My optimistic thread for the season

[fathom]

It's the end of August.....and we're 1/2 game up in the Wild Card. If I were to take a step back, I would realize how fortunate we are to be in this position. This has been a very frustrating season so far....but we're still in a much better position than we've been in any of the last five years besides for 2005. We control our own destiny, and that's a lot better than having to hope that teams can beat the Twins like we've had to hope for in previous seasons. By no means is this team clicking on all cylinders right now, but they still find ways to win games. Just as last year where a 2 run lead in the 3rd inning seemed like a guaranteed victory, the games this leads this year don't feel safe even after Jenks retires the 26th out of the game. It's time for some solid September play...and it would be nice to see us get off to a good start by not making Runelvys Hernandez look like Cy Young/McCarthy.

[Rowand44]

*head explodes*

[fathom]

What a shocker....Tony and Rowand come into an optimistic thread and try to make it negative.

[Balta1701]

I'll be optimistic...Javier Vazquez gave up 2 runs in 6 innings today. I'd be thrilled to get that from him the rest of the year. Our bullpen is good enough to win most games, even if it had a let down today. If we just get a little bit of pitching, we'll take this division.

[witesoxfan]

I'll also mention that there are only like 2 teams in the entire AL(that have a shot in hell) that are playing good baseball right now - Oakland and Minnesota - and neither effect our race.

[Rowand44]

I'll also mention that there are only like 2 teams in the entire AL(that have a shot in hell) that are playing good baseball right now - Oakland and Minnesota - and neither effect our race.

Um..?

Edited August 31, 2006 by Rowand44

[Jordan4life_2007]

Who's that imposter posing as fathom?

 

Anyway, good post. This is it. It's September. Last month of the year. The time is now. This month will determine if we were just a fluke, flash-in-the-pan team that just got career years from 80% of our pitching staff to go along with plenty of breaks, or if we're a legitimate championship contender that can rise to the occassion when the stakes are the highest.

[fathom]

Who's that imposter posing as fathom?

 

Anyway, good post. This is it. It's September. Last month of the year. The time is now. This month will determine if we were just a fluke, flash-in-the-pan team that just got career years from 80% of our pitching staff to go along with plenty of breaks, or if we're a legitimate championship contender that can rise to the occassion when the stakes are the highest.

 

And might I add that it's time for Ozzie to also put up or shut up. Every game really counts, and we need him to lead this team.

[Balta1701]

I'll also mention that there are only like 2 teams in the entire AL(that have a shot in hell) that are playing good baseball right now - Oakland and Minnesota - and neither effect our race.

I believe we have to actually play both of those teams as well.

[The Critic]

I believe we have to actually play both of those teams as well.

Well, yeah, but other than that...............and the fact that Minny is the other main Wild Card contender.............they don't affect the Sox at all............

[Gene Honda Civic]

It's the end of August.....and we're 1/2 game up in the Wild Card. If I were to take a step back, I would realize how fortunate we are to be in this position. This has been a very frustrating season so far....but we're still in a much better position than we've been in any of the last five years besides for 2005. We control our own destiny, and that's a lot better than having to hope that teams can beat the Twins like we've had to hope for in previous seasons. By no means is this team clicking on all cylinders right now, but they still find ways to win games. Just as last year where a 2 run lead in the 3rd inning seemed like a guaranteed victory, the games this leads this year don't feel safe even after Jenks retires the 26th out of the game. It's time for some solid September play...and it would be nice to see us get off to a good start by not making Runelvys Hernandez look like Cy Young/McCarthy.

August 31, 2003 we had a 1.5 game lead on the Central, and had the 3rd ranked pitching staff in the AL.

[greg775]

It's a big positive we are right there in the race with one month left.

If our five starters got consistently good again (I guess that's doubtful to

happen at least this year) we would be in prime position to return to the

Series.

The key in my mind is starting pitching (since our pen isn't good enough to take

over in the 6th inning every night) as well as Pods.

But to be basically tied for the wild card with a month left ... most years in Chicago

baseball history we'd kill for that.

 

Does anybody dispute my key to success?

Our only hope is starting pitching plus Pods (assuming Thome will play most

of the games this month).

[Balta1701]

So your saying the Tigers can still be caught?

If we get pitching, no doubt in my mind.

[WCSox]

It's the end of August.....and we're 1/2 game up in the Wild Card. If I were to take a step back, I would realize how fortunate we are to be in this position. This has been a very frustrating season so far....but we're still in a much better position than we've been in any of the last five years besides for 2005. We control our own destiny, and that's a lot better than having to hope that teams can beat the Twins like we've had to hope for in previous seasons. By no means is this team clicking on all cylinders right now, but they still find ways to win games. Just as last year where a 2 run lead in the 3rd inning seemed like a guaranteed victory, the games this leads this year don't feel safe even after Jenks retires the 26th out of the game. It's time for some solid September play...and it would be nice to see us get off to a good start by not making Runelvys Hernandez look like Cy Young/McCarthy.

 

Nice post.

 

Given how mediocre our starting pitching as been, how our 'pen isn't lights-out like last season, and how incredibly tough the Central has been this year, being in the Wild Card lead with barely over a month to go says a lot about this team. Despite the adversity, these boys are still finding ways to win games. Whatever happens from here on out, I'm proud of them.

[witesoxfan]

[/b]

Um..?

 

I'm a dumbass and knew what I meant and typed the wrong thing.

 

New York is playing well right now too. Minnesota is playing so-so...they played well before KC came to town, and then the offense decided to take a s***, so it's hard to make judgement on them.

 

Then again, the Sox could have easily been swept by the DRays this past series, and were just flat out lucky enough to have like twice the talent Tampa had.

[gosox41]

If we get pitching, no doubt in my mind.

 

 

The question is: How do we get the pitching better. I can live with Javier pitching 5-6 innings and giving up 3 runs. Not ideal. Not even good, but he's keeping you in the game. Of course it would help of Riske and Cotts would get someone out once in awhile and save wear and tear on the pen.

 

The pitcher that bothers me the most is Freddy. Whether he's hurt, tired, lacks motivation or whatever, I dread when he's pitching.

 

He's not pitching 'good enough' to win. The offense is saving his behind right now. When is he going to dial it up?

 

 

Bob

[vandy125]

I was actually pretty happy to take 2-3 from the DRays with both Freddy and Javy on the mound for the series. I know that everyone wanted a sweep (who wouldn't), but could you honestly expect a sweep with the way those two have been pitching? Also, this against one of the fastest teams out there where singles and walks easily turn to doubles.

 

It was good to see Javy pitch well and actually pitch out of a couple of jams instead of imploding at that point. The key is pitching, pitching, and more pitching for this final month. If it is there, we run away with this thing.

[Balta1701]

The question is: How do we get the pitching better. I can live with Javier pitching 5-6 innings and giving up 3 runs. Not ideal. Not even good, but he's keeping you in the game. Of course it would help of Riske and Cotts would get someone out once in awhile and save wear and tear on the pen.

 

The pitcher that bothers me the most is Freddy. Whether he's hurt, tired, lacks motivation or whatever, I dread when he's pitching.

 

He's not pitching 'good enough' to win. The offense is saving his behind right now. When is he going to dial it up?

Bob

we can get by with 1 pitcher struggling. We have the offense to do that. If the other 4 could somehow come out and give us 6-8 innings with a maximum of 4 runs or so, then we'll still take this division. That's totally within all of their powers if they're not hurt, including Garcia.

 

What we need to get is something like 20-25 quality starts. If we could somehow pull that off, we'll take this division. That's a stretch though, considering our whole staff only has 66 this season. Last year they had 95.

[southsideirish71]

Its real simple, Ozzie needs to play his starters not named Scott Podsednik 6 out of every 7 games until we clinch or are eliminated. His theory of this is why I rested our starters in the year was for the September push, well its september our guys should be rested, lets let them play. Brian Anderson needs to play everyday.

 

Scott needs to sit on the pine and try a platoon of Ozuna and Mack in LF.

 

Our pitching needs to man up and give us good effort.

 

Our hitters have to get back to hitting line drives, and to stop trying to park every single pitch into the stands. Thinking line drives instead of going for the dong will immensley help our team when we get men in scoring position.

 

Paulie specifically needs to start to go gap to gap and stop trying to wear out the left side of the infield. He has 20 GIDPs because he is such a slow pull monkey. When Paulie starts hitting dongs to right center I will know he is ready to take off.

 

AJ needs to get back to being a spray hitter, and stop with his power impersonation. He is hitting just a bit over 200 in August, and his post allstar break average numbers are brutal. Its not expected that he hits so far above 300 for the second half, but when you see his average drop like a rock and all you see is him pulling the ball, this is not the AJ we need. AJ's oppo homer yesterday hopefully will get him on track for thinking entire field. And not just pull. AJ as a line drive hitter makes our O so much more dangerous.

[The Ginger Kid]

Here's my optimistic take:

 

Bosox, Twins and Tigers have been hit with the injury bug and (knock on wood) the Sox haven't (I don't include Thome's boo-boos). Credit for this is due to the use of the bench and a frequently inconsistent lineup, something Ozzie gets ripped for a lot around here. He's kept the club healthy for the stretch. He deserves credit.

[witesoxfan]

I was actually pretty happy to take 2-3 from the DRays with both Freddy and Javy on the mound for the series. I know that everyone wanted a sweep (who wouldn't), but could you honestly expect a sweep with the way those two have been pitching? Also, this against one of the fastest teams out there where singles and walks easily turn to doubles.

 

It was good to see Javy pitch well and actually pitch out of a couple of jams instead of imploding at that point. The key is pitching, pitching, and more pitching for this final month. If it is there, we run away with this thing.

 

Do people not realize that Javy's been pitching well(when compared to our other starters atleast) in August or something?

 

His worst outing was against KC, where he went 5.1, giving up 7 hits, 2 homers, and 4 runs(3 ER)...and even in doing that, he gave the team a chance to win and the offense just sucked ass. His outing against the Yankees looks worse, but the umpires were a friggin joke that entire series, and anyone will agree with that...and even in doing so, he battled through it and got us out with a win. I think that was one of his best performances of the year, given the circumstances. Other than that, he has been pitching very well as of late.

 

Hell, his August splits...

 

3.41 ERA, 1.27 WHIP(thanks in large part to his Yankees outing), 34 H, 29/13 K/BB in 37.1 IP. I don't see any reason anyone should be hating on Vazquez. You want to flame a starter, flame Contreras. For what he was down the stretch for the Sox last year, he has been the exact opposite this year, and his 7.50 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 30 innings in August tells that entire story.

[Soxbadger]

Did you honestly just bring stats to a Vazquez discussion?

 

Are you not aware that he sucks.

 

Every year there is a new scapegoat, this year its Vazquez.

 

I mean where was the "B-Mac lost another game" thread after last night. Oh yeah every one is an apologist when it comes to him:

 

"he takes a while to get ready", "hes not getting consistent work".

 

Where are the:

 

"Some times it takes a pitcher a year to get settled in a new league and new ballpark" threads?

 

Anyways I like Javy and basically feel that if he can get comfortable with the Sox and the AL he will become one of our best pitchers for a few years.

[witesoxfan]

Anyways I like Javy and basically feel that if he can get comfortable with the Sox and the AL he will become one of our best pitchers for a few years.

 

That's exactly it with Vazquez, he's on his 4th team in 4 years. Let the man get comfortable, and then see if he can do anything.

[greg775]

You make a good point about BMac being let off the hook.

He pitched awful in his last outing.

Flat out awful.

But he gets a free pass because everybody blames Oz for not starting him

even though we already have 5 starters.

[WCSox]

Did you honestly just bring stats to a Vazquez discussion?

 

Are you not aware that he sucks.

 

Every year there is a new scapegoat, this year its Vazquez.

 

I mean where was the "B-Mac lost another game" thread after last night. Oh yeah every one is an apologist when it comes to him:

 

"he takes a while to get ready", "hes not getting consistent work".

 

Where are the:

 

"Some times it takes a pitcher a year to get settled in a new league and new ballpark" threads?

 

Anyways I like Javy and basically feel that if he can get comfortable with the Sox and the AL he will become one of our best pitchers for a few years.

 

I'm not sure that I share your optimism, but I think that the Sox need to stick with him for at least another year, especially since Freddy looks like he's already on the down-slope of his career.

 

Also agree that B-Mac gets way too many free passes here. I like the guy and think that he may be the next Mussina, but I'm getting sick of the excuses as well.