Ozzie Bowl-Leabs in Dis Bo-Club

This season will be the crux of Ozzie’s career as the White Sox Manager. He asked for it and he got it. With the exception of Konerko, Ozzie was able to get Kenny Williams to agree to not sign or re-sign the base-clogging, station-to-station sluggers such as Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye. Instead, he’s got the (somewhat) speedy, run-producing lineup he’s been pining for. The power is still there, it’s just spread out more throughout the lineup with guys like Teahen, Rios, Jones, and even Alexi Ramirez. It’s not congested in just the 4, 5, and 6 spots like it has been for years. Ozzie’s going to have more control over the games than ever before, it’s not going to just be pitching changes any more. There’s going to be squeezes of the safety and suicide variety, double-steals that may turn into triple-plays, bunt-and-runs, hit-and-runs, delayed steals, and whatever else Ozzie’s mind can conjure up and we’ll probably see such plays being executed at the oddest of times during a ball game. It wouldn’t surprise me if we see a couple of crazy first-and-third plays like the elementary “walk-off” play or a Ty Cobb special and taking off for second base after a base on balls to try to get another guy in scoring position or have him distract the infield to get the runner on third to cross the dish. Ozzie-ball will be played out to its full potential. I’m still skeptical about the DH-by-committee plan and I’d still rather have an every day DH though it won’t be a power hitter like Thome who signed with the Twins, but I personally like the game plan to score runs early and often because we have the pitching rotation to hold off teams and a deeper bullpen than most people may think. With games being shortened to 6 innings with Putz, Thorton, and Jenks rounding out the back of the bullpen, I have the White Sox projected to win 94 games and winning the Central Division Championship by 6 games over the Twinkies. I may be a homer, but I think the depth of the rotation and bullpen, and the run-production potential of the lineup will carry the Sox to the World Series (barring significant injuries). The fate of the White Sox rests on Ozzie’s shoulders, and Ozzie bowl-leabs we can ween wit dis bo-club. Do you bowl-leab in Ozzie?
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