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Reading Phil Rogers column in the Tribune brings out more info on how Manuel is viewed by others. The Twins for instance think he is their best weapon against the Sox. I respect Manuel for how he conducts himself, but he has made some rather strange moves. On the other hand how might we be talking about him, or the press corp if those moves had paid off.

 

I think it is Rick Morrissey who wrote disparagingly about the Big Hurt in his column today. Frank is in for a lot of bashing now, but reading the game stories Frank references the Sox failure as everyone going up there to hit the long ball even with no one on base and "you can't change your approach now" or something similar. Frank is the biggest culprit because he is the one who publicly said that he was not interested in his BA anymore it was the homerun he was going for. I liked the old Frank Thomas who could hit 40 homers, drive in 125 plus runs, score a 100 plus and walk a 100 times a year. Maybe he just can't produce those kinds of numbers anymore, but a Thomas who could do close is still one of the greatest hitters in baseball. Frank was always a situational hitter/batter in my opinion and when he changed his approach the team and Frank suffered.

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Guest hotsoxchick1
Reading Phil Rogers column in the Tribune brings out more info on how Manuel is viewed by others. The Twins for instance think he is their best weapon against the Sox. I respect Manuel for how he conducts himself, but he has made some rather strange moves. On the other hand how might we be talking about him, or the press corp if those moves had paid off.

 

I think it is Rick Morrissey who wrote disparagingly about the Big Hurt in his column today. Frank is in for a lot of bashing now, but reading the game stories Frank references the Sox failure as everyone going up there to hit the long ball even with no one on base and "you can't change your approach now" or something similar. Frank is the biggest culprit because he is the one who publicly said that he was not interested in his BA anymore it was the homerun he was going for. I liked the old Frank Thomas who could hit 40 homers, drive in 125 plus runs, score a 100 plus and walk a 100 times a year. Maybe he just can't produce those kinds of numbers anymore, but a Thomas who could do close is still one of the greatest hitters in baseball. Frank was always a situational hitter/batter in my opinion and when he changed his approach the team and Frank suffered.

phil has made some very interesting points in his article today... for those who didnt read it here it is.....

 

No postseason, no Manuel

 

 

September 18, 2003

 

 

MINNEAPOLIS -- Give Jerry Manuel credit for this: He doesn't back down from the mandate Jerry Reinsdorf sent in underwriting the acquisition of Bartolo Colon.

 

Manuel knows that at the minimum he's supposed to get the White Sox into the playoffs. He understands the real test, the one that prompted general manager Ken Williams to add Robbie Alomar and Carl Everett, is supposed to come in the playoffs.

 

Jose Valentin is right when he says the Sox could "be in for a long time" if they get to the postseason. That's how solid of a team Williams has provided Manuel.

 

But given four losses in eight days to Minnesota, including a 4-2 game Wednesday night in which Frank Thomas, Valentkin and Alomar failed to reach base, it does not appear Manuel will hold up his end of the bargain.

 

It's too early to write the postscript—but just barely.

 

This isn't likely to finish well, especially for Manuel, who says "we've still got a shot, but it's very slim." The bet here is that on Sept. 29, the Monday after the season ends, the Sox will call a news conference to announce the Manuel era has ended after six seasons.

 

Protocol would require that they spend the next month interviewing candidates for the job, but the early favorites are Buddy Bell (a Reinsdorf favorite) and Double-A manager Wally Backman.

 

It's too early to say for sure who would be running the job interviews.

 

Williams has done a good job filling his team's needs, especially given the financial handcuffs often placed on him, and deserves to remain in a position into which he has grown. But it's a stressful job and has put a strain on his family. He has a decision of his own to make after the year is over.

 

These are the dreary realities that will face a franchise that, frankly, deserves better. As seldom as the White Sox seem to get it right, the fact is they have a whole lot of very good people who work hard to overcome a variety of problems that would be incomprehensible to the lucky folks who work out of Wrigley Field.

 

When you're the Sox, coming close doesn't cut it. That's why Manuel informally announced he has entered panic mode before Wednesday's game, hinting he's about to go to a four-man rotation.

 

"I'm managing to win every game from here on out," he said.

 

Assuming Colon allows them to avoid a sweep, , the Sox will head home for a weekend series against Kansas City trailing the Twins by 1½ games. A lot can happen in 10 games but to a large degree the Sox have put their fate in the hands of the Detroit Tigers, who have lost 11 of their last 12 games.

 

As you might have heard, the Twins play the Tigers seven times in their final nine games. That includes a series here this weekend when the woeful Detroit— 113 losses, and counting—will start Nate Robertson, Gary Knotts and Nate Cornejo.

 

Good luck on that.

 

In his early years on the job, Manuel did a good job of keeping inexperienced teams playing hard all season. But he hasn't done enough winning with the good teams he has had—getting swept out of the 2000 playoffs in about 75 hours and going 45-49 in the first half with a 2003 team that should have won 90 games blindfolded.

 

All right, at times it has looked like the Sox have played blindfolded. But the reality is they're on a pace for 86 victories, which isn't enoughgiven the talent at his disposal.

 

The middle of the Twins' lineup Wednesday featured Doug Mientkiewicz, Jacque Jones and Corey Koskie. The Sox answered with Thomas, Magglio Ordonez and Everett. Add No. 2 hitter Carlos Lee, and you have at least four guys in the lineup who could have hit cleanup for Minnesota.

 

Manuel, it seems, always has had a huge personnel edge over the Twins. Yet in the last three seasons, Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire have produced a 262-213 record in Minnesota. Manuel has the Sox at 244-231. That's an 18-game edge for the franchise with inferior talent.

 

It's why Manuel must go if the Sox don't pull off a great escape.

 

For the record, here's what Gardenhire said when asked about Manuel before Wednesday game:

 

"I don't ever critique other managers. That's not my job. He has a good baseball team over there. He must be doing something right."

 

But according to those who talk to them privately, Gardenhire and others in the Twins' organization consider Manuel's job security the best thing to happen to them since the Cleveland Indians downsized.

 

Whether on television or in person, they often shake their heads about Manuel's maneuvering. The one that had them talking Wednesday was Manuel bringing in lefty Kelly Wunsch to face Koskie, one batter after Jones, another left-handed hitter, had delivered a run-scoring single.

 

They're still thankful about Manuel's decision-making in the Sox's 5-4 loss to Boston on Sept. 3. Manuel allowed right-hander Scott Sullivan to face left-handed-hitting slugger David Ortiz in the eighth inning instead of bringing in Damaso Marte, and Ortiz hit a game-tying homer.

 

Based on Manuel's comments, it sounds like Esteban Loaiza, not Danny Wright, will start Saturday's game against Kansas City. That could be the first of nine games started by a Sox starter working on three days' rest, the supposed benefit being one more start by Mark Buehrle and Loaiza rather than two by Wright.

 

It's an act of total desperation, almost certainly destined to fail. But there's no doubting the dire nature of this situation for the Sox and their manager.

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Copyright © 2003, The Chicago Tribune

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Guest hotsoxchick1
Phil hit it right on the head.  I really hope Jerry is s***-canned like stated in the article.  What a disappointment this season is  :bang

and if you read between the lines he will be taking a few with him to the unemployment office......... ;)

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I'm surprised it to the rest of the world this long to figure out that he's an idiot.

 

Good riddence JM.... :fyou

lol well if the rest of the world had to deal with him on a daily basis then it wouldnt have taken so long.......lucky us huh.....

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This division should have been wrapped a very long time ago.

 

This team is a disappointment. I think today was one of the worst days of my life as a White Sox fan. Seeing my team end a season like they did....breaks my heart.

 

IMO, the finger needs to be pointed in one direction and in one direction only. So JM....here's your goddamn finger :fyou

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