Ozzie Keeping Sox In Race Without a Bullpen

[Marty34]

I don't know how the hell he's doing it, I just hope he keeps it up.

[greg775]

The key is having at least a 2 run lead in the ninth, preferably 3 or more.

 

[earthshiner]

lately we need a 4 run lead and maybe a few more innings

[caulfield12]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/p...nded/order/true

 

What's strange is that we have 14 blown saves out of 48 SO.

Minnesota has 14/45, so our successful save conversion rate is actually higher.

 

Maybe it just seems that when Minnesota blows a game, they usually win it at least half the time.

 

We have the games against Minnesota, Seattle, the Tigers, the Royals...it seems we've had at least one blown save per series after the ASB.

[Knackattack]

Seriously? Ozzie is killing this team with his bunt/steal decisions and line-up cards.

[greg775]

Seriously? Ozzie is killing this team with his bunt/steal decisions and line-up cards.

 

No he is not. We are 13 or 14 over .500 with a so-so team.

[Rowand44]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/p...nded/order/true

 

What's strange is that we have 14 blown saves out of 48 SO.

Minnesota has 14/45, so our successful save conversion rate is actually higher.

 

Maybe it just seems that when Minnesota blows a game, they usually win it at least half the time.

 

We have the games against Minnesota, Seattle, the Tigers, the Royals...it seems we've had at least one blown save per series after the ASB.

Well the pen was fantastic the first half of the season, it just started getting ridiculously awful the last few weeks here, so it's not that crazy that the stats aren't completely terrible yet.

[Rowand44]

No he is not. We are 13 or 14 over .500 with a so-so team.

Your argument is so strong when you don't even know how many games over .500 the team is.

[Jerksticks]

I agree. Seems like our offense and bullpen can be shaky any given night. We should probably lose more than we do.

[caulfield12]

Pythagorean Standings

 

Minnesota should be 78-55, the White Sox project at 75-58.

 

Gardenhire has "undermanaged/underperformed" his team by 1 game, Ozzie by 2. Sounds about right.

 

Neither manager has been horrible, but I wouldn't say either has been great. Once again, Ozzie does deserve credit for holding things together in June...to the point where we still follow every inning and every pitch, it didn't seem possible then.

 

 

[greg775]

It's so frustrating that we are on the brink.

Once again, the pressure is on. We play Boston now. They got Texas at home.

Logic would suggest they win 2 of 3 and we lose 2 of 3.

If that happens, that would not be good.

Edited September 2, 2010 by greg775

[caulfield12]

Logic would also suggest the Tigers win more than 1/9 at Minnesota. That's hard for even the White Sox to pull off against the Twins.

[hogan873]

Eh, I wouldn't say Ozzie is keeping the Sox in the race. It's the players, especially Konerko, Rios, Jackson, Sale, and even Pierre now. And the lack of a bullpen has been a recent development. Remember that the bullpen was quite good for a while. I think the wear on the guys is finally showing.

[balfanman]

Eh, I wouldn't say Ozzie is keeping the Sox in the race. It's the players, especially Konerko, Rios, Jackson, Sale, and even Pierre now. And the lack of a bullpen has been a recent development. Remember that the bullpen was quite good for a while. I think the wear on the guys is finally showing.

 

This is where I disagree with how the bullpen was handled earlier in the season. I understand that you want to win every game possible, and that a win in April, May, or June is just as impotant as a win in August or September. It just seemed to me that Thornton, Putz, and Jenks were either in the game or warmed up on a nightly basis earlier in the season and now we're suffering the effects of that. I realize that no team has a pen where everyone is reliable. but sometimes you have to trust your lower tier pitchers more often than Ozzie does, or at least sacrifice a few games here or there and not warm people up under any circumstances.

 

This is also why I disdain the righty - lefty matchups so much. Either a pitcher can get a batter out or he can't. I absolutely hate it when a pitcher comes in and faces one or two batters, then the next one comes in and faces one or two batters. To me, that sounds like a good recipe for blowing through a bullpen.

[GreatScott82]

Logic would also suggest the Tigers win more than 1/9 at Minnesota. That's hard for even the White Sox to pull off against the Twins.

The Tigers will win today. The Rangers will win 2 of 3 and we will win 2 of 3 @ Boston. I said it before, my hope is to head into the Minnesota series down at LEAST 2.5 games. I think we match up pretty well vs Boston, while Minnesota doesn't match up too well vs Texas. This maybe our only opportunity to gain ground until we play them in that pivital series.

[NorthSideSox72]

People have short memories. Until about 3 weeks ago, the Sox had one of the best pens in the game, and that was part of why they were even IN the race. Now lately, the Sox offense has been on fire - and that has kept them from completely imploding.

 

I will say this in defense of Ozzie though - throughout his career managing the Sox, he's actually been quite good at handling his pitchers (nto perfect, but no manager is). This amazes me, because he's never pitched, and he handles his position players poorly. I'd have to think he is taking a lot of queues about the pitching from Coop, but who knows.

 

[Greg Hibbard]

Why is nobody mentioning that AGAIN the Twins are performing well above expectations?

 

Everyone on this board would have been ecstatic with 89-90 wins in April, as everyone thought that would win the division.

 

I have the Sox winning 89-90 games as it currently stands. The Twins probably win 94-95. Nobody thought the Twins would be capable of that, much less without Morneau.

[BigSqwert]

Why is nobody mentioning that AGAIN the Twins are performing well above expectations?

 

Everyone on this board would have been ecstatic with 89-90 wins in April, as everyone thought that would win the division.

 

I have the Sox winning 89-90 games as it currently stands. The Twins probably win 94-95. Nobody thought the Twins would be capable of that, much less without Morneau.

What can you attribute that to? Is Gardenhire a better manager and getting more out of his players?

 

His post ASB record is ridiculous by the way. I don't know how he does it.

[greg775]

I realize that no team has a pen where everyone is reliable. but sometimes you have to trust your lower tier pitchers more often than Ozzie does, or at least sacrifice a few games here or there and not warm people up under any circumstances.

 

This is also why I disdain the righty - lefty matchups so much. Either a pitcher can get a batter out or he can't. I absolutely hate it when a pitcher comes in and faces one or two batters, then the next one comes in and faces one or two batters. To me, that sounds like a good recipe for blowing through a bullpen.

 

Some people in the game threads beg for the lefty-righty stuff to start in the fifth inning.

And they implode when the lower-tier pitchers enter a game and give up a walk or a hit.

In a perfect world, our starters would go seven every night and set it up well for the eighth and ninth.

[Balta1701]

Some people in the game threads beg for the lefty-righty stuff to start in the fifth inning.

Not a fair way to state it. We beg for that because we don't want Mark Kotsay continuing his 0-for-the-season against lefties with RISP in the 5th inning.

[greg775]

I've also seen a lot of guys scream that so and so shouldn't be in the game right now with a lefty up.

A lot of guys have wanted our starters rescued in the fifth or sixth and start the bullpen parade way too early rather than demand six or 6 2/3 from our starters.

Edited September 2, 2010 by greg775

[Balta1701]

A lot of guys have wanted our starters rescued in the fifth or sixth and start the bullpen parade.

If a starter is getting shelled, then that could well be the right choice. Gavin was imploding in the 6th inning a couple starts ago, but Ozzie left him out there for a string of something like 6/7 consecutive guys reaching base.

[WHITESOXRANDY]

The biggest problem for the Sox right now is that Minnesota is pitching the best that they have all year right now. They haven't allowed more than 4 runs in any game in their last 10.

 

Even Nick Blackburn just threw a shutout and they added two good relievers. It will be near impossible for the Sox to catch them if they continue to pitch well with a 4 game lead and a much easier schedule. Not to mention that Morneau might be back.

[greg775]

If a starter is getting shelled, then that could well be the right choice. Gavin was imploding in the 6th inning a couple starts ago, but Ozzie left him out there for a string of something like 6/7 consecutive guys reaching base.

 

 

The biggest problem for the Sox right now is that Minnesota is pitching the best that they have all year right now. They haven't allowed more than 4 runs in any game in their last 10.

 

Even Nick Blackburn just threw a shutout and they added two good relievers. It will be near impossible for the Sox to catch them if they continue to pitch well with a 4 game lead and a much easier schedule. Not to mention that Morneau might be back.

 

So you've got to use the bullpen a lot and the original poster said he wished it wasn't used as much early on.

As far as the Twins, I know if we had a four-game lead we wouldn't be feeling great by any means, but it does put us at the point there's no room for error.

Does everybody agree once it hits six, we are gawn?

Minnie is going to be in that enviable position that if they just win one in the 3 game series in Chicago, they remain in cruise control. Even if we won the first two of that series and started to get all excited, we've have to complete the sweep for anything significant to have occurred in the standings.

 

[kitekrazy]

What can you attribute that to? Is Gardenhire a better manager and getting more out of his players?

 

His post ASB record is ridiculous by the way. I don't know how he does it.

 

Maybe he doesn't. Sometimes managers get too much credit. It has a lot to do with the guys on the field and the GM.

One thing that has improved is the defense especially Alexei. I would tribute that to having Omar out there. Sometimes one guy can make everyone better. Pierre has played a decent outfield as well.

 

One thing with the Twins is often the luck factor sides with them more so with the Sox. I'm glad they are out of that garbage bag stadium. They use to get the oddest hits there.