Greg Hibbard Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Many are obviously disappointed with the results of this season thus far, and I want to be clear about something: I am amongst those who are disappointed. I consider this season (thus far) to be the third most disappointing season in the past 10 ('03 and '01 are worse). I had high hopes for a 90-100 game winner, a relatively easy AL Central crown, and a second World Series shot for some of my favorite players. Obviously, many of those hopes are on the ropes. However, consider this: Wouldn't have been just easier for this team to fold up and quit after its horrible 33 game start? Wouldn't it have been totally justified for Ozzie, Kenny or anyone else to throw Pierre, Dunn and Rios under the bus and start pointing fingers? Wouldn't it have been easy for us to dump everyone possible on July 31st, and blame the fans for not coming out and supporting the team? This isn't what happened. The team stood pat, kept things in the clubhouse professional with respect to Dunn and Rios' struggles, and battled back for the past 87 games. Now, they are at .500, 4 games back, and poised to at least give us a finish worth talking about. It might not be ideal, but they didn't quit. I look across town and see Carlos Zambrano turning another forgettable Cubs campaign into another laughable sideshow circus, and I think "thank god we have players they keep it between the lines and comport themselves professionally in our clubhouse". I think "thank god we have baseball people in front office positions". I don't like our manager all of the time, but I do think he is at least a mixed bag that has some good (if not intangible) qualities, and I believe he acts professionally on the field. If we didn't have a strong organization, I think we would have easily succumbed to a freefall. We wouldn't even be close to 4 games back right now, and we would be set up to struggle through an Indians type overhaul/rebuild with bad choices. I know many people on this board don't think that's a bad thing, but I do. I think this team can and will compete next season, and I think we are set to make a run here. I also think that given the kind of contracts we are stuck with, we'd better damn compete. If we can just get over this last hump, get over .500, and get it within three games, this season might actually turn a late corner. However, regardless of what happens, I'm happy a root for a team that battles back despite the setbacks it has had, even if this season comes up far short of expectations. Silver lining, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILMOU Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Organizational resiliency? Unwarranted resistance to change? It's a fine line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyyle23 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I like what you have brought this season GH. Its hard to remain optimistic while watching this team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtySox Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Grasping at straws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I'll agree with one thing: Thank god we're not the Cubs. It seems llike every year something's going on over there with Zambrano that just makes you shake your head. They did the right thing, though, by placing him of the DQ list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamshack Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Good post, GH. I guess I like to think of it this way...If I would have told everyone here at the beginning of the season that on August 15th, we'd be 4 games back of first place, with 6 games remaining against the division leader and 42 games to go, I don't think nearly as many people would feel the way about this team as they feel now. If I had told everyone that Dunn would be in line for literally one of the worst seasons in the history of modern baseball, and we were still 4 games out with 42 to play, I think there would have been a lot of surprise. No one is saying that we should be celebrating this team as a model of consistency, but we are still right in the thick of this thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCangelosi Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Yes. At least we're playing important games here in the dog days of summer, despite being just at .500. We're lucky this division is weak, yes. But we still have a chance and it is nice to be in that position going down the stretch as opposed to watching meaningless baseball. This team is better than what we've shown (I think?), and it is time to claim this thing on our own over the next 6 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 LOL. Nothing like complimenting an organization on their mediocrity. Top hitter in the International league not promoted to a below average offensive team. What a brilliant organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 11:54 AM) LOL. Nothing like complimenting an organization on their mediocrity. Top hitter in the International league not promoted to a below average offensive team. What a brilliant organization. resilient Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Hibbard Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 (edited) QUOTE (RockRaines @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 11:54 AM) LOL. Nothing like complimenting an organization on their mediocrity. What exactly are we referring to as mediocrity, when it comes to this organization? If we're referring to this season, given the statistical hurdles that have been set in our path, I'm not sure what this organization as an organization could have done. We have a worse hole at DH than in '10. We have many positional players expected to produce simply not doing so. Is this a failing of the organization, to expect players to produce at career norms, or even slightly below average? Really, what the f*** could you do? If we'd had even slightly disappointing numbers from Dunn and Rios (.230, normal power) we'd be comfortably in front by probably 7-8-9 games. If we're referring to the White Sox long term, then I'll point this out again: over the last 21 seasons, only three teams have won more total games in the American League than the White Sox. I'll bet you can guess two of them. The third is Cleveland. If we finish ahead of the tribe by 2-3 games we'll be in third place. Other than the Yankees and Red Sox, I'm having a hard time coming up with an AL franchise I'd rather be rooting for over the past couple of decades. We're the only team to win a World Series in this division since its founding. I suppose the Angels and Blue Jays have had good segments during that span, and the Twins have been successful as an organization as well. The Tribe have gone to many playoffs, but the big one has eluded them. The Rays, Orioles, Athletics, Mariners, Rangers, Tigers and Royals? Many hollow playoff appearances and a lot of lost seasons. We're doing something right as an organization, which is why we won a World Series. I know people desperately want to write it off as a fluke, but every year this team seems to compete, no matter which players disappoint us. When everyone performs above our expectations, we win the division and put ourselves in position to go further. When everyone performs even well below expectations, we still compete. Pardon me if I find value in that. Edited August 15, 2011 by Greg Hibbard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Hibbard Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 11:20 AM) I like what you have brought this season GH. Its hard to remain optimistic while watching this team Thanks. I find it very hard to remain optimistic as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 11:19 AM) Organizational resiliency? Unwarranted resistance to change? It's a fine line. This. The one thing I wish people would stop doing is giving this team credit for still being in the race. It is not by their resiliency, or whatever you might want to call it, that they are still in contention. It is solely that this division is laughable. In any other division in baseball, we'd be ~10 games back or more. They're not showing heart by sticking around and "digging themselves out of the hole" that they themselves created. They're winning about as few games that a team this talented could possibly win. It is only due to the sheer hilarity of the Comedy Central that we're alive at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 02:02 PM) This. The one thing I wish people would stop doing is giving this team credit for still being in the race. It is not by their resiliency, or whatever you might want to call it, that they are still in contention. It is solely that this division is laughable. In any other division in baseball, we'd be ~10 games back or more. They're not showing heart by sticking around and "digging themselves out of the hole" that they themselves created. They're winning about as few games that a team this talented could possibly win. It is only due to the sheer hilarity of the Comedy Central that we're alive at this point. Just wondering, do you think the Tigers deserve any credit for leading the Comedy Central? Any other division they would be a minimum 3.5 games back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 02:04 PM) Just wondering, do you think the Tigers deserve any credit for leading the Comedy Central? Any other division they would be a minimum 3.5 games back. Slightly more credit than us, obviously. But still not much. The winner of this division will just be the tallest midget that will subsequently be molested in the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ginger Kid Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 12:06 PM) Slightly more credit than us, obviously. But still not much. The winner of this division will just be the tallest midget that will subsequently be molested in the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 02:06 PM) Slightly more credit than us, obviously. But still not much. The winner of this division will just be the tallest midget that will subsequently be molested in the playoffs. 2006 Cardinals??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 02:11 PM) 2006 Cardinals??? Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 02:14 PM) Ugh. LOL, sorry, I had to do it. I read last week that since 1997, the 06 Cards were the only WS champ that wasn't NYY/BOS/PHI or didn't have to play at least one of those 3 teams in the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Resiliency? We shall see. The team is .500 again. There is still enough time to rally and actually act like a contender. If the team does so, it could be a memorable six weeks and a season to be proud of. If the team immediately gets swept the next three games and dips to 3 below again, the total frustration will be back. From watching the Sox play baseball even as recently as the KC series, I don't think the team is playing good baseball still and I would be shocked to see the team contend. But it is possible STILL to have a season we can actually be proud of. Will the Sox do so?? It's up to them. I doubt it, but they are .500 with time AGAIN to do something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 (edited) Honestly, this season sounds like a box office smash to me. The 127 million dollar little engine that could. Who despite horrible management, general management, and multi-million dollar players who perform like they're actually stock brokers, still fights back and manages to reach the enviable position of mediocrity. Somebody get Spielberg on the horn, STAT! Edited August 15, 2011 by whitesoxfan101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 10:19 AM) Unwarranted resistance to change Our organization is stupid, not resilient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 08:07 PM) Honestly, this season sounds like a box office smash to me. The 127 million dollar little engine that could. Who despite horrible management, general management, and multi-million dollar players who perform like they're actually stock brokers, still fights back and manages to reach the enviable position of mediocrity. Somebody get Spielberg on the horn, STAT! Great post. Funny thing is if the team could take off NOW and finish 10 over .500 we'd consider it a good season cause we'd make the playoffs after all this s***. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crash73 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Thanks GH for a refreshing point of view. If this teams gets hot at the right time, not even the East teams will want to face our pitching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (Crash73 @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 06:01 PM) Thanks GH for a refreshing point of view. If this teams gets hot at the right time, not even the East teams will want to face our pitching. Trouble is, the East teams just thrashed us last week. Including beating up on that pitching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 QUOTE (Crash73 @ Aug 15, 2011 -> 10:01 PM) Thanks GH for a refreshing point of view. If this teams gets hot at the right time, not even the East teams will want to face our pitching. I can pretty much guarantee that if you ask anyone on Yanks or Red Sox, they'd rather face the Sox instead of Tigers because of Verlander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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