Matty's first managerial blunder

[BC867]

Matt Williams made a huge mistake when he pulled Bryce Harper from a game (2 days after returning from a quad injury) for not sprinting down the line on an easy out at 1B.

Hey Sarge, this ain't the military and you're not a drill instructor!

You're dealing with millionaires who need positive motivation. Especially when the professional consensus is that Harper showed the correct restraint on the play, considering his injury and by how routine the groundout was.

Even worse, Harper (if he had been allowed to stay in the game) would have come up in the bottom of the 9th with the Nats having a chance to win.

Matty let an obsession override a sound baseball decision and did not look at the big picture.

This is only the first episode, but it shows similar managerial obsessions as we see with Gibson. I was hoping that Matty would never be named D-backs manager. They are both introverts and not the guy to be in the limelight.

http://www.thenational.ae/sport/nor...r-sends-williamss-right-message-the-wrong-way


P.S.: Every time I see the commercial for the Sonics chicken club, I can't help but picture Sutton and Grace carrying on that conversation in the car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8l3kpE4-4g

 

[AZ Native]

Great move by Matt.

"You're dealing with millionaires who need positive motivation". This pretty well sums up what is wrong with sports today.

 

[Brian]

Totally disagree. I think Matty did the right thing.

 

[AZ Native]

And speaking of positive motivation, how about "next time you dog it to 1st base, be positive you will be sitting on the bench".

 

[AZ Native]

Joe Dimaggio said it best: "There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time, I owe him my best".

 

[82CardsGrad]

Matty absolutely made the right decision!


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[BC867]

Matty absolutely made the right decision!

The articles I read from pro sports writers felt that, with Harper coming off a quad injury, and on a play where he would be out by a mile, he did the right thing by not risking further injury.

This isn't about the generalization of players running out ground balls. It is about one player -- a key hitter on the team -- trying to help his team by using common sense.

And about a rookie manager who chose to show his player up in public rather than discuss it privately. Is that really the right decision?

I look forward to reading your responses to this specific situation.

 

[82CardsGrad]

The articles I read from pro sports writers felt that, with Harper coming off a quad injury, and on a play where he would be out by a mile, he did the right thing by not risking further injury.



This isn't about the generalization of players running out ground balls. It is about one player -- a key hitter on the team -- trying to help his team by using common sense.



And about a rookie manager who chose to show his player up in public rather than discuss it privately. Is that really the right decision?



I look forward to reading your responses to this specific situation.

If you think Matty's decision was just about that one play, think again...


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[coyoteshockeyfan]

Running 90 feet would expose him to an unacceptable level of risk? Is baseball still considered a freaking sport?

 

[BC867]

If you think Matty's decision was just about that one play, think again...

I'd still appreciate a specific response. Was there a history? What do you know that we don't?

 

[Phrazbit]

Well, he has experience on these issues, Matt is coming from an organization that puts less value on talent than they do on having a bland personality.

"What? You flip your bat when you hit a home run?!?! You on a few occasions thought you hit a dinger but only hit a double? How dare you, you're gone, we're going to bring in a guy who will bust his ass off while grounding into double plays."

 

[82CardsGrad]

Is there a history?? Harper's attitude and prima donna mentality has been talked about almost since he joined the bigs... Matty never suffered fools well - and I dig that about him. Harper will either play the game the right way, or, he'll suffer the wrath of Matty, period...


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[Brian]

Is there a history?? Harper's attitude and prima donna mentality has been talked about almost since he joined the bigs... Matty never suffered fools well - and I dig that about him. Harper will either play the game the right way, or, he'll suffer the wrath of Matty, period...


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Yep. The kid tried to beg his way out of a game against a pitcher he wasn't comfortable with just to keep his hitting streak intact. A streak that consisted a total of 13 freakin games. That will never sit well with old school types like Matty.

 

[splitsecond]

The articles I read from pro sports writers felt that, with Harper coming off a quad injury, and on a play where he would be out by a mile, he did the right thing by not risking further injury.

This isn't about the generalization of players running out ground balls. It is about one player -- a key hitter on the team -- trying to help his team by using common sense.

And about a rookie manager who chose to show his player up in public rather than discuss it privately. Is that really the right decision?

I look forward to reading your responses to this specific situation.

Last time I checked Matt Williams has played on three different world series teams, including the obvious 2001 winner. All that Harper has done is perpetually act like a d-bag on perpetually underachieving team.

 

[Mulli]

Good job matty

 

[BC867]

Thank you, guys, for the insight the articles did not provide.

I don't follow teams from the east and had no idea Harper had a history of being a douchebag.

 

[Mulli]

Thank you, guys, for the insight the articles did not provide.

I don't follow teams from the east and had no idea Harper had a history of being a douchebag.

In my opinion, I always thought Harper had a lot of Eric Byrnes empty hustle if that makes sense.