Post by Josh on Oct 22, 2007 18:59:13 GMT -5
Friday, October 19, 2007
Dusty's Back
The Cincinnati Reds, a struggling organization that hasn't made the playoffs since 1995, have hired as their new manager Dusty Baker, a flailing manager-turned-ESPN-analyst who hasn't been respected since he contributed to the demise of the Prior/Wood combination. This certainly doesn't seem like a good move to me, the casual (but very well-informed) observer. Thus, by the law of zany Joe-Morgan-ness, Joe Morgan must think this is a good move.
CLEVELAND — Joe Morgan has one question for any Reds fan unsettled by Dusty Baker's hiring as the team's new manager.
"People are going to criticize anything, but were they happy with what happened before?" the Hall of Famer wondered Tuesday night before broadcasting Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on ESPN Radio.
Of course they weren't happy with what came before. As I already pointed out, they haven't made the playoffs in over a decade. Not being happy with the current management, however, is not justification for bringing in another bad manager. Presumably, when you make a change like this, you're trying to improve your team. Under Joe's theory, so long as you are unhappy with your team's performance, you have no right to criticize any future transactions made by said team.
"I think they did a great job," Morgan said. "You can say all you want about other guys, but he was the only proven guy out there. He's a proven winner. He won at San Francisco. He won with the Cubs. He's one of the special guys. He has instant credibility."
The Giants won in San Francisco. The Cubs won in Chicago. Dusty just went along for the ride. At least, that's my contention. Just look at the Cubs from 2004-2006 with Baker, when they were losing. The talent on the team declined, so they stopped winning. If Dusty were truly one of the special guys, he would win without talented players too. As it stands, he's just like anybody else: if the team is good, he'll win; if the team isn't good, he'll lose. Except he's a little worse because he might injure your players, too.
Some of the fan angst about Baker involves his alleged ham-handed touch when it comes to pitching.
Critics imply that he's at least partly to blame for the serious arm injuries that have plagued Kerry Wood and Mark Prior with the Cubs.
I am one of these critics, and I do not merely imply this. I like to say it loud and clear, because I believe unequivocally that Dusty Baker was a major factor in those injuries. He pays no mind to pitch counts, and overworks his young arms.
Nonsense, Morgan maintains.
"The pitching coach handles the pitchers, right?" he said. "Give Dusty an opportunity. Then, if it doesn't work out, criticize him. But give him a chance. I think you'll see a difference in the way they play the game."
Well, I suppose the pitching coach handles the pitchers, but who has the hook? Who decides how many pitches a pitcher will throw in a game? That's generally the manager's job, and Dusty has consistently allowed his pitchers to throw far too many of them. This sort of strategy has been statistically proven to lead to more injuries.
Given all these problems with Dusty Baker, it should come as no surprise that he is being supported by good ol' Joe Morgan.
Dusty's Back
The Cincinnati Reds, a struggling organization that hasn't made the playoffs since 1995, have hired as their new manager Dusty Baker, a flailing manager-turned-ESPN-analyst who hasn't been respected since he contributed to the demise of the Prior/Wood combination. This certainly doesn't seem like a good move to me, the casual (but very well-informed) observer. Thus, by the law of zany Joe-Morgan-ness, Joe Morgan must think this is a good move.
CLEVELAND — Joe Morgan has one question for any Reds fan unsettled by Dusty Baker's hiring as the team's new manager.
"People are going to criticize anything, but were they happy with what happened before?" the Hall of Famer wondered Tuesday night before broadcasting Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on ESPN Radio.
Of course they weren't happy with what came before. As I already pointed out, they haven't made the playoffs in over a decade. Not being happy with the current management, however, is not justification for bringing in another bad manager. Presumably, when you make a change like this, you're trying to improve your team. Under Joe's theory, so long as you are unhappy with your team's performance, you have no right to criticize any future transactions made by said team.
"I think they did a great job," Morgan said. "You can say all you want about other guys, but he was the only proven guy out there. He's a proven winner. He won at San Francisco. He won with the Cubs. He's one of the special guys. He has instant credibility."
The Giants won in San Francisco. The Cubs won in Chicago. Dusty just went along for the ride. At least, that's my contention. Just look at the Cubs from 2004-2006 with Baker, when they were losing. The talent on the team declined, so they stopped winning. If Dusty were truly one of the special guys, he would win without talented players too. As it stands, he's just like anybody else: if the team is good, he'll win; if the team isn't good, he'll lose. Except he's a little worse because he might injure your players, too.
Some of the fan angst about Baker involves his alleged ham-handed touch when it comes to pitching.
Critics imply that he's at least partly to blame for the serious arm injuries that have plagued Kerry Wood and Mark Prior with the Cubs.
I am one of these critics, and I do not merely imply this. I like to say it loud and clear, because I believe unequivocally that Dusty Baker was a major factor in those injuries. He pays no mind to pitch counts, and overworks his young arms.
Nonsense, Morgan maintains.
"The pitching coach handles the pitchers, right?" he said. "Give Dusty an opportunity. Then, if it doesn't work out, criticize him. But give him a chance. I think you'll see a difference in the way they play the game."
Well, I suppose the pitching coach handles the pitchers, but who has the hook? Who decides how many pitches a pitcher will throw in a game? That's generally the manager's job, and Dusty has consistently allowed his pitchers to throw far too many of them. This sort of strategy has been statistically proven to lead to more injuries.
Given all these problems with Dusty Baker, it should come as no surprise that he is being supported by good ol' Joe Morgan.
between-thelines.blogspot.com/
