Texsox

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 07:42 PM) And if they weren't...give them a week off. Or if they don't hustle...stop giving them playing time! That would be my first inclination. However, I'm wondering which is more embarrassing and / or motivating to a guy with a $$$$$$$$ contract. Not playing or playing like crap in front of 25,000 fans? Is he going to work harder to get back into the line up or work harder to not look like crap?

Are you connected to Texas State?

Happy Birthday Winodj err Rexkickass

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 04:51 PM) As fathom indicated, the WORST case is Ozzie surviving KW. That will ensure a puppet for a GM and a team full of Juan Pierres. I hear Aaron Miles is available, Punto too! I would rate the possible scenarios from best to worst Kenny promoted, new GM, Oz gone Kenny stays, Oz gone Both gone Both stay Oz stays, KW gone --> that would be a disaster

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 02:45 PM) Bulls***, Tex; the biggest arguments to defend Ozzie (as well as Walker) have been cop-outs, one of which has been that manager's decisions don't matter enough to fire Ozzie (which in turn means any manager EVER so why didn't we just keep LaRussa in the first place? LOL) and hire someone else because "who would be better?" and because it's all on the players. The players play and the managers manage; BOTH are vital to winning games. As a manager you are supposed to make the simple decisions correctly (Ozzie consistently fails at this) and put your team in the best position to win. Rarely DOES he. You really don't seem to take the time to read and understand. I will try one last time. IMHO Ozzie alone did not cause this team to miss the playoffs. For that matter, Dunn alone did not prevent this team from making the playoffs. I would rather have a good manger managing players having a good season, but if one group, coaches or players are going to have a bad year, I'd rather it be the coaches. Some people want a computer in the dugout, churning out decisions. While that would probably have been much better than Ozzie this season, it still wouuldn't make up for poor play from a large chunk of the team. I believe the KW - Ozzie tandem needs to end. I believe Oz should take more of the responsibility for the past couple of seasons than KW. Which logically flows he should be gone. You've said that you believe this is a playoff team with a different manager, we disagree. yet you disagreed when I said some people think this magically becomes a playoff team without Oz. You are a moving target, setting up paper tigers with statements I did not make.

It tells me that there is a fundemental flaw in the spring training program. I'm not certain what was different in 2005 to cause the team to shoot out of the gate. Some of the problems have been veterans who I guess suddenly don't remember how to prepare for a season? Probably another good reason for a manager/ coaching staff shuffle.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 11:40 PM) I dunno, must be. There's SOME weird reason the usual few around here still REFUSE to accept the fact that Ozzie's managing is terrible. Nah, managers make no impact on the game at all so it doesn't matter, right? I cringe every time someone makes that argument because it's flat out idiotic. QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 06:58 AM) nobody ever says that Tex, and you know it. I do know no one said that just like no one said the manager makes no impact on the game and doesn't matter. Of course the manager has an impact, it is the level of impact that the argument comes from. I place Oz 4th or 5th on the responsibity list, others place him higher or lower. Players can overcome bad decisions better than managers can overcome bad players.

Some of the video I've been watching is frightening. I was talking last night with a friend in Georgetown and they have not had a decent rain since September 2010.

I was kind of thinking about that and what else I needed to do to make the sale official. I have a paper trail of emails and his cell number. I was really surprised how fast someone called.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 11:21 AM) People forget that... Dunn was in demand. As a matter of a fact the Tigers wanted him really badly, and Washington offered him the same dollars as we did, they just wouldn't go to four years. Those contracts, when offered and signed, were about right. The player's won these. Sometimes the team wins, Loiza for example

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 6, 2011 -> 08:08 AM) The thing is, if the players think it is true, it is. Doesn't matter whether it really was why or not. True.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 11:40 PM) I dunno, must be. There's SOME weird reason the usual few around here still REFUSE to accept the fact that Ozzie's managing is terrible. Nah, managers make no impact on the game at all so it doesn't matter, right? I cringe every time someone makes that argument because it's flat out idiotic. The same cringe I get when someone makes the idiotic argument that players don't matter.

So a friend of mine was selling his son's car, a Chevy Impala. I figure it would be a decent ride for my kid when he comes back home in May. I went over this morning and pick it up. Then I realize hanging onto my Dodge would be silly so I decided to list it on Craig's list at near Kelley Blue Book price. Damn if it didn't sell in less than an hour. Now the guy hands me a pile of cash, the rest of the family is following in a car with Mexico plates, so I assume my car will have to learn to speak Spanish and run on government monopoly fuel at PeMex. Adios little buddy.

we don't need players . . .

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 07:56 PM) Has there been a single season where Ozzie has not inexplicably played and protected some player who didn't belong on the field? I'll go to my grave saying Mackowiak in Cf cost us the division in 2006. Rios and Dunn playing and Viciedo, De Aza, and Lillibridge benched or in AAA has cost more games than that this year. I'm surprised, I'm certain you mean Oz's decision to play Mackowiak cost the division, not how Mack played. It's the decision, not the player ;-) And no, he's done it every season I can think of.

The problem with the list IIRC is we'll never know what the other decision would have resulted in. Oz had a terrible year, perhaps his worst year as a manager. In my opinion, if Dunn and/or Rios play close to their career averages, this team is in the playoffs. Their performance was much more of a factor than Oz. I'm not saying Oz doesn't share in the blame. I'm not saying he's done a good job. I'm saying players make a much bigger difference than the manager. I'd rather make poor decisions with good players that great decisions with mediocre. Of course good decisions with good players wins championships.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 07:19 PM) Of course, but no one is likely to be dumb enough to say it in the way you attempted to satirize. Of course everyone is going to rip Ozzie, and Ozzie is going to go off on the team for months too. So I believe they will blame their performance on Oz, you disagree? They will say Oz was a problem, but it didn't affect their play?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 07:30 PM) If oz had been making better choices then those 2 would have been platoon players by June and it wouldn't have mattered. I wish we had the chance to know. And nice dodge of the question.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 07:21 PM) I could absolutely see that having been the case. Would you rather have Oz making better choices or Dunn and Rios playing at 80% of their career averages?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 07:17 PM) But he has certainly been "a" reason why. Just like you can say this team would be in the race if Dunn had 30 HR, I can say this team would be in the race if their manager hadn't gotten in the way. So fire Oz and this is a playoff team? Here is our difference. I believe Dunn's 30 HR and close to lifetime avg is way more important to the team than Oz making better decisions. If I had my choice I'll take Oz and an average Dunn year instead of the world's greatest manager and Dunn playing like a A prospect.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 07:05 PM) Now that one is too over the top to even be laugh worthy tex. You don't think players will start blaming the distractions of Oz as soon as he's gone? You don't think there will be comments about the clubhouse being in turmoil, etc? Or the fighting between Oz and KW and Walker? They will blame Oz for their terrible season.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 07:08 PM) Now you're just being insulting to the rest of us. Well I have consistently stated that Ozzie is not why this team did not make the playoffs and you keep arguing with me.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 5, 2011 -> 03:26 PM) With the number of guys who have left this org and ripped them over the past 10 years? I'd expect that the floodgates would open if Ozzie was traded. I was thinking more along the lines of "I can't hit because of Oz" . . .

Weird hot north wind the past couple days. Usually, like 360 days a year it is hot from the southeast. When it flips north it is cold and rainy.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Sep 4, 2011 -> 02:44 PM) His time has come. Just be at peace with it. I am, and agree he should be gone, but unlike a large number of people here, I don't believe that magically makes this a playoff team.