It seems Ozzie's rather forceful in making the point that you can't churn butter with a toothpick (nod to Robin Williams, there...) However, managers clearly can have an impact on the game. Ozzie himself nets positive on his own team management: although he gives up outs and costs himself runs on the offensive side of the plate, he leverages his bullpen and pitching tremendously. Yes, it's his pitchers that execute, but he's the one that sets them up to succeed by using them in the proper situation.

Statheads like to say (or are credited with saying) that one-run game records are heavily based on luck; this may be true in most cases. But Ozzie and his bullpen clearly deserve significant credit for locking down the close ones effectively. While their one-run game record may have had some benefit from luck in '06, there is no denying that the ChiSox have repeated this "luck" under Guillen's management (nod to Jim Baker at BP...) In '05, they were an astonishing 35-19 in one run games. Yet, in '04 they were an almost equally impressive 28-18, for a two year total of 63-37 (neatly translating to a .630 winning percentage). Ozzie's teams lock down the close ones; look at his track record, and if one looks further, Ozzie has also somehow managed to sneak under the radar the much-maligned "closer by committee" strategy that everyone likes to kick around.

No, Ozzie, methinks you doth protest too much. Go one, take a bow.

[Now, hopefully the addition of Thome to Konerko in the middle of the order will help him manage his lineup and ease his finger off the bunt trigger.]

I happen to agree with Ozzie.

No one's a good manager except for Ozzie, according to Ozzie.

Who cares if Ozzie's good? It's too bad the NY media wouldn't zero in on Torre and Ozzie had to say it - how soon the media forgot all those bad years managing the Mets. Now all of a sudden he's a genius? Gimme a break...hope you liked watching the World Series on TV, Joe.

Joe Torre is indeed popular, & is correctly credited for
certain things. But I've heard media people frequently
take issue with his decisions (& in NY). By no means is he
considered untouchable, but because people like him,
they express their reservations in a polite way.

Managing is much more of a people skills job than a baseball skills job. In terms of baseball skills/knowledge, if you could measure it, I don' t think there would be a lot of variance among managers. I suspect there would much more variance in people skills which may distinguish the good managers from the bad ones. I don't have a precise definition for people skills but it would entail something to the effect of keeping players motivated, happy, nurturing their self esteem and so on.

Well said, Dave S.

Ozzie has an excellent point. I think after experiencing the two seasons he's had as manager, he's only too aware of the moves he's made that landed him on his face, especially through the dog days of August last (12-16).

What Guillen has an uncanny knack for is putting a player in a situation that enhances his probability for success. A lot of those situations that had the statz guys shaking their heads had the effect of setting the player up mentally to succeed. I think just one example was Uribe's ninth-inning defensive play in game 4 of the WS.

He also keeps guys' heads in the game better than any manager I saw last year.

it helps ozzie that baseball is becoming more and more like football with the spread of talent. he had 5 healthy pitches going into the playoffs none else did. he had a redhot hitter and good production throughout his lineup. and played most of his games against a weak division. tallying up wins and home field advantage.