The #2 and #5 spots in the lineup...

[Balta1701]

About him being in great shape going into the 2009 season? Yeah. But he's been a mental basketcase since the 2007 season.

And it was said about him going into 2007 also.

[witesoxfan]

Gordon Beckham is a .270-to-.280 hitter until further notice. People already have him in the hall of fame, for some odd reason.

 

It is also not beyond the realm of possibility for Konerko or Andruw Jones to get a base bit.

 

That means there is a 27-28% chance that Pierre moves to atleast 2B with Beckham winding up on 1st due to a base hit with no outs for Quentin. It also means that there is probably a 34-36% chance that Pierre moves up to 2B and Beckham to 1B with a walk, HBP, or a hit. It also leaves somewhere right around a 40-42% chance that either Beckham is retired at 1B with Pierre ending up on 2B or Pierre is retired at 2B with Beckham at 1B, or any of the aforementioned situations. There's probably a 5% chance of a GIDP in that situation. I'll take my chances, assuming Beckham is only a .270-.280 hitter.

 

But here's the best part. Rafael Perez throws with his left hand...this is the constant debate - "Pierre shouldn't have stolen because Perez has a balk-ish type move to 1B and Pierre may have gotten thrown out." Beckham hit .318/.372/.518/.890 against left handed pitching last year. You are seriously going to look me in the internet-eye and say it was the right move to bunt Beckham when he hit lefties at a strong .320 clip last year? That's about the equivalent of bunting with Jim Thome or Jermaine Dye in that situation. That's absolutely insane.

 

Gordon Beckham bunting at all is the wrong move because Gordon Beckham is a good hitter. Gordon Beckham bunting in the 9th against Rafael Perez when bunting isn't even going to get the runner on base to 3B with less than 2 outs is even more disasterous because it involves someone on the White Sox getting a hit (which they have proven in the early going they are not very good at, considering they have 8 hits in the last 18 innings). Gordon Beckham just should not bunt unless it is the most extreme of circumstances.

[hammerhead johnson]

For whatever reason, whether it was based on weight gains, laziness, boredom, depression, etc, Jones has sucked horrendously over his past 1200+ plate appearances.

 

From what I have seen and read since the beginning of March, it appears as though he has been somewhat rejuvenated. A .250 average is a very real possibility.

[WCSox]

Gordon Beckham bunting at all is the wrong move because Gordon Beckham is a good hitter. Gordon Beckham bunting in the 9th against Rafael Perez when bunting isn't even going to get the runner on base to 3B with less than 2 outs is even more disasterous because it involves someone on the White Sox getting a hit (which they have proven in the early going they are not very good at, considering they have 8 hits in the last 18 innings). Gordon Beckham just should not bunt unless it is the most extreme of circumstances.

 

Beckham is an eventual #3 hitter. But I don't think that he's ready for that role yet, and this OBP-depleted roster needs him hitting 2nd. So be prepared to be frustrated for at least this season, and possibly next season as well.

 

[hammerhead johnson]

That means there is a 27-28% chance that Pierre moves to atleast 2B with Beckham winding up on 1st due to a base hit with no outs for Quentin. It also means that there is probably a 34-36% chance that Pierre moves up to 2B and Beckham to 1B with a walk, HBP, or a hit. It also leaves somewhere right around a 40-42% chance that either Beckham is retired at 1B with Pierre ending up on 2B or Pierre is retired at 2B with Beckham at 1B, or any of the aforementioned situations. There's probably a 5% chance of a GIDP in that situation. I'll take my chances, assuming Beckham is only a .270-.280 hitter.

 

But here's the best part. Rafael Perez throws with his left hand...this is the constant debate - "Pierre shouldn't have stolen because Perez has a balk-ish type move to 1B and Pierre may have gotten thrown out." Beckham hit .318/.372/.518/.890 against left handed pitching last year. You are seriously going to look me in the internet-eye and say it was the right move to bunt Beckham when he hit lefties at a strong .320 clip last year? That's about the equivalent of bunting with Jim Thome or Jermaine Dye in that situation. That's absolutely insane.

 

Gordon Beckham bunting at all is the wrong move because Gordon Beckham is a good hitter. Gordon Beckham bunting in the 9th against Rafael Perez when bunting isn't even going to get the runner on base to 3B with less than 2 outs is even more disasterous because it involves someone on the White Sox getting a hit (which they have proven in the early going they are not very good at, considering they have 8 hits in the last 18 innings). Gordon Beckham just should not bunt unless it is the most extreme of circumstances.

 

All good points, but you still want to get that runner into scoring position with less than two outs, and bunting him over is the safest bet. That's all there is to it. Quentin walks, and then you need a base hit from either Konerko or Jones. That is your absolute best shot at getting a run.

[greg775]

Great thread.

I've thought more about the bunt.

If it was me, I'd be like Earl Weaver and just say managers should NEVER bunt. Just don't even make it an option, even in situations like last night where it's kind of called for in a tie game in the bottom of ninth.

However, being that Ozzie wants to bunt a lot and is going to bunt a lot, I have prepared myself mentally for A TON OF BUNTS this year.

For your sanity, shouldn't you all do the same?

[bmags]

When kalapse wasn't corrected last night... that was the shocker. Guy couldn't say a damn thing correct if he tried.

 

word.

[Milkman delivers]

A runner on 2B with two outs to work with, and all you need is a single. It's a chance worth taking. Maybe they walk Quentin, but Konerko is unbelievably hot at the moment.

 

They've been doing this since the 1860s. It's tried and true, yo.

 

.222 batting average after that last at-bat.

[hammerhead johnson]

k...i'm done.

 

k

 

Sorry man, had to bump this thread. I ain't letting y'all motherf***ers off the hook.

 

I'm still bunting with Beckham. Bite me.

[bmags]

I'll gladly take 2 HRs a game from Andruw Jones.

 

Did you notice that Pierre stole on a lefthander today? Shocking. That's unpossible.

[hammerhead johnson]

I'll gladly take 2 HRs a game from Andruw Jones.

 

Did you notice that Pierre stole on a lefthander today? Shocking. That's unpossible.

 

Chances were like a million to juan that something like that would happen, though.

 

But no, it's not exactly out of the question to steal on an LHP. I think that Perez just made me nervous.

 

Hey dun, I missed the game last night because I was watching the Bulls, but I see that Andruw Jones was a triple short of the cycle? What in the hell is going on? I just thought that he was somewhat rejuvenated, but this s*** is getting out of hand. I'm still not gonna pick him up in my fantasy leagues, though.

[Balta1701]

Chances were like a million to juan that something like that would happen, though.

 

But no, it's not exactly out of the question to steal on an LHP. I think that Perez just made me nervous.

 

Hey dun, I missed the game last night because I was watching the Bulls, but I see that Andruw Jones was a triple short of the cycle? What in the hell is going on? I just thought that he was somewhat rejuvenated, but this s*** is getting out of hand. I'm still not gonna pick him up in my fantasy leagues, though.

Don't get too excited just yet. His OPS last year on May 1 was 1.304.

[hammerhead johnson]

Don't get too excited just yet. His OPS last year on May 1 was 1.304.

 

And his OPS on May 1 of 2008 was a whopping .533.

 

I don't know what to think when I look at the stat sheet, so I'm just gonna use my eyes, and right now, it looks like he's having a lot of quality at bats.

 

Andruw Jones is truly a unique case.