Milkman delivers

I wish you people would all just ignore him, and I'm not talking about Ozzie.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Aug 31, 2011 -> 04:14 PM) You've done a fine job today, Darryl, but I'm going with percentages. You're a lefty, Simpson's a righty.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Aug 31, 2011 -> 12:40 PM) Hopefully today is just Rios's send off for the 2011 season. Unless he goes 4-4 with 6 homeruns, he should never see the field again after today, and if he does I will not be watching the rest of the season.

Imagine if they infused this talent earlier.

I like the points he's made.

QUOTE (tonyho7476 @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 12:39 PM) Spiegs is suggesting that Ozzie is doing stuff just to spite Kenny, like batting Rios 4th. Would he do that? Can't we all just get along? I think he definitely would. Ozzie seems like a little, spiteful man. I dont know who this Spiegel guy is, but I like him.

QUOTE (tonyho7476 @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 12:11 PM) Cowley says that someone in the organization told him that even a playoff run can't save Ozzie. Knowing Cowley's connections to the Guillen family: :D :D :D :D :D

QUOTE (Papa Tru @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 11:47 AM) where is milkman and sqwert to crown Cleveland and say this is the worst team in the league? damn he beat me in! Haha, nobody ever crowned Cleveland. We said they could compete for the division and that they couldn't be outright written off as you had done. The fact that they are half a game behind us and were ahead of us through the last week of August shows that indeed we were correct. And if the Sox still have a chance, so does Cleveland.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 11:16 AM) With the additions of De Aza, Flowers, and Viciedo seemingly injecting some life into this team, the possibility certainly exists. This is the key point.

QUOTE (tonyho7476 @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 10:23 AM) I don't believe managers in baseball play that much into the outcome of a game. I think the most important part of his job is getting everyone to believe in him and want to play for him. Ozzie does that, for the most part. There was a recent survey that showed Ozzie was the 6th most popular manager to play for. Heard it on the score. If the players don't want to play for him, like a Mike Quade type, then the guy has to go. I'd like to see this survey, because Ozzie was listed as second to last a few seasons ago.

In some people's eyes, there's just flat out never going to be a reason to fire a manager. If the team succeeds, it's because he got the most of out the players. If it fails, the talent just wasn't there to make it happen.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 10:03 AM) I'm not gonna lose sleep over it, but as a human being, yeah I feel bad to watch him suddenly be so awful at what he's been succeeding at for his whole life. I do realize that just this season he will probably earn double what I will in my whole lifetime. He wakes up with way more zeroes in his bank account, but I'm sure his struggles still grind his gears every morning. So he deals with a minimal amount of adversity in his daily grind, just like everyone else on Earth. I don't see why that is a reason to feel even remotely bad for him. I might honestly give one of my hands to have the money that Dunn has, so I'm not going to feel anything for him being bad at what he does or getting booed because of it.

QUOTE (tonyho7476 @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 10:04 AM) I feel that if Ozzie is given the right talent, like a lot of managers, he can win. I don't see our failures this year as his fault. He does a ton of questionable things, but I think he knows baseball as much as anyone. I want to see us win more titles with him. If we can't, because of his management of the team, then I want someone else. QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 10:05 AM) He's had some ridiculously talented teams while he's been here. Honestly, tony, if you haven't seen this team fail because of Ozzie over the last half decade, then there is nothing that will change your mind. There is a reason why it seems that about 95-99% of fans want him gone.

QUOTE (tonyho7476 @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 09:48 AM) Getting rid of Kenny seems like the move this off-season, assuming we fall on our faces, and don't make the playoffs. I'm willing to give Ozzie another year. Besides, we have Rick Hahn ready to take over. For some reason, I still like Ozzie....I think because he puts a face on our franchise...although I realize a lot of people don't like that face?!? These two things are actually somewhat contradictory. If you still like Ozzie at this point, nothing is going to change that. So you'd almost assuredly be willing to give him more than one year. Your subsequent Ditka comment merely cements that.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 12:49 AM) I'm just as excited about every one of these guys. I think Flowers has blown away any expectations. He's done a phenomenal job IMO...there's not reason to think he can't build on it. Like I said in a previous thread...(and granted it's the AFL)...but watching him hit just saying "damn". I'd have no problem handing the reins to Tyler right now. Not that I dislike AJ...I'm just ready for change. Same can be said for De Aza. What is there not to like about this kid? I'm not gonna sit here just waiting for a slump from him like it seems some might do. BTW...LOVED the Hawk rip on Rios about "being in the game" on the sinking liner De Aza snagged. Viciedo...he just needs to play...everyday. Good god...if Rios could be jettisoned...and outfield of CQ, De Aza and Viciedo would rock. Even if he can't be...this is what should be. I agree with all of these points. And Flowers has really taken some strides back there since we last saw him. I'd expect him to continue to build on that. I think you just have to get new management working with these guys (probably promote the AAA hitting coach) and see how much more they can progress.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 09:24 AM) Why can't guillen just worry about baseball and remembering that rios sucks. That is all he needs to do. guillen continues to look like the little pain in the ass cousin that nobody pays attention too so he sets the cat on fire. Instead of watching Venezuelan news and Mexican soap operas maybe figure out that alex rios can not even comprehend how many outs there are in the top of 9th Bump KW up replace him with Hahn and let ozzie and his ego go This is ditka all over again. I've compared Ozzie to Ditka so many times. It's almost a perfect comparison.

QUOTE (WilliamTell @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 01:13 AM) I feel horrible for Dunn. But he can't play if he's going to hurt this team. Hopefully in the off season he finds some sort of extra passion and maybe can figure this out. QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 02:16 AM) I can give you $12,000,000 reasons not to feel horrible. I have never, nor will I ever, understand how people feel bad for professional athletes other than obvious things like deaths and paralyzing injuries.

There really is no reason that both guys shouldn't be on the hot seat.

Bowling season? Correct me if I'm wrong, but bowling strikes me as sort of an all-year type of thing.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 08:53 AM) I truly feel it's been the best program on television since episode 1. Bryan Cranston is so fantastic... to be someone with such great comedic chops (always cracked me up on Seinfeld and Malcolm in the Middle) and to play this incredibly dramatic role of Walter White. He is amazing. I'm excited to see him in "Drive" next month. Funniest Malcolm In The Middle Scene Ever This was hilarious at the time, but to go back and watch it again knowing his work in Breaking Bad makes it even better.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 30, 2011 -> 08:45 AM) Is there any doubt now that Breaking Bad is the best show on tv, not only for the writing, but also for the acting. Aaron Paul. My God. That scene at the church meeting was epic. It's definitely the best, in my opinion. The acting all around is incredible. Cranston has been this good from the very beginning, but Aaron Paul and some other key actors have gotten better and better as the seasons have progressed. I know I've made this parallel a dozen times before, but the same thing happened with the Sopranos. Actors that didn't come off very good in the first couple of seasons really came into their own over time (Silvio/Paulie/Bobby and Hank/Marie).

QUOTE (Lillian @ Aug 29, 2011 -> 09:38 PM) I'm curious, and please don't misinterpret my motive here. I'm not trying to say "I told you so", as it's much too early to draw any conclusions. However, for those of you who were so certain that de Aza was nothing more than a "AAAA" player, or a "4TH outfielder", have you changed your minds about his ability to play and contribute, on a regular basis, at the Big League level? I personally have always liked his skill set. He's a good outfielder, with speed and a good arm. He hustles, has some pop and just plays the game the way that I like to see it played. He has really been sensational vs. RHP, the last two seasons at AAA, and seems to be able to translate that skill to the Majors. Next season, I'd like to see a Lillibridge/de Aza platoon in Left, if either Quentin or Rios is gone. If the Sox could only unload that Rios contract, I'd love an outfield of Viciedo in Left, a platoon of de Aza and Lillibridge in Center, and Quentin in Right. What do you guys see in de Aza, and what do you think of the platoon idea? It's far too early in his major league career for anyone to change their minds. We've seen guys come up and do well only to fall off rather quickly.

So the young guys start playing and this is what happens.

This happened over a month ago, but I only just stumbled on it. Tom Aldredge passed away. He was one of my favorite character actors. He was in a ton of stuff, most notably recently as Carmela's father on the Sopranos and Nucky's father on Boardwalk Empire.

Hehe.