A little "D" Please?

[Pants Rowland]

I hate second guessing managers during the course of the season, but I have to ask...What Ozzie was thinking in the 8th inning today?

 

It was a smart move to keep BA out of the lineup today for several reasons. However, with a 2 run lead and 2 innings to go, I was baffled that Mackowiak was still in center field that late in the game with a decent lead. It was bad enough that he left Cotts in for two batters too many but I do believe the Sox still could have gotten out of the jam with a one run lead if they had their best defense out their in crunch time. Mackowiak did not stand a chance to catch Barrett's eventual triple.

 

If they keep putting BA's struggling bat in the regular line-up because of his stellar defense, shouldn't he definitely be in there late in a tight game to help hold the lead?

[Gregory Pratt]

Personally, I thought Contreras should've been left in.

[MHizzle85]

Personally, I thought Contreras should've been left in.

 

so do i...i wouldnt of taken him out until the 9th and then let bad bobby get the save

[Rowand44]

I hate second guessing managers during the course of the season, but I have to ask...What Ozzie was thinking in the 8th inning today?

 

It was a smart move to keep BA out of the lineup today for several reasons. However, with a 2 run lead and 2 innings to go, I was baffled that Mackowiak was still in center field that late in the game with a decent lead. It was bad enough that he left Cotts in for two batters too many but I do believe the Sox still could have gotten out of the jam with a one run lead if they had their best defense out their in crunch time. Mackowiak did not stand a chance to catch Barrett's eventual triple.

 

If they keep putting BA's struggling bat in the regular line-up because of his stellar defense, shouldn't he definitely be in there late in a tight game to help hold the lead?

Mack actually got a really good jump on that ball, I don't think Brian would have got to it either.

 

As far as leaving Neal in too long, I disagree. I usually don't agree with what Ozzie does with the pen but Neal is our best reliever and can get lefties and righties out, the 8th should be his imo, lefty or righty. He just completely imploded after the error, that's all on him.

 

Personally, I thought Contreras should've been left in.

Ozzie wasn't going to let JC get the L, that's how Ozzie manages.

[SoxAce]

Count was on what 95+ pitches maybe over 100? He was just off the DL I don't want him aggravating his hip/back/whatever it was. We need him in the long run. I only question why Pollite wasn't in to face Barrett (which Ozzie also said later) Other than that, you can't blame what happen. And Cotts DID get the job done but just a misplay by Uribe opened the flood gates. That's baseball.

[greasywheels121]

Mack actually got a really good jump on that ball, I don't think Brian would have got to it either.

 

As far as leaving Neal in too long, I disagree. I usually don't agree with what Ozzie does with the pen but Neal is our best reliever and can get lefties and righties out, the 8th should be his imo, lefty or righty. He just completely imploded after the error, that's all on him.

 

Ozzie wasn't going to let JC get the L, that's how Ozzie manages.

 

Yeah, people can't complain that Cotts was the one brought in or anything. It seems people are always complaining that Ozzie never uses Cotts at all or long enough, and now that he does, they say he shouldn't have.

 

And JC needed to go out when he did. He was around 100, and though he showed no signs of the injury hurting him again, there's no reason to push him that far after not starting since the beginning of the month.

[SoxAce]

Mack actually got a really good jump on that ball, I don't think Brian would have got to it either.

 

Agreed 100%. BA is better defensively, but seeing how that ball was slicing in that replay, no way BA would had gotten it, he would have just made it a closer play.

[YASNY]

Mack actually got a really good jump on that ball, I don't think Brian would have got to it either.

 

As far as leaving Neal in too long, I disagree. I usually don't agree with what Ozzie does with the pen but Neal is our best reliever and can get lefties and righties out, the 8th should be his imo, lefty or righty. He just completely imploded after the error, that's all on him.

Ozzie wasn't going to let JC get the L, that's how Ozzie manages.

 

Take another look at that play. Mack underestimated the length of the drive and had to adjust his route to the ball, which prevented him from getting there. Anderson puts it in his hip pocket.

[SoxAce]

Take another look at that play. Mack underestimated the length of the drive and had to adjust his route to the ball, which prevented him from getting there. Anderson puts it in his hip pocket.

 

He wouldn't have gotten there Yas, I've looked at it plenty of times myself. He probably would had made it closer, maybe even knock the ball down to prevent another runner from going into scoring position, but he wouldn't have made that play.

[fathom]

Take another look at that play. Mack underestimated the length of the drive and had to adjust his route to the ball, which prevented him from getting there. Anderson puts it in his hip pocket.

 

That ball was slicing a lot. Barrett actually hits a lot of balls to the right center alley. Mackowiak should have been playing deeper than he was....but that's about 5th on the list of what went wrong in that inning. And what's this s*** about Politte coming in to face Barrett? That should have been Jenks.

[Rowand44]

Take another look at that play. Mack underestimated the length of the drive and had to adjust his route to the ball, which prevented him from getting there. Anderson puts it in his hip pocket.

eh, I'll take your word for it. I was on the complete opposite side of the field high in the UD. From my point of view it looked like he got a pretty good job, but I'll believe you cause it is hard to judge the depth of a ball from high in the UD.

[bmags]

if we are gonna complain about D, we should complain about the Botched perfect double play ball we had where we would've gone into the ninth with a 4-2 lead.

[YASNY]

He wouldn't have gotten there Yas, I've looked at it plenty of times myself. He probably would had made it closer, maybe even knock the ball down to prevent another runner from going into scoring position, but he wouldn't have made that play.

 

Eh, I disagree but I guess differences of opinions are what keeps message boards going.

[Pants Rowland]

So we all agree, the inning sucked on many levels.

 

 

I was not surprised by Ozzie pulling Contreras. Jose may have gotten out of the jam but he put in a good day's work considering he had missed 2 or 3 starts. No reason to risk him getting the loss or worse, aggravating his condition.

 

I will trust those who say Mack got a good jump, but I still think you have to have your top defense out there in those situations. Anderson also gets such a good read off the crack of the bat that his jumps look more effortless. Anyway, it is over now.

 

I was surprised as all hell that Cotts stayed in to face Barrett. Also couldn't agree more that the guy we needed was not Politte, but Jenks. I don't care if it is the Cubs or the Rays, when you have a victory in your grasp, don't f*** around. Jenks had not pitched in several days. There was no excuse not to bring him in once Uribe botched the double play.

[Rowand44]

I will trust those who say Mack got a good jump

Thinking back on it, I think a good way to put it is: that mack got a good jump put took a bad angle. BA might have got there but who knows.

[greg775]

Cotts may have stunk after the fact but he's out of the inning obviously if Juan

doesn't blow that easy d.p. relay.

It is alarming the meat Cotts threw up there after the error, but technically that inning is

over, then it's Jenks time.

[Rowand44]

Cotts may have stunk after the fact but he's out of the inning obviously if Juan

doesn't blow that easy d.p. relay.

It is alarming the meat Cotts threw up there after the error, but technically that inning is

over, then it's Jenks time.

Correct BUT that doesn't get Neal off the hook. You have to pitch over errors because they're apart of baseball. He didn't today and that's going to happen but this game is as much on him as it's on Juan, if not more.

[Rowand44]

Game is on Cotts, sorry. I understand Uribe made a bad throw, but after that play, I swore when I looked at the scoreboard in my seat it said 4-3 Sox.

 

Cotts said after the game he made two horrible pitches to Barrett and Jones, and thats what happens sometimes. Cotts will be fine, and I dont think this one goes on Oz. Cotts sucked. He knows, I know it, you know.

 

Will get Oakland.

Juan deserves some blame but yes... I definitely agree with you. Neal still had the lead and he got hit, there still isn't anyone else in that situation I would have rather had in then Neal and that includes Bobby. Like you said, we lost this game and we just have to move on.

[SoxAce]

The only person that I feel sorry for the most is Count. He was charged with 4 earned and we all know that he pitched WAY better than his final stats indicate. Of course that's how baseball is and I will continue to love this game.

[Rowand44]

The only person that I feel sorry for the most is Count. He was charged with 4 earned and we all know that he pitched WAY better than his final stats indicate. Of course that's how baseball is and I will continue to love this game.

His era skyrocked after that horrendous performance.

Edited May 22, 2006 by Rowand44

[SoxAce]

His era skyrocked after that horrendous performance.

 

Up to an awful 1.90.

[CWSGuy406]

I was amazed that Mackowiak didn't get to that ball. After seeing a replay, it looked like he was shading Barrett to right-center and still didn't get there. I'm with Yas -- if Anderson is out there, he puts that one in his back pocket, no problem.

 

Really can't put a whole lot on Ozzie, other than not having BA in in the 8th. We put our best reliever out there and he didn't get the job done.

[tealeafreaderii]

I haven't seen many games where Mack was in the field... but until today, did we know he was a defensive liability?

[Heads22]

I haven't seen many games where Mack was in the field... but until today, did we know he was a defensive liability?

 

 

He's not Ozuna in the outfield, but Anderson is one of the top CF in the AL.

[Wanne]

I agree with YASNY...Mack took a horrible angle on the ball on his initial jump and could never recover from it. With that being said though. Juan's throw was the killer...but I still would have liked to have seen Count stay in for one more inning and bring in Jenks (who didn't touch the ball this weekend) in the 9th. Terrible move by Oz.