Texsox

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_leagu...urn=mlb-wp17800

Nicely done, but we know he's a pro's pro.

The government doesn't need to do anything about the economy. It is rebounding just fine. In fact if Obama suggested doing nothing, the GOP would have nothing to campaign about.

Do I understand this correctly? One guy makes a case about Texas compared to other states. To refute those claims the second guy uses cities to prove that the first guy's claim about states is wrong? Seems like you should compare more states to refute an argument based on states. And the interesting challenge the GOP will have when Perry sews up the nomination is part of the strategy against the Dems will be illegal immigration, a big part of the success of their nominee as governor will be undocumented workers. (I switched on purpose). It will be fun to watch. And people who are out of work for significant times will take those lower paying jobs, just to be working.

Didn't Bulls fans embrace Rodman?

If a manager made every decision exactly by the stats, wouldn't that make him exactly an average manager? he would never be better than the stats, or worse, he'd be exactly average.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 8, 2011 -> 11:36 AM) People in Lawrence Kansas have no problem with Ozzie Guillen? Wow! How insightful. I am certain they spend a ton of time following his lineups, in-game decisions, and bullpen moves. One of my favorite authors, William Burroughs, called Lawrence home at the end of his life. I'm not certain if he followed the Sox.

OMG a guy that wants to play and not sit on his ass and loaf.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/07/polic...xt-to-dead-man/ Probably not his best day.

I keep thinking Oz be back as what?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 11:55 PM) I've been talking to a lot of baseball fans outside of Chicago and ask them what their perception is of Ozzie Guillen. They all say that he is a good manager. I ask them all if they can understand why a message board I frequent wants him fired and believes he will be fired. They say, 'No.' If we finish .500, folks, Ozzie being fired will be perceived as unfair nationally. Well that will certainly help Oz in his job search.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 09:17 PM) Alex Rios hitting 4th, 5th or 6th is still driving me crazy...including tonight. I meant changes to your post. Sorry.

Great day to be alive

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 06:59 PM) It was clear that Viciedo would have made a huge difference if called up at the start or middle of June...before he had his wrist problem. Of course, that would have meant giving up on Dunn after 2 1/2 months. But with how DeAza and Viciedo have hit, for the most part (which is clearly above the value of a replacement player)...arguments could certainly be made either way. Obviously, DET really has all the momentum going now. I read somewhere where this is only the 4th time in the last 75 years they've (the Tigers) outscored their opponents by such a margin over the course of 5 and 6 games (their recent stretch against us and CLE, including two huge come from behind victories, punctuated by today's GS by Martinez). About the only change I would make is instead of it was clear to it is likely. And I'm more cautious, I would not say huge difference. Maybe I'm just too negative right now.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 03:43 PM) Believing that means you also believe the Beckham and Dunn will never be good again and Morel will never get better. If you do fine, I'm not there yet. No, I believe they can rebound, although I am very negative on Dunn. I'm also seeing a few guys get older. Actually, the only easy to believe way to the playoffs is for those guys to rebound, Dunn and Rios ain't going anywhere. So we hope.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 11:55 AM) yes. I thought coming into this season that this was a solid and deep roster and I'll stand by that 100%. Hell, with the emergence of Humber it's actually been a better and deeper roster than I thought it was. I agree 100%. I loved the roster. Now, after how they played this season, are you still in love with it? I'm not. I'm not convinced these same 25 can make the playoffs next season.

The roster is just about set, based on performance and payroll. By the season opener I will have to believe in Balta's mantra, the roster is good enough, we just need a new manager. Pass the koolaid . . .

They are nice wins but I have no confidence in the team beating the Twins next year in a game that actually means something. Sad, but I don't think our team has the confidence either.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 07:51 AM) And I believe this 25 man roster could easily have made the playoffs. I also believe they could easily have made the playoffs but we have different "ifs". Mine is "if" a couple key players played at 80% of potential, (which is why I give KW a passing grade). Based on how they actually performed, I don't believe they could have. You believe a different manager could have taken these same performances and somehow gotten them into the playoffs. I'm not convinced that backups to Dunn and Rios could have made up 8 games. We were clammoring for an upgrade at DH, not many people felt we had anyone in house that could fill the role. Backups would have done better, but Oz gambled, and lost, on Dunn eventually coming around. Obviously you believe the backups would have been enough to win the division. I will agree they would have given us a better chance, but I still do not believe it would have been enough. Are you really that happy with this roster?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 03:43 PM) Way too hard to tell what WILL happen at this point... so here is what I would WANT to happen... Fire Ozzie and basically the entire coaching staff (Except Cooper, who I would strongly suggest the new manager retain) Promote KW to some Team Prez type position, bring Hahn to GM, and let him pick his staff, including #1 input on new manager and coaches Let Pierre, Castro and Pena go If the new manager is OK with it, offer Vizquel a position as a bench coach or base coach, and de facto infield coach Re-sign M56 if at all possible (I will assume in this scenario that it is doable at about 3 years) Keep PK14, Beckham (whose chances I like to improve with the bat), Alexei, Viciedo, Rios (who I think is basically untradeable and may improve with dfferent leadership), Dunn (also untradeable), De Aza, Lillibridge, AJP and Flowers Rotation of M56, Peavy (who I think will be better next year), Floyd, Sale, and one of Humber/Stewart (with the other as the 6th man, and long man in pen) If you can trade Ozzie for Lo Mo, do it. But I will assume not, so... Use Thornton, TCQ, Danks and Morel* as trade bait to get a strong LF (and possibly upgrade 3B if you can, in which case, trade Morel) Try to trade one of the experienced and semi-expensive bullpen arms (Frasor, Crain, Ohman), as part of the LF and 3B upgrades Bullpen of Santos (closer), 2 of Crain/Frasor/Ohman (2 setups), Santiago (left specialist), Reed (MR), Stewart/Humber (long man and 6th starter), and either the remaining Crain/Frasor/Ohman or Infante or some other acquisition as the other MR Bench of Flowers, Lillibridge, Tyler Kuhn and Alejandro De Aza (who would pretty much platoon with the other OF's, making a 4 OF rotation of sorts) ...By my math, but trading Thornton, TCQ and Danks, you save about $18M-$20M in 2012 to go towards M56 and the new LF. I figure M56 will get $12M/year for 2-3 years, if I had to guess. If the new LF is a younger guy and not a pricey free agent, that should be plenty of money to cover. And that leaves the team, more or less, at an even salary level with 2011. Not sure if JR will go for that much salary though. Just what I'd hope is all. AND MY QUESTION TO THE BOARD... who are some good OF candidates that might be available in a trade involving some or all of TCQ/Danks/Thornton? I like all those suggestions. I might even allow the next manager full control of his coaches (even Coop) and then not hire anyone who wasn't interested in keeping Cooper.

It shows how much potential talent there was on this roster, and how weak the central is.

My son is attending Texas State and my girlfriend's son and future daughter-in-law just completed grad school there. I love that town.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:55 AM) Of all freaking people to hear such a thing from. That is the very definition of "irony" after making the first post I quoted from you, Tex. You clearly don't take time to read and understand, either... just jump to whatever conclusion you want so you can make a biased argument. I'm sick of guys like yourself arguing as if those of us opposing Ozzie are trying to say the players aren't controlling their own destinies but you use that as a cop-out because you refuse to acknowledge that being as poor an in-game manager as Ozzie loses you a lot of games... and there is no debating that point. If you believe there is no debating the point, why do you keep posting? I've said that players win and lose way more games than the manager. Or let me try this way, the team has almost 70 loses at this point, how many were the player's and how many were Oz? I do not believe this 25 player roster could make the playoffs, no matter who the manager is. If we go into 2012 with the same 25 guys and a new manager, we're still out of the playoffs. But a lot of people believe this is a playoff team with a different manager. If Oz lost you 10 games this year, than that's what you need, and no need to make any roster shift, just change the manager. I'm just not that enamored with these guys. If Oz's decisions cost the team a lot of loses, how many wins did it cost? Or does the manager get tagged with all the bad loses and none of the wins? And what argument isn't biased? An argument is two opposing opinions.

Did anyone think we were strong enough at DH last season? That the team didn't need to go out and get someone?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 05:26 PM) Do you believe that a manager can have any impact on a player's performance? Of course.