Hey Ozzie....

[fathom]

It's time for Ozzie to step up and get this team going on the right track. He needs to stop feeling sorry for himself and talking a big game in the media. It's time for him to prove he can make a lineup without having some mediocre slap hitter at the top of the order. It's time for him to shake things up, even if that means drastic things like putting Owens or Mackowiak between Konerko and AJP to break up the automatic double play situation that those guys get themselves into. Basically, it's time for Ozzie to prove that he hasn't lost this team, and that he's the right man to stop this almost year long slump this team has been in. Please stop making comments about if you should be fired or not or what's going to happen in your career. Just go out and get this team to play with energy and confidence.

[TitoMB345]

Now the real question is: can Ozzie do ANYTHING with the talent (or lack there of) that this team is built with? I'm not an Ozzie fan, but lately, he just doesn't have any better options. Eventually, Kenny needs to man up and stop talking a big game too. This falls about 75% on his shoulders.

[SkokieSox]

He needs to light a fire, but if the team fails to respond, he will be criticized even further. He's fighting a losing battle, unless this team came pick it up. Is it his responsibility? Yes, but what else can hye do with the hand he was dealt? Let's face it, the potential guys are not living up, and the guys no one questions are productive year after year, aren't this year for whatever reason.

 

I mean, you can't criticize a lineup where no one is hitting... You shake it up, but that's all you can really do.

[fathom]

Now the real question is: can Ozzie do ANYTHING with the talent (or lack there of) that this team is built with? I'm not an Ozzie fan, but lately, he just doesn't have any better options. Eventually, Kenny needs to man up and stop talking a big game too. This falls about 75% on his shoulders.

 

Ozzie had a lot to do with who's on this roster also though. He's the one who needs his "speed" guy at the top of the order. He's the one who didn't want to give Anderson an extended shot this year. He's the one that never gave Gload the chance to see what he could do as a leadoff hitter. In no way am I blaming Ozzie for how bad this talent level is....but he isn't exactly out of the loop on these decisions.

[SoxFan1]

I'm sure your comments to Ozzie will make this team play a whole lot better. Seriously fathom, I wouldn't expect this from you, though you are the biggest Ozzie-criticizer.

 

There is still no way you can blame Ozzie for this teams abysmal play, IMO. All the blame should go on KW. Ozzie can't go out there and pitch for our relievers or swing for our hitters. These are grown ass men and they shouldn't need to be motivated to play to their potential.

 

This s*** is just getting ridiculous.

[SkokieSox]

Ozzie had a lot to do with who's on this roster also though. He's the one who needs his "speed" guy at the top of the order. He's the one who didn't want to give Anderson an extended shot this year. He's the one that never gave Gload the chance to see what he could do as a leadoff hitter. In no way am I blaming Ozzie for how bad this talent level is....but he isn't exactly out of the loop on these decisions.

 

You think Anderson would make any difference on this team right now?

[TitoMB345]

Ozzie had a lot to do with who's on this roster also though. He's the one who needs his "speed" guy at the top of the order. He's the one who didn't want to give Anderson an extended shot this year. He's the one that never gave Gload the chance to see what he could do as a leadoff hitter. In no way am I blaming Ozzie for how bad this talent level is....but he isn't exactly out of the loop on these decisions.

Right, but I'm talking about going back, before Ozzie was here. Kenny has been here since 2000, and while I can't say I am 100% certain, I can't think of many (if any) players that he has drafted that are making an impact for this team. Something down there needs to change. The scouting department is not doing a good job. Thats why I feel more of the blame falls on him rather than on Ozzie.

 

And yes, Ozzie does have a thing about riding people out of this town without a fair chance too, and thats what I hate most about him.

[SoxFanForever]

You think Anderson would make any difference on this team right now?

I think he would be an upgrade over Andy Gonzalez and Jerry Owens to start.

[whitesoxfan101]

Come on Fathom, this season is 110 percent on our embarassment of a general manager. Ozzie isn't a very good manager, but there is absolutely nothing he can do about this joke of a ballclub. And it's a bit of a "STRETCH!" to use the Ozzie likes speed so the roster is part his fault argument. The GM holds all checks and balances on his manager in terms of the roster, and this roster has no speed anyways.

[fathom]

I'm sure your comments to Ozzie will make this team play a whole lot better. Seriously fathom, I wouldn't expect this from you, though you are the biggest Ozzie-criticizer.

 

There is still no way you can blame Ozzie for this teams abysmal play, IMO. All the blame should go on KW. Ozzie can't go out there and pitch for our relievers or swing for our hitters. These are grown ass men and they shouldn't need to be motivated to play to their potential.

 

This s*** is just getting ridiculous.

When a team is failing in every aspect, the manager will get blamed. How he gets none of the blame is baffling to me. This team is playing more lethargic right now than any of the "corpseball" teams did. Were you calling for Manuel's head a few years ago? I still wonder what caused Merkin to mention the rumors that Ozzie was losing the clubhouse about a month ago?

 

And by the way, this was about as tame of a post I could make about Ozzie right now. I would love for him to prove to me he still has the fire and still has the ability to lead a team.

[whitesoxfan101]

When a team is failing in every aspect, the manager will get blamed. How he gets none of the blame is baffling to me. This team is playing more lethargic right now than any of the "corpseball" teams did. Were you calling for Manuel's head a few years ago? I still wonder what caused Merkin to mention the rumors that Ozzie was losing the clubhouse about a month ago?

 

And by the way, this was about as tame of a post I could make about Ozzie right now. I would love for him to prove to me he still has the fire and still has the ability to lead a team.

 

We have zero speed, a lineup full of bad hitters, and a horrible bullpen. You can't win the Kentucky Derby riding a donkey, and we have about 19 of them on our roster right now. Ozzie is a bad manager as he showed last year (I still think he was why we missed the playoffs), but we'd be bad this year even if Joe McCarthy was the manager.

[fathom]

You think Anderson would make any difference on this team right now?

 

He should have been the 4th outfielder on this team, and be used as the defensive replacement for guys like Dye. We all knew that Pods and Erstad would eventually get injured. Terrero has been decent out there....but Owens is just a disaster.

[GreenSox]

In Owens, we have a lead off hitter who is still looking for his first major league walk. Now I realize that the circumstances are different, but Ozzie wouldn't let Anderson start and hit in the 9 hole for 2 straight days last year, much less 2 straight weeks. I think Owens will be a decent little player, with some coaching and experience.

 

This team will hack away at just about any pitch. It's remarkable how little patience these hitters have. I love AJ slapping at ball 4, straight into a double play.

 

The team is bad because the roster is bad. That's partially Ozzie's fault, imo, but also injuries and Williams. I just hope Ozzie and Walker are spending time working with the young hitters and improving them.

Edited June 9, 2007 by GreenSox

[whitesoxfan101]

I still want you to explain to me what tangible things Ozzie can do to somehow fix this. It doesn't exist. He can't just "light the fire" right now, we have a bad team. Place the blame for this year on KW, a man who has a much longer track record than Ozzie at being bad at his job.

[SoxFan1]

When a team is failing in every aspect, the manager will get blamed. How he gets none of the blame is baffling to me. This team is playing more lethargic right now than any of the "corpseball" teams did. Were you calling for Manuel's head a few years ago? I still wonder what caused Merkin to mention the rumors that Ozzie was losing the clubhouse about a month ago?

 

And by the way, this was about as tame of a post I could make about Ozzie right now. I would love for him to prove to me he still has the fire and still has the ability to lead a team.

Come on now. You know damn well that most of the time, the manager doesn't deserve the blame. They're just the guinea pigs. And the fact that Walker is still here is what should really be alarming.

[SkokieSox]

He should have been the 4th outfielder on this team, and be used as the defensive replacement for guys like Dye. We all knew that Pods and Erstad would eventually get injured. Terrero has been decent out there....but Owens is just a disaster.

 

I like Anderson, and unless we sign a major offseason CF next year, I think he should be our CF. However, I don't want him as are fourth outfielder when our team is playing like this. The reason being is that it doesn't create value for his progression. He needs at bats...

[briguy27]

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Jun 8, 2007 -> 10:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We have zero speed, a lineup full of bad hitters, and a horrible bullpen. You can't win the Kentucky Derby riding a donkey, and we have about 19 of them on our roster right now. Ozzie is a bad manager as he showed last year (I still think he was why we missed the playoffs), but we'd be bad this year even if Joe McCarthy was the manager.

or joe girardi as manager

[daa84]

Come on Fathom, this season is 110 percent on our embarassment of a general manager. Ozzie isn't a very good manager, but there is absolutely nothing he can do about this joke of a ballclub. And it's a bit of a "STRETCH!" to use the Ozzie likes speed so the roster is part his fault argument. The GM holds all checks and balances on his manager in terms of the roster, and this roster has no speed anyways.

im just not sure any of this is ozzies fault really....i mean the lineup has a career bench player (mack) a career AAAA player (terrero), a light hitting CF who will never be an impact player and will be a career minor leaguer (owens) and a hopeful big leaguer in fields (who still could be good, but getting his first real look at the majors).....add into that that juan uribe has and had last year an obp under .290, iguchi is hitting .240 with 3 Hr (which is basically worthless) and konerko is batting .230 and hasn't had a meaningful hit i can remember all year.....so basically we are left with thome who is good and an average pierzynski at best (.250 8 HR is still about the minimum you can tolerate with him).......

 

add to that the fact that every guy not named jenks seems to give up at least 1 run per inning pitched in the pen...

 

i mean ozzie can only do so much

 

on greg walker, i haven't bashed him too much because the lift and pull approach i believe is more a product of the players that we have as opposed to walker himself, but its to the point where he has to be accountable for the lack of production...i mean in any normal job you can try hard or whatever and people can say yo uare still a good hitting coach, but if you dont produce you get fired...thats just how it is...and in a league where there is so much money on the table you must produce, and he simply hasnt...its time for him to go

[fathom]

I still want you to explain to me what tangible things Ozzie can do to somehow fix this. It doesn't exist. He can't just "light the fire" right now, we have a bad team. Place the blame for this year on KW, a man who has a much longer track record than Ozzie at being bad at his job.

 

- start using Logan as our main lefty specialist

- use Jenks in situations where we need a big out in the 8th if we're winning or 9th if we're down by a run

- stop letting Owens leadoff

- break up the slow foursome of Thome, Dye, AJ, Konerko

- tell KW to send Andy Gonzalez down

- send down Masset to become a starter, and let MacDougal work things out

 

 

All I know is that for 2.5 years, we were told that an Ozzie-led team would never go through an extended period where they didn't show a lot of fire. All I'm saying is that I want to see results on the field, and not in the press. I'm not calling for him to be fired, even though I think he's feeling miserable about our direction.

 

Come on now. You know damn well that most of the time, the manager doesn't deserve the blame. They're just the guinea pigs. And the fact that Walker is still here is what should really be alarming.

 

And could that be because Ozzie has a hard time ever throwing his friends under the bus?

[whitesoxfan101]

or joe girardi as manager

 

Our starters would all be hurt and other AL Central starters would be better from the advice of Mr. Girardi if he was our manager. The thought that Girardi was anything but an abominable manager last year is maybe the most incredible farse I've ever seen portrayed in baseball since I've watched it.

[fathom]

or joe girardi as manager

 

No way would I ever let him get around young pitchers. He's to young pitchers as Michael Jackson is to young kids.

[whitesoxfan101]

- start using Logan as our main lefty specialist

- use Jenks in situations where we need a big out in the 8th if we're winning or 9th if we're down by a run

- stop letting Owens leadoff

- break up the slow foursome of Thome, Dye, AJ, Konerko

- tell KW to send Andy Gonzalez down

- send down Masset to become a starter, and let MacDougal work things out

All I know is that for 2.5 years, we were told that an Ozzie-led team would never go through an extended period where they didn't show a lot of fire. All I'm saying is that I want to see results on the field, and not in the press. I'm not calling for him to be fired, even though I think he's feeling miserable about our direction.

 

None of your ideas would change the fact we are a bad baseball team though, and you know that as well as I do, that is just shuffling the furniture on the Titanic. Your point about an Ozzie-led team never going through an extended slump is well taken, but that was a myth perpetuated by the parrot in the booth and you know that too. Ozzie did enough last year to make me never argue whenever he is fired, but this year Kenny has done enough to make me never argue whenever he is fired.

 

No way would I ever let him get around young pitchers. He's to young pitchers as Michael Jackson is to young kids.

 

Don't insult Michael Jackson like that.

Edited June 9, 2007 by whitesoxfan101

[GreenSox]

The thought that Girardi was anything but an abominable manager last year is maybe the most incredible farse I've ever seen portrayed in baseball since I've watched it.

 

Why do you say that?

I don't know anything about him, except that W/L wise, the Marlins did a lot better than most expected.

 

Just wondering what his story is.

[fathom]

None of your ideas would change the fact we are a bad baseball team though, and you know that as well as I do, that is just shuffling the furniture on the Titanic. Your point about an Ozzie-led team never going through an extended slump is well taken, but that was a myth perpetuated by the parrot in the booth and you know that too. Ozzie did enough last year to make me never argue whenever he is fired, but this year Kenny has done enough to make me never argue whenever he is fired.

 

You should have seen enough of my posts to know that I thought KW did an absolutely horrible job this past offseason. I just want to see Ozzie try different things. He refused to make changes last year when Pods was brutal and Mackowiak was losing games in CF. What does Ozzie have to lose right now? Let Mackowiak lead off. Let Iguchi lead off. Hell, really shake it up and let Thome lead off....he's our best OBP guy and it's not like he has men on base much of the time anyways.

[Flash Tizzle]

Guillen feeling "embarrassed" and not himself. Doesn't like coming to the ballpark everyday, watching this ballclub, then having to talk about it afterwards to the media.

 

I don't how he's going to last through the season, to be honest.