AZZenny
Registered User
From the EV Trib - this sounds a bit more in keeping with reality than Moorad or other comments recently:
Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick said Wednesday that manager Bob Melvin’s job is safe, but added that Melvin and the players share blame for the team’s 58-70 record.
Kendrick, reached at his home in Aspen, Colo., dismissed growing speculation that Melvin is on the hot seat.
"I guess the radio talk shows have to have something to talk about," he said. "Maybe they should spend some time talking about the players who are not performing as they ought to be.
"I think it’s patently unfair to lay this on Bob. We’re not going to dump Bob Melvin. We’re not going to do that. There’s no reason why Bob wouldn’t be back next year."
At the same time, Kendrick criticized Melvin and the players, saying he’s been disappointed in the team’s energy level, particularly in the month of August.
"What we have is probably a situation where we’re not getting enough fire from either area," Kendrick said.
Kendrick said he doesn’t believe a vocal leader has emerged in the clubhouse and is disappointed that none of the veterans acquired in the offseason — Shawn Green, Tony Clark, Craig Counsell, Royce Clayton, Troy Glaus — have taken it upon themselves to fill that role.
"At some point you need somebody to take charge within the club," Kendrick said. "You need someone to put some fire into their play, and I don’t think that’s been there all year.
"Some of the players provide leadership in the form of mentoring, but we don’t have that fiery personality who is not going to accept the bad breaks or losses and he’s not going to let anybody else accept it. I wish we had somebody who we could absolutely identify as a leader in that area, but I don’t see it."
Told of Kendrick’s comments, Counsell smiled and said, "We need to win more games."
Clark said, "Mr. Kendrick is entirely entitled to his opinion."
Kendrick praised Melvin’s organizational and communication skills but said he wishes the Diamondbacks manager would occasionally take his players to task publicly rather than behind closed doors.
"Bob is probably a more intense person in private in terms of dealing with the players, but there comes a time, when there’s been underperforming, that what you need from his role is some public comment," Kendrick said.
"I don’t think he has ever made any criticism of an individual or team in public, and I think at some point there’s a benefit of doing that. It might actually give some fire to them if he were more publicly forthcoming about his feelings. But he is who he is. I don’t think you change who you are."
Melvin disputed the perception that he doesn’t show enough emotion or isn’t hard enough on his players.
"I do hold things in at times, but I’m trying to have some calm and some stability in the dugout," he said. "I like to feel like I’m behind my guys and supportive of them.
"There are times when I have to get upset and I do, but you are not going to hear about that. I don’t do that for show. I don’t do that for everybody else. I do it when I feel like the players need it."
Kendrick also criticized Melvin for being too slow to make personnel changes. He said he would have liked to have seen minor league stars Conor Jackson and Carlos Quentin (who’s still at Triple-A Tucson) called up earlier and stuck in the lineup.
"I think when things aren’t going well you should be prepared to take risks," Kendrick said. "I don’t think we’ve done that very well. I think we’ve been a little careful and cautious with how we’ve treated the season.
"I know there’s the attitude that these guys have been around a long time and eventually they’ll perform the way they previously performed, but that hasn’t happened with some of these guys, and when that’s the case, you ought to be more willing to take risks and make changes."
Melvin responded by pointing out all the adjustments he has made.
"I think if you look at the way we have shuffled the bullpen all year long, I disagree with him," Melvin said. (heh heh - yeah, Clarabell, way to go- publically criticise the BOSS, not your lame players! LOVE IT!)
"I’m going to do what I think is best. I think we’ve shuffled it quite often this year. We’ve changed closers several times. We’ve changed setup men several times. We’ve changed long men several times."
Kendrick said the Diamondbacks will operate with a different "philosophical approach" in the offseason and beyond.
"I think we need to be a more aggressive operation in terms of how we play and how we make decisions," he said. "We’re too slow to react."
As for the Diamondbacks’ dimming playoff hopes, Kendrick said, "I don’t think we’re at the place and time where you certainly would declare it’s over, but if you watched the last four games, anybody making that comment needs a psychiatric exam."
Kendricks may be my new hero!
Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick said Wednesday that manager Bob Melvin’s job is safe, but added that Melvin and the players share blame for the team’s 58-70 record.
Kendrick, reached at his home in Aspen, Colo., dismissed growing speculation that Melvin is on the hot seat.
"I guess the radio talk shows have to have something to talk about," he said. "Maybe they should spend some time talking about the players who are not performing as they ought to be.
"I think it’s patently unfair to lay this on Bob. We’re not going to dump Bob Melvin. We’re not going to do that. There’s no reason why Bob wouldn’t be back next year."
At the same time, Kendrick criticized Melvin and the players, saying he’s been disappointed in the team’s energy level, particularly in the month of August.
"What we have is probably a situation where we’re not getting enough fire from either area," Kendrick said.
Kendrick said he doesn’t believe a vocal leader has emerged in the clubhouse and is disappointed that none of the veterans acquired in the offseason — Shawn Green, Tony Clark, Craig Counsell, Royce Clayton, Troy Glaus — have taken it upon themselves to fill that role.
"At some point you need somebody to take charge within the club," Kendrick said. "You need someone to put some fire into their play, and I don’t think that’s been there all year.
"Some of the players provide leadership in the form of mentoring, but we don’t have that fiery personality who is not going to accept the bad breaks or losses and he’s not going to let anybody else accept it. I wish we had somebody who we could absolutely identify as a leader in that area, but I don’t see it."
Told of Kendrick’s comments, Counsell smiled and said, "We need to win more games."
Clark said, "Mr. Kendrick is entirely entitled to his opinion."
Kendrick praised Melvin’s organizational and communication skills but said he wishes the Diamondbacks manager would occasionally take his players to task publicly rather than behind closed doors.
"Bob is probably a more intense person in private in terms of dealing with the players, but there comes a time, when there’s been underperforming, that what you need from his role is some public comment," Kendrick said.
"I don’t think he has ever made any criticism of an individual or team in public, and I think at some point there’s a benefit of doing that. It might actually give some fire to them if he were more publicly forthcoming about his feelings. But he is who he is. I don’t think you change who you are."
Melvin disputed the perception that he doesn’t show enough emotion or isn’t hard enough on his players.
"I do hold things in at times, but I’m trying to have some calm and some stability in the dugout," he said. "I like to feel like I’m behind my guys and supportive of them.
"There are times when I have to get upset and I do, but you are not going to hear about that. I don’t do that for show. I don’t do that for everybody else. I do it when I feel like the players need it."
Kendrick also criticized Melvin for being too slow to make personnel changes. He said he would have liked to have seen minor league stars Conor Jackson and Carlos Quentin (who’s still at Triple-A Tucson) called up earlier and stuck in the lineup.
"I think when things aren’t going well you should be prepared to take risks," Kendrick said. "I don’t think we’ve done that very well. I think we’ve been a little careful and cautious with how we’ve treated the season.
"I know there’s the attitude that these guys have been around a long time and eventually they’ll perform the way they previously performed, but that hasn’t happened with some of these guys, and when that’s the case, you ought to be more willing to take risks and make changes."
Melvin responded by pointing out all the adjustments he has made.
"I think if you look at the way we have shuffled the bullpen all year long, I disagree with him," Melvin said. (heh heh - yeah, Clarabell, way to go- publically criticise the BOSS, not your lame players! LOVE IT!)
"I’m going to do what I think is best. I think we’ve shuffled it quite often this year. We’ve changed closers several times. We’ve changed setup men several times. We’ve changed long men several times."
Kendrick said the Diamondbacks will operate with a different "philosophical approach" in the offseason and beyond.
"I think we need to be a more aggressive operation in terms of how we play and how we make decisions," he said. "We’re too slow to react."
As for the Diamondbacks’ dimming playoff hopes, Kendrick said, "I don’t think we’re at the place and time where you certainly would declare it’s over, but if you watched the last four games, anybody making that comment needs a psychiatric exam."
Kendricks may be my new hero!
