Lowe already was confused. Manuel left him sitting in the bullpen for 15 days after he worked three scoreless innings to get the victory in a 7-6 win over Cleveland on April 11. He joins Mike Sirotka, Kevin Beirne, Craig Wilson, Mark Johnson, Fordyce, Abbott and Norton. While economics plays a big role in most decisions with veteran players, it was not the driving force in these. The common thread is that either Schueler or Williams simply didn't think these players were good enough to help a team get to the World Series.
Management always walks a fine line when it is trying to get a team from very good to great.
Many of the White Sox's moves seemed like wise risks. Charles Johnson's power and postseason experience were a plus but didn't make a difference. David Wells and Royce Clayton were excellent additions to the 2001 team. Baines, however, was always a square peg in a round hole on a roster already heavy with one-dimensional players. It's hardly Baines' fault.