9/2 - Playing out the string
- Thread starter DeadlySplitter
- Start date
They say these thing come in threes. Anyone know anyone else whose name starts with a B?
- Alex Verdugo (L) RF
- Rafael Devers (L) 3B
- Justin Turner (R) DH
- Triston Casas (L) 1B
- Adam Duvall (R) CF
- Masataka Yoshida (L) LF
- Trevor Story (R) SS
- Reese McGuire (L) C
- Enmanuel Valdez (L) 2B
- Maikel Garcia (R) 3B
- Bobby Witt Jr. (R) SS
- MJ Melendez (L) LF
- Salvador Perez (R) 1B
- Freddy Fermin (R) C
- Michael Massey (L) 2B
- Drew Waters (S) CF
- Matt Beaty (L) DH
- Nelson Velazquez (R) RF
Sometimes you have to make a change just for change's sake. One thing we've always heard is that the players love Cora. Do we have any clue how they'd feel about Tek?
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Not that I’ve heard. And I am not pushing for ‘Tek as manager, not at all. But I do think it might be time for a change.
Game 136
There’s still a month left in the Red Sox season.
We’re are not dead yet, but we sure are wheezin’.
I’ve got bad feelings, so I’ll kind of ease in.
The team’s play of late has really been squeezin’
the life out of me. I’m usually seizin’
any slight sign of hope, but I’d be teasin’
if I claimed I’d much left. There’s no apeasin’
me at this point, but I won’t quit. (That’s treason.)
The wheels fell off before we put the keys in,
but I’ll tune in and I’ll root for no reason.
Some wins moving forward sure would be pleasin’.
There’s still a month left in the Red Sox season.
We’re are not dead yet, but we sure are wheezin’.
I’ve got bad feelings, so I’ll kind of ease in.
The team’s play of late has really been squeezin’
the life out of me. I’m usually seizin’
any slight sign of hope, but I’d be teasin’
if I claimed I’d much left. There’s no apeasin’
me at this point, but I won’t quit. (That’s treason.)
The wheels fell off before we put the keys in,
but I’ll tune in and I’ll root for no reason.
Some wins moving forward sure would be pleasin’.
Do you really believe a MLB baseball manager does these things? How much time have you spent around high level high school or college players? Most of these dudes have their own coaches and trainers. And almost all of them have had to fight through a gauntlet of other talented players to get noticed for the bigs. Then they had to earn playing time.
Abilty >>> prepared, hungry and motivated. Furthermore, in my experience, those things cannot be instilled. They either exist or they do not and the pain that results when they aren't present is a function of expectations.
That said, I get where you stand on Cora so totally understand your perspective.
and a great quote from you last year: "Plant a radish, get a radish." Meaning that if we wanted to achieve our expectations, we should be gardeners.
I believe a MLB baseball manager fosters a culture that's informed by the coaches (they choose) and the players themselves. Otherwise, you wouldn't have things like the Bobby Valentine fiasco or in general players responding one way or the other to managerial changes.
Do you think he's just a figurehead?
I think of MLB managers (and all professional sports coaches) as a combo of an tactician as well as human resources coordinator and also a spin doctor. There are very few that have all three but I believe you are referring to my first category. And while I believe managers can absolutely impact things like chemistry, clubhouse demeanor and team culture, I don't see them ever as the mass motivator/disciplinarians that most of us experienced in youth sports. A manager like Valentine can certainly lose the team and that will impact their performance. However we also have significant data that teams can and do win with a subpar manager.
To me, talent and its usage are far more impactful than managers getting a team to "focus up".
I should add that this is all my .02 informed by being around HS players who had shot to play up at D1/below or the college players I've known. Most had personal coaches for batting and pitching. Without exception, the kids who were in these lanes worked incredibly hard and sacrificed a lot in their pursuit. Maybe something happens in the minors but when I see a big league player struggling I rarely think its a function of desire or motivation.
Most of the players I knew fell short despite all the hard work and their relatively amazing skills. It wasn't lack of motivation - they simply dont have the talent. Baseball is incredibly hard. Sports are incredibly hard. Sometimes these players either fail or simply aren't good enough.
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Interesting. Not to play 20-questions, but what do you think Cora's strengths and weaknesses are as a: tactician, HR coordinator, and spin doctor? (Assuming those are fair categories to assess him in.)
TBH, I'd rather see Tek earn his chops somewhere else first and then bring him back...just to avoid the potential spoilage of a great leadership legacy.
Perhaps this is a cop-out but its just me being straight. I don't think I am qualified to assess those things without more information. For example, in this very forum we see a lot of consternation around pitching changes. Why is Cora going to that guy so soon? Why that particular arm when another better one is seemingly available? Later we find out that the other arm wasn't actually available or that the pitcher being removed hit some sort of team limit etc.
How do you account for all that stuff where it appears to be a bad decision when in reality Cora never really had much choice? Where does his authority end and Bloom/Front Offices begin with regards to moves? Before getting after Cora, I would want to know that too. People around here throw out those complaints and then appear or brush off legit reasons on the follow. It doesnt feel good faith.
This does not mean Cora is above reproach. However it really feels like some of the criticism of him is being done with little context or actual understanding of the parameters he is working with organizationally or individually.
Ceddanne and Wilyer both on the bench. Do not like. No reason not to play them both.
I mean, I get what you're saying, and I agree that we don't have a transparent window to observe the organization through.
Yet I think that Cora has a degree of tactical decision-making authority. Certainly, whether to PH or not, or PR or not, or which relief pitcher to bring in at what part of any given game. OTOH, I'm sure that the org has laid down some operating parameters, especially in regards to how often a pitcher is used, or how many pitches can be safely thrown.
But we can't think that he's getting on the phone to check with Bloom to see whether he (Cora) should give a player a greenlight to swing on a 3-0 in the 4th inning of game 97 trialing by a run with a man on second. There's just not enough time to do that. Likewise pitching changes.
If they aren't going to put them in the lineup, send them back to AAA so they can get everyday at bat. Especially Ceddane. It's fucking ridiculous.
I can't really root *against* the Sox. . .if they went on a 8-0 tear, that'd be enjoyable, and I don't think it would result in Abreu and Ceddanne not getting used. Because our very competent manager, on his 8-0 run, can find them ABs when the team is safely ahead.
Thanks, I saw that Walter was up, but missed Valdez.
Yet Valdez sees playing time. Perhaps they're hoping he swings a hot bat and draws some attention?
Understand the sentiment but the big boys have contracts that they are playing for as well. The future is bright for the kids and they will have plenty of AB's ahead.
