Yes it has been some time since I have dedicated my time to this blog but been busy with a lot of my other works, so if you were a fan sorry if you lost touch, but for new visitors your presence is always welcomed!
So here are the major signings so far far in the off season for the Sox:
JJ Putz, Andrew Jones, Juan Pierre, Mark Teahen and Omar Vizquel.
Considering the White Sox did not give up much to get many of these players you got to be pleased with at least the tenacity Kenny Williams has done in a off season where the Sox finished a season where they lacked a strong bullpen, weak late inning clutch hitting and just overall bad luck.
As fo the most of these problems mentioned Williams has addressed them in the off season including bringing in a every day lead off man Juan Pierre to replace Scott Podsednick. He may be older but had a very productive year with the Dodgers last year mostly when Manny was serving his 50 game suspension.
Third base seems to be locked up with Mark Teahen signing a three year deal giving Gordon Beckham the likely everyday second baseman and with the addition of Omar Vizquel the infield suddenly has some veteran depth that the team seemed to miss last year.
Then we are left with JJ Putz and Andrew Jones who may be the question marks as Putz is coming off arm surgery but could play a major role in the future of Bobby Jenks and Andrew Jones is not the player he was back at Atlanta where he was a gold glove center fielder. He is now perhaps the biggest concern as far as what to be expected but for the price we got him if he is anything remotely close to his prior greatness then the Sox will be the pure benefactor.
The wait is over and the White Sox are ready for ball on opening day. The cold weather and rain might still tell us it is not baseball season but after last year's result, every game means something and if you are not on board with that then you better get it together White Sox fans!
The Kansas City Royals come into this season with nothing to lose as they have felt this way pretty much the last few years. They are getting better and the way the AL Central is this year every division game is going to be important. The Royals are better but in my opinion the Cleveland Indians maybe the most improved from last year as both of their two major offensive weapons are healthy and ready for the new season.
Honestly the White Sox have a good shot for repeat to be the AL Central Champs again and three key things need to happen for that to happen!
1. The veterans need to stay healthy. Jim Thome is best at 100% as is Jermain Dye, Paul Konerko, Mark Buerhle and even Bartolo Colon. If these guys stay away from major injury then the expectations are for them all to have solid years. Sure they might have lost a step or too and might not have that threat to blast one or blow a batter away every at bat but they are still good players and bring a lot of experience to the field.
2. The new regime of players need to take on the torch, which means it is time for the Dewayne Wise, Alexi Ramirez, Josh Fields, the Gavin Floyds to take ownership and make other teams across the majors that the White Sox are not only filled with veteran players but a solid core of youth ready to take this team beyond the 2009 season.
3. A quick start to the 2009 season I believe is important, because if you look at the 2009 schedule you will see that the White Sox do not even play the Red Sox or Yankees until the second half of the season. If the Sox can get a 1st place lead in the first half they may stay there until the very depths of the season. It is always easier to be ahead of the pack going into games, where you know each game is going to be a dog fight especially in late July and August.
In summary it is nice to be AL Central Champs but you know after last year's quick exit from the post season the Chicago White Sox are on a new path to become American League Champions and possibly once again meeting their biggest cross town rival, the Cubs, as they too felt they underachieved in the 2008 post-season.
Well the first Spring Training game was yesterday and well it was good it did not count as the Angels scored twelve on the White Sox while we only managed three. No problems thou as the Spring will work out some of those kinks still in the armor from the off-season.
The biggest key this Spring is making sure we know who will be the opening day starter at third base since Joe Crede has traveled north. Josh Fields will now get his chance he has been waiting for as he is ready for the challenge. I'm sure their might be some others playing third as well including newcomer Wilson Betemit as Ozzie always likes to rotate his players. Fields has played well in his limited play but last year was a little bit of a set back as game time was limited in the majors.
Another question mark will be the starting rotation as Javier Vasquez is gone and Bartolo Colon steps in as a returning player from year's past. The one thing that Bartolo may lack compared to Vasquez is his durability to stay clear from injury. When this guy is healthy he can carry a ball club from time to time and that is what the Sox are hoping from him in 2009.
Lastly it is just nice to talk baseball again and surely this is not the last time you will hear from me the winter is gone and Spring is right around the corner. The count down begins to opening day. Talk to you soon.
Everything always goes wrong in the Metrodome for the White Sox. I do not understand why, but we always seem to get hosed in this building. A bad call early on where Mark Buehrle had Carlos Gomez picked off at second base was called safe and later scored on the soft grounder by Joe Mauer. If that call was made the right way the score would have still been 2 to 1. Next inning Griffey hits the home run and we would be tied. It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth when a umpire blows an obvious call when so much is on the line and I am sure there will be an apology from the umpires, because everyone with a good eye could clearly see that Gomez was out.
Regardless of the call the Sox lost 3 to 2 and we are only a half game up on the Twins, or if you just want to say we have one less loss than the Twins, if that sounds better. The pressure now falls on Gavin Floyd as the game three starter later today. We know this guy is tough when he won in New York Stadium and now he must do it again in the one place where the Twins have just owned us in every category.
Floyd can pitch his heart out and we will still lose if we can not get more consistent offense. Home runs are nice, when we have runners on, and when we have a man on with less than 1 out you got to get that guy in because you know 90 percent of the time when it happens to us they score. The fundamentals have got to be perfect in this next game if the Sox want to leave today still in first place.
The key to this next game will be if the Sox can possibly get an early lead and let Floyd pitch ahead and put some pressure on the Twins. The first two games we have fallen behind each game and have not jumped back ahead and an early manufactured run or home run can provide that help Floyd can use. It is amazing that our first place lead now lays on the shoulders of one of the most inexperienced pitcher's on our staff. However, Floyd has proven before that experience means nothing to him as he leads the Sox in wins on the pitching staff.
The 2008 White Sox can either win this game and come home with a chance to clinch at home or they can lose and become scoreboard watchers and fans of the Kansas City Royals. The choice is easy just win and everything else will be much easier, but as we have seen this year, nothing has been apparently easy for these White Sox. I still believe we can do this and every Sox fan out there should not give up yet, as these guys have bounced back from bad losses. This team has not been swept since the Chicago Cubs did it back in June.
First place in the American League Central has been more like a game of hot potato. As soon as someone has a hold of that lead it starts getting too hot to hold, and each team has flip flopped more than a politician. The best team will win I am assured of that and it will most likely come down to the match up in Minnesota in about a week away.
Before that thou, the White Sox need to take care of these last four games at home before going off to New York City. If they take take just one game at a time and not think too much then they should be alright.
Injuries have been hitting the White Sox but the team has responded well with different people contributing to the success of the team. That is what you have to do if you want to play in the post-season. Just get in and anything can happen.
We are not sure if Paul Konerko or Carlos Quentin will be as affective if they return so we got to work with what we have. The fill in players have played good enough so I hope Ozzie does not put in people that are not 100 percent. Knowing him he does not seem to care who plays as long as we win.
The bullpen will be the most important going through these last seventeen games. I am confident in Bobby Jenks but everyone else between the starters and closer has been an issue. It's time for each reliever to just keep battling as they have been doing throughout the year.
Executing down the stretch with small ball will have to be better down the stretch. We have struggled mightily getting runner over or just having productive outs when we begin threatening to score. If the home run is not there we have got to find other ways to win. If we cannot manufacture runs in close games then it will be difficult.
With all of these question marks I still like our chances because Minnesota has not been playing well, with the exception of playing the Royals. I still would like the Sox to get an extra game or two lead before going to the Metrodome. The Sox will be up for a tremendous challenge if we are only leading the division by one game. You lose that series and you are out of first place and relying on other teams to do your dirty work with only three games left.
The key is to get this job done before going to MInnesota. We are seeing teams now getting hot and pushing win streaks to 10 plus games just like the Blue Jays and Astros. Who said the White Sox cannot either and do the same. All of these teams the Sox are playing now and about to play up to Minnesota are either out of the playoff picture or not in it at all so we have got to not let these guys spoil our party here in Chicago.
Today we are healing from a 12 to 3 pouncing by the Baltimore Orioles. I believe that is what you need before heading to Fenway and facing the Red Sox. Since the Manny trade the Red Sox have been playing well and are still holding onto the AL Wild Card. The White Sox are going to be tested again as Boston looks good enough to still get into the playoffs so I would like to see the Sox and not the red ones to play well in this sereis.
The pressure in the first game will fall in the hands of Javier Vasquez who has been pitching great lately. We need another strong performance in the first game to rest some of those overworked bullpen workers. This start could dictate this series as if Javier pitches deep into the game the White Sox will have a great opportunity to take this series but if he fails and falls short we could have a repeat of the Tampa Bay series where our relievers could not finish the deal after leading in the two games we lost in that series.
Josh Beckett looks to make the start on Friday but he too is a little banged up and missed his last scheduled start. If the White Sox can get to Beckett early and make him feel uncomfortable the White Sox can take game one with ease. Of course it always comes down to pitching, the better pitching in this series will determine the winners and losers.
My pick to click in this series will be Ken Griffey Jr. I forsee him having a huge series even thou he has played a more conservative role in a Sox uniform. Anyone who can blast a ball into that big right field at Fenway Park can help you win some games and I see Griffey coming up in a big way in this series. Both he and Jim Thome the biggest lefties the Sox have have been hitting the ball better as of late. Even Paulie who has been a Red Sox killer in the past hit well in the last series.
Who knows this match up could be another preview to the playoffs and for the White Sox they must keep ahead of Minnesota while they too start another road series. The Red Sox are as well trying to catch the Rays who are not slowing up, so another big weekend series in baseball will be at Fenway Park. All Sox fans white and red will be glued to screen this weekend.
His name is not Josh Hamilton, Big Pappi or Derek Jeter. His name is Carlos Quentin and he may not be the most recognized new talent in the majors but he is darn good. This darn good player leads all of the American League in homeruns and is in the top third in runs batted in.
No one is writing about him mostly because he is hidden by some of the more popular and more name recognized players on the White Sox. Quentin also has the most go ahead runs of any player on the White Sox or from any team. Carlos is here and he is a top candidate for MVP.
If Quentin was not on this team or hurt I am sure this Sox team be a lot worse off. Quentin has been so consistent when players like Konerko, Thome and Dye all had inconsitencies. Yes sure his defense is not gold glove caliber yet but honestly he has had only a few brain cramps out there. Most of that was just plain inexpereince and lack of playing considering he did not play at all for the Diamondback all of last year.
It will be difficult to determine an MVP in the Amereican League with such a great story in Texas right now. If you do not know what I am talking about then what planet are you from? Although the Rangers are currently a dozen games out of first place.
With David Ortiz struggling to capture his swing because of a beat up wrist, Jeter and Rodriguez having sub par years and the no name Rays with really no real superstar why not Carlos Quentin. If the Sox win the central I know for sure the White Sox will be picking Quentin as their own MVP no matter who gets the award.
Nick Swisher was the hero last night as the White Sox defeated the Tigers in a 10 to 8 thriller. It was not easy as the Sox welcomed Ken Griffey Jr to his first home game at US Cellular field. The night started off bad as the Sox gave up 6 runs in the first five innings and a 6 to 1 deficit.
The Sox bullpen then took over and the Sox began chipping away and eventually by the 8th inning we were only down one to the Tigers. Alexi Ramirez came up big in the 8th as he hit his 10th homerun and tied the game. No one scored in the ninth and that same result would occur until the thirteenth. Matt Thorton by far pitched his best game in a while striking our 4 including the whole side in the 11th. After being near hitless for three innings Thorton did give up a two run homerun to Polanco with two outs in the top of the thirteenth.
With Zumaya coming into the game as the closer Detroit looked to be closing this one out but right off the bat Orlando Cabrera hit a single on the first pitch of the bottom of the thirteenth. AJ followed with a pop out then Quentin sent a single to right field sending O.C. to third with less than two outs. Dye would then ground to short but the sure hands of Edgar Renteria could not get a hold on the ball and everyone was safe again with now a 7 to 6 lead for Detroit. Thome followed up with a strike out by Zumaya and the Sox were down to their last bullet. Then the unlikely hero Nick Swisher with two outs struck a 0 & 2 pitch to the right center field seats ending a classic game that should have some lasting affects on the rest of this season. Detroit could be folding out with another loss today so let's make them pay for letting one get away.
Oh, and thank you Seattle for making a comeback of your own against the Twins putting the Sox back into first place.
Who would a thought the White Sox would drop 3 out of four in Minnesota and 2 of three in Kansas City. They also find themselves in second place for the first time since May. It is a good thing the Sox have a must needed day off after all of that ugliness we saw on that last road trip. Ken Griffey Jr did provide an immediate impact but even he was not able to overcome the lack luster pitching we have seen from the Sox lately. Well actulally their pitching was not as horrible as the defense playing behind them as many errors were comiited on this road trip that did not help us either.
It really can not get much worse after this, or can it? I say this right now The White Sox will either break out of all of the bad habits that have been plaguing the SOx lately or this latest trend will cause the sinking of this team. I really hope I am wrong and the Sox make some new noise coming in this next home stand. Griffey will bring a spark at the stadium that should help provide some extra blood flow from the fans and players as we begin our next series against Detroit. Another thing Gavin Floyd who was one of our lone stars on this last road trip will be starting off the home stand on Tuesday. This first game is a good way to set the tone for these next 10 home games. The Sox do have a strong record at home and we will have to be nearly perfect at home as the Twins have been a hot team and are currently not appearing to slow down with the addition of Liriano to their rotation. In addition if you do not win two or three games against Detroit you are welcoming them right back into the race. This is a good shot for the Sox to bury the Tigers before they feel as thou they too are on a roll making this race a three team race as opposed to just two.
I am not loosing hope on this team and all of the Sox faithful should not either. We still can win this thing it just has to start now. We also are 2 games behind in the Wild Card so we cannot afford a bad August to put us further behind that as well. It all has to turn around now as the team has got to leave all of that hot anger and frustration from Kansas City at the door when we start this homestand. This homestand will make or break this 2008 White Sos team I guarantee it. Lets Get Going Right Now!
If the White Sox can rely on Gavin Floyd to pull off at least one win in Minnesota the Sox should hold their first place lead. Will it happen I beleive so, I know this Minnesota team plays the Sox so well because they match up against us better than any other team out there but in the long run I still will place my money on the Sox to win the central.
I have been viewing both teams schedules and both are very comparable to winable games against struggling teams this year. The month of August is a few days away and the Sox just look to be the more relaxed team. Are they too relaxed? That might be the difference between us and the Twins. The Twins had to win at least two games and they did that and now it is up too the Sox to show who is the real first place team.
I just do not see Minnesota hanging around all this time as the playoff race heats up. They have some veteran presence in the right positions but they only have one starting pitcher with a veteran presence. I really think this race will come down to veteran leadership and i still think on that note the Sox have the upper hand in that department.
Even thou the Sox are using two starting pitchers who are in their first full season I still believe the overall team has what it takes to win the Central. The guys in this lineup are overall better than what the Twins put out on the field and that should hold as the determining factor in who ends up as the division champion.
It comes down to simple execution and as long as the Sox keep their cool and just keep competing the end result will come up in our favor. There is too much talent on this team not to win a majority of their remaining games. The Sox still hold a better record against the division and in the end that will balance out and give the White Sox faithful what they deserve.
My last point here is we should not worry about Minnesota they might look good now but do they have it in the tank for another two months. Just like Tampa Bay they might hang around for the ride but in the end the better teams do find ways to win and that is what I am expecting out of the rest of the season for the White Sox. In my mind Detroit is a bigger threat to the White Sox because they do have more talent and experience to make a run at the Sox compared to the Twins.