Not to sound too critical

[letsgoarow]

this game should of been over

[Felix]

this game should of been over

Its the top of the 9th. There is no possible way that the game should have been over by now (except a cancellation due to rain etc.).

Edited April 5, 2006 by Felix

[Rowand44]

Its the top of the 9th.  There is no possible way that the game should have been over by now (except a cancellation due to rain).

[sox-r-us]

Ok by now this game should have been over

[sox-r-us]

Oh well at least now it probably is over ..... sorry Ozzie, but I blame you for this loss. if we do land up losing....there was no need ....none whatsoever to not finish these guys off when we could have with McCarthy followed by Jenks

Edited April 5, 2006 by sox-r-us

[RockRaines]

Sorry if I am coming across as bashing. What is the point of burning through your pen by sitting McCarthy after one great inning with their best hitters coming up?

 

Makes no freaking sense, especially with your worst bull pen pitcher.

Hafner hits alot of homeruns off of alot of great pitchers. Its going to happen sometimes, get over it.

[Harry&JimmyRocked]

FIRE OZZIE!!!!!

 

I think Ozzie is gonna catch JerryManuelitis....TINKER TINKER TINKER

[sox-r-us]

Hafner hits alot of homeruns off of alot of great pitchers.  Its going to happen sometimes, get over it.

 

Wow.....great analysis there. I guess then every time we have a great hitter at the plate, we should just let him walk and steal bases back to home.....why even bother responding with your best pitchers? Hey, we got our ring, so who cares now right?

 

:rolly

[sox-r-us]

I think Ozzie is gonna catch JerryManuelitis....TINKER TINKER TINKER

 

He had a lot of JerryMaunelitis last year.....did you see his game 3 throw-away lineups? Or the need to play Timo a 1st over Gload?

[Harry&JimmyRocked]

He had a lot of JerryMaunelitis last year.....did you see his game 3 throw-away lineups? Or the need to play Timo a 1st over Gload?

 

i did see it last year. he had the early stages. this year with his "added depth" he's gonna have a full blown case and give up solid defense and the all important (as everyone seems to be saying) team rhythm, to make himself feel smarter than everyone else

[SSH2005]

IMO, Ozzie's bigger mistake was taking the bat out of Thome's hands. With no outs, Iguchi sac bunted Podsednik to second base with Thome due up. I doubt Iguchi was bunting on his own. Wedge just IBB'ed Thome to get to Konerko and Paulie predictably grounded into the DP. You could just see it happening. Dusty Baker made the same mistake with Derrek Lee last season. You don't take the bat out of your best and hottest hitter's hands, especially not for a struggling hitter (Konerko).

Edited April 5, 2006 by SSH2005

[Rowand44]

  I doubt Iguchi was bunting on his own. 

I'd like to hear why.

[SSH2005]

I'd like to hear why.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A couple of factors -- Ozzie has shown in the past that he likes bunting a runner to 2nd to get the runner in scoring position with 1 out. Also, maybe Podsednik's groin is still bothering him so Ozzie didn't want him straight stealing 2nd base. I'd like to hear why you think Iguchi was bunting for a hit by himself without Ozzie's sign? Sure seemed like a designed play to me.

Edited April 5, 2006 by SSH2005

[Rowand44]

A couple of factors -- Ozzie has shown before that he likes bunting a runner to 2nd to get the runner in scoring position with 1 out.  Also, maybe Podsednik's groin is still bothering him so Ozzie didn't want him straight stealing 2nd base.  I'd like to hear why you think Iguchi was bunting for a hit by himself without Ozzie's sign?  Sure seemed like a designed play to me.

Because Ozzie did not call basically any bunt and runs last year. Pods was off stealing and got a huge jump, if it was a bunt and run he probably wouldn't have had that big of a jump. I'm starting to believe more and more it was gooch on his own though we won't know unless ozzie tells us.

[fathom]

I'm fairly confident it was a designed bunt. That seems like Ozzie's way of managing with a dinged up Pods.

[Chisoxfn]

A couple of factors -- Ozzie has shown in the past that he likes bunting a runner to 2nd to get the runner in scoring position with 1 out.  Also, maybe Podsednik's groin is still bothering him so Ozzie didn't want him straight stealing 2nd base.  I'd like to hear why you think Iguchi was bunting for a hit by himself without Ozzie's sign?  Sure seemed like a designed play to me.

Teams rarely have a guy steal when the bunt is on. Thats a damn good way to bunt into a DP cause bunts do get popped up. I highly doubt that was a designed bunt, that was more Guch trying to get a guy over while also trying to get a base hit. He got close too.

[SSH2005]

I'm fairly confident it was a designed bunt.  That seems like Ozzie's way of managing with a dinged up Pods.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly what I was thinking. If so, it was a horrible move. If Iguchi bunted on his own, it's not Ozzie's mistake.

[Balta1701]

I think it was probably a bunt called by Ozzie also, as that's what he did with Pods a lot in Sept. of last year when he couldn't run. Ozzie probably isn't used to having a guy in the 3 hole that people are willing to walk.

 

1 thing I will say; it'll be interesting to hear how the interviews go after this game & later tonight. That'll tell us a lot about how this team reacts to getting beaten this series.

[Flash Tizzle]

1 thing I will say; it'll be interesting to hear how the interviews go after this game & later tonight.  That'll tell us a lot about how this team reacts to getting beaten this series.

Don't expect much emotion. You already know what they'll say: "Pennants aren't won in April," "It's a Marathon, not a sprint," etc. The usual cliches. Not that I would expect anything different, honestly. Whether they won or lost it would have been the same.

[Soxfest]

Logan may be lucky to make 2 weeks up here, Cotts not him should of started 8th inning.

[Harry&JimmyRocked]

Don't expect much emotion. You already know what they'll say: "Pennants aren't won in April," "It's a Marathon, not a sprint," etc. The usual cliches. Not that I would expect anything different, honestly. Whether they won or lost it would have been the same.

 

They'll drop those cliches and the funny thing is that last year THEY DID WIN IT IN APRIL. the games count just as much as the last games of the season. remember that supposed throwaway make up game against boston? spring training and the first series have showed complacency on this team. and that's scary.

[southsider2k5]

He had a lot of JerryMaunelitis last year.....did you see his game 3 throw-away lineups? Or the need to play Timo a 1st over Gload?

 

And this proves my point that you and many, many others, don't get what Ozzie is doing at all.

 

Ozzie does not manage for April. He is managing for October. Ozzie wants to know who has the ability to do what, in specific situations. How do you think Neal Cotts got to be mentioned as a closer canditiate, because he was afraid to use him in the 7th and 8th innings? He had to get from being a middle inning guy to a late inning guy somehow... Those weren't game 3 throw away line ups. Those were ABs to keep the back ups sharp, and the starters rested. I am sure you managed to watch September and October when we toasted everyone in our path right? Since you seemed to have missed the lessons, let me refresh you. Everything Ozzie did turned to gold. Do you want to know why? Because he knew the capabilities and shortfalls of every single player on that team. Do you think we win the World Series with Bobby Jenks as a middle relief guy because Ozzie was afraid to use a rookie in important games in August and September? It would have been Cliff Politte closing according to conventional wisdom, do you really think we win then?

 

I hate to come off as condisending, but look beyond the box scores and Xboxs. Games aren't won on paper.

[Gene Honda Civic]

And this proves my point that you and many, many others,  don't get what Ozzie is doing at all.

 

Ozzie does not manage for April.  He is managing for October.

 

You hurt your chances of playing in October by making stupid ass decisions in April too.

 

I hate to come off as condisending, but look beyond the box scores and Xboxs.  Games aren't won on paper.

They're also not won when you have 21 year old rookie ball pitchers facing the best lefthanded batter in the division. That's not even mentioning the 4 better options Ozzie had in that situation.

[fathom]

You hurt your chances of playing in October by making stupid ass decisions in April too.

They're also not won when you have 21 year old rookie ball pitchers facing the best lefthanded batter in the division. That's not even mentioning the 4 better options Ozzie had in that situation.

 

Stop making sense.

[sox-r-us]

And this proves my point that you and many, many others,  don't get what Ozzie is doing at all.

 

Ozzie does not manage for April.  He is managing for October.  Ozzie wants to know who has the ability to do what, in specific situations.  How do you think Neal Cotts got to be mentioned as a closer canditiate, because he was afraid to use him in the 7th and 8th innings?  He had to get from being a middle inning guy to a late inning guy somehow...  Those weren't game 3 throw away line ups.  Those were ABs to keep the back ups sharp, and the starters rested.  I am sure you managed to watch September and October when we toasted everyone in our path right?  Since you seemed to have missed the lessons, let me refresh you.  Everything Ozzie did turned to gold.  Do you want to know why?  Because he knew the capabilities and shortfalls of every single player on that team.  Do you think we win the World Series with Bobby Jenks as a middle relief guy because Ozzie was afraid to use a rookie in important games in August and September?  It would have been Cliff Politte closing according to conventional wisdom, do you really think we win then?

 

I hate to come off as condisending, but look beyond the box scores and Xboxs.  Games aren't won on paper.

 

I actually understand your point ssk. I just wish he would leave that for when we play the Royals or Tigers rather than when we are facing a hungry, talented team who almost knocked us out of the playoffs last year. Let's not forget that this division and maybe even the playoff chances might again come down to the last week this year......you think a 2 game swing would help then against these pesky Indians?

 

You have a pumped up crowd all series, fresh from the WS win.....this is not the time to feel players out....right now you go for the jugular and kill these guys in our house so that they still feel like they are chasing someone.

 

That is all that bothers me. I agree it is one game, way too early and there is an intangible benefit to doing what Ozzie is doing.