Play Ozzie for a week

[Gene Honda Civic]

I can give you his 2003-2005 splits.

By Breakdown AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB HBP SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

vs. Left 165 17 38 3 5 1 17 7 2 38 0 1 .230 .269 .327 .596

vs. Right 963 125 256 44 8 31 135 101 11 229 27 7 .266 .340 .425 .765

Up to the second (career) rate stats

 

LHP -- .237/.295/.356

RHP -- .267/.340/.423

[Milkman delivers]

I think these numbers could justify a platoon situation for next year. Podsednik has lost a step or two since the first half of last year. His stealing percentage for stealing second base since the first half of last year is horrendous. I would bet that Mac is faster to first base than is pods and is faster to second. Pod's infield outs are not even close. He seems to have trouble getting started from a stopped position. I have to believe that Mac is a better fielder than Pods but how much better I don't know. Your thoughts and corrections if any

 

I only want Mackowiak to take Pods' spot for this year. I certainly don't want to go into 2007 with either of them as our starting LFer.

[Balta1701]

I think these numbers could justify a platoon situation for next year. Podsednik has lost a step or two since the first half of last year. His stealing percentage for stealing second base since the first half of last year is horrendous. I would bet that Mac is faster to first base than is pods and is faster to second. Pod's infield outs are not even close. He seems to have trouble getting started from a stopped position. I have to believe that Mac is a better fielder than Pods but how much better I don't know. Your thoughts and corrections if any

How exactly do you run a platoon with 2 lefties?

[BobDylan]

I'd just sit and beach about how the players on the field aren't doing what is expected of them.

 

Mack in LF ain't going to get it done.

Pulling Vaz after 5 ain't going to get it done.

Benching Uribe ain't going to get it done.

 

The solution is pretty damn simple if you ask me and it doesn't involve any on field changes. It involves the players on the field doing what they're supposed to do.

[Milkman delivers]

I'd just sit and beach about how the players on the field aren't doing what is expected of them.

 

Mack in LF ain't going to get it done.

Pulling Vaz after 5 ain't going to get it done.

Benching Uribe ain't going to get it done.

 

The solution is pretty damn simple if you ask me and it doesn't involve any on field changes. It involves the players on the field doing what they're supposed to do.

 

Why won't either of these two "get it done" for us?

 

Pods plays almost exclusively against righties right now, and Mackowiak is tearing righties apart. Why would having a guy batting over .300 with a .400 OBP against righties leading off for us not get it done?

 

And how is leaving Vazquez in there to inevitably give up a bunch of runs in the 6th any good for us? McCarthy is on this team for a reason, and that's to be the guy to go a few innings.

[BobDylan]

Why won't either of these two "get it done" for us?

 

Pods plays almost exclusively against righties right now, and Mackowiak is tearing righties apart. Why would having a guy batting over .300 with a .400 OBP against righties leading off for us not get it done?

 

And how is leaving Vazquez in there to inevitably give up a bunch of runs in the 6th any good for us? McCarthy is on this team for a reason, and that's to be the guy to go a few innings.

 

Because Podsednik and Vazquez are on this team to do something they haven't done. Mackowiak is a good bench player, a below average starter (face it) and Vazquez is getting paid 11 million dollars to pitch like spiff. Call it a bad move on Kenny's part, but alike Kenny, I sink with the ship I have.

 

The guys on the bench are good bench players, they add incredible depth to the team, but when the front line plays the way they're playing, it doesn't much matter.

 

The fact is the Sox need a surge of energy and while they close in on the end of the season it should be pretty apparant that it's not going to come from the current roster. Maybe they can flick a switch on (I hope they can), but I really can't believe making a few changes with players on the current roster is going to make any difference.

 

Make all the line-up changes you want...Scott Podesnik is not the problem to this team. Nor is Javier Vazquez. It's the whole damned team.

[WCSox]

(1) Yank Javy after 80 pitches and insert B-Mac

 

(2) Demote Gload to AAA (Mack can sub for Paulie) and bring up Tracey

 

(3) Bench Pods in the 8th inning and insert Mack whenever we have a lead

[fathom]

NEVER, EVER PLAY MACKOWIAK IN CF AGAIN. If you want to get him playing time, bench Mr. Podsednik.

[Milkman delivers]

Because Podsednik and Vazquez are on this team to do something they haven't done. Mackowiak is a good bench player, a below average starter (face it) and Vazquez is getting paid 11 million dollars to pitch like spiff. Call it a bad move on Kenny's part, but alike Kenny, I sink with the ship I have.

 

The guys on the bench are good bench players, they add incredible depth to the team, but when the front line plays the way they're playing, it doesn't much matter.

 

The fact is the Sox need a surge of energy and while they close in on the end of the season it should be pretty apparant that it's not going to come from the current roster. Maybe they can flick a switch on (I hope they can), but I really can't believe making a few changes with players on the current roster is going to make any difference.

 

Make all the line-up changes you want...Scott Podesnik is not the problem to this team. Nor is Javier Vazquez. It's the whole damned team.

 

Because Podsednik and Vazquez are on this team to do something they haven't done.

 

So we should just stick with what's not working because it's the status quo?

 

Mackowiak is a good bench player, a below average starter (face it)

 

Why should I face this? Mackowiak has played in 79 games now. He's killing RH pitching this year, and Pods plays mainly against righties. But we shouldn't give him a chance to continue this because "he's never been a starter before?"

 

I sink with the ship I have.

 

Why? We may have exactly what we need right on our roster. McCarthy is supposed to pitch multiple innings. Why can't he relieve Vazquez early a few times? Is it because that's not how other teams do it?

 

Scott Podesnik is not the problem to this team. Nor is Javier Vazquez. It's the whole damned team.

 

They're not the problem, but they sure as hell are problems. But we shouldn't try to fix them just because it wouldn't solve every problem we have.

[BobDylan]

They're not the problem, but they sure as hell are problems. But we shouldn't try to fix them just because it wouldn't solve every problem we have.

 

I'm saying Rob Mackowiak isn't the answer.

[Milkman delivers]

I'm saying Rob Mackowiak isn't the answer.

 

I'm saying he's the answer to our problem in LF.

[Balta1701]

So, does anyone think the 0/4 with 3 k's by Mack today might cut into his playing time? (I hope I hope I Hope)

[BobDylan]

I'm saying he's the answer to our problem in LF.

 

You're pushing the idea like it's the bridge to 30 wins in a row.

[Milkman delivers]

You're pushing the idea like it's the bridge to 30 wins in a row.

 

I never said it would help us win 30 games, but it may win us a few more games this year, IMO. And as I've said a million times, we're in an extremely tight race and we're going to need every win that we can get.

[mrdj]

1. stop making it a hard and fast rule that the starters have to throw 100 pitches in every start, especially javier vazquez. i'd tighten the leash just a bit on the starters.

 

2. use matt thornton a little less in close games.

 

3. use alex cintron a little more too, mostly in place of uribe. especially tonight against a guy like halladay who has wicked breaking stuff. uribe is helpless against a guy like that, and cintron wouldn't be an automatic out like uribe tends to be at times.

[BobDylan]

2. use matt thornton a little less in close games.

 

And use Cotts more?

 

[YASNY]

I think I could help us more by playing Jim Leyland for a week

[Jake]

2. use matt thornton a little less in close games.

 

I feel the exact opposite way about him. I actually wouldn't mind seeing him close out some ballgames. He had one bad night the other night, but he is in the upper echelon in set-up men. As is MacDougal, when healthy. We have 3 legitimate closers on this team, and if Bobby continues to struggle we have two good options.

[Milkman delivers]

I feel the exact opposite way about him. I actually wouldn't mind seeing him close out some ballgames. He had one bad night the other night, but he is in the upper echelon in set-up men. As is MacDougal, when healthy. We have 3 legitimate closers on this team, and if Bobby continues to struggle we have two good options.

 

^^^^

 

And isn't it weird that we didn't have either of our set-up men at the beginning of the year (ST, that is)?

[RockRaines]

^^^^

 

And isn't it weird that we didn't have either of our set-up men at the beginning of the year (ST, that is)?

Its a tribute to KW's talents as a GM.

[3E8]

(2) Demote Gload to AAA (Mack can sub for Paulie) and bring up Tracey

Isn't Gload out of options?

[stretchstretch]

Make all the line-up changes you want...Scott Podesnik is not the problem to this team. Nor is Javier Vazquez. It's the whole damned team.

 

This is the accurate 10,000 foot view, all the tactical changes in the world boil down to a team that is just not really fighting or believing, sometimes the chemistry just comes together and plows through all obstacles, like we did last year, and so far Detroit is doing this year (note their 7 run comeback in the last 4 innings last night, and note the swagger on Craig Monroe after his homerun, and the screaming face of Pudge as he scored, and the elation in the crowd after--both things we saw a whole bunch of last season). I can't remember the last time I saw that fist pumping celebration at the plate or in the dugout, or swagger on the field w/ this clubhouse---I just see a group of guys who don't seem incredibily connected, gelled, bonded, or whatever words you choose to use--last year we "felt" like something special, this year we feel just like another team with talent.....and if talent is the metric, then we've got our hands full trying to with the WC against NY, BOS or MN

 

Remember Thome's first HR in the rain against Cleveland, or Iguchi's 9th inning GS against Houston, or Cintron's 3run jack in the 8th? We need some moments like this to bring this team a little bit closer, and with chemistry and bonding great things happen

[VAfan]

Crede is hitting .299 this year and is a lifetime .263 hitter.

 

Pierzynski is hitting .320 this year and is a lifetime .291 hitter.

 

And in this case, stats aren't lying.

 

You're kidding, right? Batting average is the most worthless offensive stat in baseball. C'mon. You may have it in for me, but I would have given you more credit than to put up this nonsense.

 

By every measure of true offensive value, Crede has emerged as a vastly better offensive player than AJ Pierzynski. Crede's one main weakness is his walk totals are PATHETIC. But AJ's totals are not worth writing home about.

[shoota]

If you were Ozzie right now, what 3 things would you do to try to spark the team on an August-September run? This is what I would do.

 

If I were Ozzie for a week, I'd fire myself and hire Tom Kelly. With a good manager making the decisions, winning baseball would then just fall into place.

[Guest JimH]

You're kidding, right? Batting average is the most worthless offensive stat in baseball. C'mon. You may have it in for me, but I would have given you more credit than to put up this nonsense.

 

By every measure of true offensive value, Crede has emerged as a vastly better offensive player than AJ Pierzynski. Crede's one main weakness is his walk totals are PATHETIC. But AJ's totals are not worth writing home about.

 

No, YOU'RE kidding, right? And quit whining about me having it in for you. Grow a thicker skin already, you're pushing 50.

 

By every measure of true offensive value? Hah.

 

You really need to learn the game, some of the crap you spew is beyond laughable. A .291 lifetime hitter vs. a .263 lifetime hitter and you say the .263 hitter is a "far better hitter"? Wake up.