greg775 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 "I'm not disappointed because [Lillibridge] played against tough pitchers," Guillen said before Wednesday's game. "But I [told him], 'Hey, you have to cut your swing down. You strike out too much.' "I keep saying, 'You do what you're supposed to do and you will hang around this game for a long time. But doing what you are doing, you're going to have a tough time playing in the big leagues because you play a big man's game when you're a little guy.' " This was Oz's quote in the Tribune game story from today's game, when reporters asked if Lillibridge or Nix would be the odd man out Friday when Brian returns. He basically is telling Lillibridge to go down and actually get a clue at the plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Sorry, Ozzie gets no credit for this. My grandma could tell Lillibridge sucks. Ozzie keeps putting him into the lineup instead of trying to get creative. Would putting Alexei in CF for a week for the sake of the team hurt his development at SS? Hell no, if anything, it could give you more options down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (fathom @ May 14, 2009 -> 12:05 AM) Sorry, Ozzie gets no credit for this. My grandma could tell Lillibridge sucks. Ozzie keeps putting him into the lineup instead of trying to get creative. Would putting Alexei in CF for a week for the sake of the team hurt his development at SS? Hell no, if anything, it could give you more options down the road. Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 Alexei needed some time off, evidenced by his nice 3-for-3 once he came back. He's been a mess at the plate. I don't blame Ozzie for not moving Alexei to centerfield. I blame Kenny (injuries notwithstanding) for having no options there. Why the hell would you move Alexei to centerfield after he played second last year and now is at ss and is already a wreck at the plate??? At least Ozzie is wise enough to tell Lilly what is up with his sad, sick style of hitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Would putting Alexei in CF for a week for the sake of the team hurt his development at SS? Hell no, if anything, it could give you more options down the road. It's funny that even Joey Cora mentioned that to Oz and he quickly said no. Hell Ozzie wouldn't even put a natural rightfielder in Quentin, when JD was hurt. He was putting Pods out there. I like Ozzie, ALOT, but he's still a micro-manager as far as I'm concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanne Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Maybe this was a subtle message to Walker as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Ozzie has been telling Lillibridge he needs to cut his swing down for weeks. He hasn't done it. Maybe when they show Walker the door, Ozzie should be right behind. I'm being sarcastic, but I think way too many people here think the correct hitting coach can make everyone a .330 hitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco72 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Right or wrong, Ozzie tends to keep his starting players in their everyday positions. When injuries occur, he puts the backups into the injured players' positions and pretty much keeps everyone else in their normal spots. That's actually the opposite of micromanaging, in my opinion. Unless a guy is going to be out for several weeks, I agree with Ozzie - don't move guys all around the field if you don't have to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (fathom @ May 14, 2009 -> 01:05 AM) Sorry, Ozzie gets no credit for this. My grandma could tell Lillibridge sucks. Ozzie keeps putting him into the lineup instead of trying to get creative. Would putting Alexei in CF for a week for the sake of the team hurt his development at SS? Hell no, if anything, it could give you more options down the road. My thoughts exactly, that's like giving me credit for coming to work on time this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&T Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 (edited) QUOTE (Wanne @ May 14, 2009 -> 02:20 AM) Maybe this was a subtle message to Walker as well... It's not. Laurence Holmes talked about this a while ago and the team and has been trying to get through to Lilly that he can't hit home runs. Holmes said that Lilly's eyes sort of light up when talking about hitting for power. That's a guy that flat out doesn't get it. I'm envisioning a Pods like career. Stuck in the minors until he's about 30, then he "gets it" and puts up like 2 good seasons, then is broken down because speed is his only talent. Edited May 14, 2009 by G&T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (Wanne @ May 14, 2009 -> 01:20 AM) Maybe this was a subtle message to Walker as well... Nah, I'm guessing the entire organization, including Ozzie Jr. and the reporter, knows that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 14, 2009 -> 07:16 AM) I'm being sarcastic, but I think way too many people here think the correct hitting coach can make everyone a .330 hitter. I think way too many players think the hitting coach can show them how to hit 30 HRs a season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (fathom @ May 14, 2009 -> 12:05 AM) Sorry, Ozzie gets no credit for this. My grandma could tell Lillibridge sucks. Ozzie keeps putting him into the lineup instead of trying to get creative. Would putting Alexei in CF for a week for the sake of the team hurt his development at SS? Hell no, if anything, it could give you more options down the road. Get creative? Look, I'd love to see Kroeger up here as a backup OF instead of Lillibridge, but Anderson comes back from injury rehab tomorrow, and will take Lilli's spot anyway. Why bother getting "creative" for 2 or 3 games? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 If Owens, Wise, or Anderson pan out, Lilly most likely has about 25 ABs by now. You can also throw in the injuries at different times to TCQ, Dye, and Thome for giving the guy playing time as well. With Nix showing he can field in the IF, as soon as the injuries clear up, most likely when Anderson is ready to go, The Bridge is on a one way back to Charlotte until he cuts down that swing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 14, 2009 -> 09:03 AM) Get creative? Look, I'd love to see Kroeger up here as a backup OF instead of Lillibridge, but Anderson comes back from injury rehab tomorrow, and will take Lilli's spot anyway. Why bother getting "creative" for 2 or 3 games? 'Why not? One game can make all the difference in the world. Why not send Lillibridge down when Nix came back? They had the back up infielder. Lillibridge has shown over and over again he has no business collecting a major league check. His performance is almost historically pitiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 14, 2009 -> 09:36 AM) 'Why not? One game can make all the difference in the world. Why not send Lillibridge down when Nix came back? They had the back up infielder. Lillibridge has shown over and over again he has no business collecting a major league check. His performance is almost historically pitiful. Don't get me wrong, I agree that Lillibridge does not belong on the roster, at least not now. I just don't know that bringing up a guy for two games or whatever is really worth it. A few weeks ago, when Lillibridge was really more an infielder because we had fewer OF injuries, we probably should have replaced him with Nix at that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 14, 2009 -> 09:36 AM) 'Why not? One game can make all the difference in the world. Why not send Lillibridge down when Nix came back? They had the back up infielder. Lillibridge has shown over and over again he has no business collecting a major league check. His performance is almost historically pitiful. When they called up Nix, they had yet to see him play SS, so they didn't know if he could handle it or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 14, 2009 -> 09:38 AM) Don't get me wrong, I agree that Lillibridge does not belong on the roster, at least not now. I just don't know that bringing up a guy for two games or whatever is really worth it. A few weeks ago, when Lillibridge was really more an infielder because we had fewer OF injuries, we probably should have replaced him with Nix at that time. Nix was hurt, so I can maybe understand they needed another guy who could play SS, but once he joined the team, there really was no reason Lillibridge needed to be here. Granted he can "play" CF, and they were short there, but I'd rather have Carl Everett out there than him if he hits like a pitcher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 14, 2009 -> 05:16 AM) Ozzie has been telling Lillibridge he needs to cut his swing down for weeks. He hasn't done it. Maybe when they show Walker the door, Ozzie should be right behind. I'm being sarcastic, but I think way too many people here think the correct hitting coach can make everyone a .330 hitter. Lillibridge hasn't hit anywhere the past 2-3 years, Fields and Anderson have always had long swings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan562004 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 QUOTE (fathom @ May 14, 2009 -> 12:05 AM) Sorry, Ozzie gets no credit for this. My grandma could tell Lillibridge sucks. Ozzie keeps putting him into the lineup instead of trying to get creative. Would putting Alexei in CF for a week for the sake of the team hurt his development at SS? Hell no, if anything, it could give you more options down the road. Good post. The Sox basically have a NL lineup when he's playing. He has had little to no chance of making solid contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 One game can make all the difference in the world. I agree, but the Sox have never acted like they play the game that way, evidence of the Sunday lineups last year and their overall demeanor. There's never a sense of urgency and usually the team finally gets going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Philips Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 QUOTE (greg775 @ May 14, 2009 -> 01:56 PM) I agree, but the Sox have never acted like they play the game that way, evidence of the Sunday lineups last year and their overall demeanor. There's never a sense of urgency and usually the team finally gets going. If lillibridge cut down on his swing chances are he would strikeout less but more likely, with his power, the ball when he hits it may not make it out of the infield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Ozzie better be careful or the 'First Fan' will taxing him for methane in the atmosphere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCSox Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 QUOTE (YASNY @ May 15, 2009 -> 12:37 PM) Ozzie better be careful or the 'First Fan' will taxing him for methane in the atmosphere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPN366 Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 When the Pirates and the Braves give up on a position player, that's a big, big sign that you should pass on the guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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