southsideirish

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Back onto this. Ok, here's a counterpoint. Rob Mackowiak is not a full time leadoff hitter. Why? Because his numbers against lefties are terrible. .213 average this year. However, against righties, Mack is hitting .320 with a .396 OBP. Scott Podsednik on the other hand is hitting .272 with a .347 against righties. And for some reason MLB's stats aren't working right, but I would wager it's even worse if you sort the 2nd half. If Scott Podsednik is not running,w hich he is not, then there is no reason for him to be either a full time or even a part time leadoff hitter, when we have a guy on this roster who can be a part time leadoff hitter and give us much better production, even if it's just against righties. The fact that Rob Mackowiak has been a backup his career does not change the numbers he has put up this season against righties, nor does the fact that he has never been a leadoff hitter change the fact that his numbers this season have been significantly better than the lefty we have been using as a leadoff hitter. In other words, based on what they both have done this season, Rob Mackowiak right now would, against righties, be a significantly better leadoff hitter than Scott Podsednik. Has Mack leadoff before? Ever? Do we have any kind of significant data on him as a leadoff hitter for a lengthy amount of time?

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm pretty sure Mack could put up better numbers as a full-time leadoff man than Pods' line since the break. You couldn't possibly know though, now could you? He never has been a leadoff hitter for a good amount of time in order to judge these skills. You would hope so, but you don't actually know.

QUOTE(shoota @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ozzie is trying to get BA to retard one of his five tools so he can improve another, instead of encouraging him to improve each one. He is? Where did he say that? Ozzie is stating that his speed will be more valuable so concentrate and work on that. He is not saying to stop hitting for power. You are looking too much into it. I don't see anywhere in that article where he tells him to stop hitting for power and stop working on hitting for power. He is just stating to concentrate on wokring on the speed game. What is wrong with that? QUOTE(lukeman89 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> first reply on this long thread (dont want to read all of it) so i'll just throw in my .02, ozzie is calling out the wrong guy right now. How did he call him out? Respond please. Thank you. QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is like a redandwhite type response. You're totally missing the point. MACKOWIAK IS A BETTER OPTION OUT OF THE LEADOFF SLOT THAN PODS IS. You said that Pods is the only one capable, and therefore, Ozzie should continue to play him over Mack. Maybe "advocating" was not the proper word to use there, but you know what he meant. All that you're doing is dancing around the issue. Dancing? Nope, not at all. Mack is a bench player, a reserve. He is not a full time leadoff hitter. NOT is the keyword. We do not have another full-time leadoff hitter on this team. We put all of our eggs in Peter Pan's basket and lost. End of story, goodnight sweet prince. QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ozzie had a .610 career stealing pct. Not very good. Maybe he should have learned to be a speed guy. Speed helps in stealing bases, but it is not the only thing. See Willie Harris and Joey Gathright. Let me know how their doing with stolen bases.

QUOTE(shoota @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Strange dude, strange.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Exactly. WRONG! I wasn't advocating Pods. WOuld you like to point out where I was? Thank you.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> But Ozzie also mentioned that BA wasn't that fast. If there's some secret formula in Winter Ball that makes you a few steps faster, the Sox have about 12 guys on the roster who need to be on Anderson's plane. You can get faster. Speed camp. I am not joking either. It works. You are not going to go from a 5 flat to a 4.3 40, but you can get faster. You can be taught how to run faster and not to waste movement.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think SSI was replying while we were talking. It's ok. I think he knew that but he was just looking to bash. It's ok. That's why I didn't respond. Rare moment for me, I know.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> See, now that makes sense. I think my big problem would be that you were just shooting down alternative options, like I presented with Mack/Gload leading off, because "They're not leadoff hitters", but at the same time, the guy we have there right now isn't a leadoff hitter either. Sweeney in LF is almost certainly better than Podsednik in LF and leading off right now. But I think it wouldn't have hurt a month ago to start givign Mack/Gload starts in LF and leading off just to see if we could have improved the performance of that platoon. But if Sweeney can come up and have success, that's also a very good option. I can see why you would just want to try anything at all at that point. It is very frustrating watching Peter Pan tiptoeing around out there and not getting the job done, but I just didn't see an alternative to him on this team as a leadoff hitter. The Sox kind of put all of our eggs in one basket there. It was kind of like the Bears with Grossman last year. Once he went down the only alternative was a rookie QB that was drafted in the 4th round. Not a great alternative, but the defense carried him. The pitching wasn't with the Sox this year to carry Pods and we didn't have a legit backup plan to Pods at leadoff.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Why can't Gload be an everyday LF, when the alternative has been Pods? How about bringing up Sweeney sooner and playing him in LF. At least you know you will have one of the best defensive OFs in the league when BA is out there. Sweeney BA and Dye would be one of the best in my opinion. I think Sweeney can leadoff.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Easy killer. Sorry, Tony, but it can get frustrating. QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> But you are advocating playing Pods, who has none of those 3, over guys who might be able to give you 1 or 2 of those 3, with your reasoning being that Pods is a leadoff hitter. But he's not giving you any of the attributes of a leadoff hitter, which is why we're focusing on this. I am? Where? Where am I advocating playing Pods? I am saying he was the only one capable. Once he stopped producing we had no backup plan. I never once made a case for him to continue to be our leadoff man. Not once.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This year, yes. Which is what we are concerned about. He is clearly not the same and has been downright f***ing awful for a while now. I am not making a case for Pods. Never have. Where have I done this? I am saying that there is not a leadoff hitter on this team besides him. That is what I am stating. There is no way I am having Mack as the full time leadoff hitter or Gload even the part-time leadoff hitter.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Pods lacks all 3.... There is no way that I am making a case for Pods. Jeeze! Where did I ever say that Pods had one of these? Did I ever say that? DAMN!

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And for three full months, Anderson has gotten himself on base more often than Joe Crede, AJ Pierzynski, Pablo Ozuna, Alex Cintron, and most notably Scott Podsednik. He's throwing the wrong men under the bus. HOW THE f*** did he throw Anderson under the bus?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> But he is not doing it successfully now. When something fails....simply ignoring the problem and staying the course is usually a pretty bad strategy. After the last 2 months, I'll take the unknown who hasn't been a leadoff man before but who has been successful in other roles over the guy who has been a leadoff man but is failing. And yes, you can read as much detail into that line as you want. Ok, but I am not going to put Gload out there. ANd I am not putting Mackowiak out there full time either.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> His .331 OBP this year says differently. And his career .342 OBP is not much to write home about. This year. OBP is not the only thing involved in being a successful leadoff hitter. It is one thing, but not the end all be all. Speed does help. If I can get a .350 OBP guy with speed then I would be very happy. He would preferably know how to play defense as well.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What skillset does Pablo Ozuna and Scott Podsednik bring to the table that screams leadoff hitter and not 5th outfielder? Mackowiak and Gload are both better players than Ozuna and Pods. Mackowiak possibly, but there has to be a reason he has never played full time. Don't you think? Don't you think if given a full time job that his OBP would not be the same as it is when he is only playing part time? Gload no way - that is a disaster. You really can't tell that he is not an everyday player by now? QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 05:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Pods is? He has done it and done it successfully.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Why he puts Mackowiak in CF for 1/2 of the games in the 2nd half, then complains that Anderson doesn't have enough at bats? He was complaining? I think he was stating a fact. I think he was saying that he wants him to continue to get at bats and continue to work. I didn't hear his voice or see him say this in person, so I don't know for sure, but it didn't sound like a complaint. It sounded like he was stating a fact and stating a case as to why BA needs to get more work in and continue to get better.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Rob Mackowiak. Ross Gload. To lead off? Are you f***ing kidding me? This is why no one here is the manager of a professional baseball team. Those are solid backups, but they are not everyday MLB leadoff hitters.

QUOTE(shoota @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I haven't heard or read Ozzie stating that. or not stating that. He wants him to get better. Does Ozzie love speed? Yes, you can tell that. He wants BA to go to winer ball and work on things and get better. What is so hard to understand.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Pablo Ozuna entered the season with a career .307 OBP Scott Podsednik entered with a career .345 OBP They've combined to post a .277 OBP in the second half. They've combined for just a .200 OBP in the first inning since the break. They've gotten every start this season in LF and, before tonight, every start of the year in the leadoff position. Ok, who on this team is a better canidate?

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How much do you think a manager impacts a team? I think he can impact it a great deal either negatively or positively. I am just in the belief that if you are going to give someone the credit for the bad times you better be giving them the credit for the good. I know for a fact the 2005 team is not winning with Jerry Manuel, Terry Bevington, or Gene Lamont.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I am of the belief that a manager can hurt a team much more than he can help, especially in this case of a veteran laden team. Probably around 85-15, it is not like a quantifiable science. But I do know that he has handled Brian Anderson and BMac like s*** this year. To you he has. From someone that is not around the team and watching from his couch he has. I would rather know this opinion from someone within the organization or that is around the organization. To be honest I don't trust your judgement on either of those situations because you frankly don't know s*** about either of them. Neither do I, so we are in the same boat as far as that goes.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I am of the belief that a manager can hurt a team much more than he can help. Probably around 85-15. So then you think 20 games over .500 is having a bad season? Or you're not even giving credit for him having a good season at all? Managers have a 5% effect on all wins and a 15% effect on all loses? That is interesting. So the manager is pretty useless then? OK.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No actually Ozzie had nothing to do with Jenks success, and was not the main force behind Jose's turnaround. And who said Ozzie is not responsible for last year, but totally responsible for this year? Last year's team won the World Series because of incredible starting pitching, how is that Ozzie's doing? Maybe a combination of around 95-5 proportion. so then what is his doing this year? what is his portion this year? QUOTE(shoota @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How 'bout the problem Ozzie has evaluating players. Ozzie doesn't think Brandon McCarthy is better than any of the starting pitchers, and grossly undervalues Brian Anderson. Also, OG has a distorted view that a player cannot both hit for power and have speed. In 2005, OG evaluated Damaso Marte as being a better pitcher than Brandon McCarthy, going with Marte in both playoff rosters. He overvalues the talent of a leadoff hitter, believing speed is a more important factor than OBP. You get that from this article? Where does Ozzie state this? I don't get it. I really don't.

EDITED. QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Sep 6, 2006 -> 04:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> People weren't picking the Sox because they didn't have Bobby Jenks. People weren't picking the Sox because they did not know Jose Contreras would go insane down the stretch. People weren't picking the Sox because they weren't expecting Cliff Politte and Neal Cotts to be top setup men. People weren't picking the Sox because they underestimated the importance of an excellent defense. It's not like people saw it as a 70 W team and Ozzie magically turned them into World Champs, people just flat out underestimated the team. And Ozzie has nothing to do with that, but everything to do with poor play like this year, right? You're right, my fault. Jose Contreras was awful until last year. Bobby Jenks was let go by the Angels. He had a team of misfits and made them a world championship team. I am not saying it was all Ozzie, but it wasn't all the players either. It was a combination.