Hitting the Foul Pole

Even with Liriano, we don’t necessarily know what we’re getting.

And I’ll be watching the White Sox broadcast, so I’ll watch for the “don’t stop now, boys” line. I feel like I’ve heard him say it before, and in my memory it’s always after the second baserunner of an inning. We’ll see tonight. (Unless Baker prevents any second baserunners in an inning, which would be nice.)

He said it last week after Konerko hit a solo homer late when the Sox were losing 5-0. Does that even count as “starting”?

I’m one of those unfortunates that has to watch Twins/Sox games on Chicago television and I agree with you 100%…”strap it down” makes no sense. As for his new catch phrase, he says it whenever the Sox score a run, basically. It seems random, I don’t know. If I was still in college, I would invent a drinking game around the various phrases (“Mercy!”, “And this game is Ovah!”, “Put it on the BOOARD, YYYEES”, etc).

It’s painful all around.

Baker’s problems seem to have been in part due to not finding a proper rhythm and taking too much time meandering around the mound before throwing the ball. Assuming he can stop thinking so much and hit his spots, I’d think he could be effective. That said, if he gets behind early with that one bad inning he seems to sometimes have, all bets will be off.

I’m actually not as worried about Perkins as I was on Sunday when I got the news that he’d be taking Slowey’s place. I was initially infuriated, and thought it was just Gardy throwing in the towel and saying “let’s just try to get two of three”. But at the same time, Perkins does want to be in the bigs, and he’s getting another chance to make a difference. Hopefully he looks at it that way and makes the most of it. I hope he tries not to challenge Konerko, but really, their lineup isn’t spectacular, and as long as we can keep their speed off the bases, there shouldn’t be too much trouble.

Liriano, he’s a tough one to assess. He’s definitely been an effective pitcher, and I think his stuff suits us well against a team like the sox, especially if they get behind and feel the need to swing for the fences everytime around. But he’s had some off innings himself, and this is likely one of the biggest spots he’s pitched in recently.

I guess the moral of the story (and the series) is put most simply by Nick Nelson as published in ESPN’s weekly power rankings “It all comes down to pitching for this club”.

I don’t mind the Hawk, at least his homerism is unabashed. Unlike Dick and Bert, who pretend or think they’re relatively neutral yet are wildly inconsistent in their analysis. Like how bunting for a hit with 2 out and nobody on is an embarrassment to the great game of baseball and humanity itself if an opponent does it, but pefectly acceptable and perhaps even crafty if the Twins do it the very next night. You can’t take anything they say seriously.

The Hawk though, you know where he stands on everything within about 2 seconds.

A couple things from yesterday:

-Is Denard Span the worst baserunner in the league? There has to be a stat that proves this. -Seems like Gardy had the team prepared to lose from the get-go. No doubt because he doesn’t like Perkins. Thought he’d teach the punk a lesson, or something. -Mikey Cuddyer. Oh, Mikey. -I hope “Ace” Liriano fires a gem tonight, considering he was “too tired” to pitch last night on normal rest.

I have no problem with Liriano and Pavano asking for the extra day off. Hopefully it shows in each of their next starts.

Even knowing it meant Perkins was going to get tossed to the wolves? I don’t know, just seemed like odd timing for a giveaway game.

Perkins didn’t pitch as horribly as I thought. Quentin’s homer wasn’t exactly a meatball. It was low in the zone and he golfed it out. and the defense really kicked the ball around, Perkins included. So yes. I’m still OK with. and I hate Glen Perkins.