Is Ventura a good game manager?

[Jerksticks]

This thread could exist every year for every team in every sport.

f***in A.

 

Part of the beginning of the season is seeing what you have, who responds to what. It's also for knee jerkin

 

 

[southsider2k5]

The players haven't been executing at all. That's the only reason this thread exists.

 

All you need to see is the RISP ba to know that.

[oldsox]

Are they still hustling, or going through the motions?

[Cali]

Good thing he turned down that extension.

[GreatScott82]

It is only April 13th.

[flavum]

It is only April 13th.

 

It's not the record. It's how they're playing.

 

This team isn't good enough. They don't have past career performance that says they'll be good.

 

They aren't good.

[The Ginger Kid]

I'd really love to know how many more wins you think we'd have if Ventura had done things differently

[Soxfest]

The players haven't been executing at all. That's the only reason this thread exists.

Robin not doing his job is alot of the reason this thread exists. 3 losses this year already are 100% on Robin.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Soxfest

[Balta1701]

Robin not doing his job is alot of the reason this thread exists.

They were 20x better prepared coming out of training camp last year.

[caulfield12]

At least one or two.

 

And this year, we don't have the obvious Ozzie comparisons....because we're comparing year on year vs. what Robin's team did last year.

 

Basically, it was the same team, except for AJ.

 

 

You can certainly make numerous compelling arguments for winning 1-2 Nationals games and the first game of the Indians' series.

 

Of course, the Nationals are playing like us all of a sudden. Their announcers would argue they SHOULD have won the first two games of the Braves' series, but they are making mistakes now and the Braves are taking advantage.

 

 

[greg775]

#2 was bad. Alexei just isn't good at bunting for a sacrifice. This is the guy who sacrificed into a triple play. When you ask alexei to sacrifice, there's a 50/50 chance he's going to pop it up. It's just not a good move, and it's just one of those things a manager needs to know about h is players.

 

I used to defend Ozzie for bunting in obvious bunt situations as well. Even when our guys feebly failed the bunt try.

I'd say, 'Is it his fault a big leaguer can't bunt a guy over??' I'd say every manager in the world would bunt in obvious bunt situations.

But even I am getting tired of seeing guys like Alexei and Beckham (before he got hurt) look like fools trying to bunt. I'm amazed that guys like Ramirez haven't learned how to bunt. I mean there are a lot of situations during a season in which they are called upon to bunt. You'd think during the winter or sometime they'd go to a warm weather climate and work on their weaknesses. I'm sure Alexei doesn't want to look like a fool and fail miserably when asked to bunt. So why doesn't he do something about it??

Edited April 14, 2013 by greg775

[Balta1701]

I used to defend Ozzie for bunting in obvious bunt situations as well. Even when our guys feebly failed the bunt try.

I'd say, 'Is it his fault a big leaguer can't bunt a guy over??' I'd say every manager in the world would bunt in obvious bunt situations.

But even I am getting tired of seeing guys like Alexei and Beckham (before he got hurt) look like fools trying to bunt. I'm amazed that guys like Ramirez haven't learned how to bunt. I mean there are a lot of situations during a season in which they are called upon to bunt. You'd think during the winter or sometime they'd go to a warm weather climate and work on their weaknesses. I'm sure Alexei doesn't want to look like a fool and fail miserably when asked to bunt. So why doesn't he do something about it??

Alexei actually does a decent job of bunting...when he's trying to bunt for a base hit. When he's trying to bunt for a base hit, he's not stabbing at the ball, he just puts the bat out. When he tries to sacrifice, he has the bat out there earlier so his brain reacts to the ball and tries to move the bat into it; exactly the opposite of what you need to do.

 

Doing a sacrifice correctly isn't an easy thing to do. You have to break yourself of the urge to stab at the ball.

[VAfan]

Lots of comments on Alexei bunting, but to me that wasn't the worst of the choices I laid out. Here's my ranking:

 

1. Letting Axelrod pitch to Harper (and then Zimmerman) in the Washington game. Led to 3 runs and the game. Santiago had a very good chance of getting Harper out, as he struck out LaRoche on 3 pitches when he came in.

 

2. Pitching around Kipnis and pitching to Swisher with Jesse Crain. Also directly cost the game.

 

3. Having Alexei bunt. This just reduced the odds of the Sox scoring. We still might have lost.

 

4. Bringing Crain in. Crain should be more reliable than he has been.

[greg775]

Alexei actually does a decent job of bunting...when he's trying to bunt for a base hit. When he's trying to bunt for a base hit, he's not stabbing at the ball, he just puts the bat out. When he tries to sacrifice, he has the bat out there earlier so his brain reacts to the ball and tries to move the bat into it; exactly the opposite of what you need to do.

 

Doing a sacrifice correctly isn't an easy thing to do. You have to break yourself of the urge to stab at the ball.

 

Good points.

Like you said, when he has to sacrifice he does stick that bat out there and stab. It's really painful to watch him try to bunt a runner over.

[bhawk99]

I like Robin as a person but this is hard to say as a Die Hard Sox fan Robin so far has not been a good manager. He is not at level of the Tigers manager.

[Cali]

If Robin Ventura was not a former White Sox player that was hand picked and had to convinced to manage, he would be in the hottest seat in all of MLB.

 

The fundamentals that were lacking in Ozzie-managed teams and stressed so much early in 2012 that led the White Sox to be in 1st for most of the season only to fall apart in September have somehow managed to carry over 6 months later into the 2013 season and is costing the team dearly. That is 100% unacceptable and someone needs to held accountable. Unfortunately accountability is a four-letter word for the Chicago White Sox baseball organization.

 

This is a failure all around, from the top on down and it is pathetic to see.

[fathom]

If Robin Ventura was not a former White Sox player that was hand picked and had to convinced to manage, he would be in the hottest seat in all of MLB.

 

The fundamentals that were lacking in Ozzie-managed teams and stressed so much early in 2012 that led the White Sox to be in 1st for most of the season only to fall apart in September have somehow managed to carry over 6 months later into the 2013 season and is costing the team dearly. That is 100% unacceptable and someone needs to held accountable. Unfortunately accountability is a four-letter word for the Chicago White Sox baseball organization.

 

This is a failure all around, from the top on down and it is pathetic to see.

 

Ventura had the easiest job on the planet last year, as he was "not Ozzie Guillen". I don't know what the heck happened to him and the team the last month of 2012 and the first month of this season, but it's going to be a very short stay for him as Sox manager if he's not able to generate some excitement with the team and the organization.

[Cali]

Ventura had the easiest job on the planet last year, as he was "not Ozzie Guillen". I don't know what the heck happened to him and the team the last month of 2012 and the first month of this season, but it's going to be a very short stay for him as Sox manager if he's not able to generate some excitement with the team and the organization.

 

Too bad that means the length of his contract and no sooner.

 

Robin turns down an extension and now his team is playing like s*** just like they were before? What's up?

 

If this team doesn't change by the All-Star break Robin should be fired. Plain and simple. But it won't happen.

 

[southsider2k5]

Interesting to see Ron Gardenhire running Aaron Hicks out there as a leadoff man hitting .040

[caulfield12]

Interesting to see Ron Gardenhire running Aaron Hicks out there as a leadoff man hitting .040

 

 

Because the Twins usually show faith in their top prospects and don't give up on them so easily...or toss them aside like detritus.

 

Ben Revere struggled when he first came up and they stuck with him and they were at least able to get some value back for him...as they saw Hicks possessing the most potential to be a dynamic, game-changing force in the outfield and Revere as "Span-Lite."

[greg775]

He's the worst thing I've ever watched. I've never respected his style of baseball. You gotta be dangerous, and to be dangerous, you have to be able to constantly adjust based on situation. Poor guy

 

I don't like one thing about Robin, I won't rehash my one complaint, but cmon guys, be fair. No manager could do much better than he has with this roster.

Edited April 21, 2013 by greg775

[Marty34]

When Hahn feels the Sox need a game manager he'll bump Ventura up to player development and re-hire Guillen. .

Edited April 21, 2013 by Marty34

[Dick Allen]

When Hahn feels the Sox need a game manager he'll bump Ventura up to player development and re-hire Guillen. .

I will bet every dime I have and every dime I ever make the rest of my life, this will never happen.

[SoxPride56]

I think it is more then just Robin's fault. Yes, he has made some (a lot) of in game mistakes. There have been many of times I am screaming at my TV "why the f*** are you doing this!!!" I have thrown the remote so many times, that now my dog thinks it is a game, and runs to go fetch it, and brings it back to me. Kind of nice of him if you ask me.

 

But getting into why I think it is more then just Robin's fault. Outside of 2005, a year that every Sox fan will appreciate to the day they die, this Sox team just has been bad. I know they win the division in 2008, but that team had a lot of flaws, and only won because Hahn's son called the coin flip correctly. This is an organizational problem. From top to bottom. I understand we have made some changes, and it can not happen over night, but it seems like they are still attracted to the same, all or nothing, type hitter. I feel this organization is just out to be ok each year, and with some luck (2008), they will make the playoffs, and see what happens from there. That isn't going to work, not when Detroit isn't going anywhere for the next few years, and KC is up can coming. Being ok with hoping for luck will get you in 3rd place every year. Truthfully, I don't care if we finish 0-162 if we don't make the playoffs. What's the difference? A few thousand fans overall in attendance, and a worse draft pick? I know that rebuilding will not draw the casual fan, but those fans don't come up unless we are winning anyway. I would have no problem if we just tore it down, sucked for 5 years, and at least had a plan. I hate to say this, but something like what the Cubs are doing. Will it work for them, or any other team that tries it? Who knows. But what I do know, is this middle of the pack, average team year in and year out is not working, so you might as well try something different. Right now, IMO, the best thing that can happen is we either go on a lucky run, or we tank it. Trade off Rios, Peavy, and any other player that will fetch you something of value in return. Start the process of building a team that can win in a few years, get a top 5 pick this year.

 

I honestly think it is going to get much worse on the field, before it gets better, but if that "much worse" includes the Sox having a new direction on how to build an organization, that is something that I am ok with.

 

Sorry for my little rant, I just hate when we suck, and right now, we suck.

[southsider2k5]

When Hahn feels the Sox need a game manager he'll bump Ventura up to player development and re-hire Guillen. .