No Hook, No Fight: Game 110 Thoughts
Sox loooose 3-6
-Today was a miserable game for the Sox. There was a bad vibe going all game. Too bad we didn't play this game May 11, when it was originally scheduled and back when we were good.
-AJ didn't start, so there was no potential AJ-Escobar altercation. It's too bad he wasn't in. I think the only thing that could have ignited a fire under the Sox would have been an AJ beaning.
--I don't know who is more reviled in Chicago right now. Buehrle, Freddy, or Pods. It's hard to tell. I wouldn't mind seeing Freddy or Mr. Degern moved sometime soon.
-Speaking of Freddy and Buehrle, why the hell are they pitching so much alike? By alike, I mean slow and shitty. I say have Freddy and Buehrle stage a pitch off. Five pitches each, fastest single throw earns you a spot in the rotation; the slower of the two goes to the 'pen and McCarthy takes his spot.
-Curse you Ozzie! Where's that quick hook you were talking about? It seems Ozzie was seduced by Buehrle's decent start last time out. Ozzie definitely should have pulled him in the seventh. 6 2/3 innings and 3 ER would have been a good start for him. Ozzie had other plans; he left him in and he got lit up for three more runs. Everyone in the stadium knew this was a bad idea. Everyone at home knew this was a bad idea. Even the inept ESPN announcers realized this was a bad idea.
-Before the seventh, Buehrle had given up a solo shot in the third, fourth, and fifth. The homers were just hangers that he left up, except for the one Vlad hit in the fourth. He hit a pretty good pitch. It was right on the corner of the plate, but considering Vlad's strike zone extends 8 inches beyond the plate, this was right in his wheelhouse.
-Buehrle needs confidence. If he had been taken out, he would have another good start under his belt and a little bit more confidence. It was obvious he was uncomfortable. With a full count, two outs, and runners on first and second, Buehrle twirled to fake a pick off before pitching. He later then started to throw to first on a pick off attempt with the bases juiced, but Paulie was nowhere to be found so he was charged with a balk.
-In case I forgot to mention it, Buehrle was bad. His stat line didn't look bad going into the seventh, but he was lucky he hadn't been hit harder.
-Offensively, we were inept. We only put up 3 runs against a guy we have owned. Escobar was 1-9 against the Sox all-time. Only Thome and Crede had multi hit games.
-Make room on that ledge, I'm about ready to join and jump.
-Big ups of the Night to any Sox fans that watched the whole game and didn't have an aneurysm after Buehrle gave up those extra 3 runs.
Sox Player of the Game
Jim Thome (13)
Sox Record: 65-45
-Today was a miserable game for the Sox. There was a bad vibe going all game. Too bad we didn't play this game May 11, when it was originally scheduled and back when we were good.
-AJ didn't start, so there was no potential AJ-Escobar altercation. It's too bad he wasn't in. I think the only thing that could have ignited a fire under the Sox would have been an AJ beaning.
--I don't know who is more reviled in Chicago right now. Buehrle, Freddy, or Pods. It's hard to tell. I wouldn't mind seeing Freddy or Mr. Degern moved sometime soon.
-Speaking of Freddy and Buehrle, why the hell are they pitching so much alike? By alike, I mean slow and shitty. I say have Freddy and Buehrle stage a pitch off. Five pitches each, fastest single throw earns you a spot in the rotation; the slower of the two goes to the 'pen and McCarthy takes his spot.
-Curse you Ozzie! Where's that quick hook you were talking about? It seems Ozzie was seduced by Buehrle's decent start last time out. Ozzie definitely should have pulled him in the seventh. 6 2/3 innings and 3 ER would have been a good start for him. Ozzie had other plans; he left him in and he got lit up for three more runs. Everyone in the stadium knew this was a bad idea. Everyone at home knew this was a bad idea. Even the inept ESPN announcers realized this was a bad idea.
-Before the seventh, Buehrle had given up a solo shot in the third, fourth, and fifth. The homers were just hangers that he left up, except for the one Vlad hit in the fourth. He hit a pretty good pitch. It was right on the corner of the plate, but considering Vlad's strike zone extends 8 inches beyond the plate, this was right in his wheelhouse.
-Buehrle needs confidence. If he had been taken out, he would have another good start under his belt and a little bit more confidence. It was obvious he was uncomfortable. With a full count, two outs, and runners on first and second, Buehrle twirled to fake a pick off before pitching. He later then started to throw to first on a pick off attempt with the bases juiced, but Paulie was nowhere to be found so he was charged with a balk.
-In case I forgot to mention it, Buehrle was bad. His stat line didn't look bad going into the seventh, but he was lucky he hadn't been hit harder.
-Offensively, we were inept. We only put up 3 runs against a guy we have owned. Escobar was 1-9 against the Sox all-time. Only Thome and Crede had multi hit games.
-Make room on that ledge, I'm about ready to join and jump.
-Big ups of the Night to any Sox fans that watched the whole game and didn't have an aneurysm after Buehrle gave up those extra 3 runs.
Sox Player of the Game
Jim Thome (13)
Sox Record: 65-45
posted by Jeeves at 8:58 PM
6 Comments:
Good evening, ladies and gents, and welcome to the first ever installment of what I what I plan on calling The Beurhlre Bile File.
This will be a recurring post that occurs before and after every Mark Beurhle start. (If there's redundacy in that last sentence, you're noticing a theme of mine and Mark's pitching.)
Let me say first that I am a huge White Sox fan, and I wish health, happiness and a hella-hook to all White Sox pitchers. But my target of vitriol from now on will be spared for one main antagonist. (If you haven't figured it out yet, you're a moron.)
Since Jeeves has been so kind as to allow me this little conceit, I say thanks, and I ask for this one diversion: tonight's game has me quite unprepared to type for a long stretch without some sort of liquid spinach, so it's off to meet my Miss Corona for a while. To quote someone at another blog, "My clock just struck Beer-o'clock."
When I return, tonight's lurid leerings have two bases for contempt: high change-ups and mental miscues.
Mark Beurhle beware, I'm about to become your Jay Mariotti. I'll safely boast of your bad outings from the safety of my own little study without ever having to pay for a ticket or stand in the sights of your favorite hunting rifle. I'll be sure to remind every reader of your poorly placed pitches, your increasing errors in the field of play and your lack of mental acuity in tight places.
You used to be one of my favorite pitchers for the White Sox; now you're only the opponents' favorite. If you succeed the rumbling and grumblings will be lessened, but until then, The Beurhle Bile File is in full effect.
--I don't know who is more reviled in Chicago right now. Buehrle, Freddy, or Pods. It's hard to tell. I wouldn't mind seeing Freddy or Mr. Degern moved sometime soon.
There's been a lot of rumbling about Mark at Sox games recently, but it's more like, "Man, he's been in a stretch, he's never been this bad!" as opposed to, "I despise you, Buehrle! You are one reviled critter!"
I don't think Garcia's been too disliked by the fans of late, though he isn't doing himself favors.
But I really take issue with your complaints about Podsednik. You go down to the game, and most of the fans love him. It's mainly the high-nosed elitists on the Internet who dislike him.
I did exaggerate a bit and I did generalize. I suppose he is still loved by the fans, but this season he has been awful which is where many people's frustrations have grown. LAst year he was good, I will admit. He was stealing bases, he was putting pressure on the pitchers. He epitomized "Ozzie Ball" He made the trade with the Brew Crew not decent.
This season has been like night, to last season's day.
Last year (he was injured for a while too) in 129 games he put up a .290 avg. He stole 59 bases with a .351 OBP. He was on pace for far more SB before hurting his groin. He struck out 75 times.
This year, while healthy, in 102 games he's batting .264. He's stolen 32 bases and won't approach last year's projections or totals. Is OBP is doen to .339 and he's already up to 71 k's.
I know you can make stats show anything, but what we need from Pods is for him to be on base and to wreak havoc on the basepaths. BA, OBP, and SB most effectively cover those areas. I realize his walks are on pace to be higher this year, but it's not making up in the OBP department.
The K's bother me a lot as do his numerous blunders in the field. I was either blinded by his speed last year, or he suddenly degressed in the defense department. It's so bad at times that Mack has to come in as a DEFENSIVE replacement. The same Mack that turns outs into hits and singles into doubles.
I think the reason why more bloggers, or as you called them high-nosed elitists are coming down on Pods is because we tend to watch more games than the average fan. People that go to the games don't necessarily watch many games at home (especially with the post World Series ticket boom). So many of the people in the stands see only a game or two a week and have to base their opinions on Pods on last year's performance.
Us elitists have to watch nearly every game so that we can effectively write about them and we therefore see consistent mistakes by Pods and a vast amount of room for improvement.
No, we don't need Pods to "wreak havoc on the basepaths." If we have to manufacture runs, we will, but there's no reason to have him run as often with Thome two batters down, and that's why he isn't running.
Pods' numbers are skewed from his early start. He's done very well for us this year, aside from D, and he's kicked it up lately.
About "watching more games" well, I called you guys "elitists" because almost everyone on Sox sites online hates Scott, and I can't figure it out. He's been a good man for us. Most "regular" fans like him, too.
You guys are the critics who bash the Lion King while everyone else and their mothers enjoy it. Know what I mean?
First off, the Lion King rocked. Best animated film ever!
Secondly, re-read the premise of this blog. We are die-hard Sox fans. We are not love-them-even-when-they-lose Cubs fans.
In a post above I said, "We bitch because we love." When things go badly smart fans recognize the faults and can point them out. Let me remind you the Sox are 9-14 in their last 23 games.
Should we cheer a losing record? Hell no.
The Buerhle Bile File is a direct response to lousy pitching, and in the first post I even said if he gets better, the grumblings will lessen. But he's lost 6 in a row, and (I can't believe what I'm about to say) just like it is incumbent upon American citizens to speak out democratically against what ails our country, we have free speech rights to speak out against poor pitching.
This is all supposed to be fun. I slurped many Sox players after last night's win, and I'll do it again.
So, Penguin, get off that high-horse/ soap box and chill.
And thank god you're not a ineptly ignorant Cubs fan.
One more thing...Pods has it coming.
He is the most streaky and inconsistent White Sox player on the team. He was below the mendoza line for a while, went on a hot streak, cooled off for a long time, and is not really streaking right now either. And his instincts suck. He had a career year last year and it was worth it, but the Sox would be better off with Mack out there right now.
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