Tag Archives: Verniere

Seven in a row…

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The Sox are 7-0 with Manny.

The White Sox have won seven games in a row and haven’t even gained a full game on the Twins. They’ve gained only a half game over the last seven games. The Sox and Twins are both 8-2 over their last ten games and it seems like both teams find a way to win, of course if this keeps up something will have to give next week when the Twins arrive at the Cell.

Both teams won 5-4 on Monday, but the Sox game had a little more drama as a ball that was clearly foul was called a home run. Brandon Inge hit the ball well foul, but the third base ump called it fair. The play went to review after the White Sox protested. The call was reversed and it set-up an extra inning win for the White Sox. Rookie phenom, Chris Sale, retired all eight batters that he faced to earn his first win. Sale’s stats continued to become more impressive with an ERA of  0.66, a WHIP of 1.10, and 19 strike outs in 13-2/3 innings pitched.

Edwin Jackson had his first so-so game with the Sox as he let up four runs over 7-1/3 innings while striking out six. He continued to eat up innings for the White Sox, and his control remained excellent as he only walked one. The Tigers hit Jackson early before he settled in and pitched a decent game.

Paul Konerko sat out with back spasms, but should return on Wednesday or at Thursday the latest. Ozzie Guillen may sit Konerko an extra day to be safe, especially if the Sox continue to win. Manny Ramirez continued to swing a hot bat as he had three hits and scored a run. He has seven hits in four starts with the White Sox, and while he hasn’t hit for power he is getting on base of keeps the line moving. It’s reminiscent of Bobby Abreu, and if that’s the case the Sox will continue to have opportunities to score a lot of runs.

Oh no, Manny’s on deck!!!

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courtesy of AP

The mere sight of Manny Ramirez strikes fear into the hearts of pitchers throughout the league, well at least the bullpen of the Cleveland Indians. Last night Manny came out to pinch-hit in the ninth inning with AJ Pierzynski at the plate. As Hawk Harrelson would say, “AJ got a cookie and he did not miss it.” No he did not, as AJ launched a three-run bomb that helped the Sox win behind another stellar pitching performance from Edwin Jackson.

The Sox have struggled all year against the Indians, so when they had the opportunity to go for the sweep this afternoon I had my doubts, but something crazy happened again with the Sox down 4-2 with two runners on. Paul Konerko stepped into the batters box and Manny stepped into the on-deck circle and BOOM!!! For the second straight game a three-run homer occurred with Ramirez on deck. Bill Melton spoke last night during the White Sox post game on how Manny’s presence will help add to Konerko’s already gaudy totals, 33 home runs, 98 RBI’s, and a .319 batting average. If that’s the case then the White Sox should not have any problems over taking the Twins, because in Yankee fashion they should be able to out slug an opponent.

So a sweep of the Indians is how this ten game road trip starts out for the White Sox, now if we could get a little help from the Tigers tonight and tomorrow things will get even more interesting in the AL Central.

The Peavy Effect

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It took until now but the White Sox are finally feeling the effects on losing Jake Peavy for the year as I’m officially saying that starter, Freddy Garcia, is out of gas. A lot of people probably are thinking that the Sox would not have gotten Edwin Jackson if Peavy was still in the rotation, but don’t be so sure about that. The idea at the trading deadline is to make your team better, and if Peavy did not go down to injury and the Sox had the opportunity to add Jackson to one of the best pitching staffs in baseball then they would have.

Garcia has not pitched that well since Jackson has shown-up, and has even commented that he’s the odd man out going into next season. That’s obvious since Jackson is as good of a pitcher as Garcia was in his prime, if not better. Jackson continues his domination of offenses since coming to the White Sox with 11 strike outs against the Tigers on Saturday. Since arriving Jackson has compiled some pretty impressive stats over a three-game span; 24 strikeouts, three earned runs, only four walks, and a 1.35 ERA over 20-innings pitched. His one blemish would be he has let up 20 hits, but he’s certainly gotten out of whatever jams he’s gotten into.

As Sox fans you can only imagine the rotation in 2010 with Peavy pitching down the stretch, but we’ll have to wait until 2011 to see that rotation. Instead, the Sox now sit three games back of the Twins since J.J. Putz has had one really bad pitch in each of his last two appearances that helped the Tigers win. You can blame Putz, but the lack of offense on Saturday that had many opportunities again, and another poor outing by Garcia put the Sox in a bad position. They did battle back and took a lead, but a poor bullpen outing and bad fielding lead to their demise on Sunday.

Hopefully the White Sox will show-up with clear heads to Target Field on Tuesday evening as they send their top three pitchers against the Twins, and let’s hope the Sox hitters don’t let the Twins’ pitchers off the hook like they did on their last home stand.

Welcome Back Mark!

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Beckham and Teahen go yard!

The other night I text my good friend John, “Viciedo has to go. He’s a fastball hitter and he can’t hit a fastball.” John replied, “Teahen will be back soon.” Soon meant Friday night and the Sox may have gotten the left-handed power hitter they wanted without giving Gordon Beckham, Alexei Ramirez, and young arms.

This team was built with Teahen as a starter for the White Sox under the guise that he had the ability to hit 30 home runs since he would have many warm home games at US Cellular Field. Unfortunately Teahen went down with a broken finger before the weather warmed-up in Chicago. He benefited from the steamy weather on Friday night as his return to the Sox included a 2-run homer and a base hit helping the Sox to an 8-4 victory.

The Sox have scored a total of 21 runs in four games on this home stand and those numbers should only increase in the next few days. They also have 35 hits over the four game span with five homers. Not too shabby, but they are only 2-2 at the moment on this home stand and still trail the Twins by a game, as they held on for a 4-3 win last night over Oakland.

The Sox used the Tigers as a springboard to a 25-5 run that began on June 9 and hopefully they will use them again for a similar run. I like our chances in the series with Edwin Jackson going today followed by Tiger tamer, Freddy Garcia, on Sunday.

One down, one to go

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Is everyone in the White Sox nation a little calmer this morning? I hope so, as we’re acting like we’ve never been in a playoff race. I mean, heck, we won a World Series in 2005 and the Sox did their best to give everyone a heart attack in September where Cleveland was a series win away from knocking the Sox out of the playoffs. That didn’t happen, instead the Sox went on a tear that brought a baseball World Championship to Chicago.

The reason I bring this up is because it’s only August and Sox fans are acting like being a game out is the end of the world or is it sports radio that’s making a big deal about it? Most of the Sox fans I talk to you seem as calm and arrogant as I am about the White Sox right now, but listening to the Waddle and Silvy show on ESPN 1000 you’d think there were two camps; one that is in panic mode and another that isn’t worried at all. This idea may only exist in the head of ex-Bear wide receiver, Tom Waddle, but he brings it up on a daily basis.

I’m sure there is text and emails coming into the show because there are fans of every team in Chicago that the minute the team has a couple of losses it’s all doom and gloom, but I think that camp is much smaller than the camp that is expecting to see the White Sox post season baseball. Then then there’s the talk about having to add another stick to the team which is beginning to wear on me also.

The White Sox ran into a white-hot Baltimore Orioles team that won again last night. They swept the Texas Rangers, took three-out-of-four from the Sox, and have won their first to two games against the Indians this week. This all since the arrival of Buck Showalter. The White Sox hitting performance in Baltimore really stirred-up “the need to add a bat talk,” but as I stated Monday in the post “Panic Button” the White Sox bats will be fine. I would say that statement is accurate as they have averaged six runs in their first two games on this home stand, but hey if the Sox could add a little extra thunder I would love it! Is it necessary? No.

Gavin Floyd takes the mound tonight and I expect my prediction from yesterday to come true with a one game White Sox lead at about 10pm tonight.  FIRE!

Panic Button?

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Is it time to press the panic button for Chicago White Sox fans? Should we go to the ledge? Did one of the most incredible runs in modern baseball history (in fact, I believe I read in the Tribune that they did set a record) just give us hope that will be crushed? Have the Sox forgot how to hit, again? NO!

While if there was ever a time to panic it would be now, I would ease your finger off the button and relax. The Sox will be fine no matter what happens tonight or even the next night against the Minnesota Twins. Nothing will better for the Sox then a return home where there bats seem to come to life. Once they get some momentum going at home again it should carry over to the road.

The main reason not to panic is the fact that the White Sox pitching staff leads the league in Quality Starts with 71 after Edwin Jackson turned in another excellent performance last night allowing one earned run over six innings. What does that really mean? It  means the Sox will have an opportunity to win a majority of their games. That number means in 63% of the games the Sox have played this year their starting pitchers have allowed three or fewer runs and have pitched a minimum of six innings in those games. You have to like your teams chances with those type of numbers, and I do.

I’ve got a crazy idea the Sox will putting at least six runs on the board tonight against the Twins. I think Carlos Quentin will hit a home run tonight, Mark Kotsay will drive in a run tonight, and Alex Rios will be Alex Rios tonight. There really isn’t  a much tougher team at home right now. I know the Twins have the same home and road record as the Sox, but as of late the Sox have been hard to beat at US Cellular Field.

Sox fans, sit back, relax, and watch the White Sox take a one game lead over the Twins tonight as Freddy Garcia gets the eleventh win he was robbed of last week after another quality start for Freddy. Humidity is high in Chicago today, I expect a lot of sweat and a lot of Sox runs.

Rivarly Week: The tide has turned

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As Smitty and I were walking into US Cellular Field on Wednesday evening he spoke of having a 3-0 lead going into the Cubs series today, but that’s not how it turned out. The Sox unleashed dominate pitching and hitting on the Tigers smacking them around 15-3 on Wednesday and 3-0 yesterday afternoon. The Sox have outscored the Tigers this season 26-14 and with a series win against the Cubs this weekend the Sox would be righting the ship.

No matter what happens this afternoon at Wrigley Smitty will be having a good laugh, since I’ll be wearing a Cubs jersey and hat because of the Starling Castro meathead comment that I made. I knew when I accepted the bet based on my comment that “Castro would be hitting .250 after his first full week in the Majors,” I was doomed. He only needed to get three hits since he had so few at bats. Oh well, I stick to my word even when it’s done in full meathead mode.

There’s a good opportunity that we’ll be at the game for six hours as Jake Peavy will be facing Randy Wells. Neither has pitched all that well of late, but Wells has been more consistent this season. I’m pretty confident the Sox will be getting their third straight win this afternoon at Wrigley. GO SOX GO!!!!

It’s all figured out, Cub fans

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Big Bob is back

Good news, all the concerns that Smitty accurately and vehemently expressed in the latest update on Carlos Zambrano’s role as a Cub, well it’s all been answered… Bob Howry. That’s right Cub fans, Bob Howry has been signed by the Cubs and will join the team in Texas on Friday. According to Comcast Sports he will be used as a setup man.

This is the Bob Howry who could not keep his job with the 16-24 Arizona Diamondbacks because his ERA is 10.67, that’s higher than Zambrano’s. This is not the move you would have hoped for to solidify your bullpen issues, a set-up man with a 10.67 ERA. In 14.3 innings this season he has walked six, struck out six, and has a WHIP of 1.67. Howry’s last season with the Cubs was 2008 when he had a 5.385 ERA, not to terribly great either. Good Luck!