Fire Greg Walker

[Steve9347]

Was it Hriniak?

 

Bring back Walt!

 

Big Hurt used him to get himself back on the MVP track... using him for Uribe... just hire the motherf***er!

 

Since Hriniak isn't willing to join a team full-time (if I recall), maybe the Sox can contract with him to rebuild the hitting coaches and theis system, throughout all levels of the Sox organization. Have him choose the coaches, give them some direction on methodology, maybe even move a few players around.

 

I love it.

[Harry Chappas]

Dice K's OBP is .355 when he pitches out of the stretch and .235 when he is in the wind up. Pitchers are now pulled after throwing 100 pitches on a regular basis and most bullpens blow.

 

These are the reasons you make pitchers work as the more pitches they throw the sooner they are out of a game. This is what both the Red Sox and Yankees do and Oakland used to, very well.

 

The things that the Sox have never done is foul off good pitches to extend the count. Take good strikes early in the count. Recognize ball four is coming. They are all in the 16" softball mode which is not going to win.

 

The theory of Greg Walker and the White Sox is this. The stroke used by a player is what worked to get them to majors so they do not change it, they only work to keep it consistent. This bothers me in that the pitchers that these hitters faced in AA and AAA were not MLB pitchers so how can the same swing be applied across the board.

 

The fire sale may not be far off for Dye and Crede (Angels could use both).

 

Also the Darin Erstad pulled hamstring can not be far off.

[caulfield12]

Dice K's OBP is .355 when he pitches out of the stretch and .235 when he is in the wind up. Pitchers are now pulled after throwing 100 pitches on a regular basis and most bullpens blow.

 

These are the reasons you make pitchers work as the more pitches they throw the sooner they are out of a game. This is what both the Red Sox and Yankees do and Oakland used to, very well.

 

The things that the Sox have never done is foul off good pitches to extend the count. Take good strikes early in the count. Recognize ball four is coming. They are all in the 16" softball mode which is not going to win.

 

The theory of Greg Walker and the White Sox is this. The stroke used by a player is what worked to get them to majors so they do not change it, they only work to keep it consistent. This bothers me in that the pitchers that these hitters faced in AA and AAA were not MLB pitchers so how can the same swing be applied across the board.

 

The fire sale may not be far off for Dye and Crede (Angels could use both).

 

Also the Darin Erstad pulled hamstring can not be far off.

 

When you think about it, Uribe/Cintron/Crede/Anderson/Mackowiak/Thome/Iguchi all look the same up there, pretty much.

 

Mackowiak to a lesser extent (he was close to .300 all last year), but they're not hitters, they're swingers. AJ, Konerko, Erstad (when he was healthy!) and Dye are/were probably the best "pure" hitters in terms of spraying the ball all around and using the entire field.

 

Thome is a hitter period, but he's in a different classification.

 

The Tigers can get away with it because of their starters and bullpen. The Twins have Bartlett, Punto, Tyner and Castillo who can be counted on to make contact...and Mauer's a pretty good contact hitter as well.

 

We don't have enough of those guys who work the counts, foul off pitches (Pods is probably the best, AJ is good at this too), work the pitchers and take any hit they can get. Maybe Erstad too, but certainly not this season. We're impatient, and we're swinging for the fences no matter the situation. Even guys like Cintron and Mack that aren't by any stretch of the imagination "power hitters" are copying the middle of the line-up in this "all or nothing," make or break type of offensive strategy.

 

We might be the slowest team in baseball, without Pods. We're going to end up with fewer SB's than Oakland, Toronto and Boston at this rate. Look at the Yankees....Abreu, Jeter, A-Rod, Cano, Cabrera, they have a lot of talented athletes that can run a little, unlike the Sox.

[BigSqwert]

We don't have enough of those guys who work the counts, foul off pitches (Pods is probably the best, AJ is good at this too)

Which AJ have you been watching? I saw somewhere that he led the league in fewest pitches seen per at bat.

 

EDIT: It was a stat they showed on TV during a game late last year. Seems no different this year.

Edited April 18, 2007 by BigSqwert

[nitetrain8601]

Scouting and the instructors are a big part of why this team is the way it is. Our scouts, especially the Latin American and Amateur scouts suck pure ass. Our hitting coach blows big time, and Ozzie seems to play favorites.

[caulfield12]

Which AJ have you been watching? I saw somewhere that he led the league in fewest pitches seen per at bat.

 

EDIT: It was a stat they showed on TV during a game late last year. Seems no different this year.

 

Maybe the at-bat against Mariano Rivera last year and the fact that he's one of the hardest hitters in the AL to strike out caused me to think this.

[RockRaines]

Seriously fire Greg Walker. Im sick of the debate and the walking around in a circle. Take AJP for example. This guy was one of the most annoying hitters in the division before he came here. He would see more pitches than anyone, would slap the ball all over the place, and would be a pain in the ass. Now, swing and a miss, or a pulled ground out. Its time to make a move, light a fire, and ditch Greg.

[StrangeSox]

Maybe the at-bat against Mariano Rivera last year and the fact that he's one of the hardest hitters in the AL to strike out caused me to think this.

 

 

He doesn't strike out, he flys out on pitch 1 or 2.

[caulfield12]

He doesn't strike out, he flys out on pitch 1 or 2.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3948

 

His pitches per plate appearance numbers have actually improved over his time with Minnesota and SF, especially in 2005. He's been trending backwards the last 7 months.

 

His career average is 3.29

 

3.56 in 2005, 3.36 in 2006 and down to 3.29 so far this year.

 

He just SEEMED more pesky (along with Mientkiewicz, Koskie, Hocking, LeCroy, Guzman, Rivas) because of when he got the hits to give them one or two run victories over us.

[RockRaines]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3948

 

His pitches per plate appearance numbers have actually improved over his time with Minnesota and SF, especially in 2005. He's been trending backwards the last 7 months.

 

His career average is 3.29

 

3.56 in 2005, 3.36 in 2006 and down to 3.29 so far this year.

 

He just SEEMED more pesky (along with Mientkiewicz, Koskie, Hocking, LeCroy, Guzman, Rivas) because of when he got the hits to give them one or two run victories over us.

He has reached career highs in K's and Hr's with the sox. Coincidence?

[nitetrain8601]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3948

 

His pitches per plate appearance numbers have actually improved over his time with Minnesota and SF, especially in 2005. He's been trending backwards the last 7 months.

 

His career average is 3.29

 

3.56 in 2005, 3.36 in 2006 and down to 3.29 so far this year.

 

He just SEEMED more pesky (along with Mientkiewicz, Koskie, Hocking, LeCroy, Guzman, Rivas) because of when he got the hits to give them one or two run victories over us.

 

Well the thing is, he used to hit for a high average. Now it's lift and pull with him along with the other players and that's what sucks.

[caulfield12]

He has reached career highs in K's and Hr's with the sox. Coincidence?

 

You also have to take into consideration the stadiums and his stroke.

 

He's a doubles hitter...balls in SF (unless hit by Bonds) don't easily fly out in RF, unless they're hit down the line.

 

In Minnesota, you have the equivalent of the Green Monster, and he usually didn't the ball over the Hefty Bag. I would hope almost any player would hit more homers at New Comiskey, unless they came from Colorado.

 

They should completely retool their line-up and move the dimensions back to that of Old Comiskey. Short of that, we're always looking to be a 3 run homer and a cloud of dust type of offense.

 

With players such as Sweeney, Fields, Owens and Anderson coming up, I would hope JR and KW would seriously consider this option.

[sircaffey]

What former White Sox player with KW hire to take Walker's spot?

[RockRaines]

You also have to take into consideration the stadiums and his stroke.

 

He's a doubles hitter...balls in SF (unless hit by Bonds) don't easily fly out in RF, unless they're hit down the line.

 

In Minnesota, you have the equivalent of the Green Monster, and he usually didn't the ball over the Hefty Bag. I would hope almost any player would hit more homers at New Comiskey, unless they came from Colorado.

 

They should completely retool their line-up and move the dimensions back to that of Old Comiskey. Short of that, we're always looking to be a 3 run homer and a cloud of dust type of offense.

 

With players such as Sweeney, Fields, Owens and Anderson coming up, I would hope JR and KW would seriously consider this option.

Nope. He was an opposite field doubles hitter. Now he is a pull hitter.

 

What former White Sox player with KW hire to take Walker's spot?

Robin Ventura.

[caulfield12]

Nope. He was an opposite field doubles hitter. Now he is a pull hitter.

Robin Ventura.

 

Ventura's set for life and enjoys spending time with his family, and he doesn't really enjoy the limelight.

 

Wasn't that the problem with him not wanting a radio or TV job with the White Sox?

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Who is the AAA hitting coach?

[Milkman delivers]

Ventura's set for life and enjoys spending time with his family, and he doesn't really enjoy the limelight.

 

Wasn't that the problem with him not wanting a radio or TV job with the White Sox?

 

I'd hardly call hitting coach a limelight position.

[southsideirish71]

You also have to take into consideration the stadiums and his stroke.

 

He's a doubles hitter...balls in SF (unless hit by Bonds) don't easily fly out in RF, unless they're hit down the line.

 

In Minnesota, you have the equivalent of the Green Monster, and he usually didn't the ball over the Hefty Bag. I would hope almost any player would hit more homers at New Comiskey, unless they came from Colorado.

 

They should completely retool their line-up and move the dimensions back to that of Old Comiskey. Short of that, we're always looking to be a 3 run homer and a cloud of dust type of offense.

 

With players such as Sweeney, Fields, Owens and Anderson coming up, I would hope JR and KW would seriously consider this option.

 

When you see a hitter in the first part of 06 have a real high average, and not a lot of power. And then you see his average plummet, and his power numbers jump up quite a bit. Then you know what he is doing. AJ had a line drive stroke before he came to the sox. He was a gap to gap hitter. Now, he pretty much gets around on everything. Maybe the park has something to do with it. That all of our hitters have the no brain, and just see the fence and everlasting glory. But we have seen year after year, hitter after hitter becoming one dimensional. The names change the results are the same. We ditched Valentin and Lee because of all or nothing approaches. We couldnt win with those all or nothing swings.

 

AJ Pre-allstar 06 .320BA 6 homers 17 doubles

Post-allstar 06 .262BA 10 homers 7 doubles

[caulfield12]

I'd hardly call hitting coach a limelight position.

 

He's just a pretty private person and I think family considerations would win out over making $200,000 or whatever it is they pay hitting coaches. I think he enjoys spending time on the West Coast too much to be in Chicago so much.

[southsideirish71]

Who is the AAA hitting coach?

 

I want no part of anyone that is part of the whitesox minor league organization that has prepared any of our prospects. Anderson's follies with low and away, should tell you how well he was prepared in the minors.

 

Hire someone outside of the organization.

[BigSqwert]

I remember posting a poll around the ASG last year asking if people prefer the .320 slap hitter that AJ was or if they would like to give up some of the avg for more power. The overwhelming response was to have AJ stay as is, a .300+ hitter spraying the ball around the field. I should have sent him the results of the poll.

[RockRaines]

Wes Clements

Andy Tomberlin

 

 

Who else?

[southsideirish71]

I remember posting a poll around the ASG last year asking if people prefer the .320 slap hitter that AJ was or if they would like to give up some of the avg for more power. The overwhelming response was to have AJ stay as is, a .300+ hitter spraying the ball around the field. I should have sent him the results of the poll.

 

 

Well that jackass North had him on his show, constantly bothering him about his power. He was obsessed with it.

 

Home run splits for AJ

 

2001 7 dongs

2002 6 dongs .300 BA

2003 11 dongs .311 BA

2004 11 dongs .272BA

 

He joins the sox

 

2005 18 dongs .257BA

2006 16 dongs .295BA(his overall BA is skewed by his overly hot first half)

2007 0 dongs .187BA

[chiguy79]

I have not witnessed so many weak popups as yesterday's game it was ridiculous...

 

What was more ridiculous is that Ozzie didn't pull garland after three straight batters ripped the ball, oh well lets leave him in for a 3-run homer to put it away.

 

I also called Sosa's clean-up shot, nothing like a fairly meaningless 3-run homer.

 

Also after we had runners on base three straight batters went to 0-2 in the count, ridiculous.

 

Ventura lives on a huge ranch on the central coast, he is loving life...why F that up...

[southsideirish71]

Greg blames the weather

Walker doesn't want to use weather as excuse, but ...

 

One look at the numbers tells the story. The entire, ugly story.

 

The White Sox entered their game Tuesday night hitting an American League-worst .222 with 38 runs scored (3.5 per game). They also were hitting .222 with runners in scoring position, down from a league-best .307 last season.

 

Rather than point fingers, however, hitting coach Greg Walker seems willing to wait it out. This is the calm before the storm, in Walker's eyes.

 

''You look at any offense, most major-league teams are built around the middle of the order, and right now our middle order is scuffling a little bit,'' Walker said.

 

While he didn't want to use weather as an excuse, he couldn't hide the fact that through 11 games, the average game-time temperature was 45 degrees.

 

''I come from that old school, you don't make excuses,'' Walker said. ''If you have to put on the extra clothes, you do so and go out and play.

 

''But as a coach, I have to be realistic. I'm not going to start panicking and getting down on my guys because they're playing in 15-degree wind chill.

 

''You have to take it for what it is. We're trying to encourage them not to get down on themselves, as well as not make excuses, but the bottom line is we just faced two pretty- good-hitting teams, and they looked like crap, too.''

Edited April 18, 2007 by southsideirish71