Its time to get excited about this team. Cmon guys!!

natedog125 · Post #1 » by **natedog125** » Mon Apr 7, 2008 7:09 am

Everyone here has their opinions on the players, but here is the difference from this years team from last years and i love it!!!

Yea Uribe gets alot of grief about his offense but sheesh he is a number 9 hitter. Look at every teams #9 hitter. Shoot there are a few national league teams hitter their pitchers in the 8 slot. The fact is Uribe is one of the better #9 hitters in the game.

Now to the difference makers. Our infield defense will be one of the best in the game. They have made a couple errors early which i think is getting used to each other and getting back into the groove (Crede) These guys are making plays that were base hits last year. Uribe and OC are great up the middle. They have super range and are eliminating alot of those ground ball hits we gave up last year. I notice a huge difference here. Crede we all know what hes capable of and how many hits he takes away. This is a huge huge difference maker for the Sox. Look at the Rockies of last year. They arent in the World Series without there great defense. Their pitchers arent nearly as effective without that great defense. This will tremendously help our starters this year.

The other major difference which i think everyone already knows. Swisher and OC are tremendous at the top of the line up. They are taking alot of pressure the others by how much they get on base. Just think alot of our damage is coming from Quentin Crede and AJ. Wait till Thome and Konerko heat up. Our lineup is going to be devistating.

The other difference.. The dugout. Swisher, OC and having Crede back has really sparked the team in my opinion and the body language of everyone is severly better than last year even after just 6 games. These guys were great sparks for the team and really seem to be super chemistry guys which we really seemed to have lost the last 2 years.

Anyways thats my take. Im sure some will disagree but had to get my thoughts out there cause im just stoked about this team right now. I love what im seeing.

One last thing Quentin needs to play every day. This guy looks special. He has some serious pop in his bat. Sorry Owens but youve officially been put on the back burner. Hopefully they will send Alexi to the minors where he can learn to hit off speed pitches and keep Owens as the 4th OF,

Cliff Levingston · Post #2 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Mon Apr 7, 2008 4:55 pm

No one has really questioned the lineup or even the defense short of the somewhat shaky CF position. Cliff Levingston's worry is how the starting pitching will hold up. Buerhle got torched once already while Vazquez and old man Contreras didn't look all that great in their first outings. We've got a lot of eggs in John Danks' and Gavin Floyd's baskets and that could hurt us.

natedog125 · Post #3 » by **natedog125** » Mon Apr 7, 2008 5:51 pm

I agree with you cliff but i believe our defense being much stronger than last year will make our starters more effective. There are alot of pitchers struggling our there. I do realize the faults of our team. I just see something that reminds me of the 05 team right now and it has me excited.

nitetrain8603 · Post #4 » by **nitetrain8603** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 3:08 am

I'm also worried about the pitching. Their hitting looks way better from last year.

Cliff Levingston · Post #5 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Tue Apr 8, 2008 3:43 pm

It's also hard to get excited about a team this early into the baseball season. There's still 155 games left to play.

Hopefully we'll be in a good position around the middle of the season to where we can be buyers in the trade market.

nitetrain8603 · Post #6 » by **nitetrain8603** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:16 pm

Quick question, if we get off to a great start, are in the playoff race, and Joe Crede is doing well, do you still trade him? If so, do you worry about the ramifications about losing one of the clubhouse leaders, a veteran and a great defensive player for Josh Fields who has a good bat, but putrid defense?

natedog125 · Post #7 » by **natedog125** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:10 am

Good question. If I was the GM.... If we are in the race there is no doubt in my mind we will be buyers and keep Crede. He is obviously to valuable. The dugout presence he brings it to good. The defense is too good. KW has built this team to win now. We have alot of aging people on this team. Konerko, Thome, Cabrera, Buerhle, Contreras, Vasquez, Dye, even Crede. There is no doubt we will keep him if were in the race.

IF we arent he is gone and the Sox would be stupid to not trade him cause his trade value as of right now is definately on the way up and if he keeps this up we will certainly get some good prospects for him. Otherwise he is gone via FA and we get nothing. I think you will also see PK traded or Thome then Paulie will goto DH and Fields to first base or maybe even he will DH. Im sure Crede and either Thome or Konerko are gone. If we are out I would hope we would also trade Cabrera cause he is a FA after the year also. Got to get something for these guys.

No matter what KW will go after a pitcher at the trade dealine if were in this thing.

Should be interesting summer for sure.

Shootdabull · Post #8 » by **Shootdabull** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:28 pm

What the difference a year makes. It so good to see us get off to a good start. Kenny's moves have looked good so far. With Crede playing well and if we stay in the hunt I don't see how we could trade him unless something really really good comes along. Joe is a difference maker and I'm glad to see him back in form.

SportsWorld · Post #9 » by **SportsWorld** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:31 am

If your pitching continues to pitch this well for the rest of the season, the White Sox are going to win the AL Central. Kenny could make a move for a solid #3 or #4 pitcher in July if needed.

natedog125 · Post #10 » by **natedog125** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:20 am

My ticker is gonna keep on ticking while were on this pitching run. We just went through the entire rotation and have now outscored the opponents 26-3 in the last 5 games.

Cliff Levingston · Post #11 » by **Cliff Levingston** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:38 pm

Contreras holding a team to only 1 run? What the hell is going on?

NoSkyy · Post #12 » by **NoSkyy** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:54 pm

Dude, is there like only what five white sox fans in this entire board? Holy crap.

SportsWorld · Post #13 » by **SportsWorld** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:16 pm

I always thought there were a lot of White Sox fans over at the Bulls board.

natedog125 · Post #14 » by **natedog125** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:58 am

there has never been very many on this board unfortunately. Demon was here alot last year. Not sure what happened to him.

NoSkyy · Post #15 » by **NoSkyy** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 5:56 pm

Go white sox! Yayy...we're winning.

Bucksjam · Post #16 » by **Bucksjam** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:28 pm

I'm pretty much stoked on the Sox...

I'd love to see Carlos Quentin have a break-out year...

SportsWorld · Post #17 » by **SportsWorld** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:48 pm

Wow, Chicago has two first place teams. I know it's early but imagine if both the Cubs and Sox made the playoffs.

natedog125 · Post #18 » by **natedog125** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:50 pm

The Sox just need to keep slowly distancing themselves from Cleveland and Detroit. I really dont think Minny and KC have the talent to come close yet. Anything is possible. If Danks and Floyd continue how they are pitching were in.

Howling Mad · Post #19 » by **Howling Mad** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:14 am

natedog125 wrote:The Sox just need to keep slowly distancing themselves from Cleveland and Detroit. I really dont think Minny and KC have the talent to come close yet. Anything is possible. If Danks and Floyd continue how they are pitching were in.

KC has a few young stars that could explode, much like Cabrera did for the Marlins, and take them to the top.

Alex Gordon and Billy Butler could be a 3/4 punch for the next decade +.

Plus if Gathright can get 450+ at bats while duplicating his numbers from last year, .300ish hitter and over .350 obp, KC could look real real good.

One thing the sox do have over most of the AL central teams is championship experience.

Go... Cubs.