Note: As a regular author on DETECTO-VISION’s blog, I generally post my baseball opinions there, but while I’m getting this blog up and running, I’m going to do a couple of duplicates here. If you want to read more of my baseball stuff, I highly recommend you look over there, for a couple of reasons: 1) there are baseball guys there with tremendous knowledge, and 2) Much of the context of my posts comes from some of the background stuff there.
It’s Not Usually The Manager’s Fault
Last night, Hargrove saw fit to give Bloomquist another start. After all, he says, you need to play these bench guys regularly to keep them sharp. ???? (Hey Mike, did you know that a pretty good left handed hitter was on your roster for a few months?)
That principle is not necessarily bad, provided you have a bench with specialized weapons to deploy at the right times. As we’ve gone round and round about how Earl Weaver brilliantly managed, a box of different specialized tools is better than a box of five leathermans.
In a vacuum, giving Willie B a couple of starts every once in awhile is fine. I don’t mind having him spell a regular once in awhile.
Where Are You Going With This Post, Padna?
Normally I’m a contrarian. Most of the time, when I find a reason to post, it’s in order to say something that isn’t being currently said in the blog-o-sphere, or to add another twist or way of thinking about somthing that is.
The point of this post is really simple:
Mike Hargrove needs to be canned. Right now. Last week.
His in-game tactics are becoming absurdly morbidly amusing. The Putz weekend fiasco, notwithstanding, HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY LET WILLIE BLOOMQUIST BE THE LAST OUT WITH RUNNERS ON BASE, WHEN AN EXTRA-BASE HIT CAN TIE THE GAME FOR YOU????? The M’s were mounting a legitimate threat against Rivera, who had suspect command on this outing. You cannot possibly convince me that pinch-hitting Lopez or even Dobbs wouldn’t give you a better chance to win the game. You have two outs; you need someone to hit the ball hard. Can’t fill cf? Sure you can. If you tie the game, and you have to make a move, put Ibanez in right, Ichiro in center and Everett in left. Lose the DH. If you pinch hit and make an out, you lose the game anyway. If you weaken your defense in extra innings, at least you’re playing in them right?
Your Manager Doesn’t Often Lose Games
Hargrove did not lose the game for the M’s last night. But, as usual, he had an opportunity to give them a better chance to win. He sat on his hands. Again.
Taking risks can get you killed.
Doing nothing can get you killed too.
Hargrove needs to make the effort to win. Rarely do I ever get on the “fire the manager” bandwagon. In this case, even if the committee came to play, they’d be getting sabotaged by their manager.
In unison with the blog-o-sphere for a change: Hargove must go.
