Are Managers Overrated?

Do Managers Make A Difference?

If Tony LaRussa bolts St. Louis should anyone care?

If Joe Torre bows out for more free time in the L.A sun, will the world end?

It seems this season we will be keeping a watchful eye on the futures of a few high profile managers, but why do we care? Are baseball managers really that important?

We know that managers have different expectations placed upon them. Joe Girardi is expected to take his team to the World Series. As is Mike Scioscia (Angels), Charlie Manuel (Phillies), and Tony LaRussa (Cardinals). However, we can’t expect Ron Washington (Rangers) and Jim Riggleman (Nationals) to achieve the same thing. But there is one thing every manager is expected to do: win.

Certainly the quantity or quality of their wins differ from team to team but, nonetheless, they should be winning more games than they did the year before. But you can’t put a team’s success or failure to win on a manager.

Take the 2007 Yankees led by Joe Torre. They were a poor team lucky to make it into the playoffs only to get bounced in the first round. This meant the axe for Joe. In comes Joe Girardi and only two years later the New York Yankees win their 27th World Series Ring. What changed? The manager? Yes.

But perhaps something easier to understand the pitching staff in 2007 included Andy Pettitte, Rogers Clemens, Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes, Ken Igawa, and Chien-Ming Wang.

In 2009 it was C.C Sabathia, A.J Burnett, Joba Chamberlain, and Andy Pettite. So it looks like you can be successful if you replace two guys of retirement age (Clemens and Mussina) and two starters who were underachievers (Hughes and Igawa) with a Cy Young winner (Sabathia) and a young gun with a proven arm (Burnett). Let’s not forget either that unlike ’07 when Alex Rodriguez hit .267 in the divisional series, A-Rod hit .455 in the ALDS in ‘09.

Point being is that while baseball managers may be valuable to a team, nothing is more valuable than production on the field.

So what do we do with managers who have been recognized as good at their job? Generally speaking: we fire them. Take the winners of Manager of the Year: since 1983 in the American League, only 4 managers have won MOTY and have not gone on to be fired.

There is, as always, a reasonable explanation for their demise and it goes back to the first point: players matter most. Managers don’t. Take Jack McKeon, the beloved 2003 Florida Marlins manager. He took his team from irrelevant to a World Series ring. But 3 seasons later, the man who got so much credit for taking a team to the World Series was stepping down at the end of another disappointing season.

What had changed in that time? Staff ace Josh Beckett was gone. A. J Burnett was gone. Derrick Lee, Ivan Rodriguez, and Juan Pierre had all said goodbye. Once again it comes back to players. It is no wonder why MLB managers get paid an average of 1.3 M, easily the lowest of the three major sports.

Let’s not look at this as an indictment of managers. MLB managers certainly attribute to key decisions and living in Chicago I have seen my fair share of bad managers. We can all also agree that some managers have the right temperament for a particular team. A young team needs a guy who holds them accountable and can also teach. Where as a veteran team might need a manager who just keeps the train moving, so to speak.

So if we can all agree that a MLB manager isn’t all that important to winning, then why fire them at all? The reason is that a manager can contribute to a team’s losing ways far easier than he can help them win.
Moving Pujols to 9th in the lineup and limiting Chris Carpenter to 60 pitches a game would certainly hurt your team. So a manager is fired to give a team a boost. It’s a move done to send a message to others and lets face it: a general manager fires the manager. It’s much easier to for Kenny Williams to say Ozzie Guillen is not a right fit for the ballclub anymore rather than to say that he constructed a bad ballclub, even if everyone knows the latter is true.

But making a change to make a change isn’t the answer either. Moving Riggleman from the Nationals dugout won’t make the team perform better unless the guy that replaces him knows something he doesn’t or is capable of something special. Managers can’t prevent injuries. They can’t prevent slumps at the plate, and they cannot prevent better teams from beating them on most days.

I know this season will have its usual round of MLB Hot Seat and we’ll be watching the futures of Torre and LaRussa, but at the end of the day the only thing worth watching are the players out on the field. They will most certainly make the most difference.

@Mikearta

Video: Mark McGwire Returns to the Batting Cage

Mark McGwire Returns to the batting cage

After a few years of staying away from the baseball diamond and clear from cameras, Big Mark McGwire returned to the place that made him famous. Mac only took a few swing off the tee, and is noticeably smaller, but remember “steroids did not make him hit the ball out of the park.”

Whatever that means. Anyways, good to see you swinging again, Mac. It looks like you could hit .200 and knock at least 20 out, right?

Brothers Upton: When the Younger Brother Takes Over

The Upton Brothers are two of Baseball’s Best

It typically takes years of hard work for a younger brother to finally pass his older brother in talent, but it only takes a few weeks to notice the difference. It did not take long for Justin Upton to pass his older brother Melvin Emmanuel, better known as B.J. (Bossman Junior), talent wise, and once thought of as B.J.’s little brother, these days B.J. is known as Justin’s older brother.

Both were drafted out of high school in Chesapeake, VA, and B.J. graduated high school in 2002 while Justin in 2005. Both were widely known as two of the top prospects in their classes and selected within the top two picks of their respective drafts.

B.J.’s professional career got off to a slow start but five years after being drafted after Bryan Bullington, and ahead of Prince Fielder and Zack Greinke, B.J. went wild in the 2008 playoffs against Boston.

B.J. hit four HR in seven post-season games against the mighty Bo-Sox and the Upton name was here to stay for a long time. Fantasy owners and Tampa Bay management are still holding on to the hope that B.J. can find that stroke again after a dismal 2009 campaign.

Justin was drafted as the No. 1 pick in 2005 and became the youngest player in MLB in 2007 when he came up as a 19 year old. He obviously did not belong in the minor leagues and it only took him one full season to get acclimated to big league pitching.

Last season, younger brother Justin had a monster season, hitting .300, getting on base at a .366 clip, 26 HR, 86 RBI, 20 SB, and 84 R; sheesh! Not bad for a 21 year old kid.

Both still young, B.J. will be 26 in August and Justin will turn 23 in August, a lot of progress is still to be made with the brothers. B.J. needs to make more contact and start getting on base more, while the sky is the limit for “little” brother Justin.

Still in his MLB infancy and already an All Star, Justin needs to hone a few big league skills like baserunning, defensive positioning, and even though he had a great hitting season, the kid still does not have a major league approach at the plate!

He might be younger in years but Justin is much more of a physical presence standing at 6’2” 205 lbs., while B.J. is only 170 lbs. at the same height.

B.J. has failed to live up to the expectations after his post-season HR binge (average has dropped the last three seasons and only hit .241 last year), but his brother has picked up the Upton family slack.

They both play different styles; Justin is a monster of a corner outfielder while Bossman Junior is a fleet footed center fielder, and it is a big year for both Uptons.

Joe Madden has never been the biggest fan of B.J. due to his deficiencies in center field and how he does not utilize his speed enough. Sure, he had 42 SB last season, but he hit .241 and got on base only 31% of the time, hence B.J.’s drop in the Tampa lineup. If those numbers do not improve, you could see the older Upton in another uniform by mid-season.

Justin on the other hand is not going anywhere. He will likely be the face of the Diamondback franchise as soon as Brandon Webb hits the road, which should be shortly, and after Justin tore the cover off the ball as a 21 year old last season, comparisons to Ken Griffey, Jr., are not pretentious.

It is a day most older brothers dread their entire lives, but they know it is inevitable, and it happens unexpectedly.

It is when the younger brother takes over as the better player, but what most older brothers forget is, the younger brother was made a better player by their hero, their older brother.

So for all you Justin Upton fans, do not thank Justin, thank his older brother Melvin Emmanuel, AKA B.J.

Matt Anaya
@MatAnaya
@DugoutDoctors

Big Mac is Confused

Mark McGwire finally responds to his ESPN interview

Mark McGwire reported to Cardinals camp in Jupiter, FLA Thursday and answered a few more softball questions from local reporters. McGwire continued to tell reporters how “sorry” he was and how much he regretted using banned substances during his late 90s home run binge. From the AP:

“It’s something I regret,” McGwire told reporters. “I can’t say I’m sorry enough to everybody in baseball and across America, and whoever watches this great game. “I think people understand how truly sorry I am for what I did.”

Sadly, McGwire contradicted his apology by saying steroids did not make him hit the ball further, it only gave him more at bats.

“Like I’ve said, people are going to have their opinions,” McGwire said. “Listen, it got me the opportunity to get out there and get more at-bats, and I got the chance to play.”

Mac, you are correct, steroids DO help you recover from various injuries, but you are wrong and contradicting your apology when you say they do not help you hit the ball out of the ballpark. You seem to be in denial, and still think you could have made the Hall of Fame with or without the juice.

The facts are you took the juice, played a lot longer than you should have because of the juice, and hit a lot more HR with the juice than you would have without.

McGwire keeps saying how sorry he is for cheating the game, but also says he does not think steroids helped him hit the ball out of the park. So what is he sorry for? Playing in too many games? Huh?!

Steroids add about 100 ft (Doc’s guesstimate) and millions of rotations on the baseball creating an inordinate amount of backspin, therefore making the ball go out of the ballpark nearly every time a 6’5″ 225 pound behemoth hits the sweet spot.

McGwire also said the evolution of his swing helped him hit 70(!) HR and not steroids. LOL.

Big Mac would go on and say how bad he felt for Roger Maris and his family, which again, contradicts his apology, and said he felt he owed it to the Maris family to call them before his steroids admission on national TV. I am still confused on what McGwire is sorry about.

It seems he is very happy with his admission, and happy he cleared his conscious, but the juice rotted his brain because he has no idea what he is sorry for.

“It took a lot to do what I did,” McGwire said. “I spoke the truth. Let’s move on and turn this into a really positive thing.”

I will happily turn it into a positive when you admit steroids made you a better player. Barry Bonds was a HOFer before he used steroids, but you were not.

Sidenote: Another creepy/forgotten fact in this mess is Cardinals Manager Tony LaRussa’s role in the entire steroids era. He managed McGwire twice, Jose Canseco when he was a 40/40 caliber player, and the dozens of other abusers LaRussa would turn his back on all for the price of winning.

Matt Anaya
Twitter @MatAnaya @DugoutDoctors

Bryce Harper: ‘The Lebron James of Baseball’

Probable #1 Pick 16 Year Old Bryce Harper

If you do not know who Bryce Harper is, now you do. The probable number one pick in this season’s 2010 MLB Draft, Harper, a catcher by trade, is only 18 years old and mashing already this season. He has been touted for a couple years now as the ‘Lebron James of Baseball’

Through Valentine’s Day, Harper was hitting .362, getting on base over 42% of the time, and has three HR and 15 RBI.

Harper received his GED after dropping out of high school last season in order to chase his big league dreams. He will be eligible after this season for the June MLB Draft and he is expected to be represented by super agent Scott Boras who will likely scare off potential suitors.

It is more than probable Harper and Boras will command more than the $15.1 million last season’s No. 1 pick Stephen Strasburg did, but will it cost Harper the title of top pick?

Swing analysis: Got fooled, hips flew open, kept hands back and smoked that ball. He literally accidentally hit that ball out of the park. Unbelievable.

We’re still trying to figure out what song he comes out to. Sounds like Bonecrusher or someone, can anyone help?

Matt Anaya
Twitter.com/MatAnaya

Frank Thomas Announces Retirement

Frank Thomas was one of the biggest and best stars in baseball back when my love for the game was at its peak. In my opinion he was one of the best player to ever play for the Chicago White Sox. Broadcaster Ken Harrelson coined the nickname “The Big Hurt” for Thomas in the 1992 season. Frank Thomas is known for his menacing home run power; he routinely swung a rusted piece of rebar (reportedly found during a renovation project in Old Comiskey Park in the on-deck circle. He is part of an elite group of four players (including Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams) to have at least a .300 batting average, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBI, 1,000 runs and 1,500 walks in a career.

Today Thomas decided to retire. This was not surprising given his age and how long its been since he last suited up for a baseball game. Fanhouse had this to say about his retirement:

Saying he’s “at peace” with his decision, Frank Thomas announced his retirement Friday following a 19-season career in which he hit 521 homers and won two American League MVP awards with the Chicago White Sox.

Considering he didn’t play last season, the news was hardly shocking.

“It took awhile to get to this point,” the 41-year-old Thomas said during a news conference at U.S. Cellular Field. “I know I hadn’t played since 2008, but I had to get baseball out of my system before I made this announcement. I’m happy with this announcement. I’m at peace with it. I had one heck of a career. I’m proud of it.”

With his power and ability to hit for a high average and reach base, Thomas figures to land in the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible.

A five-time All-Star who batted .301 with a .419 on-base average, Thomas is tied for 18th with Ted Williams and Willie McCovey on baseball’s home run list while driving in 1,704 runs. And in an era clouded by performance-enhancing drugs, he was outspoken against their use.

Thomas split his final three seasons between Oakland and Toronto, but he’ll be remembered most for a 16-year run with the White Sox.

Thomas’s departure from the White Sox was somewhat controversial. He and White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams exchanged words before Thomas left for Oakland. After signing with Oakland, Thomas said that he didn’t appreciate the way his 16-year run with the White Sox ended, saying that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf didn’t call him to tell him he wasn’t coming back. He also said that he and Williams didn’t see eye-to-eye after Williams became GM following the 2000 season. At the time, Thomas was unhappy that his next-to-last deal with the White Sox contained a “diminished skills” clause. He said the White Sox should have traded him after the playoffs that season.

Thomas went on to play for the Oakland Athletics in 2006, the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007-2008, and then back to the Oakland A’s in ’08, but regardless of where Thomas played during his career however he will go down in history best remembered as a member of the White Sox and will always be considered one of the greatest designated hitters of all-time.

Jose Offerman Is At It Again!

Or should we call him “Awfulman”?

Here is the latest incident in the life of former MLB player Jose Offerman…

In the past, there have been rumors of domestic abuse and video of Jose throwing a bat at an opposing pitcher, but to me this one beats them all!

Please share your thoughts on Jose Offerman and these incidents!

Do they have anger management classes where he currently lives?!



<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&#038;brand=foxsports&#038;playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:fdded51c-91fa-44f8-9c17-2af0f8a85e14&#038;showPlaylist=true&#038;from=IV2_en-us_foxsports_videosearch&#038;fg=everyzing" target="_new" title="Baseball manager KO&#39;s umpire">Video: Baseball manager KO&#39;s umpire</a>



My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

Japanese-American Baseball During WWII

This is a short glimpse into Japanese Americans during WWII and how baseball was a unifying force at that time.







My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

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