greg775

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 04:51 PM) Great concept. Have you noticed that there is not even an attempt to offer a solution to anything other than "Get free coffee at Starbucks" in that letter you cited? Yes but he's challenging people to get with it. I see none of you answer my questions about whether you are confident about your futures or your kids' futures with America on a downward slide economically and no end of our misery apparently in sight.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 08:45 AM) 1) Ozzie Guillen ALWAYS defends his veterans over the younger players, see Pierre/Viciedo or playing Rios all last season or Dunn over Lillibridge. Already publicly defending and then simultaneously not defending Bell is going to get him nowhere in the clubhouse. 2) Greg, how can you explain why the White Sox have the best outfield defense in recent years when last year it was probably the worst? 3) Greg, how can you explain why the White Sox are actually having very good success throwing out and holding on opposing baserunners? 4) Greg, how can you explain why the White Sox actually having a consistent line-up from day to day hasn't been a stabilizing influence? 5) Greg, how can you explain why some of the players like Peavy, Dunn and Rios who have been pretty bad in recent seasons with the Sox (to the point where a lot of fans wanted them waived/released/salaries dumped) are suddenly playing the best and carrying the team this year? 6) Greg, how can you explain why Ozzie and Cooper are now dealing so well with 10+ rookies on a team when Ozzie struggled to deal with 1-2-3 on a roster? 7) Greg, why have Robin's "Sunday line-ups" been working, whereas that strategy hadn't worked for Ozzie for YEARS? 8) Greg, why are we now having some decent success against journeymen/left-handers/soft-tossers/AAAA pitchers? 9) Greg, why are we hitting so much better with RISP this season? Hey, could it be Ozzie had a bad year last year, as Kenny had a bad year and the players had a bad year last year? Actually the last 2 years of pretty bad baseball? If you think it's all on Ozzie, fine. If you think Ozzie's performance is why the players failed, fine. I happen to not think that. I think it's shared blame with the majority of it on the ballplayers. Is ozzie imperfect? Of course. But they call it a "team" for a reason. I look at the big picture and I think the big picture indicates Ozzie was an unqualified success in Chicago. When people blast away on him, I can't help but stand up for him even though he and his millions of dollars do not need my support. Even though he'd tell me to f*** off if I met him in a bar and told him I stand up for him on soxtalk. He'd call me a loser. Too bad, I think he was a good Sox skipper. If the answers to all your questions are "it's Ozzie's fault," fine. I do not believe this to be the case. Yet I also do not believe Ozzie is perfect.

Just found out I have tuesday off; does anybody have GOOD all star tickets for sale? I'm a good guy deep down; I really am

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 03:00 AM) No, but I'm quite certain Mr. Schultz does not have the answer. His solution, as is often the case with "wisdom" coming from wealthy corporate executives on our political solutions, means better times for him and his at the expense of the rest of us. Q-Did you even read what he wrote? Or just state your opinion? I don't know you but my guess is you don't care what he has to say and didn't even read it. This land of ours is a mess right now. Are you confident your kids will be able to even live in a house with a picket fence and get to vacation in Wisconsin a few weeks a summer? That they'll be able to go to White Sox games? That you'll be able to afford their tuition to Benet Academy? I'm sick of partisanship. I want SOLUTIONS no matter who comes up with them: Democrats, Repubs, Business People, Donald Trump, Flavor Flav! Give me solutions.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 03:45 AM) Dunn hitting .210 after tonight. Anyone know the lowest BA for a player on the All Star team? It's a shame AJ didn't make it, I say he's even more deserving than Dunn. His batting average may suck, but isn't his on base percentage way better than AJ's? He's been so productive with HRs and Ribbies I think he's a more valuable hitter than AJP.

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 03:41 AM) Reed has some stones. Really fun watching him pitch. I definitely like his approach. Even though he walked the leadoff hitter he seems to take a "take no prisoners" attitude. He gets after it.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 03:39 AM) I really don't care what the President of Starbucks has to say about our political system. Nothing is worse to me than the "somewhere in the middle" pundit class politics worked into an artform by Friedman and epitomized by the failure of "third way" corporatist campaigns like Americans Elect. I'm not smart enough to understand what you just wrote. I would like to take a poll asking people a.) are you happy with our economy? b.) are you happy with the employment situation in our country? c.) Are you happy with health care system in our country? d.) do you think our country's MIDDLE CLASS will ever have prosperity again? If so when? (to get to the point again where a mom or dad doesn't even have to think twice about buying 4 tickets for 15-20 Sox games a year and wolfing down as much food and drink at the game as possible). e.) do you think our President has a chance to ever get meaningful policy passed? f.) do you think partisan politics is a problem right now or the same as it's always been? g.) are you 100 percent confident your kids will be on solid footing employment wise and have enough money to buy a large house and vacation house and enjoy wonderful lives?

Win it for Jake.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 12:10 AM) It has very little to do with "party" but all about selfish "what's in it for me". And that is so damn sad. QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 7, 2012 -> 12:59 AM) You know what Greg? Kap? One of the great things about this country is that we do disagree. Legitimate, honest people can look at the same situation, same information, same policy proposals, and come to completely different conclusions. This is not a weakness. This is not selfish. This is why this system works. This is a strength. I disagree. I do not think the system is working right now. I wish I could find the column that ran on the fourth of July by Pitts or somebody about how our country is not the greatest in the world any more or at least it could be argued we are not the best. I know liberals and conservatives and politicos have disagreed big-time in the past, but I think it's getting to the point now that the president could have the best idea in the world to save the economy or health care and it'd be fought tooth and nail. I'm sick of it because this country has big-time problems and the only time we come together united is when there's a damn terrorist attack. I know what article I'm thinking about. It was written by the president of Starbucks, saying this country is in serious serious trouble. Here it is: Read it at some point http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/07/03/starbucks/ And you know what I expect all of you to say after reading it? "What does the Starbucks leader know?" "Their coffee sucks." "The Starbucks president shouldn't be telling anybody how to run the country." How bout ... IT'S ABOUT TIME SOMEBODY SPOKE UP AND WE NEED TO FIX THINGS???? I'm sick of the partisanship ruining our country. My god ... let's find some f***ing solutions people!!!

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 09:51 PM) I'm not being sarcastic. How many playoff appearances have the Marlins made since Ozzie left for Chicago? Zero. Viva Ozzie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I actually admire that you stick to your guns regarding Ozzie despite all the contrary evidence. But even you have to admit, some of your points are pretty silly. Well, these last few posts are a different Dick Allen persona. So if you are trying to f*** with my head, you do win this battle. The viva Ozzie stuff pretty much defeats me. It's not Dick Allen-ish. So you win the fight. QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 09:55 PM) I'll concede that one, but wasn't Greg just complaining about people taking one part of a post and ignoring the whole? Yes, but my comeback shows I am not as dumb as you think I am at least. QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 10:15 PM) I'm just waiting for the day Greg admits he has been f***ing with us all along. You guys are nuts. I defend Ozzie. I do not start these things.

I am sick of everything having a Democrat-Republican; liberal-conservative spin. It seems to me the second the courts failed to block the Obamacare law, the opposite side just went crazy. I know it's always been this way, but it seems to be getting worse. Our country is in a s***load of trouble IMO because we are not willing to let our leader, any leader, f***ing get us out of the mess we are in. I am a Republican, but I am f***ing SICK of the economic mess, the health care mess, the UNEMPLOYMENT mess. I don't care if a Libertarian or a Zombie gets us out of this mess. I just want Americans to work together and f***ing REBOUND! My question to the intelligent people in this thread. Do you agree with me that the bickering is worse than it's ever been and our country is doomed because of a lack of a leader being able to get any consensus on anything? Do you feel we have lost the ability as a country to band together and become the greatest nation in the world again? Or do we only band together when some f***heads attack us on our own soil (9-11). I'm sick of the partisanship. THIS COUNTRY HAS PROBLEMS and nobody seems to care. They just want their own party served. Comments???

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 10:45 PM) Right. Now if Bell actually did what he was paid to do, that's when you can give Ozzie credit. He can't make everyone an all star, but a pretty good majority. I don't think most people understand Ozzie, when he was a 3rd base coach, was THE driving force in the Marlins' last title run. How many 3rd base coaches can say that? Whatever Ozzie gets paid, it isn't enough. I deserve credit for changing Dick Allen's Internet persona from the best poster to a sarcastic one. Wow.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 10:41 PM) I'm assuming that conversation took place sometime in April or May. It doesn't look like it helped because Heath hasn't really gotten any better. A 2-4 record with a 6.00 ERA and only converted 18 of 31 save opportunities. Yet Ozzie seems to stubbornly stick by him and "have his back". I seem to remember that being a big complaint from a lot of people here. I would assume the GM or Ozzie will take the fall for the high paid acquisition flopping.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 10:29 PM) It was MASTERFUL. Bell has been lights out since. If Loria has half a brain, he'll stay out of Ozzie's way, that's for sure. He also should rip up his contract and double it both in years and amount. Ozzie IS major league baseball. The Sox doing better even after losing Quentin and Buehrle and their closer for virtually nothing and the Malrins doing worse than last year even after adding Reyes, and Buehrle and Bell, be damned, Ozzie makes every team he is around better. It's a performance business. Ozzie gives Bell the ball; Bell has to get the save. No excuses.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 10:11 PM) Huh? He didn't do anything. He handled nothing. He was silent. He was not silent. he told Bell that was a f***ing lie when Bell said he felt like nobody had his back. And he looked like him like he was crazy when Bell said that stupid thing at the end rather than stroke the closer's ego. hey this is a performance business. Ozzie told the guy he couldn't get his curve over for a strike and called him on it when he said nobody had his back. MASTERFUL IMO.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 09:57 PM) I like how upper management found out that Guillen reinstated Bell as his closer via the media talking about it on Twitter. Awesome communication there. I do sense a problem in Miami with Ozzie and that will be Loria. He appears to be crazy and it looks like Ozzie does nothing to stroke his ego. Like not wanting to meet with him. Of course I'm sure few big league managers want to mess with meddling owners.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 08:20 PM) That's all part of his genius. Let the coaches coach, he's got free time to make stupid comments, play video games and more importantly, make some extra cash so Oney doesn't have to get a job and Ozney with his 1st round talent can walk around with some cash in his pocket instead of getting slapped in the face with a 50k check from the White Sox to play baseball. So you must have some problems with his kids' twitter posts. I did not care in the least about those. Twitter is a f***ing joke. Take twitter with a grain of salt IMO.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 08:19 PM) Wait, so Ozzie Guillen is a clueless f*** who does nothing and is the "organizer"? LOL at the comments of posters who take one sentence and always think they've "got Greg." Nobody reads my posts and comments on them in their entireity. They always pick out one line and make some crack about that.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 08:14 PM) 1) It was a well written article, but that's because Grantland is awesome. That's a nonsequitir. It is awesome cause of the person who wrote the story. Or the writers who write the stories. 2) Well, considering there's an all-access show, it might not be as difficult as you make it out to be. Half the time, getting access is just asking. Please get back to me when you get close to that type of access regarding a story anybody cares about. Not some high school soccer team; but some major sporting entity. That access is amazing. To be in a conversation between manager and closer??? When closer makes 20 mill a year?? And manager has a huge ego? Wow. 3) It was not even close to the best access I've ever read. That is laughable. Name any better. 4) It's not so much we hate Ozzie. It's we hate how you've made it your life's goal to deitize him. Did you mean deify him? I'm not as dumb as you may think I am.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 07:58 PM) Whoever would evaluate a manager based on that obviously doesn't know what they are doing. Ozzie is probably the best IPad dominoes player in the world. That's all you really need to know. You guys ever heard of letting your assistant coaches, uh, coach? The manager is the assembler, the man who creates an atmosphere, who runs the show. You guys don't work at companies where there is some clueless f*** who DOES NOTHING? The highest of the higher ups on site at our company (not the owner, the highest of the everyday work people) does nothing but send out emails all day and sit there like some king honcho. It seems to me all companies in America have such an "organizer." Ozzie lets his assistant coaches coach apparently. He runs the show. If you guys think he's "lazy" I think you need more proof than some article saying he likes to f*** around on the internet and play games.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 07:47 PM) As a journalist and literary aficionado, I lost respect for you when you stated that "may be the best thing I've ever read." Also, I love "in my opinion, you should agree with me on that!" You didn't think that was a well-written article? And to be able to print what happened in a conversation between a manager and his struggling closer? You name a story you could get access like that?? That access wasn't the best you've ever read as well?? I can't believe all of you hate Ozzie this much. It truly amazes me.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 07:26 PM) Prima-donna? Ozzie is the biggest prima donna in baseball. You guys don't even have an open mind on the matter. You tell me Ozzie didn't handle that situation PERFECTLY? I will lose respect for you if you actually say Ozzie handled that poorly. You are better than that. It may be the best thing I've ever read. How many people are allowed to listen into (read) the conversatoin between the closer and the manager when the closer is sucking?? At least I have an open mind on KW. There are no absolutes with me. I may not like KW but I give him props when he deserves them. Ozzie handled that PERFECTLY and you should show your baseball knowledge IMO and agree with me on that at least!

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 08:21 PM) It's amazing that greg can read that and be fascinated. That was a conversation of absolutely nothing. Ozzie's silence was golden. The VETERAN closer was spouting bulls*** and Ozzie let him spout. It was fascinating IMO.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 08:19 PM) How about watching some film? Or breaking down why his breaking ball isn't being thrown for strikes? Is it grip? Is it arm position? He is on the wrong spot on the rubber? Nope, shove it up their ass. Read the article. Ozzie didn't say shove it up their ass! Bell did. Ozzie looked at him like he was f***ing crazy. Ozzie is a pro. A true baseball man.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 6, 2012 -> 03:42 PM) Marlins behind the scenes on Grantland. Wow. What a story. No reason to watch the series after that writer gave all the highlights. I liked this graph: Ozzie is Ozzie as ever. He's what men in baseball call a "baseball man." He played the game. He's one of the guys. He's been around. He has that intangible dugout intuition. He speaks in the Spanglish mishmash that is the unofficial language of every fratty big league clubhouse. He's unfiltered and uncouth. He talks too loudly and too much about f***ing for a man who's nearly 50. His reputation is deserved. And this end of the story is amazing. Ozzie met with Bell about his struggles. Bell walked into Guillen's office and sat down. Guillen leaned back in his chair and propped his sandaled feet on the top of his desk. "I kind of feel like that night I was being second-guessed, like there was no confidence in me," the closer said to the manager. "I went out there and after I gave up a hit I'll tell you I was like, 'Oh, s***, I hope they leave me in here.' And then I walked a guy and I went, 'Oh, crap, if I walk another guy, I'm out of this game.' "It's just in my head," Bell said. "I've never really talked to you about pitching before. You know, I don't think it's a good thing or bad thing, but right now I feel like I need to talk to you so you know exactly what I'm thinking, exactly where I'm coming from." Guillen said nothing. "I feel like nobody's got my back here," Bell said. "You're f***ing wrong," Guillen snapped. "I'm just, I'm just — I'm speaking to you," Bell said. "I'm speaking to you, too," Guillen said. "Kid," the manager said to the 34-year-old, 6-foot-2, 250-pound closer, "you haven't thrown a breaking ball for a strike … " Guillen thought for a beat. "First month of the season," Bell admitted. "Yes," Guillen said. "OK?" "What do you want me to do?" "Be my closer." "Do you want me to go out there and shove it up their ass?" Bell asked. Guillen looked at him like he was crazy. Like the answer was obvious. WOW. What a perfect way to handle the prima donna Bell. Just listen to the man speak. Guillen didn't scream "Hell yes!" when Heath asked his stupid question at the end. He did what a TRUE BASEBALL MAN would do. Just look at Bell like he was nuts. I still have no clue how some of you hate Ozzie Guillen. The man is fascinating!