I feel the need to write a post about this, as I have been very stubborn in my support of Lou Piniella. I have excused his seemlingly disinterested attitude as "trying to be a calming influence", I have forgiven questionable moves because I do not have the audacity to think I know more than he does, and I have defended him on this site many, many times. I like to think of myself as pretty respectable and mild-mannered, but in light of this fanshot, it is time for me to admit I was wrong. Please note this is *NOT* designed as a Lou bashing session.

Last night while watching the game on MLB.TV, I was absolutely dumbfounded when Lou sent Sam Fuld to pinch hit for Ted Lilly. At that point of the game, it was not feasible to take Jake Fox out of the game as he still had another at bat left, therefore ensuring Sam Fuld would not be able to enter the game defensively. Our best defensive outfield, which Lou has said many times he wants out there in late innings, was made unavailable for a 2 out, nobody on pinch hit attempt. Quite honestly, I'm very glad that Al, and many others in the recap, were outraged at this as well. This was a mistake, any way you slice it. Not only did he bat before Fukudome (which made it two lefties in a row, which is much easier for the opposing team to manage), but again, he was wasted defensively. Jeff Baker or Alfonso Soriano would have been a much better option in that situation.

Secondly, it didn't turn out to matter much, but why in the world did he double switch in the 8th after Grabow got the first out?? We all know Marmol wasn't going to pitch more than the bottom of the 8th anyway, so you're basically picking your pinch hitter (and stuck with such) before you see what the at-bat is going to mean. I'm sure some will say, "well perhaps if we scored a few runs he could have left Marmol out there". Bring in Caridad, or Heilman or Marshall, but Marmol is a one inning guy and needs to be managed as such. Again, it didn't really turn out to mean much, but it seemed to me Lou was double switching just to double switch, and it made no sense to me whatsoever.

I'm glad he has finally seen it necessary to remove Kevin Gregg from his closer role. I beg of him to give the role to Angel Guzman. He has been by far our best reliever this year and deserves it, without question. If he so chooses to give it to Carlos Marmol, though, I really have to question what his intentions are.

One more note, and my rant will be complete. Lou has looked so disinterested for most of this year. Does anybody else agree with me, though, that the one moment where I saw otherwise was the last game before the all star break against St. Louis? Forget the fact that he was very creative in keeping Sean Marshall in the game, but he was standing up in the dugout the whole time, looking at charts, and you could really tell the gears in his head were turning. That's the Lou I want to see, the Lou I miss. The Lou that last year was Manager Of The Year.