posted on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 12:39 AM by Jim

Join the Ramirez Revolution



Because the demand was out of hand, you now can show your undying support for Chicago's most popular Cuban (sorry, Jose) with this handsome Alexei Ramirez t-shirt.

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When Dewayne Wise reached base with two outs in the 10th inning en route to scoring the winning run Tuesday night, I immediately thought of some situations Jerry Owens was thrust into against the Indians last year.

On back-to-back nights in August, Ozzie Guillen chose to bunt Owens to second base instead of having him steal.  Both times, it cost the Sox a valuable out and Owens didn't score.

In fairness to Owens, Wise reached base with two outs and thus Ozzie had no choice but to give him the green light.  But the fact is Wise got the job done easily, and on the first pitch as well, and so it's possibly the final nail in the coffin of Owens' White Sox career.

Let's just hope Wise's steal doesn't add Juan Uribe's White Sox career to the list of casualties as well.  The Sox are carrying three players of extremely limited utility (though Toby Hall is a necessity), which is roughly one and a half players too many.

That decision may be approaching faster than previously expected, with Paul Konerko feeling good after a workout Tuesday.

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Minor league roundup:
  • Durham 8, Charlotte 2
    • Charlie Haeger had a quality start in technical terms only, walking six and allowing six hits over six innings for four runs (three earned).
    • Ehren Wassermann was roughed up for three runs in an inning, though only one was earned.
    • Jason Bourgeois went 1-for-4 with a walk and his 11th steal.
  • Birmingham 3, Mobile 2
    • Aaron Poreda allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits, walking one and striking out five.
    • Fernando Hernandez pitched 1 1/3 scoreless for the win.
    • Javier Colina hit a two-run homer; Robert Hudson went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
  • Salem 9, Winston-Salem 6
    • John Ely was shelled to the tune of nine runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings.
    • Jacob Rasner (3 1/3 IP) and Ricky Brooks shut out Salem the rest of the way.
    • Paulo Orlando reached base three times, scoring twice and driving in a run.
  • Lexington 5, Kannapolis 3 (11 innings)
    • Dale Mollenhauer had three hits including a triple, driving in two.
    • Jason Rice allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings with four hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
  • Pulaski 4, Bristol 3
    • Joucer Martinez struck out five over five shutout innings, allowing three hits and two walks.
    • Jorge Castillo went 3-for-4; Andrew Garcia hit a three-run homer.
  • Billings 9, Great Falls 7
    • Tyler Kuhn went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer from the leadoff spot.
    • Johny Celis had three hits including a pair of doubles; Jordan Cheatham, Brent Morel and Jesus Avila each had two.
    • Daniel Hudson allowed his first two earned runs of the season, two over four innings.
    • Wilmer Rojas took the loss by allowing six runs in one inning of work.

Comments

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 8:13 AM by Fundman
Not to nit-pick, but Che was not Cuban......

Dude, no commentary about Denks, who went 8 friggin innings and looked about as unhittable as Lee?

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 9:42 AM by Salty Dog
"Not to nit-pick, but Che was not Cuban......"

True, but he's synonomous with the Cuban Revolution. Along with some guy named Castro, whoever that is.

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 10:33 AM by Jim Margalus
I did mention him plenty in the recap, but here's something else about him:

He's on pace for 140ish strikeouts, and that's if he doesn't improve on his efficiency from the first half. That would be huge, because after Vazquez, the Sox have sucked in this category.

In 2005, the Sox didn't have any great K machines, but basically everybody on the staff did well by their standards. Garland was last of the Big 4 with 115, and everybody else had at least 146.

Two years later, Buehrle had the second-best non-Vazquez strikeout total with 115, which is awful. And sure, Danks' strikeout rate was actually better last year, but it doesn't do much good if he's not pitching enough innings.

And if Floyd's recent strikeout success is here to stay, there are three guys in the rotation who don't put that much stress on their defense instead of four. And that should spell better things for the rotation.

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 10:48 AM by Fundman
Good point on the K's especially since Danks has not thrown a lot of innings, yet.

Not to nit-pick with Senior Dog, but Che was famous for stuff after Cuba as well (and not in a good way famous). As Jim likes to write, "I'm just saying......"

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 11:28 AM by soxfan1
Any thoughts on releasing Ozuna vs Uribe when Konerko comes back? I can't imagine any team trading for either of them unless Kenny picks up 90%+ of their salary.

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 11:32 AM by Salty Dog
Hugo Chavez would like to take a moment to disagree with you, Fundman.


The college kid with the Che Guavera poster on his wall is wondering who this "Che Guevara" guy is we're talking about.

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 12:51 PM by bigsether
Jim, I agree and love the analysis most days but I think you dropped the ball with yesterday's game. You failed to mention that the Sox didn't make one single half error last night and that, my friend, is huge when you play tightly contested ballgames. You can't make half errors. Half errors = Bad

Other than that, Danks pitched well again, Alexei (The Germ as my friends and I call him....he looks sick. I know it's not nice but it's catchy and I like it) came through, OC was big and D Wise has officially ended Jerry Owens's's's White Sox career. I think we bundle him and Uribe, send them to Baltimore and bring Crab Cakes to the cell. Thoughts?

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 2:37 PM by Fundman
Hugo Chavez would like to give me a 7 hour long, fist banging lecture disagreeing with me actually.

As long as the Che poster helps to get the college kid laid with sensitive chicks from the Women's Studies Program, he could care less what posters he hangs.

Just for the group's consideration, my wife calls Ramirez Gumby, which based on body composition and his ability to get out of the way of Marmolesque fastballs seems appropriate.

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 3:57 PM by Joist
So the bad news is that the Sox are trying to unload Uribe instead of Ozuna, and we can all agree that it's a pretty indefensible move.

The good news is, both those players basically suck; we're debating the merits of which bench player sucks less and thus should be kept by the Sox. This would seem to indicate that we Sox fans are basically happy with the makeup of the roster as presently constructed.

How about that?

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 4:00 PM by Jim Margalus
Che Guavera is the guy in the Dos Equis commercials, brah. Everybody knows that.

Ozuna should be DFA'd. I can't see him not accepting a minor league reassignment if no team claims him. On that subject, Ozuna seems more germ-like, just because he's hard to get rid of, evidently.

And I botched the last paragraph of my comment. It should read:

"And if Floyd's recent strikeout success is here to stay, there are three starters who don't put that much stress on their defense, instead of four who can't get guys out themselves. And that should spell better things for the rotation."

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 5:03 PM by Conor
This Che inspired t shirt has been brought to you by the Children's Television Workshop, the letter "G", and Capitalism.

# re: Join the Ramirez Revolution

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 9:00 PM by Jim Margalus
Oh, and I liked Castro when he was playing short for the Twins next to Batista.