Konerko BAD - Fire GOOD

[greg775]

What I'm saying is the same people who blast many of the White Sox seem to give Swisher a free pass. Except for June he's been beyond horrible.

 

That's what I'm saying as well.

If you are going to blast Konerko with legions of stats, at least accept Dick's assertion that Swish has been s*** except for June.

Edited July 11, 2008 by greg775

[VAfan]

OK, how about Cabrera in April? How about Swisher every month except June? Konerko has not been healthy all year. He supposedly is right now. It will take a little bit to get into the swing of things. The team is in first place. This thread is sad.

 

What will be sad is to lose games because Paul Konerko is dead weight in the lower middle of the order. I think the comparison I made above to Richie Sexson's numbers is startling. If that's due to Konerko being unhealthy rather than a rapid decline in his skill levels, then put him on the DL. Don't continue to make excuses for his Sexson-like performance in the hopes that he miraculously pulls out of it.

 

This team is more balanced and far better defensively with Anderson/Wise in CF and Swisher at 1B. I'd much rather have that lineup than one with PK striking out 4 times in a game against the KC Royals' pitching.

 

At the end of the season, a marginal difference of 2-3 games we lost but should have won could be enough to keep us out of the playoffs. You can't get those losses back once you've had them.

[greg775]

This team is more balanced and far better defensively with Anderson/Wise in CF and Swisher at 1B. I'd much rather have that lineup than one with PK striking out 4 times in a game against the KC Royals' pitching.

 

I don't know about that.

I like what Wise has done. I like Anderson. Not a big Swish fan yet.

Let Paulie play and if he finishes the year like this, I guess dump him for peanuts in the offseason.

If he gets hot, we'll be that much better off.

[lostfan]

I don't know about that.

I like what Wise has done. I like Anderson. Not a big Swish fan yet.

Let Paulie play and if he finishes the year like this, I guess dump him for peanuts in the offseason.

If he gets hot, we'll be that much better off.

I may sound like hater but I still think Wise is playing WAY over his head, and he isn't this good.

[VAfan]

That's what I'm saying as well.

If you are going to blast Konerko with legions of stats, at least accept Dick's assertion that Swish has been s*** except for June.

 

In my Konerko post above, I pointed out that the problem with Konerko would be lessened if guys like Cabrera, Thome, and Swisher were hitting at career norms. So I agree with this. But at least all three of these guys have picked it up from their horrible starts. Konerko has shown no signs of picking it up.

 

Plus, it's not just his hitting that's bad. As the slowest guy in baseball, he turns our already slow team into molasses on the basepaths. That's certainly costing us runs.

 

And what broke the original poster's back was an error in the field by Konerko, coupled by weaker outfield D with Swish there instead of Anderson or Wise.

 

All of these factors, plus PK's big contract, focus legitimate vitriol at our team captain.

[VAfan]

I may sound like hater but I still think Wise is playing WAY over his head, and he isn't this good.

 

I think Wise is playing over his head too. But he's hot at the moment, and, as a platoon player, he's not going to get nearly the ABs we are wasting on PK. Plus, if he starts to suck, then Anderson can play more. In the meantime, he plays good D and gives us some much-needed speed.

[Dick Allen]

Yet the Sox have won 2 of the 3 games since Konerko has been back from the DL. His lack of speed has cost nothing.

[VAfan]

I don't know about that.

I like what Wise has done. I like Anderson. Not a big Swish fan yet.

Let Paulie play and if he finishes the year like this, I guess dump him for peanuts in the offseason.

If he gets hot, we'll be that much better off.

 

 

If PK finishes the year like this, we're stuck with his contract. We'll have to eat his contract, or eat his poor performance. Neither is a good choice.

 

"Let Paulie play" might be a decent choice if we weren't in a tight division race. Are you willing to "bet the season" that he'll come out of it?

[BigSqwert]

Yet the Sox have won 2 of the 3 games since Konerko has been back from the DL. His lack of speed has cost nothing.

His defense cost us the sweep. That's what touched off this entire tirade by everyone.

[Dick Allen]

His defense cost us the sweep. That's what touched off this entire tirade by everyone.

Might have cost the sweep. The offense could only muster 1 run.

[shipps]

His defense cost us the sweep. That's what touched off this entire tirade by everyone.

Dick Allen knows that he just cant help but defend his boy.

[Dick Allen]

Dick Allen knows that he just cant help but defend his boy.

 

If Paul Konerko is the biggest problem with this team, it will cruise to another world title.

 

[BigSqwert]

Might have cost the sweep. The offense could only muster 1 run.

But we still had the lead until he botched that play. We would have been 4 outs away from a win.

[greg775]

His defense cost us the sweep. That's what touched off this entire tirade by everyone.

 

I don't know about his blunder costing us the sweep. If Ozzie let Mark finish the game I'd agree with you.

Pitch counts indicated Mark was done and the Royals were not going lightly.

And yes I'd gamble on Paulie busting loose.

I could be wrong, but Thome also could bomb; Dye might bomb; Swish might keep sucking.

There are no guarantees.

 

[BigSqwert]

I don't know about his blunder costing us the sweep. If Ozzie let Mark finish the game I'd agree with you.

Pitch counts indicated Mark was done and the Royals were not going lightly.

If Paulie makes that play it would be 2 outs and nobody on base in the 8th for KC. (EDIT: And we would still be winning) Why would Mark have been done?

Edited July 11, 2008 by BigSqwert

[greg775]

Because of pitch counts. See Gregory's article on Black Jack.

Would Ozzie have let him go through the ninth with his count already in the teens?

I hope so, but I wonder.

Paulie's error was huge. I don't know if we'd have won the game.

Boone and Dotel were meat.

[Wanne]

My big beef is still why was he in the lineup last nite in the first place? Why not bring him along slowly.

Ozzie's got Ditkaitis...remains too loyal to the vets and it will probably cost the team in the long run.

[BigSqwert]

Because of pitch counts.

So you're a mind reader? How do you know Ozzie would have pulled him? Why didn't Ozzie pull Vazquez against Oakland? He pitched all 9 innings and threw 121 pitches.

[greg775]

I hope Mark would have been allowed to finish.

I'll email Ozzie and ask him the hypothetical. If he answers I'll let you know.

Is it OzzieGuillen13@hotmail??

 

[Big Hurtin]

But walks for Paulie supposedly mean nothing, but they are great for Swisher. I don't understand. Earlier a post said Swisher can steal you a base. I guess that's accurated because he does have a steal this year. Plus, everyone wants him at first base. Teams that don't expect their firstbaseman to drive in runs usually have trouble scoring runs, but I guess that would go back to Greg Walker. Outside of a couple of grand slams, Swisher really hasn't been a guy you want batting with runners on base this year. He seems to whiff a lot.

 

So does Paul.

 

[almagest]

Almaguest you didn't respond to Dick's post.

He pointed out Swish had ONE GOOD MONTH.

He also pointed out some major flaws.

No, I did. Swisher's most recent full month was extremely good, and represents an upward trend over the previous months. They've also played, what, 8 or 9 games in July? It's a little early to declare him as suck for this month, and it's a little ridiculous to say he's terrible again.

[Dick Allen]

No, I did. Swisher's most recent full month was extremely good, and represents an upward trend over the previous months. They've also played, what, 8 or 9 games in July? It's a little early to declare him as suck for this month, and it's a little ridiculous to say he's terrible again.

Yet 3 games after a DL stint, after playing the season with a hand injury is enough to say Konerko is done? If he goes 1-4 tonight, wouldn't that technically be an uptrend for Paulie? I'm not Paulie's biggest fan, I just think this is an unfair thread.

 

[greg775]

I guess people will hate on who they want to hate on.

Paulie is the flavor of the week.

Hope he gets hot and proves many wrong.

I personally want him in the lineup.

If Kenny and Ozzie sense his bat is so slow he's finished, my guess is he'll be traded or benched.

If they think there's bat speed left and he's healthy, my guess is he'll play every day.

[almagest]

Yet 3 games after a DL stint, after playing the season with a hand injury is enough to say Konerko is done? If he goes 1-4 tonight, wouldn't that technically be an uptrend for Paulie? I'm not Paulie's biggest fan, I just think this is an unfair thread.

I didn't say that. If you read my other post, you'll notice I talked about giving Konerko time to get back to form. I think all this player bashing is silly...except for Juan Uribe. He stinks.

Edited July 11, 2008 by almagest

[Dick Allen]

I didn't say that. If you read my other post, you'll notice I talked about giving Konerko time to get back to form. I think all this player bashing is silly...except for Juan Uribe. He stinks.

That's my guy too. I'm the Father Flanagan of this board. I take all the guys no one else wants and the players everyone likes I have my doubts about.