TBird41
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
Posts: 8,740
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Post by TBird41 on Jun 7, 2005 12:32:08 GMT -5
Isn't there a Dave Kingman bobble-head doll you should be worshipping somewhere? Isn't there a first base coach you should be attacking somewhere? ;D
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Post by showcase on Jun 7, 2005 12:58:25 GMT -5
No one attacks Tim "Rock" Raines! NO ONE! I guarantee it!
(This guarantee valid only for MLB games played during the 2005 regular season and does not apply to weaker/older first base coaches. Offer void in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia & the province of Ontario.)
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FormerHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,262
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Post by FormerHoya on Jun 7, 2005 13:01:59 GMT -5
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Post by BurleithBeast on Jun 10, 2005 1:05:06 GMT -5
Bump. Great series against the Rockies, finally getting some big offense (that it happened in Coors Field is mere coincidence!) Now on to San Diego. Garland and Buehrle at the ready.
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3GenerationHoya
Century (over 100 posts)
Levance Fields eats Donut Ham-Hamburgers.
Posts: 173
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Post by 3GenerationHoya on Jun 10, 2005 16:36:38 GMT -5
Hopefully, avoiding Eaton and Peavy in the Padres series means the White Sox can continue with the offensive momentum they started in Colo.
Sox back on top of espn.com's mlb power rankings, moving ahead of the Cardinals for first time in a while. I guess we can consider ourselves out from under the radar.
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C86
Century (over 100 posts)
Posts: 230
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Post by C86 on Jun 11, 2005 13:37:34 GMT -5
Garland takes the opener, let's hope Buerhle (pronounced "Burl" by a clueless sports announcer on Chicago radio this morning) follows up.
Currently I'm in my underground bunker located halfway between WGN headquarters and Wrigley Field, trying to ride out the idiocy of the Red Sox/Cubs series. Two second place teams playing approximately 540 ball meet, and the Tribune-owned media is treating it like it's the World Series. The Sox win their 41st game and it is a small story, below the fold, bottom corner.
I'm starting to believe in this team. However, I am becoming deeply concerned about Ozzie's on field decisionmaking. I went to a game against the Angels last week. Two outs, bottom of the ninth, two on. Ozzie let's the perpetually lighthitting Harris bat (no harm, he walks) and then pinchhits Thomas for the leadoff man, Podsednik. Thomas walks, Osuna pinch runs. Maybe I'm missing something, but why let Harris bat? Thomas is on the bench, use him there. Why pinch hit for Podsedink? And if you really don't want to use Podsednik, pinch hit for him using Konerko or Gload, who were both on the bench. Mystifying.
My fear is that if (big if) the Sox make the post season, a more experienced manager will dance on Ozzie, much like how Pinella outmanaged Manuel back in 2000.
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Post by showcase on Jun 11, 2005 14:44:56 GMT -5
Ozzie's mangerial decisionmaking has left me scratching my head alot as well. As I suggested above, my suspicion is that he really relishes his reputation as a maverick and can't pass up an opportunity to 'go against the grain,' so to speak. As far as that Angels game, perhaps Ozzie figured that if Harris could get on, it made more sense to force them to pitch to Thomas. If he hits Thomas for Harris, they just pitch around him and put him on. If he hits Thomas for Pods, however, they've got nowhere to put him, and between Thomas and Pods, it's pretty clear who stands the best chance of picking up some or all of those baserunners. Obviously, the whole strategy turns on Harris getting on, which (as you note) is hardly a given. But, with the way Francisco Rodriquez was pitching that night (in his first appearance off the DL), Harris's chances were greatly enhanced. All in all, it made the game interesting, since Rodriguez walked Thomas to put the go-ahead run on 1B. Too bad the next batter (Perez?) couldn't keep things rolling... Anyway, I too hate how the Cubs-BoSox series is getting so much play, whereas the Sox continuing to roll gets barely a mention. Even ESPN is falling prey to the same bias, as they've got a link on the front page to a story about the series, which isn't all that compelling in the first place. What, like some of the BoSox curse-breaking ability is somehow supposed to magically rub off on the Cubbies as a result of this series? Gimme a break.
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,212
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Post by hoyarooter on Jun 13, 2005 12:15:25 GMT -5
I think the batter that followed Thomas was Uribe, who hit a foul ball that was almost a grand slam, and then fanned.
Has Gload been activated? If so, I missed that. Who was sent out?
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Post by showcase on Jun 13, 2005 13:10:15 GMT -5
I think Gload's rehabilitation is taking longer than expected, and that he hasn't been reactivated yet. By the way, rooter, who are you pulling for in this weekend's series?
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,212
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Post by hoyarooter on Jun 14, 2005 12:19:40 GMT -5
Sox. First and always. The only time I would root for the Dodgers in a Dodgers/Sox match-up is if the Sox were buried in the basement and the Dodgers were fighting for a playoff spot.
I read yesterday that Gload has had a setback and may be out for another month, so he definitely hasn't been activated yet.
Nice job of BP pitching by Contreras yesterday. Oh, well, these things happen.
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Post by showcase on Jun 19, 2005 12:55:26 GMT -5
How 'bout those White Sox? Putting four runs across in the bottom of the ninth, at least three of which came with 2 outs! It was kind of painful to watch Garcia struggle mightily in the first inning, but to come away from that game with a W more than made up for it.
Personally, I had a good feeling when Choi failed to catch that pop foul by AJ by the Dodgers' dugout. He went after it very tentatively which resulted in it falling just out of his reach. I was thinking to myself at the time that that is the type of play that will come back to bite you in the keister, and AJ take the next pitch deep for the win. Awesome!
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,212
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Post by hoyarooter on Jun 20, 2005 13:52:47 GMT -5
This is really funny (well, I think it is, anyway). I watched the first four innings, and was going nuts watching Garcia walk everyone in sight. My dad even called me and said, this is horrible, they should take him out. After that, I took our 2 year old out for a walk and to play in the yard. After about an hour of that, I took her back in the house, and turned the game back on. It was 3-3 in the 9th, AJ was up, and the count was 3-2. I saw exactly three pitches (but heard Charlie Steiner, who is announcing for the Dodgers now, say how the Dodgers had taken a 3-1 lead into the 9th), the third resulting in the walk-off. I didn't know until the next day that the Sox had been down to their final strike twice. Great win for the Sox, but just an awful, awful loss for the Dodgers.
I didn't see last night's game at all, unfortunately, as I was busy with Father's Day stuff.
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Post by showcase on Jun 20, 2005 15:51:52 GMT -5
Tough loss for the Dodgers, but it's Choi's fault - if he'd have gone after that foul ball a little more aggressively, I don't think Brazoban has to throw that third pitch to Pierzynski.
Sox made nice work of last night's game. Rowland is becoming Mr. Clutch for the Sox.
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C86
Century (over 100 posts)
Posts: 230
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Post by C86 on Jun 23, 2005 20:49:06 GMT -5
Dear Nation --
Any thoughts on the upcoming series against that Other Team? After back to back sweeps, I fear a let down is inevitable, particularly with the ineffectual Jose Contreras pitching the middle game on Saturday. Also, Derek Lee is on fire (two HR's today). Prior is probably making his first start on Sunday. The Cubs may oddly be caring more about this series than the White Sox, as it may be their last chance to right their listing ship.
I hope for the best, of course. Hoyarooter, I assume you're teaching your two-year old the finer points of the hit and run and the words to Na Na Na Goodbye. One of my three year olds is upstairs sleeping in her White Sox t-shirt. Her twin sister demanded that I turn on the radio before bed because she wanted to hear John Rooney yell "White Sox Winner!"
Go you White Sox,
Signed,
C86
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,212
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Post by hoyarooter on Jun 24, 2005 13:20:33 GMT -5
While I don't get to see the Sox much, not getting WGN on my cable system, I have already managed to subject my just-turned 2 year old to the following:
1. Na na hey hey goodbye.
2. "Sox win, Sox win" in my best Harry Caray voice.
3. A version of Take Me Out to the Ball Game featuring the line, "root, root, root for the White Sox, if they don't win it's a shame."
I can't believe we actually had a 10 (now 9 1/2) game lead. I have to keep pinching myself.
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FormerHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,262
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Post by FormerHoya on Jun 27, 2005 16:08:11 GMT -5
Far be it from me, a Cubs fan, to gloat, but....
Actually, all I feel is relief. My Dad, Sox fan, would have been intolerable if they had won both series.
Also, I got back to "nothing", as in double or...
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Post by showcase on Jul 7, 2005 15:42:05 GMT -5
Nice to see Podsednik get tabbed as the 32d All-Star. I understand that some of his teammates were openly campaigning on his behalf. What with alot of baseball fandom preoccupied with power statistics, it's nice to see Pods get recognized for his on-field contributions.
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,212
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Post by hoyarooter on Jul 8, 2005 13:35:29 GMT -5
Yeah, I agree. But objectively, I think I would have picked one of the loathesome Yankees or Travis Hafner (who wasn't even on the ballot).
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3GenerationHoya
Century (over 100 posts)
Levance Fields eats Donut Ham-Hamburgers.
Posts: 173
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Post by 3GenerationHoya on Jul 8, 2005 15:33:40 GMT -5
Congrats to Pods for making it on the All Star team... Always good to see the team with the best record in baseball get more representation in the midsummer classic.
I think perhaps the Yankee fans may have split their vote between the two players, and not having Hafner on the ballot certainly helped. Still, I expected Matsui to win this vote with the strength of all the Japanese and NYC voters pushing him well past the other contenders.
Did anyone esle see Bobby Jenks pitch the 9th inning the other night against the TB Devil Rays? He was a bit wild, but hitting the high 90s every time and he even showed a bit of a nasty curve... he could be someone to look out for in the near future.
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hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,212
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Post by hoyarooter on Jul 11, 2005 12:50:55 GMT -5
My Dad watched the game Saturday from that truly forgettable A's series, and said Jenks was abysmal. Couldn't throw a strike.
It's pretty nice, though (and amazing) that the Sox went more than 3 months before having their first awful series of the season.
As bad as this was, the Angels getting swept by Seattle at home in a four game series was far worse.
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