White Sox Loser

[The Beast]

Damn, things were looking good until I stopped watching and checked back later when it was 6-4. Then it became 10-4 and then it was a 10-7 final. It's a shame that it was such a slug fest but I guess that's what we'll have to expect out of Buehrle this year. Something just isn't right about him this year, I hope it won't rip open discussion (or more likely b****ing) about giving him that extension last year. Let's go take the next 3.

[fathom]

My dream LOOGY/ROOGY combo of Logan and Wassermann has been disappointing. Ozzie's done a good job of using Wassermann, but it's just not clicking for him this season.

Edited May 13, 2008 by fathom

[rangercal]

My dream LOOGY/ROOGY combo of Logan and Wassermann has been disappointing. Ozzie's done a good job of using Wassermann, but it's just not clicking for him this season.

I don't get it either. I mean he looked damn good in aaa. Granted, it was only 7.2 innings of work. Maybe a Broadway sighting could be near?

Edited May 13, 2008 by rangercal

[MHizzle85]

Both teams played hard.

[fathom]

I don't get it either. I mean he looked damn good in aaa. Granted, it was only 7.2 innings of work. Maybe a Broadway sighting could be near?

 

No reason to take him out of the starting rotation. I'm sure we'll need a 6th starter sooner than later.

[rangercal]

No reason to take him out of the starting rotation. I'm sure we'll need a 6th starter sooner than later.

I'm sure he would be an upgrade over mark at this point. Why not put mark on the DL and give him a mental break? Mark's game is more mental than stuff anyway and he is not mentally there right now.

[southsideirish71]

God this is getting better by the minute tonight.

 

Our draft is already being setup for cheapskateville.

 

 

"If the financial demands are such that they are higher than we value a player, then it could be Scott Boras or Scott Baio. If they tell us a guy wants $15 million, and we only thinks he's worth $3 million, then we probably won't draft him."

 

 

 

Forget drafting anyone that has talent and wants money.

Edited May 13, 2008 by southsideirish71

[fathom]

I'm sure he would be an upgrade over mark at this point. Why not put mark on the DL and give him a mental break? Mark's game is more mental than stuff anyway and he is not mentally there right now.

 

Don't forget all the "breaks" the Sox were giving earlier in the season. Some have speculated that he's not 100 pct physically. And if we're going to DL someone, it has to be Konerko.

[zenryan]

God this is getting better by the minute tonight.

 

Our draft is already being setup for cheapskateville.

 

 

"If the financial demands are such that they are higher than we value a player, then it could be Scott Boras or Scott Baio. If they tell us a guy wants $15 million, and we only thinks he's worth $3 million, then we probably won't draft him."

 

 

 

Forget drafting anyone that has talent and wants money.

 

 

 

why pay a 20 year old big money when you can pay a guy in his 30s who is past his prime?

 

Seriously, for a team that has a high payroll, this isnt the time to be cheap with the future of this team.

[The Ginger Kid]

And if we're going to DL someone, it has to be Konerko.

Konerko is digging himself another big hole. He wrote off last year as a fluke, and I'll buy that. But this season is now passing the "beginning of the season" point and he's not producing. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about him and Thome. At least Dye seems to have bounced back.

[greg775]

Disappointing loss after grabbing the 3-0 lead.

We're playing a good team, one very capable of mopping the floor with us 4 straight.

And you know Garland is going to shut us out in Game 4.

[joejoesox]

this team isn't good, at least not right now

 

if the pitching doesn't suck, it's the hitting, if the hitting doesn't suck, it's the defense, if the defense doesn't suck, it's the pitching

 

the only part of the season where we were firing on all cylinders was when we won those 5 games in a row, and that was with the lineup in a very different shape than it is now

 

how long will thome be given the 3rd spot in the lineup before ozzie realizes he's not producing, even against righties

 

also, AJ seems to want to crush the ball every time he gets an at bat, i'd like to try and change his plate mentality a bit and shift more into "get on base" mode

 

what about a lineup like this?

 

1. Pierzynski

2. Quentin

3. Dye

4. Konerko

5. Swisher

6. Thome

7. Crede

8. Cabrera

9. Uribe

 

my reasoning for this lineup would be that perhaps it would give AJ a chance to raise his batting average or on-base percentage by trying to just get on base instead of always trying to drive guys in. obviously he won't be leading off every inning, and he will eventually be in RBI situations, but starting the game off with a more on-base approach might be better for the type of natural ability he has, which over his career he's shown that he can be a great contact hitter.

 

quentin has done well batting 2nd, in fact he's arguably our best hitter so far this year, and I wouldn't want anyone else hitting behind AJ right now assuming AJ is getting on base a bit more leading off.

 

Dye is swinging a pretty good bat right now, and is a genuine RBI guy. I think it's fitting (right now) to give him consistent at-bats in the 3-hole.

 

I'd leave konerko in the cleanup spot, because mainly I'd like to see Dye generate most of the RBI's, and let Konerko get on with nobody onbase, or hopefully a runner at 2nd or 3rd already (Dye has great gap-power, getting extra bases) as he's been hitting into a lot of double plays from the games i've been able to watch. Swisher batting 5th seems appropriate, given his good batting eye and his ability to get on base at a pretty good rate would allow konerko to reach 2nd frequently due to Swisher taking walks frequently.

 

Thome batting 6th makes a lot of sense to me in this type of lineup, as he (like Swisher) has shown over his career to be able to get on base via the walk, but also is a power-guy that can drive in a lot of runs. I don't really see Jim GIDP as much as Paulie does, so situations with slower guys on the base-paths don't really frighten me with Thome at the plate. Also, batting 6th might take some of the pressure off of him and allow him to climb out of whatever kind of slump he's in right now.

 

7-8-9 (Crede/Cabrera/Uribe)

 

Crede has been a great clutch hitter this year, though not so much lately (tonight, he had 2 RBIs however). I think over his career he's shown he's comfortable hitting in the lower part of the batting order, so I would keep him hitting 7th. He doesn't have a great eye or great plate discipline, however he's a true RBI threat and would be able to generate a decent amount of RBI's in this spot.

 

Cabrera moved down in the lineup to 8 I think would be interesting to see. Other than his 4 for 5 vs Seattle, he's looked nothing like the OC we've seen play for the Angels, so far this year. This would give him a chance, in less-pressure situations, to bat a sort of poor-man's 2-hole at the 8 spot, which could help him raise his average and give Juan (who's had a hot bat lately, I'd like to see this team take advantage of it) possibly more RBI chances

 

feel free to disagree, I had put a lot of thought into another lineup change and I think this one wouldn't be too terrible to try

 

all of the defensive miscues we've had lately, though, won't be fixed with a lineup change though, so this would only (maybe) fix part of the problem. the big picture is consistency and this team has shown pretty much nothing resembling consistency all year, hopefully it changes but I don't see it happening against a lineup like we saw today with Vlad, Torii, Matthews Jr, etc.

[witesoxfan]

Pierzynski leading off would be hilarious at the very least. It'd make the game entertaining.

[G&T]

The Sox's five through nine batters reached base 15 times through the first eight innings, compared to the top of the order, which reached base once.

 

That's not what anyone wants to see.

[BearSox]

I remember a person was calling me out for being worried about Buehrle and his big drop in velocity (did he even hit above 86 last night?)... Well, I'm smarter than you

[G&T]

I remember a person was calling me out for being worried about Buehrle and his big drop in velocity (did he even hit above 86 last night?)... Well, I'm smarter than you

 

I noticed in the second inning that he was only hitting 85. Then I though that either the gun was slow or the Sox are going to have a tough game. I then went to sleep.

[lostfan]

Pierzynski leading off would be hilarious at the very least. It'd make the game entertaining.

Haha... there is virtually everything that could be possibly wrong with that idea all encapsulated into one there. AJ is everything you want a leadoff hitter to not be.

[Kyyle23]

I remember a person was calling me out for being worried about Buehrle and his big drop in velocity (did he even hit above 86 last night?)... Well, I'm smarter than you

 

All you do on this messageboard is say "Remember when i said this? Well i am smarter than you"

 

Give it a rest.

[joejoesox]

Haha... there is virtually everything that could be possibly wrong with that idea all encapsulated into one there. AJ is everything you want a leadoff hitter to not be.

 

perhaps, however I think his approach has changed since coming to the white sox, and i think that's what's happening to nick swisher as well. being in a lineup of big boppers might be giving a few guys "penis envy", so to speak, taking them out of their element and ultimately out of their game that has made them successful over the years

 

i could be well off-base but it would explain some of the circumstances surrounding a few guys in the lineup

[RockRaines]

I remember a person was calling me out for being worried about Buehrle and his big drop in velocity (did he even hit above 86 last night?)... Well, I'm smarter than you

He was at 89 a few times. It wasnt his velocity, it was him hanging breaking pitches out over the plate, and the Angels dinking in little infield hits and rolling them through the hole.

[stretchstretch]

He was at 89 a few times. It wasnt his velocity, it was him hanging breaking pitches out over the plate, and the Angels dinking in little infield hits and rolling them through the hole.

 

with one out and man on second and third, why Oz would pitch to Vlad rather than load the bases is beyond me, that HR was more than predictable, and if Crede makes the throw, that 6 run inning never happens......and AJ watching strike 3 down the pipe with two on in the ninth :unsure:

 

tough tough loss when you score seven

 

[StrangeSox]

How did neither Cabrera nor Uribe get tagged with errors in the 5th?

[Wanne]

I remember a person was calling me out for being worried about Buehrle and his big drop in velocity (did he even hit above 86 last night?)... Well, I'm smarter than you

 

I thought when he first got rocked by Cleveland earlier this year it was noted that he was throwing too hard. Now he's not throwing hard enough? I did see one pitch (that was high out of the zone hit 91 last night). Not sure how accurate their gun is. I think it's been mostly about location with Mark. Plus...how in the world can you pitch to Vlad with 1st base open last night?!?!?...with a guy who really hasn't been hitting all that well lately in Hunter...who hasn't had that great of success against Mark. Ballgame right there IMO. Not to mention quite a few defensive lapses last night...one by Mr. Overrated Gold Glove Orlando Dorn...who btw left SEVEN guys on base last night.

 

Ozzie...PLEASE sit Konerko for a while and put BA out there...and move Thome down to 5 or 6.

 

I'd go:

 

OC (not ideal AT ALL)

Quentin

Dye

AJ

Swish

Thome

Crede

BA

Uribe

 

 

 

 

 

 

[watchtower41]

Paul Konerko collected none of the White Sox's 14 hits in Monday's loss to the Angels, dropping his average to .218.

There was a lot of talk this winter about the Angels bringing in Konerko as an "upgrade" to Casey Kotchman. Imagine just how disastrous that would have been to their chances. Not only does Kotchman have the better OPS of the two by 100 points, but the Angels probably would have had to give up Ervin Santana and more to make the deal happen.