Are the Diamondbacks underachieving or not?

[BC867]

Which do you think describes the team this year?

a) Over-achieving: With our power stats going down, we're only a few games behind the wild-card leaders;

b) Right where you'd expect: A slightly over-.500 team, not quite good enough to make the post-season;

c) Under-achieving: With our pitching staff, and a lineup filled with plus-.290 hitters, we should be the team to beat for the post-season.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's a), Brenly should get consideration for Manager of the Year if we get into the post-season, after all the injuries this year;

If it's b), let's just enjoy beating out the Dodgers, Rockies, and Padres, and say, "Well, maybe next year."

If it's c), Bob Brenly (and his Attention Deficit Batting Orders and Swing From The Heels mentality) should be a bullpen coach next season . . . somewhere in the American League.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Honestly now, do you think we're a), b), or c)?

 

[Lefty]

I'm not answering this question because the season is not over. There are still 32 games left and I think the Diamondbacks are going to make the playoffs.

 

[DWKB]

I have no shame in saying a loud resounding B

 

[IndyDevil]

B.

I'd feel better about getting to postseason if I knew we could score runs on a regular basis, but this lineup just doesn't have any offensive spark....that is to say the typical BB "Lineup of the Day" has no spark.

Isn't it about time to actually stick with a lineup for more than one game in a row (LH/RH lineup)??

 

[BC867]

Originally posted by IndyDback
B.
This lineup just doesn't have any offensive spark....that is to say the typical BB "Lineup of the Day" has no spark.

Isn't it about time to actually stick with a lineup for more than one game in a row (LH/RH lineup)??

That's why my vote is C! Bob Brenly -- The Man Without A Plan!

 

[RLakin]

I don't think this lineup is good enough to win a World Series, but it could get a team into the playoffs. I say could, because I really believe this manager is costing the D-Backs games. Take yesterdays game for instance. While most were complaining about umpires and poor hitting, there was a move that any manager in baseball would have made that this guy didn't. Lefty Kenny Lofton comes up with two outs and two men on and yet Brenly elects not to use one of two lefties available in his bullpen. Lofton singles and the D-Backs have to make up 4 runs instead of three.
It's not the 1st nor the last time this guy has not put his team in the best possible position to win, which, in my opinion, is the fundamental function of a big league manager.
Brenly's way is to put a unique lineup on a day to day basis, but this is more about ego than it is winning baseball games. How else can one explain why regular cleanup hitter Shea Hillenbrand gets demoted to the 7th spot in the order one day following a pinch hit homer performance. He gets demoted in favor of Raul Mondesi who has exactly half the RBI's that Cubs leadoff hitter and fellow late season addition Kenny Lofton has with his new club.
But maybe Modesi and his 5 RBIs are this week's "hot hand." Kind of like Mark Grace and his .197 BA. Incidentally, Grace has one less start this season than does leading hitter Carlos Baerga.
So the D-Backs are 6 games over .500 and Bob Brenly is a candidate for manager of the year. Buck Showalter's D-Backs finished 8 games above .500 in 2000 and he was fired.
That team had a struggling lineup (probably worse than this team's) an injured co-ace (that time Schilling) and an inferior rotation and bullpen.
Given this, my vote would be C.

 

[green machine]

RLakin, this team has had injured Co-Aces, injured infielders, injured outfielders. I think this team is right where it should be. Might sneak into the playoffs but has no chance at a championship.

adam

 

[BC867]

Originally posted by green machine
RLakin, this team has had injured Co-Aces, injured infielders, injured outfielders. I think this team is right where it should be. Might sneak into the playoffs but has no chance at a championship.

At this point, and without additional injuries, it all depends on Randy!

If he can get back to 90% of well, Randy, our starting 4 could dominate, even with inconsistent hitting.

If not, probably not!

 

[schillingfan]

Originally posted by RLakin
ILefty Kenny Lofton comes up with two outs and two men on and yet Brenly elects not to use one of two lefties available in his bullpen. Lofton singles and the D-Backs have to make up 4 runs instead of three.

I don't know that I'd bring in a lefty reliever to face a lefty when I was three runs down. At three runs down I'd be more concerned with long term bullpen usage issues. Too many lefty righty moves kill a bullpen over the long haul. I'm not a fan of overmanaging that way.

We can second guess managers for game moves for, forever, but for the most part they balance out I suspect and even a bad game day manager doesn't cost the team too many wins.

If anything I would criticicize Brenly for making too many moves as opposed to just letting the guys go out and play.

I saw a great line that AZZenny would love that could apply to managers saying that Zen baseball could be good:

"Don't just do something - stand there."

 

[Chainthroer]

Need some changes!

We need to make some changes in the off season and get consistent hitting on the roster. Grace, my favorite as a person, should be given a coaching position. Barajas & McCraken just don't have the numbers. Mondesi will probably be too expensive for his output. Need a couple more bats with consistent fielding abilities.
As far as pitching, I just cannot comprehend why Brenley keeps on playing Meyers. I probably would stick with Elmer for a while - at times he looks decent - needs more coaching to keep up his consistency.
What scares me the most is whether Randy will come back to his old form. If he doesn't, we may be up the creek with that $15M per year contract. I am unaware of the provisions of his K re preformance. Maybe some can let us know if we are saddled with the K for better or worse!
Just some thoughts.

 

[unc84steve]

The first answer is B--the club is doing average because on average, it's good pitch, bad hit.

I have to disagree about your conclusion/formulas regarding Bob Brenly. I like him and have no reason to think he's doing a bad job with the talent & situation he has to deal with. IMO, Brenly's biggest problem isn't on-field strategy, but dealing with upper management mandates.

BB had an owner who insisted on signing Mark Grace for one more year to mentor a first baseman (Lyle Overbay). The club decided to give Quinton McCracken a two-year contract and this would make it too embarrassing to cut an obviously ineffective player.

He was given a "run producer" (Shea) to replace a still semi-effective third baseman (Matt Williams) (on defense & vs. LHP). This worked when Shea was injured (that's when the winning occurred), but failed when Shea returned to play 3B and turned out to be a butcher (sorry meat handlers). Shea move over to first to bump Shea down to Tucson who was a real "run producer" because he got on base.