Is Bob Melvin's approach working?

[BC867]

The Diamondbacks this year have a record of inconsistency. Winning streak . . . losing streak. Winning streak . . . losing streak. And on and on.

1st or 2nd place . . . 4th place. It drains the position players emotionally. It drains the pitcher staff emotionally. Hey, it drains the die-hard fans, as well.

Is it because we have so many young position players not playing up to their potential? Or are they not playing up to their potential because we have 13 starting position players -- or is it bench players?

Is our 1B Conor Jackson or Chad Tracy (or Tony Clark)?
Is our 3B Chad Tracy or Mark Reynolds?
Who is our LF? Who is our RF?
Who is our Catcher?

Young is hitting .290 batting leadoff. But then Brynes is our leadoff hitter. Or is he batting 2nd? Or 3rd? Or cleanup?

Do you think that Bob Melvin's approach is working? And is it a way to develop young players in particular?

 

[Lefty]

Grace was trying to be subtle tonight, mentioning Reynolds needs to play every game and not going with different lineups game after game.

 

[Ryanwb]

The Diamondbacks this year have a record of inconsistency. Winning streak . . . losing streak. Winning streak . . . losing streak. And on and on.

LMFAO!! Isn't goin on a winning streak, losing streak, winning streak, losing streak consistent??

 

[BC867]

LMFAO!! Isn't goin on a winning streak, losing streak, winning streak, losing streak consistent??

Ask Mark Grace.

 

[JS22]

It's consistently inconsistent.

 

[BC867]

Starting lineups to-date. Top three at each spot.

LEADOFF.......Byrnes-42............Young-34............Drew-18
2ND.............Jackson-31...........Drew-19.............Callaspo-17
3RD.............Hudson-84...........Byrnes-9.............Tracy-1
CLEANUP......Tracy-34.............Byrnes-29............Reynolds-16
5TH.............Tracy-16.............Reynolds-16.........Drew-15
6TH.............Drew-24.............Young-17.............Quentin-13
7TH.............Quentin-28..........Hairston-15..........Young-14
8TH.............Snyder-43...........Montero-26..........Quentin-9

First 95 games:
4 players have hit leadoff
7 players have hit second
4 players have hit third
7 players have hit cleanup (unbelievable)
10 players have hit 5th
10 players have hit 6th
11 players have hit 7th
9 players have hit 8th

No doubt about it. Melvin has attention deficit disorder. And our young players, in particular, must have migraines by now.

 

[The Commish]

I got roasted a while ago for suggesting we have a set batting order - now apparently people are seeing the light. Young players need to know where they stand and where they're hitting. Getting moved around changes a batters mentality and approach. Throwing darts against the wall each day has got us nowhere.

I can't wait til we fire the guy. What a tool...

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[HooverDam]

The answer to the question is obviously 'no' however, his system isn't working so poorly that he will get fired (yet) which is the bad part. Im sure Byrnes would love to get his own guy in there, but the team will really have to go in the crapper I think. How many years are left on BoMels contract?

 

[BC867]

I got roasted a while ago for suggesting we have a set batting order - now apparently people are seeing the light.

Actually, I've been b*tching about this since Bob Brenly used those 135 different batting orders in a season, with, who was it? -- oh yeah -- Bob Melvin as his Bench Coach.

The points you made are super. Coming to the ballpark without knowing your role every day is a confidence killer.

It's too bad that the one who comes to the park knowing his role every day is Butthead Melvin. His role is evidently to rip the confidence out of every young ballplayer he sees.

Now people are pushing for Upton to be rushed from AA to the D'backs. Why? So Melvin can ruin his career, too? Ugh!

 

[High Stakes]

asking for melvins head huh? Shocking...didnt see this post happen about 6 months ago, when the opptomists were still churning their butterfilled sweetcakes....

 

[Stan C]

In support of BC, I've been reading him criticize a rolling batting order since 2002, so he's not just coming up with this.
However, do you really think that's the reason that all the kids are hitting between 220 and 240? Can it be that simple of a fix?
I'm hoping Drew and Young can get it going, Drew looked great at the end of last year and Young has obvious power and a great fielder. But I'm having my doubts about Quentin, Montero, and Jackson.
And I agree, leave Upton where he is. The kid is 19 years old, and was not that good last year. Quit rushing these guys.

 

[Gaddabout]

I don't think Melvin has a clue how to manage this club, but I'm not sure there's someone else out there who does, either. What's the difference between one free-swinging, light-hitting .240 hitter and another? It's like a roster full of shortstops, a lineup full of 8th spot hitters.

June/July has never been really good to the D-Backs, but that's usually when the contenders and pretenders get separated, anyway. We're 5 games out of first, and I think that's the same number for the wildcard since the loser of the LA/SD race is the team to beat.

If the D-Backs blow it against Chicago, I say put Byrnes on the table on Monday and see if we can get a prospect or two before the non-waiver trade deadline.

 

[BC867]

In support of BC, I've been reading him criticize a rolling batting order since 2002, so he's not just coming up with this.
However, do you really think that's the reason that all the kids are hitting between 220 and 240? Can it be that simple of a fix?

Thanks, Stan. There's another Diamondback trend which goes back to the Brelvin days (that's Brenly and Melvin).

Trying to put too many balls into the air. The odds for success are much greater when you try to hit line drives into the alleys.

The old thought is that a HR is spectacular, but also a rally killer. The pitcher can regroup and pitch with the bases empty.

A double keeps the rally going and keeps stress on the pitcher.

Our young guys are being taught A.L. baseball in the N.L. Line drive hitters are swinging from the heels and uppercutting or trying to pull outside pitches.

And, of course, the boring story about hitting leadoff one day and cleanup the next. Playing 3B one day and 1B the next. Experimenting with your 1B in LF . . . but announcing that it's just a one-day plan before it even happens. That's ********!

Yes, I do believe that it can be that simple of a fix. The team needs a checkup from the neck-up. In other words, the Manager.

What did Darren Sutton say during today's game? That Melvin apologized that his (daily experimental) lineups are frustrating the fans, but he's "trying".

We need more than "trying". Alibiing only explains failure; you don't need to apologize for success.

Pardon my ranting. I'm a Type-A and hate to see the team I root for make the same mistakes day after day.

 

[overseascardfan]

When your offense is as bad as ours what do you have to lose trying to find the right combo. It may mess with the mentality of the young guys but hey maybe they need a fire lit under them to get them on track.