jackie hayes

QUOTE(quickman @ Apr 8, 2005 -> 01:11 AM) My point was and still is, that Ozzie got us to the ninth inning with a three run lead and his closer coming in to close out a game. Its the job of the closer to close the game. Do the job and nobody talks about how many pitchers we used. NOBODY. In fact I again will point out there is probably nobody on this board or in the stands that thought Shingo would blow a 3 run lead with three outs to go. Any takers? But you always have to keep in mind that it could happen. I mean, I don't think Shingo would blow a 1 run lead with three outs to go. But that doesn't mean I blow through my relievers in the 8th, b/c there's always that chance.

QUOTE(quickman @ Apr 8, 2005 -> 01:07 AM) Well I agree with your premise but what person on this board thought that shingo would give up 3 hr's in the ninth inning. Back to your premise if Shingo does his job in baseball, life and at the chop suey table, then none of us would be talking about OZzies managing. Shingo blew the game not Ozzie. It's not one or the other. They were both bad.

I don't get it either, why a designated closer is so important. But there is a ton of resistance to any other design, so I can't fault a manager for using it. I have the impression that a lot of that comes from the bullpen. (You hear people saying that they want to have clearly defined roles. Plus, the closer role is considered such a plum.) When the players affected believe in something strongly, I don't know if there's much you can do to change that without causing major problems. But still, I'm sympathetic to the main point.

QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ Apr 7, 2005 -> 10:29 PM) I don't think Oz has a great deal of confidence in Marte. I can't blame him either. I can. Marte has established himself. Just because last year he wasn't absurdly good, like the year before, doesn't mean for a second that he's not still an excellent reliever.

QUOTE(KipWellsFan @ Apr 7, 2005 -> 10:21 PM) I'm satisfied with the way Ozzie handled the situation but where was Garland? Ozzie's saying that Garland spoke up to volunteer himself, but Oz didn't want to use him.

QUOTE(Reddy @ Apr 7, 2005 -> 10:17 PM) i'm right with you on that. i feel bad for contrares and especially Viz who was put into a really s***ty position... we really shoulda pulled this one out because, like you say, we dont know how many good outings we'll get from this guy. Agreed on Viz -- not a fair reflection on him.

QUOTE(T R U @ Apr 7, 2005 -> 10:13 PM) When I looked at the chat there were two people in there.. it was fun yesterday when we were in there.. no one started b****ing at other members I'm the glue. Chat's awesome, off-topic, more casual.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Apr 7, 2005 -> 10:09 PM) The funny thing is that everyone ripping on Ozzie for using too many relievers never said a word about it when he made the pitching changes. The fact is that Shingo blew the game. How was Ozzie supposed to forsee that happening? Hindsight is a great thing, isn't it? Well, you always should keep in mind that it can happen, even though you can't forsee it.

Contreras had a great outing. I hate wasting those, when we don't know how many we'll get. What's w/ all this spamming talk? Just b/c the thread's so long? (Why chat rocks, btw...) At first I thought this was a joke. qwerty's the best.

QUOTE(Sox Hustler @ Apr 7, 2005 -> 10:03 PM) Ozzie is a f***ing moron. I still don't know how you use all your pitchers...worse part about it, they barely pitched!!! UGH I dont even care about the game anymore, ozzie did something very STUPID. Since I missed it -- why the heck did he do that? 1 out for Cotts, Politte, AND Marte? When you have a smaller pen?

WHOA. Just checking back in -- it was 5-5 just a second ago.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Apr 7, 2005 -> 05:50 PM) We're still not a small ball team. We only have a few small ball elements. Guys like Konerko, Rowand, Dye, Everett, Thomas (when healthy) help maintain a large semblance of the slugging we've been used to for awhile. I half-agree with you -- the skills composition of the team hasn't changed very much, so it's pretty funny when people remark that the Sox have been remade in a speed+defense mold. It's just not true -- we brought in Podsednik, but to do so we gave up someone with decent speed. And we brought in one of the slowest catchers we've had in years. Similar arguments can be made for defense. But that doesn't mean that the philosophy of the team hasn't changed. If Rowand starts regularly laying down sac bunts, if everyone's stealing twice as much as last year, we will see a difference. And Ozzie seemed very sac/steal-happy in st, so I'm thinking this is a real change. (We won't be certain until we start seeing some baserunners in real games, though: Job #1.)

I played him on my fantasy team -- he didn't help as much as you'd think. I'd expect more runs, especially. If anyone can give me a good reason to bat Christian f'n Guzman second in the lineup, ahead of Jose Vidro (!!!!!), I'd love to hear it.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 6, 2005 -> 10:36 PM) Think about this, a few years back when Liege ran on the field. 10,000 Sox fans pull guns and shoot! No one else would ever run on the field again. Even better, imagine disco demolition -- those of you who don't like Dahl may have had a more peaceful 25 years.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Apr 7, 2005 -> 12:16 AM) I thought it was but apparently I was wrong. But I thought Lee was selfish before Marte ever beaned Lee. If I can admit when I'm wrong, why can't you? By the way, the media is doing most of the talking when it comes to Carlos, not the players. Admit what? I've said I don't know the guy, and you won't find me anywhere saying Carlos is superhyperfantastic personally. But I hear a bunch of fluff innuendo -- about sliding into second and kidding a teammate -- and that should convince me that I know Carlos's motivations? And what's more, I should care? Sox fans are doing as much talking as the media. I don't get the fanaticism.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Apr 6, 2005 -> 11:57 PM) I was bashed for saying Lee was selfish. Now it's all coming out. :finger I guess some posters here just wanted to keep Carlos and become the 2004 Chicago Cubs. Wait, Jabroni, you were telling all of us that the plunk must have been unintentional -- so how can you believe the article has any credibility? This is all just dreck. I don't like the Lee trade, but it's done, so I haven't been going around cooing about 'Carlos did this in st', or 'Caballo mashed today', or whatever. But everyday, another thread about how much CLee sucks. With reasons as stupid as Carlos didn't try to break up a double play...which was so far from being a double play that no throw was even made to first. Christ, just be happy he's gone if you have that much of an animus and let it go. I agree much more with someone who said earlier that we're more like the Cubs this way, going into a season b****ing about players who are gone, about how much everyones' feelings were hurt w/ mean, mean Carlos Lee around. If it's that big a deal, how 'bout they just cut Timo in the offseason and hire a psychiatrist with the savings? Enuf already... And why do I get the feeling that if Podsednik really struggles, Carlos will be molesting kids by the ASB?

I'm betting it was unintentional -- when Vick passes anything, how often is it caught by the intended receiver?

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Apr 6, 2005 -> 09:50 PM) SS can not cover 3b very well on a steal. It would be a foot race between Rowand and SS to 3rd base, also it would leave a huge whole in the middle of the infield. Rowand starts to go towards 3rd, SS moves towards 3rd, now you have the SS and 3b in almost the same defensive position. All Harris has to do is hit the ball hard to the left side and game over. A bunt down the 3b line it is almost impossible to get the runner at 3rd. The 3rd basemens job is to get the runner at 1st, then you can walk the next guy to get force outs, and DP chance. SB But if I'm the Cleveland manager, I'm willing to bet that Willie's not hitting it to the left side or anywhere else. He's definitely bunting. Ozzie's had Willie bunting throughout the spring, has had everyone bunting throughout the spring, and has promised to do it through the regular season. And it's no secret that they don't have much confidence in his bat. He comes up in that situation, I take the small risk that he's swinging. The ss cheats towards 3b and breaks there on the pitch, the 3b starts very shallow and charges full steam. To be honest, I'd probably charge the 1b too, leaving the 2b to cover first, the ss to cover third. The strategy just seemed that obvious. Plus, I throw high and tight, but I assume he tried to do that and just missed.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Apr 6, 2005 -> 09:44 PM) Boone can not stand that close, because Rowand can just steal 3rd. SB No, I mean you commit to the bunt, so you have the ss cheat towards 3b.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Apr 6, 2005 -> 09:35 PM) Wickman charged in, and I assume that Boone was playing in a bit, too -- but the camera angle really only showed Wickman and Martinez. When the ball was layed down, (someone here said) Martinez pointed to first almost right away. Harris would have been out at first, leaving runners on second and third, with one out, but like it's been said, Wick couldn't pick up the ball, so there was no play. Okay. What I don't get is why they didn't have Boone (say) about 10 feet from WH when the bunt went down. There's no more obvious bunt situation. Willie still could have bunted it hard enough to get past him, but then Wickman should have had a fairly easy play at 3b (w/o the bobble) -- unless, the runners were off on the pitch. Just trying to understand, that's all.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Apr 6, 2005 -> 09:31 PM) Runners on first and second (Rowand) on second. The pitch was up and away (IIRC), and Harris put the bunt down, a little less than halfway between the mound and home plate. It would have been a close play at third, but Wick decided to go to first, but he bobbled it, and there was no play. Harris would have been out at first, but I still thought it was a nice play. Who was charging and where was he? And were the runners off on the pitch?

QUOTE(Steff @ Apr 6, 2005 -> 09:31 PM) I think it sucked and contributed nothing. Yeah, I gathered...

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ Apr 6, 2005 -> 09:30 PM) You might get multiple variations. Lol, at least it's better than what I know now.

For those of us who couldn't watch the game, can someone describe Willie's bunt play? Were the runners off on the pitch, which fielders were charging, where were they, where was the pitch located, anything else interesting? I'm having a hard time understanding how the play worked.

Oh, this is exceptionally important. What kind of a prick would you be to suggest playing shirts and skins, not knowing if anyone's father was a nudist?