Game 163: Twins at White Sox

[Cocos Disciples]

Nick Blackburn (11-10, 4.14 ERA) vs. John Danks (11-9, 3.47)

[Cocos Disciples]

Looks like they handed out black jackets before the game-basically everyone has the same one.

[See Red]

I think it's pretty ridiculous that this game is being played in Chicago considering the Twins won the season series. Stupid rule.

[Cocos Disciples]

Yeah, the coinflip is pretty stupid.

[Cocos Disciples]

I can't be the only one watching this. Great game so far, scoreless through 5 1/2.

[Cocos Disciples]

AJ Pierzynski bugs the s*** out of me.

[Cocos Disciples]

Dammit, Twins offense!

[BigPapiEnFuego]

sox win!

[Cocos Disciples]

Great game, congrats to the White Sox, good luck against the Rays.

 

For the record, I wouldn't have had Blackburn go out for the 7th against Thome, Griffey, etc.

[thee sox]

I think it's pretty ridiculous that this game is being played in Chicago considering the Twins won the season series. Stupid rule.

 

I think it's pretty ridiculous that this is all anyone talks about.

a)It was a one game difference. It's not like the Twins owned us.

b)Everything in the season series from wins, to runs, to ERA was so incredibly close, it was alarming.

c)The Sox lead the division for the majority of the year. Besides a few times that the Twins lead for a half game (no more), the White Sox were on top.

 

See, your argument can go both ways. There's never going to be a perfect system.

 

Besides, will you be whining if you face the Cubs in the World Series and have home field advantage, even though the Cubs had a better record? Same thing. BTW, if you do face the Cubs, I hope you kick their asses.

[See Red]

I think it's pretty ridiculous that this is all anyone talks about.

a)It was a one game difference. It's not like the Twins owned us.

b)Everything in the season series from wins, to runs, to ERA was so incredibly close, it was alarming.

c)The Sox lead the division for the majority of the year. Besides a few times that the Twins lead for a half game (no more), the White Sox were on top.

 

See, your argument can go both ways. There's never going to be a perfect system.

 

Besides, will you be whining if you face the Cubs in the World Series and have home field advantage, even though the Cubs had a better record? Same thing. BTW, if you do face the Cubs, I hope you kick their asses.

 

A.) That's irrelevant.

B.) That is too.

C.) Also irrelevant.

 

Time spent atop the division or similarity of statistics are not used as tiebreakers in any sport, and never ever have been. Meanwhile, head to head record is used as a tiebreaker in most all sports, including baseball. The argument doesn't go both ways. They won 10 games against the White Sox and only lost 8, yet they have to travel to Chicago for a deciding playoff game? Why should it be decided by chance when they earned the right to host that game and the MLB has a system that perfectly adequate to decide some things, but not others? And the Cubs argument doesn't work either because the two teams don't play even remotely similar schedules -- and it's especially not valid because the two teams didn't play eachother, which is what I'm arguing. Considering how the two teams have played on the road against one another, the AL Central was practically decided by a coin toss.

 

If I were the Minnesota Twins, I'd do as the Jacksonville Jaguars did in this Onion news report...

 

[podsednik20]

You have to admit though, Danks threw one hell of a game!

[Cocos Disciples]

Indeed he did, sir. Enjoy getting crushed at the Trop.

[podsednik20]

Well Im not going to say anything, but i hope it's going to be a good series.

 

I for one will be rooting for you guys against the Halo's though!!!

 

I dont have anything against them i would just like a Sox-Sox ALCS haha.

[Cocos Disciples]

Hey don't get me wrong, I'd rather face you guys than the Rays. We'd get homefield, and the Rays are better than you. So go ChiSox, I guess.

[CrespoBlows]

I think it's pretty ridiculous that this is all anyone talks about.

a)It was a one game difference. It's not like the Twins owned us.

b)Everything in the season series from wins, to runs, to ERA was so incredibly close, it was alarming.

c)The Sox lead the division for the majority of the year. Besides a few times that the Twins lead for a half game (no more), the White Sox were on top.

 

See, your argument can go both ways. There's never going to be a perfect system.

 

This is the worst argument for why the White Sox had homefield. You clearly lack critical thinking skills.

 

Besides, will you be whining if you face the Cubs in the World Series and have home field advantage, even though the Cubs had a better record? Same thing. BTW, if you do face the Cubs, I hope you kick their asses.

 

I think the current rule is stupid. Best record = homefield.

[Cocos Disciples]

I agree. Same should go for the World Series.

[podsednik20]

Well now that we are in the post season i dont think you could base a team thats "better" than another team. I think it's just a matter of what team get's hott first. But thats just how i see the post season.

 

But yeah the Rays did have a better Regular Season. But it's the post season now =]

[Cocos Disciples]

You're right that once you get to the playoffs, you have a 1 in 8 chance to win the WS. Anything can happen, look at the 2006 Cardinals. However, team's talent plays a role, obviously, and the Rays are a better team than the White Sox. 9 more wins, but more importantly, .7 runs more per game than their opponents, as opposed to .5 for Chicago. TB has much better pitching too.

[CrespoBlows]

Well now that we are in the post season i dont think you could base a team thats "better" than another team. I think it's just a matter of what team get's hott first. But thats just how i see the post season.

 

But yeah the Rays did have a better Regular Season. But it's the post season now =]

 

This series might not be a total mismatch, but the White Sox have an awful defense, and the Rays bullpen is a lot deeper than the White Sox. Provided that Maddon doesn't f*** his team over by using Percival in the 9th, I expect the Rays to win this in four games.

[podsednik20]

Man im going to be biased, it's just Mark Buehrle has struggled these last 2 years but he is really good. Um Javy needs some work. Danks is proving he is a good pitcher he just gets no run support. And Gavin floyd has completely turned around from last year. Now our 5th starter well, he is a AAA scrub. So i guess TB does have an edge on us.

 

I dont know It's going to be real fun to watch though!

[podsednik20]

Deff, the Whitesox bullpen blows. I dont understand why Kenny spent so much money on Dotel and whats his face, they have been a bust for us all year.

[msubulldogs21]

Now our 5th starter well' date=' he is a AAA scrub. So i guess TB does have an edge on us.[/quote']

 

But that's the beauty of the playoffs - you don't NEED your 5th starter. You only need 4, or in our case, 3.

[podsednik20]

I dont know, i think the Sox will give a much bigger fight than most people think they will. I mean look at how the rockies did last year. they went through the whole 1 game playoff against San Diego also. Look they had gotten into the World series. I mean anynthing can happen. Iam not going to knock out my sox just because the TB ray look better than the sox.

[schillingouttheks]

I dont know' date=' i think the Sox will give a much bigger fight than most people think they will. I mean look at how the rockies did last year. they went through the whole 1 game playoff against San Diego also. Look they had gotten into the World series. I mean anynthing can happen. Iam not going to knock out my sox just because the TB ray look better than the sox.[/quote']

 

No one denies that, and no one is saying the series is over.

 

...that doesn't take away from the fact that the Rays are the better team. Who was the better team in 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals, or any of the other 7 teams? I'll go with any of the other 7.

[Cocos Disciples]

The Rockies came into the playoffs red hot. They didn't make the WS because they won the one game playoff, they did because they won 22/23 or something. Your Sox were 12-15 in September, on the other hand.

[podsednik20]

I know that. I'm just saying that the whitesox could get hott. Just like the rockies last year, the Cards year before, and then the stro's the year before.

 

I know no one said the series is over. Im just stating that im not counting them out just because they werent an amazing team.