Hawk & Steve's baseball blog

Former White Sox pitcher Goose Gossage goes into the Hall of Fame today and it is a well-deserved and overdue honor.

I was fortunate enough to play with Goose near the end of his career and being around him was a learning experience each and every day.

He had fun in the lockerroom, but knew how to go about his business. Goose was a true professional in every sense of the word, not to mention one of the premiere relievers in baseball history. He never made excuses whether he was lights out or getting lit up. I am proud to have been his teammate and very happy for him today on his big day in Cooperstown.

DJ

Posted by WGN Sports at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Cubs start Ted Lilly today and he is no stranger to the White Sox having spent most of his career in the American League. He is 5-2 against the Sox in his career but also has a robust 6.22 ERA against our guys. Lilly has walked 10 in his last 3 starts, so a key today is to watch the free passes. If Lilly keeps walking hitters, the Sox should have at him pretty good with the way they have been swinging the bats.

DJ

Posted by WGN Sports at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One player everyone will be watching this season is new outfielder Nick Swisher and I have to say you can already see what a positive impact he will have on our club. Energy-wise, he brings so much to the ballpark each day and he is a great guy to have in the lockerroom. Those intangibles are what the Sox saw in Swisher, not to mention his big bat.

I don't want to make him out to be Babe Ruth, but he's a great bat to have in the lineup. He can also draw 100 walks which makes him a solid on-base machine, just like Jim Thome.

When he was an opponent, I loved him. He is just a ballplayer and we can use him.

DJ

Posted by Admin at 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Jon Garland has been on a pretty good run of late. If you look at his history with the Yankees, he's got a good ERA against them. He had a good outing against them earlier in the year, but things fell apart at the end. Jon's last outing was his worst of the year but he was a bit under the weather and I expect he'll bounce back tonight.

Speaking of the weather, we're going to start a bit late with the Yankees bringing rain to town again for their second visit of the year.

DJ

Posted by Admin at 5:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Today's day/night doubleheader is a rarity in today's game which usually only happens after a rainout. When I was on the field, I remember it was totally out of your routine to have three hours between games. Usually, guys try to find a spot to take a nap, then start getting ready about 45 minutes before the second game. That is stretching and some tossing and you are ready to go. It's a long day, but it can be a fruitful one if the Sox can grab two.

DJ

Posted by Admin at 1:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Our staff has got their work cut out for them with the Rangers coming to town this week. This team can put some big numbers on the board in a hurry when they get in the groove. The Rangers have put up 58 runs this year so that .232 team batting average may be a bit misleading. We've only scored 38 so hopefully we can get hot at home and keep them honest. Our bats are going to wake up at some point and this is a good time to start.

DJ

Posted by Admin at 6:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

When it comes to playing in the cold, players do tons of different things. As an outfielder, it didn't really matter what I tried to do, the wind was always bearing down on me and you never had as much action as the infielders did. You have a tendency to be cold, run off the field as fast as you can, and try to get a spot next to the dugout heater. Then you try and get warm as fast as possible before you have to go up and hit. It's easy to say now, but you just have to handle the fact that you are going to be cold.

I have always found it ironic that to me, there seems to be a ton of runs scored on those days, just like yesterday. It's supposed to be pitcher's weather because they are working the hardest, but I think you end up seeing an inordinate amount of offense. A pitcher will tell you it's to their benefit, but I don't think it turns out that way.

From a preparation standpoint, you have to get really loose in the locker room, then come out and grin and bear it!

DJ

Posted by Admin at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Ozzie Guillen has to be pleased with the strong outing by John Danks yesterday. Ozzie has been hoping that he would step up and give the team the option of another lefthander in the rotation and that's what Danks did yesterday. In cold, wet, bad conditions, the 21-year-old went out and got the job done. He also fielded his position well, making a great defensive play against the Rockies on a bunt. John also worked out of several jams in a row after the leadoff man got on. That's the sort of thing that shows he can handle the pressure. He's had a strong spring with only one outing where he really got dinged up. Coming down to the wire, it's Danks who has the lead over Gavin Floyd for that fifth starter role.

Posted by Admin at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the most discussed topics this spring has been the 5th starter spot. In all honest, some of the guys I’ve watched won’t be on this team, but I sure would like to see them have an opportunity to stand up and make this team, much like Boone Logan came in last year and grabbed a spot. Adam Russell has shown that he has a good arm, but he probably won’t make the the team. One kid that has already been sent out is Heath Phillips, but all he does is get people out. When you look at Charlie Haeger, Gavin Floyd, and John Danks, these guys all have legitimate chances. After watching John Danks throw, I would have to say that he has a real good chance. He’s got really good stuff and his consistency has been there this spring. So right at this moment, I have to handicap it as Danks having the edge. But as we’ve seen from years past, we have a long way to go.

DJ

Posted by Admin at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the trends in baseball I've really noticed this year and spoken about a great deal is the amount of times we see pitchers behind in a count and being asked to throw something that will trick the batter instead of their best pitch.

I've harped on the number of 3-2 changeups I've seen Sox pitchers leave up in the zone that were then hammered, but it's not just our staff. Catchers seem to be making pitchers work harder if you will, asking for pitches that may be out of the comfort zone when a pitcher is behind in the count.

I still believe in the old axiom that you want to get beat with your best.  Good location and execution are the key, not deception. I've seen too many guys all year losing with their second and third best pitches trying to pull off something that they are not comfortable with.

DJ

Posted by at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We are starting to see signs of September at all levels on both sides of the diamond right now. I can remember that as a player that it was the time of year that I would get tired and often felt a bit weaker. I had to go to a lighter bat and those are the type of compensations you have to allow for in a longer season.

You know when the season starts how many at-bats you are going to get and have to be prepared for the long run by getting in and staying in the best shape you can. Mentally, you have to keep yourself ready to go out and do your job each day while adjusting physically.  Some guys and teams definitely handle this better, while others go out and stink it up.

For the Sox, if Ozzie feels he has to make a switch in the rotation, he should go ahead and do it right away.  This is no time for pride and feelings at this time of year.  It's about winning ballgames and doing whatever it takes.

DJ

Posted by at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday's action flip-flopped the wild card lead and left the Sox 5 1/2 games behind the Tigers. It's going to be that kind of month with a lot of back and forth.

The key for the Sox is to get through these next two weeks including finishing this trip to Boston, a tough series at home with Cleveland, then the road trip out West.  After that, everything is set up for the last two weeks - a big home series with the Tigers and Mariners, then off to Cleveland and Minnesota to finish things up.

The Tigers have not pulled totally away and at least the wild card is a two-team race, unless the scrum in the National League wherever seemingly everyone (OK, not the Cubs) is in it.

One of thing to note, with the September call-ups to the pen and games remaining dwindling to a precious few, Ozzie Guillen may have a shorter leash than normal on this trip.

DJ

Posted by at 4:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Last night's game had the potential to be one the Sox would have been kicking themselves over if it had gotten away.  They repeatedly left two men on base and trailed 4-1 throughout the middle innings.

I said at the time that it was a painful game from the standpoint that it seemed like we were all waiting all night for something good to happen and waiting for somebody to take that big swing that would turn things around.

Fortunately, the Tampa Bay defense gave us a run on an easy ground ball to 2nd.  The Devil Rays do many things well, but they really have some problems defensively.  Anyway, that cut the lead to 4-2, and Tadahito Iguchi did what we had all been waiting for all night - he got that big swing and tied the game.  After that, you can't say enough about Jermaine Dye - not only with a single, but following with his 2nd stolen base of the night to get into scoring position for Jim Thome to deliver the winning run.

At this time of year, that was a game we had to have. Now let's hope it can lift us to better things and maybe a little bit of a run. We've been waiting for that, too.

DJ

Posted by at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you wonder whether players pay attention to other games around the American League while their game is going on, the answer is a resounding yes. All game long guys will be looking at the scoreboard - which they do all season, not just now. Honestly, most guys know their stats, they know who is doing what in the league, and they get motivated by what they see, especially now.  Anybody who says they don't - uh, no, don't believe'em.

There is also a keen realization of the schedule - who we are playing right now and the other matchups around the league. You can't be looking at the record of your opponent and adjust your intensity accordingly.  The times you see what looks to be a cozy homestand and count on winning six in a row, before you know it, it's 3-3.  It's a cliche, but so true right now, that it's important to focus on every single night.

It's also important to know what's coming up.  Right now the Sox are on a homestand against sub-.500 clubs for six games and they aren't playing well on the road.  We have to turn it up a notch and beat these teams not only because we have the ability to do it, but also because of what's ahead. Going to Boston is not going to be easy, plus we have Anaheim and Oakland coming up so we can't afford to let games on this homestand slide away.  No, they are not guaranteed wins and that's why the effort and intensity have to be turned way up.

DJ

Posted by at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Football coaches aren't the only ones working on a game plan at this time of the year.  You see it in baseball all the time, and especially with the Detroit hitters against Jose Contreras last night.

At the plate, the Tigers seemed determined to a man to take the ball up the middle or go to the opposite field with it and not be trying to yank or pull anything. You could really see it with Pudge Rodriguez going that way for two hits on the night.

We'll see what the plan is against Mark Buehrle tonight.  He was much better the last time out against the Royals, but hitters have been really jumping on his first offering for the last month or so.

DJ

Posted by at 2:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We've been seeing some big strides from Brian Anderson this last month - it's worth noting that his performance has really been under the microscope because he is the rare rookie who comes in and is starting right away.  Most players ease their way into the big leagues and are able to learn in a much less visible way than what Brian has gone through this year.

He's starting games for the defending World Champions.  That's a pretty big stage. Right from the get-go, he had continual support from Ozzie Guillen and Kenny Williams.  There was one point where Ozzie called him out a bit and said there was beginning to be a question in center.  That put extra pressure on him, but that's the nature of the beast. Sometimes you have to be told to step it up and Brian took it to heart and has really played better.

DJ

Posted by at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We were treated to another show from a great White Sox offense last night. One guy that doesn't get enough credit is hitting coach Greg Walker.

He's not a guy who has to be front and center and not surprisingly, he seems to feel pretty comfortable right now with where his hitters are. He doesn't have to stand at the cage and watch every single swing in batting practice - most of the one on one work is done before the players ever hit the field. He talks to the guys individually about what needs to be done and then spends his time on the field dealing with the few hands-on specifics that need to be addressed.

It's not always that way.  There are always extremes, but especially with hitting coaches. I've had guys that just won't get out of your ear and are yapping all the time, giving you tons of stuff you will never be able to use. I've seen the other side - I had a hitting coach one time who wouldn't even talk to me and believe me, I wasn't good enough to be left totally alone.

Greg is right in the middle.  He knows how much time each guy needs and how much to give them.  It's a big reason the Sox offense has been on such a roll this season.

DJ

Posted by at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We say it all the time - when Scott Podsednik gets going, so do the Sox.  He's hitting .300 with runners in scoring position and really did the job with two key hits in last night's win over the Yankees.

Aside from the obvious RBIs, the team gets a certain energy from Pods when he is on the basepaths doing his thing.  Add to it the disruption he can create with the opposition and you can see why we talk about his contributions all the time.

Now let's hope he can be a big problem for the Tigers this weekend.

DJ

Posted by at 6:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As we look at things right now, I don't think we should worry about the Tigers any more given the major deficit we face. The Sox just have not played anywhere close to the level of baseball they have consistently through this year.

The thing to think about is winning our games, holding onto that wild card spot, and you never know what might happen.  Two of the last three World Champions have come as wild cards.  Let's get hot, win the wild card if that what it takes, and you never know what might happen to the division along the way.  The key is to be in the playoffs and to get there our pitching will be the key.

DJ

Posted by at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The Sox are seeing this year what their current opponents, the Toronto Blue Jays, face every year - life in a division where two other teams are having outstanding years.   With the Tigers owning the best record in baseball and the Twins coming off that amazing two months, the Sox now know what it's like for the Jays having to put up with the Red Sox and the Yankees every year.

Add to it the fact that the Cleveland Indians are a very talented team who are having a down year and the on-the-rise Kansas City Royals, and you can see easily why the AL Central is the toughest division in baseball this year.   I think we're all going to have to get used to that one.

DJ

Posted by at 8:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Fans look at the schedule and see the Royals at 31 games under .500 and think this is a team that is a pushover, but as we mentioned several times on the air last night, they are close to turning things around.

Since June 20, they are leading the majors in runs scored, walks, doubles, on base %, and double plays turned.  With wins and losses, it's a different story.  Buddy Bell has these guys playing the game hard and that's how it should be, but if you don't get pitching you are not going to win.  That's what they need to get to, but believe me, they are going to be a big factor and cause some problems for the contenders as we come down the stretch.

DJ

Posted by at 2:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

That was some performance by Jon Garland last night to kick off this series in Detroit.  And it was no surprise because he has been on the rise for the last few weeks.

I am a firm believer in "it's not how you start, it's how you finish."  That is when you have to be at your best.

He shut them down.  The only RBI came on a hit from Placido Polanco on a good pitch that was a foot outside - you just tip your hat to him on that one, and tip your hat to Garland for coming up big in a big spot.

DJ

Posted by at 2:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's a long season- at times like this all fans have to remember it.  What the Sox need to remember is to play the type of baseball that won them a World Series last year and has driven them to a strong record so far this year.

This team's starting pitching has been its backbone, so getting some quality outings all week will be key.  Our pitchers seem to respond well to each other and hopefully a good effort in NY today will set the tone for everyone to step up.  Little things like no mental errors on defense and not giving opponents extra outs are what the Sox have done to their opponents, not themselves in the past.  If everyone takes care of their own business in that department, the Sox can get right back on track in a hurry.

DJ

Posted by at 6:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

To say the Sox have upgraded their offense this year is the understatement of all time.  They are really letting it rip right now as we head into the All-Star break.

We were talking last night about the fact that the home runs are key; not just solo shots that don't matter. Jim Thome is a great example of a guy who knows the situation and thrives on it.  It's no accident the Sox have 7 grand slams to lead the majors right now.  Their hitters bear down and are performing at the highest level at the right time.

Think about some of the other numbers.  The Sox lead the league in homers, runs, and are second in batting average.  Yet, at the same time they ALSO lead the league in sac bunts and sac flies, plus they have grounded into the 5th-fewest double plays in the league.  It's an offense that is really hitting on all cylinders.

DJ

Posted by at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

There's never a shortage of good things to talk about when you win 13-0 as the White Sox did yesterday, but it was great to see an even better Jose Contreras on the mound yesterday.

Jose was totally locked in and looked much more like the dominating pitcher he's been for the better part of a year now than he had in his past few starts.  He worked with pitching coach Don Cooper on some things and the results were immediate.

It was a great moment at U.S. Cellular Field to see him get a standing ovation when he left in the 7th inning.  17 straight wins - that is really something.

DJ

Posted by at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

With interleague play over after this weekend, we were talking about the fact that the American League has been very dominant this year (the Sox are 12-3 right now).

To me, in the National League you have the pitcher hitting at 9, usually a weaker defensive-type play hitting at 8, and sometimes a weak hitter at 7, so you have 2 or 3 players in your lineup that aren't going to give you much offense.

The American League offenses right now are built 1-9 and are much more potent.  Also, the pitching for the National League doesn't seem to be as strong as it used to be.  Put it all together and you get the lopsided results we've seen this year.

DJ

Posted by at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One thing we see almost every night is the depth of the White Sox bench. For my money, it's clearly the best one in baseball.

You know that guys like Cintron and Mackowiak would be starters on most other teams. Add in Pablo Ozuna and thank you very much, that's a real plus for this team.

The other component is that Ozzie uses them and finds them enough playing time to keep them sharp.  It's no accident our bench players have so many clutch hits this year because of that.

DJ

Posted by at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Sox hitters are really swinging the bats these days.  Their stats in June are simply awesome.

It's a good feeling for the pitching staff. You can't underestimate how much confidence it gives a staff to go out there every night knowing they have a great chance to get some big run support.  It takes off the pressure to be perfect and if you give up a run or two, it's not as crucial given the abundance of offense we've seen lately.

Of course, Mark Buehrle is hoping tonight that the Sox didn't use up their allowance of runs in putting up a twenty-spot last night, but as always, that's the great thing about this game of baseball.

DJ

Posted by at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There's a guy who continues to work hard and improve each day right in front of us and that's Joe Crede.  He continues to find ways to hit tough pitches and is a much tougher hitter each season.

I remember Joe's first invite to big-league camp in my last year in 1999.  He had a great swing that naturally drove the ball to right-center field.  That went away for a bit and he has continued to work at getting it back.

His defense is superb and gets lots of attention, but the little things he does at the plate, plus his clutch hitting keep improving with each season.

DJ

Posted by at 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Give big-time credit to Alex Cintron for hanging in there and battling in the game's big at-bat last night.  Alex got the count to 3-2, fought off a change-up, then drilled the home run to right.

It was that kind of night for the White Sox.  Lots of walks, lots of chances, but a missed bunt here and some things on the base paths cropped up to shut down scoring opportunities.

Hawk and I were talking just before Alex came up - if you keep giving yourself opportunities, sooner or later, something has to go your way. We have not been hitting well in the clutch lately, but if you keep giving a team chances, everybody in baseball knows that something bad is going to happen. In this case, the Tigers kept giving chances and Alex made sure they finally had to pay.

DJ

Posted by at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The dreaded bases on balls were a huge part of last night's game on both sides of the diamond.  Sox pitchers walked six Indians - four of those six guys scored.  Our guys were taking advantage of it too with eight walks and five of them ended up scoring.

That's one of the things that makes baseball great - those sayings you hear all the time are true. With regard to the walks, it might seemed like it was contagious throughout the night on both sides, but with the same results.  Those free passes really hurt.

Hawk mentioned that if you had told him we'd score eight runs with Contreras on the hill, he would be sitting pretty.  Again, that's why they play the games - nothing is ever set. 

DJ

Posted by at 8:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The win in the series finale yesterday was actually the kind of game Ozzie Guillen wanted to see from his team - solid defense, solid starting pitching, and good timely hitting.  You had Rob Mackowiak step up with a big home run for a little cushion, plus Joe Crede stepped up with a big RBI to get the run home after the Sox were unable to get the runner over.

We've been pointing out this even though this team has been scoring 5 or 6 runs a game, that's not necessarily White Sox baseball. It was covering up for some of the little things that were missing that this team normally does well. We've got to have that solid pitching, do the little things, and then get that timely hitting.  The Sox did all of them on Sunday and that bodes well going into Cleveland.

DJ

Posted by at 4:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In a long season there are going to be nights like last night where you just get your butt kicked. The Blue Jays were all over everything Freddy Garcia had to offer. Either they are extremely hot or they studied tendencies for situations because they sat on his fastball in a big way and followed that through for everyone who threw for us.

Baseball is a game of adjustments and now it is up to our guys to go out and show that they can take it to the Jays while keeping their hitters off balance. Jose Contreras is probably just the guy for that role.

DJ

Posted by at 7:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Recently we were talking about stealing signs and the notion that somehow it isn't ethical.  Oh yes it is.  It's part of the game and always has been. It happens all the time and leads to lots of intriguing situations.

You get a runner to second base and you'll see the catcher putting down multiple signs because they don't want the runner to relay to the hitter what pitch is coming.  That's not unethical to do.  If your opponent chooses to make things that easy by not using a bunch of signs, go ahead and take advantage of it.

Any edge that a pitcher or batter can have, believe me, they will try to take advantage of it. It's funny as far as hitters go, some of them don't want to know what's coming. They feel it doesn't help them.

It was pretty clear Sunday night in the first inning that the Twins knew what was coming from Mark Buehrle. So who's fault is that? Mark had to make some adjustments, which he did and then went on to win the ballgame. I've talked before about how successful Jose Contreras has been since he quit tipping his pitches.

Your bench coaches are always watching trying to pick up a pattern or decipher a sign, plus make sure your stuff isn't being picked up.  It's the game within the game and that's the way it should be.

DJ

Posted by at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That was a wild first inning for Mark Buehrle and the Sox last night - the first time in over 100 years a pitcher gave up 7 runs in the first and hung around to get the win.

When I saw it take place, I thought if they can hold them right there at 7-3, the Sox still have a chance to come back and win this game for Mark.  One thing I never doubted was that Ozzie would leave him out there.  If there's one thing Ozzie has established as a manager, it's that as long as his pitcher goes back out there after an inning like that and shut them down, he will leave them out there as long as they want to be.

The starters don't have to be looking back to see if someone is warming up. Ozzie has shown tremendous faith in them and it shows on night's like last night.

DJ

Posted by at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

What can you say about Jose?  Thirteen regular season wins in a row.  We've become so accustomed to sending Jose out there and almost assuming we're going to walk away with a victory. The only question is will there be enough offense for him and Jim Thome took care of that yesterday.

He had dominating stuff again.  How great must it be to know your stuff is so good that all you need is a few runs, then get them early in the game?  Add that to our defense which continues to be solid behind him and it is all good.

DJ

Posted by at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

One interesting question we were talking about before last night's game centered around Ichiro Suzuki - is he a great hitter and what defines a great hitter?

Yes, he certainly has the stats, averaging 226 hits in his five big league seasons. The notion of hitting has certainly changed since I started, when you heard much more talk about the "cheap hits" and "nubbers" that are really the staple of Ichiro's game.  His strategy is to put the ball in play and use his legs to get on base. He's really something to watch with the way he moves around the batter's box.  Hawk noted that he uses more space there than the rest of the league combined.

The other side will argue that for as high as his average is with runners in scoring position, he's never even driven in 70 runs with all those hits.  That definition of a great hitter means more than just getting on base.

I probably side with Ichiro on this one, since to me he has a plan and carries it out each year.  It's one of those arguments that make our game so much fun.

DJ

Posted by at 9:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

You hear a lot this time of year about the guys who get off to slow starts, but there's a similar mindset to guys who get off to a great start.  The funny thing about getting hot early in the year is you want it to stay that way as long as possible, even though you know you're not going to be a .360 hitter all year. You can get a little selfish, thinking "hey, I want to keep it up there" even though you realize it's not going to happen.

You flip that - let's say you get off to a slow start and you're not happy with that, either. (Hitters are never satisfied I guess.) When you get hot then, you get mad it didn't happen earlier.

Either way, for the most part, you end up in your range.  Hitters just like to be consistent, from Day 1 to the end of the year. That's what they search for.

DJ

Posted by at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The White Sox hoped to have a fearsome 3-4-5 middle of the order this year and so far, Thome, Konerko, and Dye are all that and more. Last night, they combined for three homers, six hits, and seven RBIs.

Thome's roll just happened in the last ten days of spring training when he just found his swing and it hasn't left him since. It's very difficult to swing the bat as consistently as he has since that time without going through a cold spell, but Jimmy is riding the wave and enjoying it.

The heart of our lineup features not only three very good hitters, but they are professional hitters.  They take their jobs very seriously and never give up an at-bat. So far, their performance has been everything you can hope for.

DJ

Posted by at 8:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

One topic that has come up a few times this week is the idea of a pitcher tipping his pitches. I know Ozzie mentioned that he thought in his previous start against Toronto, Javier Vazquez may have been tipping his pitches.

I didn't any information on exactly what Javier was doing that may have tipped his pitches, but what typically happens when a pitcher is tipping (doing something that signals what pitch is coming) for example, is that he will go into his glove for the ball in a certain way on a fastball and a different when when throwing a curve.  It's the type of simple little thing that a hitter or coach will notice and latch onto.

Here's what Jose Contreras used to do: he would go into his mitt and when he was throwing his forkball, his glove would shake a bit because he was wrapping his fingers around the baseball. His glove didn't move when he was gripping his fastball.  Everybody knew it and they would sit all over his fastball knowing here it comes.  Jose had to adapt and decided that every time he threw a pitch, no matter what it was, he would wiggle his glove.  Now hitters don't know if it's a forkball or fastball and good luck hitting him.  You can see all the success he's had since he made that change.

In this high tech age, you've got spies and cameras set up just for that with scouts poring over the video to see if they can pick up anything. There are so many eyes on a pitcher now, if there's the slightest variation, someone is going to pick it up.

DJ

Posted by at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It was good to see the Sox get it going on a lot of different fronts last night.  How about Paul Konerko? One pitch after Joe Mays woke him up with one under the chin, Paulie drilled it out to left.  That was his first home run against  Mays and his fourth in the last four games.

Then you had Jose Contreras dealing.  He was coming from so many different arm angles I thought he might get wild, but he was able to keep his release point consistent.

Finally, we saw Brian Anderson make a great diving catch coming in on the dead run from center field. The most difficult play for a center fielder is coming straight in and having to dive, but he got off to the side just enough to keep his elbow from hitting and shaking the ball out of his mitt. If you're not getting any hits, then take some away.

DJ

Posted by at 3:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Jon Garland had a rough outing yesterday, no doubt about it. Unfortunately, everything he is missing with seems to end up over the heart of the plate and our opponents are taking advantage of it. There were no excuses yesterday, the wind wasn't a factor, it was just Jon.  He was missing locations and getting hit, but that's all right.  He still picked up his first victory of the season because he had plenty of run support.  That's how a team is supposed to work.  There are going to be nights for Jon this year where he keeps it to a very low-scoring game and the offense will say to him "thanks for picking us up tonight".  Hopefully they will be able to help each other out successfully all season.

DJ

Posted by at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Don't look now, but Brandon McCarthy has really begun to settle into his bullpen role. I think he is going to turn out to be a huge key for us. He's got the confidence already you need to come into a tight game from the pen. I talked to him the other day and he has no problem getting warmed up down there. People were concerned that coming from a starting background, it might take him too long to get warm in his role as a reliever since he was used to stretching out differently when starting. It's not the case and he's already had several strong outings including Monday's turn in Detroit.

DJ

Posted by at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's a pleasure watching Jim Thome blend into this White Sox team.  First of all, he instantly brings leadership to the clubhouse with the way he goes about his business, the way he deals with the public, and the way he handles the media. I think he's an ideal personality for this team - even though he's only been here a short period of time they can lean on him as a leader. That doesn't happen very often with new players.  He fits in so well personality-wise that everybody can respect the type of guy he is, not just for that big bat in the lockerrroom, but because he's the kind of guy you can go talk to.  I think our players can learn a whole bunch from Jim, whether it be hitting or just how to approach things off the field.

Posted by at 5:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The celebrations these last few days have really been something - very emotional. One thing that really stood out for me was yesterday when Aaron Rowand was introduced.  The crowd's response was so loud for Aaron, in recognition of how he busted his butt here for this organization and became such a well-loved player here.  It was emotional - I was up here in the booth and my eyes were getting a little watery at the thought of this man (I think he was too) who absolutely loved it here and they loved him here.  It's the hardest thing, believe me because it happened to me, when you are on such good terms but have to move on.  It's a sad time, but you remember the good times.

That part of the ceremony really hit me. That's what baseball is all about.  It's about emotion, enjoying the camraderie over the years, and it's been great these three opening games.  I think that is a testament to what goes on in these ceremonies.  They have been great - the players and fans alike have really enjoyed them.

DJ

Posted by at 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know that the White Sox record hasn't been real impressive so far and fans may wonder "are they being a little lackadaisical or sitting on their laurels?"  Right now, that's not the case.  They are just not playing good baseball. That's all is comes down to.

I talked to Sox hitting coach Greg Walker recently.  He said the guys are getting closer and closer to their timing each day.  They had a game the other day where they hit some good balls that I thought would go out, but fell just short.  That's the type of thing shows a need for better timing.

As you saw last season with the White Sox, the main reason for spring training is getting yourself ready to go for the main thing.   I think Ozzie has that same approach.  It's way too early to worry.

DJ

Posted by at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Sox start playing games today so the road to repeating is underway. The key here is Ozzie. He's going to be the one guy who won't let these guys get too high or try to do too much. Ozzie will keep that good balance. He's got a coaching staff he loves and works well, so I think he'll be the key to being able to keep the Sox loose, happy, and focusing on baseball, not all the extra stuff that comes with being World Champions. As everybody knows, it is tough to repeat, but we've made some improvements and a second win could be on the horizon.

How do the players handle themselves? It's an individual thing and these guys are going to take it upon themselves, no matter what a coach or the manager says, and focus on baseball exactly the way they did last year - get their individual jobs done and come together collectively. That's how you win. It will be hard to do, because they are going to be bombarded with what happened last year. You have to find the balance between enjoying the success of last year and focusing on doing it again.

It's scary to think about how good our pitching was last year and then realize we have the chance to have an even stronger staff this year. The makeup of our staff, the way they're built and think is anchored by their competitiveness. Mark Buehrle wants to do better. Jon Garland wants to be better than Buehrle and better than he was last year. Jose Contreras finally showed us all the talent we need he had and became one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. Javier Vasquez is ready to jump right into the fray and no one will forget about Brandon McCarthy. It's a great mix of talent and experience and I think we'll be as strong, if not even stronger on the hill than we were last year.

DJ

Posted by at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've been asked a lot this offseason about how things will shake out in center field. I was excited by the fact that Brian Anderson had some success here last year. He won a game for in Seattle when he hit two home runs off the Rodriguez kid who almost looked unhittable that night. Defensively, he won't be a question mark. He's in a good mix between Jermaine Dye and Scott Podsednik. I can see Dye really being a player-coach with him in the outfield and helping him with his defense. I really think he will do a great job.

I think you take the pressure off a young player by saying "hey look, you're our guy out there. Go out and relax, have fun, and show us that you can handle this each day." It may take a bit of time for him to hit the way you want at the big league level every day, but defensively it won't be an issue. Getting used to big league pitching is something we've all gone through - I'm confident that in time, Brian will turn out to be a good offensive player.

DJ

Posted by at 3:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)