Impressions of Roenicke so far (part 1)

[DuWayne Steurer]

"which is mind boggling considering how long he's been in baseball."

 

My opinion is that this does not help someone become a better manager. If anything, it works against them, as old-school lines of thought typically aren't shaken.

Well, you may be right about that. But that doesn't explain then, his utter fascination with 'defined roles' which is definitly more of a modern baseball creation (and a change for the worse, if I must say so).

[FVBrewerFan]

Except RR doesn't fit that mold. He's not shy at all about using new ideas. Infield shifts and 5 man infield are two examples, also more aggressive on the basepaths which tradionalists would frown on.

 

I think his problem is understanding that his gimmicks shouldn't be over-used. Suicide/safety squeeze. Fine to use as a surpise every once in a great while, but other teams expect it now. Plush and Gomez can bunt, we get it, do they have to show bunt every single AB? Wouldn't it be more of a surprise to the defense if they did it more sporadically?

 

Last night, perfect example. 5 man IF is fine with 2 outs. Some managers do it some don't, I don't have a problem with it. But with ONE out and their best hitter at the plate? Just makes no sense. Especially when you consider the runner at 3B had a ton of speed.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Why would you use a 5 man infield with 2 outs? With 2 outs, you should always play your straight up defense for the batter.

[endaround]

Why would you use a 5 man infield with 2 outs? With 2 outs, you should always play your straight up defense for the batter.

Last night? There was only one out. Of course they would have had no real chance throwing Campana out anyway

[DuWayne Steurer]

Why would you use a 5 man infield with 2 outs? With 2 outs, you should always play your straight up defense for the batter.

Last night? There was only one out. Of course they would have had no real chance throwing Campana out anyway

I said with 2 outs. There's no reason to play 5 IF'ers with 2 outs. I was respondging to the notion that you shouldn't play 5 IF with only one out.

[endaround]

I swear FVBrewerfan's post wasn't there before. Yuku is fun!

[1992casey]

I swear FVBrewerfan's post wasn't there before. Yuku is fun!

 

It probably wasn't there. Disappearing/reappearing posts is a common occurrence on the system. Luckily, Brewerfan hasn't been affected too badly. Some boards are routinely an hour behind.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I swear FVBrewerfan's post wasn't there before. Yuku is fun!

I can see how my post would look weird, without that context.

[topper09er]

Gomez can bunt

No he cant, he is possibly the worst bunter I have ever seen in my life. All he does is try to bunt while already running to 1st and fouls the ball off/miss.

[chickinbrickin]

Except RR doesn't fit that mold. He's not shy at all about using new ideas. Infield shifts and 5 man infield are two examples, also more aggressive on the basepaths which tradionalists would frown on.

 

I think his problem is understanding that his gimmicks shouldn't be over-used. Suicide/safety squeeze. Fine to use as a surpise every once in a great while, but other teams expect it now. Plush and Gomez can bunt, we get it, do they have to show bunt every single AB? Wouldn't it be more of a surprise to the defense if they did it more sporadically?

 

Last night, perfect example. 5 man IF is fine with 2 outs. Some managers do it some don't, I don't have a problem with it. But with ONE out and their best hitter at the plate? Just makes no sense. Especially when you consider the runner at 3B had a ton of speed.

 

I am doubting the manager tells them to show bunt. It is more of a hitters preference. If Morgan is going up there taking on the first pitch he might decide to show bunt to try to throw the pitcher off.

[chickinbrickin]

Now my impression of RRR. I really like how the players like him and the team feels more inspired than I can remember. Now the positives end.

 

It boggles my mind how he doesn't have any common sense when it comes to managing. I get a kick out of all the rants on this forum about how he should handle different aspects of a game and all are the same, and for the most part correct. Myself along with countless other members ranted endlessly in the IGT when Gomez was batting 2nd the first month of the year. Now that the change has been made the offense is much better. How can a bunch of bums on a forum see something is wrong and needs to be changed a month before the manager sees it?

 

It seems like RRR is unwilling to adjust his lineups/rolls even when it is glaringly obvious a change needs to be made. It took over a month to get Gomez out of the 2 hole. It still hasn't sunk in that Loe isn't a 8th inning only set-up man who should only be facing right handed hitters. It still hasn't sunk in that Braddock and Hawkins are his best options out of the pen (less Axford). It still hasn't sunk in that Casey needs to move down the order. It still hasn't sunk in that Yuni should bat 8th or be on the bench. It still hasn't sunk in that Estrada having a couple solid outings when Greinke was hurt doesn't make him an option with a small lead. I feel like I could keep going....squeeze play, not intentionally walking guys when it makes sense, hanging on to Nieves for way too long.

 

If all of this isn't obvious to him something is wrong. Players should lose the games not the manager.

[Raw Biz]

I just read this article about Hawkins telling Roenicke he wanted a bigger role. This is the part that stuck out for me:

While Loe continues to fill-in for injured Takashi Saito as Milwaukee’s eight-inning man, Roenicke has been mixing and matching in the seventh. He’d like to find some stability there, and Hawkins could be the pick if he continues to get such positive results.

“We’re trying to find who’s going to be that guy,” Roenicke said. “I thought it was going to be Estrada for a while. He’s struggled lately. [Tim] Dillard has probably thrown good enough to slip in there. Then ‘Hawk,’ with his numbers and how he’s been doing, he’s a guy that I think I should put in there also.”

So according to this, his bigger role will be that of a seventh-inning pitcher? I thought that was already what he was being used as. Also, from this and Roenicke saying Loe didn't pitch the 8th last night because he had pitched 3 days in a row, it seems that Roenicke is still intent on using Loe as the 8th inning man. I still don't understand why there needs to be a set role for each inning (except the 9th). Play the matchups, see who's been pitching well, see who's tired, etc. There are so many factors that should come into play; the inning should factor minimally. Even when Saito comes back, I don't think he should be used exclusively in the 8th because it could wear him out.

[Funketown]

"I thought it was going to be Estrada for a while."

 

It doesn't seem like Roenicke either (1) looks at the statistics or (2) watches baseball.

[rluzinski]

Did no one mention RR's explanation for the Hart batting 6th and not 5th?

[Ennder]

Gomez can bunt

No he cant, he is possibly the worst bunter I have ever seen in my life. All he does is try to bunt while already running to 1st and fouls the ball off/miss.

He used to be able to bunt, he seems to have somewhat lost the skill. He used to bunt for hits all the darn time for the Twins though.

[logan82]

The Brewers are just lucky that, in addition to Betancourt, they aren’t giving playing time to a guy like Kotsay.

*Sigh*

 

http://www.deviantart.com/download/122596334/Daniel__s_Facepalm_by_xAikaNoKurayami.jpg

[Funketown]

Does fangraphs have blue font? That almost has to be sarcasm, right?

[Raw Biz]

From Haudricourt:

Down, 6-2, entering the ninth, the Brewers threw a brief scare into the Rays by collecting three consecutive one-out hits and scoring a run off closer Kyle Farnsworth. With two down and two on, Roenicke opted to go with Mark Kotsay as the potential tying run instead of George Kottaras, who homered in both games he started since returning from the minors.

Mired in a 0-for-15 skid, Kotsay grounded out on the first pitch from Farnsworth to end the game.

“George was on deck,” said Roenicke. “It’s just which guy you want to hit first.”

Obviously, Roenicke wanted Kotsay to bat first but he never explained why.

Why wouldn't you want to use the guy who could tie the game first? I really don't understand Roenicke's thinking on this. And he most likely won't explain it. I would rather have had Lucroy just stay in over Kotsay.

Roenicke also continues to refuse to use Hawkins in a high-leverage situation. He didn't pitch yesterday and there's an off day tomorrow so saving his arm can't be an excuse. Dillard is a ROOGY (I would say even more so than Loe/DiFelice because of his side-arm delivery) and he came in to face 2 switch-hitters. I like Dillard against righties but that delivery just isn't deceptive against lefties. Some might blame Braun for his defense (I can't judge it since it wasn't on TV) but Dillard never should have been in.

Roenicke continues to make sometimes questionable (most of the time stupid) decisions and he continues to either dodge questions explaining his decisions or make up some excuse for what he did. He never acknowledges he may have made a mistake and he never owns up to mistakes. I know there's a little more than half the season yet but I still feel like our best chance to win would be with someone else managing (or at least someone else handling bullpen management, preferably someone who understands stats and splits).

[PrinceEatMeat]

I would like to know how much input Kranitz has on pitching decisions during games. Because it seriously might be partially him who is influencing Roenicke on certain decisions. Also, I think our bullpen will look a whole lot better when Saito and Braddock are back hopefully shortly. Then if Melvin can trade for a reliever it'll be hard to criticize the use of any pitcher. We'll have Ax closing, Saito as setup, and then have Loe, Hawkins, Braddock, and whoever we trade for to play matchups with. Mitre can be the long guy or innings eater.

[SenatorShriv]

I've stayed pretty quiet over the years when it comes to bashing managerial decisions but I no longer feel I can sit on the sidelines of the debate. RRR's lineup decisions have been atrocious. His bullpen managing is absolutely brutal as well. The bench is lacking in talent but the decisions regarding who is pinch hitting in situations has been completely mystifying.

 

He obviously has a much better relationship with the team than Macha ever did but right now that's one of the only bright spots I've been able to identify.

 

I would hope that Melvin can find a way to send him a signal at some point to remind him that they aren't afraid to change managers mid-season while in a playoff race. Maybe that will wake him up a bit.

[danzig6767]

From Haudricourt:

Down, 6-2, entering the ninth, the Brewers threw a brief scare into the Rays by collecting three consecutive one-out hits and scoring a run off closer Kyle Farnsworth. With two down and two on, Roenicke opted to go with Mark Kotsay as the potential tying run instead of George Kottaras, who homered in both games he started since returning from the minors.

Mired in a 0-for-15 skid, Kotsay grounded out on the first pitch from Farnsworth to end the game.

“George was on deck,” said Roenicke. “It’s just which guy you want to hit first.”

Obviously, Roenicke wanted Kotsay to bat first but he never explained why.

Why wouldn't you want to use the guy who could tie the game first? I really don't understand Roenicke's thinking on this. And he most likely won't explain it. I would rather have had Lucroy just stay in over Kotsay.

 

Roenicke was obviously a moron there for not using Kottaras instead of Kotsay (aka) lefthanded Jason Kendall, regardless of it being unlikely Kottaras would go yard.

 

That said, Melvin should also be getting some heat. It's Doug who foolishly signed Kotsay to a guaranteed contract and it's Doug who has refused to cut ties with the washed up Kotsay while Brandon Boggs has a .936 OPS in Nashville. If Melvin wouldn't be foolishly overvaluing experience yet again with his Kotsay signing, he wouldn't be in the dugout to tempt Ronny with his veteran grittiness.

[joepepsi]

Small sample size to be sure, but Lucroy has been a better hitter against righties this year than Kotsay. I would have understood Lucroy hitting with Kottaras on deck.

[brettac1]

I like the defensive shifts. Everything else, I don't care for. Can't stand his bullpen management, hate the idiotic steal attempts (like yesterday), hate playing for one run in the first inning of a tie game at home, etc. I think he's Yost Jr.

[logan82]

Yost didn't play much small ball. Other than the bullpen management and the players liking him, he is nothing like Yost.

[endaround]

Well every year Yost said he was going to play small ball. Then by May he realized that he really shouldn't play small ball with the team and that was that.