MLB Master Thread

[CountValentine]

It's not like Ross is an outsider. He was an MLB catcher with 2 WS rings, including one with the Cubs. He presumably understands a pitching staff, which are where most in game issues would be.

No one said he is outsider. I said he is Big risk. Basing that on zero experience as a manager.

[CountValentine]

Played by the players, not the manager.

Players don't get to play if the managers don't put them out there. 

[shaulyaakov]

Players don't get to play if the managers don't put them out there. 

The FO decides when players play anyway. The manager has the final say, but unless there's some other factors, he's going to listen to the FO.

[CountValentine]

The FO decides when players play anyway. The manager has the final say, but unless there's some other factors, he's going to listen to the FO.

Any manager that does play the players that he feels will give the team the best chance of winning should quit.   

[Dawie]

No one said he is outsider. I said he is Big risk. Basing that on zero experience as a manager.

you were hoping (betting) on Girardi?

[CountValentine]

you were hoping (betting) on Girardi?

Actually I like Ross but feel he would be a better choice for rebuilding.

[shaulyaakov]

Girardi to Mets or phillies (I think Philly is a better job but Joe might prefer NYC).

[Yonah]

No one said he is outsider. I said he is Big risk. Basing that on zero experience as a manager.

While I'd have to at least partially agree with you there - Catchers are most often well-suited to be managers. Some examples:
- Mike Scioscia (sp?)
- Clint Hurdle
- Joe Girardi

Just to name a few. There have also been, of late, a lot of former players with limited to no coaching experience who've stepped into managerial roles:
- Alex Cora
- Rocco Baldelli
- AJ Hinch


So it isn't as ridiculous as once thought.

Where I see the risk - he was teammates with most of the current team that won the 2016 world series - might be hard for some of the players to see him as the skip.

[Barryg]

David Ross next?

News reported first on DDF - as usual.

No one said he is outsider. I said he is Big risk. Basing that on zero experience as a manager.

The manager that's likely going to win the WS this year is in his second year as a manager, last year was Alex Cora's first as a manager. IMHO the two most important things for the manager if this team stays similar to last year's team is to manage Lester and Contreras and his pitch framing. Ross is very experienced with those.

[Ergel]

Nice of baseball to hold the World Series first and then a scrimmage versus WAS or STL.

This didn't age well

[CountValentine]

Firstly, the game that you claim has become a joke because of a lack of starter depth has produced a world series of:

Cole vs Scherzer
Verlander vs Strasbourg
Greinke vs Corbin

I'm no baseball historian, but when was the last time you had a world series with match ups that good?

I am no mathematician but don't the starters have an era of just under 5 so far? You probably meant to say on paper they are good match ups. I said it before and will say it again. THIS GAME IS NOT PLAYED ON PAPER!!!

[CountValentine]

The manager that's likely going to win the WS this year is in his second year as a manager, last year was Alex Cora's first as a manager.

How many managers have won the WS in their first year?

[CountValentine]

In analytics front offices, the main job for a manager is to talk to the media and connect with the players. While they nominally make the lineup and pitching changes, they are given pretty detailed guidelines from the analytics teams.

I am not saying analytics are worthless but the game is not played on paper. 

"We don't dwell on win-loss record anymore, right?" he said with a smile, a reference to modern analytics by one of the sport's most knowledgeable players. "I'd like to win a couple. Hopefully, I'll have another opportunity."

[shaulyaakov]

I am not saying analytics are worthless but the game is not played on paper. 

"We don't dwell on win-loss record anymore, right?" he said with a smile, a reference to modern analytics by one of the sport's most knowledgeable players. "I'd like to win a couple. Hopefully, I'll have another opportunity."

As I said, of course the game is not played on paper, but it's also not played by the manager either. What analytics has done is minimized certain managerial skills and discovered new skills that are good to have.

[Yonah]

I fully didn't expect the series we're having, but I'll just leave these two right here

I would love to see Yanks/Dodgers Astros/Dodgers - the dodgers have better pitching that the Yanks, and are close to the 'stros, and their team has some guys who hit homers - Bellinger, Pederson, Muncy, Turner.

While Washington might not survive the dodgers, they also have good pitching, and some decent hitters that are a little under the radar.

I'd agree with you that it doesn't look like the AL winner will have much of a challenger. That being said, the Nationals starting pitching (Scherzer, Corbin,Strasburg) is far better than the Yankees starters (Tanaka, Paxton, Happ) and would make for popcorn worthy pitching matchups with Verlander, Cole, and Greinke
While the nats lineup isn't anywhere near as deep as either AL team, they have the highly dynamic Soto, and the highly underrated Rendon.

Should still make for a good series.

[Barryg]

How many managers have won the WS in their first year?

How many have won in their 20th year as a manager?

[shaulyaakov]

How many managers have won the WS in their first year?

It's a relatively new phenomenon for good teams to fire managers so I'm guessing there's not a great sample size to work with. Most teams don't go from terrible (and firing a manager) to great in 1 season.

[CountValentine]

How many have won in their 20th year as a manager?

I will take the non answer as an answer. 

[shaulyaakov]

Alex Cora won in his first year. According to his Wikipedia page, there were 4 others.

[CountValentine]

Alex Cora won in his first year. According to his Wikipedia page, there were 4 others.

TY