I’m on a Mission From Ozzie

Kenneth B. Sothman, Sox Superfan

I’m Ken Sothman, and I’m a Chicago White Sox fan. I’m in year two of my grace period after the World Series, but I think it’s going to be a very very hard time enjoying it. Shall we dance?

A 10-22 spring training. I’d personally be heart-broken, but we have to remember spring training stats mean nothing, as Aaron Rowand proved when he led the Cactus League in average and RBI’s in 2005.

But there’s no doubt in my mind that our pitching is going to be absolutely awful this year and once again be the downfall of the season. There’s no signs that Mark Buerhle is going to breakout of this horrendous funk he’s been in since the all-star break, and he was only on that all-star team because our offense saved him. Thanks for being our ace over the past few years Mark, and thanks for making games I go to waaaaay to short, and I hope you’re finally happy in a Cardinals uniform next year. But please just don’t ruin our season like you did last year.
As for the rest of the staff, if their name doesn’t start with J and end with Garland, then it’s going to be an ugly 4.50 and up ERA year. Even for Mr. 34 million dollars, which I completely understand the move from a market point of view, but we did it with the wrong guy. And anybody not named Jenks in the bullpen is also going to be bad, it’s really gonna be a long season.

At least we have a great offense though, right? Tell me I’m right, please. It’ll make me feel better. I’m going to completely ignore the fact the Tigers got better, the Twins will still be good even without Liriano, and everybody on ESPN is on the Indians bandwagon. We better beat the Royals 22 times this year.

Oh fellow Sox fans on the blog, it seems like some of us are drinking the Kenny Williams juice, which after Todd Richie I still refuse to take a sip of. No matter how good the Danks/Mccarthy swap looks right now, it can only be based off of how many 40-40 seasons Alfonso Soriano has over on the North Side, while Mr. Anderson decides to put the bat on the ball once every six games. And in response to Jake’s blog earlier, an over-achieving Brian Anderson puts up at .250 average with 15 home runs at best, so I’m scared how low an under-achieving Anderson looks like.
(Most of the moves Kenny Williams make are about as good as the idea it was for me to go tanning yesterday: both in the future undoubtedly leave me red in the face and hurting for a long long time.)

I’m not always this pessimistic, I promise. The Sox have potential, and on Monday, they better start showing it, or I’m going to start saving up money for 2010 tickets when Fields, Sweeney, and Broadway are leading us to glory…

How that draft went down…

Michael Bottigliero, Sox Superfan
I know I kept everyone in utter suspense with the results of my Fantasy baseball draft so here is what happened. The draft took place on Monday, March 26 in an online league with http://cbssportsline.com. I did some research online beforehand and readied the war room with my final depth chart. In this league each team gets one player at each position including a DH, three OFs, seven pitchers, and six reserves. I found out one hour before the draft I was in the six spot so I was planning on having Chase Utley drop to me. His numbers far exceed the closest 2Bs- Brian Roberts and Iguchi. As I saw, things rarely go as planned…
The first five taken were Jose Reyes, Pujols, Utley(ouch), J. Santana, and R. Howard. Knowing I needed a big puncher in the 1st round I took Big Papi- that stick could carry me through the season and my DH was taken care of. Time to play the waiting game until round 2.
My next pick came at #15 and I decided on David Wright. Filling the 3B spot with youth, speed, power and a guy sometimes taken in round 1 just seemed right. When #26 came I knew I needed either pitching or OF so I took Adam Dunn. I could not resist going for more power. The search for a few horses for my stable would have to wait.
Pitchers were not going off the board too quickly so when round 4 came I could not believe Derek Jeter was still around for the #35 pick. This draft was moving well until the pitchers started to move- someone even selected Daisuke Matsuzaka in round 4, much earlier than I expected. I knew I had to grab a pitcher with my round 5 pick so even though some may think I reached I grabbed Josh Beckett. He went through last season injury free and I believe he will have much better results with his curveball looking sharp this spring.
Watching things fall to round 6 I saw the first catcher go- Joe Mauer. I knew it was a far drop off after him and Victor Martinez so I took the hated Indian’s backstopper with some regret. Amazingly enough this was the first round a White Sox player was taken- Dye at #58. I was hoping he would have lasted until my round 7 pick but things worked out in my favor when I noticed no one took Paulie! My 1B was suddenly made stable and enjoyable.
I knew I could wait for some time to fill my voids at 2B and the OF so I went after pitching. Barry Zito was my guy in round 8, my best closing option came in the 9th with Chris Ray, and a favorite sleeper of the last few seasons fell to me in the 10th with Bronson Arroyo. Now came time to fill the voids. My OF positions were ready to be filled with me taking Jeff Francoeur for the second year in a row and following up with hot prospect Delmon Young in round 12- that brought much noise as many others were waiting for him to fall down to them- HA! Finishing up my positional hunt with my uber sleeper 2B Ian Kinsler, I was ready to finalize the staff and reserves.
The pitching staff rounded out with Francisco Cordero(had him late last year after the trade also), Daniel Cabrera(1st mistake- should have taken Garland here- oops!), Brian Fuentes(my 2nd and final mistake- should have grabbed Anibal Sanchez), Ted Lilly(at least I didn’t overpay for him like Jim Spendry did), and Clay Hensley. I wanted a backup C, 2B, OF, and a late round bargain. I received Russell Martin, Josh Barfield(another Indian- blah!), Corey Patterson, and unbelievably Joe Crede was available in round 22 at #215- my bargain!
My team is set and that is how it went down. One disappointment and a couple mistakes is not too bad. I have confidence in this squad so lets see what happens. Good luck and I hope everyone’s draft goes as well as mine.

Pitching Woes Continue

Stu Weiner, Sox Superfan

It is getting close to the beginning of the season and I am still awaiting a quality performance from any of the starting pitchers. What is the problem? The ERA of our starters in spring training keeps escalating, rather than decreasing. If things do not change in a hurry, we will be out of the pennant race in July.

I am also having difficulty understanding why Boone Logan was sent down, while David Aardsma made the team. If Aardsma was not good enough for the Cubs to keep around, why should we expect him to be better with the White Sox (remember Jamie Navarro)? I realize that Boone Logan had a great spring last year and then “bombed out” when he came up with the team, but his is a new year. He had a great spring and deserved a chance to come north with the club.

My ‘07 Fantasy Draft

Michael Bottigliero, Sox Superfan
There is another world which many baseball fans enjoy drifting in and out of and that is Fantasy. This is a sporting craze which has enthralled fans of all sports across the nation. It is a way for true fans of particular sports to keep up on all teams and players. Just by doing my prep for the fantasy draft I learned about every team’s starting lineups, rotations, bullpens, and possible breakout prospects. I am not only emphatically excited for the ‘07 White Sox, I am also anxiously awaiting the umpire’s call of “play ball!” on April 1st, 7:05pm at Busch Stadium.
Just a few hints on Fantasy baseball before we get into my draft:

1. Never draft with your heart. I am a true blue Chicago White Sox fan- but that does not mean that I will draft any Sox before they are deserving. You must get the most value out of all of your players if you are in it to win!
2. Do not draft only the rated best available. Sometimes there are positions to be filled on your team which must be addressed. You have to draft for need as well.
3. Watch the positional depth. For this I will use the example of 2B this season. Chase Utley is by far the highest rated 2B with Brian Roberts and Iguchi rated far behind. Getting Utley would rate far higher on my priority list than 3B Alex Rodriguez or OF Alfonso Soriano since you can always take a lesser but closely rated 3B or OF in later rounds
4. Get only a few horses for the stable. Great starting pitching is hard to get. Select only 2-3 great starters because every year injuries, surprises and prospects come out to shock every fantasy league. Having the stability of those starters combinrf with the flexibility to add/drop players to gain surprises and prospects along with some decent two start pitchers will be worth it. Gil Meche, Chris Young, and Kelvim Escobar came along post draft ‘06 to help out my fantasy squad.
5. Research, research, research. Use magazines and online scouting reports to create your personal depth chart in your war room.

Take these tips and run fantasy sport fans. Next update will clue you in to what happened during my draft and how I managed to gain a couple great Sox players in later rounds.

Danks-McCarthy trade puts the spring in perspective

Jake Baskin, Sox Superfan

I just read an article from one of the Dallas papers that put spring training into perspective for me. The writer was complaining about the outcome of the Danks-McCarthy trade so far. By comparing the spring training numbers of the two it sure looks like the sox lucked out, but of course I couldn’t forget how confused and angry sox fans were when hearing about the trade a few months ago. For me, the simplest explanation for McCarthy’s statistical fate this spring seems to be the best, and that is that spring training means almost nothing. Sure, I’ve been following it because it’s as close as I can get to the real thing right now, but once April 2nd rolls around everything that has happened so far means very little, what’s coming up is what matters.

From Jenks to Danks

Alex Wolf, Sox Superfan

Spring Training couldn’t look any worse for White Sox pitching. The Sox lead the Cactus league in runs allowed and currently reside in last place. While I’m certainly weary of reading into any results of Spring Training, this is certainly a cause of some concern. I’m confident that our newly appointed fifth starter, John Danks, will fill in adequately for Garcia (and with all the reports coming out of Philly, it seems that Freddy was a damaged good anyways), and that Jenks will get his fastball up and be as good as ever in his third season with the team.

On the flip side of things, how ’bout that offense! I have never been a huge Podsednik fan because I just don’t think he has gotten on base enough in the past to be effective, but boy is he coming out with something to prove this spring! With Erstad playing as the grinder we hoped he would be, Anderson and Uribe showing some serious improvement from last season, and that dangerous middle playing as strong as they always have, it’s going to be a high scoring season for the Good Guys. Is it premature to call them the Phoenix Suns of the MLB?!

He Gone!

Cait Higgins, Sox Superfan

“He Gone!” is one of my favorite sounds to hear while watching a game on TV. However, with the pitchers struggling in the spring, I wonder how many times I will hear my favorite Hawk catchphrase!

Javy, Javy, Javy… relax baby! Vasquez’s big problem is that he gets too worked up when he feels like he makes a mistake. I saw him pitch in Tucson on the same day he signed his huge contract. I thought maybe he was just nervous that day, but it has been much of the same ever since.

Danks and Floyd have been too close to call, I believe. I think that Danks will wind up getting the spot in the rotation, just because of his walks to strikeout ratio. Haeger continues to be hit or miss with me. I find myself getting scared, actually, when he takes the mound. He will be unstoppable if he learns better control (I know that’s extremely hard for a knuckleballer). On the game today, Hawk said something that I can totally agree with: being most impressed with Adam Russell. Not too much has been said about him this spring, with most of the focus on Danks and Floyd, but I think this guy has some excellent stuff out there on the mound.

We need our Bobby! Hopefully he will get his arm back in action and be ready to go on April 2.

We will see what happens in 10 days when the season starts. I have high hopes for this team, and know Ozzie will do the right thing! In Ozzie we trust.

Finally, I am really excited that everyone has started to blog. I think it’s going to be a really exciting year! All of you have such great ideas and things to share about the best team in the world. It’s great to meet you all and be your teammate! Thanks and GO SOX!!!!

AL Central Outlook

Michael Bottigliero, Sox Superfan
I have studied our Sox for a while and now I think it is time to take a look at how they stack up against the competition in their own division. This could be the toughest division in baseball as all organizations have made improvements to squads which did quite well last season(except KC- though they have managed to improve themselves). While I see much competition, I do see alot of weaknesses with the other clubs, more than we have, which will hopefully add up to wins for the Good Guys. Here is how the competition stacks up and where I think they will line up behind the Sox:

• Minnesota Twins: This team is short on starting pitching but long on grit and heart. Santana is their anchor with youngsters and reclamation products lagging behind. The light shines on their bullpen as Joe Nathan leads a quality group which could bail out the staffs shortcomings. In the field they are solid and quick though they do lack some pop, especially at DH. I always expect this scrappy bunch to be in the thick of it near the end.
• Detroit Tigers: This is the same team as last season except for the added stick of Sheffield. I still believe they overachieved and this season should prove it. They have some quality starters but the Gambler has played too many hands to be the Ace and Verlander is prime for a sophomore slump. Bullpen is not bad either but I have a hard time seeing Todd Jones as a top closer- he will fall. While their lineup has alot of tough outs they have no true bopper unless Sheff can revisit his glory days.
• Cleveland Indians: The tribe will have problems with their starter and defense. Depending on Westbrook for your #2 and following up with Byrd, Sowers and Carmona is a recipe for disaster. Fat Sabathia is a risk with his conditioning. In the field Garko, Nixon, and Delucci are sub par while prospect 3B Marte is going to try to crack the big leagues without much of a backup plan- Blake will make many errors at third given the chance.
• Kansas City Royals: It looks as if the Royals have made some moves to actually become slightly competitive. Their pitching staff went through complete overhaul with the top of the stable containing Meche, Perez, and Hudson. Now they need some help figuring out the other two starters. Dotel looks ready to close with some decent depth in the bullpen. In the field they have some youth mixed with a few vets who can hit the ball. Look out for Alex Gordon- he may be the next big thing at 3B.

The tough competition in this division will make for a fun ‘07 but I expect our Sox to overcome with experience, leadership, and a lineup with no easy outs. I still expect Kenny Williams to make a move if things are going well and there is a chance for improvement. If the starting staff can come together then we will be the best team in baseball.

Anderson Watch and Opening Day Excitement

Jake Baskin, Sox Superfan

Just a quick update here, although it was comforting to hear that the sox will leave camp with only 11 pitchers, therefore opening a spot on the roster for Brian Anderson, Ozzie came out and said that if the season started today Erstad is his center fielder. I’m just worried that if the sox beat up on the little confidence that Anderson is building at the plate this spring, he’ll settle into an underachieving season.

On another note, despite some uncertainty I have about the sox, I can’t help but get more and more excited as opening day draws closer. Watching baseball fight its way back into the nightly sports highlights brings back the taste of perfectly grilled brats and the thunder of mid-game fireworks. Especially as a student, the call of “Play Ball!” from behind the plate at Comiskey (that’s right, I still call it Comiskey) means school’s almost out and we’re coming to the best time of the year.

White Sox PItching Woes

Stu Weiner, Sox Superfan

Based on what has occurred in spring training, my concerns about White Sox pitching are proving to be valid. None of the primary four starters have performed to a level of excellence. In addition, the competition for the fifth starter has been extremely disappointing. I am still puzzled by the trading of McCarthy, but that is in the past and we have to get over it. I know that Ozzie does not want to go with four starters because the fifth starter cannot sit for 10 days. But with none of the contenders emerging as that starter, what difference does it make? The last thing I want to see is what happened a few years ago when several different pitchers were moved in and out of that spot, and it was an automatic loss.

While growing up in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, most teams only had 4 starters. A “spot” starter was used for double-headers. Pitching on 3 days rest was the norm. Complete games were common. But today, with long-relievers, setup men, and closers, complete games are a rarity. Pitching 7 innings is considered a quality start. I cannot believe that the pitchers today, who are usually bigger and stronger than in the past, cannot start more games. If you only have four quality starters, there is no reason to pick a loser as a fifth one.

I just hope the White Sox continue to score a lot of runs because 11-8 games are going to be very common based on the current pitching situation. The old adage, Pitching wins championships , still applies. The White Sox won the World Series in 2005 primarily because of their pitching. I do not see that happening this year.