Aaron Rowand homers Sox to victory
by The Cheat on Jun 13, 2005 12:32 PM CDT
in White Sox News
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PrintSome observations from the weekend:
- Note to Freddy Garcia: Stop giving up 3-run HRs in the first inning. It puts your team in a hole. Check that, Don't give up 3-run HRs (period)
- I missed the first couple of innings, So I can't really comment on how Freddy looked all game. In the 5th & 6th, however, he pitched like a scared little school girl out there.
- Earlier in the series, I was going to note the poor range of the Padres outfielders, but since Dave Roberts is the usual centerfielder, I didn't say anything. Well Ozzie found a way to put guys with even less range as his starting outfield Sunday.
- In the sixth, Scott Podsednik played a single into a double by not taking the proper angle to cut the ball off. Then he broke in on a ball that ended up over his head for a double. If Rowand had been playing out there, it would have been a single and an out. I can't beleive we actually thought about starting Podsednik at center in spring training.
- I have to give some props to the Padres.
- Their starting pitchers had a very good idea of what to do against most of our team. They made Crede look like a fool for most of the weekend. (That's a breaking ball off the plate Joe. Don't swing at it.)
- Normally, I'm looking forward to getting into a teams bullpen. Even though we got the victory against them on Sunday, that wasn't the case with the Padres. Chris Hammond sold his soul to the devil to get guys out with absolute junk. Otsuka is nasty. Hoffman is one of the best in the game.
- The Padres hitters are a very patient bunch. Against Buehrle and Garland, who threw a ton of strikes, they were always deep in the count. Against Freddy, they refused to chase the breaking ball out of the zone.
- I think Frank Thomas' presence truly does have an affect on Juan Uribe's approach at the plate. Though he doesn't have much in the way of hits to show for it, Uribe was consistently taking pitches out of the zone that he would have swung at before. I still don't know how he laid off that last pitch from Otsuka. Look for Juan to go on a tear on the home stand.
- The Sox have a 12 game homestand over the next 2 weeks. D'Backs, Dodgers, Royals, & Cubs. We need to be looking at winning at least 8 games on the stand.
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Other observations from the weekend...
- Is it possible that sPod has a sore leg or is just exhausted? He (or Ozzie) didn't seem inclined to steal this weekend, even when the situation screamed for it. They were always trying to sac him to second it seems.
- If you missed the 1st couple innings, you didn't see Timo play a single into a triple (speaking of range). It was scored accurately as a 1B and 2B error, though Farmer and Rooney scoffed at the call.
- Also speaking of range, Dino Everett got to some balls that I didn't think he could. I suspect we'll see him in left tonight, with sPod getting a rest (see #1).
- Yeah, Crede was infuriating when swinging at those low, outside pitches. However... he had a very nice road trip overall. You look for Uribe to get hot, I look for JC to do the same.
- I'm looking for 9 wins on the homestand. By accident we'll sweep one of the series... despite Ozzie's best efforts.
- Gotta love that ex-Cub factor this weekend: Hee Seop Choi with SIX HRs against the Twinks, personally beating them twice, including THREE against Radke.
- Saturday night's game was the single largest disappointment of the season (for me). I know that's why Ozzie said Sunday was their biggest win of the year (coming back after Saturday), but just ONCE I'd like to hear Ozzie say "I blew it". Maybe he apologized to the team Saturday night, maybe not. If he did though, he owes us one too.
RE: Ozzie
I saw the worst part of Sat's game
DBack's bullpen looks great (for Sox)...
After this, we now own the worst relief ERA in the NL. Only three teams are above five - we're at 6.25, more than a quarter of a run worse than Colorado. Our bullpen was expected before the season to be credible, with the return of a number of players who missed time through injury. But while 2004 was perceived as bad, and was 14th in the NL, their ERA was only 4.68, giving you some idea of what our performance this year is like.
And it's not going to get any easier. We now hit the road for a ten-game trip, starting off against the White Sox, who merely have the best record in all baseball. Then it's Cleveland, also above .500, before coming back to the West Coast to face the Giants. I would suggest giving the wrong flight details to the entire bullpen, and hoping they don't manage to find their way back, Incredible Journey-style... Better yet: sack, bricks, canal.
Mac, Jurko, & Harry...
quoting Mac
Hating on Pods?
Pods IS a center fielder though. He played center for the Brew Crew his whole career. I actually expected that Rowand and Pods would split time in center with the other on playing left. I think Pods MIGHT and emphasis MIGHT, be a better center fielder. Obvoiusly Roward is a very good center fielder but Pods can cover soooo much ground. I have seen numorous plays were in would be a liner to left and PODS makes the catch on the run. Or i have seen little bloops that he charges soo hard on. C-Lee would have either tried to make his imfamous sliding catch and have it go past him, or pull a Timo like yesterday and think he can track it down when in fact it bounces and goes for a triple.
I know I will get some negative feedback on this beacuse I said Pods might be a better center fielder....but...all i have to say is.....
Let the debating begin!
My info on Pods
If Pods didn't have the speed he does
I'm extremely disappointed to see every baserunner knowing that a ball that makes Pods run at all in left field is an automatic double. They're salavating on the extra bases they get to take on his weak arm and poor reads...
He was brutal in the 6th yesterday. Rowand would have saved at least one run if he was out there instead of Pods.
Defense in the outfield is not just about speed. It's about getting good jumps, taking the right routes to balls, and making the plays. Pods doesn't really do any of that. He makes the routine ones, and that's about it.
Ask any Brewers fan, They wanted him out of centerfield there. He's still on lesson one of hooked on Phonics. He can't read good. (LOL)
Yes.....but...
"Defense in the outfield is not just about speed. It's about getting good jumps, taking the right routes to balls, and making the plays. Pods doesn't really do any of that. He makes the routine ones, and that's about it. "
Yes but he is only in his 3 full year of baseball.
Here is a fielding stat for you guys...... Last year for the brew crew he had a .990% fielding percentage. He only made 4 errors. Compare that to Aaron Rowand who had a .980% fielding percentage and made 6 errors. Also Rowand made 3286 outs between right and center field. Pods made 4083 outs. So with 800 more outs Pods had less errors and had a better fielding percentage.
Now i am not ripping Rowand, i like him a lot, but i am just tring to stick up for my boy Pods. I am confident with Pods in left OR center. He may not have the instincts but appearntly his speed can make up for the bad jumps he might get.
I don't even know why you're carrying this on....
Fielding %
If you want to go there, Carlos Lee was the best defensive LF'er in all of baseball last year.
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