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Sox Road Skid Snapped

Mark Buehrle worked quickly, his defense made some great plays behind him, and the offense looked like it had a plan against Derek Lowe to give the White Sox their first road victory in June.

The Sox road woes started with well-pitched games lost on walk-off homers thanks in large part to the lack of clutch hitting, and only got worse as they got completely pantsed in the weekend games at Wrigley. So, it was a nice surprise to see the Sox hitters have a solid plan of attack early against Lowe. The first three batters loaded the bases with hits back up the middle as Lowe tried to establish his sinker. Lowe limited the damage by striking out Jermaine Dye, who got his revenge with an 8th inning HR, on a series of sliders, allowing a sac-fly to Nick Swisher and throwing the ball anywhere near the plate to Pablo Ozuna. Even though the Sox only scored 1 in the first, it was nice to see the run come from having a concrete plan against an opposing starter.

* * * * *

Last week when I mockingly asked what's wrong with Mark Buehrle, I was not so subtly referring to the improved defense behind him. Buehrle is the Sox most defense-dependent starter, and he didn't have much support in his first handful of starts this season, as demonstrated by this BABIP chart below.

225_p_daily_full_7_20080623_medium

Tuesday night, however, the Sox played impeccable defense, turning 3 double plays, one of which was spectacular, and turning a couple of hard hit balls (along with nearly all of the softly hit ones) into outs. Buehrle took advantage of an occasionally wide strike zone to help record his 1000th career strikeout and to notch his third game (first victory) of the year in 2:10 or less.

  • Orlando Cabrera had himself a night. He scored the game's first run, then drove in the Sox second run with a clutch 2-out hit following a Buehrle sacrifice. And even though he was credited with his 3rd error of the season (perhaps unjustly), he had a fine day in the field as well.
  • Cabrera's fine play at SS was overshadowed the amazing double play courtesy of Alexei Ramirez, who ranged into short center field to make a sliding grab of a ducksnort then wheeling around to catch Matt Kemp roaming too far off first base (video).
  • Dewayne Wise should expect to keep playing after a 3-4 night. He fell only a HR short of the cycle, and though he might not be spectacular at anything, it's nice to actually have a credible threat off the bench. A bench of Hall, Uribe, Wise, and Anderson isn't bad at all. Ozuna, on the other hand...

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ah you're killing me cheat

haha. yours is way more thorough anyway.

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 12:34 AM CDT   0 recs

Just leave it... or roll it into the comments here

I had to make mine look pretty, which takes about 10 minutes, otherwise I would have been first

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Jun 25, 2008 12:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

such standards!

but pretty is good

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 12:51 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Bullet points

AND a chart.
Cllllasssssy.

by homesickalien on Jun 25, 2008 8:32 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

nope

That’s why it takes a while

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Jun 25, 2008 2:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

wow

i can’t believe SBN hasn’t done this.

it wouldn’t take much effort to create a script that matches names in a post and replaces them with with a linked name.

$post = $post;
$pattern = array(“John Danks”,”Joe Crede“);
$replacement = array(“a href=http://....>John Danks /a”,”a href=http://....>John Danks /a”);

preg_replace($post, $patterm, $replacement);

by explodingpinwheelsforfunandprofit on Jun 25, 2008 2:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

What the eff - a recap from Cheat?

From a West Coast night game?

Oh, wait, we won. NOW I get it. Front-runner.

CWS: Slashing negative expectations since May, 2008.

by winningugly on Jun 25, 2008 8:21 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Jerry Manuel got ejected?

Ghandi?

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Jun 25, 2008 12:47 AM CDT   0 recs

He's Gangsta Gandhi, now

You never saw Ghandi II?

Never trust a big butt and a smile.
Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Jun 25, 2008 12:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

does it star kal penn?

"I got the shotgun. You got the briefcase. It's all in the game though, right? "

by onlysoxfaninboston on Jun 25, 2008 6:45 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

nice!

this is one bad motha you don’t want to mess with

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

by The Wizard on Jun 25, 2008 1:26 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ozzie on who will be the odd man out when PK is back
Manager Ozzie Guillen said Tuesday he’s not so sure backup outfielder Dewayne Wise will be the odd man out, based on Wise’s performance since being recalled two weeks ago, including a 3-for-4 night Tuesday that raised his average to .364.

Guillen also would rather keep 12 pitchers, so the scrutiny could fall on infielders Pablo Ozuna and Juan Uribe, and Guillen admits it’s tough to get at-bats for both.

“Obviously, if that decision had to be made tomorrow it would be tough,” Guillen said. “They’re not going to see too many at-bats. We sat down with Uribe and I explained to him the situation and he took it like a champ. It’s not easy when you’re going to be a free agent … sit on the bench and lose your job and take it the way he’s taking it.”

Link

Both feet on the bandwagon.

by vince_ on Jun 25, 2008 12:50 AM CDT   0 recs

That's great

I know we’ve (collectively) been clamoring for the Sox to DFA Ozuna, but I didn’t think for a second that they’d actually consider it. I guess the key is whether the Sox trust Uribe as the primary back-up third baseman, as that’s Ozuna’s only real “use” (and I’m using that very liberally) right now. I saw on Jim (on his blog) talking about Uribe at third, and I was in complete agreement. He played there in 2004 a bit (he saw close to 180 innings at third that season) and although my memory probably isn’t spectacular, I don’t remember him looking too terrible third. At the very least, he can’t be any worse than Ozuna is there.

Also - this has been bugging the heck out of me for a while now - is Delwyn Young’s name pronounced exactly how it looks, as in (phonetically) Del-win?

by CWSKeith on Jun 25, 2008 1:06 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

as opposed to how?

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 2:03 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

See Chone.

Pitching, defense, health.

by ballyb on Jun 25, 2008 10:48 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Or Shawon

When she farts, a little rainbow comes out...

by Chiburb on Jun 25, 2008 10:48 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I would be stunned if Juan Uribe wasn’t a solid back up third baseman defensively. I see no reason to think he couldn’t handle the position. He isn’t a good starting SS, but as a utility guy I find it hard to believe many teams in the league have a better one then Juan Uribe.
I thought our bench would be a weak spot coming into the season but Anderson, Uribe, Hall is a really solid major league bench in my opinion, with Wise being the 25th man as a pinch runner, left handed hitter I think that bench becomes even stronger.
(I still prefer a healthy Fields during the stretch run if that’s a possibility).

by Grinder in Training on Jun 25, 2008 9:20 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree

I didn’t think the bench would be nessecarily a weak spot, but they are performing better then I thought they would. One of the better benches in the league IMO

by 815Sox on Jun 25, 2008 10:07 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

In Southern California, Fastball Sinks You!

Trying to get this in before the 50+ crowd heads off to bed..

To start it off, TAEG has you covered if you missed the game thread. Solid effort out of our boys at their glowing machines tonight. If they eventually take over, at least we’ll have gotten some solid utility out of them that’s documented for the ages.

As for the game itself, Buehrle was on his tonight. He managed a 5:2 GO/FO ratio and was really only hit hard on the lone Dodger run of the game, a home run. It was his fourth consecutive start lasting 8 innings and fifth consecutive quality start. Just as Jose looks like his ship may be sinking, Buehrle’s righting his. Such are the vagueries of baseball.

At the plate, Sox hitters started off the game with three straight singles and after JD looked terrible on the first of two K’s, Swish came through with a timely sac fly. After that run and another an inning later, it looked like that’s all the Sox would get and, thanks to Buehrle’s dominance, would need. Lowe’s sinker was nasty and had a 6:1 GO/FO ratio on the evening. He was dealing and it looked like he’d keep the Dodgers close enough to perhaps pull off yet another heartbreaker before JD decided to unsuck.

And unsuck he did with a monster blast to right center in the top of the eighth. And thus were the floodgates open. A Delwyn Young miscue became a Dewayne Wise triple that scored Swish and Alexei scored Wise with a single. Thus, 6-1 and Scott Linebrink relieved Mark to lock down the ninth.

The questions to be answered:

  • What should we expect from Dewayne Wise going forward? He’s looked like an adept bat handler, to steal a phrase, and the sort of guy I wouldn’t mind hitting ninth. He seems to have some on base skills and hasn’t looked baffled on offspeed stuff. He looks at least as capable as BA at the moment and he’s left handed. I would be quite alright if we DFA’d Ozuna to keep him on the roster.
  • Three consecutive games versus sinkerballers went relatively well. Should we expect that to continue? Lowe, outside of Brandon Webb, has the best sinker in the game. We were mowed down until JD worked a count. Dempster didn’t look like great shakes and Marquis was obviously quite hittable. I personally think this will be a weakness going forward, but it remains to be seen.
  • How good are the Twins, really? I say about .500, give or take a few, at best.

verbatim from the post; splitting the thread makes approximately no sense

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 12:52 AM CDT   0 recs

ftr, this was a backing-up-cheat recap

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 12:53 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

my, what a dump.

jeeves (or anybody out this way, really), you going to game 2?

by thatshortkid on Jun 25, 2008 1:23 AM CDT   0 recs

unfortunately no

I’m back home for the summer but hell, if the Sox are in the playoffs come the fall, I’ll drive out and hit a bar with you

by jeeves on Jun 25, 2008 11:17 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Btw..

Fitting update on the site’s name.
I’m going to work on getting Vin’s broadcast tonight so I can hear all the glory.

by homesickalien on Jun 25, 2008 9:03 AM CDT   0 recs

who likes updated win shares?

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/win-shares-updated13/

boy, that shitty-ass orlando cabrera just keeps sucking it up big-time in every defensive category.

i'm retired. don't reply to me. and get off my lawn.

by larry on Jun 25, 2008 9:55 AM CDT   0 recs

Hey, is it Groundhog Day?

Does Punxatawney larry see his shadow today? 6 more weeks of hiding, or can we begin spring?

CWS: Slashing negative expectations since May, 2008.

by winningugly on Jun 25, 2008 10:06 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i'm bored

i’ll continue to share links and things i find interesting or provide my for whatever it’s worth thoughts on some topics. but i’ve noticed (as i’m sure others have) that i’ve been spending an inordinate amount of time rehashing things that tom tango or something researched and wrote about last century, or otherwise attempting to combat idiotic posts. i don’t particularly gain from such discussion. i’ve also noticed that many of my favorite posters – those whose opinions i find insightful and challenging – have, i’m sure for a variety of reasons, either stopped posting or otherwise curtailed their posting. there just isn’t a lot that i’m finding interesting to discuss right now or people with which to discuss it. it will probably pass. in the mean time, SSS will largely be a larry’s opinion-free zone. i’m sure many posters are smiling at that.

i'm retired. don't reply to me. and get off my lawn.

by larry on Jun 25, 2008 10:22 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

:-)

;-)

When she farts, a little rainbow comes out...

by Chiburb on Jun 25, 2008 10:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It is a sad day for SSS.

And it’s time I eat my words on OCab.. still don’t think much of him as a person, but apparently he’s not the worst SS of all time so that’s a plus.

by Grinder in Training on Jun 25, 2008 10:35 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Glad you replied

How are you gonna stay married when you find out all her tricks in the first year? How do you maintain your friendships if you know their arguments, styles, and strategies? I enjoy your posts and learn something, so it is of benefit to me, but it’s a shame you aren’t feeling like you get anything out of your activity. Mentoring can be exhausting, even if done in a Chainsaw Al Dunlap manner. ;)

But, hell, if you and the other posters referenced (SSH?) are above the level of discourse currently found on the site (yeah, current as of last night) so be it. I am probably the “lardiest” poster and offer little in the way of numbers/perspectives that would pique your interest, so perhaps I am Public Enemy #1. You might enjoy on occasion being a “peer” and not defender of the faith (though perhaps the “peer” group you allude to perhaps has moved on, too, maybe for the same reason). I’d drag over a chair and have a beer. Climb down from the mountaintop – the view’s OK.

But if last night is any indication of the “state of the site” it’ll survive, I’d wager. I got 4 hours of sleep only because the game stopped – I would’ve stayed on just to try and keep up because it was a blast. But it’s the more visceral part of the game, and the relationships (with the team/fans/history) that keep me coming, not because there’s a new way to slice a stat. As Jerry Maguire said when he was dumping Avery, “I’m not looking to make history”. Fortunately for the evolution of the sport and analysis thereof, some (like you, perhaps) are.

So as a Libertarian I applaud your decision to withdraw for reasons of self-interest and would hope at some point you reengage, since it is fun and instructive when you post.

CWS: Slashing negative expectations since May, 2008.

by winningugly on Jun 25, 2008 11:15 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'll wait for TAEG to summarize that for me...

;-)

When she farts, a little rainbow comes out...

by Chiburb on Jun 25, 2008 11:28 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Shoot, Chi. as a trader I know you have the attention span of a gnat ;)

Besides, it’s to larry, and he’s a thorough guy (reading through statutes and contracts requires attention to detail).

But I’m sure AEG can do the approfriate Cliff’s notes. So can I:

1. You think you’re better than me? YOU THINK YOU’RE BETTER THAN ME?
2. IT’S GO TIME! Wait….
3. larry! Pa’s got things for you to do, and Mother wants you…. (wants you…wants you)... I know she does…....(she does…)
4. LARRY! LARRY!!!!!! COME BACK!!!!!
5. Bye, larry….

(sniff)

CWS: Slashing negative expectations since May, 2008.

by winningugly on Jun 25, 2008 11:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

the importance of the hyphen has never been so clear.

"We've got to keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

by Toonderstrook on Jun 25, 2008 12:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

F-U

Where is WTGTD when you need him?

You POS.

CWS: Slashing negative expectations since May, 2008.

by winningugly on Jun 25, 2008 12:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

trying out all of chiburb's hard "boiled" egg tips, perhaps?

"We've got to keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

by Toonderstrook on Jun 25, 2008 12:14 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

LOL

Does he have a recipe for “Eggs, Danny Thomas-Style”?

CWS: Slashing negative expectations since May, 2008.

by winningugly on Jun 25, 2008 12:27 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i'm not sure it necessarily has to do with being "above the level of discourse"

though there is some of that. i’m just not really seeing anything interesting to talk about extensively at this point (in part, due to where we are in the season). there are some who enjoy dissecting the minutiae of a three or six or twelve game (or one game) stretch. i don’t. and i also don’t, for example, particularly enjoy being badgered excessively about an opinion i rendered and being asked, implicitly or otherwise, pretty much everyday whether my opinion has changed because, in the last 72 hours, one team has lost a few games while another has won some. it’d be a silly discussion and one that would be had simply for the sake of having it. and i’m certainly not objecting to the lardy banter that goes on here. some (many?)people in the past have seemingly taken issue with my propensity to post my thoughts on “everything” or the fact that, when i do discuss something, i usually like to delve deeply into the matter and probe the content and underpinnings of the two, or more, sides. if i’m going to constructively criticize how others post and suggest improvements, i should follow the goose-gander philosophy, as well. perhaps by limiting myself to “more quality, less quantity” (for lack of a better term) i’ll annoy less and at least appear to provide more.

i'm retired. don't reply to me. and get off my lawn.

by larry on Jun 25, 2008 11:38 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Cold turkey... its the only way

The place is in your blood – if you still add content you’ll not be able to leave. The lull of the sweet discourse will force you to return. Try as you might, unless your family called for an intervention you are still hooked. After all – first one is free.

by Brush Back on Jun 25, 2008 12:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Damn, sorry I missed that one

Although I was fortunate enough to watch the A’s vs. Phillies contest. Quite an entertaining game, from my point of view.

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.

by rhythm on Jun 25, 2008 3:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hope you're not gone long, Lar.

I appreciate your insights very much. I certainly undestand the desire not to constantly rehash the same old stuff. But somethng new will pop up. It’s baseball, after all. There’s always somethng we’ve never seen before.

by palehose67 on Jun 25, 2008 11:43 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

What is a win share?

is that like points in a fantasy league?

many thanks

Sox fan from England, marching on together

by hoodlight on Jun 25, 2008 10:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

no

a way to measure a player’s overall performance. the site has a glossary which defines these terms. i’m sure they’d do a better job explaining than i.

i'm retired. don't reply to me. and get off my lawn.

by larry on Jun 25, 2008 10:32 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't like the layout of this site

very old fashioned, also I’ve just done a search for glossary to find out about ‘Win Shares’, and it came back with R Gload, Kansas City.

Sox fan from England, marching on together

by hoodlight on Jun 25, 2008 10:42 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/statpages/glossary/

i'm retired. don't reply to me. and get off my lawn.

by larry on Jun 25, 2008 10:47 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

thank you

I’ll digest that later, i think the Sox did very well getting OC when all over the Winter they were linked with that Eckstein bloke, who is not in the same class at SS in my opinion.

regards

Sox fan from England, marching on together

by hoodlight on Jun 25, 2008 10:50 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hey Hoodlight

Are you a fan of the new Dr Who?

Optimist

by Peder on Jun 25, 2008 10:56 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I've seen a couple

it’s very good family entertainment, but I’m not that big on TV to be honest, I even thought the Sopranos was rubbish

regards

Sox fan from England, marching on together

by hoodlight on Jun 25, 2008 10:59 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sopranos dislike is surprisingly not that rare

I liked it, but I wasn’t one of those who considered it the best show ever, just because there way too many episodes that were a giant waste of time. If you’re only going to have 12 episodes in a season, there should never be filler.

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 25, 2008 11:28 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Agreed

Felt like I’d wasted an hour more then a few times when nothing of importance happened during an entire episode.

by Grinder in Training on Jun 25, 2008 12:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm pretty cool with having skipped out on the Sopranos

and having taken up the Wire instead.

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 12:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

HBO is screwed now anyways

If you haven’t seen Weeds, Dexter, or Californication yet you need to get cracking.

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 25, 2008 4:40 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Dexter was pretty decent and Weeds is solid

but Showtime hasn’t done anything close to what HBO has done. Why’s HBO screwed? Because they don’t have a hit show right now? It won’t be long. Their track record is as good as bloody Pixar’s.

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 4:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I meant as of now

FOTC is a fine show, but John from Cincinnati was dreadful. I also forgot that they still have Entourage, which could air for 20 years and people will still consider it the funniest thing ever.

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 25, 2008 5:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Agree on FotC

But I reckon that’ll go this season and then next season tops

Entourage was great, but they have a lot of work to do after the last season.

Weeds is fantastic, Dexter is very good too, so advantage Showtime.

If you asked me prior to last season, I say adv HBO

by jeeves on Jun 25, 2008 5:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

FOTC is brilliant and hilarious and brilliant

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 5:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm looking forward to Generation Kill

The book is very good, and its Ed Burns and David Simon writing.

Both feet on the bandwagon.

by vince_ on Jun 25, 2008 6:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

dexter is also very entertaining.

They're gonna give daddy the Rain Man suite, you dig that?

by MarketMaker on Jun 25, 2008 5:32 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

maybe, but i doubt sopranos has the relevance or the vision

i say that without having seen it, of course. but i just can’t believe that someone finally laying out all that’s gone to shit in America’s non-cosmo cities isn’t, at least, of far more utility.

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 5:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

well, i watch both shows for entertainment.

but sopranos has received an overwhelmingly positive response from ‘connected’ guys who watched the show. so if believability or cultural accuracy is of value, then it is of utility, too. i’m not gonna argue for sopranos or against the wire, but i also see no point in comparing them. they are both incredibly entertaining and original shows, and we are far better for having both around.

They're gonna give daddy the Rain Man suite, you dig that?

by MarketMaker on Jun 25, 2008 5:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

that Sopranos

is far too ‘stylised’ for me, 1 and 2 series ok, after that a bit boring. I’ve downloaded the Wire but I can’t be arsed to watch it.

Sox fan from England, marching on together

by hoodlight on Jun 25, 2008 6:04 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sopranos was a breath of fresh air

In terms of creativity, and the risks they took with the show. I just wish they took the storyline a bit more seriously in particular episodes.

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 25, 2008 8:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Which is why Homocide was such a good show

I was too young to watch it as a kid, but I rented some DVDs from the library, and holy shit for a network cop show, it’s pretty damn good, better than NYPD Blue, certainly better than Law and Order.

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 25, 2008 8:27 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

site design?

hoodlight, what specifically don’t you like about the site? When I type Win Shares into our search engine, I get a series of articles about the subject. I don’t care if the site is “old fashioned”, but I do want it to be functional.

by studes on Jun 25, 2008 2:06 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

THT does a great job

guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jun 25, 2008 2:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

agree

site’s design is fine studes

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

by The Wizard on Jun 25, 2008 2:16 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

the font

it hurts my eyes

regards

Sox fan from England, marching on together

by hoodlight on Jun 25, 2008 3:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Black hurts your eyes?

You can always zoom in.

by Ozzie Montana on