White Sox 2011

[Chainmeister]

Alright.  Might as well get this topic rolling. 

If the White Sox had  a dominant bullpen they would be undefeated.
If the White Sox had last year's uneven and at times good bullpen they would still have the best record in baseball.
If the Whte Sox had a mediocre bullpen they would be leading the division.
If the White Sox had a horrendous bullpen the would still have a better record.

I was calm until yesterday.  Nobbody can get anybody out.  The starters have been tremendous.  The offense has done what it was expected to do.  The defense has been below average.  Right now I see a season that could go either way.  If there is an answer to the 8th and 9th innings this team could be tremendous.  If not, they could become a complete washout where the manager has to balance screwing up his starters v. winning a few ballgames. 

jIt almoost makes me wonder  whether Peavy should be given the Kerry Wood treatment on his return- "Well, Jake, we're worried about you throwing so many innings. How about becoming a closer?"

[Dan Michler]

As a friend Dave, I'm telling you to let go of any hope for Peavy contributing.  Wood's elbow is jacked up and he's been able to reduce his workload and have a 2nd career out of the bullpen where he's been effective.  Peavy has what Mark Prior had though.  Torn or detached muscles in the shoulder.  Major shoulder issues seem to be very difficult to every really come back from.

Its still early, I'm sure the Sox bullpen will hold a lead at some point.  Maybe they should have thrown some money at some relief pitching instead of a DH?  I realize Ken Williams is a genious, but I'm just sayin........

[Chainmeister]

Maybe they should have thrown some money at some relief pitching instead of a DH?  I realize Ken Williams is a genious, but I'm just sayin........

Yeah, I walked into that one.  Right now it looks like most of his off season moves will bear fruit with one glaring and huge exception. The Wood comment was tongue in cheek.  I don't think anybody is really counting on Peavy. But the team and its fans were certainly counting on Thorton and/or Sale.

Sox got no closer
since big Bobby Jenks left town
Ozzie's conundrum.

[Mike Clark]

The truly sad part for Sox fans is they spent a lot of money on bullpen help. They just spent it on the wrong people.

Jesse Crain rhp
3 years/$13M (2011-13)

Matt Thornton lhp
3 years/$3.25M (2007-09), plus 2010-11 club options
2 years/$12M (2012-13), plus 2014 club option

They spent $10mil on upgrading their bullpen this year. So far no good.

[airspuds]

no worries

teams built to compete

wait til the weather warms up ball will be jumping out of the park

92  wins  is my prediction

[Dan Michler]

How bad are things going when you get no-hit by a guy with a 9.13 ERA?  He walked 6 and only struck out 2 in 9 innings.  Was this a testament to Liriano's unhittable stuff, or how bad the Sox are swinging the bat this year?

[Dan Michler]

What the hell is wrong with Adam Dunn?  Its as if the Cubs signed him or something.  Dunn has been the most consistent HR hitter in baseball for 7 years...46 40 40 40 40 38 38.  He has to be hurt right?

[airspuds]

http://latinfood.about.com/od/cuba/r/cuban_sanwich.htm

cuban sandwich at section 152  ish

good stuff

at least the beer is cold and the food good ( expensive ) 

plenty of time left this year

no worries

[airspuds]

can someone please tell oney guillen he is a nobody and to stop tweeting stupid things

please

wtf   

[airspuds]

peavy will cruise tonight

509   4   6   

join me for a beer 

[Dan Michler]

We've still got next weekend at Wrigley to salvage the season series.

[airspuds]

castro is the real deal for sure

[Dan Michler]

castro is the real deal for sure

Thank god for Starlin.  He gives Cubs fans something positive to talk about in a time where there is very little light at the end of the tunnel.

For the numerous people who thought it was foolish to replace Theriot at SS with Castro:
Castro   SLG% .444  On Base%  .357
Theriot   SLG% .357  On Base%  .350

I was thinking about who he could compare to in baseball history.  I think there are similarities to Robin Yount.  Yount came up very young, just 18 years old (Castro was 19).  Yount was a free swinging SS who made a lot of contact and didn't take a lot of walks.  http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yountro01.shtml  Yount was a doubles hitter early and then developed 20+ HR power in his mid 20's.  I would not be suprised to see Castro have a similar career arc.

[airspuds]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=16617855&c_id=cws

ok walk off balk


WTF ? 

nice to be 9 rows behind home last night for this

cubs lose with WP after freak injury , sox win this way

global warning is upon us

[Dan Michler]

Sox just dealt Edwin Jackson for basically nothing, for the purpose of shedding payroll according to Ken Williams.  Sox fans, are you annoyed? 

I mean, its not like this destroys your chances in the division race (4.5 games back today), but clearly its not a move to improve the team this year.  I realize they have 6 starters, but one of them is Peavy who has a 5.27 ERA and probably won't last the rest of the season.  Jackson has been their 3rd best starter this year.

I find it funny that Ken Williams wants to shed payroll when he's 4.5 games back in July, but had no problem picking up Alex Rios (.208) and Adam Dunn (.161) for monster $, giving the White Sox one of the highest payrolls in the game.  Perhaps you can view it as a shrewd business move to spend a bunch of money in the offseason to boost your season ticket sales, then cut payroll midseason at the expense of winning games.

I have grown to despise Jim Hendry, but I would not trade him for Ken Williams.

[pdga#7648]

Jackson just got traded along with Octavio Dotel to the Cardinals for Rasmus and Miller. Cards get cash as well.

[pdga#7648]

cards bullpen needed alot of help, and probably just got it. Jon Jay is a better hitter avg. wise than Rasmus anyway!

[airspuds]

No worries , division within grasp

[airspuds]

put a fork in them

they be done

some issues need to be addressed for sure

it will be an interesting 2011-12  off season

[airspuds]

your 2012  white sox

not much salary flexibility so sox are set already for next year

mgr  unknown   

c  aj
1b  paulie
2b  beckham
ss  alexi
3b  morrel

lf  viciendo
cf de aza 
rf  quintan

dh dunn

floyd
danks
peavy
stewart
axelrod

sale
crain
frasor
reed
thornton

santos

c back up  flowers
cf  back up rios
utility player   escobar