Don't fret when the Sox don't sweep

[JUGGERNAUT]

Something dawned on me this past weekend in reading Ozzie's comments & looking over his mass-substitutions. All he cares about is winning series. I can't really blame him.

 

The Sox are 4 gm's up on the Twins. +5W, -3L. That scares some Sox fans.

Ozzie could care less. Once his team has won a series all he cares about is getting guys playing time. That's the luxury winning teams can afford themselves.

 

If the Sox win tonight don't be surprised if he does it again. Over the course of a full season it's probably the smart thing to do. Give everyone as much playing time as you possibly can to sharpen their skills so they are ready to play in the event of an injury to a starter.

 

It could be the difference between winning & losing when that killer Aug comes along. Even though we want the sweeps & we get angry when we let them get away in the big picture they don't mean a heck of lot.

 

Which would you rather have? An 8 gm lead on the Twins now with little playing time for your bench or a 4 gm lead where even your backup C Widger has seen action in about a 3rd of the games?

 

It's been said I think in another thread but there is comfort in knowing that even despite Ozzie's mass-substitution days the difference between winning & losing on most of those days has been bonehead mistakes. The Sox didn't get beat as much as they beat themselves.

[retro1983hat]

It's a good point. I just want this team to go for the kill when it has the chance.

But Ozzie doesn't always do it.

In Game 3 at Wrigley, he did put his best line up out there behind BMac. Hopefully our B team can get a sweep soon.

[sayitaintso]

It's a good point. I just want this team to go for the kill when it has the chance.

But Ozzie doesn't always do it.

In Game 3 at Wrigley, he did put his best line up out there behind BMac. Hopefully our B team can get a sweep soon.

We could possibly get a sweep this seris with the B team playing the last game against the Rockies.

[mreye]

Something dawned on me this past weekend in reading Ozzie's comments & looking over his mass-substitutions.  All he cares about is winning series.  I can't really blame him. 

 

The Sox are  4 gm's up on the Twins.  +5W, -3L. That scares some Sox fans.

Ozzie could care less.  Once his team has won a series all he cares about is getting guys playing time.  That's the luxury winning teams can afford themselves.

 

If the Sox win tonight don't be surprised if he does it again.  Over the course of a full season it's probably the smart thing to do.  Give everyone as much playing time as you possibly can to sharpen their skills so they are ready to play in the event of an injury to a starter.

 

It could be the difference between winning & losing when that killer Aug comes along. Even though we want the sweeps & we get angry when we let them get away in the big picture they don't mean a heck of lot.

 

Which would you rather have?  An 8 gm lead on the Twins now with little playing time for your bench or a 4 gm lead where even your backup C Widger has seen action in about a 3rd of the games? 

 

It's been said I think in another thread but there is comfort in knowing that even despite Ozzie's mass-substitution days the difference between winning & losing on most of those days has been bonehead mistakes. The Sox didn't get beat as much as they beat themselves.

Great post, Jug! While, I'd like to see some more sweeps, I have to agree with you. Come August, September and even October , we're going to need the bench - BIG time!

[southsider2k5]

It's a good point. I just want this team to go for the kill when it has the chance.

But Ozzie doesn't always do it.

In Game 3 at Wrigley, he did put his best line up out there behind BMac. Hopefully our B team can get a sweep soon.

 

The point is then you get to September and fold because your starters are burned out, and your bench is rusty. Samething goes for the pen.

[SnB]

good post jugs.

 

a positive thread about this and you make a very good point.

[Controlled Chaos]

Great post jugs. I agree. My only hope is that Timo gets sent down so when we play the bench guys they actually play like professional baseball players.

[tonyho7476]

yeah, but do we need to do mass substitutions every time? How about 1 at a time. Or get Ozuna 2 days in the lineup, by resting Crede, then Uribe....substitutions along those lines. I don't need to see Timo, Willie, and Pablo all on the same day...space the s*** out!

[AirScott]

it's a great point/post, and smart thinking from Ozzie. if we can keep winning 2 of 3 in every series and everyone's still relatively fresh come September and October, it will help us in the 1st round, especially if that team had to make a late push.

[greasywheels121]

Yeah, excellent point made Juggs. I know we all get upset that we're not sweeping that many, but 2 out of 3 is never bad. If we just continue to win series', we'll be in great, great shape.

[DABearSoX]

Good post, I would have to agree though....I don think Timo will be refining his skills anytime soon

[GoodAsGould]

good thing is we face Francis on the 3rd game and he has a curve thats really tough on lefties... so no Timo and Willie for sure... but might see Pablo for Pods.

[kapkomet]

Good call, Juggs!

 

I've been trying to say that too intermixed in game threads and what not, I just have not put it as well as you did.

[Wedge]

I believe this is something that Ozzie learned from Cox. He understands that as important as it is to win early in the season, that typically the team with the healthiest roster and specifically the healthiest bullpen down the stretch will tend to run away with things.

 

Ozzie treats his roster in the same way he would a Little League team: he plays everybody. This gives the everyday players a break and valuable at-bats for the bench.

 

I think my dad said it best that it seems like Ozzie has a role in mind for each of his players.

[southsider2k5]

I believe this is something that Ozzie learned from Cox.  He understands that as important as it is to win early in the season, that typically the team with the healthiest roster and specifically the healthiest bullpen down the stretch will tend to run away with things.

 

Ozzie treats his roster in the same way he would a Little League team: he plays everybody.  This gives the everyday players a break and valuable at-bats for the bench.

 

I think my dad said it best that it seems like Ozzie has a role in mind for each of his players.

 

I would take that last thought, and take if forward a step. He also likes to see what potential roles they could fill if needed. I think a great example of that has been Neal Cotts over the past 10 days or so. Ozzie has basically been using him as a set up man, instead of middle relief, or against lefties. Right now he could be discovering that Cotts can handle being a set up man, whereas if he played it by the book, he would have been using Marte or Politte in those roles. Now he might have a new weapon for the late innings, that he would have never known about if he didn't experiment.

[GoodAsGould]

yeah i dont mind the 3 game madness as long as we win the 1st 2 and Timo isnt playing 1B :puke

[SoIL]

Nice post. It's funny I've been thinking the same thing the last few days. Ozzie certainly seems to have the big picture in mind. Even with letting B-Mac get hit hard by the Rangers, I think Oz was looking at the big picture. It may be real good in the long run to let him know what it feels like to get pounded. Maybe showing the kid that the Majors ain't so easy and there will be days when you get your jock handed to you.

I get upset with some of Ozzies moves, but the results so far have been great. If we can play all these guys, sometimes out of position, and still have the best record in baseball, then I ain't gonna complain. Well, maybe a little.

[sox-r-us]

Nothing wrong with playing the bench, but do it one player at a time....not all in one game

Edited June 7, 2005 by sox-r-us

[Yossarian]

This team isn't good enough to go half assed in the third game of a series just because they won the first two. I believe Leo Durocher was right when he said you manage to win each game, one at a time.

[SnB]

This team isn't good enough to go half assed in the third game of a series just because they won the first two. I believe Leo Durocher was right when he said you manage to win each game, one at a time.

you don't win the first 2 games of each series by "not being good enough"

[jerseysox]

Which would you rather have?  An 8 gm lead on the Twins now with little playing time for your bench or a 4 gm lead where even your backup C Widger has seen action in about a 3rd of the games? 

 

are you drunk? do you really think chris widger's playing time is more important than having an eight-game lead in june? i'm pretty sure the yankees of the late '90s weren't winning titles because they got luis sojo steady at-bats.

[southsider2k5]

are you drunk? do you really think chris widger's playing time is more important than having an eight-game lead in june? i'm pretty sure the yankees of the late '90s weren't winning titles because they got luis sojo steady at-bats.

 

When the Sox fall apart in August because guys like AJ hit the fall, you would feel differently.

[3E8]

I don't get pissed that we aren't getting "the sweep". Well I am, but it is because Ozzie feels comfortable if we can't win the third game, and if we win 2 out of 3, that's all we can do. I hate that mentallity.

 

In the past few weeks I've changed my mind and now feel that looking at everything in terms of series won and lost isn't helpful. A team with a 4-2 series record could have an overall record of 8-12 while a team with a 2-4 series record could have an overall record of 12-8. We shouldn't discredit our series record completely but just not stress them so much. Let's just worry about individual games instead.

 

Does anyone here think we are going to run away with this division? I don't. It is concievable that our postseason hopes could lie in the balance of a 1 or 2 game separation. I really wouldn't want Ozzie's "2 outta 3 is good enough for me!" attitude to come back to bite us in the ass there.

 

I'd rather make it to the postseason with tired starters than miss the playoffs with everyone well rested.

[Balta1701]

Let's just remember one of the biggest reasons why Ozzie is the manager in the first place...the "2 out of 3 ain't bad" mentality in September 2003 against the Yankees.

 

After an off day...we had Mark Buehrle on 4 days rest and ready to go, and instead, we pitched a Rookie in Yankee Stadium after winning 2 games. The rookie got shelled. I still think our stumble out of the pennant race started with that game.

 

I can't complain about saving people and getting the subs some time this early in the season. Hell, I wouldn't complain if we put El Duque back on the DL for another 15 games here at the end of June just so he gets some extra rest.

 

But when August and September hit...there can be NO more screwing around. Our toughest stretch of the season will hit in August...Yankees, Bosox, Twins, Yankees, Twins over 15 games. After that...it hits September and the sprint to the finish.

 

Those series are the ones that you save people for, and that's the time you give it everything you have. Right now...sure, give people some bench time. But if we get a chance to sweep one of those series, and Ozzie plays the bench....that's when we should mutiny.

[southsider2k5]

Let's just remember one of the biggest reasons why Ozzie is the manager in the first place...the "2 out of 3 ain't bad" mentality in September 2003 against the Yankees.

 

After an off day...we had Mark Buehrle on 4 days rest and ready to go, and instead, we pitched a Rookie in Yankee Stadium after winning 2 games.  The rookie got shelled.  I still think our stumble out of the pennant race started with that game.

 

I can't complain about saving people and getting the subs some time this early in the season.  Hell, I wouldn't complain if we put El Duque back on the DL for another 15 games here at the end of June just so he gets some extra rest.

 

But when August and September hit...there can be NO more screwing around.  Our toughest stretch of the season will hit in August...Yankees, Bosox, Twins, Yankees, Twins over 15 games.  After that...it hits September and the sprint to the finish.

 

Those series are the ones that you save people for, and that's the time you give it everything you have.  Right now...sure, give people some bench time.  But if we get a chance to sweep one of those series, and Ozzie plays the bench....that's when we should mutiny.

 

If the Twins are within 10 games in August, it won't happen. That is why you rest these guys now, so they are ready for the stretch run. 162 games is a long, long season.