No More Mack In Center

[shoota]

I'm startin' to like you Shoota.

 

I'm a likable guy.

[whitesoxfan101]

The history of baseball might have been altered in terms of the 2006 playoffs had this decision been made LAST offseason when we acquired him. Yes, I would contest his defense cost us half a dozen games last year.

 

And Shoota's comment is 100 percent right, and re-stirred my anti-Ozzie feelings I haven't had since the season ended.

Edited December 6, 2006 by whitesoxfan101

[EvilJester99]

Best news thus far this offseason...

[whitesoxfan101]

I think Mack gets dealt this off-season. I still think the Sox will get another starter for the OF, and Cintron/Ozuna can fill in at 3B/SS fine for a backup role.

 

Agreed, Mack simply doesn't fit based on our roster and what he can do.

[Shamrock4Life]

me lovie some BA in center field.

[HawkFan81]

 

I pity the fool that puts Robbie Mack in center over me.

 

Seriously though, thank goodness and while I agree its about 5 months late for this jolt of common sense to strike, better now than the middle or end of next season.

[southsider2k5]

This guy's good^^^

 

Ozzie clearly let's personal bias take precedence over what is best for the team. It's obvious in the way he twists what McCarthy says to reporters. B-Mac says that he'd be more useful in the rotation than he'd be in the bullpen, and Ozzie says McCarthy is demanding that he start. Ozzie's basically just a douchebag that wants his way or the highway, but he's a douchebag that's won a WS, so I don't know.

 

Or he felt while Mackowiak was a bad option in center, he could have felt that Brian was worse...

[Gregory Pratt]

Or he felt while Mackowiak was a bad option in center, he could have felt that Brian was worse...

 

Which might very well have been true, especially once the offense overall started to sputter and he has to make the choice between a guy hovering around .300 versus a man around the Mendoza Line.

[Dick Allen]

If Ozzie sticks with this, its nothing but positive. The White Sox will benefit by having a CF would can play CF. 2003 Carl Everett in CF cost the Sox just as much as Mackowiak defensively. Ozzie wasn't around to see that. If he was, Mack might not have seen CF after a couple of his gaffes. I don't think of Ozzie as a great manager, but I do like the fact that he does seem to learn from his mistakes, even if it takes a while.

[jphat007]

It think Ozzie was obviously trying to sabatoge the team and season. That and he wanted to play his best bud.........Robby Mack?

[SoxFan562004]

I'm sure Rob Mac is the happiest person in the world to hear this. Mac is a very good bench player, but he is not a CF, and to his credit he never complained.

[ChiSox9]

Regardless of everything, I dont feel that there is room for mack and his $2M plus salary on this team. We have a solid option with Sweeny in AAA to fill in in the outfield. Our Bench would look more attractive with: Ozuna (in/of), Cintron (in), Gload (in/of), Sweeny (of), Backup Catcher IMHO.

Edited December 6, 2006 by ChiSox9

[SoxFan562004]

Regardless of everything, I dont feel that there is room for mack and his $2M plus salary on this team. We have a solid option with Sweeny in AAA to fill in in the outfield. Our Bench would look more attractive with: Ozuna (in/of), Cintron (in), Gload (in/of), Sweeny (of), Backup Catcher IMHO.

I would like to see the Sox add a RH power bat off the bench, I felt the lack of that put them in a bind last year a few times.

[CanOfCorn]

Regardless of everything, I dont feel that there is room for mack and his $2M plus salary on this team. We have a solid option with Sweeny in AAA to fill in in the outfield. Our Bench would look more attractive with: Ozuna (in/of), Cintron (in), Gload (in/of), Sweeny (of), Backup Catcher IMHO.

 

 

I'll tell you what Mack gives you...a guy who can play the corner outfield positions and 3B, 2B and 1B in the infield. AND a left-handed bat off the bench that has some pop. Definitely more than Cintron. I won't comment on Sweeney since he hasn't played in the majors too much.

 

Your bench players have a bunch of singles hitters on it. While not horrible, there needs to be SOME pop off the bench. And Mack give you flexibility. Crede's back up could be Cintron OR Mack OR Ozuna. Uribe's back up can be Cintron. Iguchi's back up can be Ozuna Or Mack. Konerko's back up could be Gload OR Mack. Dye can have Mack back him up. Anderson can have Ozuna back him up and Pods, if he's still here, can have Gload OR Mack back him up. That is flexibility, and from what I've seen over the past couple of years, is what Ozzie likes.

 

And please let's not start the, Well player A is better than player B at X position. I'm not saying they are starting everyday, these are once a week or two.

[KevHead0881]

It think Ozzie was obviously trying to sabatoge the team and season. That and he wanted to play his best bud.........Robby Mack?

 

Yeah, nevermind that Anderson started 66 more games than Mackowiak, or that many of those games that Anderson started he looked absolutely clueless at the plate.

 

I'm glad to hear that Ozzie doesn't want Mackowiak in center next year. Either all Anderson, or someone else, if you ask me. But to think that this was personal or that Ozzie had a bias against Anderson is just speculation, and more than likely B.S.

 

Ozzie has always worked hard to get his bench players plenty of playing time. He did this all the time in 2005 (I'm sure you all remember Timo), and it appeared to work to some degree. It didn't work so well in 2006. It was a mistake to have Mackowiak as our backup CF, and apparently Ozzie is starting to recognize it. But if it was indeed out of bias, you'd think Ozzie would stand by his bias.

[Heads22]

I had no problem with Mack playing last year. The problem was it should have been left field the vast majority of the time.

[Balta1701]

The history of baseball might have been altered in terms of the 2006 playoffs had this decision been made LAST offseason when we acquired him. Yes, I would contest his defense cost us half a dozen games last year.

 

And Shoota's comment is 100 percent right, and re-stirred my anti-Ozzie feelings I haven't had since the season ended.

You are 100% correct. If this move were made in June/July when Anderson started to hit, the White Sox would have been in the playoffs last year.

 

Anderson can have Ozuna back him up

NO.

 

Regardless of everything, I dont feel that there is room for mack and his $2M plus salary on this team. We have a solid option with Sweeny in AAA to fill in in the outfield. Our Bench would look more attractive with: Ozuna (in/of), Cintron (in), Gload (in/of), Sweeny (of), Backup Catcher IMHO.

While that would make our bench better, it's not necessarily the best thing for the organization. Ryan Sweeney should be at AAA for one more year. He needs at bats to keep working, keep growing up, and maybe work on hitting with more power. He is not going to do that getting 100-150 at bats off the bench in the big leagues. Furthermore, his arbitration clock has not yet been started, so if we manage to keep our outfield healthy so that he doesn't need to be brought up at midseason, it delays arbitration/FA on him by another year.

 

Which might very well have been true, especially once the offense overall started to sputter and he has to make the choice between a guy hovering around .300 versus a man around the Mendoza Line.

The only problem with that...during August and September, when the offense actually was sputtering, Anderson was just as good of a hitter, if not better, than Mackowiak.

[WilliamTell]

this is about 1 year too late. Anderson, do good next year so we don't have to see Mack in the outfield.

[Balta1701]

this is about 1 year too late. Anderson, do good next year so we don't have to see Mack in the outfield.

Mack in the Outfield is fine. Mack in CF is not.

[WCSox]

Or he felt while Mackowiak was a bad option in center, he could have felt that Brian was worse...

 

I get the feeling that BA's attitude was a problem. Given the quotes of his that I've read in the papers over this past season and third-hand knowledge from somebody who knows him, I get the impression that he's not the most mature person in the world. That's the only justification of playing Mack in CF down the stretch that I can think of.

 

I don't condone Ozzie's big mouth or the way that he treats certain players, but he's still the best manager the Sox have had since LaRussa.

Edited December 6, 2006 by WCSox

[ChiSox9]

I don't condone Ozzie's big mouth or the way that he treats certain players, but he's still the best manager the Sox have had since LaRussa.

 

Dude, i dont know... Terry Bevington was pretty sweet!

[Hangar18]

Took him all of 2006, and numerous mis-cues/mis-plays to figure that out?

[santo=dorf]

QUOTE(shoota @ Dec 5, 2006 -> 11:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There was a long stretch in the second half when Anderson was the better offensive player than Mack. Surely you remember.

Actually I don't. Please tell me when and how long this stretch lasted.

 

To me it looks like you're talking about August 10-15th.

 

Care to back up your silly claim?

 

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Dec 6, 2006 -> 07:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2003 Carl Everett in CF cost the Sox just as much as Mackowiak defensively. .

I don't know why people keep saying this.

 

The only thing I remember about Everett in CF was a game-saving HR robbing catch in a Buehrle-Mulder matchup at home in August.

[Rowand44]

The only thing I remember about Everett in CF was a game-saving HR robbing catch in a Buehrle-Mulder matchup at home in August.

Oh god, Carl was probably the worst cf of all time coming in on balls, it was horrendous.

 

EDIT: As far as Brian and Mack, they were basically the same offensive player in the 2nd half, you add in the defensive problems of Mack and you realize how ridiculous it was for Mack to be playing so many games out there.

Edited December 6, 2006 by Rowand44

[Gregory Pratt]

I don't believe that Anderson was ever "as good as or better" than Mackowiak last year but for defense.