The Official Anti Matt Mantei Rant Thread!

[KingLouieLouie]

WTF?

Anyone else care to add? I'm at a loss of words......

 

[AZCB34]

Two problems as I see it.

1. He is killing the Dbacks team

2. He is killing my damn fantasy baseball team

I seriously question if Valverde would be any better.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

I fail to see the Dbacks logic in one regards...

We all know how Mantei's nail-ailment affected him all Spring Training, so he was unable to get into any set rhythm that is necessary for a closer to establish... With all that in mind, Brenly immediately inserts him back into the closing role and should have allowed for him to ease back into a groove by having him pitch in a long-relief until he was back at full strength....

I was watching that AB to Kieschnick and I was commenting to myself that on an 0-2 pitch (especially on a "free-swinger") all he had to do was pitch the ball low and outside and Kieschnick would have "gone fishing" for it, and obviously we all know what happens...A ball right in the middle of the plate... Oh well...

Valverde must become the closer since he's very intimidating and seems to be in complete command now....

This is just getting to a point in which it seems everything is going wrong and no immediate "relief" is in sight.....

 

[Renz]

If Mantei is still the closer after this game then Brenley should be summarily fired. This team is a joke right now.

 

[AZCB34]

Valverde must become the closer since he's very intimidating and seems to be in complete command now....

Valverde may need to be the closer now (and I bet he does starting tomorrow) but I don't agree he is in complete command now. Still unsteady as far as I am concerned.

 

[Desert Fox]

With the way today's game went, Mantei should be moved to a middle reliever, facing only a batter or two until he gets his stuff back, and Choate should be moved to closer. He has the right stuff to take Mantei's position right now, and it's early enough in the season to try something new to turn this skid around where a game or three won't nec. hurt us in the long run.

 

[devilalum]

With the way today's game went, Mantei should be moved to a middle reliever, facing only a batter or two until he gets his stuff back, and Choate should be moved to closer. He has the right stuff to take Mantei's position right now, and it's early enough in the season to try something new to turn this skid around where a game or three won't nec. hurt us in the long run.

Matt Mantei say hello to middle relief.

This guy has totally lost his confidence!

Valverde has been 0.00 last 2 starts and he was spectacular last year. I think he's just hitting his stride.

Papa Grande has Returned

Even if it does sound like a new meal at Taco Bell.

 

[green machine]

My guess is Mantei developes an injury now, probably the nail, and it puts him on the DL. Last time he sucked this bad last season he gave away a game in San Fran, and the next day he was injured.

 

[Evil Ash]

I know I'm going to get flamed for this but the blown save today was NOT the fault of Matt Mantei, it was the fault of Robbie Hammock.

I blame the pitcher in 2 cases

1) When he missed with a pitch
2) Threw a bad pitch

Neither of these 2 cases happened today. The pitch that he threw today was a 97 mph fastball at his shoulders, which is not a bad pitch.

He didn't miss where Hammock wanted him to throw it either. If it wasn't hit it would have hit Hammock's glove. That's why I blame Hammock due to him not knowing much about the scouting report.

That thought (of our starting catcher not knowing the scouting report) is a scary, scary notion to me.

 

[Ryanwb]

Mantei just hit the wavier wires in all of my FB leagues

 

[Mojo]

Hopefully starting an anti matt mantei thread has the same effect as starting the anti danny bautista thread did

 

[IndyDevil]

Mantei also threw an 0-2 HR shot to Marlon Anderson of the Cardinals - - whatever happened to wasting a pitch??

 

[BC867]

That's why I blame Hammock due to him not knowing much about the scouting report.

That thought (of our starting catcher not knowing the scouting report) is a scary, scary notion to me.

We could justify it for awhile by saying that Robby is just off the DL.

I'm more concerned about not reading or hearing any commitment about who is our main Catcher. Robby started, then he sat on the bench, then he started.

I wonder if each of our three Catchers have been told what their roles will be. Has anyone heard?

 

[BC867]

Matt Mantei say hello to middle relief.

This guy has totally lost his confidence!

Valverde has been 0.00 last 2 starts and he was spectacular last year. I think he's just hitting his stride.

I don't fault Brenly for starting the season with Mantei as his closer, as much as I preferred Valverde.

But with 3 blown saves in less than two weeks, it's time to react.

It's a touchy situation. Mantei, Finley, and Hillenbrand (ouch, I really thought he'd be a solid RBI guy) underachieving . . . and young guys like Valverde, Terrero, and Tracy waiting in the wings.

Is D'backs management going to have the cojones to give the young guys a chance -- not just for a sporadic opportunity here or there, but give them the job (and the confidence) and let them grow with it.

Remember, the D'backs had their best run last season when the BabyBacks stepped in. When all of the veterans came off the DL, and the Manager had too many players to choose from, we blew the Wildcard lead and the season.

 

[devilalum]

I don't fault Brenly for starting the season with Mantei as his closer, as much as I preferred Valverde.

But with 3 blown saves in less than two weeks, it's time to react.

It's a touchy situation. Mantei, Finley, and Hillenbrand (ouch, I really thought he'd be a solid RBI guy) underachieving . . . and young guys like Valverde, Terrero, and Tracy waiting in the wings.

Is D'backs management going to have the cojones to give the young guys a chance -- not just for a sporadic opportunity here or there, but give them the job (and the confidence) and let them grow with it.

Remember, the D'backs had their best run last season when the BabyBacks stepped in. When all of the veterans came off the DL, and the Manager had too many players to choose from, we blew the Wildcard lead and the season.

Some guys don't respond well to the thought that one bad day will have them back on the bench. You've gotta be loose to play good baseball.

 

[Forrestham]

Mantei needs to stay out of the Forest in the Summer as he is a fire hazard

 

[schillingfan]

Remember, the D'backs had their best run last season when the BabyBacks stepped in. When all of the veterans came off the DL, and the Manager had too many players to choose from, we blew the Wildcard lead and the season.

The D-Backs had the wild card lead, if at all, only very briefly like a day or two. The Phillies pretty much led the wild-card the whole way until they crappolaed the last two weeks of the season.

I think it was less too much too choose from than it changed the whole chemistry of the team. The kids were playing over their heads without any pressure and they were going crazy. Once the vets started coming back, it changed everything.

 

[Cland]

Will we ever have a competent closer?? I say let Jose take a run at it. He's looked pretty solid his last couple outings. I don't think Mantei has the make up to be a good closer. He's too much of a headcase. He has zero confidence in his breaking ball and is basically a one pitch pitcher. Probably the reason Kieschnick was able to catch up to the fastball around his eyes. And I don't think he has a whole lot of control over that fast ball either. People do him favors every at bat by swinging at balls way out of the zone.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Okay, I'm glad that Brenly kept faith in Mantei and brought him back "into the fire" tonight.... I hope he can continue this since it could be two-fold...Either, obviously he remains the Dbacks closer throughout the season and reverts back to the flashes of brilliance he had last season or improves his trade value...

 

[KingLouieLouie]

It's about time the Dbacks put Mantei on the DL since he clearly lacks velocity...

Despite that Valverde surrendered a HR the other night, he's by far more imposing out there...... I still cant figure out Brenly's confidence in Mantei whatsoever....can anyone else?

 

[Ryanwb]

We need a closer with some command and confidence

 

[KingLouieLouie]

We need a closer with some command and confidence

Agreed and unfortunately we all know that Valverde lacks both those essential elements.... They abolutely have noone else to surface in that role....

Perhaps they'll promote either Scott Service or Bruney from AAA and use either as the closer...

 

[Forrestham]

So when is it time to remove MAntei as closer? When his ERA is over 25?

 

[sly fly]

Definitely needs to head down to Krispy Kreme and find a "slump buster".

 

[Lefty]

This from today's Republic.

Jeers

What did Matt Mantei have to say after giving up the game-winning homer to Alex Gonzalez in the ninth? Not much. Mantei left the building faster than Gonzalez's shot.