SB Nation User Blog: Christopher Michaels

Ozzie Guillen Speaks the Truth

Christopher Michaels — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:26:28 -0000

Ozzie Guillen Speaks the Truth

Nick Blackburn did not pitch well on Wednesday night. But White Sox' hitters were unable to make him pay for what could have been his third straight shellacking. Ozzie is tired of it, and he's not going to go out of his way to praise a pitcher who is made to look good by the dormant Sox offense.

"I don't give credit to the guys that don't deserve credit,'' Guillen said of Blackburn. "Believe me, I give credit to the pitcher when they deserve it. We didn't get the clutch hit, it wasn't because of the way he pitched.''

White Sox Dome Woes Explained

Christopher Michaels — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:27:29 -0000

Situation	AVG	OBP	SLG
Scoring Position	.182	.246	.311
2 out, RISP	.091	.166	.164

With yet another loss in the rollerdome, the Sox fell to 4-15 this season on the carpet. The reason is surprisingly uncomplicated.

The Sox are a woeful 24-for-132 with men in scoring position in domes this season, and a comically bad 5-for-55 with 2 outs/RISP. Even worse, the Sox last two 2 out/RISP hits, the Sox only hits with RISP this series, have failed to plate a runner.

I Need a Hero

Christopher Michaels — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:21:38 -0000

I'm holdin' out for a hero... 6 outs left.

Can We Get a Clutch Hit, Please?

Christopher Michaels — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 01:26:39 -0000

7 hits. 2 for extra bases. 1 with runner in scoring position. Sox down 1. Headed to the Bottom of the 4th.

Series for the Central: Round 2

Christopher Michaels — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:28:17 -0000

Next Game

Chicago White Sox
@ Minnesota Twins

Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008, 7:10 PM CDT
Metrodome

Mark Buehrle vs Nick Blackburn

Clear. Winds shifting at 5-10 MPH by the half inning. 60% chance of falling skies. Game time temp: 72

B-R Preview | Live Boxscore | MLB GameDay 3D

Complete Coverage >

White Sox Take Extra Day Off Before Key Twins Series

Christopher Michaels — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:34:33 -0000

I don't want to sound too hyperbolic, because a win in tomorrow's game with the Twins puts the White Sox right back at square one, 2.5 games up with 4+ games left to play, but the Sox looked like a team that had already begun to play out the string Tuesday night; like they had conceded the fact that they can't play in domes (4-14 in '08), let alone the Metrodome in September with the season on the line.

Ozzie Guillen issued a challenge to Javier Vazquez this week with some less than flattering comments. Vazquez responded by saying he didn't care, the controversy 'overblown,' then let it slip that he ~~was teething~~ "had an ear infection," or some other infantile malady. Vazquez had the opportunity to prove his detractors wrong; to reinvent himself as an ace, if only for a short time, as Jose Contreras did in late '05. But with the ear infection talk, it was almost as if he was looking for an out, an excuse for his poor performance, even before he threw a pitch.

Vazquez was staked* to early lead thanks to what appeared to be some inspired play by the white, immobile veterans. Jim Thome led off the second inning with a opposite field single to beat the shift, and advanced to third when he got a great read on Paul Konerko's bloop single (Yes, you read that right.). That was the extent of the Sox offensive highlights for the night, however, as Ken Griffey Jr. erased the threat, and gave the Sox the lead, with a routine double play ball.

Vazquez greeted the lead by throwing 6 straight balls to put the go-ahead run at the plate with a hitter's count. Seconds later, Hawk broke into "and we've got ourselves a 2-1 game" about halfway through Jason Kubel's swing on an absolute no-duobter of a homerun on a hanging changeup from Vazquez. In the span of 8 minutes, the Sox had gone from runners on the corners nobody out, to down by 1, and going through the motions.

Kubel led off the bottom of the 4th with a triple beyond the reach of a diving Griffey (read: an out for Brian Anderson), and quickly scored a bloop double that fell in front of Jermaine Dye (poor range again allowing the ball to find safety). What Griffey and Dye lack in range, they've clearly made up for at the plate, especially since Quentin's departure. (.257/.325/.343 6 extra-base hits, 0 HR for Dye; .244/.311/.341 4 XBH, 0 HR for Griffey)

The entire inning was a microcosm of the difference between the two clubs. Minnesota's first two runs of the inning came courtesy of the Sox' poor defense combined with some timely hitting, while their final run crossed home thanks to a stolen base and a suicide squeeze. The Sox showed a faint heartbeat in the top of the fifth, when the first two batters reached on a hit and a walk. The runners would stay right there for two outs, however, and when Orlando Cabrera came up with a clutch hit with a Runner In Scoring Position, the Sox only such hit on the night, Junior was unable to score.

That just about says it all right there. The Sox get a rare hit w/ RISP, nobody scores; and their offensive highlight is a second inning GIDP that plates a run. I suppose you could count Griffey's 9th inning HR as a highlight if 9th-inning-down-by-8-run-homers are your type of thing, but I can't count any play that makes his presence in tomorrow's lineup more likely as a highlight. The Sox finished the game win 1 extra base hit (Griffey's 26th out HR), and only put a runner in scoring position, a laughable term with this team, in the 2nd and 5th innings.

If there was a You-Just-Have-To-Laugh moment in Tuesday night's mess, it had to be the last inning. First it was Horacio Ramirez proving he is good for something; he's good for a perfect inning of work anytime the game has a margin of 8 runs. Seriously, he has two perfect outings in his White Sox career, one in the 9th while up by 8 runs, and Tuesday in the 8th with the Sox trailing by 8. You can't make that shit up. Then it was Griffey, who hasn't homered in over a month, putting one deep over the baggy, all but ensuring he'll see more time in center this series.

Back when I was wondering what the heck the Griffey deal was all about, I never could have imagined that we'd still be complaining about Griffey in center field in the final week of the season... with the Sox holding onto a 1.5 game lead... in a Carlos Quentin-less outfield... with Nick Swisher on the bench. I gave Joe Cowley shit earlier in the year when he called Cabrera the 4th best shortstop on the White Sox--Cabrera's hit .301/.353/.392 since then--but you could honestly make a case for Griffey, who is, without a doubt, a first-ballot HOFer, being the Sox' 4th best CFer right now; even on a night when he drove in all 3 of the Sox runs.

Is it OK for me to use the word staked as a verb here, or does the only acceptable use refer to the act of driving a peg through Vazquez?

That's Why We Needed a 2.5 Game Lead

Christopher Michaels — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 01:22:23 -0000

It's sad when your best overall outfielder (Since Q!perman died) is the 30-year old journeyman who spent much of the season in AAA Charolotte.

Sox down 4, headed to the 5th.

White Sox, Twins enter the Thunderdome (Jim's Game 1 Preview)

Christopher Michaels — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:59:36 -0000

White Sox, Twins enter the Thunderdome (Jim's Game 1 Preview)

The White Sox, with an uninspiring offense and a bullpen in shambles, have staggered to a 9-10 record in the final month of the season -- and have still been able to pad their lead by two full games thanks to the Twins' 7-12 September mark.

Nobody can complain about the Sox facing Minnesota at the wrong time, as the trademarks of a Ron Gardenhire-managed team have vanished. The pitching staff not only sports a higher ERA in September than any other month (4.89), but also the highest home run and walk rates -- by far. Add in an excess of late-inning mental mistakes, and a team that supposedly never beats itself is doing just that.

On the other hand, the Sox find themselves in the wrong place. When the air conditioning is on, the Sox go cold -- they're 2-12 in domes this season, including a 1-5 mark in the Metrodome.

more at link

Danks Blanks Royals, We Look Ahead

Christopher Michaels — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:51:52 -0000

While I was busy watching the Bears snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at a balmy Soldier Field, Dewayne Wise, Paul Konerko and John Danks filled the White Sox highlight reel, as the Sox took the rubber match in Kansas City. More importantly, they maintained their 2.5 game lead over the Twins as they head for a season-deciding 3-game set in the Humpdome on Tuesday.

The working margin is extremely important, as the Sox have struggled in domes this season (2-12, including 1-5 against Minnesota) and traditionally have folded in September against the Twins. [Looking it up, that appears to be a Jerry Manuel era trait. Ozzie Guillen's Sox have fared much better in late season matchups with the Twins (13-9 after Aug 31st).]

The White Sox Magic Number sits at 5, which means that 2 wins in Minnesota essentially eliminates the Twins; since they'd have to win out and have the Sox lose out just to force a 1-game playoff. 1 win in Minnesota lowers the Magic Number to 3, and makes for an uncomfortable final weekend; but a final weekend that probably comes out in the Sox favor. Essentially, the Sox are just looking to avoid a sweep. Though, I'd prefer 2 out of 3 just to get this thing finished.

Ozzie Guillen on Vazquez, pitching staff: "I have a good pitching staff. I don't have the guy who...

Christopher Michaels — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:19:13 -0000

Ozzie Guillen on Vazquez, pitching staff: "I have a good pitching staff. I don't have the guy who is going to step it up and fight for a Cy Young and win 20. I've got a good enough pitching staff to compete, and that's all I have."

"Javy is a consistent pitcher sometimes, and we haven't scored enough runs for him. [But] sometimes he hasn't pitched well enough. I don't have an ace here.

"What you see is what you get. The guy struck out 200 people every year, but sometimes he makes bad pitches and gets himself in trouble. When Javy attacks the strike zone and is aggressive, you're going to see a good day from him."

Ozzie Guillen would like you to know, his pitching staff isn't as good as yours