One More Time, Fire Melvin

[High Stakes]

was he watching the game last night when chad qualls was getting shelled? or was i the only one watching this game in rage...

Qualls should be dropped to the minors...that win could have sparked a bigtime run for the dbacks instead we are back to square one...Fire melvin
bring in GRACIE

 

[DWKB]

The suggestion of getting rid of Melvin and replacing him with Grace makes me not sure if I nod in agreement or laugh at the absurdity.

 

[JS22]

If you're going to fire Melvin then at least give the job to Hale.

 

[nashman]

Or you could keep Melvin and let the TEAM work out of the funk. Geesh no one was screaming fire Melvin early in the season when the team was playing well, at a certain point the players need to pull their heads out and play ball we know they can.

 

[BC867]

Or you could keep Melvin and let the TEAM work out of the funk. Geesh no one was screaming fire Melvin early in the season when the team was playing well, at a certain point the players need to pull their heads out and play ball we know they can.

How can I not beat a dead horse after reading that comment?

How can the team work out of the funk when they're all (except Hudson and Jackson) trying to put every ball into the air?

When they have no clue what their role is in the lineup. Young's batting leadoff. Young's batting 6th. Young's batting leadoff. Young's batting 5th.

It's not a funk and it's not a slump, nashman. It's a team playing below its potential due to extremely weak managing.

And, as expected, it's demoralizing one of the pitching staffs with the highest potentials in baseball.

Look what Melvin did to Max Scherzer in his short tenure with the D'backs.

Melvin was a weak hitting backup Catcher. His one skill should be handling a pitching staff. He's having no more success with that than managing the offense, fielding or using strategy.

We need Chip Hale and we need him before too much more damage is done to our young players.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Look what Melvin did to Max Scherzer in his short tenure with the D'backs.

Says the one that wanted to keep Scherzer pitching in the rotation. Hilarious.

 

[BC867]

Says the one that wanted to keep Scherzer pitching in the rotation. Hilarious.

I don't understand your response.

Scherzer was a starter -- accustomed to a routine. Then he was a long reliever -- on call.

I said, at the time, that Doug Davis was much better equipped (physically and emotionally) to handle the long relief-spot starter role than the rookie.

There's nothing hilarious about that.

And the result? Scherzer is back in the Minors with a tired arm.

Melvin has done it again. Young players don't know their role. Look at Upton. Look at Young.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

One of the reasons why Scherzer was put in the pen was to limit the strain on his arm. Diamondbacks management had repeatedly said that they wanted to closely watch over how many innings Max would pitch this season, keeping him in the rotation sure wouldn't have done that. But once again, the one trick pony shows up to distort the facts so that they squeeze into the blinders.

 

[devilalum]

I heard he's writing a book. It's called

Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory

 

[Desert Rat]

Or you could keep Melvin and let the TEAM work out of the funk. Geesh no one was screaming fire Melvin early in the season when the team was playing well, at a certain point the players need to pull their heads out and play ball we know they can.

But it is so much more convenient and almost enjoyable to blame Melvin for everything!

 

[BC867]

Boy, did he make a good point.

Former Major League ballplayer and U of A baseball coach Jerry Kendall did the post-game analysis after the D'backs were shut out by the Red Sox today.

He explained the D'backs offensive woes for the past five weeks very simply.

They're trying to hit every ball in the air. They should be trying to hit them on the ground, either up the middle or to the opposite field.

He pointed out that it takes three things to record an out on a ground ball. A catch, a throw and a catch. A pop up takes one thing -- a catch.

Kendall has a very meek personality. That is quite different from Melvin's passive personality. That's why Kendall brought three championships to the U of A and Melvin is sliding deeper and deeper into obscurity.

Every time Melvin talks, he's either picking at his face or covering his mouth. I am sure that a personality test would reveal that the one thing he should not be doing is leading other people.

I'm not advocating Jerry Kendall as D'backs manager . . . although he would be a good Bench Coach to a more personable, aggressive guy -- one who has also won a Championship and knows how to be in control of a situation. That would be Chip Hale.

I also believe that Kirk Gibson would serve him well as Hitting Coach.

When I wake up tomorrow, if I hear that Chip is our new Manager, Jerry Kendall or Jay Bell is Bench Coach and Kirk Gibson is Hitting Coach, I'd be very happy for the Diamondbacks . . . and for this D'backs fan.

 

[DWKB]

Trying to hit the ball on the ground is just as stupid as trying to hit the ball in the air. The goal should be to put solid wood with a compact swing and to go with the pitch location. That said, you and he are correct that WAY TOO MANY FBs are being hit.

 

[TJ]

Apparently, Melvin went off on the team again today....WTF is it going to take to get these players to start playing to their potential??

 

[Desert Rat]

Apparently, Melvin went off on the team again today....WTF is it going to take to get these players to start playing to their potential??

July.

Last season, the team was in abysmal hitting funk, Kevin Seitzer was replaced, the team won games. Schu is in an identical situation, perhaps he is the one they need to find an upgrade for, quickly.

 

[TJ]

July.

Last season, the team was in abysmal hitting funk, Kevin Seitzer was replaced, the team won games. Schu is in an identical situation, perhaps he is the one they need to find an upgrade for, quickly.

Yep...someone is going to be the sacrificial lamb like Seitzer was last season. It may not be a manager or coach, but could be a big name that gets sent down to Mobile or Tucson for a good amount of time.

Too bad we traded Trot Nixon away......

 

[JS22]

I've got one foot on the "Fire Melvin" bandwagon. Give me a few more weeks and I may be the driver.

 

[BC867]

What if we were not in the NL West

We know that the Diamondbacks are still in first place in their Division, with the lead down to 2 1/2 games.

And that the team has lost 24 of 36 games since May 20 and is now at .500.

I was curious to see where our record would put us in each of the other five divisions.

NL Central.....4th place, 2 1/2 games ahead of the team below them
NL East:........3rd place, 1/2 game ahead of the next two teams

AL West........4th place, 10 1/2 games ahead of the only team below them
AL Central.....3rd place, 1/2 game ahead of the team below them
AL East.........5th place, 2 1/2 games ahead of the only team below them

Playing more games in the weakest division in baseball, if we were not in the NL West, we wouldn't even be at .500, which would make it even worse in all of the other divisions, except the AL West.

In all probability, we'd be in last place in the NL Central; in 5th place in the NL East; still in 4th place in the AL West; in last place in the AL Central; and in last place in the AL East.

Bob Melvin ranted to the players today that they shouldn't be satisfied being in first place. Then evidently let the Press know about it. Brilliant.

Yeah Bob, it the players' fault. It's gone from them being in a "little slump" to their bad attitude. And spreading the word.

I see he used still another batting order last night, with Drew leading off and Brynes batting second. And he blames inconsistency on the players. Harumph.

 

[AZZenny]

AZCentral is poking at the same issue. Basically any leadership in the clubhouse comes from someone besides BoMel. http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/2008/07/03/20080703dbxmain.html

 

[BC867]

AZCentral is poking at the same issue. Basically any leadership in the clubhouse comes from someone besides BoMel. http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/2008/07/03/20080703dbxmain.html

In a related article, the AZ Republic/AZCentral reported Melvin's quote about Petit's excellent performance.

Melvin was impressed by the effort of right-hander Yusmeiro Petit, who pressed into starting duty Wednesday as Micah Owings rested because of a strained glute.

Petit gave up just one run and two hits in six innings in a 4-3 loss to Milwaukee.

"He certainly didn't hurt his case (for another start), but whether or not we use him to start depends on availability," Melvin said.

"He certainly didn't hurt his case for another start"? "It depends on availablility"? The man is so passive. Is is any wonder that the whole team is in a funk?

The D'backs need a positive motivator in the lead position. It's not Melvin.

Despite a one-inning, one-time rally.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/2008/07/03/20080703dbnotes.html

 

[BC867]

I wanted to add another thought to my previous post (above) about Melvin's lack of leadership skills.

An average communicator says positive things in a positive way . . . and negative things in a negative way.

A great communicator says positive things in a positive way . . . and negative things in a positive way.

A poor communicator says negative things in a negative way . . . and positive things in a negative way.

"He certainly didn't hurt his case." There's no enthusiasm in Melvin's quote to the Press. No wonder there's no enthusiasm among the players.

A very good performance is rewarded with a blah evaluation by the Manager. Saying a positive thing in a negative way.

Bob Melvin is a career Bench Coach. He just doesn't have the skills to be the Guy at the Top.

 

[Skkorpion]

All right. I surrender.

Josh Byrnes has traded away so much young talent, I didn't want to play the "Fire the manager (coach)" stuff fans do too much of, in all sports.

I'm on board now. Melvin is part of the problem (also created by Byrnes). Fire Melvin tonight. While we sleep. It's over. Everybody knows it. Even me.

 

[devilalum]

I don't think firing Melvin will cure the Dbacks problems but I do believe that its part of the solution.

Listening to the guy it sounds like he's either given up or just doesn't give a damn, like he's just waiting to be fired.

 

[AZZenny]

He's always sounded like that, though -- it's who he is as a manager, not anything to do with this situation. He had the same problems in Seattle, except it was a clubhouse of veterans and they all thought he was a wimp.

 

[BC867]

Melvin seems to have a hesitancy to use Jackson, Tracy and Reynolds in the same lineup.

Without checking, I believe that most of the time that Tracy has been in the starting lineup (since Byrnes went on the DL) either Jackson or Reynolds is benched for someone else.

I know that their fielding is inferior. But we need line drive or power hitters and Tracy/Jackson/Reynolds fit that category, more than the subs.

As much as I like Ojeda, use him at SS or 2B, not to replace a corner infielder at 3B.

I'm curious about your opinions, guys. Is there a good reason, or is just Melvin's inclination to do the wrong thing?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Without checking, I believe that most of the time that Tracy has been in the starting lineup (since Byrnes went on the DL) either Jackson or Reynolds is benched for someone else.

Tracy has started five games since Byrnes had his most recent DL trip, all of which were at first base (meaning no positional impact to Reynolds). Jackson has not been benched in any of them, Reynolds has twice.