Results tagged ‘ Freddy Garcia ’
White Sox Continue Their Winning Ways, Put Fun Back into the Season
Amazing.After an 8-1 road trip and six victories in a row the Sox will arrive home to play the Braves on Tuesday as a .500 team. And despite winning against mediocre teams like the Cubs, Pirates and Nationals, it looks like we’ve turned the corner with solid play (and no homers in eight straight games). I have to admit I had serious doubts it would happen this season.
Freddy Garcia won his eighth game today in the 6-3 win over the Nationals and Alex Rios and Paul Konerko continued their assault on major league pitchers. Between them they were 5 for 10 with five RBI. And this could be the most telling stat of all: The Sox starters are 9-1 with a 1.95 ERA in their last 12 games.
“Today’s game might be the biggest game all year,” Ozzie told reporters after the game. “We got a chance to be .500 and go back home and continue to play the way we want to play…a couple of weeks ago were in a lot of trouble, but now (we’re) getting the players’ confidence back and giving the team some hope.”
Hey guys, don’t stop now.
KW: “It’s Time”
Last night’s 15-3 pummeling of the Tigers aside–which included another Freddy Garcia gem and a Brent Lillibridge three-run homer of all things–the 25-33 Sox are ready for a shakeup.
“Some changes need to take place,” Kenny Williams told reporters yesterday. “I don’t know what, and I don’t know when, but changes need to take place. Things aren’t happening that we envisioned and when they don’t happen the way you envisioned, you have to make an adjustment or two.”
Music to Sox fans’ ears.
Hail to the Blackhawks
The truth is that I’m not a hockey fan. I follow the trends and know the names of the best players, but that’s about it. However, growing up in the greater Chicago area it’s always special to me when one of the city’s teams wins a championship. So, I couldn’t be happier for the Blackhawks and their fans after last night’s Stanley Cup victory.
Sox Make It Two Straight, Fans Rejoice
There’s no truth to the rumor that Major League Baseball is going to move the White Sox to the National League. We can only hope.
Boasting one of the best records since interleague play began, the Sox continued their dominance over the senior circuit by besting the Florida Marlins, 4-1. It was the first time that the South Siders have won two in a row since they swept the Mariners in late April.
Alex Rios, The club’s most consistent offensive performer all season, collected three RBIs, including a two-run homer while Carlos Quentin had two hits and an RBI. Gavin Floyd was much better this time out, going 6 1/3 while allowing a run and six hits with seven strikeouts. J.J. Putz, Sergio Santos and Bobby Jenks, who got the save, were stellar in relief.
It’ll be Freddy Garcia, aiming to continue his outstanding start, facing Marlins’ ace Josh Johnson as the Sox go for the sweep tomorrow.
Freddy Comes Through Again; Now the Hard Part: Winning a Few in a Row
If the White Sox are going to make us believe 2010 isn’t over, it’s time to prove it.
Freddy Garcia‘s stellar performance and a couple of clutch two-out hits in yesterday’s 6-2 win over the Tigers once again gave us some hope. But we’ve seen too many one-game winning streaks. So. the homestand that starts tonight with two against the Angels and three against the Marlins will go a long way in determining our fate. Our Ozzie certainly senses it and knows full well how hard it’s been to put a winning streak together–even a two-game streak.
“If I believe in God, I need a win (Wednesday),” Guillen joked. “Then I start believing in God.”
Freddy to Twins: Gar-cia Later
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.
Was It Really The Metrodome? We’re Gonna Find Out
I said I wasn’t going to return until I could revisit the White Sox fortunes the morning after without feeling ill. Ill was certainly the case after Sunday’s Bobby Jenks‘ meltdown and nothing’s changed. But as a Sox fan, how can I sit out the two-game series with the Twins on our first trip to Target Field?
We’ll be relying on Freddy Garcia and John Danks to stop the freefall. It’s early, but if we get swept we’ll be 10 games out, if we split it will remain at eight. Still not good.
Let’s hope for the best and, remember, we won’t have the Metrodome to blame.
It’s Time for Some Consistency
Like most White Sox fans I’m looking for signs. Signs that the Sox will bust out of their inconsistent play, go on a run and enjoy a lot more post-game celebrations.Winning their second series of the season this week–the first against a division opponent–is a start. Jake Peavy‘s performance on Monday and Freddy Garcia‘s outing last night were encouraging, as was the nine-run outburst led by Andruw Jones and Alex Rios on Wednesday. But the inconsistency reared its ugly head on Tuesday in the 7-2 drubbing at the hands of the Royals, forcing Sox Nation to scratch their heads in confusion.
This weekend’s series should be telling. The Sox face the Blue Jays in a four-game set. Toronto is holding its own in the AL East and boasts a talented starting staff. One of the questions here is if the Sox staff, so highly touted entering the season, can match up with them. It’s almost been as baffling as the sometimes non-existent offense
“On paper, we were one of the best, and now when you look at that paper, we’re one of the worst in the league,” Mark Buehrle told the Sun-Times. “We haven’t done our job, and us going out there and lasting four, five innings messes up the bullpen. I think you point fingers at us on why they’ve had some problems in the bullpen.”
Tonight it’s John Danks (3-0, 1.85 ERA), the lone consistent performer on the Sox staff, vs. Dana Eveland (2-1, 4.76) who was impressive against us in Toronto. Tomorrow night it’s Buehrle (2-4, 5.30) vs. Shaun Marcum (1-1, 3.12). It’ll be Peavy (1-2, 6.31) vs. Brett Cecil (2-1, 2.61) on Saturday night and Gavin Floyd (1-3, 6.89) vs. Ricky Romero (3-1, 3.00) on Sunday afternoon.
“Everything in life is about consistency,” our Ozzie told reporters. “When you’re not consistent doing something, you’re always going to fail. I think that happened here.”
10 Reasons Why I’m a Happy Camper
I have to admit that I had little faith in the Sox as they entered the bottom of the ninth inning today, trailing the Mariners 4-2. I’m a glass half-full guy, but I’ve been conditioned by these 2010 Sox to expect the worst.
But the Good Guys pulled it out and I’m ecstatic. Here’s why:
1. Two consecutive walkoff homers–by Andruw Jones last night and Alex Rios today (above)–make me think the Sox are gaining their confidence and establishing themselves as a club that can indeed come back and win.
2. Happily, Rios seems to becoming the player we all thought he would be. He had a key double last night to tie the game and went 3 for 4 today with the walkoff. He’s now hitting .281.
3. Freddy Garcia was terrific–7 innings, 2 runs, 2 hits, 5 strikeouts.
4. Mark Teahen continues to contribute. He was 2 for 3 today, raising his BA to .273.
5. Sergio Santos, the “find” of spring training, pitched another scoreless inning in the eighth. His ERA? 0.00.
6, Alexei Ramirez showed signs of life by doubling in the first two Sox runs.
7. Paul Konerko, as we all know, is frustrating at times with his propensity to hit into double plays, but he also comes up big. Like today, when he hit the solo homer in the ninth to set the stage for Rio’s heroics.
8. The speed at the top of the Mariners’ lineup–Ichiro Suzuki and Chone Figgins–was 0-7.
9. It was satisfying to beat Seattle closer David Aardsma, a miserable failure when he played on the South Side.
10. The thrilling triumph has helped me minimize the woes of Gordon Beckham, A. J. Pierzynski and Carlos Quentin, even though the latter coaxed a walk in the ninth. And, of course, Bobby Jenks who is making a habit out of retiring the first two batters he faces before he loses it.
“The Lucy Show” and Bullpen Made the Sox Worth Watching
I guess we should be happy to leave Toronto with a split, but I was hoping for more. Freddy wasn’t ready, the offense reverted to its “first week” form and the Sox lost the chance to win the series and leave Canada with a .500 record. On to Cleveland for, hopefully, better results.
I have to say that the 7-3 defeat Thursday night had a very special moment. Backup catcher Donny Lucy, the Sox player who was forced to endure scooping up my spring training ceremonial first pitch out of the dirt, hit his first career home run (pictured above). The 27-year-old, who has bounced around the minors for six seasons with only a cup of coffee in the bigs (2007), had no chance to make the team this spring until Ramon Castro was put on the DL. All he’s done in his brief action is hit .500–and now a homer. Great story.
The Sox were “get away day” flat, but Lucy’s homer lifted my spirits.
More good news: In addition to Lucy’s solo blast, there was another big positive in the Sox defeat. Four relievers–Randy Williams, Sergio Santos, J.J. Putz and Scott Linebrink–combined for five scoreless innings and 12 strikeouts after Garcia faltered.
Can the Sox Win a Series in Toronto?
It was one of those “sit back, relax and enjoy” nights. As they say, a laugher. A total of 11 runs, 15 hits and a gem by one of your aces will do that.
In the 11-1 Sox victory in Toronto last night, John Danks gave up a mere two singles in seven innings. Carlos Quentin blasted a grand slam and drove in six runs. Andruw Jones added a homer and had three hits. Four players–Quentin, Juan Pierre, Gordon Beckham and AJ Pierzynski–had two hits apiece. My guy Donny Lucy pinch-hit a double.
The South Siders, with Freddy Garcia on the hill, can move to .500 tonight with a win. They also can win the four-game series after the 10 consecutive losses at the Rogers Centre.
Our Ozzie
Why Ozzie is talking about getting another job with two years to go on his contract is beyond me. But that’s our Ozzie. In a story by Mark Gonzales in today’s Chicago Tribune, the Sox skipper talked about his future if he ever severed ties with the White Sox.
“There are a lot of horse (bleep) managers out there that were given two and three shots to manage in the big leagues. I don’t see why not me…if I get fired I will tell (Jerry Reinsdorf) to fire Steve Stone, Farmio (Ed Farmer) or DJ (Darrin Jackson). I want that job.” Ozzie was of course referring to being in the broadcast booth.
Photo Credit: Associated Press
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