Rios benched for Lilli

[fathom]

I find it kind of disgusting that people are saying bench Lilli for f***ing up one play after all of the runs he has saved with his glove this year. Also if the Bridge can continue to hit and field CF well, it opens up leadoff for him and LF for Viciedo.

 

The magic in his bat seems to be gone, as he's really struggling to make contact at the plate against righties.

[BigSqwert]

The magic in his bat seems to be gone, as he's really struggling to make contact at the plate against righties.

Indeed. You'd have to be blind to not have noticed this trend.

[southsidepride15]

AJ dogs it on pop ups and infield grounders just as much as the next guy. Lilli looked scared to pick the ball up twice in CF last night, as if it were a live grenade. Rios just makes me sad.....but not as sad as our offense. It's been said over and over; bring up DV, he's ready.

[Milkman delivers]

I'm liking what Ozzie said and did, but he has to continue to do the right things.

 

You mean the guy who frequently starts rounding the base on a routine grounder so he has an easier jog back to the dugout? Very few players bust it down the line for the Sox. I know DA commonly refers to an article a few years ago where a scout said Sox were hardest team to get home to first times due to their lack of hustle. We all love Konerko, but let's not pretend like he doesn't do his fair share of loafing to first on routine pop ups. Maybe the one thing I admire about Jeter, besides getting to sleep with Minka Kelly, is that no one in baseball hustles more than he does.

 

This team does not hustle at all down the line. One guy I can recall that almost always did, despite being a large man, was Thome. I don't think I've ever seen Konerko run hard (relatively speaking) to first, and AJ hardly ever does either. Rios is definitely the worst.

[Real]

Indeed. You'd have to be blind to not have noticed this trend.

 

Search my posts, I predicted this would happen He's not an everyday player (Neither is Juan Pierre, for that matter)

 

Problem is, we don't need Lillibridge and Pierre on the roster. Just Lillibridge, as he's better defensively, and can play more positions, and he's younger. Pierre is literally useless to this team, he provides no value (and, statistically.. less than no value)

[Milkman delivers]

Search my posts, I predicted this would happen He's not an everyday player (Neither is Juan Pierre, for that matter)

 

Problem is, we don't need Lillibridge and Pierre on the roster. Just Lillibridge, as he's better defensively, and can play more positions, and he's younger. Pierre is literally useless to this team, he provides no value (and, statistically.. less than no value)

 

You and everyone else. Everybody knows that Lillibridge isn't a legitimate starter, but he was the best option for a while.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Missed the game. But score one for Ozzie for benching the biggest waste of talent not named B.J. Upton in baseball.

[hogan873]

Seeing a player dog it pisses me off much more than seeing a player like Dunn go through a (very long) slump. There's the skill vs. will theory that can be applied to just about any job, and those that lack the will shouldn't have that job.

[Balta1701]

Indeed. You'd have to be blind to not have noticed this trend.

I still want to see what he does as an everyday player for a month or two. He's had a bad month after 2 spectacular months, all of them as a part time player though.

 

He doesn't need to put up a 1.000+ OPS like he did in April/May to be effective.

[Balta1701]

This is an honest (and not loaded) question: at what point do we put Rios on waivers, and does anyone bite?

 

I have a real curiosity regarding the gamesmanship of placing a player on waivers. I've read in the past that almost everyone goes on waivers at some point but we just don't hear about it. I think I recall reading some posters on here that speculated that even players like Paulie were placed on waivers at some point, just not publicly. If that's the case, does the GM and manager let a player know they are being placed on waivers (even however unlikely they are claimed), and how does that affect how the player feels toward the team. I imagine that if Rios is placed on waivers and no one bites he would then be pretty upset with the organization, and it may further affect his hustle.

 

Not arguing should it be done but CAN it be done?

Rios will be put on waivers sometime in August, and no on ewill bite.

 

Every player is put on waivers at some point, you are correct. If they pass through waivers unclaimed they then become tradeable again, so there is no downside to doing so. A GM will never tell a player they're put on waivers unless they're actually claimed. Mark Buehrle was put on waivers in August 2005, for crying out loud.

[The Ginger Kid]

what a weird season.

 

 

[RockRaines]

what a weird season.

+1. Lets just please beat the Cubs this weekend.

[Soxbadger]

Ozzie is so hypocritical on this issue, thats why no one respects it.

 

After they pulled Rios, half the team dogged it to first on pop outs, fly outs etc. That means the benching made 0 impact. Even worse, the player who replaced Rios didnt even give 100% on a live ball in extra innings.

 

If you are going to bench guys for not running to first base, you have to bench AJ, Konerko, Q, Ramirez and every other player who doesnt give 100% on a pop up.

 

If you want to bench Rios because he hasnt been performing, just say it. But all Ozzie did was create a double standard. My guess is that he has completely lost the team. I just get a terrible vibe from the entire team right now.

[BigSqwert]

Ozzie is so hypocritical on this issue, thats why no one respects it.

 

After they pulled Rios, half the team dogged it to first on pop outs, fly outs etc. That means the benching made 0 impact. Even worse, the player who replaced Rios didnt even give 100% on a live ball in extra innings.

 

If you are going to bench guys for not running to first base, you have to bench AJ, Konerko, Q, Ramirez and every other player who doesnt give 100% on a pop up.

 

If you want to bench Rios because he hasnt been performing, just say it. But all Ozzie did was create a double standard. My guess is that he has completely lost the team. I just get a terrible vibe from the entire team right now.

I find it difficult to argue the these points.

[LittleHurt05]

If you are going to bench guys for not running to first base, you have to bench AJ, Konerko, Q, Ramirez and every other player who doesnt give 100% on a pop up.

 

Konerko is giving 100%, he is just that slow it doesnt seem like it.

[fathom]

Konerko is giving 100%, he is just that slow it doesnt seem like it.

 

Konerko's my favorite Sox player of all time, but his suicide shrugs isn't exactly leading by example as captain.

[Soxbadger]

And dont get me wrong, I dont think the Sox should bench Konerko. I just think getting all crazy about a player not running out a pop up is the least of the Sox worries. Go insane about a guy not hustling to break up a double play, go crazy about an OF walking to get a ball when the winning run scores, but getting bent out of shape about running out pop ups/fly balls, that is just a losing battle because to many superstars just dont do it, and you arent going to bench your best player over something irrelevant.

 

I personally hate when AJ slams his bat down after he pops up, but if its okay for him to do that, how can you really get mad about another guy not running as hard as you think he should?

[Real]

The only players we have that give 100% on a popup are Lillibridge and Pierre. Bench the rest of the players!!!!!!!!

[greg775]

Really. This is your final straw. Get a grip. And stop with the absolutes. You must of missed Rios the Toronto Blue Jay if this is the first time you have seen this before. Oh the outrage, the humanity.

 

 

If the rest of the team had greg's passion, we'd clearly be in first place and running away with the division.

 

I love you, my man, greg775!!!

 

 

Sorry, jogging back to the dugout or rounding the base after you have been tagged out on a routine grounder isnt exactly loafing, jogging towards a live ball in the outfield of the infield is. You will never see AJ dog it on a ball in play defensively, ever. He also was the main character in probably the best White Sox Hustle Play of all time in ALCS game 2.

 

1.) I happen to think it was outrageous what Rios did considering the money he makes. I really think people are missing the boat in bringing up other guys who don't run hard when they hit a fricking pop up. Like fathom said unfortunately 75 percent of players do that. Rios loafs IN THE FIELD. In answer to your criticism of me, I know what kind of player he was in Toronto. That's why I blame KW for taking him anyway and throwing money down the toilet regarding Rios. You wouldn't agree with me with this 'absolute?' I say without any hesitation Rios is not a winner!

 

2.) Thank you caufield. Rios just flat out pissed me off last night.

 

3.) Amen. Jerry Reinsdorf must be throwing up realizing he's paying Rios all that cash.

Edited June 29, 2011 by greg775

[JoshPR]

It's time to break it up folks, bad apples everywhere

 

[elrockinMT]

Took this off the "Morning Phil" where Phil Rogers lambasts KW for the Hudson-Jackson trade. It can still get worse for the Sox

 

3. There are some people so loyal to the White Sox that they still insist that Daniel Hudson would have been a No. 5 starter, at best, had the Sox not traded him to Arizona. This is patently insane, as that opinion seems mostly based on his being effective in one of three starts while stepping in for Peavy last season, and overlooks a more valid sample – that being his 2.78 ERA in 27 starts for the Diamondbacks, including recent inter-league wins over the Royals and White Sox.

 

The Jackson trade was a bad idea, and saying it was made only so the Sox could spin Jackson to Washington for Dunn (which didn’t happen) would seem to make it look even worse for Williams. But, hey, it could still go downhill from here. You might have forgotten, but the trade was actually Hudson and lefty David Holmberg for Jackson.

 

Holmberg, who doesn’t turn 20 for a month, is one of the best pitchers in the Midwest League, going 7-3 with a 2.61 ERA for Arizona’s South Bend affiliate. He’s essentially striking out one per inning, and has a 5-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

 

He also lambasts KW over Rios and maybe for good reason. I just don't know anymore

Edited June 29, 2011 by elrockinMT

[oldsox]

I'm not sure Lilli was loafing. Yea he didn't bust his ass to field that blooper but it's entirely possible he just showed his lack of experience. I doubt he was expecting Tulo to go from 1st to home on it. He probably just figured he's stop at 3rd. Looked like he was playing at no doubles depth so was pretty deep to start with.

Lilli was loafing. Then, in post game interview, he explains how it should look to the world, that the park is SOOOO big he has to play deep and he couldn't make the play. Ozzie can't to anything about Rios other than bench him, but they can send Lilli back to Charlotte and bring up De Aza, who at least is a real outfielder and is playing well in AAA.

[Thad Bosley]

Lilli was loafing. Then, in post game interview, he explains how it should look to the world, that the park is SOOOO big he has to play deep and he couldn't make the play. Ozzie can't to anything about Rios other than bench him, but they can send Lilli back to Charlotte and bring up De Aza, who at least is a real outfielder and is playing well in AAA.

Am I reading this correctly? A suggestion that Lillibridge be sent back to Charlotte over one bad night, after how amazing he's played for us so far this year? I mean, really. Really???

[The Ginger Kid]

Am I reading this correctly? A suggestion that Lillibridge be sent back to Charlotte over one bad night, after how amazing he's played for us so far this year? I mean, really. Really???

i think the diving catch that saved the game in NY vetoes the boneheaded play last night.

 

I think he just made a stupid mistake (and he's trying to defend it, naturally) but I don't get the impression that he's a lazy guy. Not at all.

[greg775]

Am I reading this correctly? A suggestion that Lillibridge be sent back to Charlotte over one bad night, after how amazing he's played for us so far this year? I mean, really. Really???

 

Lilly has a lot of flaws, thus he must be a super sub, a role he fits well. A utility guy.

I know it drives many of you crazy that I keep mentioning this, but how can a skinny lil guy like Lilly think it's a good idea to take such a big hack? His swing is long IMO and his bat is way too big.

He looks like the Cubs' Soriano up there.

 

But Lilly is a major leaguer. He screwed up last night in an unfamiliar park.

 

Ugh. I just saw the replay. He was playing way way too deep and Tulo simply owned Lilly. That's all that happened. I don't think Lilly was loafing. He looked like most people do in corralling a blooper. Problem is Tulo was hustling his ass off.

He was safe by the proverbial mile. Lilly got owned. Why was he playing sooo deep? That's on Oz n the staff IMO.

 

I'm just waiting for the day we outhustle people. We don't win if we don't outhomer people.

 

Edited June 29, 2011 by greg775