The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2005 I won't repost the entire article, but here's the section of interest: Everett is a big fan of the changes general manager Kenny Williams and Guillen have made to a style that will put more emphasis on manufacturing runs instead of depending on the longball. Even though the White Sox set a franchise record with 242 home runs last season, Everett felt that waiting for the 3-run homer helped contribute to the team falling short of getting to the playoffs. "I think a lot of teams depend on power too much," Everett said. "Yeah, the longball, I think, killed us. Trying to hit the home run actually killed us because there were situations when a single would get the guy in. "I think too much is expressed on the home run throughout baseball, period. They say that's what the fans want, but it's not what the teams that are going to win want. I don't agree with the longball as a way to try and win." ... "I've always believed that speed kills," Everett said. "Defenses don't like speed and pitchers don't like speed. "If you have speed on your team you can score from any base. Not too many teams win on home runs. We had a team last year with three or four guys in a row who played station to station. In tight ballgames, you can't win that way." The Yankees also had 242 home runs last year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2005 It hasn't worked for the White Sox. May as well try a new approach. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Failed Mascot Report post Posted January 17, 2005 The Red Sox for a long time built their line-up around the 3-run homer and it wasn't until they emphasised OBP that they were able to win. Main thing is you need guys who can get on base if they don't hit that homer. Chicago didn't have that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2005 I think their manager's belief in small ball cost the White Sox plenty. They led the league in sacrafice bunts and were second in caught stealing. Also the White Sox offense might not have been quite as powerful as it appeared by playing in the homerun haven that is Comiskey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2005 The change is pretty much because the Twins play that style of baseball, and they've won the Central 3 straight seasons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2005 That's rather pointless since the Twins success has been mainly due to their pitching, in fact the Twins offense was not very good at all last year. But whatever it's Kenny Williams and the White Sox. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2005 who the hell are the "White Sox." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest webmasterofwrestlegame Report post Posted January 17, 2005 I think you should play a system that suits the players - I don't think it is a matter of one system over another. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 17, 2005 Big boys don't play small ball. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
USC Wuz Robbed! 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Very funny Czech, but sadly true. God can't the White Sox just disappear and make the Cubs the only team in Chicago. And I'm a White Sox fan! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Almost happened in '89 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 White boys don't play ball in the sun. Edited for accuracy... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Here's a couple of numbers that I stole from BTF: Correlation of Home Runs to Wins: 0.441 Correlation of Singles to Wins: 0.197 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted January 18, 2005 I can't blame the Sox for giving up on the three run homer approach this season, since they got rid of everyone even remotely capable of hitting one. also, KKK's picture made me pee a little. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 I think Everett's been misunderstood here. Of course, the home run is better than the single, no doubt. But when you TRY to hit the home run, it can backfire. Who would you rather have, Ichiro Suzuki or Tony Batista? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruiser Chong 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Or just look at the entire 2004 Chicago Cubs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Better question. Who would you rather have - Carlos Lee or Scott Podsednik? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Ron Kittle or Ozzie Guillen? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Carlos Lee, and Ozzie Guillen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Or just look at the entire 2004 Chicago Cubs. It is kind of ironic that both Chicago teams hit a ton of home runs, but didn't have anybody that got on consisently enough to make them really hurt. On top of that, both Chicago teams got hammered by injuries, and didn't have anybody in the bullpen to hold on to the slender lead provided by said home runs. Maybe it's something in the water? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fuzzy Dunlop 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Or just look at the entire 2004 Chicago Cubs. It is kind of ironic that both Chicago teams hit a ton of home runs, but didn't have anybody that got on consisently enough to make them really hurt. On top of that, both Chicago teams got hammered by injuries, and didn't have anybody in the bullpen to hold on to the slender lead provided by said home runs. Maybe it's something in the water? Also, the Bulls, Bears, and Cubs all had/have great defense and/or pitching, but lack on offense. That's fucking creepy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Or just look at the entire 2004 Chicago Cubs. It is kind of ironic that both Chicago teams hit a ton of home runs, but didn't have anybody that got on consisently enough to make them really hurt. On top of that, both Chicago teams got hammered by injuries, and didn't have anybody in the bullpen to hold on to the slender lead provided by said home runs. Maybe it's something in the water? Well, the White Sox do have Frank Thomas, and they live and die based on if he's healthy and in the lineup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Young 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Exactly... That was the White Sox' downfall last season- The long term injuries to Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordonez. It's all just as well, though, because if they would have stayed healthy, the Sox would've ended up trading away Mags and most of the other good players at the deadline while sitting 3-4 games out of the division lead. God, it's really depressing being a baseball from Illinois who has watched the Cubs and Sox since day 1. At least the Cardinals are good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 God, it's really depressing being a baseball from Illinois who has watched the Cubs and Sox since day 1. At least the Cardinals are good. This statement is just a big bowl of wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruiser Chong 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 The Cubs have offense, they just don't utilize it. When everyone from the leadoff hitter down to the number eight hitter is trying to constantly launch one out of the park, the results aren't pretty. No one really knew their roles last season. You need some established power guys, but you need people ahead of them to strive to get on base for the real damage to be done. Small ball wasn't the answer, but there were so many situations last season where little things would've helped. Getting a basehit, for instance, became an exercise in futility for a lot of the Cubs last year. They lived and died by the longball, which is great when you play in Wrigley and wind's blowing out. It's just a bitch when the wind's blowing in or you've got an ace going up against you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Yeah, well said. Patterson and Walker are capable of hitting homers, but they don't need to. They just have to get on base for the 3-4-5-maybe6 hitters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Oh by the way here's how our (!!!! OMG kill me) lineup is looking: 1 CF Patterson 2 2B Walker 3 SS Garciaparra 4 1B Lee 5 RF Sosa 6 3B Ramirez 7 C Barrett 8 LF Hollandsworth 9 Pitcher Umm I'm not as convinced as I ought to be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfaJack 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 I'd actually go Ramirez-Lee-Sosa for 4-5-6, but maybe that's just me. I think the Cubs will be ok offensively. They did win 89 games with basically this same lineup last year. Given (hopefully) full seasons from Prior and Wood, they should be the Central favorite. Just need to tweak that bullpen.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Oh by the way here's how our (!!!! OMG kill me) lineup is looking: 1 CF Patterson 2 2B Walker 3 SS Garciaparra 4 1B Lee 5 RF Sosa 6 3B Ramirez 7 C Barrett 8 LF Hollandsworth 9 Pitcher Umm I'm not as convinced as I ought to be. Remember that DuBois will play left field much of the time. I know he is not a name to you Cub fans, but he has serious power in his bat. He hit 31 home runs in Iowa last season, and two different projection systems think has can slug .500 in the majors next season. The real problem with the Cubs last year was their lack of OBP (11th in the NL). They finished seventh in the league in runs scored, despite leading the league in home runs, and finishing second in slugging percentage. The biggest problem was lack of bench production. You can live with s guy like Corey Patterson, but you can not tolerate an entire bench of guys like Tom Goodwin, Neifi Perez, Paul Bako, and Jose Macias. Of course, that they re-signed Perez and Macias is a problem, but as long as the lineup stays healthy, I really think the Cubs should win the Central. Most teams in the league don't have an infield as good as Lee, Walker, Garciaparra, and Ramirez. There are few holes in the lineup, the rotation is the best in the league, and while the bullpen is maligned, its not going to kill the team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 An added note about the lineup. Alot of people are concerned about Sosa as the clean-up hitter, but most studies and simulations have shown little correlation between runs scored and the batting order. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
