The Kids Can Play

Shocking! Another GM out there knowing they need a great manager and deciding to out hustle the competition or in this case Rick Hahn. Hmmm. maybe that GM understands the notion "You snooze you lose!!!"

I agree the players are suppose to perform and paid millions for it...hence why they received their original huge salary in the first place. I also agree with you, there is going to be some bad luck at times. However, I just think of how many games these last two years our manager and his coaches cost us, with pulling a starting pitcher too soon or too late, bringing in the wrong reliever, not pulling that wrong reliever soon enough, horrible lineups, and tons of other constant managerial and coaching blunders made. I know one thing for sure...a better manager like a Francona would have demanded and worked on the defensive and offensive fundamentals way more than LaRussa and his coaches did these past two years. Plus we have seen with other teams how a certain coach can work with a player and get major improvements from them... like Kyle Schwarber to name just one of many players I could cite.

Our typical dysfunctional and loser FO. It bothers me our FO said some of the Sox coaches were told they were free to reach out to other teams. Was the FO implying some of the coaches were in fact allowed to stay? If that is the case, then that's completely insane. All of them should have been terminated and told to start looking. A new manager should have the right to bring his own people in. If the Sox want to effectively turn around this trainwreck of a team, then they don't need any current coaches that are tied to Renteria and LaRussa. Not one of these current coaches are so amazing that they can't be replaced with someone probably immensely better. The new manager doesn't need to ever hear, "well this is how we used to do it!"

Fair enough and thanks!

I am not discrediting anything yet from you, as you haven't given me any documented evidence that a good manager is only worth 2 wins more a year. You said you could cite facts, but you're assuming I would discredit your sources. I think where we disagree is, you think a manager isn't that important and the players are going to perform regardless of what the manager does and even if he is a good manager, at best a couple of wins more. My disagreement is, I think the players need a good manager to perform better. Players need and want a expert manager to get them great motivation, strategy and managerial expertise to perform and win at a higher success rate. They need structure, discipline, a well planned out process to being fundamentally strong, as well as receiving ongoing encouragement or constructive criticism when needed. That type of quality manager is worth way more than 2 wins a season. It is still my opinion that if Terry Francona or any other great manager was allowed to have our Sox team these previous 2 years instead of LaRussa, where they could have established their culture, fundamentals and expert strategy, the Sox would have had won way more games both years and gone further in the playoffs last year and actually get in the playoffs this year. Maybe our differences of opinion can't be proved or documented, so as you suggested, we can agree to disagree, since neither of us is going to change each other's mind.

I think we are saying and agreeing on the same things, just in different perspectives, or perhaps i read more into your psot and if so my bad. The Astros would want to do a big search even if they were going to hire Espada. My only point was when someone comes in new, even if it's from the same club like Espada for the Astros, that's the only person who needs to stay for continuity purposes. Espada probably would hopefully want new coaches and not inherit the current ones, because Espada didn't hire any of the current Astros coaches. It's just my opinion as I have always been a believer in cleaning house and starting fresh with your own people. I'm not saying that is the absolute right way to do things, but one I think best.

I will agree with you on one thing which you are pointing out; Kopech's injury and all the other injures on this team the last two years, whether knee or hamstrings, etc. are a direct reflection and correlation to the Sox having a pathetic manager, coaching staff and horrific training/medical staff. Btw I do agree with you on the concept of proper dynamic stretching and a full range loading process. I realize its a more comprehensive process and not some quick stretching exercise routine. However those practices would require knowledgeable experts and the Sox don't have those employed, nor have they tried to implement them.

Thank you for the correction and yes Roberts. Good we cleared that up, as nobody knew who I was talking about.

I agree sometimes that can work, but not always. That can work only if the people you keep are highly qualified. However most people in any managerial position both in sports and corporate America usually come in and want their own people. There is an old adage if you're going to fail or succeed, do it with your own people and not people from the prior regime. If Espada were to become the Sox manager I would predict and hope he would want his own coaches and not the losers on this current Sox coaching staff. The fact is, if he or any other new manager didn't want his own people and would settle with this Sox coaching staff, then they are probably not the right manager for the Sox.

Yes I do think a good manager has a big impact on the W-L record versus a mediocre manager. Please show me where this is documented or widely agreed upon, because a great manager is worth more than 2 wins. If you think Francona or any other great manager is only worth two more wins a year, then you are clearly overestimating the talent and mental aspects of major league players. With all the key managerial decisions are responsible for such as: 1, When to pull or keep the SP in. 2. Which bullpen pitcher to use and how long to use him 3. Putting out the most effective lineup daily. 4. The non-stop ongoing critical game decisions for a pinch hitters, pinch runners, when to steal, when to hit & run, when to shift. How to position your outfielders, and tons of other important managerial decisions...and you think that is only worth 2 wins! ? Then forgetting the season results from a great managerial approach, what about prior to the regular season games, when good managers need to manage the work necessary during spring training to work on fundamentals, extra work on hitting, situational baseball and getting their players in top physical condition. It is not luck when some managers get their baseball teams better prepared for the season, because they practiced and prepared better to become that stronger team defensively and ready to play smart baseball.

I totally agree with you. Hence why Lance should take pride and hire a dietician and personal trainer in the off-season and lose some major weight while getting in the gym to build his strength and flexibility, since he will be 36 years old in 2023.

Agreed! If they win the World Series and Dusty retires, which is conceivable, since that is the only major thing that has alluded Dusty, of course you take the Astros job if its offered to him over the Sox. On the flip side as the devil's advocate, if you're the owner of the Astros and have one of the best teams in baseball yearly, why wouldn't he go out and do a mass interviewing process in addition to talking to Espada?

I know there are protocols players can perform to lesson the chances of knee injuries and didn't say there weren't. My only point was and still is: it's easier to prevent a hamstring and groin injury than prevent an ACL tear. Maybe the Sox FO should find people to come in and teach the proper flexibility protocols, as well as most importantly, find a coaching and training staff that believes in the proper program and work necessary. A coaching and training staff that will hold the players accountable to the proper flexibility work on a daily basis. I played four years of baseball and basketball in high school and we had the same head coach for both sports. Most of our stretching was done with a partner and not done individually on our own. Go try lying on your back and having someone else push your leg back to properly stretch your hamstring. You will find it gets done much more efficiently than if one just does it on his own and maybe doesn't perform the stretching to it's best effort. My senior year both our baseball and basketball teams did not have one single hamstring pull. Our players also do not understand the importance of stretching during the game, in between innings in the dugout and especially in the on deck circle. Jose Abreu is a perfect example of this. He never pulled a hamstring last year. Maybe it's because Jose not only stretched properly before the game, he was always stretching in the dugout, on deck circle or batters box.

This type of stress reliving formula isn't new to baseball. Joe Maddon was famous for this when he managed the Rays and Cubs. Maddon did all types of outlandish things in the clubhouse to get the players relaxed. He was famous for bringing to the clubhouse various animals like the armadillo, a palm civet, a sloth, snow leopard cubs, flamingos, a parrot, and a cheetah to name a few. The players from both clubs always expressed how they loved it and it made the players more relaxed and less stressed to play baseball.

I guarantee you the owners and Andrew Friedman in LA do not care about their #1 favored Dodgers team getting cold at the wrong time and be ok with it. They are not about to tell the manager Robert, "That's ok buddy, you tried and oh well, another failed year, but we just unfortunately fizzed during the postseason...but you'll get them next year." That is not an acceptable excuse! Robert was given the best roster money could buy. They also have the 2nd best farm system. They dominated every pitching and hitting category. Most importantly, they proved they could dominate the rest of the league during the season. Having said that, the great teams historically in the past, when it comes to the next step, being the playoffs, always seem to take it to another higher level. In the history of baseball there have been tons of teams that had dominating years during the regular season and then took up another notch to go finish the task and win the World Series. That is when great managers get the most out of their players and do an even better managerial job. You cannot justify or rationalize the failure of Robert these past two years. Dodger Nation and the media are criticizing Robert harshly. The fans are furious and want Robert gone. There are too many good managers out there that would be thrilled to have the opportunity to coach the Dodgers.

I agree being bilingual in today's game is important. That is why Astros Joe Espada is a perfect fit. He is only 47 years old, bilingual and a part of an extremely consistent winning playoff organization that preaches fundamentals. Whether Washington is beloved by media and fans is irrelevant. I agree though being well liked by the players is important. However we need a manager who is young, into modern day baseball analysis, has a strong baseball background, will preach fundamentals and be tough on the players and make them accountable. It is a great attribute if the players like the manager. However more importantly the manager needs to be respected by the players so they want to work as hard as possible to give him their best effort. Btw, Renteria was beloved by the players and that didn't work out so well, due to the fact Renteria was weak in so many other areas of managing.

That's good call against my theory. I will concede and note to you Lance Lynn is an exception...largely due to him being so overweight. We don't know for sure if he was much thinner if that injury could have been avoided, but it probably would have helped.

Great fit on the southside! Are you f'ing kidding me? Hell no Kelly! Washington will be 71 yrs old next season. I'm sorry, but we don't need anymore 70 plus manager retreads.

I think most Sox fans would wish him good luck, but shocked why Jose didn't choose a better team closer to winning a world series. I'm not sure the Cubs fans would be so ecstatic as Jose is going to be 36 years old on the back end of his career. As far as Contreras being signed, I would do that in a New York minute. Sox fans would be thrilled and Cubs fans would be pissed and jealous, but that's how I like it to be.

Besides their FO making Hahn look inept, Cleveland has Francona and we had LaRussa. It's so interesting how Cleveland spent a 126 million less (28th payroll) to get better results the the Sox and have one of the best ranked farm systems, to the Sox being one of the worst. Great job Rick Hahn! For your spectacular results, you get to keep your job because your boss Jerry Reinsdorf is evidently clueless and doesn't give a S%*#!. Keep up the good work Jerry and Rick...as you continue to reward your fans with your over promised rebuilding to become eventual champions...now going into year 7.

Yes an athlete can always do the maximum effort and strength and flexibility training to hopefully prevent knee injuries, but the fact is, it's not as easy to prevent a knee injury as it is to prevent a hamstring pull or groin pull...which was my original point. The only thing I was saying is Moncada is always injured because of a lack of flexibility and hence all his hamstring and groin injuries. Relating Kopechs' injuries to a position player is not the same, unless the pitcher is pulling hamstring and groin muscles. When someone hurts their knee in baseball and is out on IL or even worse has to have knee surgery, I don't think many people call that player someone in bad shape that didn't work out enough. They usually call it a bad break or bad luck. However a player that pulls his hamstring or groin in baseball is always going to get criticized differently and more harshly because they are muscle pulls that can be prevented much more easily.

Here are some thoughts from Dodger nation! https://dodgersnation.com/dodgers-fans-blame-series-on-roberts-decisions/2022/10/16/

This was exactly the problem. They finished 60 games over .500 and were #1 or #2 in almost all hitting and pitching stats. They were 9-3 against the Padres during the season. A good manager gets his players to that next level or gear in the playoffs. This is the second year in a row they were the favorites to win the World Series both before and after both regulars seasons. They were 106-58 in 2021 and 111-51 in 2022 with home field advantage in both years and could not make it to the World Series with arguably the best team in baseball. When Andrew Friedman spends the most money in baseball to get the top star free agents and has one of the top ranked farm systems to bring up talent, I'm sorry, but it's not the fault of the FO that this team is chocking in the playoffs. Maybe this is an example of Robert can only get the Dodgers from point A to point B and Friedman needs a manager to get them to point C.

My analysis is not inaccurate at all. You are missing the point. The injuries Moncada is getting are flexibility issues and lack of. Kopech's injuries were not something you can prevent. You can work all the muscles around the knee or the arm by the tendon....but you couldn't stop Kopech from having those two injuries that required tommy john surgery on his arm and this off-season knee surgery he'll have. You don't typically see hamstrings having major surgery unless it's a severe tear and not properly healing from the proper amount of rest I had two knee surgeries due to sports and none of them could have been prevented from being more flexible according to my orthopedic surgeon. However since I was in good shape, very flexible and properly stretched, I never pulled a hamstring or groin playing both basketball and baseball for 4 years in high school and one year of baseball in college.

I have no idea what our training staff thinks of Yoan. No training staff would ever tell their thoughts publicly, unless they wanted to get fired. Based on another season of constant injuries though, it probably wouldn't matter or have any relevance on what they think of Yoan, as rumor has it they will all be fired and rightfully so. The fact is, if this training staff isn't fired, then once again it just shows how completely inept Rick Hahn is as the VP/GM of this team.