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* What the heck is wrong with the White Sox and what can be done about it?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 7:51 am
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They may want to blow up the team and rebuild. Trade Mark Buehrle and build around Danks. Send Beckham down until he gets his act together. Bring up Dayan’ Viciedo. This team was supposed to hit if nothing else and they just aren’t getting it done.
Comment by stones Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:05 am
I’m a Cardinals fan, but I support Chicago teams (when not playing the cards) and will be wearing a Sox shirt to the game this afternoon. Hopefully it will be enough.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:25 am
As last night so vividly demonstrated, they’re not hitting. Right now, they can’t hit the broad side of a barn with a banjo.
April is always brutal for the Sox, so I’m not ready to hit the panic button yet. I don’t believe in Cleveland or KC. They’ll come back to earth, so that 11 games back in the loss column isn’t as daunting as it seems.
The teams to beat are still the Tigers and the Twins, who aren’t exactly looking like the 1927 Yankees right now, either.
Have faith. The starting pitching is solid. Thornton will get the bite back in his breaking ball in the warm weather. Sales will find the strike zone. Once the air heats up, those flyball outs will be in the bleachers. Until the trade deadline, just stick with your ABCs — always be cool. Baseball is a marathon, not a sprint.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:26 am
Wrong? How could anything be wrong? Let’s see, Sox are 11 - 20 after being no-hit last night.
Cubs are 13 - 16. Hmmm, hard to believe the Sox had a worse start with all the pre-season criticism the so-called ‘Flubs’ were getting from certain sources.
Must Twitter Ozzie to see what’s going on…
Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:27 am
Same thing that’s wrong with America. Lazy and unattentive. They were probably Facebooking in the dugout last night.
Comment by PaGo Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:38 am
What’s wrong with the White Sox? There’s nothing wrong with the White Sox. They are the perfect comic relief we need after seeing the Blackhawks go down in the first round and D. Rose hobbling on a bad ankle. Besides, they still play almost major league quality baseball on the north side.
The problem is with White Sox fans. We Cubbie faithful have always been able to laugh at our team’s ineptitude. You folks merely anguish and gnash teeth. The next time the Sox get no hit by a pitcher who has never thrown a complete game, don’t get angry. Just look back on the most feeble swings and chuckle.
Comment by Draznnl (Rhymes with orange) Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:40 am
–Same thing that’s wrong with America. Lazy and unattentive.–
Well, that solves those two problems. Could you sketch up a solution for the Israeli/Palestinian thing before lunch?
–We Cubbie faithful have always been able to laugh at our team’s ineptitude.–
Speak for yourself. And real Cubs fans, never, ever, say “Cubbie.”
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:48 am
The sox are too predictable, everyone knows pierre has no arm so they make a b line to 2nd base, everyone knows the pitchers cant hold runners,everyone knows their always hacking at the first pitch and never work the count. Kenney williams brought this mess in here, that is one place to look.
Comment by foster brooks Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:49 am
Is it an old, tired, lazy, set in their ways management from the top down. JR is a good owner but he got his world series and is probably not anxious for big challenges and changes. His partners are dying off or likely also in a coasting mode. Need energy and risk taking throughout-that does not mean futile stolen base attempts.
Comment by Just Asking Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:53 am
Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah….Hey, Hey…Good Bye
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:53 am
Nothing is wrong with Chicago baseball teams, but,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyhaTQseKTQ
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:56 am
Ever since the bullpen implosion during the first week there has just been a dark cloud hanging over this team. We waste quality starts, can’t advance runners, and make an unacceptable amount of errors. It’s extremely frustrating. I dont think anything could have summed up the season better than last night. No Hawk and Stone Pony struggling to even speak because of his cold while the Sox bats were silenced again. I just hope the bulls can win to ease the pain a little bit.
Comment by hawksfan Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:57 am
Word, that would involve me being interested in their issues. Problem is, got our own issues here in ol U S of A. How about Israel/Palestine sketch out where some people here are going to find lunch today?
Comment by PaGo Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:57 am
I am just hoping that this is the wake up call they’ve needed to finally get their act together.
Comment by Mankow Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:57 am
Greg Walker should be gone.
Comment by Insider Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 8:58 am
The early good hitting and pitching was sabotaged by the bullpen. It appears there is a lack of hunger and the acceptance of being “half-assed” until they snap out of it. Like Yoda said, “don’t try, do.” They are looking old and that remedy is to go young.
Comment by overcooked Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:02 am
–JR is a good owner but he got his world series and is probably not anxious for big challenges and changes.–
Biggest Sox payroll ever this year. The Peavy and Dunn signings were certainly high-risk, high-reward.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:03 am
- Speak for yourself.
I will. And I will also speak for those who love Steve Goodman’s true Cub fan anthem, “A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request.” If the mere name “Carmen Fanzone” doesn’t bring out a sardonic chuckle, you are either too young, a poseur, a Cardinals fan or dead.
-And real Cubs fans, never, ever say “Cubbie.”
I had my heart broken as a young child when Don Young flubbed a fly ball and the D*!n Mets blah, blah, blah. I’ve been living and dying (a whole lot of dying) with the Cubs for more than forty years now. I have earned the right to call them whatever I want. And if you don’t like it, please crawl back inside your Strunk & White’s.
Comment by Draznnl (Rhymes with orange) Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:08 am
JR is a good owner but he got his world series and is probably not anxious for big challenges and changes.
This really makes no sense. See ws’s comment at 9:03.
As for what is wrong… they were overrated going into the year, and underperformed. Their starting pitching was never going to be as good as people thought. And the offense is simply mediocre. The bullpen is just god-awful.
Comment by dave Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:09 am
I would love to share my thoughts, but I’m afraid of being smacked by the “Hammer of Banishment”!!!
Comment by South of I-80 Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:21 am
fire ozzie, walker, & cora, make omar the player manager, send beckham down. heads need to roll. if that doesn’t work fire kenny!
Comment by omar Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:23 am
FIRE GREG WALKER.
Kenny Williams gutted the farm system.
Team doesn’t have patient hitters.
pitching decent, should be used as trade bait to rebuild the farm system if this thing is still a big pile of fail after Memorial Day.
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:28 am
ws and dave-no doubt the payroll is big (also no doubt it will start to shrink pretty soon) but just spending money in unimaginative ways isn’t likely to get a quality result-don’t we all watch state government.
Comment by Just Asking Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:33 am
i don’t know enough about baseball to speak to this. i’m still amazed that my little burg of 8,000 has more baseball fields than the city of 50,000 in florida where i grew up. of course, we play america’s favorite sport in florida, without all these silly time constraints that we have up here…
Comment by bored now Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:49 am
Yeesh, a lot of folks hitting the panic button here. The Sox are always a lousy April team and the weather the past month has been better suited to building an ark than playing baseball.
There’s 131 games left to play. Cleveland and KC will drop like a rock in the coming weeks. The Sox are half a game behind the Twins, 2.5 behind Detroit. When it’s all said and done, the division winner will be one of those three.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:50 am
Dunn and Peavey were really stupid acquisitions.Ozzie insisted they get rid of Thome and then they make Dunn rich. Everybody in baseball knew Peavey was through except the White Sox. Williams is a goof and Ozzie is insane. Other than that and the fact that Omar Visquel is the best player on the team, everything is fine.
Comment by Bill Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:57 am
hire another psych. they hired a full time one this year who worked for the Marlins previously. get someone else to get into their heads. or have the current person turn it around somehow, use new techniques. the human equivalent of the rally cap.
it was bad luck that Dunn went down. lying Peavy should have divulged his condition coming back, but that is some bad luck too. they need to do what all teams do…..rally cap, hold some ceremony burning a jersey, put Ozzie in a dunk tank, go to Vegas and get drunk.
Comment by amalia Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:59 am
Typically I would agree that as Chicago fans we do overreact to each win and loss by any team. Chicago fans too often swing overnight from “we are going to the Super Bowl/World Series/Stanley Cup/Championship” to “this team is the worst fire everyone, trade everyone.”
But, there is some historical precedent that suggests the panic button may be in order. Phil Rogers wrote yesterday:
“Historically, according to the folks at Elias Sports, there have been only three teams who fell behind by 10 games this early in the season (as have the White Sox and Twins) and rallied to reach the playoffs — and this has happened only once since 1914. The teams to keep in mind are the 1911 Philadelphia A’s, the 1914 Boston Braves and the 1987 Detroit Tigers.”
Comment by Jimmy CrackCorn Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:07 am
The White Sox will recover.
Comment by radio guy Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:11 am
First the Cubs sign Soriano, then the White Sox sign Dunn. The city council should pass a law making it illegal for Chicago baseball teams to sign free agents who have had strong years for the Washington Nationals.
Comment by Edge of the 14th Ward Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:21 am
They’re looking too much like the 1986 Cardinals … hoping for better days for the White Sox.
Comment by QC Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:23 am
They have ricketts disease.
Comment by Statesman Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:26 am
Draznnl
===The problem is with White Sox fans. We Cubbie faithful have always been able to laugh at our team’s ineptitude. You folks merely anguish and gnash teeth. The next time the Sox get no hit by a pitcher who has never thrown a complete game, don’t get angry. Just look back on the most feeble swings and chuckle.===
Judging by how many time Cubs fans throw garbage on the field, attack players with Racial Slurs, get on people like Steve Bartman, I would say you are just as bad as Sox fans at “Lauging it off”.
Comment by Frank Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:32 am
Extend Ozzie
Comment by Fire Ozzie Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:40 am
Frank, all the incidents you speak of were justified.
Comment by PaGo Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:52 am
slinger-I really hope you are right-your math is correct-KC and the Tribe have big flaws-BUT, there is nothing to indicate the Sox can play much over 500 the rest of the way-they constantly kill themselves with little fundamental thing which will destroy them if they ever play meaningful games-Jackson not covering third last night-no one holding a runner close etc etc.
Comment by Just Asking Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 10:53 am
“Frank, all the incidents you speak of were justified.”
I hope that’s a joke.
Ozzie needs to go, his act is tired and the players clearly don’t respect him anymore. Walker even said in an interview after the 2009 season that he was surprised he still had his job. He should have been long gone.
And, if they don’t get their act together this season, I think maybe KW’s time is up, too. Maybe bring Kim Ng back into the organization.
Comment by aaronsinger Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 11:04 am
Is St. Petersburg still interested?
My guess is that Ozzie would rather be there.
Comment by Jake From Elwood Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 11:07 am
They’re not the Cubs.
Comment by Barton Lorimor Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 11:09 am
Calling Milton Bradley a retard and worthless piece of crap isn’t a racial slur. It was all Bartman’s fault the Cubs lost the chance to win the World Series (ok, that’s a joke). The trash throwing has never been proved. As we all know, the prevailing winds off the lake can be tornado-ish.
Man, the White Sox will be fine. They have the tools. Everyone in Beantown was flipping out earlier this season and BoSox turned it around. It’s so easy to point fingers, etc., but really? Edwin pitched a great game last night. Look at the positive. And we can all agree some players make way too much dough, but it’s a fact of life. You you don’t like it that much, don’t watch and don’t attend the games.
Word, I’ve been thinking about that sketch and have determined there’s no cure for centuries old disagrements. So I’m going to lunch.
Comment by PaGo Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 11:13 am
Don’t Jump yet…..Cleveland and KC are not built for the long haul…..the goal is 500 by All Star break. Rich, feel free to break this out when we’re playing meaningful games in September
Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 11:20 am
PaGO-
What about the racial slurs directed to and baseballs thrown at Jacques Jones?
Comment by Frank Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 11:47 am
“Calling Milton Bradley a retard and worthless piece of crap isn’t a racial slur. It was all Bartman’s fault the Cubs lost the chance to win the World Series (ok, that’s a joke). The trash throwing has never been proved. As we all know, the prevailing winds off the lake can be tornado-ish.”
Except it wasn’t just Milton Bradley. Jacque Jones and LaTroy Hawkins said the same things, too. But I guess all 3 guys were making that up?
What do you mean the trash throwing wasn’t proven? It’s happened multiple times during a game, would you care for video evidence? Thom Brenneman’s rip of Cubs fans came during such an occurrence. Would you like video proof?
Comment by aaronsinger Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 12:11 pm
They suck and are lazy, like the majority of Chicagoans.
Comment by The Truth Hurts Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 12:11 pm
* What the heck is wrong with the White Sox and what can be done about it?
Move to the North side. Then performance won’t matter.
Comment by Moderate REpub Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 12:46 pm
I have already implored to dieties of various faiths for immediate assistance and I firmly believe my prayers will be answered soon. Last night’s Minnesota Twins no-hitter was quite simply - ROCK BOTTOM. Now, it is time for my baby White Sox to claw their way back to reality.
Last week’s Blackhawks teaser didn’t help me.
And, don’t even get me started about the Bulls’ first-round fiasco Monday.
This is how Chicago rolls, I guess!
Comment by Black Ivy Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 12:57 pm
Sadly, not expecting a pretty summer for either the North Side or the South Side. At best, I’m thinking that the Cubs and/or Sox could tread water until the Bears and Blackhawks open up shop again.
As for their problems…. the Cubs have way too much excess baggage that can only be shed once a few of their deadweights are dropped in the next two or so seasons, so this is just rebuilding mode for the North Side. As far as the Sox are concerned, and I hate to say it on account of his success, but I’ve got to pin it on Ozzie and the management. At least the Cubs are around the .500 mark that most folks seemed to predict at the onset of the season, the Sox are vastly underperforming and just don’t look like their heads are in the game half of the time. It seems like they’re a squad in bad need of a culture change to rekindle the fires in their bellies.
Comment by TJ Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 1:22 pm
nothing’s wrong with the Sox . . . they are delivering perfectly on my expectations given their relatively modest talent base . . .
Comment by Mike Huntoon Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 1:27 pm
aaronsinger.
Of course the people threw trash. And batteries, if I recall correctly. My tornado/wind reference was, in a word, sacasm. As for the other former Cubs players’ accusations? Sour grapes.
Here’s the cure for the current SoxSlump: Another Disco is Dead night at the ballpark. Man, that was a fun night.
Comment by PaGo Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 1:30 pm
Many quality starts that should have been- and were almost– wins have been blown in very late innings. That depresses the fans and it must depress the players on the Field even more. I still think with the exception of Peavy most of the pieces for success are there. They’re just not focused and clicking. I am ready to let Ozzie go. At this point they need discipline, not a tweeting goofball. And I say that even though I like Ozzie a lot.
Comment by Responsa Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 2:11 pm
Tried to play little league ball as a kid and was not worth a crap. May have affected my overall attitude but,zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Comment by Bemused Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 2:23 pm
They’re batting .236 as a team, third worst in the American League.
Rich, when can we expect a St. Louis Cardinals open thread?
- Leading their division
- Leading the majors in offense: Hits, RBI’s and batting average
- All while Pujols has yet to catch fire.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 2:26 pm
===when can we expect a St. Louis Cardinals open thread? ===
Get your own blog.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 2:28 pm
@Frank Yes the Sox fans are able to ‘laugh at themselves’. It’s safe to say that Cub fans have the Sox beat by oh… 103 years of pain and suffering… Cubs are the experts in P&S.
Comment by Statesman Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 2:29 pm
slinger, are you following todays game. 2 caught stealings, a pick off, a failure to cover a base and a leftfielder not familiar with his own ballpark among general lackluster play. This is not turning around anytime soon.
Comment by Just Asking Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 2:34 pm
Clearly, the problem with the White Sox is that they can’t play the Cubs more often.
Comment by What's in a name? Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 3:10 pm
LOL. Fair enough.
Sox are still my favorite American League team, and a Sox-Cardinals World Series would be the sports event of a lifetime: two storied working class ball teams.
Let’s ALL hope for a Sox turn-around.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 3:56 pm
Start going to games at Wrigley Field!!
Comment by FDR Democrat Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 4:03 pm
Karma Sox fans. GO CUBS!
Comment by Say WHAT? Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 5:42 pm
One problem is that they have totally abandoned the farm system, therefore they have to get all their talent via trade. Move Viciedo to 3rd base, soemone in left field (they counted on Pierre one year too long), and hope Dunn isn’t one of the biggest busts ever.
Comment by Jim Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 6:36 pm
If the 2011 White Sox were a horse, it would have to be put down.
Actually, I think that’s what Liriano did.
Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 7:00 pm
It’s way too early to panic. But yeah, when you raise payroll like the Sox did this year you also raise expectations. My advice? Lower your expectations before Jerry Reinsdorf lowers the payroll, which should be sometime in late June or early July.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, May 4, 11 @ 9:46 pm
Have mgr. concentrate on not being a twit distraction; have gen. mgr. make more trades to make the team even worse?
Comment by sal-says Thursday, May 5, 11 @ 9:10 am
Take heart, White Sox fans. Keep your hopes up! There’s still time to right the ship. This Sox team, like last year’s club, starts off slowly. They held an abysmal record of 24-33 starting play on June 9th last year but got on a roll and had finally reached a .500 record (at 34-34) by as late as June 20th. They stayed hot, many will recall, got into lst Place and by August 7th were 16 games over .500 at 63-47. It was a truly fun, exciting rebound because the Sox never gave up! As late as September 12th they were 15 games over at 79-64, still in the thick of a Divisional Championship race, and although they somewhat ran out of gas by season’s end, they finished a VERY respectable 88-74 in 2nd Place. Admittedly, every team is different, but a LOT of these guys are the very same fellas who comprised last year’s club. They know they can do it, so it’s high time for ‘em to start loosening up, believing in themselves again, and revvin’ up the Sox engine for a solid run, yes, even for a playoff spot…and there still can be plenty of good days to come….At this low point, we might as well think positive! GO SOX!!!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Thursday, May 5, 11 @ 5:00 pm