hsnterprize
02-24-2005, 09:13 PM
In the March 4th edition of the Sporting News, there's an article by Chris De Luca about the White Sox. It's pretty straight-forward in my opinion, but it's re-hashing the same broken record about losing Maggs and CLee and replacing power with speed and defense. There is good and bad in this piece, so I have to say it's pretty fair for the most part. It's a 2-page deal, and just in case you're interested in buying this particular edition, it has Jeff Gordon celebrating his Daytona 500 win on the cover.
Here's an excerpt from the article...
"Maybe it (the lineup) doesn't have the star power or the firepower that it did have, " (Kenny) Williams says of the offense, "but we certainly have a heck of a lot more balance than we have had in a long time."
Williams adds: "We have a National League-type club with American League-type capabilities."
(Ozzie) Guillen, who promises thh Sox will be the American League's most aggressive team on the bases, makes no apologies for the makeover and is ready to accept blame if it fizzles. This is his preferred brand of baseball. What he inherited last season was a team preferred by his predecessors.
"We hit a lot of home runs, but so what? We finished in second place last year." says Guillen, who was the Marlins' 3rd base coach when they small-balled their way to a World Series title. "This is the team you win with-pitching, defense and speed. There are only 2 teams that can just beat the crap out of you every day-the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Everybody else has to play baseball."
Scouts are quoted in the article, saying they don't feel the Sox "upgraded their defense that much" in regards to the losses of Maggs and CLee from a defensive side. Carlos didn't make an error last year. KW also says in the article that despite losing Maggs' power, there are 7 players that will have "20 or more" homers. KW also says the Sox are going to try to "beat the 3-time A.L. Central champion Twins at their own game.", and Twins' G.M. Terry Ryan says "that's very flattering to hear."
The quote you all should pay attention to is near the very end of the article, when De Luca says...
...it's their new lineup that will turn heads in the A.L. Central this season.
There's also a chart showing U.S. Cellular Field having the most HR's hit in it last year. According to the chart, the top 5 "Homer Havens" are...
Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati...220 HR's
Coors Field in Denver...221 HR's
Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia...228 HR's
Wrigley Field...233 HR's (the author says "reliance on the long ball hurt the Cubs' offense in '04.")
U.S. Cellular Field...272 HR's
The 5 "Pitchers' Pets"...
Shea Stadium in New York...152 HR's
Miller Park in Milwaukee...149 HR's
Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City...146 HR's
PNC Park in Pittsburgh...135 HR's (the author says Pittsburgh's "Death Valley" is in left center.)
Petco Park in San Diego...132 HR's (the author says "the Padres are becoming more dedicated to small ball.")
Not a bad piece. At least people across the country have some idea on what to expect from the Sox. Hopefully, our team can turn a lot of heads for good reasons in '05.
Here's an excerpt from the article...
"Maybe it (the lineup) doesn't have the star power or the firepower that it did have, " (Kenny) Williams says of the offense, "but we certainly have a heck of a lot more balance than we have had in a long time."
Williams adds: "We have a National League-type club with American League-type capabilities."
(Ozzie) Guillen, who promises thh Sox will be the American League's most aggressive team on the bases, makes no apologies for the makeover and is ready to accept blame if it fizzles. This is his preferred brand of baseball. What he inherited last season was a team preferred by his predecessors.
"We hit a lot of home runs, but so what? We finished in second place last year." says Guillen, who was the Marlins' 3rd base coach when they small-balled their way to a World Series title. "This is the team you win with-pitching, defense and speed. There are only 2 teams that can just beat the crap out of you every day-the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Everybody else has to play baseball."
Scouts are quoted in the article, saying they don't feel the Sox "upgraded their defense that much" in regards to the losses of Maggs and CLee from a defensive side. Carlos didn't make an error last year. KW also says in the article that despite losing Maggs' power, there are 7 players that will have "20 or more" homers. KW also says the Sox are going to try to "beat the 3-time A.L. Central champion Twins at their own game.", and Twins' G.M. Terry Ryan says "that's very flattering to hear."
The quote you all should pay attention to is near the very end of the article, when De Luca says...
...it's their new lineup that will turn heads in the A.L. Central this season.
There's also a chart showing U.S. Cellular Field having the most HR's hit in it last year. According to the chart, the top 5 "Homer Havens" are...
Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati...220 HR's
Coors Field in Denver...221 HR's
Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia...228 HR's
Wrigley Field...233 HR's (the author says "reliance on the long ball hurt the Cubs' offense in '04.")
U.S. Cellular Field...272 HR's
The 5 "Pitchers' Pets"...
Shea Stadium in New York...152 HR's
Miller Park in Milwaukee...149 HR's
Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City...146 HR's
PNC Park in Pittsburgh...135 HR's (the author says Pittsburgh's "Death Valley" is in left center.)
Petco Park in San Diego...132 HR's (the author says "the Padres are becoming more dedicated to small ball.")
Not a bad piece. At least people across the country have some idea on what to expect from the Sox. Hopefully, our team can turn a lot of heads for good reasons in '05.