From Rotoworld:

 

Casey Fossum won't start Wednesday. After watching his bullpen struggle again tonight, manager Lou Piniella said he plans to use a reliever initially and then bring in Fossum later on.

''I've made up my mind and that's what we're going to do,'' Piniella said. ''People are going to think I'm crazy, but we're just going to try it. Starting tomorrow, I'll bring in whatever reliever I feel like starting the game with, and I'll bring my starter in in the third inning and we'll play nine innings of baseball that way.'' We don't think you're crazy, Lou. You're just a bad manager. Piniella didn't announce who would start in place of Fossum. This latest scheme isn't likely to survive the All-Star break, assuming it even makes it through the night. Jul. 6 - 12:25 am et

Edited July 6, 200520 yr by JDsDirtySox

This should be interesting.

I'm all for the sweep. That would be 3 of 4 series in a row with a sweep.

Who among us, in his position, wouldn't try something new after so many years of failure.

 

Last year, Frank Robinson put a pitcher in the #8 spot in the lineup during one of many Expos slump. Is he therefore a bad manager?

 

And, in closing, how many managers have been traded for a .300 hitter?

Edited July 6, 200520 yr by Antonio Osuna

His bullpen blows... no ways around it. I don't care if he wants to have two of them pitch at the same time... He isn't gonna resurect that mess of a pen no matter what he tries to do.

I think he's a top 5 manager. Why not try something new? It's gotta be frustrating having such a bad pen. Don Nelsonesque.

Hope I am wrong, but our offense could easily make this strategy work

 

As well as this team can play, our O tends to have off days

This is nothing new. I came up with this idea last year. It's not going to work but hel when your team is this f***ing bad why not sqrew around a little.

This should be classic to watch

Who among us, in his position, wouldn't try something new after so many years of failure.

 

Last year, Frank Robinson put a pitcher in the #8 spot in the lineup during one of many Expos slump. Is he therefore a bad manager?

 

And, in closing, how many managers have been traded for a .300 hitter?

Larussa has used that same theory in regards to a pitcher in the 8th spot.

You can't blame Lou for trying to shake things up with his team. He'll probably replace a righty with a lefty, or vice versa, after the 2nd or 3rd inning so the Sox match ups will be all screwed up.

there's no reason to bash Lou... He's a good manager stuck with a young inexperienced team... We'll see how this works out

I like this idea seems preety cool

Should be a fun game.

This is nothing new. I came up with this idea last year. It's not going to work but hel when your team is this f***ing bad why not sqrew around a little.

 

Too bad other people came up with this idea 50 years before you did. The original idea was to use a reliever for the first two-three innings of a game and then pinch hit for him when he came to the plate. Repeat as neccesary. It was described in more detail which I cannot remember fully in The Numbers Game by Alan Schwarz. There were also some smart ideas about batting your best hitter in the leadoff position to make sure he got 30-50 more ABs per season. No one has really tried any of this, so if Lou was doing this in an NL stadium, I'd be applauding him.

He's definitely got nothing to lose.

I cant believe that article called him a bad manager.... In my opinion there are 3 managers that are >>>>> than the rest... Loue Piniella, Frank Robinson, and Bobby Cox..... the other 27 managers couldnt hold their jock straps when it comes to managing.

LOL this is great. So when his "starter" comes in for relief in the 3rd or 4th inning to keep the Sox offense "shut down", we'll only have a 5-10 run lead.

 

Makes perfect sense to me. Uh huh, yea, sure, ok.

Hey the man has to do something different. Maybe this isnt the best or most logical but all he's got is crawford and huff, thats all. Horrible pitching. Gotta feel for the guy.

Hey the man has to do something different.  Maybe this isnt the best or most logical but all he's got is crawford and huff, thats all.  Horrible pitching.  Gotta feel for the guy.

 

He wanted to "go home". He got what he asked for.

Pinella is doing everything he can to get fired. Too bad Tampa's management is too cheap for that.

He wanted to "go home".  He got what he asked for.

 

Yep. Be careful of what you wish for, you may just get it.

That bad manager stuff is ridiculous. All the teams in the MLB should have as "bad" a manager. I'm sure he's just out there to have fun. It's not like their in danger of winning anything...

Pinella is doing everything he can to get fired.  Too bad Tampa's management is too cheap for that.

 

Tampas management is putting themselves in a worse position everytime they screw Lou over. What manager is going to want to come in there and try and right that ship? What FA's are going to consider going there, and how much would management be willing to give up? It seems like the Expos management moved to Tampa. Its a shame really, but then again they play in a crappy dome and havent done much to try and draw fans.

 

Plus, Chuck Lamarr is running things, and noone will make deals with him because he is insane. So Tampa holds on to their talent until its too late and they cannot get enough for it, or the talent just walks out the front door and Tampa gets a compensatory pick. Its a bad cycle that they put themselves in.

Pinella is doing everything he can to get fired.  Too bad Tampa's management is too cheap for that.

 

He probably doesn't realize (or maybe he does), that this is exactly what ownership wants. Reminds me so much of Hugh Culverhouse and the NFL Bucs of the 70s, 80s, and early 90s.