4/7/11 - Sox vs. Rays - 1:10 (CSN)

[SouthsideDon48]

What an athletic play there by Santos!

I think his shortstop fielding experience came in handy.

[Rowand44]

My guess is that the Sox have won more games and had more playoff appearances between 2005-2011 than any other 6 year stretch in Sox history.

 

What do these numbers mean:

 

1983, 1993, 2000

 

Exactly.

To play devils advocate, I'd also be willing to bet that we've spent more money in that time frame than any other stretch in Sox history. Makes a big difference.

[TheBigHurt]

I don't know how you can fault Walker at all for anything last year; if anything, I give him credit for helping a team that had relatively no talent offensively into a middle of the pack offense.

 

It's like you are suggesting that he had nothing to do with Rios' surge in the first half, Pierzynski and Beckham's second halves, or Konerko's entire year, yet had everything to do with Omar Vizquel and Juan Pierre putting up mid .600 OPS's.

 

I have no qualms with Greg Walker at all. I don't think that you should either, but I will let you keep them if you so please.

 

No, that's not it. Don't get me wrong; some people think me to only point out faults and not give credit. Trust me, I HAVE given Walker/Ozzie credit for things in the past and still do... it's just that, to be realistic, it's easier to be observant and vocal about negatives than positives. Sad, but true.

[iamshack]

Hmph, turns out I was right, they just let EJax keep pitching.

And yet, you were so very wrong...

[Soxbadger]

No thats exactly the point.

 

Post 2005 is the most glorious time in White Sox history. They are spending money, trying to win. Yet there are fans out there complaining constantly about the management, the owner and the team.

 

[witesoxfan]

No, that's not it. Don't get me wrong; some people think me to only point out faults and not give credit. Trust me, I HAVE given Walker/Ozzie credit for things in the past and still do... it's just that, to be realistic, it's easier to be observant and vocal about negatives than positives. Sad, but true.

 

No I agree completely, it's very easy to look at the faults behind anything instead of focusing on the positives. I just don't think those faults, at this point in time, justify getting rid of Walker (obviously not right now, and probably not in the near future either).

 

I also think the players like him, which improves clubhouse chemistry. That's always an issue that comes up from those people who preach intangibles - and I am not one of them - but just as in an office setting, it's going to be easier to perform on the field if you enjoy being there.

[Rowand44]

No thats exactly the point.

 

Post 2005 is the most glorious time in White Sox history. They are spending money, trying to win. Yet there are fans out there complaining constantly about the management, the owner and the team.

Well around here at least, there isn't much complaining about the owner. Since 05, we've spent a ton of money and haven't had a ton of results and people have gotten on Kenny and Ozzie because of it(some deserved, some not imo), if your gm and manager have a lot of money to work with than your fan base is going to expect big results from the team and if they don't get them, they'll start looking at the front office.

[Soxbadger]

That really doesnt address the fact that people have been far more negative post 2005. How many blow up the team threads etc have there been.

 

Its just ridiculous.

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

That really doesnt address the fact that people have been far more negative post 2005. How many blow up the team threads etc have there been.

 

Its just ridiculous.

It's called expectations. It should be the same in any profession. Just because you've reached the pinnacle once doesn't mean the show shuts down.

[Soxbadger]

The above post is nonsense.

 

How does expectation = tearing the team apart every year?

 

Its called whining and its annoying.

 

 

[elrockinMT]

Nice. Career high 13 K's!

 

Very impressive and if E Jax can keep this up (he has had two good games so far) I will not be so unhappy about losing Hudson

[elrockinMT]

No I agree completely, it's very easy to look at the faults behind anything instead of focusing on the positives. I just don't think those faults, at this point in time, justify getting rid of Walker (obviously not right now, and probably not in the near future either).

 

I also think the players like him, which improves clubhouse chemistry. That's always an issue that comes up from those people who preach intangibles - and I am not one of them - but just as in an office setting, it's going to be easier to perform on the field if you enjoy being there.

 

 

Simple fact you can't please everyone all the time and some times you can't please some any of the time. It appears Walker has had some success. He works with Quentin and Carlos is really performing. I think at times hitting and p[itching cvoaches get blamed for things they have no control over. With CQ it was injries, but when healthy the guy is a real star. Plus as said here Walker is well liked and respected by the players. That counts for something in my book

[southsider2k5]

I'm not if I don't believe in the team but there's not much to dislike about this roster overall besides Humber(hopefully he's not here for long) and Tony Pena.

 

Eh. You are never going to get a perfect roster 1 through 25. There is always going to be someone.

[lostfan]

Eh. You are never going to get a perfect roster 1 through 25. There is always going to be someone.

I told myself this year that I was not going to single out any player to hate like I did with Erstad, Wise, Kotsay, etc. I think Pena and Ohman are going to make this rougher than it has to be. Please let me be wrong.

[Rowand44]

Eh. You are never going to get a perfect roster 1 through 25. There is always going to be someone.

Oh absolutely. That's kind of my point though, when looking at the roster, the only guys I really don't like, hopefully(Peavy's health being the obvious factor here) shouldn't have that much of an effect on where this team ends up this year.

[ILMOU]

I told myself this year that I was not going to single out any player to hate like I did with Erstad, Wise, Kotsay, etc. I think Pena and Ohman are going to make this rougher than it has to be. Please let me be wrong.

 

Not that I want to give our manager TOO much credit, but I noticed that so far, Ozzie has been using Ohman against righties to convince himself that WO couldn't possibly be useful as more than just a LOOGY. Maybe toughen him up even, or screw his stats over, so he'll have to get his next fifty lefties out to make up for it.

 

A .625 BA against and 33.75ERA vs. righties and a .200BA against vs. lefties will be impossible for even the Ozzeroo to miss, and WO should find his LOOGY niche. Small sample size, yes, but for all our sakes, it should remain small. This could guarantee 7 bullpen guys needed all year even with a fully healthy JFP.

 

Pena I'm more concerned about, in terms of usefulness and potential need of upgrade, but not too concerned just yet.

Edited April 8, 2011 by Stan Bahnsen

[southsider2k5]

Which was when this team started a long line of playing like s*** in at least one category. Plus, I think people start thinking differently after you win a World Series!

 

I hate to break this to you, but pretty much every team is going to have a weakness. Hell the Yankees are a $200 million team and look at their starting rotation.

[TheBigHurt]

I hate to break this to you, but pretty much every team is going to have a weakness. Hell the Yankees are a $200 million team and look at their starting rotation.

 

Agreed, but I don't think their rotation has looked that bad the last 4+ like our offense has. Plus, our biggest hole during this time was always offensive incompetency IIRC; I'm pretty sure most of our pitching staffs in that time frame on paper looked good whereas the Yankees' does not; but who knows how they'll perform? Let's be real: our 2005 staff didn't really look all that poised but look what happens sometimes; you almost feel more confident finding lightning in a bottle then meeting expectation of a team that looks good on paper.

[chw42]

Just so you guys know, the Rays have yet to lead in any game thus far. We have to keep that streak alive.

[iamshack]

Just so you guys know, the Rays have yet to lead in any game thus far. We have to keep that streak alive.

Wow, that is incredible.

[chw42]

Wow, that is incredible.

 

I think it was Wite who said they'd be boom or bust with the guys they gambled on. So far, he's been right.

[iamshack]

I think it was Wite who said they'd be boom or bust with the guys they gambled on. So far, he's been right.

Just 1 run in 5 of their 6 games thus far, and 8 total runs. Yowsers.

 

To be fair, they have been without Longoria, but still, that is horrendous.

 

I've been in the camp putting the Rays in 4th or 5th place in the AL East this year as well.

[chw42]

Just 1 run in 5 of their 6 games thus far, and 8 total runs. Yowsers.

 

To be fair, they have been without Longoria, but still, that is horrendous.

 

I've been in the camp putting the Rays in 4th or 5th place in the AL East this year as well.

 

I thought they'd be a good bet for 3rd. They still have good pitching and a bullpen that isn't as bad as some people think it is, but that lineup is massively underachieving, Longoria or no Longoria. Manny and Damon have like 3 hits combined to this point.

[iamshack]

I thought they'd be a good bet for 3rd. They still have good pitching and a bullpen that isn't as bad as some people think it is, but that lineup is massively underachieving, Longoria or no Longoria. Manny and Damon have like 3 hits combined to this point.

What the hell was Ben Zobrist doing in the second half of 2008 and in 2009? Looks as though he is back to being a pretty marginal player again....

[chw42]

What the hell was Ben Zobrist doing in the second half of 2008 and in 2009? Looks as though he is back to being a pretty marginal player again....

 

He's still valuable because of his ability to play so many positions well. But he's definitely not the hitter he was back in 09. He still has great plate discipline, but the power's disappeared.