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Post by showcase on Apr 4, 2005 8:59:11 GMT -5
Because I know for a fact that there are several ChiSox fans on these boards, I thought I'd create an open forum for those die-hards to discuss their favorite team, rather than just exchanging pm's back and forth.
Despite TBird's ridiculous suggestion that the Twinkies are a cinch to win the Central this year, I think the Sox will contend. Loosing Mags, Lee, and Thomas hurts, but I think the team was due to go in a different direction offensively. Defense should be improved this year as well. The real question mark is pitching, and whether El Duque and Contreras can be consistent.
The Sox open the season at Comiskey this afternoon (for the first time in a long time) against the Indians. With 22 of the first 25 games against division rivals, we'll find out very quickly where the Sox's revamping puts them in the division.
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Apr 4, 2005 9:44:40 GMT -5
I hope yall don't mind me on this thread, despite my hatred of the Sox and love of the Twins. I promise to play nice--I just want a chance to discuss the AL Central, as a nice change of pace to the incessent Red Sox-Yankees talk.
The problem I see with the White Sox this year is that they're in the midst of a tranistion b/w identities and thus have the worst of both identities. They're going from a team that pretty much had to outscore their opponents to one modeled more on the Twins (and on Ozzie Guillen's personality) with the focus on pitching/defense/baserunning. The problem is that the Sox don't have the pitching (or really the defense) yet.
They didn't improve their pitching while significantly downgrading their offense. There's no reason to believe that Contreras, El Duque, and Jon Garland are going to be effective pitchers the entire season. Garcia and Buehrle are quality guys, but they don't have the 1-2 punch that Johan and Radke provide. And Garcia's desire is questionable at best. The Sox scored a lot of runs last year, but they also gave up a lot. And their pitching didn't improve enough over the offseason to cover how much worse the offense got. Brandon McCarthy offers some hope, but he's a rookie and counting on a rookie to save your staff is a risky proposition at best.
Personally, I think the Sox finish right around the Tigers (either 3rd or 4th) with the Indians in 2nd (and contending for the Wild Card due to the weakness of the Red Sox and A's) and the Royals a distant last.
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Post by showcase on Apr 4, 2005 11:39:33 GMT -5
Oh, I agree that the pitching staff is the big question mark with this team. I just feel like the staff has the potential to provide the performances necessary to keep the Sox in the game. The track record cast doubt on the likelihood that the starters will be able to for a 162-game season, but the potential is there.
As for the Indians, the talent is there, but I think they're still too young. I expect them to fold come August.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Apr 4, 2005 13:20:04 GMT -5
I can't resist adding my 2 cents to this thread. As showcase knows, I love the Sox. They are my favorite professional team. More than the Lakers, or the Dodgers, or (formerly) the Rams (rip), or some others I could name.
I think the Twins are going to win the division again, largely for the reason Tbird mentioned. I don't think the Sox' starting pitching is good enough. But I do think it is better than it has been. If Garland ends up being the #5 starter throughout the year, that spot will be better filled than it has been in I don't know how long. It's been a black hole for quite awhile. And I certainly have no problem with Buerhle. It's the other three guys I'm concerned about. Garcia has been a disappointment thus far, and it didn't appear that he pitched too well during spring training, either. He just doesn't look like the same pitcher he was for his first few years in Seattle. I think El Duque will be fine as long as he stays healthy, but we certainly can't rely on that. And Contreras is a mystery. He can be unhittable, but you just never know where his head is at.
I think the Sox hitting, however, will be better than most pundits are expecting. Everyone talks about how much losing Ordonez will hurt them, but he only played 1/3 of a season last year, and Dye will be a huge upgrade over the guys that replaced him. Also, I expect (perhaps too optimistically) that the Uribe-Iguchi combination (with Uribe playing every day) will be a big upgrade over Valentin-Harris. I hope Valentin does well, since he's with the Dodgers, but I'm not expecting much. And I don't think Crazy Carl Everett is washed up yet. If he's healthy, I think we will get very solid numbers from the DH, with or without the Big Hurt.
So I predict 2nd place, with 85 wins.
By the way, I had to laugh the other night when I saw that the Sox lost an exhibition game to the Brewers thanks to a 3-run dinger by Carlos Lee. I'm sure Lee enjoyed that, anyway.
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the_way
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Post by the_way on Apr 4, 2005 14:14:49 GMT -5
Forget the 'Sox. Its all about the Black and Orange. Go Orioles!!! ;D
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Post by showcase on Apr 4, 2005 14:16:24 GMT -5
I hope El Caballo does well with the Brew-crew. I always liked him with the Sox, particularly given the effort he put into become a better defensive player (obviously, it didn't make him a Gold Glover, but he never would be). I think Lee's best years are ahead of him still, although I wonder what kind of fall off he's going to have leaving the friendly confines of the renovated New Comiskey behind.
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Apr 4, 2005 15:43:28 GMT -5
Sox will be lucky to finish above third. The Twins will be challenged, but by Cleveland. Luckily for the Sox, the Tigers aren't very good and the Royals are awful.
But anything can happen, I suppose.
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nychoya3
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Post by nychoya3 on Apr 4, 2005 16:50:31 GMT -5
Teams who think it a good idea to trade Carlos Lee for Scott Posednik are very unlikely to be any good. It could happen, but it doesn't bode well for the rest of your roster.
Where's the offense on this team? It's a weak division, sure, but the heart of the order stinks.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Apr 4, 2005 20:08:43 GMT -5
The Lee for Podsednik/Vizcaino trade looks awful on its face, but it was made for budgetary reasons, and enabled the Sox to sign other players, including El Duque and Iguchi. So you can't just look at the deal in a vacuum. One could argue that the trade of Lee enabled the Sox to improve their starting pitching, relief pitching, infield and team speed. Sure, there are gambles involved here, because the players the Sox are depending upon include a guy who hit .233 last year, a guy who hasn't had a healthy year since about 1965, and a guy coming over from Japan.
So where's the offense? I don't know, I don't think the Sox look so bad 3-9: Dye, Konerko, Everett/Thomas, Rowand, Pierzynski, Crede, Uribe. That looks a lot better to me than the Dodger line-up, which has black holes all over the place.
And they produced enough offense today. ;D
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Post by showcase on Apr 5, 2005 8:24:47 GMT -5
How'd that powerhouse pitcher Radke do yesterday? Seriously, I doubt we're going to see alot of pitchers' duels in Comiskey this year. That said, if the lineup generates some consistency, they'll be fine. Konerko, Everett and Dye (who was healthy this spring) can provide sufficient pop, and Thomas will as well when he comes back. If need be, they can always trade for a hitter if they're still in the mix in a meaningful way come July. They'd pay alot more to get a mediocre pitcher than some guy with power that another club can't use.
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Apr 5, 2005 9:51:10 GMT -5
How'd that powerhouse pitcher Radke do yesterday? Seriously, I doubt we're going to see alot of pitchers' duels in Comiskey this year. That said, if the lineup generates some consistency, they'll be fine. Konerko, Everett and Dye (who was healthy this spring) can provide sufficient pop, and Thomas will as well when he comes back. If need be, they can always trade for a hitter if they're still in the mix in a meaningful way come July. They'd pay alot more to get a mediocre pitcher than some guy with power that another club can't use. He got Sexson'd...Oh well, guess we'll only be 161-1. Johan's up tonight, so don't lose, or we'll be tied ;D
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Apr 5, 2005 13:44:02 GMT -5
I will uncategorically guarantee that the Sox won't lose today.* *Not scheduled.
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Post by showcase on Apr 5, 2005 13:55:41 GMT -5
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Apr 6, 2005 17:17:09 GMT -5
Yee Hah! What a comeback! 162-0, here we come!
It appears that Garcia was very shaky early, but managed to avoid major damage, and then settled down.
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Apr 6, 2005 17:27:50 GMT -5
I just can't help myself. Torii Hunter's heading home and.... boom goes the dynamite That was a quality comeback by the sox though. Both of them, to be precise. I can't wait til this weekend when the Sox come to the Dome. Too bad I'll still be in DC.
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FormerHoya
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Post by FormerHoya on Apr 6, 2005 17:30:57 GMT -5
Official Worst Thread Ever.
FormerHoya, resident lifelong Cubs Fan.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Apr 6, 2005 19:59:01 GMT -5
Blow it out your ear, FormerHoya!
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Post by showcase on Apr 7, 2005 9:56:24 GMT -5
Official Worst Thread Ever. FormerHoya, resident lifelong Cubs Fan.This is the Official White Sox Thread, not the Official Most Embarrassing Confessions Thread. By the way, I think Bob Wickman would offer a different point of view of whether the Sox still have adequate power in their lineup (what with the Sox hitting back-to-back HR in the bottom of the 9th to tie it up and set the table for the W later in the inning). Go Sox Go!
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Apr 7, 2005 11:09:33 GMT -5
This is the Official White Sox Thread, not the Official Most Embarrassing Confessions Thread. By the way, I think Bob Wickman would offer a different point of view of whether the Sox still have adequate power in their lineup (what with the Sox hitting back-to-back HR in the bottom of the 9th to tie it up and set the table for the W later in the inning). Go Sox Go! We'll see about that when you face a real bullpen this weekend. And real starting pitchers (only on Sat. and Sun. since Lohse is a basket case)
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FormerHoya
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Post by FormerHoya on Apr 7, 2005 16:08:29 GMT -5
By the way, I think Bob Wickman would offer a different point of view of whether the Sox still have adequate power in their lineup (what with the Sox hitting back-to-back HR in the bottom of the 9th to tie it up and set the table for the W later in the inning). He must have been offering tips to Mr. [GONG] ZERO!!!
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