hogan873

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 22, 2010 -> 02:29 AM) Ban me if you want, but I truly believe that if any alleged Sox fan believes '05 was a f***ing "fluke" he is no true fan. What is a f***ing fluke anyway? Any team that's not favored that COMPETES and wins it all??? Sure it was unexpected. But The Sox are the 05 World Series champions. They WON IT, not by any damn fluke. A fluke is a type of fish.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Sep 21, 2010 -> 08:36 PM) My apologies for comin off preachy. I just can't understand the Larussa2011 love. The man is around 70. 70! How is that upgrading for the future? I don't see fire n passion, I only see a corpse manager. Why not offer Bobby Cox 3rd base coach; he's available too. How bout sticking with both Ozzie and Kenny and just tweaking the roster instead? They've both proven they can win the big one. The 2005 team is a prime example of players collectively having career years- why is that never to Ozzie's credit, getting a lackluster group to overachieve? Could Bevington have coasted to a title with that team as well? Not sure. And all you Ozzie haters, don't forget you have to beat out the cubs for a manager as well now. Tough boat to be in; tough sell to the fans. Well I guess if we could pry George Brett away from the Royals..... I certainly didn't take your post as preachy. I agree about LaRussa (and Torre for that matter), at least when it comes age. Either one most likely wouldn't give you more than 5 years or so. I do credit Ozzie with at least some of what happened in 2005. What he did back then with the team he had worked. Things just haven't gelled since. Not entirely Ozzie's fault, but he tried to manage like an NL club, and it really hasn't worked. As far as your comment about the Cubs, that's true. As a matter of fact, there could be many more teams looking for managers during this off season. Like an article stated, Guillen and LaRussa leaving their present clubs could start a domino-effect.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 21, 2010 -> 06:06 PM) Get ready for the Buddy Bell era. Yuk. I have to hand it to you, Greg. You are all over the place. As far as Torre goes, I say there's no chance. He's 70, so he wouldn't be around long (coaching, that is). Buddy Bell? I doubt it. If Ozzie leaves, and if he does it'll be on his own terms, I see the Sox going younger again, like with Ozzie. And it might be someone from within the organization (Cora?). I know you love Ozzie, but you make it sound like this team would never win an other game if he's not back next year. Yes, the Sox won it all in 2005, but other than that, how many times did the Sox make the playoffs under Ozzie?

QUOTE (Wanne @ Sep 21, 2010 -> 03:21 PM) Then by all means stop. Ya know what...I had a DUI back in my day...and I'm a pretty responsible, productive member of society who's a single dad mind you also and have raised 3 awesome kids. Sure glad I didn't have Judgy-judgersons like you tellin' me what an awful individual I am and what I'm "capable of". Get off you high horse. Back to the topic...say Ozzie did bolt for the fish...who would you like to see brought in? One comment on your response: Well said. Back to the topic, LaRussa is 65, so even if he were to come to the Sox it wouldn't be for a long time (5-7 years?). I would imagine the Sox would try to go younger, like they did with Ozzie. I don't know a lot about the candidates out there, but I wonder if they'd give Cora a shot.

In reading these arguments, I can't get past the fact that we are talking about grown men. Unless their manager is saying, "Hey guys, go get trashed and then jump in your cars and drive around", he's not responsible for them getting DUIs or getting in accidents. He may have set a bad example by getting his own DUI, but that's about the long and short of it.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Sep 20, 2010 -> 12:59 PM) There aren't reports of Ozzie abusing the legal drug. LaRussa is the only manager who was found passed out behind the wheel at a major intersection. That means he abuses alcohol; he doesn't have the stones to say no to drinks after he gets tipsy. No way is this a role model for young men. It means he drank too much at that time and made the bad decision to drive. It doesn't necessarily mean he abuses alcohol.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 21, 2010 -> 07:54 AM) You don't think there's any connection between a player who drinks and drives and a manager who does the exact same thing? I don't. Do you really think that LaRussa is that big on an influence on his players (who are adults) that they drink and drive just because he does?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 21, 2010 -> 12:34 AM) The acquisition of Manny was the exclamation point to this rotten season, not to mention the season-ending losing streak. I'd say getting swept by the Twins and Tigers at home was the exclamation point on this season. KW took a chance with Manny, and it didn't pan out. The Sox were only 4.5 games out when he was acquired, but I don't think many of us thought that acquring Manny alone would push the team to the playoffs. Remember that the Sox had a 7 game winning streak right after he was acquired. Granted he didn't really do anything during that time except watch a couple game-winning home runs from the on-deck circle. Then the team just fell apart...mainly the starting pitching.

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ Sep 20, 2010 -> 02:46 PM) DH What are your thoughts on the direction of this team? A agree with most of what you laid out. Konerko re-signing would solve one big problem, that being 1B. As far as a DH, I can't see a big money name being plugged in there (Dunn, Fielder). I'd be okay with Matsui or even Manny. I can definitely see AJ re-signing, unless the Sox go after VMart, which I would no problem with. Money will be the big issue, as it often is, during this off season. Unless some trades are made to free up money (and you have to wonder who would be traded), there won't be more than one big signing. Keeping my fingers crossed that Konerko re-signs, my biggest concerns are DH and RF. The DH spot may be easier to fill. I don't really want to see Quentin out in RF again. I'd trade his power for a decent fielder and hit for average kind of guy. I just perused the list of 2011 free agent RFers, and there's not much there. I would expect Minnesota to exercise the option on Kubel (although he'd he a nice addition), and KC may exercise the option on DeJesus. Knowing this team, I imagine a move or two will be made that no one expected. Let's hope that whatever happens, it works out better than this year.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 20, 2010 -> 02:26 PM) I don't think you want me to list all the reasons I think people take Ozzie for granted. But I can list them all if people want. 2005 - he did a good job there Deflects the attention from the team onto himself - sure, but he goes overboard I'm sure there are other managers and managerial candidates out there that we don't want anywhere near the Sox, and in those cases Ozzie is the better choice. But...

Does anyone else have the sneaking suspicion that the Sox will offer Manny a one year incentive-laden deal?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 20, 2010 -> 02:14 PM) I think you guys take Ozzie for granted, but you will get your wish. In my mind, I think this is playing out it's 90-10 he's gone to Florida. So the question is, who does Jerry turn to for next season? Is it simply going to be Cora, or does he go for Torre? I would prefer Torre. No guarantees we'll win s***, but after the volatile Oz, we probably need to go calmer and then after he retires at 70, we can go back to Oz, hopefully with a successful 10 years of Torre under our belts. Problem is Jerry will really have to pay big bucks to get Torre. Huge bucks. I can't imagine any scenario that brings Torre here. Otherwise, how do many of us take Ozzie for granted?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 20, 2010 -> 01:57 PM) It's obvious he wants the Florida job and many of you will get your wish for a new manager. It's actually a good way for Ozzie to come back someday. Take another job now, turn Florida into a perennial playoff team, then come back to Chicago again when he needs a dose of hero worship at age 55 or so.. If he stays here much longer he will get fired as all managers are hired to be fired. Only way to come back to Chicago will be to take another job then come back again someday. It'll be tough to come back to the Sox some day if he's fired by the Sox now. He'll enjoy the Florida weather much. It's weird he wants to manage NL type baseball so much since he played for the Sox for so long in the AL. I wonder who gets the Sox job: LaRussa or Torre? I don't know if he's mouthing off and making bad managerial decisions because he wants to manage the Marlins. I would be willing to bet he would like the job, but he's been this way for quite a while. How many managers leave a club and then return again years later? I can only think of Cito Gaston, but I would imagine there are others, however not many. You make the point that many argue on this site about how Ozzie manages NL-type baseball in the AL. It hasn't exactly worked, and aside from 2005 (when just about everything went right), he hasn't done much to make me want him to stay. I'm hoping for a new manager next year. If the new manager has a bad stretch, he may be bad-mouthed here on SoxTalk, but I wouldn't expect many to say they want Ozzie back.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Sep 20, 2010 -> 02:04 PM) The same way he did with the Sox? I was wondering the same thing.

I didn't think this was worthy of starting a new thread, but Andy Reid sounds like he's taking a page from Ozzie's book with his insistance of playing Kolb next week even though Vick played a great game yesterday.

Another top notch episode of Mad Men last night.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Sep 20, 2010 -> 10:14 AM) The debut of Boardwalk Empire was fantastic. Looking forward to watching it. I don't have HBO, so my father in-law is taping it for us.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Sep 20, 2010 -> 09:37 AM) Who wants more Kenny and Ozzie drama? Well, here it is. Ozzie wants his boy Kotsay in the lineup and hates the lack of flexibility an actual DH saddles him with. “Kenny and Jerry [Reinsdorf] never get involved with my lineup,” Guillen said. “They never did and I don’t think they ever will. I hope not. You never know. But all of a sudden you don’t play Manny for three or four days and he’s healthy … we bring this guy here to play every day. [...] By bringing aboard Ramirez, Williams was essentially forcing Guillen’s hand with lineup decisions. Or at least that’s how Guillen seems to look at it. “In the meanwhile it’s hard for me to make the lineup every day because of that situation,” Guillen said about Ramirez’s presence. http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/white-sox/...ausing-friction Why can't Ozzie just keep his mouth shut? I agree, this team has to get past the damn soap opera that is KW and Ozzie.

Well, that home stand was about as bad as it gets. The team looked dead, aside from a few moments here and there. I'm sure many of them are looking forward to the end of the season, as many of us are. I'm looking forward to the off season, because it should (hopefully) be quite interesting. There may be a change in management, but I wouldn't be surprised if nothing of that sort happens. Re-signing Konerko, acquiring a real DH, and figuring out what to do at the catcher spot are some points I'd like to see addressed.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 19, 2010 -> 09:10 AM) No it doesn't. Each night is an individual event which has no impact from the past, and no bearing on the future.... that is according to the law of averages. *rolls eyes* Sarcasm alert.

Law of averages says the Sox win tonight.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 18, 2010 -> 08:55 PM) Ozzie is a former player who played in the era of big contracts. He's cocky. Some people can't deal with that. Unfortunately his cockiness gets in the way of managing a game properly...or talking his GM into which players to acquire or not acquire.

QUOTE (IChaseBlackWood @ Sep 16, 2010 -> 09:03 PM) back to back homers followed by a double by Morel! Love the new user name.

Paulie is a bad ass mother f***er!

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 16, 2010 -> 05:36 PM) I think Kenny deserves his share of the blame for our flop. Getting Peavy has not helped the team in the least and getting Jackson did not impact the race a bit either. The Manny move was a complete joke. Just make Viciedo the DH and he'd have had as good an impact as Mr. Singles/No Ribbies. Well, Peavy getting hurt hurt his chances of helping the team. Unfortunately he was hitting his stride when he went down. I view the Jackson deal as a piece for 2011, although I still don't like the money aspect. And the Manny move was a flop. I know what he was trying to do, and we were only 4 games out at that time. But, hindslight being what it is, Viciedo would have been a better option for a month.