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We can't win the division with the 4/5 pitchers we have


chisoxfan09
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Not on the ledge ready to jump but I can't for the life of me see us going into September relying on Contreras/Colon to be the 4/5 starter and win the division, just ain't gonna happen. If Richard gets back on track I agree he could be a suitable number 5. So unless KW pulls a rabbit out of the hat in the coming week before the deadline I think our upcoming schedule is gonna break us instead of make us. JR has gotta let KW spend some money and go after a proven number 1/2 after the season or at the winter meetings if we do not pick up another frontline starter. I don't see us at all in the Halladay sweepstakes anymore and agree we just don't have the prospects to do it.

But I think everyone will agree the scrap heap experiment with Colon/Contreras has passed and it is time for manegement to really address this. If they don't then it will go down as a rebuilding year for me and one where they were not serious about contending. Buerhle/Danks/Floyd are a good 1-2-3 but they cannot do it alone (Just wish Ozzie/KW would come out and say it if it is true). The holes in center and potentially 3rd base are another thread all together. I won't mind getting flamed at all but I have been wanting KW to do something about this all year (I am even wondering if Sweaty Freddie could be an option). Let's just hope he listens to all of us and surprises us with an under the radar deal to strengthen at least the number 4 slot. Otherwise it ain't lookin good no matter how many brilliant perfect games Buerhle pitches. And there is no way we pick up the Wild Card this year. Teams are just too strong in the AL East and West.

 

Thoughts??

Edited by chisoxfan09
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Over the past two months since Contreras' returned, his ERA is under 3 in with a K/BB over 4. Doesn't seem right to end the 'experiment' with that record. Not sure what more you could want from your 4th starter

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Well, our offense was only hitting .241 at home...pretty hard to win any division when you don't have a clear home field advantage like we did last year.

 

This team might end up potentially better (with a healthy Quentin) and the line-up (minus clutch hitting today) has been firing since Beckham and Pods injected life....but there have to be huge red flags now with the bullpen and back of the rotation...although Contreras, Colon, Richard and Torres all had good outings recently.

 

 

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QUOTE (TheOcho @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 01:20 AM)
Both starters performed well enough to deserve a win today. It'll be hard to win the division with lack of fundementals and clutch hitting.

Yea,the offense stunk...they totally let Verlander off the hook in the early innings of game 1 especially...

 

Then again,it's all Wise' fault!!

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I'm sick of ozzie trying to fit a square peg(bunting / small ball / hit and run) into a round hole (power and the make up of some of our hitters).

 

And even though he hasn't said anything lately i despise the way he handles rookies.

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I'm sick of ozzie trying to fit a square peg(bunting / small ball / hit and run) into a round hole (power and the make up of some of our hitters).

 

And even though he hasn't said anything lately i despise the way he handles rookies.

 

It seems all of you guys are saying it is more a matter of the hitting and not the pitching? But the defense woes have also hurt us. I try to understand the errors at SS/3rd with both Slayer and Alexei playing out of position but the pitching is what concerns me most. Yeah the hitting is also very problematic. Just not consistent enough then to put a real finger on it?

Edited by chisoxfan09
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The tigers have our number this year. We have most of the twins number, all of the indians, all of the royals, all of the rays, all of the dodgers, all of the angels. Thats all it is, the tigers match up with us better this year and we lose to them.

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QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 08:48 AM)
The tigers have our number this year. We have most of the twins number, all of the indians, all of the royals, all of the rays, all of the dodgers, all of the angels. Thats all it is, the tigers match up with us better this year and we lose to them.

Heading into yesterday's DH, the sox and Tigers were 4-4 vs. each other this year. The tigers lead the series 6-4 now. That's not exactly like the Twins of past years who ran circles around the sox.

 

The Tigers don't impress me all that much.

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Actually, the rotation isn't in that bad of shape. Contreras has been very solid since returning from AAA. He looked good yesterday, throwing strikes unlike his first start after the break. He's a very good #4 SP. Going forward, the sox #5 can probably be filled by one of Richard, Torres or Freddy. Colon isn't fooling anyone, even with his quality start yesterday.

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QUOTE (chisoxfan09 @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 01:45 AM)
It seems all of you guys are saying it is more a matter of the hitting and not the pitching? But the defense woes have also hurt us. I try to understand the errors at SS/3rd with both Slayer and Alexei playing out of position but the pitching is what concerns me most. Yeah the hitting is also very problematic. Just not consistent enough then to put a real finger on it?

 

 

Is it our scouting that's poor? Defensive positioning? Pitching against the defense?

 

Inge hit the ball where Alexei was playing Thames, and he played too far into the hole to get to a "routine" ball hit up the middle.

 

If Ramirez is overcompensating for not being able to go right as we as he moves and throws to the left, can anyone else play the position with more range, besides Nix? I'm sure if the team felt a huge benefit would accrue from Beckham at SS and Ramirez at 2B with Getz/Nix as back-ups, then you'd see a trade forcing a Wigginton/Mora/Kouzamanoff into that position for at least one or two years...or Fields playing everyday over there (again).

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If you would have told me before the game Colon would go 7 inning and give up 3 runs, I would be excited and would figure we would beat a rookie and win. Our offense failed us, not our starters.

 

A bigger concern to me is that Scott Linebrink cant get anyone out anymore and he keeps get thrown out there in the 8th inning.

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QUOTE (nastymasty21 @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 08:05 AM)
They need to sure up the bullpen somehow. Linebrink is god awful. Thornton is the only one I feel comfortable with. He failed last night, but what do you expect when he comes in to clean up linebrinks mess all the time. Its time to let Thornton start the 8th.

 

 

In other words, he is now officially your second best pitcher and starts the 8th (no matter what), which prevents him from coming on with runners on base...which always seems to cause him a hiccup, like Jenks in a tie game or blowout.

 

Heck, if Jenks doesn't get it back together (and he will be pressed these next few weeks by top competition)...we might have to use Thornton, Dotel or Pena as our closer.

 

With Jenks and Linebrink iffy, it's going to be tough. Every ALCD has its obvious and well-documented flaws though. For the Tigers:

 

1) Offense, offense, offense....Everett, Raburn, Thomas, Polanco, Ordonez all inconsistent or struggling, and Laird's a defense-first catcher

2) Bullpen

3) Back end of the rotation

4) Pitch counts/IP for Verlander, Jackson and Porcello

5) Carlos Guillen's again apparently healthy, BUT can he be a full-time DH without getting hurt again?

 

You'd have to think a healthy Jake Peavy approved trade and we take the division (along with healthy Quentin)...right now, the odds are about 20-25% Although having more road games than home games isn't as much of a concern as last year. But no GOP National Convention to send the Twins into a tailspin, either.

 

 

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QUOTE (nastymasty21 @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 08:05 AM)
They need to sure up the bullpen somehow. Linebrink is god awful. Thornton is the only one I feel comfortable with. He failed last night, but what do you expect when he comes in to clean up linebrinks mess all the time. Its time to let Thornton start the 8th.

I think that might be the plan if the Sox can get Sherrill. Thornton being the only lefty leaves Ozzie in a bind.

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QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 09:08 AM)
I didn't watch yesterday's game but it seems you're overreacting to Linebrink. In his last 8 appearances, he's given up 3 runs in 8.1 innings pitched, 2 of those coming in a 12-8 win and the other of course last night.

Have you looked at his WHIP in the last month? The guy has trouble getting the opposing team's bottom of the order out. He's been completely ineffective. He comes in to create a mess and leaves for someone else to clean it up.

Edited by BigSqwert
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QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 09:18 AM)
Have you looked at his WHIP in the last month? The guy has trouble getting the opposing team's bottom of the order out. He's been completely ineffective. He comes in to create a mess and leaves for someone else to clean it up.

 

That is called pulling an '05 version of Marte.

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QUOTE (knightni @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 11:27 AM)
They just need quicker hooks. Get into trouble in the 6th/7th - out immediately.

 

They aren't the same pitchers that they were 4 years ago.

 

The reason the starters are going longer is because the entire pen is suffering a meltdown lately. We have no one out there right now who gives us a better chance to win than the starter they would be replacing.

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QUOTE (Chet Lemon @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 11:21 AM)
That is called pulling an '05 version of Marte.

 

Difference is Marte was shortarming his pitches for some dumb reason. That and Ozzie mentally broke him down as he wasn't used to having an in your face manager. Notice how he went to Pittsburgh he got more relaxed. He went to New York, and it started over again.

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QUOTE (AWhiteSoxinNJ @ Jul 25, 2009 -> 06:16 AM)
Last night wasn't Jose/Colon's fault, its that the rest of the team decided not to show up from partying after the perfect game. Buehrle was right, the perfect game is going to be the worse thing that could have happen to this team.

I remember right after MB's no hitter in 07 thinking that that would launch the Sox into a good roll but it was all the opposite,they stunk the high heavens afterwards.

 

We were all excited going into a series vs a slumping Detroit with us having all the momentum...

hopefully we dont get swept :lolhitting

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QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 24, 2009 -> 11:29 PM)
Well, our offense was only hitting .241 at home...pretty hard to win any division when you don't have a clear home field advantage like we did last year.

 

Bingo! I can't say that I'm supremely confident in our #4/5 pitchers, but how about some freaking run support for these guys? The Sox have failed miserably to capitalize on mediocre pitching this season.

 

As for Contreras, he's been pretty effective since returning from his rehab stint. That leaves the #5 spot as the only real concern (to me, at least) at this point. And it's pretty difficult to find a team with a really solid #5 starter.

 

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