Continue reading "Chi Sox Need An Attitude Adjustment"

This team had enough talent to win, but I think there may be something else going on.  The way the team has played in the past two weeks makes one wonder if these guys wanted it badly enough.  Ozzie Guillen, the outspoken manager has told-it-like-it is in the press.  He basically said he thought the team was mailing it in.  How does a team get to that position?

Maybe Ozzie is under contract, but there will be talk about maybe cutting the cord here.  Yes, he was the manager of the '05 Sox, but this is '09 and the team has spent gobs of money.  I think the Sox will keep Guillen and if they get off to a slow start next season, the ax may fall.  Alex Rios, the outfielder, has done nothing of note, since he was acquired in early Aug, for boatloads of money.  Peavy won his only start with the Sox.

Continue reading "Ozzie on the Edge Sox Fading Fast"

Where's the $100 million offense?  Rios, Konerko, Quinton, and Dye, are collecting big bucks and the bats have gone to sleep.  The game isn't over yet, but the season could be in about 3 days, if the Sox don't wake up.  Detroit can be had, if the Sox start playing (hitting) like a talented team.  They can get runners on base, Posednik is having a great season.  He's on base 2 or 3 times a game.  And, he only scores maybe one run.  That's not enough.  Good teams find ways to win games.  They force teams into making errors.  The pitcher may throw an errant pick-off throw, the second baseman mis-handles a slow ball to his left, the catcher drops a foul ball.  Good teams take advantage of these extra pitches and either move the runner over or drive him in.  That's how you play, and the Sox are not playing that way. 

Continue reading "ChiSox Season On The Brink"

Now I assume most of the Boston fans are screaming and their faces are steaming with team colors and pride.  But we have to look at match ups in the remaining schedule.  The Red Sox have a tougher remaining schedule than the Wild Card leader Texas Rangers and the only other team with an outside chance in Tampa Bay, has a tougher remaining season schedule than either and it would be one of the more amazing stretch runs if they make it.  The Red Sox have 20 games left against teams that are trying to make the playoffs, this of course comes with 6 games against all of Boston's beloved Johnny Damon and the New York Yankees, 6 games against newly acquired division rival Tampa Bay, who play tough at home, and 3 games with the Angels.  Out of the 20 playoff type team games left, there are 8 interesting games between the White Sox and Red Sox.  I'm not going to predict any winners from these games {insert 2005 playoff flashback here} but will be some of the most intriguing match ups of the season as Chicago has bolstered their hitting and pitching with the addition of Alexei Rios and SP Jake Peavy.  Peavy has been rumored for a late August return or early September return and could be a factor.  The White Sox are doing everything they can to try to win the Central this season.

Continue reading "Boston Red Sox to MISS Playoffs in 09"

The question is:  How good are the Sox this year?  Earlier in the season they were playing poorly.  Then the team started to get better pitching in the starters and bullpen.  Guys were hitting the ball.  At home, the Sox look like a different team.  On the road, not so good. Well, good teams find ways to win on the road. Today they had a 2-0 lead late in the game, and they give it up, losing 3-2.  That is a tough loss. That is a loss that will come back to bite you.  They had a good chance to win 3 in a row on the road and let that slip away.  A few more losses like this, and their shot a post-season will be slipping away.  It's getting to late August.  It is a time to dig in and get the job done.

Continue reading "White Sox Need to Play Well Now"

In any case, here are some baseball tidbits from this week to take your mind off the Sox:

-Bartolo Colon will be pitching for the White Sox tonight.  Remember this guy? How could you not.  Who knows, if he pitches well enough we might see him pitch against the Red sox at the end of August.  I’m sure he’ll get a warm welcome from the Fenway Fans – and by warm, I mean not warm at all. 

-Mark Buehrle pitched a perfect game on Wednesday July 23rd.  That part you probably knew already.  But did you know he got a phone call from White Sox fan Barack Obama?? http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090723&conte

Continue reading "This Week in Baseball Notes"

The Chicago White Sox have good starting pitching and 3 hittters who could drive in 100 rbi's this year. Paul Konerko finished the first half on fire, having a career game in which he hit 3 home runs, including a grand-slam, and knocked in 7 runs batted in against Cleveland.  Jim Thome has 50 rbi's and Jermaine Dye, one of the most underrated hitters in the American League, has a good shot at reaching 100.  Scott Posednik, the lead-off man, finds a way to get on base, and Alexis Ramirez seems like a good fit batting 2nd.  The team started hitting the ball better in the last 10 games.  If ChiSox can keep it up, they have a good chance of catching the Tigers, who lead by 3 games. 

Continue reading "White Sox Have A Shot To Repeat"

-Jeremy Sowers is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball…in the first inning.

Continue reading "Konerko dialed in at US Cellular White Sox 10 Indians 6"

What happens when a pitch never reaches home plate?  What if it stops halfway there?  Presumably, we decided, it must be called a ball, but how far does it have to travel?  If a pitcher drops the ball while set, that's a balk.  So where is the demarcation between balk and ball?

Continue reading "More Baseball Rules Discussion"

Good closers don't give up game winning home runs to lose the game.  Unfortunately, Marmol is the set up man and putting him in is like watching a chopped tree tottering before it falls.  You never know how it's going to work out.  Some days he looks great striking out the side. Other days it could a hit batter, a wild pitch, a walk, a single, and game on the brink.  This is after the Cubs have scored 4 runs on 9 hits to tie a game.  Last season, the game would have been over.

Continue reading "Chicago baseball is simply mediocre"