SN: Sox Say No to Jim Thome

[Heads22]

The Twins don't plan to give Jim a ton of at bats as of now. Honestly, I see it as Matt Thornton's job to get him out late in a game.

[southsider2k5]

The Twins don't plan to give Jim a ton of at bats as of now. Honestly, I see it as Matt Thornton's job to get him out late in a game.

 

I like that match up already. High heat over the fists... over.

[witesoxfan]

Until of course, they save him until the 9th inning when Thornton has been pulled and Jenks is in

[Quin]

The fact that the Twins signed Jim makes me despise the rotating monstrosity even more.

 

I forget who said it, but it'll be hard to hear about the Twins small-ball when they out slug us by far.

[ThunderBolt]

The Twins don't plan to give Jim a ton of at bats as of now. Honestly, I see it as Matt Thornton's job to get him out late in a game.

Gardenhire just contradicted this. He says Thome's going to get his reps.

[caulfield12]

With Gomez gone, and Kubel's knee getting stronger each year after his major surgery, you'll see more of Kubel in the outfield because loading up that line-up with those four lefties is simply too tempting.

 

Especially if Delmon Young struggles like he did the first half of 2009.

 

He's never going to be a good defender, but he's not going to be Josh Fields or Viciedo out there either.

[NorthSideSox72]

Gardenhire just contradicted this. He says Thome's going to get his reps.

That's much more likely. No way they signed Thome just to be an occasional player. He'll get the bulk of DH at bats.

 

[southsider2k5]

The fact that the Twins signed Jim makes me despise the rotating monstrosity even more.

 

I forget who said it, but it'll be hard to hear about the Twins small-ball when they out slug us by far.

 

The Twins are turning into the Sox.

[Balta1701]

The Twins are turning into the Sox.

The guys who are regulars for us go to the Twins, the guys who bust go to K.C.

[Kyyle23]

While it stings a little bit that Thome went to the Twins, I dont think Thome is going to be the difference between the Sox and Twins this year. He is considered to be a bench player for them, just as he was to be(in our minds)for the Sox, and I am not going to worry about the eventual homerun he hits vs the Sox(mostly because he has already hit a ton of them vs the Sox), because a bench player does not change a season for many teams.

 

Like many people have said, the onus is on Ozzie this time, he asked for this type of team and he got it. he has his speedy leadoff hitter(even if he is in decline) and he has his versatile bench. If Ozzie is as dumb as many people think he is on this site, it will be a fail, and KW will not do this again. If Ozzie is as smart as few people on this site think he is, the Sox will surprise many and compete from day 1. I am of the belief that Ozzie is much smarter than people believe, but I am not going to argue my opinion with anyone, you have your right to yours as I do to mine.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

The Twins are turning into the Sox.

The Twins are continuing to build teams that fit their ballpark and you could see this coming all the way back to the Young-Garza trade, although that one didn't work out. But what a concept, huh?

[Balta1701]

The Twins are continuing to build teams that fit their ballpark and you could see this coming all the way back to the Young-Garza trade, although that one didn't work out. But what a concept, huh?

Fit their ballpark? Their new park is going to be similar to the new Yankee Stadium in RF?

[southsider2k5]

The Twins are continuing to build teams that fit their ballpark and you could see this coming all the way back to the Young-Garza trade, although that one didn't work out. But what a concept, huh?

 

Unless they got a second half Thome production because he doesn't seem to produce unless he plays full time.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

While it stings a little bit that Thome went to the Twins, I dont think Thome is going to be the difference between the Sox and Twins this year. He is considered to be a bench player for them, just as he was to be(in our minds)for the Sox, and I am not going to worry about the eventual homerun he hits vs the Sox(mostly because he has already hit a ton of them vs the Sox), because a bench player does not change a season for many teams.

 

Like many people have said, the onus is on Ozzie this time, he asked for this type of team and he got it. he has his speedy leadoff hitter(even if he is in decline) and he has his versatile bench. If Ozzie is as dumb as many people think he is on this site, it will be a fail, and KW will not do this again. If Ozzie is as smart as few people on this site think he is, the Sox will surprise many and compete from day 1. I am of the belief that Ozzie is much smarter than people believe, but I am not going to argue my opinion with anyone, you have your right to yours as I do to mine.

Thome alone may not be the difference, but he's going to make the Twins' already superior offense that much better.

 

Agree on Ozzie, but I fear that if this doesn't work (and I don't think it will) Kenny will be tempted to go back in the opposite direction again. We just need some damn balance. That's all.

[Balta1701]

Unless they got a second half Thome production because he doesn't seem to produce unless he plays full time.

He got a whopping 17 AB's for the Dodgers. At his regular pace, he would have just about been due for a single HR in that time. The difference between him putting up great numbers and putting up crappy numbers in 17 AB's is probably whether or not he got ahold of a single HR ball.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Fit their ballpark? Their new park is going to be similar to the new Yankee Stadium in RF?

They are playing outdoors now and the IF grass is going to deaden the ball more, and in summer it still does get pretty hot up there, so it makes sense for the Twins to continue moving away from the "grinder" types into more of a power + OBP team.

[southsider2k5]

He got a whopping 17 AB's for the Dodgers. At his regular pace, he would have just about been due for a single HR in that time. The difference between him putting up great numbers and putting up crappy numbers in 17 AB's is probably whether or not he got ahold of a single HR ball.

 

That's why I went with second half, instead of just his September numbers.

[caulfield12]

They are playing outdoors now and the IF grass is going to deaden the ball more, and in summer it still does get pretty hot up there, so it makes sense for the Twins to continue moving away from the "grinder" types into more of a power + OBP team.

 

 

Note to KW: We're not playing our home games at SAFECO or PetCo Park.

 

KW and Ozzie have given us the type of team that's constructed for Old Comiskey Park or the Metrodome...or one of those late 60's/early 70's "cookie cutter" artificial turf stadiums that became so prevalent in the NL.

 

Unfortunately, the Twins are better suited for their stadium than we are for ours, as is our pitching staff. I'm sure our team ERA would be down a full 0.5 RPG playing in our old stadium. Likewise, while it might be a good lesson for both of those overconfident guys to learn, it's going to come at the expense of the fans. I wish they would stop trying to prove how smart they are or "counterintuitive" and start concerning themselves about constructing an upper-tier AL offense.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Did I miss us being projected for the same amount of homers as last year? Because it sure sounds like we are going to hit about 100 homers this year.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Fit their ballpark? Their new park is going to be similar to the new Yankee Stadium in RF?

 

328 down the RF line

[caulfield12]

Upon learning that the Twins had signed Thome, Kenny Williams replied with a smirk ..... "All this has done is put the Twins in a better position to contend with us."

 

C'mon Kenny, I dare you to repeat those words this time. Double-dare.

 

You might have everyone believing that this year's squad roster is all on Ozzie's shoulders, but I'm not buying it. You are the "Commander-in-Chief" of the White Sox. The "buck stops with you," as Harry S. Truman used to say.

 

Hopefully you have a better response than Jones/Kotsay.

 

 

 

 

[caulfield12]

Did I miss us being projected for the same amount of homers as last year? Because it sure sounds like we are going to hit about 100 homers this year.

 

 

Great, the same team that was what, tied for last in the AL for OPS in the second half of the season?

 

That's not exactly reassuring.

 

And those predictions are predicated on a fully healthy Carlos Quentin, Gordon Beckham not having a sophomore slump, Alex Rios returning to form, Mark Teahen playing like an All-Star for a full season and Andruw Jones/Kotsay hitting 20-30 homers combined.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Great, the same team that was what, tied for last in the AL for OPS in the second half of the season?

 

That's not exactly reassuring.

 

And those predictions are predicated on a fully healthy Carlos Quentin, Gordon Beckham not having a sophomore slump, Alex Rios returning to form, Mark Teahen playing like an All-Star for a full season and Andruw Jones/Kotsay hitting 20-30 homers combined.

 

Now do the pitching... And I want to hear plenty of obscure names.

[Balta1701]

328 down the RF line

What are the power alleys like?

[caulfield12]

Now do the pitching... And I want to hear plenty of obscure names.

 

 

It doesn't matter if Hudson, Hynick, Torres, Nunez, Santeliz, Williams, Threets and Santos was our bullpen and our top four starters all had ERA's below 4.00, with an offense in the bottom quartile, we won't make the playoffs.