Jurr
08-08-2004, 12:19 PM
After reading that article about Frank, I'm starting to come to a realization about the White Sox....
They will win it all next year. No doubt about it.
Why do I think this way, you ask?
Have you ever trained with a chute on your back or ankle weights?? Struggling against that resistance strengthens your body for times when there isn't resistence. In essence, that's what the Sox players are dealing with right now. Paulie is learning to hit when he isn't getting pitched to...same as Carlos. They're getting 1 or 2 pitches to hit a game, and that's it right now, because there's nobody to protect them. Aaron Rowand, Joe Borchard and Ben Davis are finally getting some playing time at the big league level. They're learning on the job. So will Felix Diaz, Neal Cotts, and Jon Adkins. Ross Gload, Jamie Burke, Willie Harris, and Juan Uribe who are also in that mix. They're losing now, and you start to see that they are losing heart as well for this year. They are a YOUNG team. Very young. How many 30+ years of age guys do we have on the current lineup? Everett, Alomar brothers, and Shingo?? Politte? We're a young ballclub.
Now, these guys are finding out how to play the ballgame and are struggling through adversity. This could have been a team that went deep into the postseason with some health. Having Maggs and Frank out there everyday does a few things....1. Protects your other hitters, disallowing them to be pitched around. 2. Gives the entire team confidence that they have a couple of guys that can carry the team for a week or so by themselves. 3. Helps the pitchers settle down because they can go out there and not have to pitch a no hitter every game, thus allowing them to attack hitters.
Now, this team and this season may be done for the year, but I doubt that they will be this bad the rest of the season. They're going to learn on the job, and we're going to see them pick it up. It's going to happen. They may or may not catch Minnesota, or Cleveland for that matter, but they will be getting tons of experience for that next season. I know we're tired of "wait til next year".....but this is a different situation. This isn't the entire team underachieving right now. This is a team that has been gutted by injuries. Injuries to their two best players. These guys are learning to play without a net right now, and it's going to help this club.
The question looms....are they going to gut this team and try to rebuild??? Hell no. Teams are built around pitching. If you're lucky enough to find good ptiching, you cannot be rebuilding, because you always have a shot. Buehrle, Garland, Garcia, and Contreras, much like the hitters right now, are learning how to play without a net. Imagine what they'll be able to do when they get consistent leads.
This team is going to do special things, and I like this situation for the long term. These young players are going to learn how to dig deep within themselves and become leaders when their big leaders are out for the year.
Listen to Frank's statement about the team. He's heartbroken. Most of us didn't think he had a heart. When he comes back next year, along with the rest of the guys, I really and truly believe that things are going to be special.
Take it for what you may........................
They will win it all next year. No doubt about it.
Why do I think this way, you ask?
Have you ever trained with a chute on your back or ankle weights?? Struggling against that resistance strengthens your body for times when there isn't resistence. In essence, that's what the Sox players are dealing with right now. Paulie is learning to hit when he isn't getting pitched to...same as Carlos. They're getting 1 or 2 pitches to hit a game, and that's it right now, because there's nobody to protect them. Aaron Rowand, Joe Borchard and Ben Davis are finally getting some playing time at the big league level. They're learning on the job. So will Felix Diaz, Neal Cotts, and Jon Adkins. Ross Gload, Jamie Burke, Willie Harris, and Juan Uribe who are also in that mix. They're losing now, and you start to see that they are losing heart as well for this year. They are a YOUNG team. Very young. How many 30+ years of age guys do we have on the current lineup? Everett, Alomar brothers, and Shingo?? Politte? We're a young ballclub.
Now, these guys are finding out how to play the ballgame and are struggling through adversity. This could have been a team that went deep into the postseason with some health. Having Maggs and Frank out there everyday does a few things....1. Protects your other hitters, disallowing them to be pitched around. 2. Gives the entire team confidence that they have a couple of guys that can carry the team for a week or so by themselves. 3. Helps the pitchers settle down because they can go out there and not have to pitch a no hitter every game, thus allowing them to attack hitters.
Now, this team and this season may be done for the year, but I doubt that they will be this bad the rest of the season. They're going to learn on the job, and we're going to see them pick it up. It's going to happen. They may or may not catch Minnesota, or Cleveland for that matter, but they will be getting tons of experience for that next season. I know we're tired of "wait til next year".....but this is a different situation. This isn't the entire team underachieving right now. This is a team that has been gutted by injuries. Injuries to their two best players. These guys are learning to play without a net right now, and it's going to help this club.
The question looms....are they going to gut this team and try to rebuild??? Hell no. Teams are built around pitching. If you're lucky enough to find good ptiching, you cannot be rebuilding, because you always have a shot. Buehrle, Garland, Garcia, and Contreras, much like the hitters right now, are learning how to play without a net. Imagine what they'll be able to do when they get consistent leads.
This team is going to do special things, and I like this situation for the long term. These young players are going to learn how to dig deep within themselves and become leaders when their big leaders are out for the year.
Listen to Frank's statement about the team. He's heartbroken. Most of us didn't think he had a heart. When he comes back next year, along with the rest of the guys, I really and truly believe that things are going to be special.
Take it for what you may........................