AND THAT'S A WHITE SOX WINNER!

[Frankensteiner]

I know you're not bashing Carlos at all, but you sort of have to keep things in perspective with him. Coming into this season, he had less than 400 major league AB's. He also played sporadically during ST. It seems a lot of us treat him like a veteran hitter(which is a compliment) but he still has a ton to learn, and IMO is doing a nice job.

 

Oh yeah, it's still early. I agree with you there. And you're right, I'm not bashing him at all. I've seen people praise him here, however, and while I love his approach, I expect him to hit better. I think he'll have close to an .850 OPS at the end of the season which would be really good.

[witesoxfan]

Absolutely. When I look at this team on paper...it's as good as any in the AL IMO. Obviously pitching is what's going to make or break this team and so far I think the positive attitude has rubbed off on this staff. I don't want to sound like a broken record...and I am very high on this team...but I'd be "more" high if Ozzie would sit Uribe's ass ever now and again. It's ridiculous.....

 

With the way this offense is working, I'm not opposed to Uribe starting full time until Richar gets healthy and proves he's healthy or Uribe can't keep his OPS above his weight (I'm figuring he ways a little more than a quarter of a ton). The defense really is nice.

[max power]

I don't see much of a difference in defense between richar and uribe at second base. Richar was solid last year, and at times spectacular at 2nd. People seem to forget how well he was turning double plays.

 

Did anyone else's WCIU go crazy and almost give them a seizure during the 7th or 8th inning? That was s***.

[GreatScott82]

The offense is pretty solid 1-8.. no need to take out Uribe at this point. His defense at 2B has been very solid. With him, O-Cab and Crede playing the way they are out on the field, why would u want to break that up?

Thome and Contreras stepping it up today was very encouraging to see. I hope Floyd continues to pitch well tommorow. I am alittle worried that its not the Tigers though

 

[max power]

I want to break it up because there is little drop off in defense from uribe to richar, and richar has the potential to have a much better bat. 2nd base defense isn't that important, but Richar is a good defender there. He has a strong arm and can turn the double play well.

[max power]

I have a feeling that as soon as we lose a couple games due to slumping hitting you people will all be on uribe's case. Why wait until that happens? Its going to happen.

[Balta1701]

I have a feeling that as soon as we lose a couple games due to slumping hitting you people will all be on uribe's case. Why wait until that happens? Its going to happen.

Well, right now the only alternative is to give playing time at 2nd base to either Pablo or Alexei. I think playing Lexi there wouldn't be a bad idea for some of these games, personally.

 

But if Uribe can't get the bat out of his behind, then when Richar gets off the DL, at the least it'll be time for a platoon at 2nd base.

[max power]

I agree but it sounds like some people would rather just keep uribe there when Richar is healthy because were winning. Right now we are winning in spite of uribe's awful batting not because of his defense.

Edited April 17, 2008 by max power

[Cali]

Is Richar even off the DL yet and rehabbing in Charlotte?

 

Either way, I would assume the Sox brass will keep Uribe out there at least through Mid-May and if he's still barely hitting .200 and Richar is hitting well for the Knights then they make the switch. Either making a trade with some team whose GM has a severe lack of judgement or just cutting him and eating the 4.5 million.

[witesoxfan]

I agree but it sounds like some people would rather just keep uribe there when Richar is healthy because were winning. Right now we are winning in spite of uribe's awful batting not because of his defense.

 

The defense helps though, and I don't think Richar is just a step below Uribe. I think Uribe is a bit more fluid in his movements and he has better range too.

 

I think if Uribe is still performing like piss when Richar gets healthy and performing well, then you'll see him come up and get a few ABs at 2B...they'll definitely platoon a bit. If Richar takes the job from Uribe, so be it. If not, so be it.

[Balta1701]

Is Richar even off the DL yet and rehabbing in Charlotte?

 

Either way, I would assume the Sox brass will keep Uribe out there at least through Mid-May and if he's still barely hitting .200 and Richar is hitting well for the Knights then they make the switch. Either making a trade with some team whose GM has a severe lack of judgement or just cutting him and eating the 4.5 million.

Richar probably won't begin a rehab stint for a couple weeks still. He might be able to be ready to go mid-May by the way things have sounded lately, assuming no setbacks and a solid performance when his rehab stint starts.

 

If Uribe's still hitting in the .200 area mid-May, and Richar comes back and resumes raking at AAA and feels good, I don't see how the team could keep Uribe there full time.

[max power]

The defense helps though, and I don't think Richar is just a step below Uribe. I think Uribe is a bit more fluid in his movements and he has better range too.

 

I think if Uribe is still performing like piss when Richar gets healthy and performing well, then you'll see him come up and get a few ABs at 2B...they'll definitely platoon a bit. If Richar takes the job from Uribe, so be it. If not, so be it.

I think Richar gets the job done just as well. I don't care who is more fluid. Richars arm is only a notch below uribe's, his range is as good if not better. Uribe has a better glove.

 

 

More importantly, its 2nd base. Its not a position where defense is a major concern.

Edited April 17, 2008 by max power

[max power]

Is Richar even off the DL yet and rehabbing in Charlotte?

 

Either way, I would assume the Sox brass will keep Uribe out there at least through Mid-May and if he's still barely hitting .200 and Richar is hitting well for the Knights then they make the switch. Either making a trade with some team whose GM has a severe lack of judgement or just cutting him and eating the 4.5 million.

No, which is why I said "when Richar is healthy."

[lostfan]

Sometime in the 2nd inning or so a group of young guys was sitting in front of me and they all yell out "DYE YOU SUCK!" (I was sitting in front of the RF foul pole right next to the field). So a little while later Dye catches a flyout and I figure "hey I'm wearing a Jermaine Dye jersey, what the hell, maybe he'll throw me a ball" but this kid about 10 years old or so comes up with a glove on going "Jermaine, right here!" (If he had thrown me the ball I would've given it to the kid). JD threw him the ball, but I thought it was funny this kid was telling JD he sucked about 10 minutes before. heh. And I know JD heard him too.

[lostfan]

Oh and because I missed the first train and had to wait, I got into the stadium right before Thome's at-bat. Aaaargh.

[Leonard Zelig]

I didn't get to see the game, did Contreras do anything differently tonight that made him more effective? I saw some highlights, so I saw he had his good splitter tonight. Was he throwing much sidearm?

[BigEdWalsh]

Man, the pitching has been amazing. The stat that blows my mind is only 4 homers allowed so far.

[iamshack]

Richar probably won't begin a rehab stint for a couple weeks still. He might be able to be ready to go mid-May by the way things have sounded lately, assuming no setbacks and a solid performance when his rehab stint starts.

 

If Uribe's still hitting in the .200 area mid-May, and Richar comes back and resumes raking at AAA and feels good, I don't see how the team could keep Uribe there full time.

 

Have you not witnessed how Ozzie operates?

[Vance Law]

Richars arm is only a notch below uribe's,

 

I don't know why you would say that. I also wonder how large your notches are.

 

Its not a position where defense is a major concern.

 

In what? Baseball? Yes, in baseball it is. If it wasn't, you'd put anyone out there, like Josh Fields or Alexi Ramirez- better hitters than Uribe. Relatively speaking, few players have the athleticism/agility/quickness to play shortstop and second base. As a group, the worst hitters are the catchers, then shortstops, then 2nd baseman. If it was easy to find tons of players who can adequately play these positions, obviously, they would have good hitters play instead of bad hitters. The defense is of such a major concern at these positions that teams are willing to put not-so-good hitters there.

 

[max power]

Idiotic. "In baseball"

Not worth a response. You could try to make a point with out patronizing.

Edited April 17, 2008 by max power

[lukeman89]

contreras' splitter looked filthy in the few replays i saw.

 

 

[ScottyDo]

Personally, I'm in the boat of not touching Uribe till our offense cools down. At the moment, we can eat a bad batter in exchange for stellar defense. Pretty much every team has a mediocre bat hitting somewhere towards the end of their order, and we're no different (Tigers excluded). I've seen Uribe save a few runs himself, and pretty directly. I don't recall against whom, but the game where he pegged out the runner going to third as the cutoff man, that saved a run. He did something else in that game, too, though I can't remember what now, so feel free to hack away at my argument. I firmly believe that Richar doesn't make either of those plays, so his defense is not negligible.

 

I also generally disagree with the sentiment that 2B defense doesn't matter. Does SS defense matter? He's the SS on the other side of the field. Against left handed batters and slap-hitting righties, 2B defense is more important than SS defense. The proportion of lefties to righties isn't split evenly, but it's not of negligible impact either. This is not to mention his services as a cutoff man, which could be huge in close run-scoring situations which is exactly when you need good defense.

 

Someone previously stated that we'd be all over Uribe once the bats started slowing down, so why not start now? Well, I agree. I'll be back all over his crappy approach (though he does appear to be TRYING to be patient and hit what he's given, so give him an ounce of credit) once we need a better bat in the lineup. The thing is, who knows how long our offensive wave will last? Why interrupt our game-changing defense before we need to? It's like taking a starting pitcher out after an inning of hitless ball just because they have a history of poor performance. You gotta wait till they need to be taken out.

 

Just my two cents.

 

By the way, I'm no big Uribe fan. Long term, Richar all the way!

[ScottyDo]

haha i forgot what topic i was in. yeah, nice win! gotta love seeing the count return to form, even if it was just for the night. jenks, you are a monster.

[max power]

Personally, I'm in the boat of not touching Uribe till our offense cools down. At the moment, we can eat a bad batter in exchange for stellar defense. Pretty much every team has a mediocre bat hitting somewhere towards the end of their order, and we're no different (Tigers excluded). I've seen Uribe save a few runs himself, and pretty directly. I don't recall against whom, but the game where he pegged out the runner going to third as the cutoff man, that saved a run. He did something else in that game, too, though I can't remember what now, so feel free to hack away at my argument. I firmly believe that Richar doesn't make either of those plays, so his defense is not negligible.

 

I also generally disagree with the sentiment that 2B defense doesn't matter. Does SS defense matter? He's the SS on the other side of the field. Against left handed batters and slap-hitting righties, 2B defense is more important than SS defense. The proportion of lefties to righties isn't split evenly, but it's not of negligible impact either. This is not to mention his services as a cutoff man, which could be huge in close run-scoring situations which is exactly when you need good defense.

 

Someone previously stated that we'd be all over Uribe once the bats started slowing down, so why not start now? Well, I agree. I'll be back all over his crappy approach (though he does appear to be TRYING to be patient and hit what he's given, so give him an ounce of credit) once we need a better bat in the lineup. The thing is, who knows how long our offensive wave will last? Why interrupt our game-changing defense before we need to? It's like taking a starting pitcher out after an inning of hitless ball just because they have a history of poor performance. You gotta wait till they need to be taken out.

 

Just my two cents.

 

By the way, I'm no big Uribe fan. Long term, Richar all the way!

I never said it doesn't matter. I said its not as important as other positions. Its the 3rd easiest spot to play. You should be able to get some offensive production out of that spot. I also said that richar, who is a good defensive second basemen, is not that big of a drop off from uribe. The best thing about uribe was his arm, though he is good in other defensive areas, and he doesn't need to use his arm as much at second, which is why I said richar is only a notch below juan. If they were playing short it would be a different story.

Edited April 17, 2008 by max power

[witesoxfan]

I think Richar gets the job done just as well. I don't care who is more fluid. Richars arm is only a notch below uribe's, his range is as good if not better. Uribe has a better glove.

 

 

More importantly, its 2nd base. Its not a position where defense is a major concern.

 

Defense isn't a major concern, which is why I've said atleast once in this thread and a couple other places that once Richar is healthy and he starts hitting again, they should platoon. If Richar is significantly better, he will start over Uribe. It's pretty reasonable to think about it, honestly.

 

I also think you overrate Richar's defense and underrate Uribe's, but that's merely an opinion.