Fri: Floyd (3.22, 10-4) v. Mendoza (7.54, 1-3)
Sat: Danks (2.52, 6-4) v. Millwood (4.93, 6-4)
Sun: Contreras (4.21, 7-6) v. Harrison (2.57, 1-0)

Rangers are the leading all of baseball in runs scored (512), but are also leading in runs given up (537). They are coming off an up-and-down home series split against their division leading Angles. Last 2 games went to extras including a walk-off winner by Hamilton on Wednesday. Sox come in after a lack-luster offensive performance on Thursday; hopefully turn that around against Rangers pitching which is bad to begin with and a pen that has been working overtime lately. The ballpark is a hitters/HR ballpark, especially LF.

Should take the first 2, 3rd game is a toss-up IMO; strong finish going into the break.

Currently living in Dallas for work until returning for good on Labor Day, I’ll be in attendance tonight. Thanks to a fellow Chicagoan down here, we have seats a couple rows back from the Sox dugout (Button 48).

Not good at all, starting with a miserable start from Gavin Floyd. He threw a lot of pitches from the getgo, and walked a career-high 7 in only 2 2/3 innings at the Ballpark in Arlington, TX. This one was over in the 3rd, when the Rangers scored 5 runs. The Sox also saw first hand why Josh Hamilton is one of 4 Rangers scheduled to go to Yankee Stadium, going 3 for 5 with a double, 2 RBI's and a run scored. A sore left knee sidelined DH Milton Bradley for a third straight game, but his manager Ron Washington insists it won't keep him out of the All-Star Game Tuesday night... Sure, it won't! Jim Thome smacked his 524th career homer, but Paul Konerko went 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts as his misery continues. Carlos Quentin did go 2-for-4 with an RBI double, but got thrown out at the plate, trying to score when Brandon Boggs threw a strike from left field...On the whole, the Sox got branded with a "L" in what might have been one of their worst games of the season. What makes it even harder...Temperatures in the Dallas Metroplex might hit 100 or more the next 2 games, and they're supposed to wrap up the first half of the season Sunday afternoon in triple digit heat!

I've never seen a professional pitcher look that scared in my life. I'm surprised he managed to get 8 hitters out.

Gavin Floyd flirted with a couple of no-hitters earlier in the season at U.S. Cellular Field. Tonight, he didn't have it. Location, location, location! He'll likely deal with these guys again in the next week to 10 days when the Rangers visit the South side...

It is just one of those games, every team has em. Don't worry about it.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Can't lose any sleep over this one...Baseball is a marathon, not a sprint!

Since returning from the DL, Konerko is 2-15 with 7 K'S. He has 1 RBI, no extra base hits.

Brutal.

except when the sox play the cubs, right? nudge nudge saynmore

Our stupid 3rd base coach cost us another run. You gotta send Alexi on that Quentin single. I know there was 1 out but it he fielded the ball deep. The throw was off line as it turned out.

Still, Dye had to come through with 2nd and 3rd with one out. He failed. Paulie hit it hard with the bases loaded. Right at the center fielder.

Byrd has a good arm, I'd have held Alexi too.

Contrares is fucking awful right now. Every game, he's lucky to make it 5 innings and gives up at least 4 or 5 runs. I'd seriously consider sending him to Charlotte for a couple starts after the break, because he is doing this team zero good right now.

_________________

Contreras would have to agree to go to Charlotte. You don't have options on vets. Contreras wouldn't agree. He's making 10 million.

Hey, he's now our 5th starter. Every team has a bad 5ths starter. We can win in spite of him.

I just want to pull out this fuckin' game. We missed scoring chances all day despite the 7 runs. I still think we can pull this one out.

I told you guys Russell sucks and it was just a matter of time untill he showed it.

Man what a game.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Way to cap off your 0-6 Paulie, by looking at a fastball belt high center cut. You jagoff.

Konerko and Contrares are hurting this team terribly.

_________________

Why don't they have options? Dontrelle Willis is making a boatload and he was sent down to single A.

_________________

Willis had to agree to it. He did. He's so fuckin' bad he had too. Jose is bad but he's not Willis bad.

By the way, Fuck you Konerko. 22 hits today and you didn't have one. You swing at ball 4 and take strike 3 right there.

Send him to the pen and give Carrasco a shot at the 5 spot...cant be worse.

I wonder if he'll have visions of Myron Noodleman.

so you guys know that josh hamilton has 95 RBI on the season, right? in fucking JULY?

_________________

Last year it was a divorce what the hell is Jose's excuse this year???????? Jerry give the ball
back to Konerko.... then give him a one way ticket outta town. 9 men LOB brutal!

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Mount Guillen had another eruption following the 12-11 loss at the Ballpark in Arlington on a Sunday afternoon where the gametime temperature was 94 degrees and the heat index was well over 100 on the field. Guillen thought the loss was "horrible" & "embarrassing" on an afternoon where Jose Contreras sucked again on the mound, the offense racked up 22 hits and left 13 men on base. I think that's the LOB part that really aggravated Ozzie. Also, for a 9 inning game, this one took a whopping 4 hours, 1 minute to complete! Usually, it's extra inning games that take literally an eternity to play! Truth be told, the Sox pitchers could use the All-Star break at the right time, especially with Contreras & Javier Vazquez really scuffling of late.