SI ranks Thornton best set-up man in baseball
Fireballing lefty Matt Thornton is the highest ranking non-closer in Baseball Prospectus' opposition-adjusted win-expectation-based relief pitcher statistic WXRL. If that doesn't move you, his traditional stats should: 2.44 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 11.0 K/9, 4.2 K/BB. A former first-round draft pick and minor league starter, Thornton's wildness out of the Mariner pen led Seattle to trade him to the south side for Joe Borchard in March 2006, and he's been a Second City mainstay ever since. He had a breakout season at age 31 last year and has been even better this year, shaking the LOOGY role for proper setup work in early June. Since July 1, he's posted a 1.71 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and walked just four men in 21 innings for a staggering 6.5 K/BB.
5 months ago
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he has been good thats for sure.
I’m still not the biggest fan of his….. but he usually gets it done. Better than Liney at least
Kenwo4life=ratings
by KenWo4LiFe on Aug 21, 2009 9:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
any particular reason you're not that big of a fan?
-Jeeves Life in the Cell
by jeeves on Aug 21, 2009 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
he doesn't like Woody
more of a Buzz Lightyear fan
by Scotty Ballgame on Aug 21, 2009 3:22 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
for the record
I don’t find it strange or have a problem that you don’t particularly care for thornton. I’m pretty sure there were some players on the Sox at one time or another I didn’t really care for. Torres at this point inspires a whole lot of meh (plus a whole lot of let’s hope he does well) as did the likes of Everett and I’m sure some other players.
I was just curious if there was any particular reason, i suppose by your answer below its more just meh than it is anything he does that rubs you the wrong way
-Jeeves Life in the Cell
by jeeves on Aug 21, 2009 7:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you really pick the wierdest folks to not be a fan of
Thorndog, Konerko and even Buerhle I believe.
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 3:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
oh no i am ok with Buerhle for the most part.
Konerko is a bum. and i don’t have to be a fan of thornton…. he’s still a good pitcher just not one of “my guys”
Kenwo4life=ratings
by KenWo4LiFe on Aug 21, 2009 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
did he turn down the invite to the kenwo kerkle jerk?
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
who are your guys, cliff politte and timo perez?
R.I.P. Nick Adenhart
by Jbasic89 on Aug 21, 2009 7:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why wouldn't you be a fan of Easy Heat?
He’s got a cheap contract, cost us nothing to get him, one of the most reliable performers on the team, I see no reason to dislike the guy.
by Grinder in Training on Aug 21, 2009 3:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
he doesn't grunt and make goofy faces like Joba
Anybody who throws that hard should so more emotion
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 3:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Racist.
(billyok or Trooper quote)
by homesickalien on Aug 21, 2009 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
haha
usually i am not a fan of the white guys i guess. I think it is all the love from the fans that they get over other players. I usually am a fan of the hispanic origin players. Ever since the days where I loved Ivan Calderon, Melido Perez and Skinny Sammy Sosa….
Kenwo4life=ratings
by KenWo4LiFe on Aug 21, 2009 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
calderon was great. r.i.p.
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
rec'd
he was a solid ballplayer. He was pretty fast, had some pop and had Ice Cube hair. He also played a decent left field. I remember when he jumped on the ledge of the wall at Tiger Stadium and made what i believe is one of the fanciest catches of all time. (even though you don’t see it much- they actually showed it when MLB Network was about to start up)
Kenwo4life=ratings
by KenWo4LiFe on Aug 21, 2009 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i was too young at the time to realize what a pimp that dude really was.
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
kenwo is 28 i think
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... Time out Greenbay. Tell that fucking bullshit to the tourists
by onlysoxfaninboston on Aug 21, 2009 6:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
30 would be my estimate.
Cashing checks and having sex.
by MarketMaker on Aug 21, 2009 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
29 currently
30 in november. i expect a gift.
Kenwo4life=ratings
by KenWo4LiFe on Aug 21, 2009 11:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are you registered on www.despair.com yet?
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 22, 2009 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
but i do like
Beckham, Garland, Gavin, AJ (sorta), Thome….. I don’t like Konerko because I think we should have won it in 2003 and he played like dog trash. I still think we should have kept Carlos Lee and traded Konerko for Pan in 2005. (I did shortly forgive him after his ALCS performance) but 2008 brought back all the bad feelings.
And i think that Rob Mackowiak and Brian Anderson continued to get pass after pass from a lot of sox fans because they were white players.
I don’t know why I am not a big fan of thornton. I just get an uneasy feeling when he comes in- and i really don’t know why because he has been really good.
Kenwo4life=ratings
by KenWo4LiFe on Aug 21, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
everyone knows one year of paul konerko doesn't get you a player of the caliber of scott podsednik.
by larry on Aug 21, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It does sometimes. Like if Kenny had
comped his entire salary after signing him to a 6 year 80 mil contract. Maybe Milwaukee would have given us pods then. Maybe.
by Pander on Aug 21, 2009 5:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
School cannot start soon enough.
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 6:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was a big Calderon fan
he was absolutely part of what changed me from Brewers #1 to SOX #1. Nothing like gutsy play to back up all the gold chains, unlike for example a Kyle Farnsworth…
Best game I ever attended was the 163rd game last year.
by NorthSidePaulie on Aug 23, 2009 11:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you know, there's this place called fangraphs
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... Time out Greenbay. Tell that fucking bullshit to the tourists
by onlysoxfaninboston on Aug 21, 2009 10:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Was there more to that, or did you just discover it and wanted to pass the news along?
"I would literally vote for a horse if one were put on the ballot against Stroger."
"I would literally have sex with a horse before voting for Stroger."
by RWShow on Aug 21, 2009 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm waiting for someone to point out that Linebrink was supposed to be our set-up man
Worst. Contract. Ever.
The Chicago Bulls.....the more profitable Los Angeles Clippers.
by Ozzie Montana on Aug 21, 2009 10:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Ma I remind you of one Mr. Jaime Navarro
Could have had Clemens for less money.
by joewho112 on Aug 21, 2009 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
friggin' replacement level reliever for 6 mil
we coulda had Uribe as a set up man.
THIS STORY ONLY ENDS ONE WAY
by colintj on Aug 21, 2009 4:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
have i ever mentioned how much i dislike that contract?
by larry on Aug 21, 2009 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
ugh i forgot about the no trade.
not that we’d be able to. fucking hell.
THIS STORY ONLY ENDS ONE WAY
by colintj on Aug 21, 2009 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
!@#$!#@
The Chicago Bulls.....the more profitable Los Angeles Clippers.
by Ozzie Montana on Aug 21, 2009 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You think he would come back
and call an oops on that one? I know he sorta did in the posts , but yikes. It was obviously wrong then . . . and uber wrong now that we are 3/4 of the way through the season. AJ is having quite the year . . . the Sox will essentially be playing with house money on the last year of that deal.
"I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it."
by jc2313 on Aug 21, 2009 5:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure.
Link?
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 6:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
okay I admit it
I wasnt over the top mad about it at the time. Boy was I WRONG.
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
FP'd cuz we need some more space
Twitter: @SouthSideCheat
SouthSideSox on Facebook
by The Cheat on Aug 21, 2009 2:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Also, it seems like I'm gonna miss Sunday's game as well.
Twitter: @SouthSideCheat
SouthSideSox on Facebook
by The Cheat on Aug 21, 2009 3:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Looks like a winning streak is about to start!
And I bet a lot of $ that there are a couple of nice e-mails in CHINA’s inbox from SBN when he returns…
;)
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 3:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
ah, the dinner menu
These events have me frightened and on the verge of evacuating my bowels.
by thatshortkid on Aug 21, 2009 3:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can't see his crank.
Not afraid of him.
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Plus I just noticed is owner is wearing colored socks and sandals.
Tool. I can take him.
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 22, 2009 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll take it any way I can get it. Thank you.
"I would literally vote for a horse if one were put on the ballot against Stroger."
"I would literally have sex with a horse before voting for Stroger."
by RWShow on Aug 21, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fuckin a right!
(billyok or Trooper quote)
by homesickalien on Aug 21, 2009 3:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
So this bolsters the MVP argument.
Not.
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 3:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
does anyone on a team as mediocre as the sox have been deserve to be called mvp?
unless the p stands for placeholder.
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"We're not Detroit!"
Oh, wait…
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
starter?
I wonder if they’d consider converting him back to a starter for ‘10. Maybe you don’t want to mess with a good thing, but a starter who can miss as many bats as Thornton probably has more value than an 8th inning guy.
Wasn’t there talk when he first arrived about converting him back?
by rhombusface on Aug 21, 2009 3:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
needz moar pitchez.
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 3:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
no thank you.
He’s fine right where he is.
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only thing they'd do differently with him is make him a closer.
He’s not young.
"I would literally vote for a horse if one were put on the ballot against Stroger."
"I would literally have sex with a horse before voting for Stroger."
by RWShow on Aug 21, 2009 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm a big fan of Thornton. Hard throwing Lefty with great control who came over
after Seattle had given up on him and we turned a huge fail (borchard) into a huge win.
His delivery, his approach, everything about the guy is just cool.
by madvillian on Aug 21, 2009 3:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
boner jams
we are gonna skullfuck this guy - thecip
by BoeJouma on Aug 21, 2009 3:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm a tweener Matt Thorton fan.
I like him for one inning only, but as he has shown, he isnt as effective going more than 1 inning. I don’t get how people actually would want him to close games, when the only pitch he honestly throws is a fastball. Unless i see his slider start get more guys out, i only like him in 8th inning situations.
by No Pressure on Aug 21, 2009 3:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
what makes the 8th inning different from the 9th?
by larry on Aug 21, 2009 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No Pressure
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions 4 recs
whoosh?
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 6:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Large whoosh.
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And turn the fucker green.
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 6:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"I don’t get how people actually would want him to close games, when the only pitch he honestly throws is a fastball."
I don’t know maybe his high leverage line of
.225/.274/.270 HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT!
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
u n' ur numberz.
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
mariano rivera should learn another pitch.
by larry on Aug 21, 2009 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
very apt comp.
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you havent heard
that guy is finished.
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Its wierd
The only time he’s really had problems this year is when the score is 4 runs or more either way. Truly the anti Linebrink.
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 4:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i remember all too vividly one of the outliers.
i was at the airport bar enjoying the sox pummeling the cubs. then getz and liney showed up. and thorny got bitten by a super slumping soriano.
Don't call it a comeback.
by Toonderstrook on Aug 21, 2009 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Trop, 2008
10th inning walk-off. Outlier.
We’re a pack of a-holes. And my tradition of contributing absolutely nothing to this site... continues.
by winningugly on Aug 21, 2009 4:24 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
where'd you find that split?
THIS STORY ONLY ENDS ONE WAY
by colintj on Aug 21, 2009 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
b-ref
high leverage split
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"There's this place called Baseball-Reference.com."
EVERYBODY PICK US FOR 3RD OR 4TH SO I DINK WE DOIN POOTY GOO
Sox Machine
by Sox Machine on Aug 21, 2009 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're right, he doesn't make things easy like Bobby Jenks
The Chicago Bulls.....the more profitable Los Angeles Clippers.
by Ozzie Montana on Aug 21, 2009 4:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
His contributions to this season have been most valuable
most valuable indeed, clearly
¡signature!
by billyok on Aug 21, 2009 3:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I see what you did there.
"Baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand."
— Leo Durocher
by Chiburb on Aug 21, 2009 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dotel has been quietly good lately also
Good August
"Oh well back to work"
by Tdogg on Aug 21, 2009 4:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
dotel has always been under appreciated IMO
The problem is that ideally to have a good bullpen you want one more high leverage guy than the Sox currently have. I was hoping Liney could be a 7th inning guy this year, but he sucks horribly and should never see high leverage unless Dotal/Jenks/Thornton are gassed or otherwise used.
One more good high leverage guy and this bullpen would be very good. Carrasco is probably one of the better front end guys of any team in the league.
Perhaps Pena will step up, but I haven’t been very impressed with him yet, he just seems to have mediocre stuff to me. I could be wrong though, we’ll see more next year
by madvillian on Aug 21, 2009 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can think of more times he's helped than hurt the Sox
of course, being able to pitch more often would help, but hey, it’s not Detroit where Detroit=Linebrink
by Daniel Berlyn on Aug 21, 2009 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He's hasn't even hit a batter yet this year
Ozzie needs to turn him loose next time we take one for the team. That’ll leave a mark.
by shumway on Aug 21, 2009 4:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
was just told that my mother is buying me a buerhle jersey for my birthday!
im thinkin ill get the black one, as i have a white konerko jersey already. fuckin awesome
we are gonna skullfuck this guy - thecip
by BoeJouma on Aug 21, 2009 6:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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