How 'bout them Sox?

[Jurr]

Well, after watching the first two games, I'm feeling a little excited about our chances at doing something. I feel this way for several reasons:

1. Hitters are hitting: We're getting production out of our catcher position, it seems like the boys are trying to work pitchers a lot better than last year, and we're being aggressive on the basepaths. Yes, it hurt us twice yesterday, but I like the attitude.

2. Pitching??: Two solid starts so far from our two aces. I am interested in seeing how Garland is going to look on Friday. I know as well as anyone that Schoenweis is not an answer, but he doesn't need to be. If he can put us in a position to marginally win games, we'll be in a good spot to be a buyer at the break and get someone who can fill that hole. The bullpen looked like absolute hell the first game, but Ozzie kept things cool and we ended up looking alot better in the second game. Let's hope that keeps up.

3. Coaching: Ozzie makes one helluva difference, IMO. Last year, a loss like we had opening day would've led to a problem that probably would've lasted 4 or 5 games at least. Keeping things loose but intense is just what the Sox need. Like Hawk said yesterday, this team has no dominant personalities, so it will take the personality of its coach. And that is not a bad thing.


So, let's see what the Sox do this week against the Yankees. I'm hoping for at least a split. Maybe we'll come out smoking. Regardless, I like where this team is headed.

[CubKilla]

You didn't mention the BP :o:

While all of the above 3 are reason for optimism, I think we'll all have a better guage after this weekends games against the Yankees when we'll see if Schoenweiss can indeed be a starter that can give us 6-7 quality innings against a quality offense. We'll see if we can hope for Cy Garland every start instead of Judy Garland every 2 or 3. Will we get the Danny Wright of the second half of '02 or will we get Danny Wrong that Sox fans have been accustomed to. We'll also have a better idea about just how bad/average/good our BP may be.

This series against NY will be a much better guage of how good the White Sox really are/have the potential to be because NY definitely has better offense, pitching, and BP then KC does.

[hold2dibber]

Here's what I took from the first two games:

The Good

- The starting pitchers have looked good (but its really the back half of the rotation that is shaky)
- Politte looked pretty good
- Although I'm far from convinced, at least I have some hope that Koch will be serviceable
- The middle of the order is looking pretty good
- Ability to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss and win a tight game the next day

The Bad

- I'm worried about Marte
- The top of the lineup (Harris/Uribe/Valentin) is a big weakness
- Shoddy baserunning and fundamentals (again)
- Crede's slow start (the Sox really could use more than 1/2 good season from him)

With that said, after only two games it's obviously way too soon to come to any conclusions about the team, particularly when so much of depends on the ability of Garland, Schoenweiss and Wright to provide quality innings, and we haven't seen any of them yet.