But when all of the players go south at once, you have to look elsewhere for the cause, rather than just calling it coincidence that at least 20 professionals are acting unprofessionally at the same time...
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- Thread starter Ronin
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But when all of the players go south at once, you have to look elsewhere for the cause, rather than just calling it coincidence that at least 20 professionals are acting unprofessionally at the same time...
BC867
Long time Phoenician!
You're overlooking the example of Torey quoting that he kept playing Jake
Lamb with an .050 average because he likes players who hit the ball in the air.
That sends a message to the players, who are obliged to please the manager.
Do you really believe that, if most of the players have "poor performances"
it does not reflect on the manager? That defies the definition of a manager
In any industry.
Y'know, Dback, sometimes I can't help but wonder if the D-backs and Suns
sometimes plant someone on ASFN to insult fans who dare question their
failures with laughing faces and insults. It is not beyond belief.
The performance of both team have been disappointing. Why would any fan
condone failure?
People follow teams to reduce their everyday stress, not to add to it.
That is why the players get paid millions of dollars to play a child's game.
And why the role of the manager is so important.
JerkFace
(Formerly offset) i have a special purpose
I am not a Torey fan at all and would be fine if they moved on from him, but it is borderline moronic (actually not that borderline) to think that a manager is the difference between a seasoned major league player being great or being awful. A manager does not influence that big of a swing. Certain players have had career years under Torey (That he should also get minimal if any credit for). Sometimes a change of scenery can be good for a player and they often get a bit of a boost from it.
BC867
Long time Phoenician!
Speaking as someone who had a long career in management . . .
Never mind. Holding a manager responsible is moronic? Wow!
Whether it's a Manager or the manager of a department store . . .
Oh, what's the use!
JerkFace
(Formerly offset) i have a special purpose
I never said holding a manager responsible was moronic. I said attributing a players greatness/suckiness solely to a manager is moronic.
BC867
Long time Phoenician!
Semantics! If a team is failing, it is the responsibility of the Manager, rather than pin it on the players.
Which I have heard Lovullo subtly do on post-game interviews. His job is to lead and he is evidently not.
It is not fair, nor can it accomplish anything, to blame it on the players. Because, even if you think there
is reason, a large part of the manager's job, of course, is to lead, not alibi. You don't alibi success.
And a skilled manager doesn't run his players under the bus.
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JerkFace
(Formerly offset) i have a special purpose
I agree with everything you just said... none of which though has anything to do with my assertion that a manager has little to do with swinging an individual player’s talent level between great and awful. A manager can put a player in position to better utilize that player’s greatness, or in a position to somewhat limit a player’s weaknesses, but I strongly disagree with the assertion that a player is great or awful depending on the manager.
Tell that to the 2003 Florida Marlins.
BC867
Long time Phoenician!
I don't want to belabor this . . . but a Manager encouraging players
to hit the ball into the air does indeed affect their performance.
I know that we are not the only team obsessed with lift, which is
why so many good hitters are hitting in the low .100's.
But wouldn't it be great if OUR manager told his players, "I want
you to do what it takes to win."
If that is idealistic, yup. I root for my team . . . to win!
I've mentioned the game last season where we were down by
a run in the top of the 9th with the tying run on 3B.
All our batter had to do was poke the ball through the wide open
left side, to give us a chance to win. But he grounded out into
the shift to end the game.
That, and all the popups and strikeouts, are frustrating.
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gimpy
ASFN Lifer
I don't know. You make it sound like a batter can go up there and hit a 95 mph baseball whenever and wherever he wants to, except and unless he tries to put lift into it?
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Susan Slusser
@susanslusser
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Hendriks says every time Lamb gets a hit, the A’s bullpen has been baaa-ing.
BC867
Long time Phoenician!
Hitting a round ball with a rounded bat is difficult enough. That's not the point.
The problem is trying to pinpoint the contact point of a ball thrown horizontally
with a vertical swing. It reduces the odds of control massively. Which is why we
see so many harmless pop flies that don't advance runners.
I would much rather watch my favorite team make a line drive into the gap in
either left-center or right-center their go-to swing. And, if they have home run
capability, choose their pitch and consider what best fits the situation.
Single-double-single or double-single-double scores two runs and puts a runner
on base, somewhat diverting the pitcher's attention.
Solo HR's are actually rally killers, which give pitchers a chance to regroup.
Let's face it. A line drive doesn't give a fielder a high chance of getting to the
ball. "Lift" gives the fielder plenty of time to get to the ball, if it doesn't reach
the seats. From a physics standpoint, lift is a low percentage attempt.
Look how many good hitters are hitting in the low .100's. We've never seen
that before. .150 is the new .225. And .225 is the new .270.
As I've posted, "lift" is a phenomenon which has taken over baseball (just as
steroids did). Its time will eventually pass. I would rather see the manager of
my hometown team be a trend setter rather than a follower.
Add to it the stubbornness of constantly hitting into the shift, which gives
the pitcher a huge advantage. Take what they give you!
No, a batter cannot go up there and "hit a 95 mph baseball whenever and
wherever he wants". All the more reason for batters to take back control
rather than swing for all-or-nothing.
The only way it will change is if managers lead the way. It's their job!
As a fan, that is my preference. Versus games becoming home run hitting
contests. Just as watching the NBA become 3-point contests every time
down the floor. Boring! Just as our society has become obsessed with
instant gratification.
The D-backs roster is not a team of sluggers who can hit 40 HR's. A good
manager fits his strategy to his team's strengths, which Torey has not.
The result is our recent streak of losing 20 out of 24 games. That's the
proof!
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BC867
Long time Phoenician!
I would guess Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra were the first two.
Although Elston Howard would be a possibility.
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Why are my eyeballs sweating?
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Jon Heyman
@JonHeyman
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1h
MLB: 12,381 tests last week without any new positives for Major League players. No new positives among Major Leaguers for 19 straight days now and 27 of the last 28 days.
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GatorAZ
feed hopkins
This is his 9th year in Anaheim. That seems crazy.
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Ryan M. Spaeder
@theaceofspaeder
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The pitcher Albert Pujols faced the most without hitting a home run?
Bud Norris, just like everyone expected.
Pujols batted just .190/.292/.286 in 48 plate appearances against him.
