Amazing Pods stats, Owens only answer?

[caulfield12]

2005 when Pods scores a run, including playoffs=49-16

2005 when Pods steals a base, including playoffs=32-11

 

2006 when Pods scores a run=48-17

2006 when Pods steals a base=24-6

 

97-33 in 2005 and 2006 when scoring at least one run, 56-17 when stealing a base

 

Overall Sox record in 2005 and 2006 when Pods doesn't score=103-102

 

 

I went back to 2003 and 2004 with the Brewers, for argument's sake

 

2004, 42-29 when scoring a run, 25-28 when stealing at least one base

Brewers are 25-65 when Pods doesn't score (overall team record 67-94)

 

2003, 43-26 when scoring a run, 21-17 when stealing at least one base

Brewers are 25-68 when Pods doesn't score (overall team record 68-94)

 

 

There are no easy answers right now. Sweeney has a huge hole inside...he can't turn on the ball pitched there, he simply plops it into LF or has his bat broken into splinters and plops it into LF. That's the one big adjustment he needs to make (noted by Girardi), that inside fastball, pulling his hands in and yet maintaining his swing mechanics and driving the ball. Of the two balls he's driven for hits, one came on a hanger. I can't remember the other ball he roped down the line for a double, it MIGHT have been a fastball. The Yankees exposed this weakness for all of the league, as noted again by Girardi (who I don't want to manage the White Sox, by the way!!!)

 

Sweeney needs to go back down to AAA before Walker does more damage.

 

We're in a place of desperation where the best option might be to play Jerry Owens everyday and pray for the best until Pods comes back. Ozuna hasn't been the same player since he got injured last year, and Mackowiak had a big hit yesterday but he's not an everyday player either. The more you play either of those guys, the more they're exposed.

 

I'm not saying it's a great option or that Owens will ever be a regular, but I think we're close to the time where we have no other option. Terrero is certainly not a major league player, and sticking Fields out there to learn a new position on the fly in the big leagues seems insane (yes, that's what the Royals are essentially doing with Teahen in RF, but those are the Royals).

[Kyyle23]

2005 when Pods scores a run, including playoffs=49-16

2005 when Pods steals a base, including playoffs=32-11

 

2006 when Pods scores a run=48-17

2006 when Pods steals a base=24-6

 

97-33 in 2005 and 2006 when scoring at least one run, 56-17 when stealing a base

 

Overall Sox record in 2005 and 2006 when Pods doesn't score=103-102

I went back to 2003 and 2004 with the Brewers, for argument's sake

 

2004, 42-29 when scoring a run, 25-28 when stealing at least one base

Brewers are 25-65 when Pods doesn't score (overall team record 67-94)

 

2003, 43-26 when scoring a run, 21-17 when stealing at least one base

Brewers are 25-68 when Pods doesn't score (overall team record 68-94)

There are no easy answers right now. Sweeney has a huge hole inside...he can't turn on the ball pitched there, he simply plops it into LF or has his bat broken into splinters and plops it into LF. That's the one big adjustment he needs to make (noted by Girardi), that inside fastball, pulling his hands in and yet maintaining his swing mechanics and driving the ball. Of the two balls he's driven for hits, one came on a hanger. I can't remember the other ball he roped down the line for a double, it MIGHT have been a fastball. The Yankees exposed this weakness for all of the league, as noted again by Girardi (who I don't want to manage the White Sox, by the way!!!)

 

Sweeney needs to go back down to AAA before Walker does more damage.

 

We're in a place of desperation where the best option might be to play Jerry Owens everyday and pray for the best until Pods comes back. Ozuna hasn't been the same player since he got injured last year, and Mackowiak had a big hit yesterday but he's not an everyday player either. The more you play either of those guys, the more they're exposed.

 

I'm not saying it's a great option or that Owens will ever be a regular, but I think we're close to the time where we have no other option. Terrero is certainly not a major league player, and sticking Fields out there to learn a new position on the fly in the big leagues seems insane (yes, that's what the Royals are essentially doing with Teahen in RF, but those are the Royals).

 

If strength is his weakness and he has a hole on the inside of his swing, then it isnt a sign of Walker changing his swing. He isnt getting fooled on weak outside breaking balls and trying to rip/pull every inside fastball, which is Soxtalks calling card to Walkers "technique".

 

To me, Sweeney looks more like he is "in between". He is looking for an inside fastball and getting an outside fastball, looking for an outside curve and getting an inside curve. He is taking his lumps like a rookie does, with a few good at bats sprinkled in between. The great thing about Sweeney is that he watches pitches so well. You can see the wheels turning when he gets his first pitch. This also could be his detriment, as he is probably outthinking himself at the plate.

 

Honestly I think Sweeney is progressing normally, we are just overanalyzing him because we want instant production because he is our bright spot of the farm system.

[caulfield12]

If strength is his weakness and he has a hole on the inside of his swing, then it isnt a sign of Walker changing his swing. He isnt getting fooled on weak outside breaking balls and trying to rip/pull every inside fastball, which is Soxtalks calling card to Walkers "technique".

 

To me, Sweeney looks more like he is "in between". He is looking for an inside fastball and getting an outside fastball, looking for an outside curve and getting an inside curve. He is taking his lumps like a rookie does, with a few good at bats sprinkled in between. The great thing about Sweeney is that he watches pitches so well. You can see the wheels turning when he gets his first pitch. This also could be his detriment, as he is probably outthinking himself at the plate.

 

Honestly I think Sweeney is progressing normally, we are just overanalyzing him because we want instant production because he is our bright spot of the farm system.

 

I was joking about Walker. I have no inside information on any swing changes that Walker has tried to incorporate that have changed Sweeney into a prototypical Sox "lift and pull" hitter.

 

I think he'll be fine. The only question is how good he will be...Garret Anderson, Olerud, Grace, Palmeiro (before the roids) are some of the comparisons that have been made.

 

He's only 22 and learning on the go. I think he will figure things out. He still has (by appearance) good at-bats, even though the results aren't what we would like. He's not just up there flailing away like Anderson or Terrero, or even Iguchi and Uribe.

[fathom]

I was joking about Walker. I have no inside information on any swing changes that Walker has tried to incorporate that have changed Sweeney into a prototypical Sox "lift and pull" hitter.

I think he'll be fine. The only question is how good he will be...Garret Anderson, Olerud, Grace, Palmeiro (before the roids) are some of the comparisons that have been made.

 

He's only 22 and learning on the go. I think he will figure things out. He still has (by appearance) good at-bats, even though the results aren't what we would like. He's not just up there flailing away like Anderson or Terrero, or even Iguchi and Uribe.

 

You conveniently left out Sean Burroughs.

 

There's not many scouts that think he'll be at the caliber of the four guys you listed there.

[caulfield12]

You conveniently left out Sean Burroughs.

 

There's not many scouts that think he'll be at the caliber of the four guys you listed there.

 

 

Burroughs was a (high) first round draft pick. There aren't the same expectations with Sweeney. Nobody (but Hawk) expected 25-30 homers right away, and that was just his "company line" rah-rah comments about a Sox prospect.

 

Burroughs is more compact like his dad...he's not rangy and athletic like Sweeney appears to be. I would be shocked if Sweeney didn't hit 15 homers per year and put up RBI numbers like Crede (2002-2004)...the only question being, is that good enough for the White Sox in this division?

[klaus kinski]

Sweeney appears to be a natural hitter-he needs to see ML pitching and he will improve over a season then be ready the next year. LOts of us said the same about Anderson, but Sweeney does not seem to have the "attitude" Anderson did.

[RockRaines]

Owens.

 

.283 .375 21 BB 20 SB

[BearSox]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing Terrero getting sent down and Owens getting called up to play LF everyday. He has a good OBP, BB, and SB numbers. Like to see that average higher though. Plus, you never know. He could be our leadoff guy for a couple years.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing Terrero getting sent down and Owens getting called up to play LF everyday. He has a good OBP, BB, and SB numbers. Like to see that average higher though. Plus, you never know. He could be our leadoff guy for a couple years.

The only problem with that is then we wouldn't have a competent backup CFer.

[BearSox]

The only problem with that is then we wouldn't have a competent backup CFer.

true, but then again, Owens > Mack in CF, and Erstad doesn't even get days off to begin with.

[southsider2k5]

They also mentioned that since 2005 The Sox are about a .600 team when Pods starts, and a .500 team when he doesn't.

[Capn12]

What the numbers don't mention is that its really hard these days to get a proper sample size, seeing as Prancer can hurt himself just running around before a game. Hard to score runs when your groin is made of porcelain.

[watchtower41]

Saw Pods shagging fly balls all weekend in BP at Wrigley and looked pretty quick on his feet....maybe he's not as far from coming back as we all thought.

[Gene Honda Civic]

Stats like this are so useless. They're only used to misrepresent. Correlation does not necessarily equal causation.

 

You could do the same thing with practically every starter.

 

What's the Sox record when

- Thome hits a HR?

- Dye has an RBI?

- Buehrle pitches 7+?

- Joe Crede has an extra-base hit?

- Jon Garland issues 1 walk or less?

 

The Sox record would be significantly better in each of those cases as opposed the the games in which they don't meet that criteria. So what?

 

In the rare case that Podsednik does anything useful, the Sox have been good. Great. What good is that to the current Sox? He's not likely to be useful ever again. Get someone who is.

[caulfield12]

Stats like this are so useless. They're only used to misrepresent. Correlation does not necessarily equal causation.

 

You could do the same thing with practically every starter.

 

What's the Sox record when

- Thome hits a HR?

- Dye has an RBI?

- Buehrle pitches 7+?

- Joe Crede has an extra-base hit?

- Jon Garland issues 1 walk or less?

 

The Sox record would be significantly better in each of those cases as opposed the the games in which they don't meet that criteria. So what?

 

In the rare case that Podsednik does anything useful, the Sox have been good. Great. What good is that to the current Sox? He's not likely to be useful ever again. Get someone who is.

 

The point is that we need a leadoff man with speed who can get on base and run wild.

 

That's it.

[Gene Honda Civic]

The point is that we need a leadoff man with speed who can get on base and run wild.

 

That's it.

Bulls***. We need gap hitter who can post a well-above average OBP. Pods does neither of those things. Owens is walking for the first time in his career, and has something like 3 extra-base hits.

[Harry Chappas]

For what it's worth Pods is to go for an MRI Monday and if all goes well (which is expected) begin a rehab assignment next week.

[southsideirish71]

Bulls***. We need gap hitter who can post a well-above average OBP. Pods does neither of those things. Owens is walking for the first time in his career, and has something like 3 extra-base hits.

 

A Gap hitter who gets on a lot who doesn't steal that much would score a hell of a lot more runs than some light hitting low obp guy who steals a lot at a 70% clip. This team needs line drive hitters a hell of a lot more than a bunch of speedy guys who cant get on base at a good enough clip.

[Dick Allen]

For what it's worth Pods is to go for an MRI Monday and if all goes well (which is expected) begin a rehab assignment next week.

If the White Sox are counting on anything from Barbaro the rest of this season, they need to go to therapy.

[fathom]

If the White Sox are counting on anything from Barbaro the rest of this season, they need to go to therapy.

 

Looks like my nickname is catching on! I'm already sick of hearing the excuses for his bad play when he returns.....and it hasn't even happened yet.

[Dick Allen]

Looks like my nickname is catching on! I'm already sick of hearing the excuses for his bad play when he returns.....and it hasn't even happened yet.

Its genius.

[caulfield12]

Its genius.

 

 

Call Jerry Owens the Igniter, lol.

 

Couldn't have had a more auspicious start to his 2007 season. Let's hope it's not all downhill from here.