New Look Sox Run Streak to Seven

by The Cheat on May 21, 2008 10:33 PM CDT in Recaps Comment 60 comments

Javier Vazquez threw another quality start. Jermaine Dye went deep twice. And the rest of the Sox offense woke up after 5 innings of Paul Byrd-induced slumber to run the Sox winning streak to 7, which coincides with Ozzie's last lineup changes. They now sit 5 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the '06 season. 2007 really is behind us.

This is your recap. I expect to have something up on the Wilder Fiasco before I hit the sack tonight.

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Comcast SportsNet was just talking about the Sox BABIP.

by vince_ on May 21, 2008 10:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

This just in from Ken Rosenthal

BABIP is a new stat. Great to see the DYE we love back.

by Tdogg on May 21, 2008 10:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Time for Kenny to use one of those two free spots on the 40-man roster...

Rangers designated RHP Franklyn German for assignment.
Some reward for pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings on Tuesday. German had a 2.08 ERA in 21 2/3 innings, so even though he’s not a great bet going forward, we can’t imagine him possibly clearing waivers. It’s surprising that a Rangers team short on pitching is going to let him get away.

Put in a claim for German and if the Sox get him, send Wasserman to AAA. German could be that last reliever in the bullpen that we are looking for. Then, Kenny would just need to work on second base.

by SSH2005 on May 21, 2008 10:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Assuming someone else doesn’t put a claim on him first, right?

by vince_ on May 21, 2008 10:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep...

German has trouble with walks but he has been pretty good this season. He is a flamethrower and I think Kenny at least puts in a waiver claim for him. He has a mid-90’s fastball and he used to get it up to almost 100.

by SSH2005 on May 21, 2008 10:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn’t you just describe MacDougal? Trouble with walks… mid-90’s fastball…

by vince_ on May 21, 2008 11:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wasn't MacDougal only throwing around 92 MPH this season?

by SSH2005 on May 21, 2008 11:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well I was thinking more when we originally got him…

by vince_ on May 21, 2008 11:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you mean when he was good?

Coop may not want a bigger workload. I feel like he’s really coaxing a lot out of his staff and pen so far.

dude, that was totally not swish you saw on rush street last night. swish was at home playing xbox.

by colintj on May 22, 2008 1:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And if we can have Masset in our bullpen...

we can have German in it as well. German can actually back up Kenny’s statements about velocity.

by SSH2005 on May 21, 2008 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

German blows---stay away

Show mercy. I get to watch the Rangers.

by Tim from Texas on May 22, 2008 2:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I refuse to get too excited...

I am very happy, but I’m going to wait until the end of June. This team still has the potential to suck it up.

by Los Soxos on May 22, 2008 12:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed.

i’m gonna get overly excited at the end of june. that is clearly when they can no longer suck it up.

sorry, couldn’t help myself. you said nothing there.

i wish someone had told me that sportsnation had replaced rationality with caps lock.

by MarketMaker on May 22, 2008 12:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Sox typically stink up the joint in the second half.

by SSH2005 on May 22, 2008 12:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, their 2nd half in 2005 blew.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 1:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It was pretty scary in August and September, IIRC.

Pitching and defense.

by ballyb on May 22, 2008 7:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, they played .500 until the heat was on, then blew away the field

Scary to see the large lead get frittered away, but the fear was that – fear, not an actual abdication of the throne.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 8:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The really scary thing...

was that the Indians went absolutely nuts for two months.

Between July 23 and September 24, the Indians, who had been pretty mediocre up to that point, went 48-15. The White Sox went 29-28 over the same period of time, so the Tribe made up ten games over that stretch.

The White Sox didn’t have any truly bad stretches in 2005 (it’s pretty much impossible to have any real bad stretches and still win 99 games), but every loss was magnified when nobody was beating the Indians.

by The Jerry Royster Experience on May 22, 2008 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but it still would have been called

the biggest choke job in history if they had lost the division. The Indians would have earned it on their own.

But they didn’t. :)

Mosi Tatupu! Mosi Tatupu!

by Nordhagen on May 22, 2008 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last sentence is the bottom line.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

literally

We shall reach greater and greater platitudes of achievment.

by Chiburb on May 22, 2008 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

the bottom line

is where I always put my last sentence. Learnt it from Lord Byron.

Mosi Tatupu! Mosi Tatupu!

by Nordhagen on May 22, 2008 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's Zen.

(Inhales deeply, coughs.)

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sox lead the league in...

Bat flips and bat slams!. Q!, AJ, Crede, and now Dye are leading the charge. Uribe was pretty good at it too. C’mon Thome!

C'mon, Smokey! This isn't 'Nam, it's bowling. There are rules!

by thekever on May 22, 2008 8:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Alexei

Is he just getting lucky or is he starting to figure it out? He’s looked a lot better lately, even in the at bats he gets an out.

by Grinder in Training on May 22, 2008 8:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

He seems to be “getting it” at the plate. He has some work to do in the field, but has shown flashes of solid defense.

C'mon, Smokey! This isn't 'Nam, it's bowling. There are rules!

by thekever on May 22, 2008 8:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Once Swish starts heating up........

You could do a whole lot worse with a 7-8-9 of Crede, Swish, and Ramirez.

by stanchar on May 22, 2008 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Once he heats up theres no reason for him to hit so low in the order.

ideally OC would be 8th or 9th.

How do you fuck a nut?!

by omnipotent grab on May 22, 2008 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I had the pleasure of being at the game last night

yet my joy was sullied when the “playoff atmosphere” crowd inexplicably began doing “the wave.”

People…we don’t do the wave at The Cell. I repeat, we don’t do the wave at The Cell. Travel 8 miles north for such foolishness.

That is all.

Oh, and JD is “the man.” Fantastic defiant bat slam last night!

That is all.

"We're gonna bring it all day, everyday...we're gonna keep grinding it out." - Nick Swisher (4/1/08)

by tailgater on May 22, 2008 8:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bat Slam

As soon as I saw the replay of that, I thought “That’ll be in the pre-game montage next year.”

by ReservoirDog on May 22, 2008 9:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

big HR by Dye

that gave them the lead. Also, especially on the second one, he looked really locked in. Seems to be seeing the ball well.

He hit them at a good time, unlike some of his 8th inning solo shots when the Sox are down by 7…

Mosi Tatupu! Mosi Tatupu!

by Nordhagen on May 22, 2008 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, it may be early in the season, but even reading the descriptions of the bat slam

(and thern going to see the replay since I was already asleep) gives me goose bumps. Swagger, baby, and it all starts with Uribe’s slide.

God love him, but leave him benched for now – never mess with a streak!

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where did you see the bat slam?

I looked on the team website, saw video of JD’s two dingers, but the video didn’t have the bat slam.

BTW, both the stadium and the crowd at Comiskey looked great in those videos.

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.

by rhythm on May 22, 2008 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Update on the great competition...

EQA -

Orlando Cabrera – .206
Juan Uribe – .204
Alexei Ramirez – .183

OPS+ -

Orlando Cabrera – 54
Juan Uribe – 59
Alexei Ramirez – 42

by The Jerry Royster Experience on May 22, 2008 11:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

hey

cabreras come up big when our offense needed someone to get it started… like last night with that single and a bunch of other times i cant exactly recall right now…

by Jbasic89 on May 22, 2008 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

I’m still in Cabrera’s camp too.

by shamroc on May 22, 2008 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

it’s nice when someone occasionally gets on base in front of Dye and Quentin.

Cabrera’s been pretty much useless all season. As much as Swisher has struggled this year, he’d pretty clearly be better in the leadoff spot.

by The Jerry Royster Experience on May 22, 2008 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Still with the hate?

Light a candle for yourself. Grab SSH and MilwaukeeLefty and have a nice Goth party, already. Some nice Depeche Mode playing in the background. A chalice of goat’s blood and some chicken bones arranged in witchy formations. Chant “Konerko, Cabrera, hasten their end, or Hoary Host of the Nether Region!”.

Jeez.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shrugs

it is what it is.

I wouldn’t mind so much if Cabrera was batting eighth or ninth, where he belongs.

by The Jerry Royster Experience on May 22, 2008 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lord Hoary etc.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

"hoary"

I had to look that up. Man, was I wrong…

Mosi Tatupu! Mosi Tatupu!

by Nordhagen on May 22, 2008 12:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am one of the resident "hoary" experts around here.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

the hoary hosts of Hoggoth

We shall reach greater and greater platitudes of achievment.

by Chiburb on May 22, 2008 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

another fun one

(which probably has even less overall insight, but still) is the deathstruggle between garland and cabrera. let’s use win shares for this one, considering that’s probably about as good an approximation as you’ll get.

garland: WSAB 2, total win shares 4
cabrera: WSAB -1, total WS 2

by larry on May 22, 2008 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What's up w/ Cleveland?

Hafner and Peralta are in year two of slumps and V. Martinez bats fourth and 45 games into the season has no homeruns?

by shamroc on May 22, 2008 11:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

hey, we have enough things to worry about!

The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.

by The Wizard on May 22, 2008 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm still keeping an eye on...

David Cook, down in AA Birmingham. He’s currently at .319/.464/.631, and has walked more than he’s struck out.

26 is very old for AA, but he’s been very good everywhere he’s been. This guy need to be in Charlotte.

by The Jerry Royster Experience on May 22, 2008 11:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

i agree

speaking of Charlotte OF, is Bourgeois strictly an outfielder now? I know Getz needs to be at 2B, but Booge is not getting reps anywhere in the IF. That’s no way to be a super-sub!

Mosi Tatupu! Mosi Tatupu!

by Nordhagen on May 22, 2008 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bourgeois hasn't played...

in ten days. I think he might be hurt, although he’s not listed as being on the DL.

He’s been pretty bad with the bat this year. I think the Sox might be giving up on the Jason Bourgeois experiment.

by The Jerry Royster Experience on May 22, 2008 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I dunno

The fact that he just won American Idol kind of worries me about his commitment to baseball.

by reardenmettle on May 22, 2008 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

bourgeois was placed on the DL

Minor League Transactions
Chicago White Sox

Released: C Kylee Hash
Placed on restricted list: C Ryan Smith
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Rob Bell, RHP Brian Omogrosso, RHP Jacob Rasner, RHP Jason Rice, LHP Israel Chirino, LHP Noe Rodriguez, 2B Jason Bourgeois, OF Ronnie Gaines
Reinstated from DL: RHP Juan Moreno, LHP Israel Chirino, C Eric Hollis, C Matt Inouye, OF Noah Hall

The 24-year-old Gaines, who played in the independent United League last season, hit three home runs in his first four games for low Class A Kannapolis.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=1067

The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.

by The Wizard on May 22, 2008 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guillen standing by Uribe

“[Juan] Uribe is the best second baseman the White Sox have had in a long time,” said Guillen, answering in the affirmative when asked if Uribe was better than both Cora and Tadahito Iguchi. “No matter how bad he gets or how he looks, he helps me, in a coaching way, and defense. I believe in defense.
“Defense is going to make our pitching staff better, and Uribe does that. But the second I see that he’s not playing good for me, he’s not going to be in the lineup.”

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080522&content_id=2747282&vkey=news_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws

The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.

by The Wizard on May 22, 2008 12:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

DO NOT EFF WITH THE STREAK, OZZIE!!!

Let the kid play.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ozzie doesn't want to take it away from juanito

“The Cuban missile (Ramirez) has gotten a couple nice hits,’’ Guillen said. “He’s playing the position real well. In time we’ll see how it works, but when Uribe is ready to play he should be back. Obviously if Ramirez continues to hit, I might change my mind. But why take it away from Uribe?’‘

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=195410

The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.

by The Wizard on May 22, 2008 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

more doublespeak from ozzie

that quote relates roughly nothing at all

by larry on May 22, 2008 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Indeed.

Obviously if Ramirez continues to hit, I might change my mind.

Drive a truck through that opening.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on May 22, 2008 3:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

santana scratched

The Angels have scratched Joe Saunders from his scheduled start Thursday due to flu-like symptoms and replaced him with Ervin Santana. The club had Monday off, so Santana will be going on normal rest. Saunders will probably go back into the rotation on Friday or Saturday.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tht-daily-hot-sox/

haven’t we had ore success against ervin in the past?

also, from the same article I see the Sox have 2 more wins in the projected column than in the real column

The greatest trick the White Sox ever pulled was convincing their fan base that "Ozzieball" ever existed.

by The Wizard on May 22, 2008 2:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

taking a look at his history

Santana has had “pretty good success” against the Sox, as Hawk would say. 2-1, 3.58 ERA, .209 BAA in the last 3 years. Only Swisher has faced him more than 20 times, to the tune of a .502 OPS. Crede has fared the best, with a .929 OPS in 12 ABs. Unless you count Tobe-Dogg’s 1.250 in 4 ABs and “Sledgehammer” Anderson’s 1-2 with a homer. Actually, since those last two guy’s were probably going to play tonight against Saunders, maybe it’s a good thing if Ozzie leaves them in there.

by Ryno on May 22, 2008 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

"play tonight against Saunders"

Tomorrow? Or do you mean tonight, but against Laffey?

We shall reach greater and greater platitudes of achievment.

by Chiburb on May 22, 2008 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

foiled by conflation

I got ahead of myself and conflated the likelihood of BA and Toby playing tonight with success tomorrow against Santana. If they play tonight they probably won’t play tomorrow with a righty on the mound.

by Ryno on May 22, 2008 2:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs