In what has seemed like a very long time, the White Sox finally will come home to U.S. Cellular Field tomorrow to face the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a pretty successful road trip for the South Siders, and could have been even more successful, had the bullpen not blown a 5-1 lead last Thursday.
Taking 2 of 3 from both Milwaukee and Cincinnatti as well as earning a split with the Cubs has given the Sox some momentum. A successful homestand, and they are right back in the thick of things in the AL Central.
But haven't we seen this before? The team has gone through up and down stretches all year and nothing about this recent swing suggests they have turned the tide of the season. Furthermore, giving up that lead against the Cubs shows that just when you think the team has righted the ship, they still have some issues to deal with.
This next stretch of games is essentially the season on the line for the Sox. It is now the last week of June, and the July 31st trade deadline is approaching. They have the Dodgers, Cubs, Indians, Royals, Indians, and Twins before the All-Star break on July 13th.
If the Sox can go on a hot streak, their season will be saved. If not, it's sell time come late July.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Shades of '08 for Cubs
Entering their half of the 5th inning, the Cubs trailed 7-0. 5 innings later, they won 8-7. It definitely wasn't pretty. And a bad outing by Rich Harden is somewhat disconcerting. But the offense has apparently come back to life for a team that was in the offensive doldrums for weeks.
For the second day in a row, the Cubs were looking at a sure defeat -- and another poor offensive showing. But the late innings once again were friendly, as the Cubs scored 4 times in the 8th and once in the 9th and 10th to take the opening game against the visiting Cleveland Indians.
I wrote yesterday that coming back from a 5-1 deficit against the White Sox could be the jump start the Cubs needed, and they responded again with another late outburst. No, the slump isn't officially over, but two games in a row only builds confidence for the hitters. And there are some signs that the team has turned things around. Namely, Derrek Lee.
Lee was struggling, but he has been on fire lately, including 3 big home runs in the last two games. If Lee continues at this pace, the Cubs will be able to ride his bat until Aramis Ramirez returns. And who knows what will happen then?
At least for a day, though, reminders of the big comeback against the Rockies last year came to mind. And maybe some of the "Cubbie" swagger is coming back, too. It remains to be seen if it is here to stay.
For the second day in a row, the Cubs were looking at a sure defeat -- and another poor offensive showing. But the late innings once again were friendly, as the Cubs scored 4 times in the 8th and once in the 9th and 10th to take the opening game against the visiting Cleveland Indians.
I wrote yesterday that coming back from a 5-1 deficit against the White Sox could be the jump start the Cubs needed, and they responded again with another late outburst. No, the slump isn't officially over, but two games in a row only builds confidence for the hitters. And there are some signs that the team has turned things around. Namely, Derrek Lee.
Lee was struggling, but he has been on fire lately, including 3 big home runs in the last two games. If Lee continues at this pace, the Cubs will be able to ride his bat until Aramis Ramirez returns. And who knows what will happen then?
At least for a day, though, reminders of the big comeback against the Rockies last year came to mind. And maybe some of the "Cubbie" swagger is coming back, too. It remains to be seen if it is here to stay.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Cross Town Classic Concluded
Due to Tuesday's postponement of the Cubs/Sox game, I decided to just combine the series into one article. I'll take each game on its own.
Wednesday: Sox 4 Cubs 1
Wednesday's game was a perfect exhibition for Chicago baseball this year. Both teams got decent pitching, and both teams left a lot of guys on base. Now, it was only 11 total, and with two teams that's not that high of a number. But watching the replay, it seemed like every inning each team got someone on base and left him there. John Danks and Ryan Dempster are good pitchers, but the two offenses are just so bad that anyone could have done what they did. The Sox, though, reverted to some small ball, including a beautiful squeeze by Scott Podsednik late in the ball game. The Cubs' hitters just struggled. This game was about what was expected. The Sox just happened to win.
Thursday: Cubs 6 Sox 5
Thursday's game was the type of game that changes seasons. Potentially. It's up to the teams to determine their fate from here on out, but in a big time series like this, where everyone in the park is amped up, the possible directions from blowing a 4-run lead and coming back from a 4-run deficit are many. As for the game, it was going the way of the previous day. Gavin Floyd and Carlos Zambrano were dueling, despite Floyd not having good stuff. The Sox got to Big Z in the 7th, and went on to open a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 8th. Scott Linebrink gave up a 3-run shot to Derrek Lee, and Geovany Soto followed with a solo blast to tie it. The Cubs went on to win in the 9th. This game was more in line with the Sox/Cubs games of years past. Not over till the last out.
What the series means for each team:
Cubs: They can use this as a kick-start, possibly. One big inning doesn't necessarily mean the slump is over. But it does give confidence to the hitters, and they certainly can use this as a starting point. The next few games are key for the offense to see if they actually have turned things around or if they just had a good inning. They can also forget about Wednesday's game, and focus on the momentum they created for themselves Thursday. But it's up to them to use Thursday's game as a starting point, or will turn into just another game and series.
White Sox: Wednesday's win was on par with how most of their other wins have gone this year. They like to get solid pitching and score a few runs when they win. So just like for the North Siders, Wednesday's game doesn't tell or mean a whole lot for the team. Thursday, on the other hand, hurts. To give up that lead is just bad. This is the kind of game that, by losing, can put a team on the skids in a hurry. Again, the emotion level in the series is extremely high, and to give up that lead is more than losing. Somehow, they have to put it behind them. But it still will sting. It could have been four in a row for the Sox, and they simply blew it. This is why it's hard to get excited about them when they win. They are so inconsistent. If this were '05, they win this game. If they were a better team on the whole, they win this game. Blowing the lead just points back to all their deficiencies.
Note #1: Perhaps in September when the first game of the series is made up, the teams will be better and the game will be interesting. It certainly has the potential to be a HUGE game. And that will make the emotion even higher, but not for the "I hate the Sox! I hate the Cubs!" reason. If playoff implications are on the line, more important things than bragging rights will be at stake. And THAT will be worth all the hype.
Note #2: I've generally liked Hawk Harrelson over the years, but this year, he's been beyond ridiculous with his complaining about umpires and missed strikes or balls. In Thursday's game, there was a close call on Alfonso Soriano in the 8th inning that went Soriano's way. It would have been strike three, but all Soriano did was get a hit. The next two batters were out before Lee hit his home run. Hawk went on endlessly (into the 9th) about how one call changes everything blah blah blah. The bottom line is, Getz made an error, and Linebrink couldn't get the job done. Please Hawk, for your listeners' sanity: Shut up.
Note #3: I will admit it's funny listening to Hawk whine about ump calls, only for Steve Stone to calmy comment on the same pitch and show just how lame it is for Hawk to cry like that.
Note #4: Scott Linebrink should never pitch in Wrigley Field again.
Wednesday: Sox 4 Cubs 1
Wednesday's game was a perfect exhibition for Chicago baseball this year. Both teams got decent pitching, and both teams left a lot of guys on base. Now, it was only 11 total, and with two teams that's not that high of a number. But watching the replay, it seemed like every inning each team got someone on base and left him there. John Danks and Ryan Dempster are good pitchers, but the two offenses are just so bad that anyone could have done what they did. The Sox, though, reverted to some small ball, including a beautiful squeeze by Scott Podsednik late in the ball game. The Cubs' hitters just struggled. This game was about what was expected. The Sox just happened to win.
Thursday: Cubs 6 Sox 5
Thursday's game was the type of game that changes seasons. Potentially. It's up to the teams to determine their fate from here on out, but in a big time series like this, where everyone in the park is amped up, the possible directions from blowing a 4-run lead and coming back from a 4-run deficit are many. As for the game, it was going the way of the previous day. Gavin Floyd and Carlos Zambrano were dueling, despite Floyd not having good stuff. The Sox got to Big Z in the 7th, and went on to open a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 8th. Scott Linebrink gave up a 3-run shot to Derrek Lee, and Geovany Soto followed with a solo blast to tie it. The Cubs went on to win in the 9th. This game was more in line with the Sox/Cubs games of years past. Not over till the last out.
What the series means for each team:
Cubs: They can use this as a kick-start, possibly. One big inning doesn't necessarily mean the slump is over. But it does give confidence to the hitters, and they certainly can use this as a starting point. The next few games are key for the offense to see if they actually have turned things around or if they just had a good inning. They can also forget about Wednesday's game, and focus on the momentum they created for themselves Thursday. But it's up to them to use Thursday's game as a starting point, or will turn into just another game and series.
White Sox: Wednesday's win was on par with how most of their other wins have gone this year. They like to get solid pitching and score a few runs when they win. So just like for the North Siders, Wednesday's game doesn't tell or mean a whole lot for the team. Thursday, on the other hand, hurts. To give up that lead is just bad. This is the kind of game that, by losing, can put a team on the skids in a hurry. Again, the emotion level in the series is extremely high, and to give up that lead is more than losing. Somehow, they have to put it behind them. But it still will sting. It could have been four in a row for the Sox, and they simply blew it. This is why it's hard to get excited about them when they win. They are so inconsistent. If this were '05, they win this game. If they were a better team on the whole, they win this game. Blowing the lead just points back to all their deficiencies.
Note #1: Perhaps in September when the first game of the series is made up, the teams will be better and the game will be interesting. It certainly has the potential to be a HUGE game. And that will make the emotion even higher, but not for the "I hate the Sox! I hate the Cubs!" reason. If playoff implications are on the line, more important things than bragging rights will be at stake. And THAT will be worth all the hype.
Note #2: I've generally liked Hawk Harrelson over the years, but this year, he's been beyond ridiculous with his complaining about umpires and missed strikes or balls. In Thursday's game, there was a close call on Alfonso Soriano in the 8th inning that went Soriano's way. It would have been strike three, but all Soriano did was get a hit. The next two batters were out before Lee hit his home run. Hawk went on endlessly (into the 9th) about how one call changes everything blah blah blah. The bottom line is, Getz made an error, and Linebrink couldn't get the job done. Please Hawk, for your listeners' sanity: Shut up.
Note #3: I will admit it's funny listening to Hawk whine about ump calls, only for Steve Stone to calmy comment on the same pitch and show just how lame it is for Hawk to cry like that.
Note #4: Scott Linebrink should never pitch in Wrigley Field again.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Cross Town Classic This Week
It's time for round one the 2009 edition of the Crosstown Classic, with the White Sox visiting the Cubs for a three game set at Wrigley Field tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday. For a variety of reasons, though, it just isn't as exciting as it used to be.
Reason #1: Both teams are pretty bad right now. The Cubs have the better upside, but right now, the Cubs come in 30-30, and the Sox 30-34. Neither team can hit much, so we'll be treated to some horrendous hitting. The pitching of both teams has been solid, so we will see good performances, but they just will be overmatching the hitters so much to where it's not fun.
Reason #2: It's not a weekend. No, days of the week don't really matter, but the series is a lot more fun when it's on the weekend, with two afternoon games in the sun and a night game on ESPN. It just doesn't seem as important when it's thrown in the middle of the week like is.
Reason #3: It's been done. This is the 11th year, to be exact. The series has lost its charm. The teams have proven to be about equal against each other regardless of their records (with some exceptions, of course). For a while, the Sox seemed to take at least 4 games per season, but lately, the Cubs have turned the tables. It has resulted in an even series between the teams. And sure, that's better than a one-sided rivalry, but they have simply played each other way too much. It's impossible for this year's series to live up to the hype of past years.
For this rivalry to regain a spark, both teams need to be good and in or near first place. If not, it will be like this year: a big meh of a series. Every year, the players say it's just another series. That's always been a cliche. But this year, it's true.
Reason #1: Both teams are pretty bad right now. The Cubs have the better upside, but right now, the Cubs come in 30-30, and the Sox 30-34. Neither team can hit much, so we'll be treated to some horrendous hitting. The pitching of both teams has been solid, so we will see good performances, but they just will be overmatching the hitters so much to where it's not fun.
Reason #2: It's not a weekend. No, days of the week don't really matter, but the series is a lot more fun when it's on the weekend, with two afternoon games in the sun and a night game on ESPN. It just doesn't seem as important when it's thrown in the middle of the week like is.
Reason #3: It's been done. This is the 11th year, to be exact. The series has lost its charm. The teams have proven to be about equal against each other regardless of their records (with some exceptions, of course). For a while, the Sox seemed to take at least 4 games per season, but lately, the Cubs have turned the tables. It has resulted in an even series between the teams. And sure, that's better than a one-sided rivalry, but they have simply played each other way too much. It's impossible for this year's series to live up to the hype of past years.
For this rivalry to regain a spark, both teams need to be good and in or near first place. If not, it will be like this year: a big meh of a series. Every year, the players say it's just another series. That's always been a cliche. But this year, it's true.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Inconsistency Continues for Sox
So the White Sox respond to an awful homestand by taking two of three from Milwaukee in Milwaukee. Mark Buehrle hits a home run and Clayton Richard scores a run as a pinch-hitter. I don't know what to think about this team anymore.
The Sox had a bad series against the Tigers at home this week, only to rebound to win the final game of the series and then take the weekend series against the Brewers. Jose Contreras had another excellent outing, but Clayton Richard has regressed a little. The inconsistency in the individual players reveals the inconsistency of the team. This week proved nothing except that it's hard to get an accurate read on the team.
I still lean towards them being sellers at the deadline, but that probably won't be apparent until around the All-Star break. Now they have the Cubs series, which this year is so completely anti-climactic, since both teams are average. Knowing them, they'll take 2 of 3 again and go on another run, furthering their maddening pace this year.
I hope to write more about them this week, since last week was pretty busy. There's a lot to say, but for now, another week is gone, and no questions have been answered.
The Sox had a bad series against the Tigers at home this week, only to rebound to win the final game of the series and then take the weekend series against the Brewers. Jose Contreras had another excellent outing, but Clayton Richard has regressed a little. The inconsistency in the individual players reveals the inconsistency of the team. This week proved nothing except that it's hard to get an accurate read on the team.
I still lean towards them being sellers at the deadline, but that probably won't be apparent until around the All-Star break. Now they have the Cubs series, which this year is so completely anti-climactic, since both teams are average. Knowing them, they'll take 2 of 3 again and go on another run, furthering their maddening pace this year.
I hope to write more about them this week, since last week was pretty busy. There's a lot to say, but for now, another week is gone, and no questions have been answered.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Contreras Nearly Perfect in Return
In one of the most unexpected moments of the 2009 MLB season, Jose Contreras returned to the White Sox and pitched 8 shutout innings, while only giving up 1 hit and 1 walk. Contreras had previously been 0-5 and not having a good outing at all.
Team officials had been mentioning that Contreras figured out the issue in AAA Charlotte and was fully healthy. Turns out they were correct as Contreras's effort earned the Sox a split with the visiting Tigers today.
His performance is obviously encouraging as it gets added to the recent string of strong starts from most of the rotation. However, Clayton Richard has also been pitching well and is more important at this stage to the team than Contreras. One of the two is going to the bullpen after tonight, and I have a bad feeling it will be Richard. Of course, the ideal solution is to leave both in the rotation if Contreras has reverted to '05 form and send Bartolo Colon packing. But that is doubtful.
If Contreras does, in fact, return to the rotation, he has to follow this effort up. They know what he is capable of and what he can bring to the pitching staff. But once isn't enough. If he follows with more excellent performances, then he will be a great addition to the rotation from within the organization. If not, it will be the same old thing, and the Sox can't afford the same old thing right now.
Team officials had been mentioning that Contreras figured out the issue in AAA Charlotte and was fully healthy. Turns out they were correct as Contreras's effort earned the Sox a split with the visiting Tigers today.
His performance is obviously encouraging as it gets added to the recent string of strong starts from most of the rotation. However, Clayton Richard has also been pitching well and is more important at this stage to the team than Contreras. One of the two is going to the bullpen after tonight, and I have a bad feeling it will be Richard. Of course, the ideal solution is to leave both in the rotation if Contreras has reverted to '05 form and send Bartolo Colon packing. But that is doubtful.
If Contreras does, in fact, return to the rotation, he has to follow this effort up. They know what he is capable of and what he can bring to the pitching staff. But once isn't enough. If he follows with more excellent performances, then he will be a great addition to the rotation from within the organization. If not, it will be the same old thing, and the Sox can't afford the same old thing right now.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
North Siders Hanging Tough
While the Sox look like they are headed down in the standing, the Cubs seem like they are ready to make their move back into first place in the NL Central. Winners of 3 of their last 4, the Cubbies have a three game set coming up in Houston this week, where taking 2 of 3 is perfectly reasonable.
The big issue with the Cubs is their bullpen. But today, after giving up a 3-2 lead in the 8th inning, Cub relievers combined for 6 shutout innings, with only 3 hits allowed. That's pretty good. That's not to say that all the bullpen woes are over for the Cubs, because they aren't. But some consecutive solid outings will go a long way for them to build some confidence, and gain the confidence of Lou Piniella, which is a big intangible for them.
One huge bright spot has been the emergence of Randy Wells. The 27-year-old righty has had absolute rotten luck in his starts, including this afternoon. He's given up 3 earned runs or less in each of his starts, and has seen either the bullpen blow the leads or the offense not perform, leading to either losses or no-decisions. He deserves better, but that's baseball. It most likely will balance out, and if he continues to pitch at this clip, he certainly will start racking up some wins.
It was a good week for the other Cub starters, as well, with Zambrano picking up his 100th career win, and Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster having solid outings. If the rotation keeps going like this, the Cubs will be in good positions to win games. They don't need the bullpen to do a 180 and suddenly become the best pen in baseball. They just need improvement out of it. The offense will eventually get itself together.
In a week's time, I wouldn't be surprised to write that the Cubs are back in first place or tied for first place. They've gone through a tough stretch, but Lou has them playing better and it's just a matter of time.
The big issue with the Cubs is their bullpen. But today, after giving up a 3-2 lead in the 8th inning, Cub relievers combined for 6 shutout innings, with only 3 hits allowed. That's pretty good. That's not to say that all the bullpen woes are over for the Cubs, because they aren't. But some consecutive solid outings will go a long way for them to build some confidence, and gain the confidence of Lou Piniella, which is a big intangible for them.
One huge bright spot has been the emergence of Randy Wells. The 27-year-old righty has had absolute rotten luck in his starts, including this afternoon. He's given up 3 earned runs or less in each of his starts, and has seen either the bullpen blow the leads or the offense not perform, leading to either losses or no-decisions. He deserves better, but that's baseball. It most likely will balance out, and if he continues to pitch at this clip, he certainly will start racking up some wins.
It was a good week for the other Cub starters, as well, with Zambrano picking up his 100th career win, and Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster having solid outings. If the rotation keeps going like this, the Cubs will be in good positions to win games. They don't need the bullpen to do a 180 and suddenly become the best pen in baseball. They just need improvement out of it. The offense will eventually get itself together.
In a week's time, I wouldn't be surprised to write that the Cubs are back in first place or tied for first place. They've gone through a tough stretch, but Lou has them playing better and it's just a matter of time.
What a Difference a Week Makes
And things are back to normal for the White Sox, who, after winning 10 of 13, fell back this week and lost their last 5 of 6. Today, they lost to a no-name pitcher (again), and Bartolo Colon had a poor outing (again).
With the big run out of the way, and the team regressing to it's non-existent offense again, they are starting to reveal just what they are in this 2009 campaign. And what they are is a mediocre team. Decent rotation, great bullpen, horrendous lineup.
With the exceptions of Colon and Jose Contreras, Sox starters have been all right. John Danks and Gavin Floyd have struggled at times this year, but they have not been helped by the offense at all. Clayton Richard has come on to impress in his starts this year, and despite his name being mentioned in the Jake Peavy deal, he has not let it bother him. Mark Buehrle should have at least two more wins and is quietly having an All-Star season.
The bullpen has maintained its dominance so far, with Octavio Dotel rebounding from a shaky '08 to put up some great numbers thus far.
And now to the offense. As has been customary, when they aren't scoring 7+ runs, they rarely win. When they don't hit home runs, they rarely win. It's time for some lineup shuffle, and not the swapping of spots 2, 7, 8, and 9 that Ozzie Guillen likes to do. It's time to move Jim Thome down, especially when Carlos Quentin comes back. Thome is on his last career legs, and he just bogs down the middle of the lineup. .240 isn't getting it done. Gordon Beckham has yet to record a major league hit, though that's not really a big issue right now. His time isn't now. It would be nice to see Jayson Nix play every day, but there are just not enough available spots on the field. Oh, and please, get Alexei Ramirez out of the 2 spot and leave Chris Getz there permantly, if he is the starting 2nd baseman. Getz is a #2 hitter. He should be hitting #2, even if he is struggling.
Sure, there's still plenty of time to turn things around, but it's now a week into June, and by now you have a good idea of how clubs will turn out at the end of the season. The Sox are way too inconsistent and way too unbalanced to pull away from the Tigers and Twins. They will stay in the race, but that's not exactly saying much this year.
With the big run out of the way, and the team regressing to it's non-existent offense again, they are starting to reveal just what they are in this 2009 campaign. And what they are is a mediocre team. Decent rotation, great bullpen, horrendous lineup.
With the exceptions of Colon and Jose Contreras, Sox starters have been all right. John Danks and Gavin Floyd have struggled at times this year, but they have not been helped by the offense at all. Clayton Richard has come on to impress in his starts this year, and despite his name being mentioned in the Jake Peavy deal, he has not let it bother him. Mark Buehrle should have at least two more wins and is quietly having an All-Star season.
The bullpen has maintained its dominance so far, with Octavio Dotel rebounding from a shaky '08 to put up some great numbers thus far.
And now to the offense. As has been customary, when they aren't scoring 7+ runs, they rarely win. When they don't hit home runs, they rarely win. It's time for some lineup shuffle, and not the swapping of spots 2, 7, 8, and 9 that Ozzie Guillen likes to do. It's time to move Jim Thome down, especially when Carlos Quentin comes back. Thome is on his last career legs, and he just bogs down the middle of the lineup. .240 isn't getting it done. Gordon Beckham has yet to record a major league hit, though that's not really a big issue right now. His time isn't now. It would be nice to see Jayson Nix play every day, but there are just not enough available spots on the field. Oh, and please, get Alexei Ramirez out of the 2 spot and leave Chris Getz there permantly, if he is the starting 2nd baseman. Getz is a #2 hitter. He should be hitting #2, even if he is struggling.
Sure, there's still plenty of time to turn things around, but it's now a week into June, and by now you have a good idea of how clubs will turn out at the end of the season. The Sox are way too inconsistent and way too unbalanced to pull away from the Tigers and Twins. They will stay in the race, but that's not exactly saying much this year.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Shutout Again
The White Sox were shutout again today, giving them two shutouts in the four game series against the Oakland A's. They should be proud, as most teams don't average a shutout per week, but these White Sox have proven not to be most teams this season.
The offense is putrid. Anything they did during their 10 of 13 run has been negated because of their output this series. They have no consistency with the bats. They could come back tomorrow and win 12-3, but that's exactly how unbalanced, home run-dependent offenses operate: they look like they can beat everyone one day, then get shutout the next. The worst part is that they've been beaten by no-name pitchers, though that's not unusual for them.
It all starts in the middle. Jim Thome clogs up the clean-up spot, and Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye simply aren't getting it done anymore. Of the three, Dye has the most to offer at this point, and really should just be their DH at this point. Thome needs to go. If the team keeps struggling, there is a good chance he will be dealt at the trade deadline. If not, he's gone this offseason. I'd like to see Konerko go, too, but it's unlikely they'd deal him. If anything, they'd get more for Konerko at the deadline because he is actually having a good first half so far.
The top of the lineup had been a bit of a spark with Scott Podsednik finding something, but he's definitely not the long-term answer, and Alexei Ramirez is not a #2 hitter. The bottom of the lineup is a disaster as the mish-mash of Josh Fields, Chris Getz, Brian Anderson, DeWayne Wise, has been awful in any combo.
The team called up Gordon Beckham today, and if he can rake like he's been, they will improve a bit. But they really need Carlos Quentin to come back and stay healthy. He's the offensive leader, but his health is a real issue, because he's dealt with injuries his whole career. If he can come back and pick it up again, and Beckham can contribute, there is hope for this season.
If not, it's time to shed to fat and let the kids go to work. They have 2 months.
The offense is putrid. Anything they did during their 10 of 13 run has been negated because of their output this series. They have no consistency with the bats. They could come back tomorrow and win 12-3, but that's exactly how unbalanced, home run-dependent offenses operate: they look like they can beat everyone one day, then get shutout the next. The worst part is that they've been beaten by no-name pitchers, though that's not unusual for them.
It all starts in the middle. Jim Thome clogs up the clean-up spot, and Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye simply aren't getting it done anymore. Of the three, Dye has the most to offer at this point, and really should just be their DH at this point. Thome needs to go. If the team keeps struggling, there is a good chance he will be dealt at the trade deadline. If not, he's gone this offseason. I'd like to see Konerko go, too, but it's unlikely they'd deal him. If anything, they'd get more for Konerko at the deadline because he is actually having a good first half so far.
The top of the lineup had been a bit of a spark with Scott Podsednik finding something, but he's definitely not the long-term answer, and Alexei Ramirez is not a #2 hitter. The bottom of the lineup is a disaster as the mish-mash of Josh Fields, Chris Getz, Brian Anderson, DeWayne Wise, has been awful in any combo.
The team called up Gordon Beckham today, and if he can rake like he's been, they will improve a bit. But they really need Carlos Quentin to come back and stay healthy. He's the offensive leader, but his health is a real issue, because he's dealt with injuries his whole career. If he can come back and pick it up again, and Beckham can contribute, there is hope for this season.
If not, it's time to shed to fat and let the kids go to work. They have 2 months.
Gordan Beckham Called Up
Hitting machine Gordon Beckham was called up from AAA Charlotte earlier this morning. He went 0-3 in this afternoon's game, starting at 3rd base. Never mind that for now, because his call-up means so much to this franchise right now - both good and bad.
First off, let me say I agree with Ozzie Guillen when he has said that if Beckham were called up at this point, it would mean the Sox are in trouble. That is the truth. The reason Beckham is here is that Josh Fields, Chris Getz, Brent Lillibridge, Jayson Nix, Wilson Betemit (who was designated for assignment to make room for Gordon), and Alexei Ramirez aren't doing their jobs. Lillibridge already was sent down due to ineffectiveness. Fields has struggled despite a bit of a streak lately, Ramirez too has come on lately, but not nearly enough, and Getz and Nix platoon second with limited offensive results. Nix is probably the better of the two. Wilson Betemit had been poor, to say the least.
All of these combined struggles have impacted the White Sox and contributed to their 25-27 start, and their horrendous offense. Sure, the offense found itself a bit in the recent 10 of 13 run, but that was halted with back-to-back shutouts. The inconsistency required that Beckham be called up.
Beckham has been on fire all year. He dominated in Spring Training, and he didn't make the team because he simply wasn't supposed to. Not yet, not now. I can agree with that, too, as young players should spend some time in the minors. Then, he tore up AA in Birmingham before recently being called up to AAA, where hit in the .400s. Put it all together, and here he is on the South Side.
In order for Beckham to have any sort of impact on the big club, he'll have to play every day, and I wonder if Guillen wants to commit to him right now. The good thing is that by playing him, it's not a sign of surrender for this season. But it's doubtful he will change anything, since the problems with the Sox's offense run much deeper than one player, but his arrival might signal more changes ahead.
No matter what, though, the future is now for the White Sox.
First off, let me say I agree with Ozzie Guillen when he has said that if Beckham were called up at this point, it would mean the Sox are in trouble. That is the truth. The reason Beckham is here is that Josh Fields, Chris Getz, Brent Lillibridge, Jayson Nix, Wilson Betemit (who was designated for assignment to make room for Gordon), and Alexei Ramirez aren't doing their jobs. Lillibridge already was sent down due to ineffectiveness. Fields has struggled despite a bit of a streak lately, Ramirez too has come on lately, but not nearly enough, and Getz and Nix platoon second with limited offensive results. Nix is probably the better of the two. Wilson Betemit had been poor, to say the least.
All of these combined struggles have impacted the White Sox and contributed to their 25-27 start, and their horrendous offense. Sure, the offense found itself a bit in the recent 10 of 13 run, but that was halted with back-to-back shutouts. The inconsistency required that Beckham be called up.
Beckham has been on fire all year. He dominated in Spring Training, and he didn't make the team because he simply wasn't supposed to. Not yet, not now. I can agree with that, too, as young players should spend some time in the minors. Then, he tore up AA in Birmingham before recently being called up to AAA, where hit in the .400s. Put it all together, and here he is on the South Side.
In order for Beckham to have any sort of impact on the big club, he'll have to play every day, and I wonder if Guillen wants to commit to him right now. The good thing is that by playing him, it's not a sign of surrender for this season. But it's doubtful he will change anything, since the problems with the Sox's offense run much deeper than one player, but his arrival might signal more changes ahead.
No matter what, though, the future is now for the White Sox.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Another "No" for the South Side
Yesterday, even without a deal being complete, Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros was reported to not be interested in coming to the White Sox at all. Ken Williams commented and stated that he has not been in contact with Houston about their ace. That makes two aces in two weeks, and two negatives.
Now, at the same time, a lot of speculation has occurred, with people wondering if these players don't want to play for Ozzie Guillen, if they don't want to play in U.S. Cellular Field, or don't want to play in the American League. It doesn't really matter what the reasoning behind the declinations is, as the Sox should be disappointed. Should they be embarrassed? No.
Since both situations are similar, with the exception that the Oswalt scenario never actually reached fruition, let's take them both together, and look at the speculation.
Not wanting to play for Ozzie: I will never understand this. Sure, Ozzie is whacky. Everyone knows that. He gets in trouble for running his mouth. But who wouldn't want to play for him? He sticks up for his guys all the time, he has led the team two division titles, and oh yeah, the Sox won the World Series under his guidance four years ago. You know who else has won ring? Lou Piella, Bobby Cox, Mike Scioscia to name a few, and plenty of guys want to play for them. I don't buy this as a reason, and if it is a reason, then Peavy and Oswalt are just either really misunderstanding Ozzie or just really foolish.
Not wanting to play in the Cell: This one is a little more tangible, since the Sox's home park is a home run haven in the summertime. But, to me, this fact is overrated. Again pointing to the '05 Series, the Sox had 5 quality starters the majority of the season, and their pitching was their strength. Currently, the rotation is on a roll, and they have one of the best bullpens in the majors. Good pitchers can pitch in home run parks. Both Peavy and Oswalt are good pitchers. Will their ERAs climb a little? Probably. But to insinuate that pitchers are afraid of the park is ridiculous.
Not wanting to pitch in the American League: Again, overrated. Yes, starters usually see a spike in the earned run average in the AL, because every lineup is stacked. But if a guy is pitching in the 3's in the NL and his ERA goes up into the 4's, that's not that major of an issue, because he will have a good offense behind him. And even then, by the same token as pitching in the Cell, good pitchers are good pitchers and will do well regardless. Word has it that Peavy does not want to go the AL. That certainly is his right, since he has a no-trade clause, but to think a Cy Young pitcher doesn't want to pitch in the American League? I don't know what other reasons there could be except he doesn't want to see his stats inflated. And that's a pretty lame reason.
Peavy and Oswalt have made their decisions and that's fine. But at the end of the day, they should realize that one team will make a serious run at a consecutive division crown, while the other(s) will be looking up at their division winner in either fourth or fifth place. So enjoy the long season, gentlemen, hope you don't mind going home in late September.
Now, at the same time, a lot of speculation has occurred, with people wondering if these players don't want to play for Ozzie Guillen, if they don't want to play in U.S. Cellular Field, or don't want to play in the American League. It doesn't really matter what the reasoning behind the declinations is, as the Sox should be disappointed. Should they be embarrassed? No.
Since both situations are similar, with the exception that the Oswalt scenario never actually reached fruition, let's take them both together, and look at the speculation.
Not wanting to play for Ozzie: I will never understand this. Sure, Ozzie is whacky. Everyone knows that. He gets in trouble for running his mouth. But who wouldn't want to play for him? He sticks up for his guys all the time, he has led the team two division titles, and oh yeah, the Sox won the World Series under his guidance four years ago. You know who else has won ring? Lou Piella, Bobby Cox, Mike Scioscia to name a few, and plenty of guys want to play for them. I don't buy this as a reason, and if it is a reason, then Peavy and Oswalt are just either really misunderstanding Ozzie or just really foolish.
Not wanting to play in the Cell: This one is a little more tangible, since the Sox's home park is a home run haven in the summertime. But, to me, this fact is overrated. Again pointing to the '05 Series, the Sox had 5 quality starters the majority of the season, and their pitching was their strength. Currently, the rotation is on a roll, and they have one of the best bullpens in the majors. Good pitchers can pitch in home run parks. Both Peavy and Oswalt are good pitchers. Will their ERAs climb a little? Probably. But to insinuate that pitchers are afraid of the park is ridiculous.
Not wanting to pitch in the American League: Again, overrated. Yes, starters usually see a spike in the earned run average in the AL, because every lineup is stacked. But if a guy is pitching in the 3's in the NL and his ERA goes up into the 4's, that's not that major of an issue, because he will have a good offense behind him. And even then, by the same token as pitching in the Cell, good pitchers are good pitchers and will do well regardless. Word has it that Peavy does not want to go the AL. That certainly is his right, since he has a no-trade clause, but to think a Cy Young pitcher doesn't want to pitch in the American League? I don't know what other reasons there could be except he doesn't want to see his stats inflated. And that's a pretty lame reason.
Peavy and Oswalt have made their decisions and that's fine. But at the end of the day, they should realize that one team will make a serious run at a consecutive division crown, while the other(s) will be looking up at their division winner in either fourth or fifth place. So enjoy the long season, gentlemen, hope you don't mind going home in late September.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Back to .500
4, 6 of 7, 10 of 13, 25-25. Those are the big numbers at the moment for the White Sox, as they defeated the visiting Oakland Athletics tonight 6-2.
Gavin Floyd had another fantastic outing, holding the A's to the 2 runs on 4 hits, along with 8 strike outs, and 3 walks. It appears that Floyd has found his stride after struggling for much of the season thus far. Starts like these are obviously what the team needs, as the next guy hits the bump the next day and does the same thing and the assembly line just keeps going. Oh, and way to K Orlando Cabrera with bases juiced in the 7th, Gavin. Reminds me of last year -- the bad parts of last year.
Couple that with an amazing catch by DeWayne Wise, robbing Jack Cust of a potential homer. Not sure if the ball does go out, but that catch saves the game at that point because the Sox hadn't been able to muster anything past 2 runs of their own.
In the 8th, the Sox's bats came alive, as Jim Thome (yes, you read that right) jacked a 3-run home run to left field. They added another run after Jayson Nix walked with bases loaded later in the inning. The offense is interesting at this point. They've gone from flat-out awful to decent during the run, but they still have some games where they get all their runs in one inning. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but balance is preferred.
But hey, they are back to .500, have 10 more games to go on this extended homestand, and are playing their best ball of 2009. If they keep it up they will be in great position to overtake first place.
Gavin Floyd had another fantastic outing, holding the A's to the 2 runs on 4 hits, along with 8 strike outs, and 3 walks. It appears that Floyd has found his stride after struggling for much of the season thus far. Starts like these are obviously what the team needs, as the next guy hits the bump the next day and does the same thing and the assembly line just keeps going. Oh, and way to K Orlando Cabrera with bases juiced in the 7th, Gavin. Reminds me of last year -- the bad parts of last year.
Couple that with an amazing catch by DeWayne Wise, robbing Jack Cust of a potential homer. Not sure if the ball does go out, but that catch saves the game at that point because the Sox hadn't been able to muster anything past 2 runs of their own.
In the 8th, the Sox's bats came alive, as Jim Thome (yes, you read that right) jacked a 3-run home run to left field. They added another run after Jayson Nix walked with bases loaded later in the inning. The offense is interesting at this point. They've gone from flat-out awful to decent during the run, but they still have some games where they get all their runs in one inning. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but balance is preferred.
But hey, they are back to .500, have 10 more games to go on this extended homestand, and are playing their best ball of 2009. If they keep it up they will be in great position to overtake first place.
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