The TLR Manager Thread

[South Side Hit Men]

3 hours ago, "The Kids Can Play" said:

I'm done with you! You are absolutely clueless. I have no time to go back and paste all your insanely ignorant statements. Arguing with you is like arguing with a grade school kid. In the future you should make sure you check your facts before throwing out all type of non factual statements you cant back up. 

It’s clear in black and white who the child here in this exchange.

Hope you work on your rage, and if you ever attack me again you quote actual posts, which are right here and were provided to you, twice.

 

[greg775]

1 hour ago, "The Kids Can Play" said:

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. B is a good grade but when you are one the best teams you should be getting an A. 

If the Sox lose to Minnie tonight some in the game thread will assess a grade of D, lol.

 

[Jack Parkman]

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Jack Parkman

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

 

 

Tony flipping votes like he did to get Harold in the HOF!! 

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

Tony looking lively in tonight’s postgame! Looks like he’s going to let his guard down some and show his personality to the media more. 

[chitownsportsfan]

10 minutes ago, IWokeUpLikeThis said:

Tony looking lively in tonight’s postgame! Looks like he’s going to let his guard down some and show his personality to the media more. 

he's got these boys rolling.

[ron883]

35 minutes ago, IWokeUpLikeThis said:

 

 

Tony flipping votes like he did to get Harold in the HOF!! 

Doesn't Chris Emma know that 670 The Score employees aren't allowed to compliment Tony La Russa? I'm pretty sure Dan Bernstein would rather the White Sox lose with TLR than win with TLR. 

[tray]

10 hours ago, Tony said:

It still doesn't explain the Garcia SB at all in the same inning,

LOL. Maybe try to get over it and move on.

[FriendlyNorthsider]

For what he lacks in X's and O's he's seemingly doing a pretty good job of a few things. It would be easy for a young team to lose focus after losing two of your best hitters, but the Sox are playing their best baseball of the year. Whether its solely the positional coaches or not, players are making adjustments and significant improvements from last year. 

The analytics issues are very easily remedies as Tony appears willing to own up to mistakes. Have a quality control or bench coach more familiar with analytics in his ear during those decisions. 

Could Hinch or Cora have done this and also won two or three of these bullpen losses? Probably. But not every manager can get what TLR has gotten out of the Sox this year, either. Yes, the game has passed him by in some ways, but he seems up to the challenge. 

Keep in mind, I'm a Cubs fan that has always disliked TLR. 

[Paulie4Pres]

9 hours ago, greg775 said:

Don't get worked up, Kids. It's just my opinion. I know Sox are up near the top of some statistical categories, which is great. But my assessment of the team stands at a B. Cmon. Eloy and Robert has hurt the lineup no matter what the stats say. Pitching at this time looks very good I'll give u that. To sum up, I give the team a B so far; and Tony a B.

 

Your assessment of the team usually sucks, so. There's that.

[caulfield12]

5 hours ago, FriendlyNorthsider said:

For what he lacks in X's and O's he's seemingly doing a pretty good job of a few things. It would be easy for a young team to lose focus after losing two of your best hitters, but the Sox are playing their best baseball of the year. Whether its solely the positional coaches or not, players are making adjustments and significant improvements from last year. 

The analytics issues are very easily remedies as Tony appears willing to own up to mistakes. Have a quality control or bench coach more familiar with analytics in his ear during those decisions. 

Could Hinch or Cora have done this and also won two or three of these bullpen losses? Probably. But not every manager can get what TLR has gotten out of the Sox this year, either. Yes, the game has passed him by in some ways, but he seems up to the challenge. 

Keep in mind, I'm a Cubs fan that has always disliked TLR. 

They also have well-travelled, former big league manager Jerry Narron helping out as major league instructor, bench coach for Boston last year, fwiw.

Edited May 12, 2021 by caulfield12

[hogan873]

The pitching was handled very well last night.  Maybe TLR is shaking off the cobwebs and will be better going forward.

[reiks12]

Does anyone having shifting statistics? Where do we rank in number of shifts used?

[South Side Hit Men]

59 minutes ago, reiks12 said:

Does anyone having shifting statistics? Where do we rank in number of shifts used?

The Sox moved from shifting on 29.3% last season (22nd) to 20.6% (28th) this season. The primary decrease, from 15.% to 6.1%, is against RHB, which has resulted in an increase of OBP from .300 to .318.

The Rockies and Braves rank 29th and 30th. League average is 33-34%

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/visuals/team-positioning?teamId=145&venue=home&firstBase=0&shift=1&batSide=&season=2021

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/visuals/team-positioning?teamId=145&venue=home&firstBase=0&shift=1&batSide=&season=2020

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, reiks12 said:

Does anyone having shifting statistics? Where do we rank in number of shifts used?

Lower quartile/quintile...

[reiks12]

24 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

The Sox moved from shifting on 29.3% last season (22nd) to 20.6% (28th) this season. The primary decrease, from 15.% to 6.1%, is against RHB, which has resulted in an increase of OBP from .300 to .318.

The Rockies and Braves rank 29th and 30th. League average is 33-34%

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/visuals/team-positioning?teamId=145&venue=home&firstBase=0&shift=1&batSide=&season=2021

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/visuals/team-positioning?teamId=145&venue=home&firstBase=0&shift=1&batSide=&season=2020

Thats so frustrating, thanks.

Edit: i was asking because we didnt shift at all against Cruz and it allowed him to have a couple of hits because of it.

Edited May 12, 2021 by reiks12

[GGajewski18]

All Tony literally has to do is let the best players play everyday and don't fuck with it.  

Look what happens when he doesn't play Hamilton or Lamb 3-4 times a week.  They start winning.

Write the best lineup and let the players play.  It's not hard.

[35thstreetswarm]

15 minutes ago, GGajewski18 said:

All Tony literally has to do is let the best players play everyday and don't fuck with it.  

Look what happens when he doesn't play Hamilton or Lamb 3-4 times a week.  They start winning.

Write the best lineup and let the players play.  It's not hard.

This is why I still have hope for improvement.  The fix is not difficult. Do the obvious, know the rules, stay out for the way. 

["The Kids Can Play"]

12 hours ago, greg775 said:

If the Sox lose to Minnie tonight some in the game thread will assess a grade of D, lol.

 

But they didn't lose and spanked the Twins 9-3. It's pretty simple now, the Sox have the fewest losses in MLB and best winning % in the AL and 3rd best in MLB. Not to mention, but I will for you, they are #1 in MLB in runs per game at 5.24/game, #1 in AL in OBP and #2 OBP in MLB, #1 in ERA in AL and # 3 in MLB. 

Your comment that if they lost last night to the Twins they would go to a D, is just plain stupid. Through 33 games early in this season the team should get some type of an A grade. Again this is based on right now compared to their competition. This isn't about oh well, it's early and let's wait and see crap. It's right now and In a few months if that changes, then fine, we'll have that discussion then. For you to be so harsh on the Sox, makes me think you are either a Cubs fan and Sox hater and on this forum as a Troll, or the biggest wack job contrarian! LOL! ?

["The Kids Can Play"]

13 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

It’s clear in black and white who the child here in this exchange.

Hope you work on your rage, and if you ever attack me again you quote actual posts, which are right here and were provided to you, twice.

 

Look who is showing rage. lol I told you I am done with you. Move on! 

[VAfan]

20 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

1. The narrative that he's brought Vaughn on well is complete nonsense; Vaughn's numbers were as good after 6 games as they are today. Vaughn needed reps, this is baseball. Reps are what make you improve. You can't take "notes" about how to hit a curveball. Vaughn's approach never faltered yet he was on the bench for complete bums.

2. Yermin Mercedes was NOT on the White Sox last year so how the FFF could Ricky Renteria have played him? Managers don't make the rosters, they make the lineup. LaRussa is playing Yermin because the Sox lost their star OF'er and he was forced onto the roster. Even you could pencil Yermin into the lineup after he had an all-time historical hot start.

3. Danny Mendick has literally played like 1 game in RF because - again - the Sox have 1000 injuries and he was forced out there.

4. He didn't embrace Vaughn at all, he has no choice but to play him. He still continues to let terrible hitters hit late in games with much better hitters on the bench. If Hamilton is Vaughn's Designated Fielder late in games when defense matters, why the heck is Collins or Vaughn not Leury/Hamilton's designated hitter late in games when offense matters?

5. National reporters have reported dissension yet you bury your head in the sand and say "there is zero evidence."

I am still, after 50 pages, waiting for something GOOD Tony LaRussa has done for this team.

He's managed them into first place, despite missing 2 of his most valuable players.  The Sox are winning, and will keep winning.  

As I wrote above, it's not been perfect, and he would likely give himself a middling grade so far, but I think you can chalk most of that up to being a new manager for this team, and being out of the dugout for more than a decade.  I expect we'll see Tony sharpen his game just like the players do as the season goes on.  

 

[greg775]

4 hours ago, "The Kids Can Play" said:

Your comment that if they lost last night to the Twins they would go to a D, is just plain stupid. For you to be so harsh on the Sox, makes me think you are either a Cubs fan and Sox hater and on this forum as a Troll, or the biggest wack job contrarian! LOL! ?

Hey Kids, that was a joke about how if the Sox lost to the Twins the board reaction and grade from many posters would be a D. That's what I was trying to say. People get pretty upset on here when Sox lose a game, at least in the game threads. It was a joke.

I gave the team a B entering last night's game and wouldn't have changed the grade lower had the Sox lost. Sorry for the confusion. I thought I made it pretty clear I am happy with what's going on and I gave Tony a B and the team a B at this early juncture. You just misunderstood my joke or I didn't write it well enough; I'm not trying to be "harsh" on the Sox. I like Tony (cept for his personal transgression) and I like the team. I'm not some hater of the club. Relax and read my last 20 or so posts; I'm not a hater of the Sox, not at all. My grade obviously could change week to week.

Look at KC. The Royals were getting A plus marks from everybody in KC and Matheny as well. Now? C at best; likely C minus to D. Stuff changes.

Edited May 12, 2021 by greg775

["The Kids Can Play"]

2 minutes ago, greg775 said:

Hey Kids, that was a joke about how if the Sox lost to the Twins the board reaction from many would make it seem like the team is a D.

That's what I was trying to say. People get pretty upset on here when Sox lose a game, at least in the game threads.

I gave the team a B entering last night's game and wouldn't have changed the grade lower had the Sox lost. Sorry for the confusion. I thought I made it pretty clear I am happy with what's going on and I gave Tony a B and the team a B at this early juncture. You just misunderstood my joke or I didn't write it well enough; I'm not trying to be "harsh" on the Sox. I like Tony (cept for his personal transgression) and I like the team. I'm not some hater of the club. Relax and read my last 20 or so posts; I'm not a hater of the Sox, not at all. My grade obviously could change week to week.

Look at KC. The Royals were getting A plus marks from everybody in KC and Matheny as well. Now? C at best; likely C minus to D. Stuff changes.

Whether you were joking or not is irrelevant. The Sox after 33 games are not a B team. You cant lead MLB in so many categories as they do and have anything but an A. Where they will be at 60 games, 120 games or 162 is not the argument here...that's for a future debate. It's based on today only. Things do change but just like with standings, power rankings, it's week to week...and right now we are an A team. 

 

 

[greg775]

4 minutes ago, "The Kids Can Play" said:

Whether you were joking or not is irrelevant. The Sox after 33 games are not a B team. You cant lead MLB in so many categories as they do and have anything but an A. Where they will be at 60 games, 120 games or 162 is not the argument here...that's for a future debate. It's based on today only. Things do change but just like with standings, power rankings, it's week to week...and right now we are an A team. 

 

 

Fine. B to me is a good grade. If you are that furious I can switch it to A.

["The Kids Can Play"]

10 minutes ago, greg775 said:

Fine. B to me is a good grade. If you are that furious I can switch it to A.

Don't do it for me. I'm just telling you that your standards and criticism is too harsh. If you seriously think this team is only a B, then you are missing out on the fun of this potential magical season. We haven't had this great of a team in 16 years. Until it goes wrong I'm all in and giving them the credit they deserve through 33 games.

It still cracks me up you think the Sox are only a B, but TLR gets a B grade. Btw, B is good grade, but Rick Hahn is not trying to build a B team! lol