Yost behind his players to a fault

[DonMoney4Mgr]

Really what is it that seperates managers such as, Piniella, LaRussa, or Sciosia from managers like Yost. On one hand, it is good to back your players, no doubt. On the other hand, however, players know when they screw up, and they know when they should shoulder the blame. I was a manager in the business world for several years and realized that hollow, unsubstantiated compliments, were almost as unproductive as no communication at all. Employees, or players for that matter, need to be told the truth to truely earn their respect. Maybe Ned tells the media one thing and players another I don't know. But it certainly doesn't show in his lineup and his actions on the field.

 

The objective is to get the most out of every individual to optimize the chances of winning. I don't believe Yost has achieved that. Players need to be a little nervous, and maybe look over their shoulder now and then. They need to know if they screw up or simply don't perform, their spot in the lineup is not guaranteed. I hate the Cubs, but that's what I love about Piniella. And the bottom line is he wins.

[BREWCREW5]

Piniella didnt win much in Tampa. The cubs have a great roster and I would think that almost any manager in baseball could do well with that team. I do agree that Piniella is a good manager, but it takes more than that to win in the bigs.

[LaprilOne]

Interesting post.

 

Instead of the "Yost is and idiot" genre, or he "shoulda pulled Sheets" cries, you give good light to what may be the most relavent.

 

I have supported Ned, but do wonder, in the body of work since last year, if he cannot effectively bring out the most in his team.

 

I believe this is the larger issue: not game management. but rather long term and deep management to bring players to potential,

 

With Ned, this may be our the most important concern.

[pete]

You could be right. He also seems to have favorites who have enormously long leashes.

[rluzinski]

When you were a business manager and felt it necessary to tell an employee that his performance was unacceptable, did you do it publicly? Did you find that an effective way to motivate them?

 

What players do you suspect are not currently giving maximum effort? How do we know that Yost isn't doing what you are suggesting but simply doing it privately?

[kramnoj]

Players need to be a little nervous, and maybe look over their shoulder now and then. They need to know if they screw up or simply don't perform, their spot in the lineup is not guaranteed.

 

Maybe I'm reading this stronger than you intend, but I don't think that fear is really an effective long term motivation. When it comes to baseball, it's not usually screwing up or not performing that warrants a benching. It's lack of effort, or an extended poor approach. I don't usually see players that are a little nervous playing well. Braun looked nervous when he was flailing at balls a week or two ago. When he is rocketing balls out of the park, he looks comfortable. That's one example, but I think it's representative of most players.

[naivin]

Piniella didnt win much in Tampa. The cubs have a great roster and I would think that almost any manager in baseball could do well with that team.

 

Agreed. Piniella is a pretty bad compariosn considering the Cubs and Brewers had nearly identical records last year. Zambrano, Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, Lilly, Marmol...stack up pretty good against the likes of Braun, Fielder, Hart, Sheets (sort of), Cordero...yet Piniella is a good manager, and Yost is a bad manager? Sorry, but that just doesn't compute.

[Thurston Fluff]

I think Russ summed it up pretty well. There is a big differance between publicly calling out someone and privately telling them to pick it up. The most I've ever seen Yost say about a player publicly was the way he handled the public "I'll throw a fit if I'm platooned" situation with Jenkins and Mench in spring of 07. In the JS this morning was the only other time I can remember him not agreeing with a player. He said he doubted Stetter's reasoning of being fatigued as why he couldn't throw strikes. Both situations were not really publicly airing out a player as much as it was a sign he doesn't just accept players attitudes regardless of what they are.

[hawing]

Interesting post.

 

Instead of the "Yost is an idiot" genre, or he "shoulda pulled Sheets" cries, you give good light to what may be the most relavant.

(snip)

I believe this is the larger issue: not game management. but rather long term and deep management to bring players to potential,

Now this, and the original post, form a Yost angle I can support. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[thablingster]

I've been saying that Yost's ability to stick with and get the most out of marginal players is one of his best qualities and one of the main reasons we initially hired him, but it also is the one that many fans dislike the most about him and want him to be fired for.

 

I don't think he just lavishes compliments on players or doesn't let them know that he expects more from them, but he just sticks with them in situations he probably shouldn't because he believes in them. It has only become a problem in the last 2 years as to where before if Ned was choosing between Ben Grieve or John Vander Wal to keep trotting out there no one really cared. But with the whole Menchkins platoon, Turnbow's struggles, the Aquino/Spurling experience, and so on Ned truly believed if he kept sending those guys out there they could contribute to the team just as he did with Scotty Po, Brady Clark, and Matt Wise back in the day, even though we had viable alternatives as to where back when Ned first took over we didn't.

 

Ned's style of managing hasn't evolved as his team has, that's the main issue I think these days.

[bani1717]

I completely agree with you hawing. There are a lot of people out there who call him an idiot whenever he makes a sensible decision that doesn't work, or sometimes even when his moves do work out. But I have no problem saying that he may not be leading this team to play to its full potential, and that's the main thing that I think may lead to him not being our manager for much longer.

[TabbertBB]

Just wondering, what is the rate of success for first time Big League Managers for a team?

It seems to me, they need to get fired a couple times and move around before they either get lucky or find themselves.

[TooLiveBrew]

Managers routinely receive praise for having a team full of top players, and blame when their roster looks like the 2008 Pirates. Piniella is the perfect example.

 

Imo it's more random chance & timing than 'figuring' anything out.