I think most of us on this board think we can and must do better than Podsednik these critical games down the stretch. What are our options?

 

Here's Mack's splits:

Home 113 12 28 5 0 2 15 12 3 27 3 0 .248 .333 .345 .678

Away 107 14 38 4 1 2 4 13 0 21 2 1 .355 .425 .467 .892

vs. Left 46 5 10 0 0 0 6 3 2 11 0 0 .217 .294 .217 .512

vs. Right 174 21 56 9 1 4 13 22 1 37 5 1 .322 .399 .454 .853

Last 7 Days 11 1 4 1 0 0 2 2 0 4 0 0 .364 .462 .455 .916

April 35 3 5 2 0 0 4 4 1 9 0 0 .143 .250 .200 .450

May 64 7 22 4 0 2 5 8 1 10 0 1 .344 .425 .500 .925

June 46 8 14 2 0 0 3 5 1 11 0 0 .304 .377 .348 .725

July 36 5 15 0 1 1 3 4 0 6 4 0 .417 .475 .556 1.031

August 39 3 10 1 0 1 4 4 0 12 1 0 .256 .326 .359 .685

Total 220 26 66 9 1 4 19 25 3 48 5 1 .300 .378 .405 .782

 

Here's Gload's splits:

Home 66 8 21 4 0 1 7 4 0 7 2 0 .318 .352 .424 .776

Away 49 9 15 2 1 1 7 2 1 4 1 0 .306 .346 .449 .795

vs. Left 30 3 7 1 1 1 4 2 0 5 0 0 .233 .281 .433 .715

vs. Right 85 14 29 5 0 1 10 4 1 6 3 0 .341 .374 .435 .809

Last 7 Days 20 2 8 1 0 1 2 2 0 1 1 0 .400 .455 .600 1.055

April 5 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .200 .333 .600 .933

May 18 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 1 0 .167 .158 .222 .380

June 30 3 10 1 0 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 .333 .333 .367 .700

July 28 6 10 1 0 1 5 0 1 2 0 0 .357 .379 .500 .879

August 34 6 12 3 0 1 3 5 0 2 2 0 .353 .436 .529 .965

Total 115 17 36 6 1 2 14 6 1 11 3 0 .313 .350 .435 .784

 

And, since Mackowiak sucks big time against lefties, and Gload isn't that good against them, here are Ozuna's splits:

Home 72 10 24 3 1 2 11 0 2 8 2 2 .333 .351 .486 .837

Away 74 10 25 4 0 0 6 5 1 7 3 4 .338 .388 .392 .779

vs. Left 107 13 35 6 1 2 15 4 1 10 1 4 .327 .357 .458 .815

vs. Right 39 7 14 1 0 0 2 1 2 5 4 2 .359 .405 .385 .789

Last 7 Days 9 0 5 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .556 .556 .667 1.222

April 16 4 8 2 0 0 3 1 1 2 2 1 .500 .556 .625 1.181

May 34 4 12 3 1 1 6 3 0 4 3 2 .353 .405 .588 .994

June 38 10 18 0 0 0 4 0 1 2 0 2 .474 .487 .474 .961

July 23 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 .087 .125 .130 .255

August 35 2 9 1 0 1 4 0 1 3 0 1 .257 .278 .371 .649

Total 146 20 49 7 1 2 17 5 3 15 5 6 .336 .370 .438 .808

 

 

My vote would be a Gload/Ozuna platoon, because Gload is hot and Mack is not. But if you want better defense, then go with Mack/Ozuna in the lead off hole. (With Mack having a pretty big road/home differential, if you really want to go by numbers, play Gload at home and Mack on the road.)

 

Pods just isn't cutting it:

Home 236 38 60 15 3 2 24 29 1 46 16 7 .254 .337 .369 .706

Away 215 42 58 10 3 1 19 20 1 41 20 7 .270 .331 .358 .689

vs. Left 129 18 28 4 1 1 8 11 1 30 9 4 .217 .282 .287 .569

vs. Right 322 62 90 21 5 2 35 38 1 57 27 10 .280 .354 .394 .749

Last 7 Days 20 3 6 0 0 0 1 3 0 6 3 0 .300 .391 .300 .691

April 90 13 21 5 1 0 5 5 1 11 4 4 .233 .281 .311 .592

May 85 25 27 6 3 1 9 20 0 16 14 3 .318 .443 .494 .938

June 94 19 23 4 2 1 17 11 0 22 6 4 .245 .318 .362 .679

July 94 14 27 7 0 1 6 5 1 18 6 2 .287 .330 .394 .724

August 88 9 20 3 0 0 6 8 0 20 6 1 .227 .289 .261 .550

Total 451 80 118 25 6 3 43 49 2 87 36 14 .262 .334 .364 .698

 

 

We carried Brian Anderson all year, but we can't afford to carry any offensive zeros, especially not in the lead off position, these last 30 make-or-break ballgames.

 

Gload/Mack/Ozuna aren't going to scare anyone. But at least they can actually hit the baseball and won't whiff every time up.

 

(Frankly, if I were manager, I'd move Iguchi into the leadoff position and use this new platoon in the #2 hole. Gload and Ozuna can both bunt and they don't strike out.)

When facing RHP, I'd rather Pods be in the lineup. If he's getting on base, he's a tremendous help to this offense. Gload or Mackowiak can come in as defensive subs later in the game.

When facing RHP, I'd rather Pods be in the lineup. If he's getting on base, he's a tremendous help to this offense. Gload or Mackowiak can come in as defensive subs later in the game.

Podsednik's OBP is currently in the .320's, he is not getting on base. It really doesn't matter what arm the pitcher throws with, Pods will suck against both as he showed yesterday with this 0-5 4 K performance against a righty starter. You can say "when" all you want but he's not getting on base at all and any of the other 3 will more than likely give you a much better performance out of your leadoff man than Pods will.

i'm about ready for all of em. I can pretty much guarantee that ozuna can get a better OBP as long as we don't wear him out too much. So ozuna/gload/mack...it doesn't really matter that much to me...just get a god damn leadoff hitter with at the very least .340

i like mack, because he is the second best hitter of that group, the best base runner, best arm, best fielder and I think is a better fit for our line-up.

I say play Pods every day and upgrade this offseason.

We can't win a pennant with the other options out there.

We're still in the race with a month to go. Those other guys are all scrubs.

You've got to play Pods. The other guys are not MLB starters.

Mack, and it's a damn shame that we have to weaken our bench because Pods is so terrible right now. But you know Ozzie is gonna keep him in there.

I say play Pods every day and upgrade this offseason.

We can't win a pennant with the other options out there.

We're still in the race with a month to go. Those other guys are all scrubs.

You've got to play Pods. The other guys are not MLB starters.

 

Pods is absolutely not a MLB caliber starter. At least Gload and/or Mackowiak have certain skills that aren't mediocre. Maybe Ozzie will try to loosen up this team, and he'll give Sweeney a shot.

I just wish Pods realized he was a fringe major leaguer and busted his ass all over the field. It may keep my blood pressure from attaining stroke levels everytime I see that tip toe BS.

Didn't Gload have shoulder surgery in the offseason? I don't know if he can throw a ball far enough to play in the OF. I'd say a platoon of Pods and Ozuna should be what happens in LF.

Didn't Gload have shoulder surgery in the offseason? I don't know if he can throw a ball far enough to play in the OF. I'd say a platoon of Pods and Ozuna should be what happens in LF.

You realize who you're comparing Gload's throwing arm to, right?

I say play Pods every day and upgrade this offseason.

We can't win a pennant with the other options out there.

We're still in the race with a month to go. Those other guys are all scrubs.

You've got to play Pods. The other guys are not MLB starters.

 

Pods might need some time off. If not for him personally to regroup, to put someone else in who can help the sox win. The way Pods is going, he's doing more harm than good. If he's not in for his speed and offense, his glove won't keep him around. Give him a few days off, try Iguchi in leadoff, and give Sweeney a shot in the #2 hole vs RHP

Sweeney

Sweeney

 

Well, if Sweeney has been recalled, why not Sweeney and Fields as a platoon?

 

Seriously, you can't throw a rookie into that position, as much as you might fantasize he would immediately start hitting.

 

I still like my idea of Iguchi as a lead off hitter, where he could probably steal at a much higher percentage than Pods, with Ozuna and Gload platooning in the 2 hole. Mack is the defensive replacement and pinch hitter if Ozuna's in and a righty comes in from the pen.

 

I'd give that a solid week before I'd let Pods see the field. Then I'd give him a few more games to see if he can get hot like he did after his huge funk to start the season. Y'know, I wonder if his postseason wasn't helped out last year by his stint on the disabled list. Maybe he just needs a good rest.

D) None of the above!

 

Lets see the sweenmeister!