HRs, but I see a similarity.

I would love for him to turn into an Adam Dunn type...or even a Rob Deer type (remember him?). He hasn't even gotten that far yet. Let's hope he will.

[kevin57]

We definitely have a solid bench, and while Ozzie got some criticism for resting so many players so often, it paid off in the playoffs. Where the other teams seemed tired, we were ready to play. We also have a cushion for those inevitable injuries.

[nitetrain8601]

I think people overlook the fact that we lost speed off the bench in Willie Harris. Whatever though, I just hope Ozuna doesn't get hurt.

[Drew]

True, but Ozuna is more versatile in the field than Harris, as WH didn't want to learn how to play shortstop. Ozuna can play at least two, probably three infield positions and outfield. Harris is strictly 2B-OF.

 

The addition of Jim Thome does a lot for the bench as well, when you think of the options that open up in NL parks with a Konerko/Thome platoon.

 

And I'd like to throw my log on the fire to replace Ross Gload. The guy is pretty much useless and hasn't contributed much if anything in the past couple of seasons.

[nitetrain8601]

True, but Ozuna is more versatile in the field than Harris, as WH didn't want to learn how to play shortstop. Ozuna can play at least two, probably three infield positions and outfield. Harris is strictly 2B-OF.

 

The addition of Jim Thome does a lot for the bench as well, when you think of the options that open up in NL parks with a Konerko/Thome platoon.

 

And I'd like to throw my log on the fire to replace Ross Gload. The guy is pretty much useless and hasn't contributed much if anything in the past couple of seasons.

 

Well Gload has only been here for 2 seasons. He was a pretty nice bench player his first year and last year he was marred by injuries.

[NorthSideSox72]

Before we got Thome, Gload served a purpose on the bench as a left bat, backup 1B, etc. But now that we have that left bat as our DH, and he can play 1B, and Borch (Sw) will likely be around for the 4th OF spot, I think Gload has seen the end of his days here. They might offer him a minor league contract, if he'll take it, and he can play AAA. If Thome gets hurt, he'd be handy to have around. If he won't take the AAA contract, they'll release or trade him.

Edited February 3, 2006 by NorthSideSox72

[nitetrain8601]

Before we got Thome, Gload served a purpose on the bench as a left bat, backup 1B, etc.  But now that we have that left bat as our DH, and he can play 1B, and Borch (Sw) will likely be around for the 4th OF spot, I think Gload has seen the end of his days here.  They might offer him a minor league contract, if he'll take it, and he can play AAA.  If Thome gets hurt, he'd be handy to have around.  If he won't take the AAA contract, they'll release or trade him.

 

Unless PK is really sucking(which is possible) up until Interleague starts, Thome won't have a start at 1B.

[JUGGERNAUT]

Gload is redundant if Borchy can play. With Mak you don't need Gload for 1B & everyone will take Borchy over Gload in the OF. So Gload's only purpose on the time is a LH bat off the bench that can hit. But if Borchy proves to be that there's no reason for Gload.

 

If Borchy has a great ST (as I expect Ozzie will got him plenty of opps from both sides of the plate) Gload won't make the roster. They will either go with Owens for more speed or an extra arm in the pen.

 

Of course there's always a chance a non-roster invitee could impress us all & bump even Borchy out.

[Balta1701]

Unless PK is really sucking(which is possible) up until Interleague starts, Thome won't have a start at 1B.

I believe you're wrong...after we signed PK the reports said Thome would probably play 1b about 1 time per week to give PK a chance to DH and get a little extra rest. I don't have a citation...but that's what I remember reading, and it makes sense to me if his elbow is all right. PK seemed to really be helped when he got his incredibly rare off-days last year.

[qwerty]

I believe you're wrong...after we signed PK the reports said Thome would probably play 1b about 1 time per week to give PK a chance to DH and get a little extra rest.  I don't have a citation...but that's what I remember reading, and it makes sense to me if his elbow is all right.  PK seemed to really be helped when he got his incredibly rare off-days last year.

 

Konerko does not like to dh... most hitters do not like to dh unless they really have no other option aka too fat and not athletic enough to play any where else. Most of the best hitters since the dh have commented on how they feel better batting when they are playing a position rather than on the bench the entire game. The numbers reflect it for alot of the big name hitters too. Frank thomas is a great example... his numbers when playing first base were like .330ish. Konerko probally wouldn't have any problem with once a week but anything more than that i am sure he would squabble about.

[Balta1701]

Konerko does not like to dh... most hitters do not like to dh unless they really have no other option aka too fat and not athletic enough to play any where else. Most of the best hitters since the dh have commented on how they feel better batting when they are playing a position rather than on the bench the entire game. The numbers reflect it for alot of the big name hitters too. Frank thomas is a great example... his numbers when playing first base were like .330ish. Konerko probally wouldn't have any problem with once a week but anything more than that i am sure he would squabble about.

There's no good reason as far as I can tell to DH Konerko more than 1 time per week unless he's really not feeling good for some reason. He's younger than Thome, and Thome is recovering from injuries related to fielding.

 

However, having both of them gives us a real advantage. Thome can play first base some, but because of his injuries he shouldn't be there much. This is totally different from last year, where our only backup options for much of the year at 1st base were Dye and Timo (ick). This led to Konerko playing 1st base for a huge fraction of the year with basically no extra off days, unlike almost every other position player on the team. PK played in 158 games last year during the regular season, and obviously 12 in the postseason, and he only got like 43 at bats the whole year as a DH (and a lot of those were during the brief times when Gload was around).

 

Next year, we can use Thome to give PK some rest every now and then by allowing PK to DH. It doesn't, and probably shouldn't, have to happen very often unless PK winds up with some sort of nagging injury. But just by giving PK's body some extra rest by DHing him 1 day a week or so, he'll hopefully be a little healthier, maybe break out of slumps faster (off-days clearly helped him in late May), and it'll let us keep both PK and JT in the lineup for hopefully 150+ days for both of them. That's the real goal - to keep both of their bats in the lineup.

[nitetrain8601]

As someone said earlier, if PK is on the bench, it's prolly because Mack is taking his spot.

[NorthSideSox72]

As someone said earlier, if PK is on the bench, it's prolly because Mack is taking his spot.

 

That doesn't make much sense, since Thome is an excellent defensive 1B (which people seem to be forgetting). When PK gets a rare day off, Thome would be the smart choice at 1B. Mack can DH or play whatever other position has someone with a day off, where there isn't a better backup.

[nitetrain8601]

That doesn't make much sense, since Thome is an excellent defensive 1B (which people seem to be forgetting).  When PK gets a rare day off, Thome would be the smart choice at 1B.  Mack can DH or play whatever other position has someone with a day off, where there isn't a better backup.

 

Makes perfect sense since Thome is older and is recovering from two injuries, one of which has been there forever. I don't see Ozzie putting him out in the field unless some unforseeable circumstance were to occur.

[JUGGERNAUT]

Makes perfect sense since Thome is older and is recovering from two injuries, one of which has been there forever. I don't see Ozzie putting him out in the field unless some unforseeable circumstance were to occur.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think we should preface this by saying "in general". If Kong is slumping & Thome is hitting the ball better than Mak then I think Ozzie will consider using Thome at 1B for the NL park games. But I don't see Thome getting much action at 1B in AL parks if Kong & Mak are healthy.

 

The risk of Thome's back problems resurfacing from extended play at 1B is too great.

[chitownsportsfan]

The fact that Pablo Ozuna and Timo Perez won't have 400 combined AB's has to be worth at least 10 runs and two wins this year.

[chitownsportsfan]

In a nutshell, 200 AB and this line:

 

276 .313 .330 .643

 

I don't mind that line nearly as much as Timo's though:

 

218 .266 .296 .562

179 AB

 

Yuck, Yuck, Yuck.

[Kyyle23]

In a nutshell, 200 AB and this line:

 

276 .313 .330 .643

 

I don't mind that line nearly as much as Timo's though:

 

218 .266 .296 .562 

179 AB

 

Yuck, Yuck, Yuck.

 

Yeah, Pablo and Timo wont have a combined 400 AB. Pablo and Mackowiak will. And that will be worth much more than 10 runs and 2 wins.

 

Mackowiak in 2005

 

463 AB .272 BA .337 OBP .389 SLG .726 OBPS

 

The bench will be much improved.