Bring on Boston

by The Cheat on Oct 2, 2005 3:10 PM CDT in White Sox News

The White Sox will play host to the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox on Tuesday and Wednesday. Game time around 3 PM Central.

Update [2005-10-3 0:52:14 by The Cheat]: Game times for 1, 2, & 3 have been announced.

Game 1: USCF, 3PM Central
Game 2: USCF, 6PM Central
Game 3: Fenway, 3 PM Central

Tomorrow is the worst day of the year. Just lots of waiting. I suppose you could head to the White Sox Rally downtown at lunchtime, if that's your type of thing. (Yeah, it was a great season, but I don't see anything to celebrate... Yet.)

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Experts

We are lucky, nearly all the experts are picking the Boston Red Sox. I think this is a good thing since it takes the pressure off Chicago and putting it on Boston. Everyone expects Chicago to lose.

I think a closer look at the two teams shows the many flaws of Boston.

Infield: Advantage Chicago. Konerko, Ichiro, Uribe & Crede is a pretty good offensive and especially defensive infield.

Outfield: Advantage Boston. This is the area where Boston has a big advantage with Manny (and to a lesser extent Damon).

DH: Advantage Boston. Ortiz weighs more than Everett's OBP & Slugging.

Starting Rotation: Advantage ChicagoI don't see how Clement, Wells, Wakefield & Schilling compare to Contreras, Buerhle, Garcia & Garland. The Red Sox had a Team ERA toward the bottom of the AL.

Bullpen: Advantage Chicago. Without Foulke, Boston just doesn't have a dominate reliever, unless Mike Timlin scares you. Chicago's good bullpen only gets better with the addition of either McCarthy or El Duque.

If Chicago plays the way they can with good pitching and good defense, I think they take this series in 3 or 4. Plus, even though Chicago has AL's best record...they will not be the favorites.

AIM: shaftr01

blog

by shaftr on Oct 3, 2005 2:20 AM CDT reply actions

forgot

fielding. I think that's the one area the WSox have a huge edge

alia iacta est - win now

by dyspeptic on Oct 3, 2005 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Infield

When did we get Ichiro in our infield?

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." -Rogers Hornsby

by simplesinger on Oct 3, 2005 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Obviously

the White Sox outfield is so good that Ichiro couldn't break in there. After all, where would he play?

alia iacta est - win now

by dyspeptic on Oct 3, 2005 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions

wow

im reatrded

AIM: shaftr01

blog

by shaftr on Oct 3, 2005 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions

and

apparently a graduate of my school of typing

alia iacta est - win now

by dyspeptic on Oct 3, 2005 4:29 PM CDT up reply actions

99 Wins

But in the Media's eyes, the Red Sox and Yankees both won 110 games and the White Sox squeaked in with 90. Whatever, at least if we lose, its not like we were favored too anyway.

AIM: JoeCoolMan24 www.2ksports.com/forums Thats where i spend most of my day

by JoeCoolMan24 on Oct 3, 2005 6:15 AM CDT reply actions

Damn...

I was really hoping for later games. I work until 6:00 tomorrow so I'm going to miss most of the game.

AIM: BrentBrookhouse http://thepicks.blogspot.com <- my NFL and NCAA picks.

by Brent Brookhouse on Oct 3, 2005 8:20 AM CDT reply actions

You and me both.

First playoff game in 5 years, and I'll be unable to watch it.

by chrome on Oct 3, 2005 9:26 AM CDT up reply actions

That's why I was hoping for the Yankees

but I took tomorrow off fearing it'd be a daytime game.

-Peder

by Peder on Oct 3, 2005 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions

No McCarthy

Oh Cowatice

alia iacta est - win now

by dyspeptic on Oct 3, 2005 12:13 PM CDT reply actions

OK, is that

some olde englishe forme of the word cowardice? I googled it and came up with some pretty indigestible text...

Does this mean you want the Sox to put McCarthy on the roster for the Boston series?

by spengler on Oct 3, 2005 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Monty Python

from the penguin on of the television sketch - Grahman Chapman in drag - it's middle english and means disappointment

alia iacta est - win now

by dyspeptic on Oct 3, 2005 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions

GAME 2

6 pm central time, not 7 pm.

by 3E8 on Oct 3, 2005 12:20 PM CDT reply actions

Anybody going tomorrow?

I'll be at Cobblestones around 2 for prelube.

alia iacta est - win now

by dyspeptic on Oct 3, 2005 2:35 PM CDT reply actions

I am...

My mom is calling me in to get out of school early for the game.

And Wednesday is no problem, either.

ALCS tix go on sale Thursday, for those interested.

by CWSKeith on Oct 3, 2005 3:51 PM CDT reply actions

McCarthy

Word is (on the radio) they are planning to start McCarthy in the 2nd series (!?) Anybody else hear that? I only half listen - damn work.

If true I am less upset with his omission.

alia iacta est - win now

by dyspeptic on Oct 3, 2005 4:08 PM CDT reply actions

I feel sick

From the official White Sox site:

"...Guillen announced Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and Geoff Blum as the last additions to his 25-man roster...with rookie right-hander Brandon McCarthy and left-handed hitting first baseman/outfielder Ross Gload passed over."

The article goes on to say that McCarthy was told "he would be in consideration for a fifth-game start in the ALCS, if the White Sox reach that point."

Okay...trying to be a glass-half-full kind of person, maybe Gload was left off to secure that the Red Sox have more ex-Cubs on their roster?

by KenBrett34 on Oct 3, 2005 4:47 PM CDT reply actions

I can understand the reasoning

As far as McCarthy goes, he just pitched five innings on Sunday, so he probably wouldn't be available for either of the first 2 ALDS games, and you can't have that kind of hole in your roster. Plus, I think El Duque could be more effective as a reliever, because his unusual delivery will be difficult for hitters to adjust to on the fly when they only see him once. And, I love McCarthy, but this notion of having him pitch game 5 of the ALCS is sort of bizarre. By the fifth game, your game 1 starter would be on normal rest again. Maybe if the game 1 starter struggled but the Sox are up 3-1 in the series, it makes some sense, but it still sounds wacky to me. I don't know. Is the ALCS 2-3-2 or 2-2-1-1-1?

The Blum choice is certainly harder to defend, but he does play five positions vs. Gload's three. I haven't seen either of them in the outfield recently, but I know Blum has more experience there and Gload is pretty shaky. Blum is also a switch-hitter, which could be valuable, and, frankly, at this point, Gload has had so little major league experience this year that he probably wouldn't be that effective. Believe me, I've wanted Ross on the team all year, but at this point, it might just be too late.

by Ryno on Oct 3, 2005 5:50 PM CDT up reply actions

I was typing some similar thoughts on the post

at the top of the home page.

It sounds like they want to use McC as a starter but you are right to say that using him in a game five ALCS is a little crazy. All other things beeing equal, the logical spot would be the opener and then reset the rotation but that's also nuts. Game 2 at home? Maybe a lot depends on the length of the series and the performances of the other starters. They maybe blowing smoke up his (and our) ass(es) waiting to see what the others do i.e. insurance policy.

I don't agree with the Blum over Gload point if just because Blum has looked terrible at the plate and I think offense is the biggest problem this team has. Gload is a terrible outfielder.

alia iacta est - win now

by dyspeptic on Oct 3, 2005 6:07 PM CDT up reply actions