The Chicago White Sox Thread | Page 19 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

The Chicago White Sox Thread

djfresh47 said:
Every National League team basically has a free out, which is part of the reason i'm very skeptical of the pitchers there. Brian Anderson has been much better and I expect him to continue to get better. Brandon McCarthy was one of two pitchers who could win when the Indians were making their charge late last season; he's gotta have some work with Don Cooper so he doesn't tip his pitches but he's going to be a top 3 pitcher for some team. Soriano has great power numbers but what does that do to the order? Tad Iguchi was awful in preseason batting out of the 6th hole when Ozzie thought about moving Uribe to the 2 hole. I'd just guess that he would be in the 2 or 6 spot, but if the move was done I think i'd want him leadoff and move Podsednik down. For all the "smart" ball the team used last year they're a station to station team this year and Ozzie has had players come in early for bunting and still they're a station to station team. If that trade is made I think it points more to the team knowing that they've got arms in the rotation that have pitched a ton of innings the last two seasons and Williams does not think they're going to hold up. I hate depleting the whole farm system for a guy I don't think they're going to re-sign.
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While your point is well taken, I must say this: I *HATE* when people characterize the '05 Sox as a "smart ball" team. For crying out loud, they led the major leagues in home runs!

Also, while it's true that every NL team has a free out, that free out doesn't come in the outfield (unless you're Tony LaRussa and insist on starting a pair of stiffs at the corner spots). You can afford to have a pitcher hitting .103, but a centerfielder with a 634 OPS is a MAJOR liability. That's bad for a second baseman, let alone an outfielder.
 
phunwin said:
While your point is well taken, I must say this: I *HATE* when people characterize the '05 Sox as a "smart ball" team. For crying out loud, they led the major leagues in home runs!

Also, while it's true that every NL team has a free out, that free out doesn't come in the outfield (unless you're Tony LaRussa and insist on starting a pair of stiffs at the corner spots). You can afford to have a pitcher hitting .103, but a centerfielder with a 634 OPS is a MAJOR liability. That's bad for a second baseman, let alone an outfielder.
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Last year when the team needed to bunt, to hit and run, or sacrifice they could do it. Right now they can't do that as obvious by a runner on 3rd with one out vs the Rangers the other night and Podsednik is called to pinch hit and he whiffs. They've turned more to the Billy Beane philosophy of station to station and waiting for the homerun. Teams can win alot of games like that but I think they're proned to go into offensive slumps. Podsednik I would say is their only real threat to steal a base and he's not very good on the basepaths at all. This stat has probably changed but he was thrown out 12 of 41 times going into the all-star break.
 
icephinfan said:
No news on the Soriano trade, so far.
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Apparently Williams said McCarthy won't go in any deal but the rumor is Scott Posdenick might be in the deal now.
 
djfresh47 said:
Last year when the team needed to bunt, to hit and run, or sacrifice they could do it. Right now they can't do that as obvious by a runner on 3rd with one out vs the Rangers the other night and Podsednik is called to pinch hit and he whiffs. They've turned more to the Billy Beane philosophy of station to station and waiting for the homerun. Teams can win alot of games like that but I think they're proned to go into offensive slumps. Podsednik I would say is their only real threat to steal a base and he's not very good on the basepaths at all. This stat has probably changed but he was thrown out 12 of 41 times going into the all-star break.
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Here's how I look at it: the fact that you're able to get the occasional sacrifice or bunt down doesn't necessarily make you a small-ball team. If you rely heavily on those things, then you're a small-ball (smart-ball, whatever) team. When you lead the league in home runs, however, you're obviously not relying too much on small-ball. Calling them a great small-ball team ignores, or at least conceals, the truth: the White Sox scored lots of runs because they hit a ****pile of home runs last year.

The ability to get the odd bunt down is nice, but it's not the main point at all. If the White Sox win a 5-4 game, what's more important? The home run that scored three guys or the sac bunt that moved a runner into scoring position?

The problem with Podsednik, frankly, is obvious: he's not particularly good. He's never, if I recall, been a terribly efficient base-stealer. The Sox won the World Series last year, so good for them, but the Podsednik-Lee trade was a terrible move. (Case in point, if they had Carlos Lee, they probably wouldn't have to give up so much to get Soriano!)
 
We got swept by the Twins, and all this Soriano trade talks didn't help either:shakeno:
 
So John Garland is the ace and the only pitcher who can win right now. Contreras is a 6 inning pitcher, Garcia is inconsistent, Vazquez is awful, and Buehrle has a dead arm. If Vazquez has another bad start they've gotta put McCarthy in the rotation. Three and twelve in their last 15, and I think all those wins were from Garland. I've still got a ton of confidence in this team but during a losing streak holes look alot bigger. I don't know what the numbers are but I think Ozzie switches the lineup too much; I would like to see more consistency with the everyday lineup. He was ruthless with the rotation last year letting them throw a ton of innings, but he won't play Iguchi today in what was a very crucial game? I understand sitting A.J. because he's a catcher and that is a grueling position but if they're going to sit Scott Podsednik everytime they face a left-handed pitcher is he really good enough? If Pablo Ozuna is the everyday left-fielder their is no dropoff IMO.
 
Man, we need to make some trades for some bats, and maybe another pitcher, trade Vasquez, not a big fan of his at all.:shakeno:

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icephinfan said:
Man, we need to make some trades for some bats, and maybe another pitcher, trade Vasquez, not a big fan of his at all.:shakeno:

http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/9152/whitesoxfw0.jpg
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The team doesn't need another bat and i'm not sure if their is a starter on the market worth trading for. If the team is desperate for a starter and this would be tough because his arm isn't stretched out but insert McCarthy in the rotation. Mark Buehrle has been dreadful his last 5 starts. MacDougal is going to help as the setup man for Jenks and Alomar has to be better by Widger who shouldn't be in the majors. I think Ozzie has managed poorly especially in the last two Contreras starts when Contreras started to struggle he still left him in and the Twins and I think Tigers capitalized on him being tired. Freddy Garcia has pitched better as Pierzynski noted that two starts ago after he gave up some runs he settled down nicely and was very good in his next start. John Garland has been the ace his last few starts and Mark Buehrle and Javiar Vazquez have been awful. Buehrle gets the benefit of the doubt and he's pitched a ton of innings the last two years, but he's gotta snap out of it. Vazquez is a horribly inconsistent and along with Jeff Weaver they're probably the two biggest teases in MLB. One game they're brilliant the next game they're just dreadful. If the team ends up with Soriano I don't want Anderson out because over the last few weeks he's been hitting about .300 and is a much better defensive player than Podsednik; who probably should've been relegated to a 4th outfielder role.
 
Right now is the time for this team to get something started. They've got Baltimore than KC to get some confidence back into their staff. Buehrle gets to face KC which hopefully will turn around his season. This stretch of 6 games against terrible teams couldn't come at a better time, and as far it will be make or break time. I think Minnesota faces Detroit so if the team can turn it around it's an opportunity to gain ground on either team. As bad as they've been right now is a perfect time to get out of it. I don't think they need to make a big deal just instill some confidence in their rotation and right now is the perfect time for that.
 
If the White Sox don't make the playoffs, I think Ozzie is as good as gone. It would give the FO a perfect opening to dump him.
 
Ray Finkle said:
Apparently Williams said McCarthy won't go in any deal but the rumor is Scott Posdenick might be in the deal now.
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AW damn, not Scott Podsedick, he's a good lead off guy, send Brian Anderson.
 
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