Zenny

I still think he'll be a damn fine player, but it's beginning to look like he'll need another year. There are still 3 solid months left in which he can prove himself to take the spot, but something needs to click fast and those adjustments he keeps talking about need to be made. I still think he has Gold Glove, 30-homer upside; but that will only come with improved contact and a better ability to hang in on low-and-away curveballs. Of the games I've watched and listened to on 790, his entire problem has been low-and-away curves. He can take any fastball you throw at him over the fence, but if you screw with his timing even a little, he's done for. He needs to get his s*** together and get going.

To further illustrate my point: http://www.soxprospects.com I think he'll start tomorrow and then move to Pawtucket. If he pitches well over the next couple months, he has a very good shot at being in the 2005 rotation. As long as we don't bump him back and forth between pen and rotation like with Fossum, he shouldn't be a bust.

Don't rule out Abe Alvarez just yet if they want to make a splash and get Lowe out of the rotation.

Good, now we can stop this craziness about Pokey starting over Bellhorn. How can you not love a kid who grew up in Southie get his chance with the team he would've died for in the city he loves? Not to mention that he's the 2nd most productive 2B in the AL behind Sori.

OK, here's the obligatory expletive: f***!

Shopp walked for the first time since the break, but he also went 0-3 with a K. His BB/K actually improved. Season Line: .227/.311/.424/.735; .34 (32/95) BB/K ratio; 16 2B, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 41 R I'm a very disappointed Kelly Shoppach fan.

I've figured it out! Jarrett Gardner is to Keith Foulke as Einhorn is to Finkle! They are pretty much carbon copies of one another: righties with 88-90 MPH fastballs and very deceptive changeups. I was just thinking about that the other day and it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Yo momma's bedroom! OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

OK, here it is. Mark it down, write it up and stop the presses, because I am going to say it: Kelly Shoppach is not ready to be this team's starting catcher next season unless something drastic happens quickly. He had another 0-4 game with 2 K's against the rehabbing Kevin Brown and continues his consecutive games with a K streak. He has 6 total bases (double, homer) in 17 AB's since the Break with 7 K's. That's a .471 OPS in that stretch. Season Line: .229/.312/.429/.741; .33 (31/94) BB/K ratio; 16 2B, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 40 R

You people get so irrational so quickly... Foulke is one of the top 3 closers in the game, just behind Gagne and Rivera. Relax people.

Foulke has been way too hittable. This sucks.

Shopp went 1-4 with a 2B, RBI and K. He's struck out at least once in every game since the return from the break. I am not as confident as I was on July 7th. Season Line: .232/.316/.435/.751; .34 (31/92) BB/K ratio; 16 2B, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 40 R

Bronson continues to prove me right thus far!

I have a good feeling about Arroyo in this game. The M's are really an incompetent hitting team and Arroyo's slider should be on against those righties. If he can get the changeup under the hands of the lefties to jam them, he should be OK.

Psst- It's Lara, not Laura. He's a 5' 10", 150 lb. Dominican infielder. He's currently playing 3B, but he projects better as a SS or 2B. He's currently hitting over .400 in the NY/Penn league. http://www.soxprospects.com/players/lara-christian.htm

Well, our old buddy Carl Everett was just re-traded to the White Sox for pitchers Jon Rauch and Gary Majewski. Kenny Williams will never learn...

NOTE: Don't freak if you've seen this before. I started the topic on NetSports and I'm copying and pasting the crap over here too. It's a relevant topic that needs to be discussed among Sox fans and I'm too lazy to come up with more original stuff. Bronson Arroyo has done a fantastic job for cheap money this season. With time, he could become a very good #3 or 4 starter on a championship caliber team; and that may happen as quickly as this season. Derek Lowe has been awful, but he has the tenure and the price tag. Sox Brass has a somewhat rightful love affair with BK Kim's potential. These two could spell disaster for Arroyo as a starter and that should not happen. He has also been very effective working deeper into games as well. For pitches 61-75, 76-90 and 91-105, he has an OPS against of .633, .692 and .409 respectively. His OPS splits per every three innings (1-3, 4-6, 7-9) are .780, .682 and .701. Clearly, the arm strength and stamina are both there for him to be effective deeper into games as well. He has not been as effective at Fenway, but I think that is about timing. Most of his early starts when he was struggling came at Fenway and his later, better starts have been on the road. Plus, half the team can't hit on the road and the other half crush at Fenway, so he doesn't need to be as perfect at Fenway. Although, consistency would be nice. Some 2004 Splits Starter: 4.04 ERA Road: 3.06 ERA Home: 5.27 ERA Monthly Splits April: 5.79 May: 4.44 June: 4.18 July: 1.20 (as of 7/18) Once BK comes back, Derek Lowe should not maintain his rotation spot; Bronson Arroyo should.

Shopp had an 0-4 with a K game today. He's 1-13 since the break with a homerun and 5 K's. The defense is there because he's still gunning down runners and blocking the plate extremely well from what I've heard on 790 when I get to listen to games. His inability to make consistent contract is frustrating, though. When he connects, he hits the ball wicked hard. There in lies the problem, when he connects and that hasn't been often enough at this point. Something needs to click and he needs to begin to make those adjustments on curves low and away. Just don't swing at 'em. 95% of the time, they won't be called strikes. Season Line: 232/.317/.434/.751; .34 (31/91) BB/K ratio; 15 2B, 13 HR, 43 RBI, 40 R

Thanks, man.

Shopp went 1-4 with a homer and K yesterday. The homer came off of Shopp's former battery mate, former Sox prospect and a key part of the Schilling deal, lefthanded Jorge de la Rosa. Shopp blasted an outside fastball the other-way to right-center. Sweet bomb. Season Line: .236/.321/.441/.762; .34 (31/90) BB/K ratio; 15 2B, 13 HR, 43 RBI, 40 R

Hey, hey! It's my B-Day today! Let's hope the Sox gimme a win for a present.

I thought I heard three was the most likely number.

Not a prospect, not even close. No potential as a future regular anymore. He was supposed to be the next big thing up the middle for KC with Beltran. One Carlos developed, the other didn't. We just happened to get the crappy one.

Seriously, who the f*** starts the guy with the five and a half ERA after the All-Star Break? Confidence builder, schmonfidence builder. Pedro should have been on the mound.

0-5 and Golden Sombrero (3 K's) for Shoppach. No biggie yet, it is the first game back after three days off and he probably just didn't have his timing down. I'll be pissed if he keeps it up, though. Season Line: .236/.322/.432/.754; .35 (31/89) BB/K ratio; 15 2B, 12 HR, 42 RBI, 39 R Damn, that OPS was at .800 like 5 games ago. That sucks.