As the Cubs and White Sox renew hostilities this weekend, I’ve been considering their managers’ responsibility for their shifting fortunes. The Cubs have been on the rise since Lou Piniella blew up at the umpires a couple of weeks ago. The Sox have been on the decline, and it’s not just injuries to leadoff men Scott Podsednik and Darin Erstad and power hitters Jim Thome and Joe Crede that are to blame.
Characteristics as a player: Piniella was a slow-footed outfielder who never hit more than a dozen homers or drove in as many as 90 runs, but he hit .300 six times and had a career average of .291. Guillen was a good-fielding, slap-hitting shortstop. He never hit .300, and only once stole 30 bases. James has identified the ability to draw walks as a sign of athletic intelligence, but Piniella never walked 40 times in a season and Guillen never walked even 30.
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Does he like to platoon? Guillen doesn’t. Piniella seems open to it.
Does he use the entire roster or exile some players to the bench? Both like a deep bench–Guillen to a fault, while Piniella shows a preference for playing the hot hand.
How willing is he to issue an intentional walk? Guillen has increasingly ordered walks, thus taking the ball out of his pitchers’ hands and showing less confidence in them (with good reason this season). Piniella’s Cubs are in the middle of the NL pack in intentional walks.
How set is he on a five-man rotation? Danks, the Sox’ fifth starter, hasn’t missed a turn this season. Piniella has shuttled pitchers into the fifth spot.
