Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

[Beantown]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

Varitek isn't starting, it's I-Rod.

[Stu]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

it may be unfair, but thats just how it works.

i see it as more of an mvp type thing.

not necessarily whose better individually but who contributes to the team more.

Lariano is a #2, #3 starter on the 3rd place team in a division where as buerhle is the ace of the 2nd best team in the AL.

So Liriano should be punished because a) he's on the same team as the best pitcher in baseball so isn't a #1 starter and b) his team is in 3rd place behind the best two teams in baseball thus far, despite the fact that he's 9-1 and has the best ERA in the league. Yeah, that makes sense. Your whole argument is nullified by the fact that Ozzie picked Buehrle over Schilling as well.

This isn't an "MVP type thing" it's Ozzie picking his guys over players who are more deserving.

[Beantown]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

So Liriano should be punished because a) he's on the same team as the best pitcher in baseball so isn't a #1 starter and b) his team is in 3rd place behind the best two teams in baseball thus far, despite the fact that he's 9-1 and has the best ERA in the league. Yeah, that makes sense. Your whole argument is nullified by the fact that Ozzie picked Buehrle over Schilling as well.

This isn't an "MVP type thing" it's Ozzie picking his guys over players who are more deserving.

[White Sox Fan]

Well, if the Red Sox had one it last year, than Tito could've picked all his guys. Everyone does it, so maybe your team should win and then you can have the All-Stars.

[/White Sox Fan]

[soltrain]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

He took Magglio. Everyone can put down the pitchforks and drop your guns.

[ells1219]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

Joe Torre probably has taken some of his guys, but I can't remember any blatant picks like Buerhle over Liriano and Konerko over Hafner. I don't see how any reasonable White Sox fan can defend Ozzie in this case.

How is Konerko over Hafner a blatant pick? Konerko is the best first baseman in the AL right now. Why is Ozzie dumb for taking an actual first baseman over a DH when he already has two DH's on the team? Thome was voted in by the players, not by Ozzie. Same with Dye and Contreras. The only guys the Ozzie took himself were Konerko, Buerhle, and Jenks, all of which deserve it.

[Psyblast]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

How is Konerko over Hafner a blatant pick? Konerko is the best first baseman in the AL right now. Why is Ozzie dumb for taking an actual first baseman over a DH when he already has two DH's on the team? Thome was voted in by the players, not by Ozzie. Same with Dye and Contreras. The only guys the Ozzie took himself were Konerko, Buerhle, and Jenks, all of which deserve it.

Curt Schilling should've gone over Buehrle.

[Lintyfresh85]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

My name is Mark Buehrle... I'm an all-star although I gave up 11 runs in my last start to the Chicago Cubs... I obviously made it on talent and stats alone as my manager would never select me over about 5 other deserving players... no... that couldn't possibly happen.

[Graphik]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

Curt Schilling should've gone over Buehrle.

This I agree on.

[Stu]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

How is Konerko over Hafner a blatant pick? Konerko is the best first baseman in the AL right now. Why is Ozzie dumb for taking an actual first baseman over a DH when he already has two DH's on the team? Thome was voted in by the players, not by Ozzie. Same with Dye and Contreras. The only guys the Ozzie took himself were Konerko, Buerhle, and Jenks, all of which deserve it.

You really think 1B's in the all star game should be selected because of their fielding? Please... Thome and Ortiz are perfectly capable of playing 1B, as is Hafner. Theres no arguing the fact that there were players who deserved it more than the players Ozzie selected.

[soltrain]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

Curt Schilling should've gone over Buehrle.

and Hermanson and Pollitte should have went over Timlin last year. This happens every year. You guys just want another reason to be on Ozzie's jock.

[ells1219]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

You really think 1B's in the all star game should be selected because of their fielding? Please... Thome and Ortiz are perfectly capable of playing 1B, as is Hafner. Theres no arguing the fact that there were players who deserved it more than the players Ozzie selected.

Its not like Hafner is blowing Konerko out of the water with his numbers. Their numbers are similar. And Konerko plays first base every day and has similar numbers to a guy who has only played first base only a few times this year. So I don't think it is crazy to take a guy who plays the position everyday over one who doesn't. I'm not trying to say that Hafner doesn't deserve to go, I am just saying that it is not crazy that he was picked over Hafner.

[Lintyfresh85]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP OPS SLG AVG

P Konerko
80 302 53 95 16 0 21 66 174 33 53 1 0 .386 .962 .576 .315

T Hafner
78 267 66 85 16 1 24 70 175 69 55 0 0 .460 1.116 .655 .318

I don't know man... Hafner has about an 80 point advantage in OBP, his OPS is over 100 points higher he has a 70 point advantage in slugging. 3 more homers, 4 more rbis and all this in about 40 less at bats...

Close, but not enough to make the Konerko is deserving argument IMO.

Of course I have bias in my opinion but I'm trying to point this out in factual terms by using stats only.

[SPTO]

Re: Does anyone else have an urge to drive to Chicago and punch him in the face?

For those comparing what Ozzie is doing compared to Joe Torre well, the difference is Torre kept his mouth shut and when asked about why he picked certain players he explained it without injecting a whole lot of obvious bias.

I bet if Torre were the manager of the AL squad this year that he'd pick Liriano.

Oh well, the only good thing about Ozzie managing is that he picked John Gibbons as one of his coaches.