SOX BATS CONTINUE TO SLEEP

The good thing is, our pitching has come around just a little bit. The sad thing is, the bats haven't been producing what we need to win. Three or four runs just isn't enough to win consistently. And keeping inferior teams in the game just gives them confidence to beat us. Since scoring 17 runs against New York a week ago from last Friday, the Sox have averaged 4.2 runs a game. That just isn't good enough to win.

Let's start with Friday's game against Chicago. The offense performed poorly putting up only 4 runs but Wakefield was just terrible for a few pitches. The Sox go out and get a 1-0 lead off Garland, Chicago's 2nd best pitcher, and Wakefield gives it right back with a solo shot by Rowand. Then with 2 outs in the 6th, he just melts down and gives up a pair of three run homers. The game was over at that point.

The Man of the Game is Aaron Rowand who went 2 for 3 with a solo HR and an RBI single. He had 2 RBI and scored twice.

The Bitch-Goat:
Wakefield: 0.6 - 5.2 IP, 7 ER
Renteria: 0.1 - 0 for 4, 2 LOB
Ortiz: 0.1 - 0 for 4, 2 LOB
Mirabelli: 0.2 - 1 for 4, 3 K, 5 LOB

Saturday's game was Wade Miller's best start this season. The White Sox don't have a very good offense so if you can keep their bats quiet and prevent them from producing any runs, you will get to their pitching for a few and can take down a victory. That's what happened in this game. Miller gave up alot of baserunners but the White Sox weren't able to get the big hit to change the game. Myers and Timlin both did well. Schilling was shaky in the 9th though. More on that whole situation later.

The Man of the Game is Wade Miller who went 7 scoreless. He gave up 5 hits and walked 4, but he was able to pitch around all that and keep the White Sox scoreless.

Sunday's game was just sad. It started sad and it ended sad. First of all, why would you put Graffanino AND Cora in there on the same day against the team with the best record in the AL? Second of all, why would you put Mueller in the 2 spot of the lineup where he has never succeeded. Why not put Varitek there? Why would you ever bat Millar ahead of Varitek? Why does Millar even play? How come Youkilis is wallowing in AAA while Millar is about to be passed by AJ Burnett on the homerun list this season? How come you don't pinch hit for Cora or Graffanino in the 8th? How come Renteria didn't pinch hit/run for anybody? How come Olerud is only used as a defensive replacement? What the hell was Millar thinking trying to stretch a single into a double in the 6th down by 3? Did Johnny Damon lose the bat he was using for the hit streak? When will Trot Nixon ever get a big hit?

Bronson Arroyo started off the season as the Ace of the staff. Lately though, he's been mediocre or worse. Worst of all, he's been inconsistent. He'll have a great start, then a mediocre one, then a great one, then a mediocre one. I think he could best serve this team in the bullpen. more on THAT later.

The Man of the Game is Tadahito Iguchi. He went 3 for 4 with a homerun, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored. His homer in the 2nd was big and his RBI single in the 7th gave the White Sox a comfortable cushion.

The Bitch-Goat:
Arroyo: 0.6 - 6.2 IP, 6 ER
Damon: 0.1 - 0 for 4, 2 LOB
Ramirez: 0.1 - 1 for 5, 3 K, 2 LOB
Graffanino: 0.2 - 0 for 3, K, 5 LOB

This series proved that the White Sox aren't that great. Their pitching shut down our hitting. Kind of. Our hitters left a total of 35 runners on base. That isn't very good considering we only scored 17 runs. We grounded into some large double plays and made some mistakes on the basepaths. Typical Red Sox baseball. Wait around for the 3 run homer. Then get thrown out at 2nd and now its only a 2 run homer. If we can get our bats going a bit, we can do some serious damage against anyone in the American League.

Losing to the Devil Rays is not an excusable thing to do. We should be sweeping the Devil Rays. We've played Tampa 10 times and are only 6-4. We should be 8-2 or better. They're such a terrible team and we get to play them 20 times a year. Thankfully, the Yankees are 3-7 against their Tampa rivals. The Red Sox have got to pick it up within the division. They're 20-26 against the AL East. We've had opportunities to beat up on Tampa and Toronto and knock Baltimore and New York a few games behind, but we haven't. Ever since we catapualted into first place with that great run in July, we've been the Copmplacent Sox once again.

The Man of the Game for Monday's loss is Julio Lugo who went 3 for 5 with a double.

The Bitch-Goat:
Wells: 0.1 - 6.1 IP, 3 ER
Schilling: 0.2 - 1.2 IP, ER
Nixon: 0.1 - Didn't evade a batted ball, overan a fly ball allowing for a run scoring double instead of just playing conservatively off the wall. and why wasn't he playing at the wall anyway with a runner on 1st and 2 outs? If Manny had made these errors, people would be all over him. Instead, Trot F's up and people still love him.
Ramirez: 0.2 - 0 for 4, K, 5 LOB
Millar (why the hell is he playing?!?): 0.2 - 0 for 4, 3 K, 4 LOB
Francona: 0.1 - for playing Millar every freakin' day
Renteria: 0.1 - 1 for 5, 2 K, 2 LOB