White Sox 4/14

[BobbyBlueChip]

Season Record 4-4 +0.43 units

For White Sox 3-2 +0.68 units
Against White Sox 1-1 +0.25 units
Overs 0-0
Unders 0-1 - 0.50 units
Dogs 2-2 -0.21 units
Favorites 2-1 +1.14 units

Really thought that the Sox would fall after coming home from a successful road trip. I knew that I was ignoring the fact that they were going against a lefty. And they go after another lefty on Wednesday in a much more temperate setting. Affeldt has pitched well against the Sox in limited action in 2003, but they've seen him now and that's always a plus for the Sox.

Garland's stuff against the Yanks was nasty. He's developing alot of movement on his fastball. His control was a problem in his first outing, but Guillen let him work out of his own jam (something Manuel would have never let him do - as many local sports people have stated correctly this week). I may just back Garland blindly for the entire first half of the year.

Garland -1.5 (+130) 1 unit

 

[IE]

it will be interesting to keep an eye on loaiza's next couple of starts, might have some good prices going against him....love when pitchers start giving multiple excuses...

===

Just like last season, Esteban Loaiza is off to a 2-0 start.

But that's where the similarities end.

After his second start of 2003, the White Sox right-hander had a 1.23 ERA and had allowed just 5 hits over 14? innings. He went on to post a 21-9 record and finish second in Cy Young Award voting.

This season, Loaiza has a 6.00 ERA and has allowed 12 hits over 12 innings.

Need more proof that the 32-year-old pitcher is off his game? After yielding just 14 home runs all of last season, Loaiza's already has given up 5.

"I really didn't have my stuff today,'' Loaiza said after allowing 5 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings during the Sox' home-opening win. "I was having trouble gripping the ball. I think it was the cold weather. I haven't pitched in a long time in cold weather like this. A week ago, I pitched in Kansas City and it was nice weather.''

Even in the hot conditions of spring training, Loaiza wasn't nearly as effective as he was last season. That's because opposing hitters seem to be waiting for his best pitch, the cut fastball.

"They're hitting my cutter more and waiting to see it in the game,'' Loaiza said. "I've got to forget about it and get ready for my next start.''

That will come Sunday, at Tampa Bay. After watching the velocity on his fastball dip from 94 mph to 88 Tuesday, it will be an outing the White Sox will keep a close eye on.

"I really don't know what was going on today,'' Loaiza said. "I was just battling and trying to throw strikes. Two days from now, I'll throw my bullpen and try and correct myself.''

 

[Marra]

Every Sox pitcher loses velocity...it's like a wonder of the world...

Sox fans remember the season of 01, when half the team was on the DL due to "torn labrums." All those guys (Baldwin, Parque, Howry, Barcelo) lost big time velocity, and hence are not on ML rosters.
Last year we had Koch, who came in throwing 94, not the 99 everyone is used to. Now he is hitting 95-96 on the gun occasionally, but nothing like before.
It's really sad.

 

[BobbyBlueChip]

Good points. The drop in velocity for Loaiza is news that I haven't heard and is troubling. I'm not ready to get off of him, yet. The news was that the cutter wasn't working in the spring and batters would be able to lay off. I just figured that that would result in more called strikeouts than swinging strikeouts, but with the loss of velocity, I'm not so sure.

Marra, The pitching coach is gone from 2001, correct? I thought that he left that offseason?

 

[IE]

this was in the daily herald today...


Cooper: Loaiza's problems due to mechanical glitch
By Scot Gregor Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted Thursday, April 15, 2004
In Tuesday's start against the Royals at U.S. Cellular Field, Esteban Loaiza delivered a shaky 6 innings while allowing 5 runs on 7 hits.

Any pitcher can have an off day, but the noticeable drop in velocity on Loaiza's fastball and cutter raised some inevitable health questions.

A day later, White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said Loaiza's problems were not physical.

"He did not have his command or his stuff (Tuesday),'' Cooper said. "That's the bad news. The good news is he still won the game.''

Cooper said Loaiza has not been mechanically sound since spring training, and that's taken speed off his fastball and cutter.

"There's a little thing in his delivery,'' Cooper said. "He's not staying behind the ball as much as he can. It's just a small little glitch and we're going to get after it tomorrow. Other than that, he's fine.''

Just about every major-league pitcher struggles with command at some point in the season, but Loaiza never seemed to hit that bump last year while going 21-9 with a 2.90 ERA.

"Last year, if there was a (pitcher) operating at a higher level of efficiency, I'd like to see him,'' Cooper said. "That's what's been not quite the same with Loaiza. We're going to try like heck to get back to that level, but that level is a very difficult one to achieve.''

Running wild: The White Sox have been taking huge chances on the bases all season, and that didn't change in Wednesday's win over the Royals.

In the second inning, Frank Thomas took off on his own and was thrown out while trying to steal second.

"Frank just went because he thought (K.C. starter Jeremy Affeldt) was going to throw a breaking ball,'' said manager Ozzie Guillen. "He took off. I don't mind that. I want those guys to be aggressive. I already have a letter in my desk. Some guy wrote me a letter about the way we run the bases, some fan. I just laugh. I (called back and) said, 'I run this team and I'm going to manage the team the way I want.' I can care less what the people, besides this team, think about it.''

Buddy system: After hearing Harold Baines being criticized on the radio, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen went to bat for his bench coach.

When Joe Nossek decided to retire in spring training due to health reasons, Guillen personally picked Baines as his replacement.

"To tell you the truth, Harold is here because he's my best friend,'' Guillen said. "A lot of people say Harold doesn't do anything. He doesn't have to do anything. He just has to tell me what players should be playing, what guys should be baserunners - that's his job. He doesn't have to do anything else. That's what a bench coach does.

"All the people say I just want him here because I want his company, not because I want him to coach. I don't care what people say. He does his job, and as long as I'm here, Harold is going to be with me.''

 

[stomie]

I will NEVER put money on the CWS as long as they have that jackass Koch in the bullpen!

 

[Marra]

I will NEVER put money on the CWS as long as they have that jackass Koch in the bullpen!

Don't worry, he is going to get the boot soon enough. He won't pitch today, I can tell you that. Ozzie says he will still go to him, but Marte hasn't pitched in 4 days, and Ozzie knows he is more effective than Billy Botch.

 

[Marra]

Good points. The drop in velocity for Loaiza is news that I haven't heard and is troubling. I'm not ready to get off of him, yet. The news was that the cutter wasn't working in the spring and batters would be able to lay off. I just figured that that would result in more called strikeouts than swinging strikeouts, but with the loss of velocity, I'm not so sure.

Marra, The pitching coach is gone from 2001, correct? I thought that he left that offseason?

Yeah. Nardi Contreras, arguably the worst pitching coach in the majors, got fired for Don Cooper. I believe since Don has been in charge, the team ERA has wen't down half a run since Nardi left. A nice improvement.

There was an article in the Tribune talking about Loiaza, and basically it was a mechanical thing that Coop and Esteban are going to work out today...Loaiza was changing his arm slot and didn't even know it. He will be fine.