Jerry_Manuel
10-11-2001, 05:43 PM
By Joe Cowley
Staff writer
It was Paul Konerko's concern after the first few weeks of the regular season, and it continued to be a concern to him throughout the year.
So as the White Sox first baseman was packing his bags last Sunday, preparing to return to his home in Arizona for the winter, he reiterated it.
"There are a lot of different factors that go into a season," Konerko said. "The big one for us this year was that the chemistry wasn't good."
If that sounds familiar, it's because Konerko offered the same opinion while the Sox were getting off to a slow start in April, a month that saw them go 8-15.
Konerko contended reserve players Craig Wilson, Greg Norton and Jeff Abbott were vital to the clubhouse chemistry and to the team's run to the playoffs in 2000.
Considering the Sox went from 95 wins and a first-place finish in the American League Central Division to 83 wins and a third-place finish in just one year, he might have a point.
"We lost a bunch of guys that may not have been starters, but were still very important to the club," Konerko said. "You can't always measure that with stats and numbers.
"We had a different mix of guys that just didn't come together until it was too late."
Reliever Bob Howry agreed, to a certain extent. But he won't let the players who did return from the 2000 team off the hook.
"You can't just blame it on the new faces in the clubhouse, but you could tell right off the bat that it didn't seem like the team was on the same page," Howry said. "On days we hit, we didn't pitch or play defense. On days we pitched, we didn't hit. It just never came together.
"Even though we had one solid season (last year), we expected to come into this year and pick up right where we left off. We expected people to roll over when we came into town. That didn't happen."
In retrospect, fourth-year Sox manager Jerry Manuel has indicated he would do things differently if given the opportunity. By the time he felt comfortable with an everyday lineup, injuries had begun to take their toll. And by the time the team settled into a groove, it was June, and the Central Division race was a two-team chase between Cleveland and Minnesota.
"It just wasn't a good mix," Manuel said last week. "It was like a pot of gumbo. It just didn't have the right stuff in it."
Both Howry and Konerko expect changes for 2002, but not necessarily because of any offseason transactions.
"I know the bullpen will be quite different, just with all the injured players that we'll get back," Howry said. "Add Frank (Thomas) to the offense, and that's pretty impressive."
Relief pitchers Antonio Osuna, Lorenzo Barcelo, Rocky Biddle and Kelly Wunsch are all expected back after suffering season-ending injuries in 2001, as is starting pitcher Jim Parque.
"I don't know what's going to happen this offseason," Konerko said. "That's why I'm glad I'm just a player and not management."
Management seemed to believe that injuries and a perceived lack of chemistry were nothing more than excuses for the Sox's failures.
"I've seen lesser teams than what we had here get on a roll and win it all," Sox general manager Ken Williams said.
Staff writer
It was Paul Konerko's concern after the first few weeks of the regular season, and it continued to be a concern to him throughout the year.
So as the White Sox first baseman was packing his bags last Sunday, preparing to return to his home in Arizona for the winter, he reiterated it.
"There are a lot of different factors that go into a season," Konerko said. "The big one for us this year was that the chemistry wasn't good."
If that sounds familiar, it's because Konerko offered the same opinion while the Sox were getting off to a slow start in April, a month that saw them go 8-15.
Konerko contended reserve players Craig Wilson, Greg Norton and Jeff Abbott were vital to the clubhouse chemistry and to the team's run to the playoffs in 2000.
Considering the Sox went from 95 wins and a first-place finish in the American League Central Division to 83 wins and a third-place finish in just one year, he might have a point.
"We lost a bunch of guys that may not have been starters, but were still very important to the club," Konerko said. "You can't always measure that with stats and numbers.
"We had a different mix of guys that just didn't come together until it was too late."
Reliever Bob Howry agreed, to a certain extent. But he won't let the players who did return from the 2000 team off the hook.
"You can't just blame it on the new faces in the clubhouse, but you could tell right off the bat that it didn't seem like the team was on the same page," Howry said. "On days we hit, we didn't pitch or play defense. On days we pitched, we didn't hit. It just never came together.
"Even though we had one solid season (last year), we expected to come into this year and pick up right where we left off. We expected people to roll over when we came into town. That didn't happen."
In retrospect, fourth-year Sox manager Jerry Manuel has indicated he would do things differently if given the opportunity. By the time he felt comfortable with an everyday lineup, injuries had begun to take their toll. And by the time the team settled into a groove, it was June, and the Central Division race was a two-team chase between Cleveland and Minnesota.
"It just wasn't a good mix," Manuel said last week. "It was like a pot of gumbo. It just didn't have the right stuff in it."
Both Howry and Konerko expect changes for 2002, but not necessarily because of any offseason transactions.
"I know the bullpen will be quite different, just with all the injured players that we'll get back," Howry said. "Add Frank (Thomas) to the offense, and that's pretty impressive."
Relief pitchers Antonio Osuna, Lorenzo Barcelo, Rocky Biddle and Kelly Wunsch are all expected back after suffering season-ending injuries in 2001, as is starting pitcher Jim Parque.
"I don't know what's going to happen this offseason," Konerko said. "That's why I'm glad I'm just a player and not management."
Management seemed to believe that injuries and a perceived lack of chemistry were nothing more than excuses for the Sox's failures.
"I've seen lesser teams than what we had here get on a roll and win it all," Sox general manager Ken Williams said.