South Side Sox: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Around SBN: Wendel Clark Day Is Here Bar-right-arrows

WORST GAME OF THE SEASON!

Thecheatsmoking_tiny by The Cheat on in Recaps

Monday afternoon, I ran across this fine piece of analysis on Yahoo! Sports.

Most important, the Sox should be worrying about themselves. Where is their spark? Where is their sense of urgency? Why is it that Guillen appears to have more fire than most of his players?

We know Guillen is a passionate guy. But his players? As a group, they lack his combativeness. I'm not suggesting they don't care, but even the brawl failed to fire them up sufficiently to mount a comeback against the Royals. It only succeeded in firing up the Royals more.

I was going to make a post about it, which, no doubt, would have featured the world "clearly" prominently. But it's way more fun to post it now, after the Sox came back from a 6-1 deficit after what should have been the mid-point of the game, then overcame another 2-run deficit after 9 solid innings of relief work with a 4-run 14th inning.

* * * * *

Joey Cora made you appreciate the fine job that Ozzie does as a manager, making a number of non-moves that seemed obvious at the time. For example, he went with Bobby Jenks for only 1 inning in a tie game headed to extra innings, which lead directly to Matt Thornton being used for parts of 4 innings. Thornton was awesome, even though he gave up a 2-run HR to Placido Polanco, the last batter he faced. Thornton was replaced by Adam Russell, who does nothing but win ball games, and the rest of history.

Russell's presence on the mound kicked the offense, which had been unable to scratch across a run in the previous 5 innings, into high gear, culminating with Nick Swisher's walk-off, perhaps the signature moment of the (hopefully) still young season.

0 recs | Comment 335 comments

Read Related

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Agreed! I can't believe I wasted 5 hours of my life on this game...

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 8:34 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Thought someone said Coop was calling the shots.

No matter who was managing tonight they did a terrible job, the players on the other hand managed to claw their way back and give us a great victory.

Spectacular job by the bullpen, especially Thorny.

"great i'm happy" - one of pierzynskirules' many articulate retorts.

by omnipotent grab on Aug 6, 2008 12:44 AM CDT   0 recs

Thorny, Dotel, Logan, Jenks (albeit too brief and seemingly the wrong inning)....

our bullpen stunned me last night.
I thought it was all ova by the 5th inning.

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 8:35 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

monday morning quarterbacks.

"term: pussy, user: larry, count: 11

term: pussy, user: all, count: 83" - wiz

by Where Triples Go to Die on Aug 6, 2008 9:02 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Great win, tempered by my angst at God's imperfection

JIM, HOW COULD YOU HAVE FORSAKEN ME?

shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.

by winningugly on Aug 6, 2008 10:32 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Some great moves by the manager tonight

how about leaving your best basestealer on the bench and instead using your best defensive outfielder to pinch run when Konerko walked in extras. Or leaving Griffey in center for about 6 innings too long. Or having AJ try to bunt in the 9th against Farnsworth when he’s 5 for 7 against him in his career. Yes, this game did indeed prove that Ozzie is quite important.

by El Duque's Raft on Aug 6, 2008 1:20 AM CDT   0 recs

I think almost everyone...

assumed that once Anderson pinch ran that he would replace Griffey in CF. I was also surprised by A.J. bunting there. If this was the second home game instead of the first, my guess is that Swisher would have been starting in CF against Robertson.

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

by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 1:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Title at Bless You Boys

Epic, Disastrous Fail: White Sox 10, Tigers 8

So nice to be on the good end of headlines like that

-Jeeves Life in the Cell

by jeeves on Aug 6, 2008 1:55 AM CDT   0 recs

1st Comment...

This is classic, “I want to kill something right now. Instead, I’ll go to work. Fire Jim Leyland. Fire Chuck "If Anything All My Pitchers Have Gotten Epically Worse Since I Got Here" Hernandez. Fire ‘em all. Trade the entire team for a sack of baseballs and a used jock-strap.”

by Dick Allen's Mom on Aug 6, 2008 8:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

yes, its true

hyperbole is not just the domain of SSS.

in a few hours, people will start posting the stock “settle down, its just one game” comments. Then there will be arguments about expectations. Proving fans are all the same. Except for Cub fans, who are mofos.

I'm like a laser, six-string razor. I've got a mouth like an alligator

by Nordhagen on Aug 6, 2008 9:19 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

1835 total comments from the gamethreads btw.

20% were pierzynskirules saying “huh”, and trying to figure out who was talking to who.

"great i'm happy" - one of pierzynskirules' many articulate retorts.

by omnipotent grab on Aug 6, 2008 2:39 AM CDT   0 recs

ha, no doubt!

There would have been 1850, but I bit my tongue a lot.

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 8:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Serenity now!!

It’ll culminate in one massive post where you just explode on her.

"great i'm happy" - one of pierzynskirules' many articulate retorts.

by omnipotent grab on Aug 6, 2008 11:00 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

MM?

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 11:05 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

don;t say anything

why are you against girls, what do i have to do to get someone to fucking understand me and i'm so happy that i amuse you.

by pierzynskirules on Aug 6, 2008 3:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

shut up

why are you against girls, what do i have to do to get someone to fucking understand me and i'm so happy that i amuse you.

by pierzynskirules on Aug 6, 2008 3:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Had to bag in the bottom of the 9th

and can’t believe what I missed. Momentum shift?

No place like home. And it looks like we have found a team we can beat no matter what. (IIRC we pulled it out of our ass the last time we faced Robertson.) I like this homestand already.

shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.

by winningugly on Aug 6, 2008 6:50 AM CDT   0 recs

What a pleasant surprise this morning!

I bailed at 6-2, would have bailed after 13 1/2, and wake up to this?
Holy crap.

In two weeks they will win 7 or 8 in a row and you all will have 10 inch boners.

by Chiburb on Aug 6, 2008 7:19 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I thought old people had less melatonin, and therefore did not sleep as much.

You both should be troopers!

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 9:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

learn how to spell: troupers

In two weeks they will win 7 or 8 in a row and you all will have 10 inch boners.

by Chiburb on Aug 6, 2008 10:06 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

No bad students, only bad teachers

And she is swinging and missing often this AM. Must be the sleep-deprivation.

shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.

by winningugly on Aug 6, 2008 10:07 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Undoubtedly.

Though I blame the regular poster, Trooper, for distorting my spelling on that one.

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 10:13 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Troop/troup differences

Subtleties, my good woman.

shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.

by winningugly on Aug 6, 2008 10:16 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

yeah. I like how she tried to defend you-know-who and then backpedaled

when called on her/his idiocy.
Kids.

In two weeks they will win 7 or 8 in a row and you all will have 10 inch boners.

by Chiburb on Aug 6, 2008 10:15 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I wasn't backing you-know-who up and then back-pedaling!

I agree with his point that any ol’ way of scoring a run in extra innings is better than just swinging for fences.
We wouldn’t have won the game if Swish came up in the 14th and hit that ball UNLESS we had a couple small hits before him!!

I also agree (and did from the beginning) that big hits are our strength, DUH, and yes, people like Thome should not be up there attempting bunts in extra innings.

Senior citizens.

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 10:25 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Dancin' as fast as you can

SSH and HSA, sittin’ in a tree….

shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.

by winningugly on Aug 6, 2008 10:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

that makes colin very upset

brndnprkns: I'm pretty sure the "badass" value of your life is closer to Gigli than The Dark Knight

by whitesoxmatt on Aug 6, 2008 10:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

this is all he sees.

"great i'm happy" - one of pierzynskirules' many articulate retorts.

by omnipotent grab on Aug 6, 2008 10:45 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

couldn't find a picture of the Ligues?

In two weeks they will win 7 or 8 in a row and you all will have 10 inch boners.

by Chiburb on Aug 6, 2008 10:49 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I am actually fatter than that...

but my penis is about the size of an Asian man’s.

“You Americans have such humongous bulbous penis.”

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

by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 10:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

that’s supposed to be your wife… ;)

i believe neither of those.

by larry on Aug 6, 2008 10:55 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Lest we forget

me.

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 11:05 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Scorecard -Obsession

Scorecard 9 seattle games for Minnesota

0-2. Raul your limo is waiting.

Seriously from the 7th inning of both games, I seriously ran the full gambit of emotions as the Sox and Twins traded blows vs different opponents.

I was surprised to see Thorton start the 14th, he looked gassed at the end of 13.

And someone please tell me why the hell was Pablo playing 3rd over Uribe again?

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

by Tdogg on Aug 6, 2008 8:44 AM CDT   0 recs

Think he would accept a port slut?

HSA, we have a new mission for you!

this isn't hard. you live in a port city. and you're a slut. do the math. -larry

by rhythm on Aug 6, 2008 5:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

lol!

Gladly!

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 5:25 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

no shit

at 11:45, I see Lamb hit the 2B that put the Twins up 7-6. I flip back to the Sox, and Polanco hits his homer on the next pitch. Within 20 min, both games switched back the right way.

Awesome.

I'm like a laser, six-string razor. I've got a mouth like an alligator

by Nordhagen on Aug 6, 2008 9:24 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Unbelievable night. Adrenaline still pumpin'!!

1.) It goes without saying that I love Q!, JD, and Che unconditionally. But Uribe’s incredible defense last night was the other highlight for me.
2.) Our bullpen. Wow.
3.) Top of the 14th, we get down 2 at the same time the Twins take the lead in the top 8th. Life was over as I knew it.
4.) RAUUUUUUUUUUUUL is my favorite non-Sock.
5.) Top of 9th in Seattle – Putz gets out of bases-loaded situation with the one-run lead to win the game.
6.) Life makes sense again. I could hardly sleep. Last night was stressful as all hell. But rewarding nonetheless.

Oh, one more thing:
RAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 8:46 AM CDT   0 recs

Lost in the uh, celebration...

OC sparked the big inning. I got no problem w/ this guy. Always w/ the timely hit.

by RoyEgan on Aug 6, 2008 8:47 AM CDT   0 recs

it actually was a poor ab IMO....

you make Joel Zumaya throw a strike….couldn’t believe he pumped on the 1st pitche but it worked out.

by stanchar on Aug 6, 2008 9:03 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, you want a walk rather than a hit in that scenario

Like OC ever waits for a pitch anyway. What’s wrong with being aggressive? He is who he is. Give him his props.

shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.

by winningugly on Aug 6, 2008 9:12 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sarcasm detector on "mute"?

shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.

by winningugly on Aug 6, 2008 10:18 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

No, you get on base. Doesn't matter how you do it.

Between this and SSH’s “If only they singled, they wouldn’t have needed Swisher’s homer,” I’m not sure which postgame comment is more baffling.

I CAN'T STAND IT.
Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Aug 6, 2008 9:20 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Both of you are ridiculous....I guarantee if it had been a routine grounder

to SS for 1st out some would have posted that he should have taken a pitch.

by stanchar on Aug 6, 2008 9:22 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I guess I am too

because I don’t really see your point

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

by Tdogg on Aug 6, 2008 9:23 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

How's this?

The last time Cabrera faced Zumaya was in the seventh inning of the July 25 game. There were runners on the corners and nobody out, and Zumaya came in to relieve Nate Robertson. Cabrera was the first batter he faced.

Cabrera ended up hitting an opposite-field single to score a run and cut a lead to 4-2, and they eventually went on to win 6-5.

Good thing he waited ‘til the …. um, first pitch, to swing.

I CAN'T STAND IT.
Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Aug 6, 2008 9:28 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Furthermore

If you’re going to call OC’s at-bat bad for not taking a pitch, might as well dismiss Quentin’s game-winning homer off C.J. Wilson, since that was on the first pitch Wilson threw, too

You’re better than this.

I CAN'T STAND IT.
Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Aug 6, 2008 9:46 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

My point was...

if they weren’t all trying to hit a walkoff homer to win the game in extra innings, they probably could have won the game earlier.

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

by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 9:24 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Because it's always that simple.

If they all weren’t trying to hit a walkoff homer, they might’ve hit more feeble grounders the opposite way.

I CAN'T STAND IT.
Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Aug 6, 2008 9:25 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

There were quite a few uppercut swings on inside pitches...

that turned into feeble grounders to the left side of the infield.

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

by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 9:32 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Lol

Cmon man they hit 3 hrs that got them to extra innings in the first place.

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

by Tdogg on Aug 6, 2008 9:34 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I was solely talking about in extra innings...

The approach should change when you only need to scrap one run across the plate.

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

by SSH2005 on Aug 6, 2008 9:37 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Clearly a single, sac and single is better

than trotting around the bases…

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

by Tdogg on Aug 6, 2008 9:44 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

yeah. the sox are perfectly built for executing that "strategy".

nothing like telling your players to play away from their strengths. brilliant.

by larry on Aug 6, 2008 9:46 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Geez, I never thought I'd string these words together...

but I agree with SSH here.

I know you all are just being punks and trying to get a rise out of him (for shits and giggles)...
But I hate seeing every last batter step up and swing for the fences.
Che almost fell over from his extra-inning swinging.
Of course, it would be nice to hit a bomb and end it short and sweet.
But 5 extra innings ain’t short and sweet. And in 5 innings, it would have been nice to see any sort of attempt at a run, other than a swing for the fences.

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 9:47 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

but as larry and tdogg are saying

and its well known, this team is not built to move runners over like you or ssh suggest. we have to go with what we have, play to our strengths

He was a catcher with the Orioles back in the day. Sorry looking (expletive). My brother had his card. He looked like this little kid who got left at a bus station by his parents. You know why? Because he had to catch Hoyt Wilhelms knuckle ball five (expletive) years.

by onlysoxfaninboston on Aug 6, 2008 9:49 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

is not built to score by just

He was a catcher with the Orioles back in the day. Sorry looking (expletive). My brother had his card. He looked like this little kid who got left at a bus station by his parents. You know why? Because he had to catch Hoyt Wilhelms knuckle ball five (expletive) years.

by onlysoxfaninboston on Aug 6, 2008 9:50 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I know, and I agree with that.

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 9:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

At the same time, I am perfectly ok with the outcome. I ain't complaining at all.

The reason we won is because of the combination of small hits and several big ones.

I wouldn’t suggest coaching our power hitters not to swing big, but when that is the only thing on their brain and it results in 28 extra-inning strike-outs, it gets a bit ridiculous.

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 9:49 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

What stat is that?

1 Sox 158
2 Phil 158
3 Flor 155
4 Milw 149
5 Tex 141

bunt!

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

by Tdogg on Aug 6, 2008 9:51 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

purrrrrty

"just realized the superman uni is barely visible but slightly protruding out of his jersey. and i began to slightly protrude out of my pants." - MM

by homesickalien on Aug 6, 2008 9:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

FIRE GREG WALKER! NOW!

FOURTH RANKED OFFENSE? HORSESHIT!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by larry on Aug 6, 2008 10:03 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You are going to have a blast tonight. Please take pictures and/or video.

shaftr, the ghost author. cheat, the never-present manager. colin, the obfuscating author. wiz…well. who the fuck knows. at least he shows up to work.

by winningugly on Aug 6, 2008 10:06 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs