Andruw Jones

[StrangeSox]

Kotsay didn't play. We're talking about the fact that Ozzie says he has a set lineup now against RH and LH, which seems to mean that Kotsay will be starting 70% of the time.

 

This is the epitome of dumb managing.

[BigSqwert]

This is the epitome of dumb managing.

It's truly inexplicable.

[WHITESOXRANDY]

There's no telling what Ozzie is going to do. Even his statements are open to interpretation.

 

However, right now, Jones should be playing in atleast 8 of the next 10 games. I'd be shocked if that didn't happen.

 

And, this is the reason that I liked the Jones acquisition - he should be out there for defense alone. If he just provides decent offense then the Sox are better off with him because he's clearly the 2nd best outfielder on the team.

 

Pierre is worse than I thought in LF. I saw him play CF and I didn't like that but I thought he'd be good in LF - he isn't.

 

Kotsay is a nice bench player for the right team but this team is in need of a big bat so desperately that they can't afford to be playing a Pierre and a Kotsay much.

[JorgeFabregas]

Ozzie didn't specifically say that he would play Kotsay in his semi-permanent vs.-RH lineup. So maybe he won't.

[YASNY]

Exactly. People need to make the realization that if we ride Andruw like a starter, the odds look pretty good that his body will break down and we will have Kotsay full time. Ozzie has to make the choice between playing Jones 4 to 5 days a week tops to try to make him last the season, or starting him all of the time until the wheels fall off and you see Kotsay play as long as it takes. Also realize that once Jones gets injured, even when he comes back, he doesn't seem to maintain his form using recent seasons as a guide.

 

This isn't about a Kotsay man-crush, its about protecting Jones, and you aren't going to hear anyone on this team actually say that.

 

A voice of reason among all the teeth gnashing.

[ScottyDo]

If you think Ozzie doesn't love Andruw Jones, you're crazy. Judging by the way he interacts with Andruw, I think he has a bigger man-crush on him than Kotsay. I would be VERY surprised if the AB's didn't fall out in Jones' favor over the next two weeks.

 

Of course, if he continues to plug Kotsay in there as frequently as he did to start the season, that would be a very dumb move but I don't see it happening unless Kotsay shows a spark.

 

The reason this has been an issue at all is because Ozzie thought he saw something in Kotsay, and you don't make managerial decisions based on immediate dividends, since baseball is a game of odds. This is about the time (2ish weeks) that you can see if your move made sense or not and adjust accordingly.

 

Jones in, Kotsay out. I bet that's how it shakes out. If not...blech......

[caulfield12]

Except there's no way in H-LL that Kotsay would stay in the line-up as a full-time player for very long in June/July unless he was playing well.

 

The team's tanking, there's no future use for him and he'll be replaced by youngsters or another KW acquisition. Also, if the team's not playing well and he's actually hitting, he's merely trade bait. If he's not hitting, he simply will end up on the bench, traded or DFA'ed.

 

If both Kotsay and the White Sox are blazing to glory, then obviously that's the one way he sticks, but the odds are about 1/5 X 1/2 of that happening. Or 10%. Not scientific, lol.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Except there's no way in H-LL that Kotsay would stay in the line-up as a full-time player for very long in June/July unless he was playing well.

 

The team's tanking, there's no future use for him and he'll be replaced by youngsters or another KW acquisition. Also, if the team's not playing well and he's actually hitting, he's merely trade bait. If he's not hitting, he simply will end up on the bench, traded or DFA'ed.

 

If both Kotsay and the White Sox are blazing to glory, then obviously that's the one way he sticks, but the odds are about 1/5 X 1/2 of that happening. Or 10%. Not scientific, lol.

 

Who exactly?

[iamshack]

If you think Ozzie doesn't love Andruw Jones, you're crazy. Judging by the way he interacts with Andruw, I think he has a bigger man-crush on him than Kotsay. I would be VERY surprised if the AB's didn't fall out in Jones' favor over the next two weeks.

 

Of course, if he continues to plug Kotsay in there as frequently as he did to start the season, that would be a very dumb move but I don't see it happening unless Kotsay shows a spark.

 

The reason this has been an issue at all is because Ozzie thought he saw something in Kotsay, and you don't make managerial decisions based on immediate dividends, since baseball is a game of odds. This is about the time (2ish weeks) that you can see if your move made sense or not and adjust accordingly.

 

Jones in, Kotsay out. I bet that's how it shakes out. If not...blech......

I have a major man crush on Andruw right now. Hard not to like a guy that seems like he is having that much fun right now...

[caulfield12]

Who exactly?

 

I really don't have any idea at this point in the season, to tell the truth.

 

Someone like Jack Cust, Aubrey Huff, Branyan, Dellucci, Geoff Jenkins, Carlos Delgado...I think the realization will set in (when/if Jones tails off) that they're going to need a bit more pop in the middle of the line-up when the weather heats up and balls start flying out of USCF at an alarming rate.

 

Sugar Ray Durham, lol?

 

Elijah Dukes?

 

 

[chw42]

Where does Ozzie get in his head that Jones can't hit right-handed pitching???

 

2009:

LHP: 119 AB, .218 AVG, 4 HR (29.7 AB)

RHP: 162 AB, .210 AVG, 13 HR (12.4 AB)

 

2008:

LHP: 73 AB, .178 AVG, 2 HR (36.5 AB)

RHP: 136 AB,.137 AVG, 1 HR (136 AB)

 

2007:

LHP: 182 AB, .225 AVG, 10 HR (18.2 AB)

RPH: 390 AB,.221 AVG, 16 HR (24.3 AB)

 

2006:

LHP: 127 AB, .260 AVG, 10 HR (12.7 AB)

RHP: 428 AB, .261 AVG, 31 HR (13.8 AB)

 

2005:

LHP: 125 AB, .256 AVG, 9 HR (13.8 AB)

RHP: 461 AB, .265 AVG, 42 HR (10.9 AB)

 

2004:

LHP: 151 AB, .265 AVG, 7 HR (21.6 AB)

RHP: 419 AB, .260 AVG, 22 HR (19 AB)

 

2003:

LHP: 131 AB, .260 AVG, 11 HR (11.9 AB)

RHP: 464 AB, .282 AVG, 25 HR (18.5 AB)

 

2002:

LHP: 79 AB, .229 AVG, 2 HR (40 AB)

RHP: 481 AB, .270 AVG, 33 HR (14.5 AB)

 

 

 

Clearly he has been pretty consistent from LHP to RHP, or at least has never shown a reason to say "Wow, this guy can't hit righties". He has maintained similar averages while keeping the power up. So why is Ozzie so stuck on Andruw never seeing a RHP?

 

I've been saying this all along. Does Ozzie just ignore this stuff because he feels like it?

Edited April 21, 2010 by chw42

[joeynach]

Considering just today he said he was going to stick with one lineup against righties and one vs. lefties, we are stuck with Kotsay against righties.

I agree it will be pretty dumb. Jones is proving me wrong by hitting the long ball at a nice clip. Oz is gonna get hammered if we get shut out with Kotsay in instead of Jones.

 

I posted Andruw Jones' splits a month or so ago, he hits righties and lefties at about an identical clip. Of of course he hits righties way better than Kotsay does, both this year and Career wise. So I have no clue how or why Kotsay belongs in a starting lineup except for the sunday B squad time.

[joeynach]

I've been saying this all along. Does Ozzie just ignore this stuff because he feels like it?

 

Exactly, dont get me wrong I know there is a certain amount of gut and feel involved in making managerial decisions. And the best ones go with their gut a lot and it works out, believe me I play poker everyday of my life. But that being said you can just ignore statistical facts. It would be one thing if he said I know Jones has better numbers than Kotsay against this righty, but my gut tells me Kotsay is going to...blah blah today. Whatever thats fine, at lease you know hes looking at all the information first before making a decisions, and that the most important part of making any managerial decision.

[Ranger]

I personally think it is foolish to worry about a guy who makes $500,000 getting injured....I think it is even more foolish that the Sox brought in a player making five hundo a year to carry an offense, but if he's hot ride him till he's cold. This is a pro sport and Andruw is a guy who is making peanuts...He wants to play well just as much as the Sox want him to play well. There really is no "losing" situation with a guy like this.

 

It would be foolish to ride him until he's hurt. His salary has nothing to do with it in this case. I agree he should be playing as much as possible, but if sitting him out a couple of days a week keeps him healthy and productive for the entire year, well then, they have to do what they have to do.

 

The "losing" would be if they play the guy more than he's capable of playing, he wears down or gets hurt and they "lose" his production. That wouldn't be good.

[Ranger]

Where does Ozzie get in his head that Jones can't hit right-handed pitching???

 

2009:

LHP: 119 AB, .218 AVG, 4 HR (29.7 AB)

RHP: 162 AB, .210 AVG, 13 HR (12.4 AB)

 

2008:

LHP: 73 AB, .178 AVG, 2 HR (36.5 AB)

RHP: 136 AB,.137 AVG, 1 HR (136 AB)

 

2007:

LHP: 182 AB, .225 AVG, 10 HR (18.2 AB)

RPH: 390 AB,.221 AVG, 16 HR (24.3 AB)

 

2006:

LHP: 127 AB, .260 AVG, 10 HR (12.7 AB)

RHP: 428 AB, .261 AVG, 31 HR (13.8 AB)

 

2005:

LHP: 125 AB, .256 AVG, 9 HR (13.8 AB)

RHP: 461 AB, .265 AVG, 42 HR (10.9 AB)

 

2004:

LHP: 151 AB, .265 AVG, 7 HR (21.6 AB)

RHP: 419 AB, .260 AVG, 22 HR (19 AB)

 

2003:

LHP: 131 AB, .260 AVG, 11 HR (11.9 AB)

RHP: 464 AB, .282 AVG, 25 HR (18.5 AB)

 

2002:

LHP: 79 AB, .229 AVG, 2 HR (40 AB)

RHP: 481 AB, .270 AVG, 33 HR (14.5 AB)

 

 

 

Clearly he has been pretty consistent from LHP to RHP, or at least has never shown a reason to say "Wow, this guy can't hit righties". He has maintained similar averages while keeping the power up. So why is Ozzie so stuck on Andruw never seeing a RHP?

I've been saying this all along. Does Ozzie just ignore this stuff because he feels like it?

 

I'm not sure what this proves except that the last time Jones was significantly better at hitting righties was 7 years ago. to me, this isn't useful information for Ozzie.

[WCSox]

Exactly. People need to make the realization that if we ride Andruw like a starter, the odds look pretty good that his body will break down and we will have Kotsay full time. Ozzie has to make the choice between playing Jones 4 to 5 days a week tops to try to make him last the season, or starting him all of the time until the wheels fall off and you see Kotsay play as long as it takes. Also realize that once Jones gets injured, even when he comes back, he doesn't seem to maintain his form using recent seasons as a guide.

 

One has to find a middle-ground here. When Jones is hot at the plate, I'd give him those four days a week of playing time but would DH him in three of those four days to mitigate the stress on his body. When he cools off, I'd limit him to 2-3 starts a week.

 

Unfortunately, that puts the majority of the backup OF duties on Kotsay, which of course puts Kotsay in the lineup. Hopefully Rios and Pierre can carry the load, because CQ will need more days off than the average outfielder.

Edited April 21, 2010 by WCSox

[StrangeSox]

I'm not sure what this proves except that the last time Jones was significantly better at hitting righties was 7 years ago. to me, this isn't useful information for Ozzie.

 

I'm not sure how you missed the point so badly:

 

"Clearly he has been pretty consistent from LHP to RHP, or at least has never shown a reason to say "Wow, this guy can't hit righties". He has maintained similar averages while keeping the power up. So why is Ozzie so stuck on Andruw never seeing a RHP?"

 

It wasn't about Jones crushing RHP, it was about him being more or less identical vs either LHP or RHP.

[Soxfest]

Jones needs to play everyday!

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I'm not sure how you missed the point so badly:

 

"Clearly he has been pretty consistent from LHP to RHP, or at least has never shown a reason to say "Wow, this guy can't hit righties". He has maintained similar averages while keeping the power up. So why is Ozzie so stuck on Andruw never seeing a RHP?"

 

It wasn't about Jones crushing RHP, it was about him being more or less identical vs either LHP or RHP.

 

Exactly. My point is not to say Jones is better at hitting RHP, but there is hardly a difference between RHP and LHP hitting over his career to justify him not facing any righthanders.

[chw42]

I'm not sure what this proves except that the last time Jones was significantly better at hitting righties was 7 years ago. to me, this isn't useful information for Ozzie.

 

It proves that it doesn't matter which type of pitcher he faces, he's usually around the same. So if you start him against lefties, you might as well start him against righties as well.

[Thad Bosley]

Is Jones really as brittle and injury-prone as everyone seems to be making him out to be? This is guy who, from '97-'07, played in no fewer than 153 games in any one of those seasons. Yes, he's had some injury issues the past two seasons, but clearly the reason for that was because he showed up completely out of shape in both of those years. But now that he's back in fightin' shape, along with still being relatively young, I don't see why he can't be more like the Andruw Jones of 2007 than the one featured the last two years. More like, not exactly like, but more like.

[southsider2k5]

Is Jones really as brittle and injury-prone as everyone seems to be making him out to be? This is guy who, from '97-'07, played in no fewer than 153 games in any one of those seasons. Yes, he's had some injury issues the past two seasons, but clearly the reason for that was because he showed up completely out of shape in both of those years. But now that he's back in fightin' shape, along with still being relatively young, I don't see why he can't be more like the Andruw Jones of 2007 than the one featured the last two years. More like, not exactly like, but more like.

 

It seems like everyone is willing to ignore his recent injury history and chance having Kotsay as a full-time starter, that is for sure.

[Steve9347]

I am now friends with him on Facebook.

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php...6399&ref=ts

Edited April 21, 2010 by Steve9347

[WCSox]

Is Jones really any more brittle than Thome? If not, I don't see the problem with DHing him 4 days a week.

 

[lostfan]

I'm not sure what this proves except that the last time Jones was significantly better at hitting righties was 7 years ago. to me, this isn't useful information for Ozzie.

Regardless of what Jones's particular numbers are, this is something that Ozzie does consistently, especially with younger players. He doesn't seem to care what the splits actually look like, especially younger players. It's "player is young and X handed, must need platoon"