southsider2k5 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...y-attitude.html The American League Central is theirs for the taking, but first place won’t be handed to the White Sox. And if they are going to rise up and snatch it away after the All-Star break, they had better take their performance — and attitudes — to a higher level. So says Jake Peavy, an observant sort who has suggested twice in the last two days that the Sox need a mental makeover. “At times, it’s been missing from our team,” Peavy told the Sun-Times before the Sox beat the Cubs 6-4 on Friday at Wrigley Field. “It” would be all things baseball-dirty, mean and nasty, Peavy said. Leave nothing for granted for nine innings every night. The Sox’ $127 million worth of talent won’t be enough to get the job done. It’s time to be Team Mean. “There is no doubt about it,” Peavy said. “For us to be the team we want to be . . . we’ve talked about focusing on fundamentals and being a solid, sound team on the field. At the same time, we have to play with that same grit and desire and will to win, whether it’s pitching, at bat or getting to a ball and sacrificing your body. We can’t be who we’ve been.” The Sox (41-42) entered the day four games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers. But the Tigers’ loss and the Cleveland Indians’ victory Friday night moved the Indians into first, a half-game ahead of the Tigers and 31/2 ahead of the Sox. “Detroit is a solid team. Detroit has no weak links — good bullpen, starting pitching, offense and they play good defense,” Peavy said. “That team is not going to come back to us. We have to flat-out say, ‘We’re coming to get you.’ That’s going to take an attitude of showing up on a daily basis and saying we flat out want it more than you, we flat out want to win today more than the Chicago Cubs do. That’s the bottom line. “When that desire to win is paired with the talent we have here, which is a lot better than most teams we’ve played — we outman some teams we play — that will get us to where we need to be.” General manager Ken Williams suggested last week that his Sox are too nice. Manager Ozzie Guillen has said all season that it’s impossible not to love his players because they’re nice guys. But Peavy knows nice guys can finish second. He first touched on the subject after the Sox’ 6-4 comeback victory in 10 innings Thursday at Colorado. Left fielder Juan Pierre echoed it Thursday when he said the Sox were flat at the outset of that game. Even the Gashouse Gang looked flat when it didn’t hit, but Peavy said the Sox are a nice bunch of guys who need to leave the nice-guy persona in the clubhouse at game time. A two-time All-Star who won a Cy Young Award with the San Diego Padres in 2007, Peavy relished coming to a big-market team that’s built to win. His courageous, determined comeback from major surgery and assorted injuries has earned him the respect of Guillen and teammates, and it gives him the platform to say, “Let’s take this up a notch in the second half.” “I’ve played on teams with a lot less talent that have that desire, from the top of the front office down, that said, ‘We’re going to find a way,’ ” he said. “There were times when I showed up in San Diego and said, ‘I don’t know how we’re going to win this game today.’ But somehow, some way, we said we’re going to keep this close and we’re going to find a way. . . . If we pick up the intensity a tad bit, I think the sky is the limit for us. “I want this team to get in the playoffs because we can win 11 [postseason] games and be world champions. There is not a doubt in my mind. We showed it in Boston [three-game sweep]. We’ve beaten some good teams and good pitchers. The bottom line is we have to find a way to get in [the playoffs], and it’s not going to be easy.” Preparing for games is not an issue, Peavy said. The coaching staff and players do their work and do it right. “Everybody on this team is professional and goes about their business and knows how to get prepared,” Peavy said. “I’m talking about the attitude from 7:05 to 10:05, a mind-set from when the first pitch is thrown to the last out, we’re giving you everything we can. For all 25 guys to show up and say, ‘How can I find a way for the White Sox to win today?’ “When the bell rings for three hours, give everything you got and walk in the clubhouse with no reason — win, lose or draw — to hang our heads. I know at times we haven’t played with that attitude.” Some of that attitude might have manifested itself when Peavy got into it with catcher A.J. Pierzynski when the Sox hosted the Cubs last week. It was simply two fierce competitors going at it in the heat of the battle. “No, I’m just a passionate guy, period,” Peavy said. “I was just fired up at, you know, a lot of different things that day. I promise you and my teammates that I will walk off the field every time I play — especially after my injury — that I will never take a pitch for granted. “We have to play that way, as a whole, myself included. . . . We need to understand that.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 (edited) Good article, but his quotes are all cliches. Like Al Davis says, "Just Win Baby." Just Win White Sox. Yes the guys need to play hard and not loaf. He just should have said they need to play like Tulo did in scoring on that bloop single to center all the way from first base. If we play like that, we win more than we lose. If the Sox play like the Sox usually do against the Central, it's going to be an ugly second half in the clubhouse and on this board and on Jerry's bottom line. Edited July 2, 2011 by greg775 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macsandz Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 2, 2011 -> 01:56 PM) http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/wh...y-attitude.html I can see what Peavy is saying, and after taking the ball and getting the team a win twice in three days recently the guy is gaining credibility to speak out like this. Though baseball is not an "effort" sport you can leg out contact, take wide turns, advance a base whenever possible, go into 2B hard, work a pitcher, pitch inside, give yourself up at the plate to move runners...etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamTell Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 He is right, this team needs to go with the mentatily of "we're coming to get you." It's great to say but to say and actually do are entirely different things. Hopefully they can get that mentality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 QUOTE (WilliamTell @ Jul 2, 2011 -> 02:02 PM) He is right, this team needs to go with the mentatily of "we're coming to get you." It's great to say but to say and actually do are entirely different things. Hopefully they can get that mentality. no doubt. It is a state of mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almagest Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 I agree with Peavy on this one. It's definitely a mindset they need to have. Coming to the park ready to kick some ass, and never giving up, is going to make comebacks easier. Saying "we'll get 'em tomorrow" puts you in a bad place mentally. I bet a lot of the flatness and boring baseball we see would go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 At the very least, I don't think you can accuse Jake of half-assing. He tends to use a little too much ass sometimes, but he brings it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 I wish he'd just shut up and pitch. Save this stuff for the clubhouse. He is just sucking up to the fans with this crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 I accidently had Rosenbloom on this morning on my way to the gym and he was ripping Peavy for this. Saying he isn't around enough to be talking like this and other garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiddleCoastBias Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 QUOTE (MAX @ Jul 2, 2011 -> 03:13 PM) I wish he'd just shut up and pitch. Save this stuff for the clubhouse. He is just sucking up to the fans with this crap. It's kind of a good thing to suck up to the fans considering we are the ones that are filling the seats. If the message we hear from the team is that nothing is changing, everyone is ok with losing, well I can imagine people will be less inclined to show up to the games. With Peavy giving some energy to the team, it may serve to energize the fanbase and show us that these guys actually care. And before asks the question, yes I truly do believe that a positive/winning attitude about the team will put more butts in the seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 The team appears to have heard Peavy's words today and said "Well, screw that, Garza's on the mound, tipping our hat is easier." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxbrian Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 While I wish it was AJ or PK saying this, I love this. Peavy has been busting his a** lately and I think he's leading by example. That game he had vs the Nats was incredible. Man's game, Jake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxrwhite Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I agree with Peavey but he has not yet contributed enough to be calling the team out. Leadership is for those who answer the call every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 The problem is that Konerko, Dunn, Rios, Quentin, Ramirez, Buehrle....will never be the type of players to make this kind of comment. We expect it from AJ. Pierre's not afraid to express his feelings, either. Beckham's far from being the leader of this team....so I don't mind it at all. Rios has been going more up the middle and hustling more often. Morel's doing the little things. Beckham's showing some signs of turning things around. It does feel like that game where they scored Quentin on a 225 feet flyout in COL was enough to get everyone to think the breaks might start going their way again. We're now 11-6 in interleague (yet again). Not quite last year's 15-3, but we'll take it. And Santos has started to legitimately appear like one of the best closers in baseball. Not many guys you'd take over him going forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I know Peavy has had injury pitchers, but outside of those problems, I really love the guy Peavy is. He's the epitome of the type of character you want in your clubhouse and he's the kind of guy that will do whatever it takes to win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Well, we've continued our .500 ways since Peavy's comment. Which is probably what we'll do if Walker gets fired. At least Jake tried. This team just can't hit with runners on base and now we are not hitting home runs with the exception of Paulie. Even AJ's nice run hasn't helped the offense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 QUOTE (greg775 @ Jul 6, 2011 -> 02:25 AM) Well, we've continued our .500 ways since Peavy's comment. Which is probably what we'll do if Walker gets fired. At least Jake tried. This team just can't hit with runners on base and now we are not hitting home runs with the exception of Paulie. Even AJ's nice run hasn't helped the offense. AJ is hitting close to .300, and even Juan Pierre has been hitting the ball. But it just doesn't seem to matter when the hits come when there's no one on base. When someone gets on base, especially in scoring position, the Sox just don't get it done. This has to be one of the most frustrating teams to watch in quite a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 "One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet," said Birmingham catcher Josh Phegley. "He mingled with us. We felt like we were going to go out there and battle with him rather than [be spectators]." "A true professional and great person," said Birmingham manager Bobby Magallanes. "I don't know what other words you could use to describe him. He took care of the guys, really respected everybody. We'd be a fool if we didn't go up and pick his [brain]." When Peavy was a Minor Leaguer some 10 years ago in the Padres system, he remembers big leaguers who came down on rehab assignments and the hunger he had to be those guys. Some of them presented helpful advice. Others big-leagued the younger players, and Peavy was determined to be a mentor. He didn't take these starts lightly, because well, Peavy doesn't take anything lightly. "I certainly wanted to be the guy who was down there as just one of the boys, and played as hard as they played," Peavy said. "It's still about winning. I told them we would go after things the same way in Charlotte as here, and find a way to win." Scott Merkin mlb.com/chisox.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitekrazy Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 QUOTE (Brian @ Jul 2, 2011 -> 04:02 PM) I accidently had Rosenbloom on this morning on my way to the gym and he was ripping Peavy for this. Saying he isn't around enough to be talking like this and other garbage. I got a different impression. To me it stated show it on the mound and not your mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jul 6, 2011 -> 09:38 PM) I got a different impression. To me it stated show it on the mound and not your mouth. Like when he said they came out flat against the Rockies, and B & B said that he should have not allowed a 3 run homer in the first if you want to get off to a good start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 @BSLillibridge Brent Lillibridge Positivity breeds success. I've never heard of people be successful always thinking negatively. Choose to be positive, it is a choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Jul 6, 2011 -> 10:01 PM) @BSLillibridge Brent Lillibridge Positivity breeds success. I've never heard of people be successful always thinking negatively. Choose to be positive, it is a choice. It truly is a good quote by Lilly. Normally I'd agree 100 percent. But ... I'm positive we have a lousy team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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