Before yesterday's game Ozzie "hinted strongly" that Ryan Sweeney could be the starting centerfielder next year if Brian Anderson doesn't improve (play winter ball):
"He's got to get more at-bats. He has only [306] at-bats this year. Even if he doesn't want to play winter ball, he has to play winter ball. I demand him to play winter ball. I'm not going to hand you a job here just because you are who you are. If you don't play the way we think you should be playing, we're going to find somebody else. I'm not saying he's not going to be on the club. ... We don't lose any games because of him, but he has to be better. I'd like for him to be better offensively. When you play the way he plays right now and nobody says anything, [he] better look over his shoulder to see who's behind you, push yourself to get better. I'm not saying he's not, but we need for him to get better. We need him in the future, and the only way we can do it is to keep pushing this kid. Right now he has to go for either one, speed or home runs. And I think speed is going to help him more than the home runs. We'll send somebody down to work with him. This kid needs to play to mature more. Right now he's fast? He's average, a little bit better than average. Joey Gathright is fast. Carl Crawford is fast. [Anderson] is not that fast. He runs decent. He has to learn how to steal bases because right now we're slow, and we need to be faster in the outfield."
Nevermind that Brian said the other day that he'll play winter ball. Ozzie likes to yap:
"Right now he doesn't have either one [speed or power], and he's got to go to learn how to use his ability. When you grow up in the game, you can do whatever you want. He has to be better. When you play the way he plays right now and nobody says anything, you better look over your shoulder to see who's behind you, to push yourself to get better."
And congrats to Ryan Sweeney for not laying down yesterday with the rest of the team.