JIM THOME!!!!!!!!

[BigSqwert]

You'll notice people are talking about Ozzie, and not the losses on the field. This is his plan. He takes the pressure from the players, and still believes the Sox are in this thing.

 

His approach sucks, but it's all the man knows.

I wish he knew more. Like how to optimize a lineup, manage a bullpen, etc.

[LittleHurt05]

If the Twins make the playoffs and the Sox don't, as much as I hate the Twins, I think I'm gonna have to root for them just so Jim Thome can finally win that ring that Joe Table cost him back in the 90s.

[Buehrlesque]

If the Twins make the playoffs and the Sox don't, as much as I hate the Twins, I think I'm gonna have to root for them just so Jim Thome can finally win that ring that Joe Table cost him back in the 90s.

I'm sure it'll be really unpopular, but, as hard as I am rooting against the Twins and for the Sox now, IF the Twins make the playoffs, I think I will root for them too. The Thome factor is big. Plus they built their team the right way- not just buying their way into success. They deserve it. Put it this way: if it's them or the Yankees, I will root for the Twins.

[witesoxfan]

My biggest problem with Ozzie's rant is that he said that the Sox finished in 3rd 3 times when Thome was here, as if it was Thome's fault. And now without Thome, the Sox are in 2nd, again, as if Thome moving on was the spark that allowed them to be a 2nd place club. He doesn't mention that in 2006, the team won 90 games and, if not for a complete second half meltdown by the pitching staff and Ozzie continually putting a player in CF who quite clearly could not play CF, that team could have won the division. And that everyone in 2007 sucked, but that Thome was actually pretty good. And that in 2009, the team was in the race until late August, when they went 2-8 on a 10 game road trip against Boston, New York, and Minnesota, because they had a hole at the back end of the rotation and that the bullpen fell apart (once again). Thome was never the problem.

 

Obviously, he can't suggest that he wants Thome, because he'd lose the team and whatever else. But telling the fans to f*** off and stop watching really isn't good either.

[Balta1701]

My biggest problem with Ozzie's rant is that he said that the Sox finished in 3rd 3 times when Thome was here, as if it was Thome's fault.

How much do you want to bet we'll never hear the phrase "Mark Kotsay? F*** Mark Kotsay, he was here for 2 years and we never won a division with him".

[LittleHurt05]

How much do you want to bet we'll never hear the phrase "Mark Kotsay? F*** Mark Kotsay, he was here for 2 years and we never won a division with him".

 

We won't hear it because it won't be true after the Sox win the 2010 AL Central crown.

[southsider2k5]

Respect for the fans?

 

Has he ever had any?

[southsider2k5]

You'll notice people are talking about Ozzie, and not the losses on the field. This is his plan. He takes the pressure from the players, and still believes the Sox are in this thing.

 

His approach sucks, but it's all the man knows.

 

Yep. This is all planned.

[Balta1701]

Has he ever had any?

He sure gave the impression that he did in 2005.

[southsider2k5]

My biggest problem with Ozzie's rant is that he said that the Sox finished in 3rd 3 times when Thome was here, as if it was Thome's fault. And now without Thome, the Sox are in 2nd, again, as if Thome moving on was the spark that allowed them to be a 2nd place club. He doesn't mention that in 2006, the team won 90 games and, if not for a complete second half meltdown by the pitching staff and Ozzie continually putting a player in CF who quite clearly could not play CF, that team could have won the division. And that everyone in 2007 sucked, but that Thome was actually pretty good. And that in 2009, the team was in the race until late August, when they went 2-8 on a 10 game road trip against Boston, New York, and Minnesota, because they had a hole at the back end of the rotation and that the bullpen fell apart (once again). Thome was never the problem.

 

Obviously, he can't suggest that he wants Thome, because he'd lose the team and whatever else. But telling the fans to f*** off and stop watching really isn't good either.

 

Then again if the pitching staff had done anything in this series, we'd be looking for the sweep.

[greg775]

If the Twins make the playoffs and the Sox don't, as much as I hate the Twins, I think I'm gonna have to root for them just so Jim Thome can finally win that ring that Joe Table cost him back in the 90s.

 

I want to win it so maybe teams will get fired up when they play them and regular pounding of us might end.

[kitekrazy]

I wish he knew more. Like how to optimize a lineup, manage a bullpen, etc.

 

How would you manage the bullpen they way they are performing other than use Thornton and a rookie? Considering Jenks health, a bullpen arm at the trade deadline would help more than another bat.

Who knows, the rookie might end up being the closer this season.

 

Amazing how Coop always gets a free pass.

[greg775]

How would you manage the bullpen they way they are performing other than use Thornton and a rookie? Considering Jenks health, a bullpen arm at the trade deadline would help more than another bat.

Who knows, the rookie might end up being the closer this season.

 

Amazing how Coop always gets a free pass.

 

The manager is and always will be the easiest target. They can be blamed for stuff in victories (and always are on here; people ranted daily about him playing Kotsay even in the 25-5 stretch) and of course in losses.

 

My question is: OK, guys. Jim Thome is available after this season. Do you want him back?

Edited August 19, 2010 by greg775

[BigSqwert]

The manager is and always will be the easiest target. They can be blamed for stuff in victories (and always are on here; people ranted daily about him playing Kotsay even in the 25-5 stretch) and of course in losses.

 

My question is: OK, guys. Jim Thome is available after this season. Do you want him back?

Maybe if Ozzie isn't the manager. He would just play the 40 year old for 150+ games and we'd all watch him fade away in August and September from overuse.

[greg775]

It's going to be neat when we do get a new manager. I'm going to enjoy all the criticism of the new guy cause there will be criticism ... every single game. People on here have it down pat. You must agree the new manager will be criticized daily as well, don' t you?

 

Ozzie wouldn't play Thome every game.

[BigSqwert]

It's going to be neat when we do get a new manager.

 

It sure is. He/she will most likely realize we play in a launching pad and not Petco Park and try to use that to our advantage.

[chw42]

It's going to be neat when we do get a new manager. I'm going to enjoy all the criticism of the new guy cause there will be criticism ... every single game. People on here have it down pat. You must agree the new manager will be criticized daily as well, don' t you?

 

Ozzie wouldn't play Thome every game.

 

Don't think for a second that everybody would welcome a new manager, whoever it may be.

 

Even though I don't like Guillen, I still think he's at a pretty mediocre manager when you consider everything about him. If we're bringing in somebody like Cito Gaston or Bobby Valentine, you might as well just stick with Ozzie.

Edited August 19, 2010 by chw42

[Balta1701]

Don't think for a second that everybody would welcome a new manager, whoever it may be.

 

Even though I don't like Guillen, I still think he's at a pretty mediocre manager when you consider everything about him. If we're bringing in somebody like Cito Gaston or Bobby Valentine, you might as well just stick with Ozzie.

It's the devil you know versus the devil you don't. What are the odds that there is a great motivator of men and tactician of baseball sitting around undiscovered on some other team's roster awaiting plucking?

[greg775]

It sure is. He/she will most likely realize we play in a launching pad and not Petco Park and try to use that to our advantage.

 

I thought this year was the first year we went to the speed thing. In his whole tenure, we've just been a plodding home run hitting club. People b****ed mightily about the station to station thing, now they are b****ing about the bunting and the NL speed thing.

 

And this experiment won't last long considering our 1-2 in the order have been Pierre and Omar, who are not long term solutions to anything. It has been nice to see guys go from first to third on singles this year, but we're still not winning anything of significance.

Edited August 19, 2010 by greg775

[greg775]

It's the devil you know versus the devil you don't. What are the odds that there is a great motivator of men and tactician of baseball sitting around undiscovered on some other team's roster awaiting plucking?

 

The Royals found a great one in Trey Hillman.

And now they have the mighty Ned Yost.

These managers are all the same. But a new face will give fans somebody new to b**** about at least.

[NorthSideSox72]

It's the devil you know versus the devil you don't. What are the odds that there is a great motivator of men and tactician of baseball sitting around undiscovered on some other team's roster awaiting plucking?

At any given time there are 30 managers in baseball. I am pretty confident there are more than 30 people in the baseball world who would be good managers, possessing those skill sets. But of course you won't really know whether or not the guy you hired is one of them, until they actually manage some games. That's the risk you are getting at of course.

 

I just think at this point, its become clear what Ozzie is, and is not, good at. He'd be a fantastic Bench Coach, doing what he does best - keeping all the guys on the same page, marching together, and having the right mindset for the sport. He can also add in some help on defense, which he excelled at and knows quite well. Let him work under a manager who is more of the tactician type.

 

[greg775]

What kind of tactician do you want?

I see on here in some game threads people want pinch hitters in the fifth f***ing inning.

People want to pull our established starters in the fourth or fifth. No manager does such a thing.

People want to bring in relievers for lefty/righty matchups and start that parade with one out in the sixth inning. Sometimes even in the fifth.

 

It's one thing if you want to blame Guillen for the Thome/Kotsay mess and the theory behind smallball of this year's team and his lineups which some people think would magically get better if some other guy was manager. It's another when you say you want a "tactician" yet the technical things people ask for in game threads are just silly, things no manager would ever do.

 

This guy has used Jenks, Putz and Thornton late and they've all failed to some degree. What tactics do you want??

Edited August 19, 2010 by greg775

[Balta1701]

Just because it's something no manager would ever do doesn't mean it's not the right thing to do to win a game.

 

Managers in all sports tend to be conservative and not go outside of the classic game box...because if they go outside the box and it fails, they get blamed...but if they do what has been done for 75 years and it fails, they won't get blamed because that's what everyone else does.

[chw42]

It's the devil you know versus the devil you don't. What are the odds that there is a great motivator of men and tactician of baseball sitting around undiscovered on some other team's roster awaiting plucking?

 

They're hard to find, that is very true.

[NorthSideSox72]

What kind of tactician do you want?

I see on here in some game threads people want pinch hitters in the fifth f***ing inning.

People want to pull our established starters in the fourth or fifth. No manager does such a thing.

People want to bring in relievers for lefty/righty matchups and start that parade with one out in the sixth inning. Sometimes even in the fifth.

 

It's one thing if you want to blame Guillen for the Thome/Kotsay mess and the theory behind smallball of this year's team and his lineups which some people think would magically get better if some other guy was manager. It's another when you say you want a "tactician" yet the technical things people ask for in game threads are just silly, things no manager would ever do.

 

This guy has used Jenks, Putz and Thornton late and they've all failed to some degree. What tactics do you want??

I'm not one to pick at the little things - heck I was even defending Ozzie for not pinch-hitting for Kotsay in the game you are referring to.

 

I am talking about basic stuff. I am talking about not batting a barely major league player (at this stage in his career) like Mark Kotsay fifth in the damn lineup. I am talking about realizing that if you attempt steals so often your guys are running a 65% success rate, you are probably running them too often. I am talking about not taking the bat out of the hands of hot hitter by bunting every damn time you get someone on base. I am talking about understanding that not every single hitter in baseball hits oppo side pitchers better. I am talking about not pitching a guy like Putz three games in a row when you have fresher arms available in the pen.

 

This is stuff other managers seem to understand just fine, but not Ozzie.