MLB 2022

[Poisoned Youth]

How long until Joe madden gets the boot?

Apparently the Heavens heard you…

[Scott Bails]

Don't look now, but the Phillies have now won 5 in a row.

And it's looking more and more like the players hated Girardi.

[NogbadTheBad]

You can imagine the players talking, "how many more do we have to lose before they sack him?"

[polmico]

Don't look now, but the Phillies have now won 5 in a row.

And a very impressive win last night. Hader hadn't given up a run since last July!

Braves are making hay, too. Six in a row!

The Mets might be without Alonso for while after taking a pitch off the wrist last night (initial X-rays are negative, but Showalter is not optimistic about a quick return). The NL East looks like it's about to get very interesting.

And it's looking more and more like the players hated Girardi.

It's amazing that these kind of hires still happen. With all the data, all the personnel, all the everything that can be known, you'd think it'd be almost impossible to hire someone that your players are not going to respond to.

It's one thing to hire the wrong person at my job (or, presumably, any of our jobs); there aren't millions of dollars at stake, millions of dollars of resources to find and recruit talent. (Just to note: there aren't millions of dollars in public education for anything, so typing that sentence was rather pointless.) Things can turn sour, but bad from the start?

And that's two managers in a row the Phils have whiffed on, the first of whom is doing well out in San Fran. Sign of a bigger problem?

[Scott Bails]

And that's two managers in a row the Phils have whiffed on, the first of whom is doing well out in San Fran. Sign of a bigger problem?

Kapler's situation is a little different. He made plenty of mistakes while in Philly and has seemed to have learned from them in SF. Similar somewhat to when Bill Belichick was in Cleveland.

[ronmac]

^^ There's always a risk in hiring someone who hasn't been there, done that. Girardi won a championship and is a hard worker, but also a bit of a stubborn hard-ass. He also took heat for being too old-school. On the flip-side, Madden, who was one of the first to embrace analytics, commented that some teams (including the one that just shit-canned him) are going overboard with them.

I look at a guy like Aaron Boone, who is very baseball smart, but his in-game skills are lacking. I thought he was a great choice at first, but then last year happened and his decision-making cost them many games. Sure, the Yanks are killing it right now. But, he also has a completely new coaching staff, which is where I put a lot of the credit. And, of course, the players are delivering, unlike last year.

[Scott Bails]

Six in a row....

Now we need those damned Braves to lose a game.

[polmico]

^At least the Mets lost and we both gained ground.

Ronmac’s comments on Boone and the recent managerial firings got me thinking on the subject again: how much do managers matter? The Braves managerial staff is more important than the lone manager. Having Eric Young and Ron Washington as base coaches has made a huge impact on the younger players. I don’t think the Braves have one of the best defensive infields without Wash (and, obviously, the talent of the players). Snitker is undoubtedly good, but he doesn’t garner praise without the staff he’s assembled. One guy doesn’t matter as much as the team working to support the players.

But clearly one manager can make a difference. Just look at SF last year, the Mets this year.

I’m probably conflating. I’m sure both Kapler and Showalter have assembled excellent staffs, but both teams’ turnarounds are notable given the timing of their managerial hires.

So that’s the question. How important do y’all think an individual manager is? Would your team be markedly better with another manager at the helm?

(My answers: important for organizing the staff and providing direction and an ethos; no, Snit is the man.)

[ronmac]

^^ Most important, IMO, is in-game decision-making.

[polmico]

^^ Most important, IMO, is in-game decision-making.

You noted that Boone's in-game decision-making skills are lacking. So are the Yankees outperforming poor in-game management? (No snark in this question, just in case it comes off that way. I don't know the answer; I don't watch the Yankees, so I couldn't say one way or the other.)

Can a good in-game manager overcome mediocre or replacement-level talent? Bringing in a makeshift outfield at the trade deadline probably shouldn't have worked for the Braves, but it did. Was that just good management or good luck?

[MudShark22]

You noted that Boone's in-game decision-making skills are lacking. So are the Yankees outperforming poor in-game management? (No snark in this question, just in case it comes off that way. I don't know the answer; I don't watch the Yankees, so I couldn't say one way or the other.)

Can a good in-game manager overcome mediocre or replacement-level talent? Bringing in a makeshift outfield at the trade deadline probably shouldn't have worked for the Braves, but it did. Was that just good management or good luck?

I also agree (or have always preferred) managers who are good w/ in-game management. But it is not always a necessity.

I think well constructed teams can survive a average or slightly below avg in-game manager, or even succeed and win with one (see Torre Yanks).

Good in-game managers can get an average team to punch above their weight.



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[ronmac]

You noted that Boone's in-game decision-making skills are lacking. So are the Yankees outperforming poor in-game management? (No snark in this question, just in case it comes off that way. I don't know the answer; I don't watch the Yankees, so I couldn't say one way or the other.)

Can a good in-game manager overcome mediocre or replacement-level talent? Bringing in a makeshift outfield at the trade deadline probably shouldn't have worked for the Braves, but it did. Was that just good management or good luck?

I think he's learned a bit, but still makes some puzzling moves, especially making out the lineup. We'll see what happens when the erratic and washed-up Chapman gets back from the IL.

The reason they're playing so well is simply that they are doing what they're paid to do, unlike last year when they pretty much collectively sucked.

I think well constructed teams can survive a average or slightly below avg in-game manager, or even succeed and win with one (see Torre Yanks).

That being the other key role: managing people and gaining their respect, which leads to better performance..

[ronmac]

$30 million man, Gerrit Cole made history last night, giving up HRs to the first three batters he faced. He gave up five, in all and looked headed for a loss. That was until the bats took over. A wild one in Minnesota. The Twins have a good team and will, sooner or later, break this curse NY has on them.

[Jerjo]

$30 million man, Gerrit Cole made history last night, giving up HRs to the first three batters he faced. He gave up five, in all and looked headed for a loss. That was until the bats took over. A wild one in Minnesota. The Twins have a good team and will, sooner or later, break this curse NY has on them.

The Twins still need a bullpen that won't lift their skirts and bend over at the first sign of trouble. They've been hit by the injury bug but so is everyone else.

[ronmac]

Last night's game had 9 HRs. Tonight, it's stuck at 1-1 in the 9th inning.

[ronmac]

Ya know, I was more than happy to learn that Joe Buck isn't doing Fox Baseball this year. Now, they need to do something about John Smoltz, who cannot. stop. yakking.

[Vic2012]

Verlander just got ROCKED! 3 run homer.

[ronmac]

Verlander just got ROCKED! 3 run homer.

Check out what's going on in The Bronx if you want to see rocking.

[Vic2012]

We're still losing but we're innit.

[polmico]

Now we need those damned Braves to lose a game.

Still waiting.

[Vic2012]

We're outit....lol

[Tangram]

Bet the Cubs are happy to be leaving the Bronx. They got swept and got outscored 28-5 capped with a 18-4 drubbing today

[ronmac]

Bet the Cubs are happy to be leaving the Bronx. They got swept and got outscored 28-5 capped with a 18-4 drubbing today

With a 2-1 marathon to kick it off.

[MudShark22]

Mets go 5-5 on a 10 game west coast swing - normally not too shabby, especially with Dodgers amd Padres in that mix...

Yet left with a 9.5 game lead and return to NY 5.5 up...

effing bravos.... [emoji2959]

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[Scott Bails]

Still waiting.

Pretty insane run. And the Phillies got smoked yesterday. Time to start another streak, and the schedule is presumably softer.