The White Sox Are Wondering: "What Happened?"

By: Dr. Gary S. Goodman
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:25:36
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

An old chum of mine, a former athlete and employee at Indiana State University, was fond of saying there are three kinds of people:

(1) Those who make things happen;
(2) Those who watch things happen; and
(3) Those who scratch their heads and wonder: “What happened?”

The Chicago White Sox, you know them, they were last year’s World Series Champions, have traversed these three categories in little more than half a season.

Running neck and neck with this year’s best performing team, the Detroit Tigers, the Sox were making things happen. With the exception of Politte and Garland, the pitching staff was doing well.

New acquisition, Jim Thome, was setting a blistering home run pace, leading the league, and despite oddball Ozzie Guillen’s running of the mouth, the team was holding up.

Then, the season slipped away from them.

To answer the question, here’s what happened:

(1) The Sox postured for the media instead of focusing on winning games. They showed they weren’t ready for prime time, after all.

(2) The Sox didn’t take Detroit seriously, believing they’d fold by the All-Star break. But there’s a big difference in being led by a clown like Guillen and a low-key journeyman like Jim Leyland. The other day, Leyland said a team isn’t in a pennant race until September. That’s when the heat gets turned on, and Leyland, a realist, knows that.

(3) General Manager Kenny Williams thought he could stand pat with the team he had assembled by spring training. Two months ago Detroit’s owner said he’d give Leyland what he wanted by way of personnel: all the skipper had to do is ask.

Back by seven and a half games in their division, and about to be knocked out of first place in the Wild Card race, the Sox are just about done.

Before throwing in the towel, owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Kenny Williams should agree on one thing: the next time Guillen showboats, it’s time for him to leave.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books, over 750 articles, and the creator of numerous audio and video training programs, including "The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable," published by Nightingale-Conant-a favorite among salespeople and entrepreneurs. For information about booking Gary to speak at your next sales, customer service or management meeting, conference or convention, please address your inquiry to: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Baseball category

  • Fantasy Baseball - Taking a Full Swing - By: Chris Campbell
    Fantasy baseball, in all it's incarnations and iterations may seem a little unwieldy to the uninitiated, but it's really not that difficult to participate in, just requires a little time and persistence to get started. Many camps seem to have a myriad of rules, regulations and procedures to follow. However; it wouldn't have the following it does, if it wasn't easy enough for the average beer swilling baseball fan to engage in.
  • The Incredible Wiffle Ball Bat - By: Terry Edwards
    Is there a better backyard game than playing wiffle ball with an official wiffle ball bat? I can remember as a kid playing wiffle ball day after day during the summer in our neighborhood. What started in the 1950's has sure exploded today.
  • If You Want To Play Baseball, Here Are Some Must Haves - By: Gregg Hall
    Baseball is America's pastime. To play the game there are a few basic pieces of equipment that everyone must have on hand. For most, this equipment is common knowledge, but some may be less familiar with the terminology and rules.
  • Basics of Baseball Betting - By: RJ Bell
    While football and basketball are the most popular sports to bet on, baseball could be the easiest for beginners once you understand how to read the money line. Money line gambling is the primary wagering option for baseball bettors, which involves betting on the straight-up game outcome with no consideration for a point spread. Oddsmakers use the money line so that more money must be risked on the favorite or expected winner and less money on the underdog to balance the action on both sides.
  • How To Choose A Great Baseball Bat - By: Gregg Hall
    Perhaps the most important aspect of baseball is to have a bat that suits your needs. A bat's weight, length, and material can all have a positive or negative affect on a batter's swing. Consider every option when choosing a baseball bat for yourself.
  • Choosing the Right Catchers Mitt - By: Scott Mokoski
    The catcher kneels behind the plate, and pounds his catchers mitt then gives the pitcher the sign. The bang of the crowd, the rush of the game, the rush of victory. The agony of sensitive muscles, the torment of suspense, the torture of defeat.
  • On Cars, Baseball and the Halcyon Days of Summer - By: Ed Bagley
    The automotive world was introduced to economies of scale in 1954 as Nash and Hudson (yes, those were makes of cars exactly 52 years ago) merged to form American Motors. Both Nash and Hudson models are history now. Heck, American Motors has taken a hike since then too.
  • The Traditional American Game - By: Jonathon Hardcastle
    Like life in traditional society, but unlike football and basketball, the other two major American team sports, baseball is not governed by the clock and amazes many foreigners that it is the "national sport" in a fast-paced United States. Being a very popular team sport, apart from North America also in Latin America, the Caribbean and East Asia, baseball is a bat-and-ball game in which a pitcher throws a fist-sized hard ball past the hitting area of a batter. The batter, who belongs to the other team, then attempts to hit the ball with a smooth, cylindrical bat made of wood or metal.
  • My Daughter Came of Age in Disney - By: Aron Wallad
    The girls had worked real hard. Selling raffle tickets. Participating in hitting contests to raise money.
  • Never Look Back - Baseball History - Leroy "Satchel" Page - By: Lindsey Williams
    Never Look BackNew Year resolutions come and go -- except for me.Many years ago – none of your business how many -- I adopted a set of good intentions propounded by the legendary African-American baseball player Leroy Paige.He was best known as “Satchel” – a nickname he acquired as a young boy carrying luggage for nickels at the Mobile, Ala.