elrockinMT

Is it the coach or the hitter? As Ozzie said it's the big leagues not the minors. Here you perform there you learn. Ypu don't teach up her in the bigs. But, in watchign two of the 4 games I don't know if they had an approach other than Konerko in game 4

Konerko

Heh guys: It's still early. We have a chance still right? Hawk says we can still do something, but it is getting late he admits

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 5, 2011 -> 06:13 AM) Except Bruney ended up tiring Crain out from having to go two nights in a row and he (Jesse) just wasn't as sharp with his stuff. Crain has really hit a bad patch again at the worst possible time for it. Sunday's loss really killed all the good vibes this team had going at that point. And then he got pummeled yet again by his former team in the 9th tonight. Time to move on and bring up a youngster who's legitimately a part of the future of this organization. Last three games for Bruney have been bad for sure. We needed a righty releiver and got Frasor and yet Bruney is still here? I think that trade was more for next year in my mind

I guess it was funny I don't know how else to take it

This is my take on this situation for what it is worth: I certainly understand the frustration and the letter. It is well written and lays out the situation we are in quite well. But, I am torn between wanting to lay the blame on anyone other than non-performance. I do lean towards the GM being the problem. The desire to make splashy trades and get what he thinks are impact players and then use our farm system to do that didn't work out to well. Trades were made and players let go to free agency and that saw the team lose good quality players. I specifically look at, but not limit this to the Uribe and Thome issues and even a bit farther back and the Frank Thomas issue. Look at ther trades that was made for Peavy, a battler, but injury prone and maybe on the downside of his career becasue of those injuries. The Nick Swisher deal and the lose of prospects there including Gonzalez. Team chemistry is an issue I believe is important and is an intangible when it comes to a winning ball club. We had great team players let go. The idea I guess was to win now. Appease the fans - that's us folks- and it back fired. Ozzie Guillen was left with what he had and was given by KW. Ozzie was right when quoted about the call to fire coaches: The big leagues isn't a training ground - it's about winning. You learn at the minors. That's what the minors are for. Maybe our organization led by KW used the minors as just a developing groubnd for trade bait? We need to change that and develop players who know how to play the game. We need to develop more of our own talent and then use our money to reward those that perform. We spent money, but not talent on the Rios deal. The guy must have a real fragile ego and when the going gets tough he pouts. Can't hit and his fielding also suffers. We are paying a mint for non performance. Dunn is the same, but who could have seen that coming and it might turn around if not this year certainly in 2012. The issue this year is not just one thing, but many and it took time to get where we are at. Finally caught up with us.

It's not obvious a position player will pitch - of course that's 20/20 hindsight

Ask yourself the question: would I write this if the team was winning? If your letter is out of frustration tear it up. It doesn't do anyone any good including yourself. Now if you have made several copies before settling on this letter then do what you feel you have to do. I am a frustarted Sox fan also, but I don;t have a problem with Ozzie. I have a problem though with non-performing ball players. But, relaistically is there anything that can be done with them until after the season?

I don't care if he manages next year-it has to be better than this year

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 5, 2011 -> 12:30 AM) April 13th: After throwing a stressful career-high 34 pitches the night before, Ozzie has Sale start the 9th inning with a 3 run lead against the A's. Sale struggles and can't get an out, and Sox lose in extras. May 6th: With an open base in a tie game against King Felix and the Mariners, Ozzie lets Humber pitch to the only hot hitter on the Mariners at the time (Justin Smoak). Smoak doubles, and even though the Sox tie the score the next inning, the Sox go on to lose on a walkoff single. I was at that game May 20th: After Santos blows a one run lead with 2 outs in the 9th against the Dodgers, Ozzie allows Santos to start the 10th. Santos clearly has nothing on his fastball, and the Dodgers smack him around the park for an easy extra inning win. May 28th: This game saw two huge blunders. First, in the 7th inning of that game, Ozzie (or Omar) has the 2nd baseman covering second on a steal attempt by one of the slowest base runners in baseball instead of staying in position with C. Patterson (a lefty hitter) up. Patterson hits a routine grounder to where the 2nd baseman should have been, and it goes for a hit. Toronto ends up taking a lead after that inning. That game goes to extras, and with a LHP on the mound and runner on 3rd with one out, Ozzie lets Dunn bat instead of Quentin. Sox lose June 4th: Against the Tigers, with 2 outs and man on third, Ozzie lets Crain pitch to maybe the 2nd best hitter on the planet in Miguel Cabrera. A home run into the right field bullpen later, the Sox lose an important game to the Tigers. June 10th: As Sergio Santos is one out away from a win against the A's, he has a complete meltdown. He allows 4 straight batters to reach with 2 outs, and clearly has no offspeed pitch and his fastball is straight as an arrow. With AJP begging Ozzie to pull him, Santos stays in the game to allowed a go-ahead 3 run double to Scott Sizemore. June 24th: In a scoreless game against the Nationals, Ozzie allows our worst bullpen pitcher (Bruney) to pitch to the red-hot Michael Morse with an open base and two outs. He homers, and despite Teahen's heroics, we end up losing the game in extras. July 17th: With the Sox looking to build momentum after the ASB, Ozzie leaves Humber in one batter too long to face VMart with runners on 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs. VMart singles in both, and Sox go on to lose by one. July 26th: In another important game against Tigers, Ozzie leaves Peavy in to start the 6th inning when the Sox are up 2-1. Not only does Peavy allow 3 runs to score, but Ozzie leaves him in to face 9 batters that inning. Sox lose 5-4

He's in there tonight and I made him my PTC

Let's turn this rig around. Win it!

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 4, 2011 -> 08:18 PM) Where's Rios??? Run over by the Chiva-Chiva bus about ten times most likely

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 4, 2011 -> 07:13 PM) I'm seeing the Barons @ the Smokies tonight. Let us know your observations on young Sox talent

Pierre

QUOTE (bighurt574 @ Aug 4, 2011 -> 02:24 PM) MLB (or perhaps more accurately, the MLBPA) doesn't allow performance-based contracts, apart from some limited incentives for awards and what not. If so then I guess we know why

QUOTE (Jillian Michaels' Abs @ Aug 4, 2011 -> 02:43 PM) I (fortunately) missed the game lastnight. Can someone kindly recap what Bruney's unspeakable act was that got him ejected? ESPN had the game and it was a hot headed comment on a close play and the ump tossed him right away. They didn't know what it was he said, but it had to be offensive to get that quick of a toss. Bruney was mad. Bruney has had a bad game or two, but all in all he hasn't done that bad. The Sox made their mistake earlier when they brought up Jeff Gray and then tried to send him back down only to see Seattle claim him. Gray was a good long relief option. Now getting back to Bruney I have to say I liked to see a Sox player with some passion and get angry over having the call go aganst us. He tried hs best to get that runner. It was better seeing that then watching Rios trot around sluffing it, which he did twice out there last night. Bruney admitted he let the team down. Done and over with

Konerko

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 4, 2011 -> 02:40 PM) I enjoyed a very entertaining episode of Leverage once I saw the score in the 3rd inning. I should have watched Modern Family reruns last night, but instead I suffered to the end with the Sox. Maybe they will turn it around tonight?

After Wednesday's Nationally broadcast game over ESPN even the announcers were complaining about Rios and his lack of hustle and effort

If not Ozzie then Carlton Fisk

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 4, 2011 -> 01:47 PM) Good point. Ozzie is the one who is the media seeking attention lover. He has his own twitter, facebook page, blog, and website. Kenny wants nothing to do with the media. Who is Hollywood? I am not going to put the blame only on Ozzie. If you win as a team you also lose as a team. It;'s all about effort. We haven't gotten a lot from some players and besides Ozzie only can play the 25 team members he was given. However, I do believe changes should be made in some spots for sure.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Aug 4, 2011 -> 12:59 AM) I want to see Dick Allen (the poster or the real one) installed as the hitting coach for the next 2 months just to see if things could possibly get any worse. We'll find out by the end of the weekend if we've actually reached rock bottom yet. 2007 was bad, but this is now much more depressing. In the 70's folks had some different opinions of Dick Allen, and Dick Allen had some different opinions of things. But, he was a heck of a hitter. I remember the 72 All-Star game I think it was where Dick Allen came up with a runner in scoring position and purposely went to right field with a single to drive in a run. Dick Allen who could hit 35-40 homers a year went to right field to plate a run. These hitters today could learn from that.

We can still win it. If the alternative is we keep the non performers then that is the stance I continue to take. It will be intersting to see what talent might be out there as free agents next year, but since we have spent all of our money good luck with that I guess.

If Chicago politics gets into this game tonight then the rest of the league better be careful. We will win this thing for sure. There is still time