Interesting News

[mr_genius]

So if Brian does make the team as the 4th outfielder that makes Ozzie a hypocrite correct?

 

1.) He said Anderson would not be making the club as a reserve, he'd rather Brian get his ABs in AAA.

 

2.) He said the starting job in LF/CF would go to the player who performs best during the Spring.

 

Good to see Brian is going to make the team but he got totally f***ed in this situation.

 

Ozzie knows Anderson is going to end up being his starting center fielder at some point in the season. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

 

I wouldn't be suprised to see Anderson starting on opening day.

[southsideirish71]

5 bullpen guys won't happen. I'm more concerned now about finding a guy who can catch, hit over .180, not be a complete defensive liability, and throw >20% of runners out.

 

But you forgot, can he play first also.

 

The ozzeroo lineupcard shuffle.

 

In 05 we played Timo Perez who couldnt hit, barely could catch, wasnt fast, but was left handed and could make jokes and he played 1st(but he played it once in Japan where he was the tallest midget) we left Ross Gload who was hitting .350 in AAA at the time, because Ozzie couldnt use him in RF.

 

Last year we put Mack out in CF, who you might as well put Crede out in center.

 

Now we lost our backup right handed hitting catcher, our first real backup catcher to face our AL Central dominated by tough lefties because Ozzie wants to see what other positions he could play.

 

I find this odd consider that Ozzie was so reluctant to pinch hit his catcher with another catcher because he was so worried about injury, yet we are seeing if we can put Toby at 1st.

 

Maybe its time for Ozzie to get another magic 8 ball, this one isnt working anymore.

[shoota]

If the Sox had a manger who could choose the best 25 players available to him, and put each man in the best position, I'd feel hopeful about the 2007 season.

 

Guillen is not good at his job.

[southsideirish71]

If the Sox had a manger who could choose the best 25 players available to him, and put each man in the best position, I'd feel hopeful about the 2007 season.

 

Guillen is not good at his job.

 

 

The questions for our fearless leader will be.

 

So the question is, will our starting 9 play as a group more than the 25% or so they did last year. Manuel put out the Sunday lineups on Sundays, Ozzie started resting his starters on game 2.

 

Will he become overly appendage aware like last year, either burning the bullpen up making wierd lefty righty switches so he can mix and match.

 

Will we be last in IP from our relievers.

 

If Pods bats .241 with an OBP of less than .300 will he have the courage to bench him.

 

If our pitchers are having velocity issues, instead of listening to what comes out of their mouths, how about an MRI. Last year they alls said, oh nothing was wrong I feel strong and then after the year ends we hear about this injury or this guy wasnt loose, or this guy was tired. An MRI, like the one that Freddy should of gotten when he couldnt break 87 out of camp last year.

Edited March 27, 2007 by southsideirish71

[The Ginger Kid]

I absolutely hate how BA has been handled by this team. We honestly gave him 0 shot to succeed

 

riddle me this - who was that guy starting in CF opening day last season? Who was the guy they gave the job to at the beginning of ST last year?

[Kalapse]

riddle me this - who was that guy starting in CF opening day last season? Who was the guy they gave the job to at the beginning of ST last year?

Who was the guy that was lied to about being given a chance to earn a starting job this season?

[southsideirish71]

riddle me this - who was that guy starting in CF opening day last season? Who was the guy they gave the job to at the beginning of ST last year?

 

Riddle me this one,

 

After having 2 hits in his first game of the season, how long was it before he was on the bench. Oh that would be game 2.

 

 

 

 

I can only imagine what Ozzie was trying to do last year.........

 

 

That quote explains why Timo Perez was playing DH, 1st Base, and was our leadoff guy in August of 05.

Edited March 27, 2007 by southsideirish71

[Rowand44]

riddle me this - who was that guy starting in CF opening day last season? Who was the guy they gave the job to at the beginning of ST last year?

I would like to call a friend.

Edited March 27, 2007 by Rowand44

[DBAHO]

Seems like a panic move to be honest, after what happened to Hall.

 

Best case scenario, Anderson somehow gets a chance and earns the playing time that Pods or Erstad are going to get.

 

I don't see how without frequent AB's he's going to be put into a position to succeed offensively though.

 

If anything, he'll probably be used as a late inning replacement for Pods more than anything because of his plus defense.

 

As for Ginger's comments, yes he did get a chance last season, but how many young players can come into this league and hit well straight away? Not unless you're a stud like Pujols, Cabrera etc. Hell players like Hafner and Morneau have taken a while as well.

 

You have to be patient with young hitters at the major league level. Joe Crede is a perfect example.

[mr_genius]

I would like to call a friend.

 

[Kalapse]

I still think it's interesting that Erstad was given 24 more ABs than Anderson this spring. As a matter of fact Darin has had more ABs than any other player on the team and it's really not even close. Erstad at 70 and second was Konerko with 17 fewer.

[The Ginger Kid]

Riddle me this one,

 

After having 2 hits in his first game of the season, how long was it before he was on the bench. Oh that would be game 2.

 

and two days later went 0-5, leading to a blistering .161 avg in April. But hey, he pushed it to .164 in May, then really broke out in June to bump it up to .174

 

and you still didn't answer the original question.

 

Get over it, he SUCKED last year. We all hope he does better this year.

[Kalapse]

and two days later went 0-5, leading to a blistering .161 avg in April. But hey, he pushed it to .164 in May, then really broke out in June to bump it up to .174

 

and you still didn't answer the original question.

 

Get over it, he SUCKED last year. We all hope he does better this year.

Then hit .313 in July, .296 in August and .200 in September. Just for the sake of full disclosure.

 

And why again was he lied to about being given a chance to win a starting job in Spring Training? Ozzie went on these nice long rants about how nobody is handed a job, everything is earned and that the 2 outfield spots were open to competition, the winner being who ever is the best during the Spring and yet he never even gave Anderson a shot.

[southsideirish71]

Then hit .313 in July, .296 in August and .200 in September. Just for the sake of full disclosure.

 

And why again was he lied to about being given a chance to win a starting job in Spring Training? Ozzie went on these nice long rants about how nobody is handed a job, everything is earned and that the 2 outfield spots were open to competition, the winner being who ever is the best during the Spring and yet he never even gave Anderson a shot.

 

I want to know why Prancer is given a clean sheet. He has been a shell of his first half of 05. He basically has 1 1/2 years of being good and the rest of his career has been in the minors or sucking. His one good skill is speed, and he seemed to have lost that to losing his groin. He hits a rotten .241BA and sub .300 OBP for half the season. He plays like donkey dung, yet the minute he prances to first Guillen states thats my guy.

Edited March 27, 2007 by southsideirish71

[StrangeSox]

and two days later went 0-5, leading to a blistering .161 avg in April. But hey, he pushed it to .164 in May, then really broke out in June to bump it up to .174

 

and you still didn't answer the original question.

Get over it, he SUCKED last year. We all hope he does better this year.

 

Except for defensively. Defensively he was a stud. But defense doesn't matter, right?

 

Oh, and the second half at the plate. He was serviceable and better than his platoon-mate. Damn rookies showing improvement over the course of their first full season and then continued improvement the following spring.

 

But, yeah, he sucked. Still does. Clearly, Erstad has earned the CF job over this bum.

[Rowand44]

Get over it, he SUCKED last year offensively but was much better in the 2nd half and was basically the same offensive player as Mackowiak in the 2nd half but still couldnt get consistant ab's though he's 100 times better than Mack defensively

Fixed with a cool run on sentence.

[The Ginger Kid]

Then hit .313 in July, .296 in August and .200 in September. Just for the sake of full disclosure.

 

And why again was he lied to about being given a chance to win a starting job in Spring Training?

 

two good months out of six. outstanding.

 

and who in the hell lied to the guy?

 

oh, that's right. that guy.

 

anyway, enjoy your whine, it will be champagne in a few weeks once erstad heads to the DL. And Pods pops another nut. And Brian will take his rightful place in the starting lineup. Every day. It's coming, believe me.

 

And then we can argue how Bri-guy isn't seeing good pitches because he should be hitting 5th or 6th instead of 8th and 9th and how that f***er ozzie is a master of career sabotage. Alas, if only we had a manager who knew how to care for the fragile youth.

[Vance Law]

I love to make horrible comparisons, so I'll make another - Chase Utley didn't start until his 3rd year in the league.

 

or How about, Aaron Rowand, who even got sent back to AAA, and wasn't a full timer till his 4th year at age 26.

[Kalapse]

two good months out of six. outstanding.

 

and who in the hell lied to the guy?

 

oh, that's right. that guy.

 

anyway, enjoy your whine, it will be champagne in a few weeks once erstad heads to the DL. And Pods pops another nut. And Brian will take his rightful place in the starting lineup. Every day. It's coming, believe me.

 

And then we can argue how Bri-guy isn't seeing good pitches because he should be hitting 5th or 6th instead of 8th and 9th and how that f***er ozzie is a master of career sabotage. Alas, if only we had a manager who knew how to care for the fragile youth.

You just read whatever the f*** you want don't you?

 

Assuming an Erstad injury is no reason to mess with the kid. What is the point of telling him he has a shot at being a starter when he has no chance at all? Seems a bit hypocritical and stupid to me, it has nothing to do with career sabotage or Ozzie being some kind of evil bastard like you make it out to be it has to do with being a hypocrite which Ozzie has proved himself to be with the bulls*** he pulled this spring.

[beck72]

I can't wait for the games to start. All this moaning, groaning, backseat managing and would be GMing is getting old. Everything will be decided on the field.

[beck72]

"I've definitely brought this upon myself, so I deserve to have to do what I'm doing," Anderson said. "I shouldn't have had anything handed to me."

 

I give credit for Brian understanding what is going on. When a guy has two veterans ahead of him--[and most importantly for the Sox, two top of the order guys; if the sox only needed a number 8 hitter, Brian would be fine in CF]--and is coming off a horrible year when he was given a lot of time to develop--more than most teams who expect to make the playoffs--he's got to battle day in and day out. One good spring by a 25 yr old 2nd yr player isn't going to outdo years of proven production by two veterans. The right call is having Pods and Erstad as starters to start the year. Anderson will be given the next shot if one of the two get hurt or suck.

 

I remember reading a few days ago quotes from Ozzie saying he thought BA would be a superstar in this league. That kind of talk goes against the prevailing thought that Ozzie has it "out" for Anderson.

[Capn12]

"I've definitely brought this upon myself, so I deserve to have to do what I'm doing," Anderson said. "I shouldn't have had anything handed to me."

 

I give credit for Brian understanding what is going on. When a guy has two veterans ahead of him--[and most importantly for the Sox, two top of the order guys; if the sox only needed a number 8 hitter, Brian would be fine in CF]--and is coming off a horrible year when he was given a lot of time to develop--more than most teams who expect to make the playoffs--he's got to battle day in and day out. One good spring by a 25 yr old 2nd yr player isn't going to outdo 1 year, 3 months of proven production by Pods. The right call is having Pods and Erstad as starters to start the year. Anderson will be given the next shot if one of the two get hurt or suck.

 

I remember reading a few days ago quotes from Ozzie saying he thought BA would be a superstar in this league. That kind of talk goes against the prevailing thought that Ozzie has it "out" for Anderson.

 

Fixed that for you there.

[beck72]

Fixed that for you there.

Pods is more proven than BA. If Pods struggles, he'll be replaced. No one will get a free pass for hitting .220.

 

The sox are probably thinking--and I'm of the same mind--that Pods will hit more like his first half of 2005 than his 2006. If not, they've got another option in Erstad for LF and BA for center.

[DBAHO]

What I think I take issue is this;

 

Are the Sox that much of a better team with Erstad at #2 and Iguchi at #6 or #7, instead of Iguchi at #2 and BA down near the bottom of the order? What if BA comes on as expected, and that helps you in the long - term as well?

 

How has Erstad justified becoming a starting OF on what he has produced over the past 4-5 seasons?

 

Pods was always going to start because he's our leadoff hitter, that was never going to change.

[beck72]

What I think I take issue is this;

 

Are the Sox that much of a better team with Erstad at #2 and Iguchi at #6 or #7, instead of Iguchi at #2 and BA down near the bottom of the order? What if BA comes on as expected, and that helps you in the long - term as well?

 

How has Erstad justified becoming a starting OF on what he has produced over the past 4-5 seasons?

 

Pods was always going to start because he's our leadoff hitter, that was never going to change.

 

Erstad's biggest issues have been injuries. If he's healthy--and moving around AZ in LF and CF, getting in his 70 ab's--the most on the team, it seems he is--Erstad must have proven to the sox he's ready to start opening day.

 

All the opening day lineup is is a start. Nothing is set in stone. Changes can be made if things come up. The sox still have Iguchi for the #2 hole. And Anderson for CF everyday. Yet IMO, having Erstad for LF instead of Ozuna, and Anderson for CF instead of Mackowiak are much better long term options in case of injuries to either Pods or Erstad.