And that's a White Sox season!

[kitekrazy]

The White Sox are not mentally tough.

 

What is mentally tough?

 

[kitekrazy]

Ramirez will have 60 errors at shortstop without a good defensive first baseman

 

He'll suck with Teahan at 3rd as well.

 

[SoxAce]

The Twins know how to assemble and manage a baseball team. They're proven time and time again that this isn't luck, this is just a quality approach to running a baseball organization.

 

This. Not to mention it seems they hustle on groundball outs (I remember Span, I think it was Span was benched for not running out a grounder, something we see most of our players not doing) they don't beat themselves with errors too often, they don't run into outs and know the situation on when to bunt and when not to bunt, etc.. etc.. They play the game of baseball beautifully.

 

[kitekrazy]

This. Not to mention it seems they hustle on groundball outs (I remember Span, I think it was Span was benched for not running out a grounder, something we see most of our players not doing) they don't beat themselves with errors too often, they don't run into outs and know the situation on when to bunt and when not to bunt, etc.. etc.. They play the game of baseball beautifully.

 

 

Is this the same guy that also played too shallow in CF a few years back?

[Butter Parque]

I think the white sox have played harder than they have in years past, but I never like a team that comes into games already defeated. You can't tell me that one player on that team actually thinks that they will beat the twins on a given night. That's why, as much as I like them, maybe getting rid of guys like Konerko, Buehrle, AJP and Jenks will turn over a new leaf in the locker room. The team just needs to go in a different direction and you can;'t tell me that going into next season anyone on the team will actually believe that they can beat the twins. It's an uphill battle

Edited September 17, 2010 by Butter Parque

[South Side Fireworks Man]

This. Not to mention it seems they hustle on groundball outs (I remember Span, I think it was Span was benched for not running out a grounder, something we see most of our players not doing) they don't beat themselves with errors too often, they don't run into outs and know the situation on when to bunt and when not to bunt, etc.. etc.. They play the game of baseball beautifully.

Yet they perform worse than the Cubs do in the playoffs....

 

It's a little peculiar to me that a team that repeatedly drilled Sox hitters throughout the season, took a cheap shot at the Sox' catcher and has beaten the Sox numerous times over the years on some of the luckiest breaks and flukiest plays imagineable is being drooled over on a White Sox message board on the same night they just intentionally hit our MVP in the face with a pitch.

 

It's bad enough our TV announcer and our manager can't stop fawning over them whenever the Sox are about to face them. Maybe that's why the Sox never beat them -- they're mentally beaten before they begin every series against them.

[kitekrazy]

I think the white sox have played harder than they have in years past, but I never like a team that comes into games already defeated. You can't tell me that one player on that team actually thinks that they will beat the twins on a given night. That's why, as much as I like them, maybe getting rid of guys like Konerko, Buehrle, AJP and Jenks will turn over a new leaf in the locker room. The team just needs to go in a different direction and you can;'t tell me that going into next season anyone on the team will actually believe that they can beat the twins. It's an uphill battle

 

How about beating the Royals, Indians and Orioles? I could care less if they beat the Twins or not as long as they have the most wins in the division.

Buehrle has a winning record against the Twins.

 

Floyd has gotten worse. Danks might be more of a victim of losing to the Twins before he steps on the mound.

 

 

[Butter Parque]

We are mentally beaten, and that's a credit to the twins. They kick our ass, take our names and probably laugh at us in the locker room afterward. It's up to the sox to change that.

[kitekrazy]

It's bad enough our TV announcer and our manager can't stop fawning over them whenever the Sox are about to face them. Maybe that's why the Sox never beat them -- they're mentally beaten before they begin every series against them.

 

I doubt it.

 

[South Side Fireworks Man]

We are mentally beaten, and that's a credit to the twins. They kick our ass, take our names and probably laugh at us in the locker room afterward. It's up to the sox to change that.

It's not a credit to the Twins, it's a fault of the Sox. But as a Sox fan, I'm not about to congratulate a team that intentionally drills our hitters, high fives their thug outfielder for taking a cheap shot at our catcher, then laughs at us in the locker room. Especially after they just hit our MVP in the face.

 

I hope they get crushed in the playoffs again -- just like they always do, the losers.

Edited September 17, 2010 by South Side Fireworks Man

[SoxAce]

Yet they perform worse than the Cubs do in the playoffs....

 

Like the Cubs make it to the playoffs damn near every near.. not to mention the Cubs don't play that team thats won like 27 World titles every year they do get in. I wouldn't compare a team that has actually won a World Series since many here have been alive to one who hasn't won one since about 95% of the population wasn't even a thought. I'll be interested to see how they do this year. There's a very good chance they could very well play the Rays in the first round for once.

[greg775]

It's not a credit to the Twins, it's a fault of the Sox. But as a Sox fan, I'm not about to congratulate a team that intentionally drills our hitters, high fives their thug outfielder for taking a cheap shot at our catcher, then laughs at us in the locker room. Especially after they just hit our MVP in the face.

 

I hope they get crushed in the playoffs again -- just like they always do, the losers.

 

Did they laugh at us in the locker room? If that's true, then I root against them.

Otherwise I was thinking I'd like a Reds-Twins WS.

But if they are laughing at us, f*** them. What goes round, comes round.

Thome should put a stop to the laughing. He played for us and got cheered by our fans a lot.

[FlaSoxxJim]

The Twins regularly and predictably look like WS contenders during the regular season, and they invariably muff it in the postseason. As unstoppable as they have looked the second half I don't expect anything different from them this year, and right now I'm not sure how I feel about that.

 

I can at least be semi-excited that my wife and kids will have October baseball with the Rays.

[TheBigHurt]

And when this ball comes down this White Sox season is OVAAAA!

[T R U]

We should hire their hitting and pitching coaches. Might be a start to break up their little dynasty.

 

Its hard to have a dynasty when you never win anything important..

[kitekrazy]

Did they laugh at us in the locker room?

 

I doubt it. That's fans' misconception that big league ball players treat opposing teams like high school rivalries.

They are probably more relieved that it's a lot more difficult for that same team to come back again when they were 9 out early in the season.

[RockRaines]

I like how the perception now is that our team didnt want it or wasnt mentally tough. ON their climb back into this thing I dont think I've seen a more mentally tough team wearing the Sox uni in awhile. Yes they fell short, but it wasnt their mental state or their desire, it was the fact they sat on their asses in slumps for 2 months while every other team actually played baseball.

[NorthSideSox72]

Honestly, out of all the times we've lost to the Twins in the decade (not counting the Tigers), I can honestly say this was the year that they are just a way better team (on paper and on the field) than we were. The fact that most of us on this board here called that when spring training didn't even start! That was mind boggling. I thought Nathan going down would be bad for them getting those last 3 outs, but of course, the usual Twins way, they find a way to get the job done (same with Justin going down, boom, Thome carries the load lost from him). We all knew their offense was far superior. I was of the few here that knew Liriano was gonna do well in year 2 of TJ. (told ya wite ) I didn't think Pavano would be this good (though there was a couple posters here that warned us, especially Ranger, that he was very underrated) We all knew their bullpen was really good, it was the other SP that we weren't too sure about. They all clicked in typical Twins fashion, and boom, here they are with another playoff appearance. In a way, I actually hope they can find a way to win the W.S. for more reasons than one (makes our org. wake the f*** up hopefully, no more posters here saying, oh they have own this division in this decade like the 90s Braves, i.e. poor man's version of them, but the 90s Braves do have that one world series win and the Twins don't etc.. etc..) Might be one of the only times they have a chance to play the Rays in the first round, which is a much better match-up for them, and we'll see from there.

 

Other than the continuing mild obsession with predictions (), this is a very good post. I'm pissed about some things the Sox did this year, that includes players and managers. But its really worth noting that this Twins team is on track to win more games than any ALC team has since 2005.

 

 

I like how the perception now is that our team didnt want it or wasnt mentally tough. ON their climb back into this thing I dont think I've seen a more mentally tough team wearing the Sox uni in awhile. Yes they fell short, but it wasnt their mental state or their desire, it was the fact they sat on their asses in slumps for 2 months while every other team actually played baseball.

 

There have been seasons, as recently as last year, where I felt the team lacked some drive or desire. This year, no way. This team fought back in more games than I remember any Sox team doing since 2005, even games that seemed hopeless, they made closer. This team did not have a problem with mental toughness, that was not the issue.

 

[klaus kinski]

We went out and won the first seven games of a do or die road trip and gained virtually nothing. If they mentally ran out of gas, thats where it was. I do think our manager was intimidated by them and we dont know what was said in our locker room, but we were bullied by this team and never saw any inclination to push back-if for nothing else, but their own self-esteem for next year.

[LittleHurt05]

I like how the perception now is that our team didnt want it or wasnt mentally tough. ON their climb back into this thing I dont think I've seen a more mentally tough team wearing the Sox uni in awhile. Yes they fell short, but it wasnt their mental state or their desire, it was the fact they sat on their asses in slumps for 2 months while every other team actually played baseball.

 

Well said. Yeah the Twins beat up the Sox after the break, but its not cause the Sox just laid down. The Twins are 32-13 against the rest of the majors since the break, they are just a buzzsaw right now that is beating everyone. Just time to tip your cap to the better baseball team.

[soxrwhite]

I'm angry but not a poor loser. Congratulations to the Minnesota Twins. They overcame their own adversity and really turned it on in the second half. With out Morneau! Having said that I hope they go three and out in the first round!!

[Balta1701]

Floyd has gotten worse. Danks might be more of a victim of losing to the Twins before he steps on the mound.

John Danks is simply a poor matchup against the Twins; his changeup makes him harder against righties when it's working and the Twins lefties always hurt him.

 

There's really no sense in which Gavin Floyd has gotten worse. Just like last year...he's a good April and May away from walking away with the Cy Young award. His ERA is well under 3 since his last crappy start on June 2 where he didn't last 3 innings...just like last year.

[elrockinMT]

I'm hoping Joquain Phoenix on Letterman provides much needed comic relief. From one train wreck to another . . .

 

 

He was a farce also

[Steve9347]

The Twins are 42-16 since the break.

 

You can't win em all, tip your cap to the f***ing insane-o-twins.

[BigEdWalsh]

Alright, I hate the Twins. That said, I hope they win the f***ing World Series. I'm one of those idiots that always want the AL to win and I don't want the Yankees winning yet another. Another (rare) World Series win for the AL Central. Hate 'em all you want, they're good, way better than the White Sox...sad as that is.