fathom Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 It's almost a surreal feeling right now, but I am not in the slightest bit mad about the Sox losing today and losing the season. This year has been nothing but a positive, and here are the reasons why: - only Tampa has a better core of 4 young players that are as talented and cheap as our combo of Quentin/Ramirez/Danks/Floyd. When you think about how bad our minor league system has been for the past few years, it's crazy to think such a comment would be possible. - Paul Konerko had a great finish to the season. If KW does decide to trade him this offseason, his surge at the end will go a long way in boosting his value. When you think about how close he was to tearing his ACL and being out until after the ASB next year, it's huge for this organization that he was ok and finished strong. - KW trusted his instincts in not giving a 3 year, 30 million dollar extension to Orlando Cabrera prior to the season. One of the reasons OC was disgruntled at the beginning of the season was because he wanted KW to give him an offer, and KW wanted to wait. - The Sox played two days longer than the Chicago Cubs, and won one more game in the postseason. If you would have told me this would be the case prior to the year, I would have given you $1,000 and not asked any questions. - I think the team and the fans fell in love with each other again over the last week or so. The tiebreak game from last Monday might be the best game in the history of the Cell. - We never have to hear about how we choked away the division due to the f***ing Twinkie Dome. Here's to a great offseason KW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 It was quite a rollercoaster of a season, but I'm proud of this team. They had to battle to get into the playoffs and it gives us a clearer picture of what we have for next yr. We might not be talking about this if CQ or Contreras don't go down. Get us a leadoff man who can play 2B or CF and bring us a couple new SP, KW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Oct 7, 2008 -> 01:44 AM) Get us a leadoff man who can play 2B or CF and bring us a couple new SP, KW. Brian Roberts is far and away the perfect player for KW to acquire. The Orioles want to extend him, but if they don't, we're going to be in a bidding war with the Cubs for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 I have never, nor has anyone else, ever seen the Sox win a close race down the stretch against Minnesota specifically. That was such a gratifying feeling that doing anything in the postseason was going to make it a fantastic year. I'm almost as happy as I've ever been as a White Sox fan. With the right moves, the Sox could be killer next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangercal Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Only 5 teams in baseball had a longer season than the 2008 White Sox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daa84 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 (edited) great, great post fathom....just about all points i am completely in agreement with (specifically the ones about the young core and playing longer than the cubs) Edited October 7, 2008 by daa84 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjshoe04 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 I know I am not alone in this weird and calm happiness. Still surprises me to see everyone feeling the same way right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenryan Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 08:49 PM) I know I am not alone in this weird and calm happiness. Still surprises me to see everyone feeling the same way right now. we played our World Series last Sunday,Monday and Tuesday. We all wanted to get to the ALCS but we knew we were up against it after gutting our starting pitching to get here. Plus flawed teams are suppose to make it this far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCSox Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 04:43 PM) It's almost a surreal feeling right now, but I am not in the slightest bit mad about the Sox losing today and losing the season. This year has been nothing but a positive I completely agree. Winning 89 games and the division after a 72-90 season is a significant accomplishment. And it's kind of hard to win a WS (or even a pennant) when your would-be League MVP, starting 3B, and fourth-best (playoff) pitcher all go down with season-ending injuries. I'm proud of what they accomplished this year and my only regret is that I won't be able to watch/listen to another Sox game until March. I'm really excited about the way that Quentin, Alexei, Danks, and Floyd developed this year and the fact that these are the type of guys that Kenny can build another championship around. Back in May, I thought that this year was our "last hurrah", but I don't feel that way at all now. I'm really excited about 2009. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjshoe04 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (WCSox @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 07:53 PM) I completely agree. Winning 89 games and the division after a 72-90 season is a significant accomplishment. And it's kind of hard to win a WS (or even a pennant) when your would-be League MVP, starting 3B, and fourth-best (playoff) pitcher all go down with season-ending injuries. I'm proud of what they accomplished this year and my only regret is that I won't be able to watch/listen to another Sox game until March. I'm really excited about the way that Quentin, Alexei, Danks, and Floyd developed this year and the fact that these are the type of guys that Kenny can build another championship around. Back in May, I thought that this year was our "last hurrah", but I don't feel that way at all now. I'm really excited about 2009. Great post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnB Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 07:43 PM) - I think the team and the fans fell in love with each other again over the last week or so. The tiebreak game from last Monday might be the best game in the history of the Cell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnB Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 there was just something about this year. the emergence of quentin and alexei with no expectations danks and floyd not flopping like every other sox young pitcher losing quentin and overcoming it getting swept in minny in the most hyped up series of the year and still coming out of it the tiebreaker at home and finally beating minny in a pennant race. it just was a blast of a year when there was very low expectations they gutted it out and got us a division championship and we have a great young core to build around i will never be this calm again after being eliminated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 07:43 PM) - I think the team and the fans fell in love with each other again over the last week or so. The tiebreak game from last Monday might be the best game in the history of the Cell. The rest of your post has some great points, but, uh, yeah... Edited October 7, 2008 by IlliniKrush Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Oct 7, 2008 -> 01:58 AM) The rest of your post has some great posts, but, uh, yeah... Game 2 of the World Series? That's the only other game I think could be considered better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 (edited) I think it's all because of 2005. I wasn't upset, Upton's just a very talented player, and he showed why the last two games. This year, the palpable relief wasn't making the playoffs, it was somehow, improbably, beating the Twins in the fashion that they did when logic and past history argued against it. When AJ's ball was caught by Gross at the top of the fence, I had the feeling it was going to be a long day. That's the kind of ball that goes out June through August, pretty easily...of course, the wind was blowing in a little as well. I wanted to mention how good a job Clayton Richard did the two times he was asked to keep the White Sox within striking distance. I'm leaving this season having a positive feeling about Ken Griffey, Jr., wouldn't have imagined that a month ago. Props to Dewayne Wise for rising up from obscurity to become almost a "folk hero" over the final five weeks. Danks has become a star...our equivalent of Cliff Lee. Gavin Floyd is a very good 3rd starter, and matches up with anyone in our division. Alexei and Quentin are amazing and it's easy to get excited about following their careers the next half-decade. At no point in this series did I feel that I could make an argument with myself that we were the better team. I think they even out-homered us this series, or it was very close to even. I think we're about 3-4 correct acquisitions away from being a 95+ win team again...of course, the wrong moves, a couple of key injuries and we're back to .500 like the Indians. With all the money to Jenks (arbitration), Dotel, Thornton and Linebrink, I don't think KW will spend much money in this area. I think 90% of the concentration and focus will be turned toward improving the speed/defense/contact/patience/fundamentals of our ballclub at 3B, 2B and CF. That and adding a "cheap" FA (not named LIvan Hernandez) as insurance for Richard/Broadway/Carrasco/Ramirez/Poreda. Maybe Sisco will amaze everyone and have a breakthrough in ST! Or MacDougal...Logan, I guess he's about done with the Sox as I'm concerned. Edited October 7, 2008 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggsmaggs Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Me not pissed at all. Sox played tremendously all year long considering the injury issues. You lose the AL MVP thru five months and still make the playoffs, that is good. It was tough with all the injuries. Go out and get me Furcal, Blake and another player and call it a off-season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Hates Prospects Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Great points. This team made some huge strides this season. After 2007 I was one of those people who thought there was no choice but to rebuild. Thankfully Kenny made some great moves to get this thing back on track. His only bad move was Swisher, but in hindsight he looks smart so far by selling high on Gio and DLS. I just wish he'd done it for a better player, but oh well. The other moves have more than made up for that one bad deal, and I'm hopeful that Swisher still brings us a solid player over the offseason. One last thing: please Kenny, for the love of God, make Thome put down a f***ing bunt every once in a while when he's being given almost the entire left side of the infield. All he has to do is show he can get the damn thing down and if he does it a few times then teams will reconsider the shift. He could raise his batting average 30 points by just doing that. It's not like there are no home run hitters behind him. If the Sox don't care about taking the free baserunner and actually prefer the typical Thome groundout into the shift or strikeout, then please get him the f*** off this team. Please. I can't take this s*** anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 I would love to see the Angels knock off the Red Sox, to see the match-up of the two most balanced teams in baseball and two managers completely familiar with each other strategically...either way, it will be fun. I will be rooting hard for the Rays no matter who they are playing. In the NL, would like to see the Dodgers, just for the sheer symmetry of Ramirez facing Bay and the Boston fans again...to see their reaction...and to see Torre bring a team not named the Yankees into Boston with very little or no pressure to win the World Series against the Red Sox. Lots of interesting possible scenarios. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooftop Shots Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 07:49 PM) I know I am not alone in this weird and calm happiness. Still surprises me to see everyone feeling the same way right now. Agreed. Mainly because we showed a lot of heart before it all ended. Sure was fun watching the final Minnesota game. Haven't been that intense with hands constantly clutched together tightly since 05. Even though the season is over, what a great run at the end. If we laid down and died after the Minny sweep, I think we would all be feeling a lot different. They made a run..............that's all that we could ask of them. And also,................after Saturday night....................I slept like a baby knowing that a stronger team in the Cubs were eliminated after all the hoopla about them all year long. Final thought...............Tampa beat us. I hope they beat everyone else as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankensteiner Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 I guess it depends on your perspective and expectations. I fully expected this team to be very competetive in this division, and I thought the division would be much better overall. So I don't see winning the AL Central as some odds defying accomplishment. I mean this was a team with a $120 M payroll and a veteran core of players. I would hope they'd be able to compete in this sad sack AL Central. It was a good season. They won the division, but it was the 2nd worst division in baseball. They were also regularly outplayed by other good teams and we could make an argument that there were two other AL teams that were better than the White Sox who didn't make the playoffs (Toronto and the Yanks). It was nice to find some young players but this team is still very old and getting older. I'm not really seeing how it's going to get better next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 (edited) QUOTE (Kenny Hates Prospects @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 07:06 PM) Great points. This team made some huge strides this season. After 2007 I was one of those people who thought there was no choice but to rebuild. Thankfully Kenny made some great moves to get this thing back on track. His only bad move was Swisher, but in hindsight he looks smart so far by selling high on Gio and DLS. I just wish he'd done it for a better player, but oh well. The other moves have more than made up for that one bad deal, and I'm hopeful that Swisher still brings us a solid player over the offseason. One last thing: please Kenny, for the love of God, make Thome put down a f***ing bunt every once in a while when he's being given almost the entire left side of the infield. All he has to do is show he can get the damn thing down and if he does it a few times then teams will reconsider the shift. He could raise his batting average 30 points by just doing that. It's not like there are no home run hitters behind him. If the Sox don't care about taking the free baserunner and actually prefer the typical Thome groundout into the shift or strikeout, then please get him the f*** off this team. Please. I can't take this s*** anymore. Dear Ozzie: 1) Please work with the outfielders on throwing to the cutoff men properly. Let's use some better judgment about when to thrown home and when to eat the ball. 2) BA, if you're around, please learn to tighten up your swing and hit to the opposite field or go up the middle instead of that long/looping Borchard/Crede/Fields swing. Also, knowing how to bunt wouldn't be such a bad idea, either. 3) Uribe, if you are back, that blonde soul patch is ridiculous. AJ, please let your hair go back to a normal color. You look like a coked out Billy Idol wanna be from "Less than Zero." Or one of the vampire gang from "The Lost Boys." ENOUGH! 4) Gavin and Jenks and all relievers. Learn from Buehrle and Danks how to hold runners on...don't let the opposition run wild. It's demoralizing. 5) Clayton Richard, you were the Michigan QB, you should be able to pick up a ball and throw it to first base routinely or throw to first base on pick-offs. Please spend your off-season working specifically on this area. 2) Edited October 7, 2008 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Buehrle and Danks are also left handed and kind of look at 1B the entire time. Both also have pretty good moves over there and quick deliveries. That's part of the reason they hold runners so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenryan Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (Frankensteiner @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 09:08 PM) I guess it depends on your perspective and expectations. I fully expected this team to be very competetive in this division, and I thought the division would be much better overall. So I don't see winning the AL Central as some odds defying accomplishment. I mean this was a team with a $120 M payroll and a veteran core of players. I would hope they'd be able to compete in this sad sack AL Central. It was a good season. They won the division, but it was the 2nd worst division in baseball. They were also regularly outplayed by other good teams and we could make an argument that there were two other AL teams that were better than the White Sox who didn't make the playoffs (Toronto and the Yanks). It was nice to find some young players but this team is still very old and getting older. I'm not really seeing how it's going to get better next season. what a shocker.... all season you bagged this team saying how horrible they were and they still won the division and you still cant bring yourself to praise them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Oct 7, 2008 -> 01:14 AM) Buehrle and Danks are also left handed and kind of look at 1B the entire time. Both also have pretty good moves over there and quick deliveries. That's part of the reason they hold runners so well. Danks does a mediocre job of holding runners for a lefty pitcher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 QUOTE (fathom @ Oct 6, 2008 -> 07:15 PM) Danks does a mediocre job of holding runners for a lefty pitcher. He's still left handed, so I'm not going to fault him too much. He's also pretty quick to the plate which helps him too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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