SouthSide_HitMen
10-12-2005, 03:11 PM
BP has a daily injury report - one of the few things worthwhile. I found it interesting Herb Schneider, who IMO is one of the best trainers in the game - is "not certified" in the eyes of MLB. Does anyone know details about what someone would have to do to be a certified trainer?
Schneider and Bossard (and others) are the hidden gems in the organization (nice to see the White Sox faithful give a big roar for Roger - How many fans around baseball even know their groundkeeper's name?) though Roger isn't so "hidden" as he was named one of the ten biggest cheaters in baseball by the always pathetic ESPN:
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/cheaters/ballplayers.html
Anyway I agree with BP's injury take and how outside of Frank and Scott's groin we are in pretty good shape (though they failed to mention Dustin's back nor the fact Ozzie did a pretty good job resting guys throughout the season which played a role in our current status). You can only expect so much from BP.
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BP Injury Take on the
Chicago White Sox
I looked through the Chicago Tribune to see if Ozzie Guillen (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/guilloz01.shtml) had won the Powerball, had a nice run at Sportsman's Park, or had been in Vegas during his off days. Since I see no evidence that Guillen is running on pure luck or a deal with the devil, I'll assume that he knows what he's doing. One thing that's making Ozzie look smart is having all his players out on the field in a healthy, productive state.
The only concern that the Sox have is Scott Podsednik (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/podsesc01.shtml), still dealing with a groin that will not fully heal while he's playing. The rest will help, only to the extent that 70% is less comfortable than 75%. He won't be the pesky running threat that he is when his instincts and intact groin allow him to make the quick first step he needs to steal. He appears to be fine in the field, though he wasn't tested significantly. Aaron Rowand (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/rowanaa01.shtml)'s free range fielding protects both Podsednik and the slowed Jermaine Dye (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/dyeje01.shtml) from the need to move much. There have been some interesting internal discussions about the wind patterns at US Cellular here at BP, something the White Sox staff pointedly refused comment on.
The pitching staff has no significant concerns, though they do seem limited in some ways. Guillen and pitching coach Don Cooper appear fixated on the 120 pitch mark, not letting their starters go much beyond that at any point in the season. The patterns shown by all four of their starters over the last month indicate that the pitchers are tiring earlier, beginning to be hit harder around the 80 mark, making efficiency even more important for their success and to keep the bullpen from becoming overexposed. Earl Weaver used to say that when a pitcher was tired, the hitters would tell you. That holds true here. Herm Schneider and his staff have kept this team relatively healthy all season long and, outside of the Frank Thomas (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/thomafr04.shtml) situation, there have been no significant injuries. As with the Angels in 2002 and the Marlins in 2003, the lack of significant injuries is a major part of why things have gone right for the White Sox. Schneider is the dean of baseball athletic trainers, the only non-certified trainer left. (He's allowed to continue under a grandfather clause. This fact should not in any way connote that Schneider is not qualified.) It's his work that has been a major factor in making success possible for this team.
Schneider and Bossard (and others) are the hidden gems in the organization (nice to see the White Sox faithful give a big roar for Roger - How many fans around baseball even know their groundkeeper's name?) though Roger isn't so "hidden" as he was named one of the ten biggest cheaters in baseball by the always pathetic ESPN:
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/cheaters/ballplayers.html
Anyway I agree with BP's injury take and how outside of Frank and Scott's groin we are in pretty good shape (though they failed to mention Dustin's back nor the fact Ozzie did a pretty good job resting guys throughout the season which played a role in our current status). You can only expect so much from BP.
__________________________________________________ _________
BP Injury Take on the
Chicago White Sox
I looked through the Chicago Tribune to see if Ozzie Guillen (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/guilloz01.shtml) had won the Powerball, had a nice run at Sportsman's Park, or had been in Vegas during his off days. Since I see no evidence that Guillen is running on pure luck or a deal with the devil, I'll assume that he knows what he's doing. One thing that's making Ozzie look smart is having all his players out on the field in a healthy, productive state.
The only concern that the Sox have is Scott Podsednik (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/podsesc01.shtml), still dealing with a groin that will not fully heal while he's playing. The rest will help, only to the extent that 70% is less comfortable than 75%. He won't be the pesky running threat that he is when his instincts and intact groin allow him to make the quick first step he needs to steal. He appears to be fine in the field, though he wasn't tested significantly. Aaron Rowand (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/rowanaa01.shtml)'s free range fielding protects both Podsednik and the slowed Jermaine Dye (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/dyeje01.shtml) from the need to move much. There have been some interesting internal discussions about the wind patterns at US Cellular here at BP, something the White Sox staff pointedly refused comment on.
The pitching staff has no significant concerns, though they do seem limited in some ways. Guillen and pitching coach Don Cooper appear fixated on the 120 pitch mark, not letting their starters go much beyond that at any point in the season. The patterns shown by all four of their starters over the last month indicate that the pitchers are tiring earlier, beginning to be hit harder around the 80 mark, making efficiency even more important for their success and to keep the bullpen from becoming overexposed. Earl Weaver used to say that when a pitcher was tired, the hitters would tell you. That holds true here. Herm Schneider and his staff have kept this team relatively healthy all season long and, outside of the Frank Thomas (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/thomafr04.shtml) situation, there have been no significant injuries. As with the Angels in 2002 and the Marlins in 2003, the lack of significant injuries is a major part of why things have gone right for the White Sox. Schneider is the dean of baseball athletic trainers, the only non-certified trainer left. (He's allowed to continue under a grandfather clause. This fact should not in any way connote that Schneider is not qualified.) It's his work that has been a major factor in making success possible for this team.