Sep 15th 2008 11:23AM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Dear Ozzie,

Let me start this letter off by saying that I’m a fan. I don’t always agree with the moves you make, or the things you say and do, but for the most part I think you’re very good at doing your job. Still, that doesn’t mean there isn’t one thing you do constantly that could end up costing your team a division title this season.

It nearly did last night.

In the second game of your doubleheader against the Tigers last night, your boys had jumped out to a 7-0 lead so you decided to pull starter John Danks early and go to the bullpen. I have no problem with this, and thought it was a smart move, but shortly afterward you nearly killed your team. After the Tigers had made it 7-3 in the eighth inning, you brought in Octavio Dotel with a four run lead.

I knew right then that you guys were going to blow the lead. How did I know this? Well, Ozzie, that’s because every time you bring in Dotel with a comfortable lead, he blows it. Maybe you haven’t noticed the 500 previous times it’s happened this season, but it has. Sure enough, a few pitches later, Marcus Thames was launching a grand slam into the left field bleachers and the game was tied at seven.Continue Reading