Present Your Theories Here

[Jerksticks]

My theory as to why we suck has something to do with the mental state of the team. I feel nervous every single game, I feel that the players feel nervous or something similar to this as well. It's akin to the feeling when say everyone expected you to have something completed and you hope nobody calls on you because it will reveal your lack of preparation.

 

I feel like our whole offense is on defense at the plate. I feel like the pressure is always on us in every single at bat..And oh lord the pressure is DOUBLE if we have a man in scoring position. When we have a RISP, the opposing pitcher always has the advantage against us. Why is that? I feel like we do not intimidate any teams except the Tigers, and that trend might change this year. Something about this team feels like the p**** kid of the neighborhood, as Clint Eastwood would say.

 

It's more than just "Fire Greg Walker". There's some disease that's found a home here.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

station to station, pull only hitters.

 

watch a full day of other teams and you will discover things like sac bunts, hitting the opposite way, and shortened swings.

[The Critic]

Things will be fine once the weather warms up.

[fathom]

This team is entirely too pull-happy now. One opposite field hit all series. It's become a mental thing. Everyone's trying to do too much at the plate. The hitters know they're "going to struggle against a pitcher they've never seen before". This last week, the first inning almost went by the same script every time. Leadoff hit for Pods, Alexei gets him over, and then the #3/4 hitters don't get him in. After the first inning, the pitcher would then get into a rhythm and before you know it, it's the 5th and 6th innings and we haven't scored.

 

Another theory is that this roster is just below average, and without anyone having huge years (like what we saw last year), we're just a mediocre team with no depth in our starting pitching, a great bullpen, and bad hitting. I do hope that everyone clamoring for more speed sees what happens when you can't hit the ball out at the Cell.

[Jordan4life_2007]

This team is entirely too pull-happy now. One opposite field hit all series. It's become a mental thing. Everyone's trying to do too much at the plate. The hitters know they're "going to struggle against a pitcher they've never seen before". This last week, the first inning almost went by the same script every time. Leadoff hit for Pods, Alexei gets him over, and then the #3/4 hitters don't get him in. After the first inning, the pitcher would then get into a rhythm and before you know it, it's the 5th and 6th innings and we haven't scored.

 

Another theory is that this roster is just below average, and without anyone having huge years (like what we saw last year), we're just a mediocre team with no depth in our starting pitching, a great bullpen, and bad hitting. I do hope that everyone clamoring for more speed sees what happens when you can't hit the ball out at the Cell.

 

Which could be why people are clamoring for more speed? And we struggle to score runs consistently anywhere when we're not hitting home runs.

Edited June 8, 2009 by Jordan4life

[Heads22]

We're simply not that good.

[fathom]

Which could be why people are clamoring for more speed? And we struggle to score runs consistently anywhere when we're not hitting home runs.

 

You still need to be able to get a hit to score a run though, and we're 2 for our last 39 with RISP. Getz is a good example of a speed over production type hitter, and people already want him off the roster. On this home stand, we're getting killed by the long ball against our pitchers while we have a lineup with 4 or 5 players every game who won't hit double digit homers this season.

[SoxAce]

Ozzie doesn't have that excuse anymore. Fields can run, BA can run, Getz can run, Pods can run, Alexei can run, even Quentin can steal a base. He hasn't run with these guys as much as most (esp. myself) thought he would even when they get on base. Gordo when he settles in, can steal a base. I mean Ozzie has more flexability than in years past. He just doesn't utilize his weapons well at all.

[fathom]

We're simply not that good.

 

It's scary how poorly we match up with Galarraga, Bonderman, Verlander, and Jackson. All four guys have nasty slider/curves against a team with a bunch of pull-happy righties. We're going to need just a monster week from Thome and AJP.

[SoxAce]

We're simply not that good.

 

It's a good and bad thing on being in such a s***ty division. All this we are awful talk and were still only what 3.5/4.5 games out? It's good that hey, we can still win this, but probably get embarrased come the playoffs unless everyone really hits during that time, or if the pitching is just sensasional.

[Jordan4life_2007]

You still need to be able to get a hit to score a run though, and we're 2 for our last 39 with RISP. Getz is a good example of a speed over production type hitter, and people already want him off the roster. On this home stand, we're getting killed by the long ball against our pitchers while we have a lineup with 4 or 5 players every game who won't hit double digit homers this season.

 

Well, yeah. That kinda goes without saying. Just saying there's nothing wrong with wanting more overall team speed.

[TitoMB345]

It's a good and bad thing on being in such a s***ty division. All this we are awful talk and were still only what 3.5/4.5 games out? It's good that hey, we can still win this, but probably get embarrased come the playoffs unless everyone really hits during that time, or if the pitching is just sensasional.

I really don't know if it's gonna be a good thing if we end up in first before the end of the month. I think Kenny is gonna go gung-hoe for the division, trade the farm for some guys, and we'll end up with an empty farm system again and some old veteran to be paying off for the next 3-4 years. If we keep losing, maybe he'll unload some of these vets, and truly just turn the team over.

[Jordan4life_2007]

It's a good and bad thing on being in such a s***ty division. All this we are awful talk and were still only what 3.5/4.5 games out? It's good that hey, we can still win this, but probably get embarrased come the playoffs unless everyone really hits during that time, or if the pitching is just sensasional.

 

It's bad because you're deluded into thinking you're a contender when you're really not. The last true contending team we had was in 2006.

 

[fathom]

We're simply not that good.

 

It's what happens when you do nothing in the offseason except try to improve your AA squad. I think it was you who said it so well, in the bottom of the 8th today, we had two straight players bat as the tying run that are only in the majors due to their fielding ability. It's sad when even Eric Wedge can figure out that he'd rather leave a struggling lefty in to face Anderson/Nix than to bring in a superior pitcher but not get to face those guys.

[TheBlackSox8]

Individual oriented offense at the moment....not team oriented. Everyone wants to be the one to get the big hit, and most of the time it's a homer, because no one is ever on base. See nothing but pop-outs and weak choppers to the left side.

 

 

 

[qwerty]

You still need to be able to get a hit to score a run though, and we're 2 for our last 39 with RISP. Getz is a good example of a speed over production type hitter, and people already want him off the roster. On this home stand, we're getting killed by the long ball against our pitchers while we have a lineup with 4 or 5 players every game who won't hit double digit homers this season.

 

Historically (this past decade) the sox are a very good hitting team with RISP, contrary to the belief here. One of the problems is the following.

 

2000- Fourth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

2001- Twenty fourth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

2002- Twentieth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

2003- Twenty eighth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

2004- Twenty ninth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

2005- Thirtieth most at-bats with RISP in the majors (the offense clearly was not good all season, which will of course be overlooked due to the pitcher we recieved that season... grindy!)

 

2006- Twenty sixth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

2007- Thirtieth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

2008- Twenty eighth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

2009- Twenty fourth most at-bats with RISP in the majors.

 

In any given season, the league leader has any where between two and three hundred more at-bat than the white sox with RISP.

 

The yankees who hit 200+ homers 8 seasons in a row from 2000 through 2007 (the sox hit 200+ 7 seasons in a row from 2000 through 2006) have been in the top third of baseball 7 times, if you count this year. Fairly similar teams also in the runs scored department during that time span.

Edited June 8, 2009 by qwerty

[joejoesox]

Bring up Jordan Danks, I mean why not at this point, you brought up Beckham. Might as well start the train

[lostfan]

Inconsistent OBP. When's the last time we actually had something passable at leadoff... yeah people will tell you "leadoff is the most overrated position in baseball" but that's such a half-assed statement. Last year we had Cabrera up there, and he was very up and down, but mostly down. He had 2 good months there - June and September, the rest of the time he was horses***. We tried Swisher and his knack for OBP there, that worked for a few days, but he ended up falling on his face. The 2 spot was no better, AJ was our best option and that was a joke (.307 OBP hitting 2nd). It's a wonder Carlos managed to get as many RBIs as he did in '08. 2007 was... well, I don't have to go into 2007, we know what happened there.

 

We've had decent OBP from the middle of the lineup. TCQ, Thome, Dye (usually), even Konerko manages to put up a passable OBP even when he's bad. After that there isn't much left. Definitely not AJ or Ramirez, not so much Anderson - he is capable of drawing walks but it's irrelevant if he can't hit, same with Fields. Getz has a .310 OBP right now but he projects higher than that if he ever adjusts. Pods MAY put up a .340 OBP this year (doubtful if he slugs anywhere near .400, by the way) in the leadoff spot and that has some people here giddy. Last year, we had Crede and Uribe still on this team, both were barely .300 OBP type players. And I won't even bring up Wise.

 

Bottom line: this lineup makes a lot of outs, and doesn't give the guys who can slug very many chances to drive in runs.

[BearSox]

You still need to be able to get a hit to score a run though, and we're 2 for our last 39 with RISP. Getz is a good example of a speed over production type hitter, and people already want him off the roster. On this home stand, we're getting killed by the long ball against our pitchers while we have a lineup with 4 or 5 players every game who won't hit double digit homers this season.

 

What's wrong with having a balance? No one is stupid enough to want a team of slap hitting speedsters, but is it that crazy to want a speedy leadoff hitter, and some more speed down in the order? The thing is though, they have to be decent hitters as well.

 

I could see an 8-9 of Beckham and Danks next year, and while they both have some pop, they each have very good speed.

[knightni]

They aren't bad. Just inconsistent.

 

You want bad?

 

Look at the 1970 team overall.

 

You want bad?

 

Look at the batting averages of the 1967 team.

 

You want bad?

 

Look at the pitching staff of the 1989 team.

 

The leading power hitter in '89 had 14 hr 87 rbi.

[witesoxfan]

It's bad because you're deluded into thinking you're a contender when you're really not. The last true contending team we had was in 2006.

 

That doesn't even begin to register with me. They won the division last year, how is that not a "true contending team?"

[hogan873]

I think it's more inconsistency than anything. True this is not a great team, but it's a team that can (and should) compete in the lousy AL Central. A 5-1 road trip, which included a trip to Anaheim and a sweep of KC leads to a so far horrendous home stand complete with two shutouts? The team has shown that they can play and have even looked very good at times. But when they are bad, they are VERY bad.

 

I'm not sure the inconsistent play will go away, but I can hope.

[ThunderBolt]

We felt the need to turn a good station to station offense into a proto-small ball team. It doesn't work. There is no middle ground.

[lostfan]

We felt the need to turn a good station to station offense into a proto-small ball team. It doesn't work. There is no middle ground.

The station to station hitters we lost: Joe Crede, Juan Uribe.

[ThunderBolt]

The station to station hitters we lost: Joe Crede, Juan Uribe.

Swisher. We added Getz, Lillibridge, Wise (late last year), ETC. bunting and stealing can't be a priority with our current lineup, not until the old core is gone. Ideally, we'd be OBP oriented team.

Edited June 8, 2009 by Thunderbolt