The little things go a long way

[clujer420]

Sacrifice bunts, stealing bases, hit and run.

 

It's often referred to as "little ball".

 

Sometimes it's called "manufacturing runs".

 

Whatever you want to call it, it wins ball games (see, Anaheim Angels of 2002), and so far in 2003, the White Sox have done NONE of the above.

 

Save the last 2 games, I've watched nearly every inning of this young season (MLB Extra Innings rules!), and I honestly cannot remember seeing the Sox successfully do any of the 3 things mentioned above. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen the Sox steal a base, lay down a successful sacrifice bunt (OK, I do remember 1 now that I think about it -- but that's in 12 games), and I haven't seen them execute a hit and run.

 

So far, we're 7-5, and pretty much have relied on solid starting pitching from Mark Buehrle and Esteban Loaiza to reach that point. 7-5 is good, but when you look at the caliber of teams the Sox have played so far (6 vs. Detroit, 3 vs. KC, 3 vs. Cleveland), it's not that great of a record. On the other hand, the Sox really haven't played well -- particularly the offense -- so 2 games over .500 is promising.

 

But, that's just the thing. The reason we aren't 9-3 or 10-2 has been our inability to push runs over the plate in crucial situations. Today was a perfect example. D'Angelo gets a lead-off triple, and our 2-3-4 hitters are unable to get him across. That is just completely and utterly unacceptable. Jose Valentin ought to be able to lay down a successful squeeze play bunt, or at the very least either he or Magglio ought to be able to hit a sacrifice fly to get the run across.

 

Today wasn't the first time I've seen Jose have a poor AB. The other day D'Angelo led the game off with a double, and Jose came up. I was doing PBP and said that he should be bunting, and just then Jose bombed a 2-run HR to left. Now, it turned out good, but there's no doubt in my mind that Jose should have been bunting in that situation to set up a runner on 3rd with 1 out, with Frank and Magglio coming up. More often than not, those 2 guys are going to get the run across, and would have given the Sox an early 1-0 cushion.

 

And let's not even talk about hit and run and basestealing. The Sox don't really have that many guys who can run effectively enough to be a threat on the bases. But that said, you have to at least make the opponent THINK you might be stealing just to keep them honest. Guys like D'Angelo, Jose, Magglio (I don't care if he's our superstar, he's got some speed), Lee, Rowand, and Miguel are all guys that IMO have above average speed, and should try to swipe a base every once in a while (I think we should have an a SB attempt at least once per game). Right now this team isn't hitting very well, which is exactly why we need to try to make things happen offensively.

 

As Chisoxfn said a couple of days ago, this Sox team generally doesn't strike out very often (especially now that we've got Jimenez at the lead-off spot in place of Durham), so let's try some hit and run. If we hit into the occasional line-drive DP, I can live with that. As long as we're being aggressive in a responsible manner, I have no problems with having it bite us in the ass once in a while.

 

Until Frank, Konerko, Lee, and Magglio get their averages up near their career batting averages, we need to create offense, and the guys who aren't our superstars (guys like Jose, Miguel, Rowand, Lee, Crede) need to AT LEAST advance the runners a base when they're up, and not go back to the dugout without doing anything productive.

 

It's been 2 weeks guys -- time to kick it into gear, and it starts Tuesday against the Royals.

[DonkeyKongerko]

I agree, our performance in Detroit was not even AL Central Championship quality. If we are going to win big games against Minnesota, we are going to have to be more efficient with RISP. I will say that I saw a few things in the past couple days that were of some promise.

 

I believe Maggs stole a base in the series opener and we did execute a hit and run with Daubach on base and CLee at the plate today. The Hit & Run may just have been a result of JM trying to light a fire under Lee's ass.

 

Wasn't our team supposed to work on baserunning this offseason? Magglio is capable of a 30-30 performance. I would be happy with just 20 steals from him. As I recall, Carlos used to be quite good at stealing bases himself. I can't speak for Rowand and I see Valentin getting thrown out alot because he gets bad jumps. I would say Graffy has been one of our most aggressive players on the base paths this year but one guy who is not a regular starter is not going to make the difference.

 

Yeah and D'Angelo is slow. Either that or he really dogged it on that sac-fly in Cleveland that Milton Bradley threw him out by about 15 feet on. I'm not unhappy with D'Angelo because he is giving our 2-3-4-5 guys opportunities to knock in runs. Unfortunately they haven't really clicked yet.

 

When JM first came to the White Sox he emphasized the National League style of ball. Now we have almost turned into the Oakland A's circa 1999-2000. We sit around and wait for the 3-run HR which hasn't been coming that much lately. I have to believe we have one of the slowest teams in all of MLB. All of our players that were fast maybe 2-3 years ago are not nearly as fast anymore. We are not the team of 2000 that put pressure on the opposing defenders every time we had runners on. This is just not how we are managed or suited to play anymore.

 

The point is this team is not built around speed anymore. Slowly, JM and KW have put together a great hitting corps and a decent pitching staff this year. I can't say I want to see more steals when we can't run and more squeeze plays when we can't lay down a bunt.

[CubKilla]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen the Sox steal a base, lay down a successful sacrifice bunt (OK, I do remember 1 now that I think about it -- but that's in 12 games), and I haven't seen them execute a hit and run.

I agree with you on the bunting and stealing bases. This team can't bunt to save their lives and no one on the starting roster stands out as being a noticeable base-stealing threat.

 

But..... the White Sox executed at least two perfect hit-and-runs today..... advancing the runner on base from first to third both times.

[witesoxfan]

I gotta crazy ass idea that I thought of.....and is kind of on and kind of off the main subject.

 

This has been an idea I have been proposing for some days now....but work with me.

 

We trade Lee to Toronto for Shannon Stewart....and Stewart becomes our leadoff hitter and our LFer. We then move Jimenez down to the #5 slot in the order...a position where he can continue to hit like he does, but in this move, he also breaks up the righties(though he is a switch hitter). The way he hits, he resembles Robby Alomar without the amazing speed...though he could be a SB threat. A .320 20 100 20 hitter is not out of the question for DJ. Having that out of the #5 spot is very good....and when he gets on base, he then sets up Paulie and Crede and Rowand again. If this worked out, our lineup would become more effiecient....kind of like having two mini lineups in one, with one hopefully being as dangerous as the other, or very close to it.

 

Anyways....to get on the subject....what this would also do is kind of bring small ball into the equation. Shannon Stewart, in his best year, hit 21 homers. He is more of a 10-15 homer kind of guy...kind of like Ray....though I'm not sure how much he strikes out. I do know he doesn't play great defense and he has a weak-ass arm....but that's aside from the point. He would only be here this year....as he is a FA after this year....and the team could decide to do what they wanted with him after that. That also opens up a spot in LF(assuming they didn't bring him back) for Borchard, or whoever might go there. And if Maggs were to drive in Stewart and Valentin on a double...Jimenez would be there to either move Maggs over.

 

I personally think that improves the lineup....adding more team speed and a proven leadoff hitter....but it also clears some room financially, givng us more money to spend on keeping our guys here(like Colon and Thomas, assuming he has a good year, getting rid of all his f***ing mutual options....and Buehrle as well). And I also wouldn't mind dealing Paully....possibly for a good starting pitcher or something like that...and we could then use Dauber there....but that move is way more drastic a move than the Lee move.

 

Just my 2 cents....and yes, we need to exhibit more small ball.

[clujer420]

But..... the White Sox executed at least two perfect hit-and-runs today..... advancing the runner on base from first to third both times.

That's good to hear. As I mentioned, I missed today's and yesterday's games. Definitely something I'd like to see more of as this year progresses.

[Chisoxfn]

I disagree. This team is built for small ball. The essence of small ball is a team that can make contact and ladys and gentleman the Sox make contact.

 

No one on their roster is a big time strikeout hitter. Crede will probably have the most strikeouts this season and he isn't really a notorious strike out hitter, when you look at his minor league numbers. No one should have 100k's for the Sox although I could see Jose doing it. The Sox don't have one player on the team with great speed, BUT, almost their entire lineup has good speed. D'Angelo, Jose, Magglio, Caballo, Olivo, Paul, Rowand, Rios all can steal some bases for the Sox. Then Graffy and Daubach have average speed while Thomas, Crede, Konerko and I guess Alomar are slow. Konerko is the only one thats a real slug though. At least half of our starters have good speed and Crede, Thomas and Alomar aren't really clogs. Thomas is only because he's an idiot on the paths at times.

 

The guys with good speed are all capable of 20 steals and the ones that start should get near 20 steals. Last season this club did a lot of steals and hit and runs early in the season and the Sox were playing the best ball then. Their is no question in my mind that one of the big reasons the Sox started to go down hill after the first month was for the fact that Jerry Manuel stopped playing small ball. No one else made that call but Jerry. I have no problem running out of the occassional inning because more often then not, if you have a team that can handle the small ball, you should do it.

 

Also, let me say the only reason a team can't handle small ball is if they are selfish, cause everyone can bunt and try moving runners over as long as they don't only care about their stats. The Angels dont' give a damn about their stats. You want an example of small ball its them and they don't have any super speedy guys. They are like the Sox with a lot of guys that have good speed, then a few that are total slow-pokes like Salmon and Molina (slower then Konerko).

 

Like I say, if Scioscia was our manager I have no doubt in my mind that the Sox would win 10 more games then they would if they had Jerry Manuel, and that to me is a conservative estimate. I really believe that Jerry has already cost us a few games without hit and runs. One great thing about hit and runs is it preaches shorter swings and making contact, which in term helps correct your swings and keeps players out of longer slumps because their swings tend to not lengthen out and get too long.

 

Plain and Simple, I BLAME JERRY for the lack of small ball. This team is PERFECT for small ball. Rowand is one of my favorite players because of his ability to bunt. Jimenez is really good for small ball. Konerko and Maggs usually do an excellent job going opposite field when needed. Thomas has been terrible at it, and he still looks like he doesn't really know where he is hitting the ball. Carlos Lee is solid at it and so is Olivo and even Alomar. The Angels were like the Sox, except Scioscia preached small ball all spring last year and his coaches preached obp, no strikeouts, always making contact and moving guys over. Anyone can bunt if they practice, its the coaches job to preach that skill and force the practices if the players aren't doing it on their own. Why work on it too much if the team isn't going to be emphasizing it.

 

Jose is a solid bunter too, or typically he is.

 

All I'm saying is this team is in fact meant for small ball and Jerry needs to start implementing it. Moving guys over, manufacturing runs, etc is the key to keeping a team out of long losing streaks. It also is key for playoffs and close games when you need to manufacture runs. Teams that manufacture them all the time are going to come through more often and execute since they always have it in their mind.

 

Bring Backman or Valentine in if JM doesn't want to play small ball, cause to me this team can win 100 games if they are doing those things. This offense will put up constantly 4 plus runs a game and they will have more and more games where they explode for plenty more.

 

Oh ya, did I mention how small ball puts so much more pressure on defenses and can cause pitchers to throw more balls (If they are worried about the steal) and it brings infielders in if they are more concerned about bunts.

[witesoxfan]

And if you have a guy that is a threat to steal on base....you are less likely to see junk pitches and more likely to see fastballs being poured in. And if there are less then 2 outs and an 0-2 count....the chance of a K lessens because of the guy on first. You take off in that situation....and if it is a curveball, and the guy swings and misses....you have a runner on 2nd base. If it is a fastball...the ball is hit into play, and possibly through a hole. The only type of pitcher I would have to think about doing this against is the sinker type, who don't lose much on their breaking pitch speed wise.

 

I do agree....and for the reasons Jas mentioned above. We are a team that could win a whole helluva lot of ball games. The best example I can think of is the Yankees from last year....we could win 103 games like them....no prob....especially in a division as weak as ours. Waiting for the 3-run homer...yeah, we could do that. But come playoff time....we'd get our asses handed to us....especially defensively. It'd be embarrassing to watch. IMO, we are an above average defensive team....but we will make errors....because all teams do....and we are more error-prone than most teams. Being error-prone is not a bad thing....because I believe range is the most important thing defensively in baseball and not necessarily having good gloves. But in the postseason...a team like the Angels or the Twins would find that weakness and kill us. We could get beat like 14-8 in a postseason game.

 

If we played small ball...we could win. Hell, last year, had we played more small ball, we would have won a helluva lot more games and we could have truthfully won the division....Todd Ritchie may not have lost 15 or 16 games(I'll never mention his name again, I promise), Keith Foulke may have never had his "meltdown," Frank Thomas's average may have been higher than .252 and he would have had more RBI than 92....Maggs would have been a serious MVP candiate....and Buehrle would have been a Cy Young candiate. Teams that play good small ball are teams that win. Most people wonder why the Angels or the Twins won last year.

 

Solid starting pitching and great pitching out of the bullpen also play a large part in that....but for the most part....any team can win with good small ball. And the homers will come. Frank Thomas hit 43 homers in 2000...and we had a few guys who could steal bases and play very good small ball. We were a powerhouse than....but we did play small ball very well. That was also a reason for timely hitting. The A's of right now have a lot of sac flies and play good fundamental baseball...you wonder why they win.

[SoxFan1]

This is exactly right. If we want to win games, we will have to play small ball. We have to put pressure on the opposition. Especially with DJ and E6 in the beginning of te lineup. If they can get on base, we could use hit and runs and stealing bases as getting the pitcher worried and focusing on the runner not the batter. This will give the batter better pitches to hit and more mistakes by the pitcher. The Angels did it last year and they won the WS. We need to do it 2.

[cwsox]

I disagree.  This team is built for small ball.  The essence of small ball is a team that can make contact and ladys and gentleman the Sox make contact. 

 

No one on their roster is a big time strikeout hitter.  Crede will probably have the most strikeouts this season and he isn't really a notorious strike out hitter, when you look at his minor league numbers.  No one should have 100k's for the Sox although I could see Jose doing it.  The Sox don't have one player on the team with great speed, BUT, almost their entire lineup has good speed.  D'Angelo, Jose, Magglio, Caballo, Olivo, Paul, Rowand, Rios all can steal some bases for the Sox.  Then Graffy and Daubach have average speed while Thomas, Crede, Konerko and I guess Alomar are slow.  Konerko is the only one thats a real slug though.  At least half of our starters have good speed and Crede, Thomas and Alomar aren't really clogs.  Thomas is only because he's an idiot on the paths at times.

 

The guys with good speed are all capable of 20 steals and the ones that start should get near 20 steals.  Last season this club did a lot of steals and hit and runs early in the season and the Sox were playing the best ball then.  Their is no question in my mind that one of the big reasons the Sox started to go down hill after the first month was for the fact that Jerry Manuel stopped playing small ball.  No one else made that call but Jerry.  I have no problem running out of the occassional inning because more often then not, if you have a team that can handle the small ball, you should do it. 

 

Also, let me say the only reason a team can't handle small ball is if they are selfish, cause everyone can bunt and try moving runners over as long as they don't only care about their stats.  The Angels dont' give a damn about their stats.  You want an example of small ball its them and they don't have any super speedy guys.  They are like the Sox with a lot of guys that have good speed, then a few that are total slow-pokes like Salmon and Molina (slower then Konerko). 

 

Like I say, if Scioscia was our manager I have no doubt in my mind that the Sox would win 10 more games then they would if they had Jerry Manuel, and that to me is a conservative estimate.  I really believe that Jerry has already cost us a few games without hit and runs.  One great thing about hit and runs is it preaches shorter swings and making contact, which in term helps correct your swings and keeps players out of longer slumps because their swings tend to not lengthen out and get too long. 

 

Plain and Simple, I BLAME JERRY for the lack of small ball.  This team is PERFECT for small ball.  Rowand is one of my favorite players because of his ability to bunt.  Jimenez is really good for small ball.  Konerko and Maggs usually do an excellent job going opposite field when needed.  Thomas has been terrible at it, and he still looks like he doesn't really know where he is hitting the ball.  Carlos Lee is solid at it and so is Olivo and even Alomar.  The Angels were like the Sox, except Scioscia preached small ball all spring last year and his coaches preached obp, no strikeouts, always making contact and moving guys over.  Anyone can bunt if they practice, its the coaches job to preach that skill and force the practices if the players aren't doing it on their own.  Why work on it too much if the team isn't going to be emphasizing it.

 

Jose is a solid bunter too, or typically he is. 

 

All I'm saying is this team is in fact meant for small ball and Jerry needs to start implementing it. Moving guys over, manufacturing runs, etc is the key to keeping a team out of long losing streaks.  It also is key for playoffs and close games when you need to manufacture runs.  Teams that manufacture them all the time are going to come through more often and execute since they always have it in their mind. 

 

Bring Backman or Valentine in if JM doesn't want to play small ball, cause to me this team can win 100 games if they are doing those things.  This offense will put up constantly 4 plus runs a game and they will have more and more games where they explode for plenty more. 

 

Oh ya, did I mention how small ball puts so much more pressure on defenses and can cause pitchers to throw more balls (If they are worried about the steal) and it brings infielders in if they are more concerned about bunts.

not sure I agree or disagree but you have laid out a solid argument to think about, and for that I thank you.