Sox @ Angels 5-25-09 - Danks vs. Santana

[fathom]

From what I can tell they're pretty much interchangeable.

 

Question: why Dotel and not Linebrink in the 8th yesterday? We're paying Linebrink a ton of money to get 3 outs in the 8th inning.

[Kalapse]

just a guess

 

BA hasn't seen Santana much in his limited career. I think only 2AB's... now he did hit one of the 2AB's out of the park, 3 years ago.

 

Scotty Pods has seen Santana a bunch in his career, not a lot of hits, but a bunch of walks. (OBP= .375)

Ok, I just checked the numbers and I'm left wondering from where you got your information.

 

Scott Podsednik career vs Ervin Santana:

 

2/12 w/ 4 K, .167/.286/.167/.452, bunch of walks = 2

 

Brian Anderson's the only hitter on this team (sans AJ) with any real success against Santana. Pierzynski's the only one with an OPS north of .607 (.769).

[fathom]

Just listen to Hawk: the Sox think Pods is doing great on offense. Nevermind his OPS around .635 and the fact he should be 0 for 4 on the bases. He's not striking out much, but he's not drawing walks either.

[caulfield12]

Yesterday, Hawk and Stone were really questioning John Russell for not using McLouth (their best player) or LaRoche off the bench as lefty PH's.

 

And, despite Jack Wilson's one HR per season...he got a fastball in the wrong location from Bobby.

 

Now if the Pirates would have lost the game, a lot of people would question your best young player not appearing against Jenks, with a seemingly favorable match-up as a LHH against a RHP.

 

Knowing Ozzie Guillen, do we really think at this point he's deliberately losing games or not trying to put out the line-up that he thinks gives the White Sox the best opportunity to win? Why would any manager do that? How would it possibly be advantageous to do so?

 

When he saw Wise was struggling at leadoff, he removed him after 2 games. Isn't it possible he feels Pods is the better choice?

 

Also, if Kenny Williams was concerned that Pods would take playing time away from Brian Anderson's development, why would he have acquired him...as he would have assumed, like everyone else, that Pods would be platooning with Brian.

 

Do we really believe KW, Guillen and Cora detest Brian Anderson so much that they'd deliberately sacrifice games (and BA's offensively development) to prove a point?

 

KW was the one last year who said BA would hit 25 homers with a .260-.280 batting average if he played everyday. Why would he acquire another player that might block that from happening...just to please Ozzie? That doesn't sound like KW.

Edited May 25, 2009 by caulfield12

[Kalapse]

Question: why Dotel and not Linebrink in the 8th yesterday? We're paying Linebrink a ton of money to get 3 outs in the 8th inning.

He pitched the day before (18 pitches)? Aside from that I have no idea. Am I the only one who would have pulled Jenks and gone to Thornton with Niger Morgan at the plate after the game had been tied? In that situation you just have to get to the bottom of the 9th with the game still tied, Jenks didn't have it and Morgan has less than no chance against Matt's fastball.

[fathom]

KW and Ozzie don't have the same view of BA as the other one does.

[caulfield12]

The best thing to do would have been to inserted Nix in as a defensive replacement late in the game for Fields...just like Brian Anderson is often used in CF.

[Kalapse]

Just listen to Hawk: the Sox think Pods is doing great on offense. Nevermind his OPS around .635 and the fact he should be 0 for 4 on the bases. He's not striking out much, but he's not drawing walks either.

He's hitting .268 with 2 [real] extra base hits and has displayed some atrocious baserunning, the fact that he's getting the most PA on this team is just sickening. And before anyone mentions it Pods is hitting .231/.286/.308/.593 in the leadoff spot. I feel like I'm falling back into t la-la land again just as I did at the end of spring training. It's like I'm watching a different f***ing game.

[Kalapse]

On a positive note: can't wait to watch Danks throw tonight. He hurled 6.1 scoreless in Anaheim last year.

[caulfield12]

KW and Ozzie don't have the same view of BA as the other one does.

 

 

Let's go along with the viewpoint of most that felt Pods would end up platooning with BA.

 

Did KW acquire Pods with this idea in mind? Did he acquire Pods because he was the best option at the time or because there was a doubt that Anderson would be able to come back from his oblique strain?

 

If KW knew Guillen would use Pods incorrectly (and that's pretty much anything but playing BA against all but the best RHPers in the game) over the course of the season, why acquire him?

 

Would Pods still be on this team were it not for the failure of Lillibridge and the injury to BA?

 

 

Eventually, it won't matter. They'll have to play Anderson, Fields and Getz pretty much every day just to get a true idea of what they have for 2010.

 

 

[fathom]

He pitched the day before (18 pitches)? Aside from that I have no idea. Am I the only one who would have pulled Jenks and gone to Thornton with Niger Morgan at the plate after the game had been tied? In that situation you just have to get to the bottom of the 9th with the game still tied, Jenks didn't have it and Morgan has less than no chance against Matt's fastball.

 

That's the thing...why pitch Linebrink in a 4 run game in the 9th if it means you can't use him in a closer game the next day? You might as well let Carrasco start that inning then and if he's in trouble, bring in Jenks. As for pulling Jenks, as soon as he gave up the homer, I told my wife that they weren't done scoring that inning. He's had a history of when he blows a save, he usually blows the lead as well. Of course, Fields playing even with the bag with a runner on 2nd might be even dumber. You give up the infield single in that situation.

[fathom]

He's hitting .268 with 2 [real] extra base hits and has displayed some atrocious baserunning, the fact that he's getting the most PA on this team is just sickening. And before anyone mentions it Pods is hitting .231/.286/.308/.593 in the leadoff spot. I feel like I'm falling back into t la-la land again just as I did at the end of spring training. It's like I'm watching a different f***ing game.

 

How come Hawk's not getting on Pods for all the weak fly balls he's hitting? The funny thing is that Pods is showing more ability to bunt now than he ever did in 2005 and 2006.

[caulfield12]

He's hitting .268 with 2 [real] extra base hits and has displayed some atrocious baserunning, the fact that he's getting the most PA on this team is just sickening. And before anyone mentions it Pods is hitting .231/.286/.308/.593 in the leadoff spot. I feel like I'm falling back into t la-la land again just as I did at the end of spring training. It's like I'm watching a different f***ing game.

 

 

So you think the only reason Pods isn't released is simply because Ozzie has no other option for a leadoff hitter against RHP's besides Chris Getz, who he doesn't want to use in that spot for now?

 

 

[Balta1701]

Pods would take playing time away from Brian Anderson's development, why would he have acquired him...as he would have assumed, like everyone else, that Pods would be platooning with Brian.

Um, because Anderson was on the 15 day DL and Brent Lillibridge was awful in a way few mortals can fathom?

[caulfield12]

How come Hawk's not getting on Pods for all the weak fly balls he's hitting? The funny thing is that Pods is showing more ability to bunt now than he ever did in 2005 and 2006.

 

 

The same reason that he's playing Getz about 85-90% of the time.

 

Because he believes and trusts in that player.

 

Now whether Pods is a part of the future (like Getz hopefully is), that's another issue altogether. If the White Sox are not within 10 games of the Tigers after that 11 game homestand to begin June, then Pods should be released or traded to a contender (if one can be found) and Anderson should be given the job for the rest of the season.

 

If Jordan Danks really, really excels, then you can reward him with playing time in September, or you send him to the Arizona Fall League again with the idea of him competing for CF in 2010.

 

If Anderson excels, you're in a really good position to have a great defensive outfield of Danks, Anderson and Quentin (RF). It would be nice to see for a change. Win-win situation.

 

 

[joejoedairy]

 

Lets win another series!

[ThunderBolt]

Podsednik CF

Ramirez SS

Dye RF

Thome DH

Konerko 1B

Quentin LF

AJP C

Fields 3B

Getz 2B

 

Danks

 

What does Anderson have to do in order to start ? I'm guessing show that he can leadoff ?

Hit a two-run bomb? No, wait that's not it.

[caulfield12]

Um, because Anderson was on the 15 day DL and Brent Lillibridge was awful in a way few mortals can fathom?

 

 

So if you were KW, you would release Wise and/or Pods and just give Anderson the job (against all pitchers) for the remainder of the season?

 

We might as well...especially if Pods shows no ability to steal a base besides getting picked off and being in the path of the throw or waiting to play against first baseman who throw like Frank Thomas to second.

 

 

[ThunderBolt]

Brian Anderson's done everything in his power to prove he's worthy of the full-time job this year. If Ozzie and Cora don't see this, KW needs to trade the kid and give him a decent shot elsewhere. I like BA, i want him here, but managment doesn't.

[Kalapse]

So if you were KW, you would release Wise and/or Pods and just give Anderson the job (against all pitchers) for the remainder of the season?

Yes. I'd give Wise the 4th OF job and send Pods to AAA (shouldn't be a problem if he's willing to take the assignment). I don't see why a platoon is necessary or at all productive.

[Balta1701]

So if you were KW, you would release Wise and/or Pods and just give Anderson the job (against all pitchers) for the remainder of the season?

 

We might as well...especially if Pods shows no ability to steal a base besides getting picked off and being in the path of the throw or waiting to play against first baseman who throw like Frank Thomas to second.

The problem is...it's useful to have someone to play the OF who is on the bench, and that isn't Nix. Pods's correct place right now is sitting on the bench or playing if Dye or Quentin need a day off. Ditto for Wise if he ever comes back. But frankly, yes, I want to see Brian Anderson get 90%+ of the starts in CF the rest of the season, regardless of which hand the pitcher throws with, unless he's injured.

[caulfield12]

The problem is...it's useful to have someone to play the OF who is on the bench, and that isn't Nix. Pods's correct place right now is sitting on the bench or playing if Dye or Quentin need a day off. Ditto for Wise if he ever comes back. But frankly, yes, I want to see Brian Anderson get 90%+ of the starts in CF the rest of the season, regardless of which hand the pitcher throws with, unless he's injured.

 

 

We're going to need Nix and Betemit for 3B soon enough...although it's nice to have Nix to sub VERY occasionally in LF and RF, he shouldn't be playing CF unless we want to lose a game as a result. It has worked with Nix playing out of position so far this year, but that doesn't mean it won't blow up in Ozzie's face eventually. Offensively, Nix isn't the type of hitter that belongs in the outfield either, he's clearly an infielder in terms of production/potential.

 

In a way, it already did. Nix started in LF and almost ran into Pods coming over from CF, but part of that's on Pods as well for not being authoritative enough. And liners hit directly into the gap between two players are the hardest for one player to call the other off.

[Kalapse]

How come Hawk's not getting on Pods for all the weak fly balls he's hitting? The funny thing is that Pods is showing more ability to bunt now than he ever did in 2005 and 2006.

This is by far the highest his FB% has been since 2004 when he hit 12 HR. He's already popped up 5 balls on the infield, he had 12 total in 2005. He's also only gotten down only 1 bunt so far this year, he does have 7 infield hits.

 

One more observation: his contact rate is through the dam roof (95%). This is likely a product of increased aggressiveness at the plate, he's swinging at hitable pitches rather than going deep into counts and chasing pitches out of the zone. This is evidenced by his career low pit/pa of 3.76 (below league average) this season and the fact that he's first pitch swinging in 24%, 8% higher than his career average.

[Heads22]

So if you were KW, you would release Wise and/or Pods and just give Anderson the job (against all pitchers) for the remainder of the season?

 

We might as well...especially if Pods shows no ability to steal a base besides getting picked off and being in the path of the throw or waiting to play against first baseman who throw like Frank Thomas to second.

 

Well, it's ref***ingtarded to platoon him to start against just lefties when he's hitting them at .200 and righties at .320 so far this year.

[Kalapse]

Well, it's ref***ingtarded to platoon him to start against just lefties when he's hitting them at .200 and righties at .320 so far this year.

Even simpler than that: it's ref***ingtarded to platoon him when his platoon partner is a 32 year old bad baseball player and of the two Brian is the righty which means the 32 year old gets the majority of the starts.