Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

[SPTO]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

You make a solid argument there camulos. I will say they have the personel to do both small ball and HR ball. I like the fact that Ozzie brings a more NL style to the game. I think they have a perfect mix of both styles even if he's a bit too aggressive in going for the small ball stuff.

[Stu]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

You make a solid argument there camulos. I will say they have the personel to do both small ball and HR ball. I like the fact that Ozzie brings a more NL style to the game. I think they have a perfect mix of both styles even if he's a bit too aggressive in going for the small ball stuff.

Its not even that I have a problem with the small ball stuff. Its that I don't like taking guys like Podsednik and Iguchi off the bases, or the bat out of their hands when they have guys who can hit the ball out of the park, like Konerko and Dye, behind them.

[Dice]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

Its not even that I have a problem with the small ball stuff. Its that I don't like taking guys like Podsednik and Iguchi off the bases, or the bat out of their hands when they have guys who can hit the ball out of the park, like Konerko and Dye, behind them.

With the pitching staff we have 2-3 runs is enough for us to win the ball game. As you realize the Sox have to score early to win. We don't have to score 6-7 runs NOR hit the long ball to win. Even though we can hit the longball it's just a bonus.

[Stu]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

With the pitching staff we have 2-3 runs is enough for us to win the ball game. As you realize the Sox have to score early to win. We don't have to score 6-7 runs NOR hit the long ball to win. Even though we can hit the longball it's just a bonus.

I understand this, but they would score more runs if they didn't play small ball all the time. Why would you only want to score 2-3 when you could score 6-7? They don't need the longball, but they hit them regardless. Why take the chance of losing baserunners when you know those longballs are going to come?

[Dice]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

Why take the chance of losing baserunners when you know those longballs are going to come?

And that was our problem for the last 4 years. We started to rely on the longball too much. Waiting for the longball to come. This was one of the main reasons why the Twins had kicked our asses from 2001-2004.

[Stu]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

And that was our problem for the last 4 years. We started to rely on the longball too much. Waiting for the longball to come. This was one of the main reasons why the Twins had kicked our asses from 2001-2004.

Yet this year was the White Sox lowest run total since 1992.

Here's some stats that illustrate my point. There were 5 players in the American League that hit over 40 HR's:

Name..............HR(rank)........RBI(rank)
Alex Rodriguez.......48(1)............130(4)
David Ortiz............47(2)............148(1)
Manny Ramirez.......45(3)............144(2)
Mark Teixeira.........43(4).............144(2)
Paul Konerko..........40(5)............100(13)

Are the players hitting in front of Konerko that much worse than the other four on this list? With his numbers this year Konerko should have at least 115 RBI's. And it's also not just him, Dye was ranked 12th in HR's, but 27th in RBI's.

[Cubs Suck]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

The reason why they bunt is to get the runner into scoring position. As one of you stated they were 4th in HR and close to the bottom of the league in runs scored. What does that tell you. it says they are getting hits when they count the most. its a hell of a lot easier to score from second on a base hit than it is from first. i don't know too many guys that can score from first. Look at the sox team batting avg. i think our best hitter was Scotty Pods with a .290 average. Now with what, a low team batting avg, one of the lowest scoring offenses in the league, and a great pitching staff, you have to do what it takes to get a couple runs. I have more faith now in them being able to "manufacture" a run nowadays than i did the past 4-5 years, sitting there hoping Carlos Lee or Mags or Big Frank would come up and crush consecutive HR's whenever we were down by a couple. So in other words, Yes Ozzie is a good Manager, even though he sometimes struggles with the bullpen, he brought a different type of team here, different type of attitude, and even though you can only understand every other word out of his mouth, he just tells you how it is straight up, No BS.

[Cubs Suck]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

Yet this year was the White Sox lowest run total since 1992.

Here's some stats that illustrate my point. There were 5 players in the American League that hit over 40 HR's:

Name..............HR(rank)........RBI(rank)
Alex Rodriguez.......48(1)............130(4)
David Ortiz............47(2)............148(1)
Manny Ramirez.......45(3)............144(2)
Mark Teixeira.........43(4).............144(2)
Paul Konerko..........40(5)............100(13)

Are the players hitting in front of Konerko that much worse than the other four on this list? With his numbers this year Konerko should have at least 115 RBI's. And it's also not just him, Dye was ranked 12th in HR's, but 27th in RBI's.

You have to remember though, Konerko for the first month and a half or so was hitting around .200, i don't know many guys knocking in a bunch of runs while hitting that low. Also, the Sox didn't have a player score more than 100 runs. Kinda hard to get a bunch of RBI's when you are not scoring a bunch of runs. And Dye had 31 HR's, but 21 of them were solo jobs. And for the most part Dye was hitting in the 5-6 slot for most of the year, mainly the 6 hole. Compare Dye to Guys who hit in the 6 hole for 75% of the season, and he did rather well.

[Dice]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

You have to remember though, Konerko for the first month and a half or so was hitting around .200, i don't know many guys knocking in a bunch of runs while hitting that low. Also, the Sox didn't have a player score more than 100 runs. Kinda hard to get a bunch of RBI's when you are not scoring a bunch of runs. And Dye had 31 HR's, but 21 of them were solo jobs. And for the most part Dye was hitting in the 5-6 slot for most of the year, mainly the 6 hole. Compare Dye to Guys who hit in the 6 hole for 75% of the season, and he did rather well.

Valid point.

[Stu]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

Also, the Sox didn't have a player score more than 100 runs. Kinda hard to get a bunch of RBI's when you are not scoring a bunch of runs. And Dye had 31 HR's, but 21 of them were solo jobs.

This is exactly my point though. The White Sox didn't score as many runs as they could have if they didnt play small ball all the time with the top of their order. By constantly attempting to steal bases and bunt they take potential runs off the basepaths.

[glucklich]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

I mean, I know he is in the world series and all. But is he a good manager? Does he have a good baseball mind, as far as managers go?

I grew up watching Ozzie at SS and have many fond memories of him, and although I have no opionion one way or another about the Sox as an organization (they have no rivalry with the A's, in other words), I think it's kinda cool to see him managing.

But is he a good manager? The world was not exposed to the Sox throughout the year, in general, by the media. I really can only talk about what I've seen in the playoffs. But it seems to me that he does not manage as much as he just lets the players play.

Of course we didn't have to watch him make Bull Pen decisions in the ALCS, but there were a few instances where I wondered how he would fare if he had to make those decisions. And I noticed there were times when batters had the green light on 2-0 counts with runners in scoring position, but with the pitchers throwing wildly - resulting in a lot of outs made by batters that weren't neccessary. For instance, how many times did I watch Jermaine Dye get the green light with 2-0, only to swing at ball 3 and fly out?

Anyway, I want to know what Sox fans think, b/c thy have a better feel on this than I do.

Also, on a lesser note, I have another question for Sox fans. Why does Juan Uribe always seem so angry? It's like he plays with some kinda pent-up aggression or something. Ev'time he feilds a ball at short it's like he winds up and his face gets all tight and I swear he's gonna launch the ball 30 feet over Konerko's head into the upper deck. Having said that, he seems to be a very good defensive SS, he just plays with a lot of...force. Anyone else notice this? By the way, I remember as a kid watching his Dad, Jose Uribe, play for the Giants as a SS. Juan was very good himself.

He was forced to make decisions on whether to leave in his pitchers or sub in a reliever. A lot of managers overmanage by subbing in relievers just out of standard practice. When you just repeat the same process (ie always bring in pitcher X at a specific point in the game), is that really managing...if its so automated? It takes more prudence to stand back and ask, "ok why am I bringing in a reliever...am I really better off doing so". Ozzie has asked this question when many other managers have little/no thought process on the matter. Also, he has confronted potential problems such as Frank Thomas. In doing so, he established the culture of "we" and not "me first". Im not sure how much staying power he has due to the fact that hes so candid but, yeah, hes a good manager.

[glucklich]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

This is exactly my point though. The White Sox didn't score as many runs as they could have if they didnt play small ball all the time with the top of their order. By constantly attempting to steal bases and bunt they take potential runs off the basepaths.

The angels have a similar style to the white sox. So much for that theory on valuing the out. When you play small ball, you put the burden on yourself to execute and this carries over to other aspects (not just bunts). There is a greater likelihood of getting a stolen base and a single than there is of getting two singles to score a runner. Sure you forgo, some potential runs but those runs arent guaranteed.

[Stu]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

The angels have a similar style to the white sox. So much for that theory on valuing the out. When you play small ball, you put the burden on yourself to execute and this carries over to other aspects (not just bunts). There is a greater likelihood of getting a stolen base and a single than there is of getting two singles to score a runner. Sure you forgo, some potential runs but those runs arent guaranteed.

The Angels are a completely different case than the White Sox. They don't have good enough hitters to rely on, so small ball is almost a necessity.

[Cubs Suck]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

The Angels are a completely different case than the White Sox. They don't have good enough hitters to rely on, so small ball is almost a necessity.

Whoa! what are you talking about. The Angels don't have good Hitters????

Here's the sox AVG's ----- Angels AVG's
Podsednik - .290 ----- Vlad-.317
Konerko- .283 ----- Kennedy-.300
Iguchi-.278 ----- Molina-.295
Dye-.274 ----- Figgins-.290
Rowand-.270 ----- Anderson-.283
A.J.-.257 ----- Kotchman-.278
Crede-.252 ----- Erstad-.271
Uribe-.252 ------ Rivera-.271
Everett-.251 ------ Cabrerra-.257


And don't say the Sox bunted more cause they only had 10 more bunts than the Angels.

So where do you get your info on the Angels not having as good of hitter as the White Sox. In fact they have better hitter than the Sox if you look at their averages. Its just that the Sox all year long were getting timely hits, and getting strong pitching. Check the stats on MLB.com thats where i got these.

[Stu]

Re: Is Ozzie Guillen a good manager?

So where do you get your info on the Angels not having as good of hitter as the White Sox. In fact they have better hitter than the Sox if you look at their averages. Its just that the Sox all year long were getting timely hits, and getting strong pitching. Check the stats on MLB.com thats where i got these.

I'm sorry but I dont look at batting average to determine how good a hitter is. Look at the power numbers for the Angels and you'll see they don't have much after Vlad. The Angels had 1 player over 20 HRs while the White Sox had 4. The Angels had 5 players over 10 HRs while the White Sox had 9. The White Sox have a better slugging percentage and better OPS than the Angels.