Results tagged ‘ Alexei Ramirez ’

“Did We Kick Someone’s Dog or Did Someone Put Voodoo On Us or Something?”–A.J. Pierzynski

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Aside from my own anger, frustration and the fact that I throw up my hands in disgust almost every night after watching these White Sox, my thoughts turn to what Kenny Williams must be going through.
He’s as hard-working and passionate as any GM and has given us what no other front office exec has provided–a World Series championship. Of course he’s made his mistakes, but all in all he’s been outstanding at putting together contending teams. I wish the Sox could be as consistent as the Twins and various other teams, but considering the mediocrity I’ve experienced in my lifetime as a Sox fan the Williams years have been good. And as a fan, I truly appreciate how much he cares.
After last night’s embarrassing 6-1 loss to the Royals, The Sox are now seven games below .500–the same Pale Hose who many picked to win the A.L. Central. Let’s face it, right now the Sox are arguably the worst offensive team in baseball. 
The facts: a .228 team batting average with a .205 mark with runners in scoring position, both last in the league. And they’ve scored just one run in their past 17 innings and three in their past 22. Last night’s lineup had four hitters batting under .200. Get the point?
The list of culprits is a long one. Juan Pierre, Gordon Beckham. A.J. Pierzynski, Mark Teahen, Alexei Ramirez, Carlos Quentin and Mark Kotsay all have underachieved. Williams must be pulling the hair out of his head. After all, he acquired every last one of these guys.
So what do we do? Keep being patient with the hope things will turn around? Blow up the team? Have a come-to-Jesus meeting? I don’t have an answer and that’s why KW makes the big bucks. But I’ll say this, he’s not going to watch this nightmare continue much longer. Mark my words, there will be changes.
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Freddy to Twins: Gar-cia Later

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I want to get excited. I want to celebrate the win in our first game at Target Field. I want to think the Sox are finally playing up to expectations. But I’m going to contain myself and wait to see what happens in this afternoon’s matinee.

Last night’s 5-2 victory over the Twins was sweet. Big Game Freddy Garcia rose to the occasion as he usually does and the Sox actually had a two-out rally in the five-run fifth highlighted by Alexei Ramirez (above) and A.J. Pierzynski two-RBI doubles. And, alas, Bobby Jenks survived the ninth for his sixth save.
All eyes will be on John Danks, so far the staff ace, as he faces Carl Pavano this afternoon in an attempt to give the Sox a much-needed sweep of the short two-game series.
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The REAL Jake Peavy Hurls Gem at the Cell

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Normally a win over the Royals in May doesn’t mean much. But to the struggling White Sox, who came into the game tied with KC for last place in the AL Central, the 5-1 victory was filled with some much-needed positive moments.
First and foremost, Jake Peavy (above) was the Jake Peavy we’ve been expecting all along. Seven innings, no runs, four hits. nine strikeouts in a dominant performance. Andruw Jones and Alex Rios continued to hit. The former went 2 for 4 with two RBI and the latter went 3 for 4 with two ribbies. A.J. Pierzynski and Alexei Ramirez, both on the road back from batting average oblivion, each had two hits and although Gordon Beckham was hitless he walked twice and scored a run.
Williams: No time to panic

Kenny Williams tried to convince reporters before last night’s game that it’s premature to press the panic button for the 2010 Sox. He’s on the record as saying that it takes 60 games to evaluate the dynamics of a team. That said, he did admit there might be a time where he has to face reality. But, according to KW, it’s not now.
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10 Reasons Why I’m Not a Happy Camper

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It’s days like these that make me cranky. A 12-3 drubbing by the Yankees will do that to a guy. To make matters worse, after the gritty comeback yesterday the Sox looked like they were more interested in heading back to Chicago than winning the series in New York.
I’ve been hearing from Sox friends and others today with various comments. Since I’m on board with many of their thoughts, I’ve incorporated them with mine in the following opinions and observations.
* I’m not happy that the Sox have won only one series so far this year as part of their miserable 10-15 start.
* I’m not happy that today’s lackluster performance has given holier-than-thou Yankee fans and others the fodder to rip us. By the way, how does Kenny Williams feel about his goal of a championship after the first 25 games?
* I’m not happy that Alexei Ramirez hasn’t taken a step forward. He’s always a slow starter at the plate, but how about his brain cramps at short? Wasn’t Omar Vizquel supposed to help?
* I’m not happy about Gordon Beckham‘s start, but I have confidence he’ll be fine before too long.
* I’m not happy with our farm system. So, where’s the help we need?
* I’m not happy about Mark Teahen. He doesn’t look like the answer. Granted, he’s not Robin Ventura or Joe Crede, but I thought he was better than this.
* I’m not happy that Juan Pierre has been demoted to the ninth spot in the order and Scott Podsednik is on fire for the Royals.
* I’m not happy that Clayton Richard is outpitching Jake Peavy.
* I’m not happy with our bullpen. Maybe it’s time for a couple of changes. No, Ramon Castro being reinstated from the DL and Donny Lucy being sent down doesn’t count
* I’m not happy that the Twins look unbeatable in the AL Central.
Yes, I’m really unhappy. 
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This team definitely needs a kick-start
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How About A Do-Over?

If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

If it’s not Gordon Beckham, it’s Juan Pierre. If it’s not Carlos Quentin, it’s A.J. Pierzynski. If it’s not Alexei Ramirez, it’s Jake Peavy. And while Paul Konerko has gotten off to a good start with eight homers, his patented ground ball double plays have proven to be a killer. Fellow Pale Hosers, it’s been a tough April.
Any good news? Well, Andruw Jones, Alex Rios and that sweep last weekend against the Mariners, which now seems like the distant past. Last night, in the 6-5 loss to Texas, Peavy settled down after the disastrous first inning, Quentin slammed a three-run homer and Pierzynski got a couple of hits. But in the end, it was still another loss with the Sox record standing at 8-13.
The South Siders try to salvage a game in Arlington this afternoon and then off to, gulp, you know where against you know who.
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Is This For Real?

Our Ozzie is on the record as saying that meetings are for losers. Well, after last night’s 12-0 humiliation at the hands of the Rays, the skipper met with his troops.

From all reports it was a pep talk after the 5-10 start. In essence, he told them to relax, to have fun, forget the first few games and move on from here.
It’s pretty obvious that the Sox–especially the offense–are pressing and no doubt embarrassed by what has transpired so far. All you have to do is look at the averages to see why they’ve struggled:
Juan Pierre, .214
Gordon Beckham, .228
Carlos Quentin, .176
Paul Konerko, .245
A.J. Pierzynski, .174
Alex Rios, .250
Mark Teahen, .222
Alexei Ramirez, .208

Andrew Jones is the only exception at .294.

“He (Guillen) knows we’re trying to get better, Beckham said. “It’s our job. It’s our life. We want to win. And we’re not doing it.”
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                     Quentin is one of the poster boys for the Sox offensive woes


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Ozzie: “I Didn’t Know They Had Music in This Clubhouse”

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Leave it to our Ozzie to sum up a situation with a perceptive twist.
Ozzie, of course, was referring to the fact that the White Sox have had little to cheer about recently at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, losing 10 games in a row through 2009. It joined the now defunct Twinkiedome and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum as the Sox’s personal houses of horror.
All that changed last night, however, as the South Siders continued to snap out of their first week hitting doldrums by smashing the ball and showing some grit in the 8-7 thriller against the Blue Jays to break their Toronto losing streak. It was the third 11-inning marathon in their first seven games–and the first one in which the Sox emerged victorious.
It was comebacker Andruw Jones and the much-maligned Mark Teahen who provided the fireworks. Jones went 3 for 4, clouted two homers and drove in four. Teahen was 3 for 5 and it was also when he delivered. He sent the game into extra innings with a leadoff blast in the ninth and provided the winning run as he tripled in Omar Vizquel (pictured above). Vizquel was running for Mark Kotsay, who had a key single pinch-hitting for Alexei Ramirez in the 11th.
While Jake Peavy had his second straight poor performance, the bullpen came through. Aside from Randy Williams walking in the 7th and go-ahead run in the sixth, Sergio Santos, J.J. Putz, Matt Thornton and Bobby Jenks hurled 5 1/3 scoreless innings. Jenks struggled after getting the first two outs (as he did Sunday) but got the save. Thornton was lights out as he struck out four in two innings of work.
Sox notes of note:  Did you see Ozzie’s reaction right before he yanked Williams after Randy walked in the go-ahead run? I’m not lip-reader, but the expletives were flying…Ozzie’s getting beat up a bit about counting on Jones and Kotsay. Maybe the critics will be quieted, at least for today…It was nice to see that the Sox have the comeback gene. To me, that’s the true sign of a winning ballclub.
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In the Beginning…Sox and Buehrle vs. Tribe and Westbrook

The long cold winter and six weeks of spring training are in the rear-view mirror. It’s time to play for real. Let’s hope the White Sox take the first step toward an AL Central title and a trip to the postseason.

Today’s Opening Day lineups:

Indians

Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Grady Sizemore, CF
Shin-Soo Choo, RF
Travis Hafner, DH
Jhonny Peralta, 3B
Matt LaPorta, 1B
Mark Grudzielanek, 2B
Lou Marson, C
Michael Brantley, LF
Jake Westbrook, P

Sox

Juan Pierre, LF
Gordon Beckham, 2B
Carlos Quentin, RF
Paul Konerko, 1B
Mark Kotsay, DH
Alex Rios, CF
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Mark Teahen, 3B
Alexei Ramirez, SS
Mark Buehrle, P

                                                                          
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Sergio Santos is Living the Dream, Reaches the Majors as Sox Announce 25-Man Roster

After failing to get a sniff of the major leagues as an infielder with five organizations, Sergio Santos is finally a big-leaguer–as a relief pitcher. He earned that distinction with a fine spring and today the 2002 No. 1 draft pick of the Diamondbacks was named to the White Sox 25-man roster heading into Opening Day. And he’s only been pitching since last year.

The other roster question was also answered as Jayson Nix made the team as a utility infielder/outfielder.

The final cuts were infielder/outfielder Brent Lillibridge, outfielder Alejandro De Aza, pitcher Dan Hudson (Charlotte) and hurlers Greg Aquino, Erick Threets and Charlie Leesman plus catcher Donny Lucy (assigned to minor league camp).

The Sox will go into battle beginning next Monday with the following roster:

Pitchers (12): Mark Buehrle, Jake Peavy, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Freddy Garcia, Bobby Jenks, Matt Thornton, J.J. Putz, Scott Linebrink, Tony Pena, Randy Williams, Sergio Santos

Catchers (2):  A.J. Pierzynski, Ramon Castro

Infielders (7):  Paul Konerko, Gordon Beckham, Alexei Ramirez, Mark Teahen, Mark Kotsay, Omar Vizquel, Jayson Nix

Outfielders (4): Juan Pierre, Alex Rios, Carlos Quentin, Andruw Jones

85521035.jpg                                    The dream comes true for Sergio Santos

Enough Ties Already, Let’s Get a Win or Two Before We Leave Glendale

When Ozzie commented that, in essence, the Sox would start getting down to business during the last week of the season, I don’t think he had last night in mind.

Blowing a 7-0 lead, the Sox salvaged their fifth tie of the spring with Scott Linebrink (he gave up four runs, two earned) and Tony Pena (he committed a balk that allowed the tying run to score) the mound culprits and the defense playing a major role in the blown lead with four errors.

Offensively, the Sox were led by red-hot Mark Kotsay (pictured below), who homered with three RBI and raised his spring average to .426. Alexei Ramirez went 3 for 5 and Paul Konerko 2 for 3 with an RBI. He’s now hitting .345 this spring.

Mark Buehrle and the Sox face the A’s today in Glendale with the possibility that the club will announce the 25-man roster as well.

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