South Side Fireworks Man

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 22, 2010 -> 08:47 PM) Okay...maybe a scout who makes talent recommendations/identification without making the final decision. Giving him too much authority might be a mistake. But he has to have some, or he wouldn't consider it worth his time and effort. I can see Ozzie's scouting reports now - D. Wise: "tremendous at-bats." A. Ramirez: "gold glove defense at SS." D. Erstad: "equivelant to a .400 hitter." T. Perez: "nothing this guy can't do." R. Mackowiak: "natural CFer."

QUOTE (qwerty @ Apr 22, 2010 -> 04:38 PM) I don't blame ozzie for the team that is on the field. I blame kenny williams. I blame the upper brass. I blame kenny williams for granting guillen what he desires. I doubt if when Kenny traded Brian Anderson for mark Kotsay and then re-signed Kotsay this offseason he envisioned him starting a large percentage of the games and batting in the middle of the order. And if I thought Kenny had complete authority over Guillen I'd be more likely to agree with you on the rest of the roster. But I'm pretty sure that JR would never allow KW to fire Ozzie so KW may have his hands tied quite a bit. Letting Ozzie have the roster he's been wanting may be KW's only way to prove a point. Any good GM should try to give his manager significant input into what type of team he wants. Of course, if the GM strongly disagrees he should override the manger. But when the GM knows that he is tied to a particular manager for the forseeable future and the manager has been saying for years that he wants a certain type of team that he has not been given, the only recourse the GM may have is to let the manager try it his way for a short time. If the manager is proven correct, everybody wins. If the manager is proven wrong, at least the issue is settled and it gives the GM more leverage with the owner who adores the manager.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Apr 22, 2010 -> 02:33 PM) OMFG Ozzie. Trying to cost me my win with that pathetic lineup. Oh well, I still think Peavy will own in this game. The Sox should keep Ozzie's lineups secret until game time if they want to get larger walk-up ticket sales!

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Apr 22, 2010 -> 03:26 PM) "My horn can pierce the sky!"

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 22, 2010 -> 01:59 PM) Look at the lineup for today's game. This is Ozzie's team and if he keeps putting it out there, it won't be for much longer. That's why I don't feel like paying for any more tickets to Sox games this year. It's not the bad start as much as the fact that Ozzie seems determined to play bench players as regulars. When I buy tickets to a Sox game, I want there to be a high probability that I'm going to see their regulars play. But with Ozzie, your almost as likely to see two or more bench players starting. And how can a team gel and get on a roll when the regular lineup (if there even is one with Ozzie) is only in there a few times a week?

QUOTE (scenario @ Apr 22, 2010 -> 11:16 AM) So... Name the players who are on this team because Ozzie told Kenny to go get them. 1. Pierre? 2. Andruw Jones? 3. .... IMO, this 'Ozzie's team' thing is waaaaaaaay overplayed. Outside of his stated desire for a fast leadoff guy and a rotating DH, the only control Ozzie has over this mess is what names from the existing roster he chooses to play on a certain day. Didn't Ozzie say re-signing Kotsay should be the top priority after last season? And he's always loved Vizquel...

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 20, 2010 -> 01:37 PM) I come bearing gifts! No Kotsay! Pierre lf Beckham 2b Quentin rf Konerko 1b Jones dh Pierzynski c Rios cf Teahen 3b Ramirez ss Danks p Ozzie should play this lineup everyday except when a player really, truly, honestly needs a day off because he played way too many consecutive games or is injured.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Apr 18, 2010 -> 11:47 AM) Funny you used the word nailed. That was my word of choice when I started writing my post but changed it. Great minds.....

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Apr 18, 2010 -> 11:38 AM) This post in essence says it all. Just a terrible waste of a fine pitching staff. Agreed. Caulfield really nailed it with that post.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 18, 2010 -> 11:38 AM) It's so hard for me to watch any inning when Juan Pierre comes up to bat. Replace Pierre with Carl Crawford and Kotsay with Adrian Gonzalez and this roster might almost be Ozzie proof. But alas, we're locked into Pierre leading off in the majority of games for the next two years or until Ozzie is gone, whichever comes first.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 18, 2010 -> 10:07 AM) It's not like they would make any moves if this did happen. Nix would probably be the fall guy. You know, if Nix would have started at 2B that game that they rested Beckham he probably would have turned that double play that Vizquel had trouble with his footwork on. At least the Sox would have had a chance to lose the game in extra innings instead of losing 6-3 in 9 innings. And as another poster pointed out, Nix only has had 6 PAs and Ozzie is throwing him under the bus for only having one base hit. Meanwhile, Kotsay is batting third today. I don't want to criticize Ozzie though, because then I guess I'll have to stop following the Sox and become a Cubs fan.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 17, 2010 -> 05:37 PM) Ozzie's awful decision overshadows another pathetic performance by our offense. It baffles me how boring this team is. At least Peavy was better, but his K rate is still scary and he got a lot of good luck today. Boring is the word. As for Peavy, even though he pitched well enough to win today, his lack of velocity is beginning to make me wonder if there is a health issue.

I have tickets for myself and the family as part of a group attending the game on July 5th. Other than that, I think I'll just forego buying anymore tickets to see the Sox this year. This team is boring. The manager tells the fans that if they criticize any of his decisions (which can be disagreed upon and debated by reasonable people) they should stop following baseball or worse yet become Cubs fans. I'm not going to spend anymore money on this team unless they bring in some better players and/or coaches. I'll still be following them hoping they win the division, and if they do I'll rejoice. But I'm not giving this team, as currently constructed, anymore of my entertainment dollars this year.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Apr 9, 2010 -> 11:29 PM) I hate teams like this. Either be good or be bad. It's frustrating as hell watching this freakin' team. Apart from the pitching staff, this team is bad. Very bad. That's what's so frustrating - it's a terrible waste of an exceptional pitching staff. And it's specifically what the manager wanted.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Apr 9, 2010 -> 11:25 PM) Sports fans are some of the dumbest creatures on earth. I don't blame Ozzie at all for that. Maybe so. But they're the ones paying the salaries of Ozzie, his coaches and his players. I guess that proves how dumb they are! Regardless, you don't continually insult the fans who may or may not be wrong in their criticism of their favorite team. And you don't make condescending comments about "that's why they have to get up at 4:00AM and go to work while I have this job." I'm not quite sure that's exactly what he said because of the bleeps and his accent, it certainly sounded like that. But if I heard that correctly, that comment crosses the line. EDIT: Ok, I found the Ozzie quote - Here"You don't want to watch the way I manage this ballclub, be a Cub fan or talk about something else," Guillen said on Friday. "I don't want to tell people why I do stuff and why I did it. They talk about taking the bat [out of Beckham's hands], it's the seventh and the ninth inning. I've got my two best hitters [coming up], the only guys swinging the bat well right behind. "All those idiots out there who talk about baseball, they should come here and manage for me. I don't have to explain to anybody why I do stuff. They have to get up at 4 a.m. and talk [expletive]. I'm going to run this ballclub the way I think it should be done. I'll bet they didn't talk about how we struck out 12 times and all the times we had bases loaded and didn't get a hit. They talk about how I run this ballclub! Shame on them."

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Apr 9, 2010 -> 11:12 PM) He doesn't care about anyones feelings on this, and he isn't resigning. So this is pointless. Ozzie should be fired for telling his company's customers to take their business to the competition. Also, I thought I heard him say something on CTL before the game about "idiots" that think they know baseball and something like "that's why they have to get up at 4:00 in the morning and I have this bleepin' job." Very condescending to the fans. Couple this with his poor eye for talent, his poor in-game managing and his inability to make out a decent lineup and I think he has finally worn out his welcome. I liked Ozzie but his time has come. He wanted this mess of a roster so now he has to take the blame for wasting this great pitching staff. Yes, it's early, but if he's going to insult the fans who are upset at his team's poor performance it's already time for him to go. Maybe some fans are overreacting, but you don't insult your fans.

The 2010 White Sox: An incredible waste of a pitching staff. Not only is Ozzie a terrible in-game manager and terrible at making out a lineup, he's also a terrible judge of talent. "Ramirez is going to be the best shortstop in the AL" -- my eye!

The real problem is that the Sox have a weak lineup. Having your number two hitter bunt isn't necessarily a bad idea, but what really sucks is when your number two hitter happens to also be one of your best hitters in the lineup and the rest of your lineup is short on legit RBI men. It sucks to take the bat out of one of your best hitters in a game situation like that. And it also sucks that the guy who is batting leadoff not because of a high OBP history nor because he is an above average hitter but solely because he's supposed to be a base-stealer, can't be relied upon to steal a base in two consecutive crucial situations like that. But hey, this is the lineup/roster Ozzie wanted. So let him deal with it and take the blame when his decisions don't work out.

QUOTE (PeavyTime @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 11:21 PM) What is Pierre's #1 asset? Base stealing. What is Beckham's #1 asset? Hitting. So why the f*** is Beckham bunting Pierre to 2nd?! That's exactly what I was thinking.

QUOTE (jphat007 @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 11:12 PM) I wish it wa sjust a DH that we needed. We need a whole second hafl of our f***ing lineup. Sox are two quality bats short. They need a good DH and a good bat at either LF or 3B.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 03:50 PM) Just like Erstad brought a leadership role and grindy to the leadoff role. Just like Mackowiak did as a starting CF instead of a good utility guy off the bench. Just like Wise did as the leadoff guy and starter. Erstad was basically a .400 hitter and Wise earned the starting CF and Leadoff role with his "tremendous" play. You may have a point about Mackowiak, however.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 03:20 PM) And for you people that call Ozzie a moron for playing Jones in center, well, quite frankly, you will be proven wrong. Jones is not some hack of a CFer. Again, I'm fine with Jones playing CF, but I'm against moving Rios to LF to accomodate him. Jones can play CF when Rios needs a day off or a little rest at DH. Jones can play RF when Quenting gets a day off or DH duty. Tonight, Jones should be in LF while Pierre is the DH. Rios is the starting regular CFer (or at least should be). He's an excellent defensive centerfielder, is locked up long term and is making the big money. Let him settle in CF and be the leader of the Sox outfield instead of being moved around to accomodate a one year rental.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 01:54 PM) Would you play Rios in RF and Carlos in LF then ? I would start Jones in LF, Rios in CF and Quentin in RF most of the time. When Pierre starts in LF, Jones can play either CF or RF depending on who is getting a rest that day.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Apr 8, 2010 -> 01:49 PM) Jones is the beter Cfer, imo. I doubt it at this stage of his career. Also, Rios is locked up with a large, long-term contract. He's the Sox' centerfielder of today and tomorrow. Jones, if he has a "comeback" year and proves to be an above average CFer again will be gone after this season. Boras will see to that. Why move Rios, your long term player around to accomodate a one year rental who may or may not be as good defensively as the excellent defensive CFer Rios? Let Jones move around from LF to RF to CF depending on who is being rested and leave Rios settled as your starting CFer.

QUOTE (jphat007 @ Apr 7, 2010 -> 10:25 PM) THe problem is not Kotsay. The problem is the entire second half of our lineup. .......And the leadoff man. I'm confident the second part of the lineup will be fine with the players they're starting, but any lineup that features Pierre leading off along with Mark Kotsay batting fifth is going to be a weak lineup.