Darrin Jackson--You Have Topped Yourself

I know this is old ground and probably a total bore, so I should just let it go.

...But I can't let it go.

Today during the White Sox-Twins game, Darrin Jackson was comparing the White Sox offense from 2005 to the White Sox offense this year. He was doing so, I should add, on the heels of a Scott Podsednik stolen base.

His conclusion was that the 2005 Ozzie-ball Smart-ball Small-ball Grinder Gang Don't Stop Believin' Go-Go White Sox did more "manufacturing" of runs and "playing the game right" and all sorts of other similar nonsensical cliched crap, while the 2006 White Sox are mostly mashers. He then added that Ozzie Guillen considers the former preferable because Guillen likes to see guys play in his own mold--a "scrapper."

Now hopefully D.J. was merely putting words in Guillen's mouth, and Ozzie doesn't actually believe that 23rd in the league in OPS+ (their 2005 ranking) is actually preferable to wherever they rank now (probably top five, if not first). If Guillen really values "scrappy" play (i.e. stolen bases, sac bunts) so much that he would see the 2006 offensive production as regress, then Ozzie really is as egocentric and hard-headed as I've portrayed him in the past.

To finish this story, Jackson said that he sees more of this "smart" baseball from the Twins this year, and it's results bear out in the standings. The validity of this observation aside--and for that matter, the validity of his characterization of the '05 White Sox (which isn't valid at all)--he's talking about a team that's one half-game ahead of the Sox after play today. One. Half. Game.

Also:
White Sox team ERA: 4.58
Twins team ERA: 4.14

Yeah, D.J.--it's the scrappiness.

Comcast Sports Net--please, please, fire this man.