What's with all the Sandberg hate around here?

[Roast]

When I was a kid Sandberg was easily my favorite pro athlete besides Jordan.

 

That said, it's become abundantly clear over the years that I was a fan of him as a player and that's it.

 

Sandberg and Sweetness for me. One died young and the other is pretty annoying, childhood ruined for me. :cry:

Jordan and Sosa...

 

One cheated on his wife the other took roids.

 

Oh, childhood heroes.

[SouthSideRyan]

When I was a kid Sandberg was easily my favorite pro athlete besides Jordan.

 

That said, it's become abundantly clear over the years that I was a fan of him as a player and that's it.

 

Sandberg and Sweetness for me. One died young and the other is pretty annoying, childhood ruined for me. :cry:

Jordan and Sosa...

 

One cheated on his wife the other took roids.

 

Oh, childhood heroes.

 

Don't worry Roast I'm sure Jordan took illegal substances and Sammy cheated on his wife too.

[Atta Boy]

 

This is basically the way I feel about it. When Soriano slumps he turns into Paul Bako. If he is going to get out anyway why not make sure that you get something out of it.

 

Because you're talking about things after the fact.(Same thing with the slumping offense you mentioned earlier. It's easy to look back and say, oh these guys weren't hitting, why didn't they do something to scratch out some runs? Guys can turn on a dime and break out of a slump no matter how pathetic his previous 20 ABs looked. It's extremely difficult to pinpoint when a player is going to suck.

 

This isn't an after the fact situation for me. After reading some of these threads I'm starting to realize that my views on small ball differ from what makes sense statistically. Right or wrong, I've always had the opinion that we should play for one run every time there was an opportunity and that more would be a luxury. Most of the stats I read on here tell me I am completely wrong, but I still feel that way.

 

I also feel that your management style should be situational. The team should be able to play small ball one day and hr derby the next. That's why I like Sandberg teaching these things in the minors. Personally, I don't really like the guy and don't want him as a major league manager in Chicago.

[Roast]

When I was a kid Sandberg was easily my favorite pro athlete besides Jordan.

 

That said, it's become abundantly clear over the years that I was a fan of him as a player and that's it.

 

Sandberg and Sweetness for me. One died young and the other is pretty annoying, childhood ruined for me. :cry:

Jordan and Sosa...

 

One cheated on his wife the other took roids.

 

Oh, childhood heroes.

 

Don't worry Roast I'm sure Jordan took illegal substances and Sammy cheated on his wife too.

 

K.

[Sammys Boombox]

I don't pay enough attention to the way Sandberg has managed in the minors, so I can't comment on that. However, if his philosophy was similar to Tony LaRussa, where every player on the team was capable of bunting and could use it in certain situations, I would have no problem with that. For instance, I remember a time when Edmonds was leading off and the Cubs had a big pull shift on him. It was late innings of a tied or one-run game. He just bunted a ball down the third base line and they had absolutely no chance of getting him out. He ended up scoring.

 

Now assume this. Soriano is in one of those slumps where he's very likely to strikeout. Runners on first and second, 0 outs, tie game, late innings. Baker or Soto is on deck and have been hot lately. If Soriano can get the bunt down, at least he'll make a productive out. I do think that every player should be capable of bunting.

With the exception of everything you said here, I agree. Even mired in his worse slumps, Soriano should never be bunting. For one, the resources needed to teach him to bunt can be much better used elsewhere in his game or with other players. Secondly, and most importantly, if Soriano is up with a runner on, the minute chance he gets a hold of one and puts multiple runs up with that appearance outweighs any benefit of a productive out in any situation, really. The only time a bunt is acceptable, IMO, is to avoid a dp with the pitcher up or the 8 hitter to be followed by a PH. The "manufacturing runs" philosophy is truly an awful one, even for a struggling offense.

 

The bunt is definitely useful in more situations than the ones you just mentioned. There were many times when Barry Bonds was at the plate with an important run on third and the third baseman was shifted way towards short. In that situation they are giving you a run if you put the bunt down. Sure you don't do it in the 4th, but if it's the 7th, 8th, or 9th and that run is important, he should be putting the bunt down. Not to mention, if he started putting some bunts down they would have to take the shift off and that would make them play Bonds straight up.

 

The Soriano situation is meant for 8th, 9th, or extra innings only and when one or two runs is very important.

[kujay]

When I was a kid Sandberg was easily my favorite pro athlete besides Jordan.

 

That said, it's become abundantly clear over the years that I was a fan of him as a player and that's it.

 

Sandberg and Sweetness for me. One died young and the other is pretty annoying, childhood ruined for me. :cry:

Jordan and Sosa...

 

One cheated on his wife the other took roids.

 

Oh, childhood heroes.

 

I have a complete and total double standard when it comes to MJ. I admit it. I don't care what that guy did, there is no separating the player from the guy. I worshipped both and basically still do.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The bunt is definitely useful in more situations than the ones you just mentioned. There were many times when Barry Bonds was at the plate with an important run on third and the third baseman was shifted way towards short. In that situation they are giving you a run if you put the bunt down. Sure you don't do it in the 4th, but if it's the 7th, 8th, or 9th and that run is important, he should be putting the bunt down. Not to mention, if he started putting some bunts down they would have to take the shift off and that would make them play Bonds straight up.

 

The Soriano situation is meant for 8th, 9th, or extra innings only and when one or two runs is very important.

 

You're talking about doing something a player like Bonds or Soriano never does, bunt, every couple hundred at bats or so. And the maximum payoff is that they make it to first base. I'm okay with a manager ignoring that completely.