Twins vs Sox 7:10 Start---Liriano vs Danks

[fathom]

Reds/Rays would be the perfect World Series.

 

Reds/Rangers would be better. I don't like the Rays this year, for some reason.

[MexSoxFan#1]

Let me add that I hate the Twins but Thome is a good guy and he deserves a WS ring but they will most likely will choke in the postseason again.

[klaus kinski]

2 years after making the playoffs, we look like the Bears 2 years after the recent Super Bowl

[chiguy79]

Statistically, did we have the easiest interleague schedule in all of baseball? 12 games vs Cubs, Pirates, and Nats have to get us in the running.

 

Our strength of schedule is easiest in the AL (only easier schedules Brewers, Cubs, Reds) so before AJ and team pat themselves on the back for going >.500 with the seventh highest payroll in MLB they should keep it in perspective.

 

Also interesting is that most playoff bound teams are not high payroll teams (1,4,10,11,15,19,21,27), a number of our players are overpaid and haven't produced (Linebrink, Teahen, Jenks, AJP), and much of the roster are old castaways (Jones, Manny, Kotsay) so we are going to have to fill a lot of roster spots with youngsters or FAs, I would much rather see what we have in the minors than watch another year of Jones/Kotsay/Teahen, etc.

 

 

 

[caulfield12]

Well, we can cheer for Aaron Cunningham (now hitting .325), Jon Garland and Clayton Richard to hold off Uribe and Rowand, haha.

 

I really hope the Padres win that division...and to see Chapman become a star for Cincy in the post-season (Dusty's return to glory), definitely rooting for Atlanta over Philly, and likewise the Rangers and the Rays.

 

Anyone but the Yankees or Phillies.

Edited September 15, 2010 by caulfield12

[kitekrazy]

They deserved it. Let's go Reds!

 

BTW, Hudson pitched a great game tonight.

 

[chiguy79]

I will be cheering for any team not named the Yankees or Phillies.

[bobryansson]

So, with Hawk, Stone, Farmer, and, DJ all saying the same song about pitch selection and, now, in hindsight,knowing what doesn't work, will it change? AJ? Cooper? Pitchers? I really don't think Ozzie has anything to do with pitch selection.

[chiguy79]

I turned the f***ing game off when it was 6-3. I've tried to remain optimistic like most of us, or well...a lot of us. But, I'm not watching any more of this crap this year. Done. I'll still check the box scores but it pisses me off too much to watch.

 

Yep, time to go fishing...just need the heat to break in FL (still 90s and humid)

[kitekrazy]

I simply love baseball, but this is going to be a horrible offseason for me, cause it's going to take a while to look forward to seeing the Sox play again after this dysfunctional season.

 

 

The 25-5 was awesome, don't get me wrong.

 

I don't know how anyone thought this team was a 1st place/World Series calibre team back in February. Wasn't this team predicted to be a 3rd or 4th place team in the offseason?

[greg775]

They deserved it. Let's go Reds!

 

I hope the Twins beat the Reds. Keep it in the Midwest and have the Twins f***ing win it and maybe next year other teams will get fired up to play those dull pieces of s*** for a change.

[bobryansson]

And is Danks the newer Big-game Javier Vasquez? As I asked earlier, how many big games did he not pitch well?

[southsideirish71]

I think White Sox fans know better.

 

With the exception of one "lucky" post-season game (because of the coin flip, a rule later changed), that's the ONLY possible reason to have hope...but yet here we are with another late-season, second half home game against Minnesota "choking" it away with the bases loaded and the relievers blowing up in innings 7-9.

 

Its the same thing over and over and over.

 

Their game plan is simple. Throw lots of breaking pitches and pitch backwards. We get very aggressive and get ourselves out. When we get men on, throw breaking pitches and expand the zone.

 

Our game plan is the opposite. Throw lots of fastballs, because for some reason in all the years we have played them, we haven't figured out that they hit fastballs.

 

They catch the ball and play good defense. We pucker up and kick the ball.

 

They hit the cut off man, We over throw the ball and allow the trailers to get into scoring position.

 

They shorten up their stroke and make contact with men on. We swing from our heels and have no game plan. 3-1 and 0-2 are the same count as far as we are concerned.

 

They pound the zone with strikes, we like to get behind hitters. Because you know, no one is expecting a 2-0 fastball.

 

The twins run the bases aggressively. We run fast, sure into outs more than other teams, but we run fast.

 

 

[greg775]

I don't know how anyone thought this team was a 1st place/World Series calibre team back in February. Wasn't this team predicted to be a 3rd or 4th place team in the offseason?

 

Sort of true, but with Peavy, Danks, Floyd, Mark, and an alleged good bullpen, a lot of people thought we'd pitch our way to the title.

I was a little worred, however, with Teahen at third and Lexi at short with the weak arm in left. Remember Lexi was not nearly as good a defender heading into this season as he is now.

A lot of people thought our pitching would dominate, led by Peavy.

[fathom]

I hope the Twins beat the Reds. Keep it in the Midwest and have the Twins f***ing win it and maybe next year other teams will get fired up to play those dull pieces of s*** for a change.

 

Why the hell would anyone root for our rival to win it all? Also, I'd rather not watch the WS games in that pathetic, boring park

[caulfield12]

I think 78-84 wins was what the majority predicted, as Minnesota was clearly the favorite, with many picking Detroit second.

 

That said, after 90 games, we were in first place by 4 1/2 games and had the Twins reeling and on the ropes before Jenks choked the fourth game of that series away and that was the beginning of the end...followed by the loss to the Mariners that Jenks also blew the following series.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

And is Danks the newer Big-game Javier Vasquez? As I asked earlier, how many big games did he not pitch well?

Danks deserved to lose tonight.

[greg775]

Why the hell would anyone root for our rival to win it all? Also, I'd rather not watch the WS games in that pathetic, boring park

 

Easy. I actually listed 2 reasons why. Maybe you'd like to respond to them. Did you read my post?

[greg775]

And I third reason would be Thome.

I like him.

[knightni]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGXeXm0uMDo

[chiguy79]

I don't know how anyone thought this team was a 1st place/World Series calibre team back in February. Wasn't this team predicted to be a 3rd or 4th place team in the offseason?

 

I expect we will be picked 3/4th this offseason also, motivation hopefully.

 

I just have a feeling KW is a repeat of the subprime mortgage mess and we are going to have to pay for the "I want it now" mentality soon and the house of cards will be exposed and we are going to have some tough years...hopefully I am wrong and we have some good surprises out of the system...who knows I know I didn't expect a WS in 2005!

 

Hope springs eternal come February 2011!!

[bobryansson]

When did they get the new postgame set?

[caulfield12]

Its the same thing over and over and over.

 

Their game plan is simple. Throw lots of breaking pitches and pitch backwards. We get very aggressive and get ourselves out. When we get men on, throw breaking pitches and expand the zone.

 

Our game plan is the opposite. Throw lots of fastballs, because for some reason in all the years we have played them, we haven't figured out that they hit fastballs.

 

They catch the ball and play good defense. We pucker up and kick the ball.

 

They hit the cut off man, We over throw the ball and allow the trailers to get into scoring position.

 

They shorten up their stroke and make contact with men on. We swing from our heels and have no game plan. 3-1 and 0-2 are the same count as far as we are concerned.

 

They pound the zone with strikes, we like to get behind hitters. Because you know, no one is expecting a 2-0 fastball.

 

The twins run the bases aggressively. We run fast, sure into outs more than other teams, but we run fast.

 

The big change besides running into so many outs and caught stealings is sacrificing so many potential big innings by bunting runners over.

 

I knew as soon as I saw that Guillen was going to have Alexei (already with 2 hits) bunt the runners over to 2nd and 3rd that somehow the bases would end up loaded and we would inevitably fail to get them in.

 

That's been the formula all season long against Minnesota for the Sox.

 

[chiguy79]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGXeXm0uMDo

 

Excellent post, sad but appropriate and made me laugh.

[BigEdWalsh]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGXeXm0uMDo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8vINCq_IAI