Are the White Sox relevant? Is 2007-itis setting in?

[Jordan4life_2007]

caulfield could you please stop with your daily doom and gloom threads? We all know the team is struggling, everyone is pissed. We dont need you showing every single connection to every single sox team that struggled in the past 50 years, every day.

 

Not to mention that I'm sure most people stop reading after, like, the 5th paragraph.

[Jordan4life_2007]

It's mid April and this board is pretty much a ghost town. There's hardly any conversation going on in the Pale Hose Forum and he happens to be a very good writer that I enjoy reading. Should we only allow people to post who are complete cheerleaders? If so, the board will go days without any activity.

 

He created this thread 4 hours before this one. http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77203

 

He could've went on another one of his long-winded rants in this one. Why create another one? Kyle is dead-on.

[caulfield12]

If it helps, I'll pull an Ozzie.

 

I am personally responsible for everything that's happened this season with the White Sox.

 

Fire away with all your complaints...I can take it.

 

Let's start our own FORUM...why I hate caulfield. If it makes you feel better to vent, be my guest.

 

If you're a member of the Tea Party, please attack me as well. Because that will make everything better in the world, to have someone to blame for all of the problems of the world. I guess it works for some.

Edited April 22, 2010 by caulfield12

[JorgeFabregas]

[BigSqwert]

Not to mention that I'm sure most people stop reading after, like, the 5th paragraph.

Threads that are not well received and commented on get buried rather quickly in a message board. But feel free to continue to bash a particular poster you don't care for.

[witesoxfan]

Give me a good reason to feel optimistic, then I'll stop...I guess everyone can just tune out and stop caring.

 

Probably what will happen to most posters here if this season continues like this...the only thing to be excited about will be trade threads and following the minor leagues. That's okay I guess.

 

If you want me to stop being honest, maybe I should stop posting altogether.

 

I looked through all the past White Sox teams because I really WANTED to find a reason to believe. It's just that there is very little in our club history to support that belief, unfortunately.

 

From April 17 to May 5th during the 2008 season, the White Sox went from 9-6 to 14-17. That's a record of 5-11 during a 16 game stretch. That's a rough stretch early in the season that is 1 game worse then the one the Sox are currently on, and that team won 89 games and a division title. That offense really wasn't any better or much different, and they were just fine.

 

Sit down, relax, and enjoy baseball. It does take about 40-60 games to determine how good a team really is. I'm not about to say that everything will fix itself, but we don't know what this team is or is not capable of completely yet.

 

 

[iamshack]

From April 17 to May 5th during the 2008 season, the White Sox went from 9-6 to 14-17. That's a record of 5-11 during a 16 game stretch. That's a rough stretch early in the season that is 1 game worse then the one the Sox are currently on, and that team won 89 games and a division title. That offense really wasn't any better or much different, and they were just fine.

 

Sit down, relax, and enjoy baseball. It does take about 40-60 games to determine how good a team really is. I'm not about to say that everything will fix itself, but we don't know what this team is or is not capable of completely yet.

Wow, thank you for finding that Blake.

 

I just don't understand how so many of you guys can really believe that you have seen enough of this team to make any sort of accurate judgment of what they are capable of.

 

It's certainly not the start we were all looking for, but I definitely see some signs that this can be a good ballclub.

 

So we're in a hole! We're just going to have to dig ourselves out!

[ThunderBolt]

Guys, cool off. Of course the White Sox are relevant. We live and die by this team.

[jamesdiego]

Even though it was all doom & gloom, it was still a good read Caufield. But this is a good team, they just need more time to gel. Hopefully that meeting last night would do them good, Beck's seemed to like what was said by Oz. Can't get any worse than last night, maybe that was their bottom.

[caulfield12]

From April 17 to May 5th during the 2008 season, the White Sox went from 9-6 to 14-17. That's a record of 5-11 during a 16 game stretch. That's a rough stretch early in the season that is 1 game worse then the one the Sox are currently on, and that team won 89 games and a division title. That offense really wasn't any better or much different, and they were just fine.

 

Sit down, relax, and enjoy baseball. It does take about 40-60 games to determine how good a team really is. I'm not about to say that everything will fix itself, but we don't know what this team is or is not capable of completely yet.

 

 

Fair enough.

 

I forgot about that stretch.

 

Although I will respectfully disagree with you about the offense, because Quentin was the best hitter in baseball for five months. Alexei hit how many Grand Slams and carried the team on his back for 2-3 months in the middle of the season. Then you add in Thome, Dye, Konerko....I don't have the numbers in front of me for respective RPG, but I would be shocked if we match that offense unless Andruw Jones and Quentin both hit 30-40 homers.

 

This bullpen is more talented, but that one was more effective to go along with the awesome starting pitching that carried the team through the offensive struggles in the first half.

 

 

 

 

[Kyyle23]

Fair enough.

 

I forgot about that stretch.

 

Although I will respectfully disagree with you about the offense, because Quentin was the best hitter in baseball for five months. Alexei hit how many Grand Slams and carried the team on his back for 2-3 months in the middle of the season. Then you add in Thome, Dye, Konerko....I don't have the numbers in front of me for respective RPG, but I would be shocked if we match that offense unless Andruw Jones and Quentin both hit 30-40 homers.

 

This bullpen is more talented, but that one was more effective to go along with the awesome starting pitching that carried the team through the offensive struggles in the first half.

 

 

On this date in 2008, Carlos Quentin was hitting .241 with 4 homeruns, 10 RBI, 10BB

 

It wasnt like he was carrying the team at that point. And Alexei wasnt mister grand slam until the weather warmed up and he was put in the lineup permanently

[BigSqwert]

Both good points Kyle.

[Soxbadger]

To answer your question:

 

The White Sox are relevant to me, therefore they are relevant.

 

I dont care what other people think, im not a fan because its cool or because it makes all the women want me.

 

Maybe this will cull the herd. Pre2005 the Sox werent very relevant, but this board had some great baseball discussion.

 

Oh the days where Soxtalk was filled with rainbows, sunshine and optimism.

[iamshack]

On this date in 2008, Carlos Quentin was hitting .241 with 4 homeruns, 10 RBI, 10BB

 

It wasnt like he was carrying the team at that point. And Alexei wasnt mister grand slam until the weather warmed up and he was put in the lineup permanently

I think what Caufield is saying is that he doesn't think those guys are going to repeat those performances, which were two of the reasons why that team went on to win 89 games.

 

Not saying I agree or disagree, just making a clarification.

[fathom]

On this date in 2008, Carlos Quentin was hitting .241 with 4 homeruns, 10 RBI, 10BB

 

It wasnt like he was carrying the team at that point. And Alexei wasnt mister grand slam until the weather warmed up and he was put in the lineup permanently

 

IIRC, he wasn't playing every day. As a matter of fact, I know he leadoff one of those games.

[caulfield12]

I think what Caufield is saying is that he doesn't think those guys are going to repeat those performances, which were two of the reasons why that team went on to win 89 games.

 

Not saying I agree or disagree, just making a clarification.

 

 

I think Rios will be fine. AJ also SHOULD come back to his averages...but he is getting to that age for catchers, you never know when you're in your 30's.

 

What is required for Quentin and Ramirez to be as good as they were in 2008. And for Pierre and Beckham to wake up, too. Almost everything has to go right, as we said before the season.

 

But who on this team is capable of putting up Quentin May-August 2008 numbers?

 

There's only Carlos himself, Beckham and Andruw Jones that fit into that category.

 

 

[caulfield12]

IIRC, he wasn't playing every day. As a matter of fact, I know he leadoff one of those games.

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, he not only led off, but he was playing CF, I think against the Indians.

Edited April 22, 2010 by caulfield12

[NorthSideSox72]

Fair enough.

 

I forgot about that stretch.

 

Although I will respectfully disagree with you about the offense, because Quentin was the best hitter in baseball for five months. Alexei hit how many Grand Slams and carried the team on his back for 2-3 months in the middle of the season. Then you add in Thome, Dye, Konerko....I don't have the numbers in front of me for respective RPG, but I would be shocked if we match that offense unless Andruw Jones and Quentin both hit 30-40 homers.

 

This bullpen is more talented, but that one was more effective to go along with the awesome starting pitching that carried the team through the offensive struggles in the first half.

That bullpen was more effective?

 

2008 Bullpen ERA: 4.13

 

2010 Bullpen ERA: 2.42

 

This bullpen is flat out better, no contest, at this point in 2010. No idea where you get that the 2008 one was somehow "more effective".

 

[iamshack]

But who on this team is capable of putting up Quentin May-August 2008 numbers?

 

There's only Carlos himself, Beckham and Andruw Jones that fit into that category.

Well that's three guys you named...and while I am not sure I agree with you about anyone other than Quentin being capable of that, if your argument is that we have three guys capable of it, I don't think there are too many teams that have more than three guys capable of putting up MVP numbers.

 

I feel like we just need to get on a little roll and the offense will be fine. The starting pitching thus far has been very underwhelming, which isn't the worst thing that can happen. These guys have track records; they will bounce back. Once they do, we'll worry more about the offense. But as of right now, I don't know that it really matters a whole lot what we are hitting if our SP is going to be this inconsistent.

[fathom]

That bullpen was more effective?

 

2008 Bullpen ERA: 4.13

 

2010 Bullpen ERA: 2.42

 

This bullpen is flat out better, no contest, at this point in 2010. No idea where you get that the 2008 one was somehow "more effective".

 

Let's wait a whole year before we claim this bullpen is better. That bullpen was amazing during the first half of the year with Linebrink being untouchable.

[iamshack]

Let's wait a whole year before we claim this bullpen is better. That bullpen was amazing during the first half of the year with Linebrink being untouchable.

The same goes for 07'. I remember they basically were untouchable until Aardsma gave up that homer to Thames in the 3rd game of the series in Detroit, when we were going for the sweep. After that, it was all downhill.

 

Our bullpens tend to start getting touched up once the weather starts warming.

[fathom]

The same goes for 07'. I remember they basically were untouchable until Aardsma gave up that homer to Thames in the 3rd game of the series in Detroit, when we were going for the sweep. After that, it was all downhill.

 

Our bullpens tend to start getting touched up once the weather starts warming.

 

Ugh, things were rolling along until that 2 out home run. Like you said, the season went downhill from there.

 

With all this being said, seeing a lineup like today's just magnifies how bad we are right now.

[caulfield12]

Or magnifies how desperate Ozzie is to shake things up and is now simply grasping at straws while sitting two of our best hitters, Rios and Beckham.

 

It's like he takes darts and just throws them against the wall to see what sticks.

 

Once again, Jayson Nix is irrelevant on this roster. If Pierre's not getting on, what the heck can Vizquel do in the 2 spot? At least Jayson has some pop and can occasionally go on a hot streak if he got some regular playing time.

Edited April 22, 2010 by caulfield12

[NorthSideSox72]

Let's wait a whole year before we claim this bullpen is better. That bullpen was amazing during the first half of the year with Linebrink being untouchable.

That's why I said at this point. Also, the 2008 pen had a 5.47 ERA 2nd half, and a much better 2.81 1st half. So this one, so far, is even better than that. Point is, to say the 2008 pen was "more effective" makes no sense.

 

[iamshack]

Ugh, things were rolling along until that 2 out home run. Like you said, the season went downhill from there.

 

With all this being said, seeing a lineup like today's just magnifies how bad we are right now.

Not that I want to parrot Ranger here, but I have a feeling tonight's game is not going to come down to Kotsay and Vizquel, but instead, whether or not Peavy can get it done again.