Bob Brenly's helter-skelter lineups cause carelessness

[BC867]

I buried this thought in another thread recently, but am curious to hear your opinions.

Originally posted by green machine
Fundamentals should not be up to the coaching staff in the Major Leagues. These players should know how to play baseball, and all the fundamentals should be learned in the minors. The thing is it's the "cagey veterans" who have commited many of the blunders.

Can you say, green machine, that Bob Brenly's helter-skelter lineups don't contribute to lack of "2nd nature" on the field. 30 different lineups in 25 games, even before we had many players on the DL.

A player comes to the park, not knowing IF he's playing, WHERE he's playing, or WHERE he's batting?

I have felt for a long time that Brenly's obsession with over-managing would catch up with us.

Put the players out there, let each one know his role, and let them build a comfort level -- whether at-bat, on the bases, or in the field.

The chemistry in baseball is nowhere near that of basketball, hockey, or soccer. But it is a subtle factor on the diamond . . . and, I believe, the lack of it has hurt us more than it's helped.

Did having 14 position players with a bunch of starts, as opposed to 8 starters and 6 accustomed to coming off the bench, make a difference when so many went on the DL?

No, the BabyBacks were brought up without alot of experience, put into the lineup, and we went on a winning streak.

It's not only the excitement of the BabyBacks that passed the Dodgers and brought us to within striking range of the Giants. It was the chemistry that came from the necessity of sticking with basically the same lineup.

Now that Bob Brenly has people coming off the DL, he can go back to over-managing . . . and we slide out of contention!

I believe that's why we are where we are!

 

[schillingfan]

I like the way Brenly manages. So many managers are "by the book" without looking at match-ups or thinking imaginatively. I like his willingness to throw rookies right into the fray, particularly rookie pitchers, and see how they do.

 

[moviegeekjn]

BB's "helter skelter" lineups were ingenius in 2001 (by the end of Game 7), but look bad during losing streaks in 2003. He'll look like a genius again when the team turns in another long winning streak...