Why is Brian Anderson on 25 man roster?

[Pants Rowland]

I am not saying Jenks would not have blown the save last night, but if Brian Anderson replaces Pods in the 9th, or at least moves into CF with Erstad in LF, there is a decent chance the Sox come out on top 1-0.

 

Jenks would still give up the two singles and get the next two out and then Todd Walker comes up and laces the single to LF. Here is where the questions come.

 

Does Bradley test the arm of Erstad/Anderson as readily as he does with Pods? Maybe, maybe not. If so, is he out at home? Good chance (game over).

 

Say he is safe, do the other runners advance as they were able to with Pods' lousy airmail throw? Possibly not. Let's just say it all happens exactly the same and the Sox issue the IBB and the next batter hits the fly ball that Pods grossly mistimed so it hits him in the head and the game ends. If BA or Erstad are in there, there is no doubt they catch it and the game goes to the 10th tied at one. You are on the road, but you still have a chance. Even if you lose, you can not fault anyone for using your closer in his designated role.

 

So back to my original question. If you don't use BA last night, when do you use him? Today in the getaway day just to give someone rest? I agreed with Ozzie putting him on the roster because that is what makes the team better, but you can't be better if you don't use his best asset, defense, when you need it the most.

 

I am sure this has been debated in the post game thread but I thought the horse should be beaten to a bloody pulp in its own thread. Really disappointing loss. Pardon my french, but it was Cublike.

[Wedge]

Probably to throttle Soxtalk's bandwidth.

[kapkomet]

Probably to throttle Soxtalk's bandwidth.

 

That might be why I've been having all these troubles lately.

[GoSox05]

to play centerfield. Which he will be doing today.

[southsider2k5]

Kenny Williams > Ozzie Guillen

 

/thread

[SoxFan562004]

I agree with TS. If they're not going to play BA reguraly they should have kept one of the veteran OFs and let BA get AAA ABs, to either keep sharp, or see if he could be trade bait.

 

Hopefully the Toby Hall thing will clear up and KW tries to get a veteran backup if he's no go. It seems like Ozzie is playing with a 23 man roster.

[bmags]

to play centerfield. Which he will be doing today.

 

1 start every two weeks...right yeah, worth keeping him. Especially when he isn't even used as a late inning replacement.

[Pants Rowland]

to play centerfield. Which he will be doing today.

 

Thanks. I am glad we can end the discussion now.

 

The fact is I have seen all kinds of blame thrown around from the offense not being able to get more runs, to Jenks losing his fastball, but the fact is this team is built to win different kinds of ballgames. Last night's game is the reason I love to watch baseball. Great pitching and crisp defense, with your starting pitcher playing his position. 1-0 games are great wins and confidence boosters for a team. They show you can win even when the opposition holds down your offense.

 

If BA is supposed to play CF, then he should have been in there last night. Defensively, the Sox have no better OF combination than Erstad in LF, BA in CF and Mackowiak in RF. There are virtually no gaps with those guys patrolling and they all have decent enough throwing arms to keep the other team honest. I hate all the second guessing on this board, but last night Ozzie lost the game by putting out a lesser defense in the 9th inning.

 

Jenks will blow saves during the season. All closers do, even Nathan/Papelbon/Rivera. You can only give him a pat on the back and say "we'll get 'em tomorrow." However, if you bring out your closing pitcher, you should also bring in closing defense to complement his effort. Like I said, the Sox may still lose that game last night, but the fly ball that ended the game would have been caught by either Erstad or BA. At the very worst you are tied going into extra innings.

[TitoMB345]

Personally, I feel terrible for Brian. He is a sack full of talent rotting away on the pine because somewhere in Ozzie's f***ed up head, he decided he didn't like the guy, with absolutely nothing to back it up.

 

Poor Brian. I hope we trade him.

[Pants Rowland]

Personally, I feel terrible for Brian. He is a sack full of talent rotting away on the pine because somewhere in Ozzie's f***ed up head, he decided he didn't like the guy, with absolutely nothing to back it up.

 

Poor Brian. I hope we trade him.

 

I hate to say it, but I think you are right. I feel Ozzie put him on the 25-man roster to prove a point to KW and BA. Basically, BA "I am the boss and you will neither play in the majors or work out your kinks in the minors. Unless you start kissing my ass in a major way, I will continue to ruin your career."; KW "You are forcing me to work with a 24-man roster because you did not give me enough OF to choose from for the last spot. Fine, I will put BA on the roster but never use him. If we lose some games as a result, so be it."

 

He did the same thing with Billy Koch in 2004, which I actually agreed with, until KW got the hint that he needed to be moved. He also did it last year by consistently playing Mack in CF despite how brutal he was out there. I was far less supportive of that policy since the Sox missed the playoffs partly due to poor OF defense throughout the year.

[hitlesswonder]

There really shouldn't be any debate -- Anderson should be traded or released. His presence on the roster is actually hurting the team. If Terrero was up, maybe Ozzie would have actually used him as a defensive replacement.

 

I think Anderson has a chance to be a decent major league player. Certainly, he has the skill to be a fine defensive replacement. But unless the Sox get a new manager, Anderson's continued presence on the roster just means the Sox are playing a man short. It's a shame to cut loose a 1st round pick and waste all the devleopment effort the Sox have put into Anderson. But he has no place on Ozzie's team, so I don't see any other useful option.

[Controlled Chaos]

It helps him get laid. It's not easy if you're a AAA player, but when your in the bigs....chicks just be throwin themselves at you. Be sure to wear your batting glove Brian!!

[Pants Rowland]

It helps him get laid. It's not easy if you're a AAA player, but when your in the bigs....chicks just be throwin themselves at you. Be sure to wear your batting glove Brian!!

 

He looooves the big league honeys.

[klaus kinski]

To play in the vaunted 3rd game of series lineup

[Controlled Chaos]

He looooves the big league honeys.

In all seriousness. Send Brian down and bring up a pitcher.

 

I don't really fault Pods for not being able to make the throw or the catch. His physical attributes are what they are. He knows it. We know it and Ozzie knows it. It's no surprise. Nobody is shocked when he doesn't throw someone out at home or if he misjudges a ball.

 

I fault Ozzie for putting him in that position. Pods ain't gonna say coach take me out. Just like last year, Mackowiak wasn't gonna say coach I'm not a center fielder. Players do what's asked of them to the best of their ability. It's up to the manager to find the best way to use that ability.

[watchtower41]

Coming from all these BS posts lately, according to the posters here, we'd be undefeated and have already clinched the Central if Brian Anderson was starting and Ozzie was not our coach.

 

 

Yeah, I'm quite sure Ozzie is sitting Brian to lose games on purpose. Seriously, people. How can anyone honestly say he deserves to start over Erstad and Pods??

 

 

Defensive replacement fine, but I've got news for ya kiddies.... Pods didnt lose the game for us last night.

[StrangeSox]

Coming from all these BS posts lately, according to the posters here, we'd be undefeated and have already clinched the Central if Brian Anderson was starting and Ozzie was not our coach.

 

More Soxtalk hyperbole! Woo!

 

No one is saying that. We're just saying we want Guillen to put his players into the best possible position to win and that he consistently fails to do so.

 

Yeah, I'm quite sure Ozzie is sitting Brian to lose games on purpose. Seriously, people. How can anyone honestly say he deserves to start over Erstad and Pods??

Defensive replacement fine, but I've got news for ya kiddies.... Pods didnt lose the game for us last night.

 

That easily catchable fly ball that let the winning run score bounce off of someone else's head?

 

He's not even being used a defensive replacement. Ozzie is sitting BA either due to total lack of managerial ability or out of spite. I guess option #2 implies option #1.

[Gregory Pratt]

Personally, I feel terrible for Brian. He is a sack full of talent rotting away on the pine because somewhere in Ozzie's f***ed up head, he decided he didn't like the guy, with absolutely nothing to back it up.

 

Poor Brian. I hope we trade him.

 

Personally, I feel terrible for Ozzie. He is a man full of talent and experience being criticized on a message board with absolutely nothing but conjecture to back it up for ruining a young stud's career simply because he has a f***ed up head and decided not to like him with absolutely nothing to back it up.

[watchtower41]

More Soxtalk hyperbole! Woo!

 

No one is saying that. We're just saying we want Guillen to put his players into the best possible position to win and that he consistently fails to do so.

That easily catchable fly ball that let the winning run score bounce off of someone else's head?

 

He's not even being used a defensive replacement. Ozzie is sitting BA either due to total lack of managerial ability or out of spite. I guess option #2 implies option #1.

 

 

 

Easy fly ball LOl. Was there an error scored??

Who would have caught that ball on our team?? Anderson doesnt have the speed to catch up with that line drive, nevermind the fact that he doesnt play LF. If you thought Pablo would have caught that, to each his own, but not on a prayer. Pods at least gave himself the opportunity to make that play. We lost the game when we can't get a runnner on 3rd at home with ZERO outs. Jenks actually got lucky with that pitch, it should have been jacked into the bleachers for a walk-off.

[StrangeSox]

Easy fly ball LOl. Was there an error scored??

Who would have caught that ball on our team?? Anderson doesnt have the speed to catch up with that line drive, nevermind the fact that he doesnt play LF. If you thought Pablo would have caught that, to each his own, but not on a prayer. Pods at least gave himself the opportunity to make that play. We lost the game when we can't get a runnner on 3rd at home with ZERO outs. Jenks actually got lucky with that pitch, it should have been jacked into the bleachers for a walk-off.

 

 

If a defensive replacement was made, Anderson would have been in CF and Erstad in LF most likely.

 

Have you watched the video to see how poorly played that ball was? Pods closed his eyes and jumped into the wall early and then had the ball bounce off of his head.

 

Also, someone else playing LF might have been able to start a little deeper since they would the ability to throw a ball decently.

 

BTW, there's a difference between easily catchable and easy fly ball.

Edited April 11, 2007 by StrangeSox

[fathom]

Easy fly ball LOl. Was there an error scored??

Who would have caught that ball on our team?? Anderson doesnt have the speed to catch up with that line drive, nevermind the fact that he doesnt play LF. If you thought Pablo would have caught that, to each his own, but not on a prayer. Pods at least gave himself the opportunity to make that play. We lost the game when we can't get a runnner on 3rd at home with ZERO outs. Jenks actually got lucky with that pitch, it should have been jacked into the bleachers for a walk-off.

 

Pods never uses his speed in the outfield. Anderson is so much more graceful and covers a lot more ground.

[Pants Rowland]

Personally, I feel terrible for Ozzie. He is a man full of talent and experience being criticized on a message board with absolutely nothing but conjecture to back it up for ruining a young stud's career simply because he has a f***ed up head and decided not to like him with absolutely nothing to back it up.

 

I watched the HBO special on the UCLA dynasty the other day. There was a particular player who gave John Wooden a lot of guff for not playing him his sophmore season. I think his name was Sydney Weeks. Eventually Wooden said to him, "until you realize this is a team sport, all the other guys are going to be ahead of you." Once he got it, he was one of the best forwards in the country and instrumental in winning two national titles.

 

I am certain Ozzie has a purpose in how he is treating Brian and there is no doubt in my mind that Brian has earned his spot in the dog house. I hope that forcing Brian to respect the game and not squander his talent will produce huge dividends for the Sox and Brian in his career. I am not so sure that having him play daily at AAA is a better option than learning patience by watching the game at the major league level. A lot of veterans, former players, and players who sit out due to injury speak of the value of watching from the side and how it allows you to relax and let the game come to you once you are back on the field. I am certain some mix of all of this is why BA is on the team and spends so much time on the bench earning his way back on the field via Guillen's pergatory.

 

However, there is always a point where you can take things too far. Unless there is something Brian did last night that forced Guillen to teach him a lesson by sitting on the bench, he should have been in CF, with Erstad shifting to LF. Jenks did not have his stuff, the offense had trouble scoring, Oakland is tough, blah, blah, blah. Guillen did not give his team the best chance to close out a win last night. That is a fact.

 

Pods never uses his speed in the outfield. Anderson is so much more graceful and covers a lot more ground.

 

Well-put. Reads and jumps are far more important in the OF than speed. Pods is weak on both of those categories no matter how fast he runs the 40.

[CWSGuy406]

Easy fly ball LOl. Was there an error scored??

Who would have caught that ball on our team?? Anderson doesnt have the speed to catch up with that line drive

 

The Legend is here. Thanks to SouthsideSox.com

 

 

Line drive? If it makes you feel better about yourself, you go ahead and think that that ball was a "line drive". Any competent OFer knows how to put his mit over his head and make a catch.

 

BTW, watchtower, go ahead and try to defend that with the video right there. It'll give the rest of us another good laugh.

Edited April 11, 2007 by CWSGuy406

[Pants Rowland]

Line drive? If it makes you feel better about yourself, you go ahead and think that that ball was a "line drive". Any competent OFer knows how to put his mit over his head and make a catch.

 

BTW, watchtower, go ahead and try to defend that with the video right there. It'll give the rest of us another good laugh.

 

I wish the video could show the entire play (i.e. poor jump, poor read, followed by reckless sprint toward the wall with no chance to stop and settle to make the catch). I love how some players make a play look so much more difficult and then people defend them by saying there was no chance that ball was caught. Like criticizing sure-handed infielders because they never get their uniform dirty.

[hitlesswonder]

Yeah, I'm quite sure Ozzie is sitting Brian to lose games on purpose. Seriously, people. How can anyone honestly say he deserves to start over Erstad and Pods??

Defensive replacement fine, but I've got news for ya kiddies.... Pods didnt lose the game for us last night.

 

No Pods just assisted in losing the game. Jenks, the offense, and Guillen all had a hand. Guillen's mistakes are the easiest to fix (it's easier to put in a defensive replacement than give Jenks back the extra 6 MPH he didn't have on his fastball).

 

Really this should be a banner day for people who dislike Anderson. Even the most ardent supporter of Anderson can't argue that he has any place on this team now. The sooner he's gone the better. I don't even think it's worth putting him in AAA anymore; the Sox should just release him if they can't trade him and fill the roster spot with someone Guillen trusts to play baseball.