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Danks Struggles, Sox Slumber

John Danks didn't have it Wednesday night. From the game's very first pitch, it was clear he didn't have his good control or anything capable of putting hitters away. In fact, he induced just 3 swing-and-misses on the night. Of particular trouble was the location of his changeup, which he routinely left up, never once throwing it for a strike below the belt (as illustrated below).

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All of his pitches were up. I wasn't able to see anything wrong with his mechanics, but I'm no pitching coach. If it was any of the other starters, I might be worried. But Danks has been, by far, the most consistent starter the Sox have run out to the mound this season; he's allowed a hiccup here or there. We can overlook the inability to get Juan Castro out for one day.

Offensively, the Sox weren't able to mount much of a threat against Radhames Liz. In hindsight, it's funny--well not funny, but not ironic either--that I deleted a two sentence line from the BUO post stating that Liz is the type of pitcher that the Sox would either destroy or get completely shut down by, with no middle ground. I removed it because I thought it sounded a little SSHish, a little too absolute.

I'd argue that 2 runs with 5 walks against 3 strikeouts is somewhere in the middle ground, but Liz was effectively wild, allowing just 3 hits. And the lone home run he allowed was of the solo variety. With Danks struggling and then replaced by a poor excuse for a pitcher, it felt like the Sox got dominated, and made for yet another snoozer of a game.

As for that poor excuse for a pitcher, Lance Broadway, let's steal a line from Denny Green; he is who we thought he was.

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It's a shame that Kenny hasn't traded Broadway by now...

Package him with Kyle McCullough next year for the rotting corpse of Gary Sheffield so we can all forget that the White Sox organization ever drafted these two bums in the first round.

Meanwhile, the Twins face four lefty A’s starters in a row — Dana Eveland, Dan Meyer, Dallas Braden, and Greg Smith. Even though these guys are far from studs, the Twins offense sucks more against lefties than righties. Hopefully, the A’s aren’t tanking it already.

"god, you’re fucking stupid."
-- Larry

by SSH2005 on Aug 27, 2008 11:06 PM CDT   0 recs

to reduce mobility

we want an inert outfield.

by Off the bus running on Aug 28, 2008 7:48 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

something noble about that, you might say

nothing gets ‘em wetter than infrequent postings on the city’s second favorite team

by colintj on Aug 28, 2008 12:29 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Classical Gas

or Jumpin’ Jack Flash?

(Can’t think of current tunes employing “gas”.)

"I suck... the Sox don’t." reply actions 25 recs
by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 1:08 AM EDT

by winningugly on Aug 28, 2008 4:52 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

brian anderson would've caught that...

by BuehrleMan on Aug 28, 2008 4:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

NICE!

"I suck... the Sox don’t." reply actions 25 recs
by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 1:08 AM EDT

by winningugly on Aug 28, 2008 4:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Just a joke regarding Griffey.

"god, you’re fucking stupid."
-- Larry

by SSH2005 on Aug 28, 2008 8:42 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

look on the bright side.

we may have seen the best day of juan castro’s life.
or not.
whatever.
i’m just saying look on the bright side.
sheesh.
what’s your problem?

You're on thin fucking ice my pedigree chums, and I shall be under it when it breaks. Now, fuck off.

by MarketMaker on Aug 27, 2008 11:15 PM CDT   0 recs

I love Ozzie, but I thought this was an oddly managed game.

Not from the standpoint of in-game decisions, but pregame decisions — namely (and most if not all of these were noted in the gamethreads, so this is not groundbreaking, just synthesis):

1. Against a wild pitcher, he kept out one of his most patient hitters in Q!, and the more patient of his third basemen in Crede.
2. In a stadium with a very large center field, he put El General in CF. Even assuming the whole “center is easier than the corners” bit that KW has thrown out from time to time has merit normally, it’s hard to believe it does in Camden, where it’s 406 to straightaway center and stretches out to 417 to left center.
3. He did this in a game that (looking over shoulder to make sure no one is actually listening), as SSH notes, looked imminently winnable going in, with the Sox best (or at least most consistent) starter going against a pitcher with an ERA over 7 and a team with little to play for.

Someone (Vince, I think) noted that it looked like Ozzie was trying to steal one with the off-day coming up. My question is why? Isn’t this the game you make sure you win? The next game is against Beckett in Boston. To me, that’s the game you try to “steal” — face it, you have little chance of winning anyway. Why not rest Q on Friday after the off day on Thursday if you want to get him back to back days of rest? They may have lost this one no matter what — Danks did look bad — but it did not seem like they were given the best chance to win today which, while sometimes necessary (after the near fade in 2005, I’m all for resting guys as much as possible), seemed odd in this case.

Anyway, the lead remains technically whopping at 1 game (though barely), and Punto popped out to third yesterday. Outlook: Still sunny.

by The Actual El Guapo on Aug 27, 2008 11:34 PM CDT   0 recs

I agree with #1 and #2

But I dont think that Ozzie should have made Q!s offday Friday rather than today. We should beat the Orioles. With the lineup we have, we should have easily beaten them. I would rather Ozzie rest our best player against a crappy team, and let him be 100% versus a tough team that is a much bigger game IMO. The Boston series is huge for wildcard sake, and we need the best, most rested players in those games, we cant afford to concede any of them.

by JoeCoolMan24 on Aug 27, 2008 11:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Griffey should not play the OF

And certainly not CF over Swisher. I swear I have never seen a team decide the worse fielder should play CF over LF.

Griffey = DH + PH and OF if someone is dinged up. I wish the Sox would quit putting him out there.

As for the resting people thing…I don’t know. Q probably needs a break sometime, I have to trust Ozzie knows more about that than we do. And Crede isn’t a model of plate discipline. Sitting him doesn’t bother me.

by hitlesswonder on Aug 28, 2008 1:45 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Bright side

The bullpen will be well rested for Friday.

That’s all I got.

White Sox, that’s baseball.

by vince_ on Aug 28, 2008 12:10 AM CDT   0 recs

The Trib's schizophrenic Linebrink coverage continues...

One day he’s the bee’s knees, the next he’s never coming back…

Today he’s back on top of the world.

I can’t stand it.

Because Scott Linebrink’s right shoulder felt “great” after a 30-pitch bullpen session Wednesday, the reliever said a simulated game “might not be too far in the future.” That could portend a return to the White Sox’s bullpen.



Linebrink thought he might have corrected a mechanical flaw dating to his days as a prospect with San Francisco when he had a tendency to drop his arm angle and throw across his body. He missed the end of the 1998 season and the start of ’99 after shoulder surgery.

“It’s something I’ve always battled,” Linebrink said. "I’ve been too quick with my lower half and let my arm drag. You want to work north and south and eliminate east and west.

“I was [throwing] 18 inches across my body, but I’ve gotten a lot better with it. It’s understanding the way you throw. Sometimes you forget some of these things, and the simplest mechanics can jog in your memory.”

link

White Sox, that’s baseball.

by vince_ on Aug 28, 2008 12:28 AM CDT   0 recs

Big series coming up

A day off is OK. In retrospect the game we “should’ve” won wasn’t won or lost by the hitters – Danks was off, the pen needed some shuteye for the weekend, and the O’s were ready to break their 5 game losing streak. this was one of those “reverse lock” games that are hard to win.

No problem – still up by one. Soldier on. But the gamethreads the last couple nights have been el lamo. Hopefully we are not getting complacent or bored – were in the stretch run from here on out.

SO GET IN THE GAME! WIZ, CHIBURB, AND ALL THE REST OF YOU BUMS WHO NEEDED AN EMOTIONAL BREAK – LET’S GO!

"I suck... the Sox don’t." reply actions 25 recs
by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 1:08 AM EDT

by winningugly on Aug 28, 2008 7:45 AM CDT   0 recs

actually saw the game

and it was freakin’ ugly. so was the fugly trying to flirt with me at the sports bar, ugh. danks didn’t have it. was surprised to see ozzie give Q a day off. reckon he ain’t used to playing a full season, but considering we’re neck to neck with those goddamn twinkies, we should ride that mofo for all he’s worth.

…and if we needed more evidence that griffey cannot field in center!

by onlysoxfaninboston on Aug 28, 2008 8:59 AM CDT   0 recs

I was very disapointed when I saw the lineup

I’ll give Ozzie the benefit of the doubt on resting Q! for two days, as long as he plays that bastard every day from here on out, Sox have no margin for error and need their best hitter out there everyday.

I don’t care how much aura Griffey has, there is no reason he can’t accept playing LF when Swisher is clearly superior to him in CF. That ball that dropped in front of Griffey in the 5th (?) that let in two runs was the backbreaker.

Griffey is looking better at the plate, but any gain he gives there is taken away when he’s in CF over Swisher or BA.

by madvillian on Aug 28, 2008 9:22 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 9:28 AM CDT to parent up   1 recs

nah. you probably just didn't remember what i said about griffey's acquisition.

basically, it’s erstad or mackowiak redux. good on paper, fear for how it will work in practice. i.e., the car is sitting on the tracks and the train is coming. and i hoped that either they’d get the car moved or get out of the car. and the picture above illustrates how i think it’s turning out.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 9:55 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

So you think the Sox are going to lose the division?

"god, you’re fucking stupid."
-- Larry

by SSH2005 on Aug 28, 2008 9:58 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

no.

i think the griffey acquisition is turning out like i feared it would. i was joking about the twins being the train. that wouldn’t make any sense in such a metaphor. the train is reality. i.e., the reality that griffey cannot play centerfield and it will be really bad if he does regularly..

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 10:02 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It's funny...

because Griffey would have been the perfect deadline acquisition back in 2005 when the Sox had Crazy Carl at DH and Rowand in CF. But they won the World Series anyways so maybe it wouldn’t have been a good move.

"god, you’re fucking stupid."
-- Larry

by SSH2005 on Aug 28, 2008 10:05 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

with all the good moves (for position players) ozzie made this season

you figure he would’ve learned from the erstad/mac experience.

by onlysoxfaninboston on Aug 28, 2008 10:14 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Conclusions:

Ken Griffey Jr. is silver (i suspected as much)

the twins are LOOOONNNNG and sort of european looking. Griffey looks sort of European, too, really.

by baby_jamie on Aug 28, 2008 9:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

GDammit Larry!

I just had to lay down a grand to the sox for postseason tickets (weekend package) and you are now telling me this? I swear I am always a day late to the party….if party’s were a day later than actually scheduled I would be a mumbling mess of a drunk, now I am just a binging drunk.

"Jenks, who was never afraid to say "no" to a hamburger..."

by BobbySouthSide on Aug 28, 2008 10:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i'm not canceling my postseason plans.

read the metaphor again “what was in the car”. there were two options. move the car with the passengers in it. or get the passengers out. it remains to be seen about the latter.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 10:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

oh, very poetic larry.

"Jenks, who was never afraid to say "no" to a hamburger..."

by BobbySouthSide on Aug 28, 2008 10:44 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

off topic, but want to share my annoyance

giants fans calling in this morning bitching about bochy removing lincecum last night with 2 outs in the 8th, even though he’d already thrown 132 pitches!

"you're pathetic and you're weak. you're a fake and you lie. i'd like to crush you like an insect but i don't want to do the time."

by Toonderstrook on Aug 28, 2008 9:32 AM CDT   0 recs

That's now twice in the last month that he's passed 120 pitches, and once over 130

that’s just dumb as dirt. I don’t care how easy he makes it look, it’s borderline insane to risk the future of your franchise in these meaningless games.

by madvillian on Aug 28, 2008 9:34 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

and as of now he's just about 30% above last year's innings pitched and pitches thrown

"you're pathetic and you're weak. you're a fake and you lie. i'd like to crush you like an insect but i don't want to do the time."

by Toonderstrook on Aug 28, 2008 9:35 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

no he's not.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 9:38 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

you're right. 27% over on innings; 26% on pitches.

"you're pathetic and you're weak. you're a fake and you lie. i'd like to crush you like an insect but i don't want to do the time."

by Toonderstrook on Aug 28, 2008 9:41 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

wrong again.

hint: he was called up in early may 2007.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 9:43 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

ok, so it's even worse than it appears. they shpuld be thinking about shutting him down, not throwing 130+ pitches in a meaningless game.

"you're pathetic and you're weak. you're a fake and you lie. i'd like to crush you like an insect but i don't want to do the time."

by Toonderstrook on Aug 28, 2008 9:44 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

oh, nevermind. i need more sleep.

"you're pathetic and you're weak. you're a fake and you lie. i'd like to crush you like an insect but i don't want to do the time."

by Toonderstrook on Aug 28, 2008 9:45 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

if you want a man about to be in trouble, if he isn't in it already, look no further than the main subject of cheat's post.

cheat’s not worried. i am. whip approaching 2 in his last three outings. and looking progressively worse in each. and the sox supposedly going to a (modified) 4 man rotation. has all the signs of a tired arm. pitchers go through this stuff so i’m not going to say he won’t bounce back. but the trends and surrounding circumstances are not favorable.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 10:00 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't see it

I mean he does need to get those walks down but nothing has happened enough in his recent outings to put it outside the normal ebb and flow of a season.

The SSS motto should be the answer to "What is our deepest fear?". Or maybe just Prozac.

by Tdogg on Aug 28, 2008 10:05 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

perhaps.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 10:12 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I see it, too

and remember the 2nd half of last year when he sucked eggs and had to be rested. A lot.

Wall, meet Mr. Danks. Give him a skipped start or two at best – at worst, keep the 5 man rotation.

"I suck... the Sox don’t." reply actions 25 recs
by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 1:08 AM EDT

by winningugly on Aug 28, 2008 10:44 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

well, i'd like to see what he does against the indians first.

but i don’t think danks should be moved from regular rest ever and, ideally, should get the benefit of any extra day that would come from a 5 man rotation with off days and should be on a strict pitch/inning count that does not include the seventh inning. september was always going to be iffy with a guy who pitched 140 innings last year. it’s just looking like august got to him, too, a bit.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 10:48 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i have no problem releasing him.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 10:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

BBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH

"I suck... the Sox don’t." reply actions 25 recs
by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 1:08 AM EDT

by winningugly on Aug 28, 2008 10:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

"Ever"?

If they win 2/3 of their games on in, and we buld up a lead (OK, not realistic, but “ever”?) would it not be prudent to rest him down the stretch for precicely the rationale you employ – only 140 innings last year? And I’m not attempting to be a wiseacre.

No expert am I on pitchers and their rotations – just saw how good guys like Moose Mussina (this year) and Count (last year) came back after rest – though Danks is a wee bit younger than those OPOS’.

"I suck... the Sox don’t." reply actions 25 recs
by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 1:08 AM EDT

by winningugly on Aug 28, 2008 10:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

what i meant was he should not pitch on short rest.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 10:55 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

OK

"I suck... the Sox don’t." reply actions 25 recs
by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 1:08 AM EDT

by winningugly on Aug 28, 2008 10:56 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Cleveland wouldnt trade Byrd to the White Sox

The SSS motto should be the answer to "What is our deepest fear?". Or maybe just Prozac.

by Tdogg on Aug 28, 2008 10:28 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

dude

are you equating me with SSH?

by onlysoxfaninboston on Aug 28, 2008 10:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

lol

sorry.

The SSS motto should be the answer to "What is our deepest fear?". Or maybe just Prozac.

by Tdogg on Aug 28, 2008 10:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I say why not?

Let him pitch a couple starts until he gets hurt again.

There is approximately $1.83 million remaining this year and a $1.95 million buyout on his contract.

That’s nothing for the White Sox.

by Grinder in Training on Aug 28, 2008 1:29 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

yeah i think i mentioned a while back that Danks

could get that 30 inning bump. that is not good. he very well may hit a wall or worse.

nothing gets ‘em wetter than infrequent postings on the city’s second favorite team

by colintj on Aug 28, 2008 10:37 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Did you see the game -- Lincecum's start, that is -- Toonder?

I just don’t like sticking strictly with pitch counts sometimes. Don’t get me wrong — 130 pitches is a lot and probably isn’t necessary in most cases, but I hate making a judgment without knowing the context (the context in this case being how the game went along, i.e. if he was laboring). I’m also interested because I think Lincecum might be my favorite non-Sox pitcher in the majors, if not player overall.

by CWSKeith on Aug 28, 2008 5:20 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i didn't see it.

in my sleep-deprived state this morning, i failed to mention a part of my annoyance was the reasoning that in a 2-1 game it was unwise to leave it up to the giants’ bullpen—as if the outcome of the game meant a lot in the long run or the game situation didn’t dictate a change.

looking at the pitch-by-pitch from last night, he started the 8th up 2-1 and proceeded to strike out pods on 6 pitches (taking him to 123 pitches), walk taveras (up to 129), and induce a holliday fly out. at 132 pitches, bochy replaced lincecum with a lefty to face hawpe, who had doubled and walked twice in his three appearances against lincecum in the game.

"you're pathetic and you're weak. you're a fake and you lie. i'd like to crush you like an insect but i don't want to do the time."

by Toonderstrook on Aug 28, 2008 5:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

looking at some other things...

lincecum is #3 and cain #4 in mlb in pitches thrown this season. not sure i’d be thrilled about that if i were a giants fan and my team was at 59-74 (9 gb division and 8th in wild card standings).

"you're pathetic and you're weak. you're a fake and you lie. i'd like to crush you like an insect but i don't want to do the time."

by Toonderstrook on Aug 28, 2008 6:13 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Two words for the future.

Disabled list.

"I'll take one in the mouth over the eyes anyday." - AJ

by omnipotent grab on Aug 28, 2008 6:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah -- that's somewhat ugly

but again — I don’t think pitch count is necessarily a determinant of a future DL trip. Plus, does Bochy get any ‘faith’ for having handled Peavy relatively well (IIRC) in San Diego? From my completely outside and far away perspective, I always thought Bochy was a halfway decent manager, but again, I could be completely wrong.

by CWSKeith on Aug 28, 2008 8:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

as a note to cheat from one of SSS's resident pitching coaches.

danks’ mechanics were messed up. release point quite inconsistent (and a few times wildly and ridiculously off) and “higher” than normal. looked absolutely atrocious to me. coupled with the fact that he was working at a snail’s pace, it’s pretty obvious that something was bothering him. laboring would be a kind description of what he was doing.

"Suck it up Bunky, we gotta go.'" - ron gardenhire

by larry on Aug 28, 2008 10:37 AM CDT   0 recs

He looked tired

but, lets wait until after Monday’s game before we all become Dr. James Andrews.

"Jenks, who was never afraid to say "no" to a hamburger..."

by BobbySouthSide on Aug 28, 2008 10:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

lets keep that on the down low...

"Jenks, who was never afraid to say "no" to a hamburger..."

by BobbySouthSide on Aug 28, 2008 10:45 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs