And That's A White Sox Season

[Balta1701]

There is no way Ozzie is gone after this year. However after he botches up next season, he HAS to be gone. If he is our manager in April of 2008, I'll be very disappointed.

Based on that standard...if he is the manager in 2008, that means something went right in 2007.

[whitesoxfan101]

Based on that standard...if he is the manager in 2008, that means something went right in 2007.

 

Which would SHOCK me....however I'll take it if that is the case.

[Balta1701]

Which would SHOCK me....however I'll take it if that is the case.

Honestly, it wouldn't shock me at all. The talent is still there on this team to do something next year exactly as is constructed now, and more importantly, that talent can also be turned into other pieces this offseason.

 

I still think we'd be right in the thick of things, and maybe leading this division, if Anderson was pushing 500 at bats.

[whitesoxfan101]

Honestly, it wouldn't shock me at all. The talent is still there on this team to do something next year exactly as is constructed now, and more importantly, that talent can also be turned into other pieces this offseason.

 

I still think we'd be right in the thick of things, and maybe leading this division, if Anderson was pushing 500 at bats.

 

Anderson will never get 500 at bats with Ozzie here, Minnesota is going to destroy us next year, so we're relying on the Wild Card, Owens is going to be our leadoff man in LF, Garcia will stay since he's family, and everybody will still love Ozzie since he won us a title.

 

Sadly, I'm not kidding either.

[Balta1701]

Anderson will never get 500 at bats with Ozzie here, Minnesota is going to destroy us next year, so we're relying on the Wild Card, Owens is going to be our leadoff man in LF, Garcia will stay since he's family, and everybody will still love Ozzie since he won us a title.

 

Sadly, I'm not kidding either.

I just hope that Kenny Williams is smarter than that.

 

On paper he did everything right last offseason, except maybe for the Vazquez deal. Every single major problem we had with the team at the end of last season he did something to improve. He found us a left-handed power bat, he added significantly to the team OBP, he strengthened the bench, he found a way to put a long-reliever in the bullpen, he added a dominant lefty to the bullpen for a guy we were going to lose anywya, and he added another innings-eater to the starting rotation.

 

The only one of those moves that might have looked bad on paper was the Vazquez move, but at least on some level it was a reasonable gamble if Cooper thought he could turn it around.

 

On some level, I still find it hard to blame KW for the fact that some of his moves blew up in his face. Seriously, how do you predict that Neal Cotts would go from that good to that bad? Or that Ozzie would decide that Rob Mackowiak was a center fielder, and would play Anderson less as he improved later in the season? Or that Buehrle and Garcia were going to flame out?

 

I think, and hope, that KW is smart enough to try to do exactly what he tried to do last year; make a list of the team's problems, and address them one after another.

[whitesoxfan101]

I just hope that Kenny Williams is smarter than that.

 

On paper he did everything right last offseason, except maybe for the Vazquez deal. Every single major problem we had with the team at the end of last season he did something to improve. He found us a left-handed power bat, he added significantly to the team OBP, he strengthened the bench, he found a way to put a long-reliever in the bullpen, he added a dominant lefty to the bullpen for a guy we were going to lose anywya, and he added another innings-eater to the starting rotation.

 

The only one of those moves that might have looked bad on paper was the Vazquez move, but at least on some level it was a reasonable gamble if Cooper thought he could turn it around.

 

On some level, I still find it hard to blame KW for the fact that some of his moves blew up in his face. Seriously, how do you predict that Neal Cotts would go from that good to that bad? Or that Ozzie would decide that Rob Mackowiak was a center fielder, and would play Anderson less as he improved later in the season? Or that Buehrle and Garcia were going to flame out?

 

I think, and hope, that KW is smart enough to try to do exactly what he tried to do last year; make a list of the team's problems, and address them one after another.

 

Anybody who blames Kenny for this season is insane. All he can do is give Ozzie the horses, which he did. He can't control the fact that Ozzie won't use Brian, and will use Pods and Mack, who are HORRIBLE defensively and both inferior to Brian at the plate (well, have been since June, but wake up, it's September). He can't control the fact that Ozzie leaves his starters in the game an inning too long, then is too lefty-right reliant when using the pen, instead of using common sense. He can't control the fact that Ozzie refuses to sit down Uribe, even though he's worse than you are at baseball this year. He can't control Ozzie being more worried about beer in the clubhouse and ripping Frank Thomas than a pennant race. He can't control Ozzie using Boone Logan and Neal Cotts in big spots. He can't even control the fact that Ozzie is a bad manager, but you can't fire him 11 months after winning it all without having the dopey fans go crazy. But what he can control is getting this team better (which he will) this offseason, and dumping Ozzie after 2007 if it goes as badly as 2006 (which wouldn't surprise anybody). I just hope he has the balls to fire this idiot when the time comes in 12 months or so.

[NorthSideSox72]

Here is one thought to consider regarding Ozzie, and some players, for 2007...

 

Some people learn. Ozzie learned - remember his in-game decisions in 2004? They make this season's look like genius. Will he learn about what to do with CF? Maybe. But just as one cannot assume that players (like our SP's) will be just as good from year to year, one cannot assume they will be just as bad either.

 

This can be applied to some players too. People scoff at the idea as a long term solution, but I think looking at Pablo and/or Gload for LF next year might not be a bad idea. Why? Because they both have improved their games markedly, including on defense, despite getting only occasional playing time. Pods on the other hand seems to have shown a number of years of the same trends - and not going in the right direction. The LF situation isn't the only one that shows this either - Vazquez and Contreras have made significant changes this year in their games. Players can get better, even when they aren't rookies.

 

Like any line of business, it is always smart to recruit and hire staff that have shown signs of the ability to learn and adapt - not just having raw talent. Ozzie has done some of that over his short managing career (not in every area, but in some). Let's remember that he had never managed a team before this. So I for one feel like there is at least a chance we'll see a version of Ozzie in 2007 that makes some leaps forward. I'm comfortable giving him that chance, with the positives he already brings to the table.

[Queen Prawn]

and hearing about the dead weight we get rid of in the off-season.

 

I thought he went back to the Blues?

[Harry Chappas]

I am not sure if I have given up or just stopped trying to talk myself into believing they are not done which I thought they were after the second game in Boston.

 

The blown opportunites are amazing. From this trip some things thet typify the season Pods stopping during a stolen base attempt (lose game), Dye not getting in position to throw a runner out at home (lose second game), over managing in the bullpen. When a guy has not thrown in over a week, try not to put him a position to fail (lose third game) and finally having a hitter 0-2 and then eventually giving up a three run bomb because you couldn't throw a good strike as well as the display crede put on at the plate.

 

The reason this team is inconsistent is

 

1)The changing line-up especially in the lead-off slot does not allow for continutity

2) Poor hitting of Uribe (.265 OBP is disgusting)

3) Over-all bad play by pods wheather it is defense, hitting, striking out, or getting thrown out

4) In September relying on call-ups Logan and Sweeney especially

5) This team just seemed gassed the whole season

 

I would be really pissed as I think we had the best team in baseball in 2003 and this season and we blew it while I thought the Indians were the best team last year. On paper means s***.

 

Let's hope for a nice 11-2 finish to the season.........