Positive Catch All

[almagest]

We're leading the AL in OBP (.370) and HR (10) according to mlb.com. It's so nice to see a team that can make these pitchers work and drive up the pitch count. We've gotten some good pitchers out of the game early against us.

 

Also thank you to the Diamondbacks for having so many good young outfielders that they can afford to trade Quentin for an A-ball DH/1B.

[linglingfool]

Nick Swisher.

 

+1. While he's only batting .263, his OPS is .901 after today.

[joejoesox]

We're leading the AL in OBP (.370) and HR (10) according to mlb.com. It's so nice to see a team that can make these pitchers work and drive up the pitch count. We've gotten some good pitchers out of the game early against us.

 

Also thank you to the Diamondbacks for having so many good young outfielders that they can afford to trade Quentin for an A-ball DH/1B.

 

2nd now in HR behind arizona (12 vs 10), and 2nd in OBP behind STL (.373 vs .370), 1st in OPS in all of baseball with .870, with the brewers coming in 2nd with an OPS of .848, 3rd in all of baseball in runs scored with 38, behind ATL & MIL who are tied with 40

interesting side note, we're 8th in all of baseball in hits with 56, yet we're 13th in all of baseball in total at bats with 208. also, another interesting tidbit which won't surprise anyone here that's been watching all the games this year

 

we lead all of baseball in walks with 32, and individually Nick Swisher so far is an absolute stud with 8 walks in 6 games, tied for 1st with encarnacion and pujols, and Paulie has 7 walks on the year, we have 2 players in the top 5 of total walks on the year

this doesn't even look like the same team as last year, seriously...

 

just updating~

Edited April 7, 2008 by joesaiditstrue

[southsider2k5]

How about the sixth inning yesterday? One error, and the Sox just jumped on the throats of Detroit, turning a one run game into a laugher, against one of the best young pitchers in baseball.

[chitownsportsfan]

Quentin, Swisher and Dye means we actually have 3 above average players (when healthy for Dye and Quentin) capable of driving an offense from the outfield spots.

 

Swisher is batting leadoff and eating up the PAs. Floyd and Danks looked great first time through.

[almagest]

How about the sixth inning yesterday? One error, and the Sox just jumped on the throats of Detroit, turning a one run game into a laugher, against one of the best young pitchers in baseball.

 

It reminded me of '05, when we would make teams pay for each and every little mistake they made. Of course, our offense is way better this year (so far), so we REALLY made them pay. I'd imagine it has to be rough for teams to know that one little dropped ball or wild pitch or HBP could lead to a big inning against us.

[Kalapse]

Quentin, Swisher and Dye means we actually have 3 above average players (when healthy for Dye and Quentin) capable of driving an offense from the outfield spots.

And all 3 have above average throwing arms as well.

[G&T]

Does any team have the defensive arms the Sox have with Quentin and Uribe playing? No noodle arms out there.

[WCSox]

Does any team have the defensive arms the Sox have with Quentin and Uribe playing? No noodle arms out there.

 

I really like Uribe at 2nd. Despite his bat, I'd be fine with him staying there and bringing Richar along slowly.

 

[G&T]

I really like Uribe at 2nd. Despite his bat, I'd be fine with him staying there and bringing Richar along slowly.

 

I don't mind him with this lineup because they can hide his bat. But we saw in the first 2 games, the bottom of the order can become a liability in a hurry.

[Balta1701]

Since so many people seem to complain when Ozzie shuffles his lineup around constantly, I'm pretty sure that since we won our first game of the season in game 3 against the Indians, the only time Ozzie has changed the starting lineup at all has been to give AJ a day off on Saturday. This looks like the 4th out of the last 5 games with an identical starting lineup.

[Texsox]

Great to watch a healthy Crede at the plate.

[YASNY]

Great to watch a healthy Crede at the plate.

 

But Joe Crede is a below average third baseman.

[chitownsportsfan]

But Joe Crede is a below average third baseman.

 

Eh, at this point him and Fields are probably going to give about the same over 162 games in total value. I just hope that Crede has a great start and Fields tears up Charlotte so we have a good problem on our hands.

[witesoxfan]

But Joe Crede is a below average third baseman.

 

And I'll stand by that statement to this day

[peanut33tillman]

Heres a positive somewhat Sox related, LAA and Torii Hunter beat the Tribe with a walk off GS in the 9th off Borowski...Always nice seeing those division rivals get beat even if it is premature

[SoxFan1]

After 1 week, the Sox offense is:

 

#1 in MLB in Runs (45)

T-5 in MLB in Hits (67)

T-2 in MLB in 2B (18)

T-2 in MLB in HR (11)

#3 in MLB in TB (120)

#1 in MLB in BB (36)

#1 in MLB in OBP (.372)

 

Also, the Sox pitching is #1 in the MLB allowing a league-low 3 home runs total in 7 games.

 

:headbang

[Texsox]

And I'll stand by that statement to this day

 

Unless you are playing games in the future and adding them to the stats, then we have two below average 3rd baseman, draw your line where ever you like.

[kjshoe04]

After 1 week, the Sox offense is:

#1 in MLB in OBP (.372)

That is so good to see after last year.

[southsider2k5]

Heres a positive somewhat Sox related, LAA and Torii Hunter beat the Tribe with a walk off GS in the 9th off Borowski...Always nice seeing those division rivals get beat even if it is premature

 

You can't win a division in April, but you can lose it! Every game we can put between us and anyone else is a game they have to try to make up later. Every game is important.

[Texsox]

You can't win a division in April, but you can lose it! Every game we can put between us and anyone else is a game they have to try to make up later. Every game is important.

 

Sometimes we forget the basics. Great post.

 

Looking over a couple threads and trying to think of every team since the early 70s, this team is easily in the upper half, perhaps the upper quarter. I thought that even before the start.

 

Now, in comparison, they have bigger hurdles to overcome in Cleveland and (despite their start) the Tigers than most other seasons. But if they do overcome those hurdles, the playoffs would look better.

[VAfan]

At the start of the year, I was definitely a pessimist, even if I didn't post on that other thread. I'm not ready to pronounce us WS champs, but I've been really encouraged so far. Here are some huge reasons for optimism for me.

 

1. Carlos Quentin. I didn't know much about this guy until his early performances started to open my eyes. He's got 3 huge things in his favor. OBP, mashing ability, and Ozzie is playing him. I'm sure he'll show some kinks. But he's the best LF we've had since Carlos Lee, and already appears to be better than Lee at fielding (despite the ball that hit him in the face) and drawing walks. Putting an OBP masher in the lineup in the 7 hole is going to do wonders for our offense.

 

2. Joe Crede's back. A few errant throws notwithstanding, it's great to see the Joe Crede back who can hit the ball. With a hot Dye, AJ, and Quentin ahead of him, Crede hitting at his 2006 clip makes the 5-8 slots in our lineup better than 1-4 (or at least as good). That should yield a lot of big innings that win games.

 

3. Dye's bat has returned. This is HUGE. I have long thought that Dye is the best hitter on our club. There's a reason he won WS MVP hitting in the 3 hole. In 2006, he was clearly our best player, as Thome faded (and couldn't hit lefties) down the stretch. Then last year, he was in a year-long funk. It looks like that is over. And if the guys ahead of him actually start to hit, our lineup will be very good.

 

4. Jerry Owens got hurt. Sorry to put this up here, but many of us whooped a cheer when Owens took away Ozzie's option to play him ahead of 3 guys who are way better than he is -- Quentin, Anderson, and Ramirez.

 

5. Nick Swisher hitting lead off. Never thought Ozzie would do this, but it makes perfect sense given Swisher's OBP.

 

6. The bullpen. I was worried that Linebrink and Dotel were not going to be the answers to our setup woes. And I think the jury is still out. But, so far, other than the opening day loss to Cleveland, the bullpen has done pretty well. We may not have to have the best bullpen in baseball, esp. if our offense continues to take off as it has. But it has to be solid; above average. I think it meets that standard.

 

7. Energy. We have missed Aaron Rowand more than we have known. Not for his hitting, which was always mediocre. But for his hard-nosed play and enthusiasm. From the comments of Ozzie, Joe Morgan and John Miller, it's apparent that the club has way more energy than it did last season. We may not be there in terms of talent -- I have concerns about our starting pitching -- but if we've got fight it at least makes the season enjoyable.

 

GO SOX!!!

 

[jmk853]

First time poster here. This site is great by way.

 

I have seen a couple things that have got me very excited. First off the game against Verlander. While sitting there watching that game there was not one time I really felt the Sox were in danger of losing. Just a much different attitude from last year when there seemed to be no fight.

 

The second thing is the aggressive style of play that we've seen. The Sox are going right at these other teams. That throw from Quentin to nail Renteria.... I can't remember the last time I saw a White Sox player make a play like that.

 

For me it has been more than an encouraging start to the season. What a fun team to watch so far. Hope they can keep it up.

 

Go Sox.

[Kyyle23]

First time poster here. This site is great by way.

 

I have seen a couple things that have got me very excited. First off the game against Verlander. While sitting there watching that game there was not one time I really felt the Sox were in danger of losing. Just a much different attitude from last year when there seemed to be no fight.

 

The second thing is the aggressive style of play that we've seen. The Sox are going right at these other teams. That throw from Quentin to nail Renteria.... I can't remember the last time I saw a White Sox player make a play like that.

 

For me it has been more than an encouraging start to the season. What a fun team to watch so far. Hope they can keep it up.

 

Go Sox.

 

Welcome!

 

[chitownsportsfan]

Amazing how energy returns when you've got 3 solid MLB outfielders playing everyday instead of 2 who should be out of baseball.