NL Manager of the year

[Patrick425]

I know that all the post season awards have actually already been voted on and do not take the playoffs into account. However, if we assume that Gibson and Roenicke are going to be the top vote getters, based on the two games in this series so far, Roenicke wins it hands down.

 

I really don't understands Gibson's thinking so far in this series. First, the pitching to Fielder thing on Saturday. Then sticking with Ziegler for so long yesterday. I didn't get that at all. The guy comes in, he balks, and then he walks Yuni, of all people, on 4 straight pitches. He clearly was rattled. He should have immediately taken him out then, but he had no one warming up from what I could tell. Then the squeeze play where Ziegler throws it away. He still doesn't take him out and instead leaves him in there to get battered.

 

It was a 4-4 game. I just can not understand the patience he had with Ziegler at all.

[fondybrewfan]

Like I said in the game thread; I sure hope Gibson has just soiled himself in these playoffs and didn't manage like this the entire year. Dbacks have been a great story this year but both the team and the manager appear to be way over their heads so far in these playoffs.

 

RR has managed beautifully in these first two games. In hindsight maybe Grienke should have just gone in Game #3 but there was very solid logic behind giving him the ball yesterday. Hairston has paid huge dividends and he got the huge rally started yesterday with the perfectly executed squeeze. He is pushing all the right buttons right now.

 

Hopefully his next problem is making sure the team stays ready after a 4-5 day layoff.

[FVBrewerFan]

I agree with all that. In fact, I even support his decision to go with Greinke. His issues were not related to pitching on 3 days rest, his problems were caused by too many fastballs down the middle. And he's done that plenty all year. The difference is, you can get away with that vs teams like the Astros and Pirates. Upton? Not so much.

 

Gibson seems to be managing like this is an April series. Giving pitchers a chance to "pich out of trouble," pitching to Fielder with a base open. Not being real careful pitching to Braun, etc. RR, to his credit, is treating every game like the last game of the year0 which is the way to approach post-season. In a 9-4 game he had KRod up in the 7th when Hawkins was struggling. That was great to see, along with finally realizing he needs to sit McGehee. I'm sure that wasn't easy for him, but again, it tells me he's throwing everything out the window and trying his best to win the game that day and worry about tomorrow...tomorrow.

[jhart05]

Gibson looks completely lost on what moves to make and when to make them.

 

RR is outmanaging him at every turn. Course it sure makes you look better when your stars are performing like they are right now.

 

I don't think Greinke did that bad yesterday or the 3-days rest had much effect on him at all. It was the right move putting him out there. Especially since Gallardo went 8 the day before and you only had to use Axford.

[liveforoctober]

I agree with all so far. I thought the squeeze was an awesome call. Giving Greinke the ball and only asking/needing 5 out of him at home (even with the Upton hiccup) was ok with me too.

 

As far as Gibson, I couldn't understand why he intentionally walked Kotsay. He had the top of the order up after Mark and I know he was making a force out around the bases but bring in a lefty and you have a good chance against the worst hitter out of the next 6 that were going to bat. The DBacks had a chance to minimize the damage in that inning and failed big time.

[Thurston Fluff]

It goes to show post season and regular season management are two different things. I guess we can put to rest the idea that RRR's moves will doom us in the playoffs. He seems to get the difference between the two. Better than Gibson anyway.

[FVBrewerFan]

Back to the Kotsay IBB, why not bring in a lefty to pitch to Kotsay? Get a K, or at least force RR to burn another PH. Then you can IBB Hart, and now you're back to LHP vs Plush- so once again you either have the favorable match-up or force RR to burn another PH. Just waiting for RR to have that "gut feeling" to start McGehee any day now...hopefully he sticks to his head not his gut.

[jeffy]

In a 9-4 game he had KRod up in the 7th when Hawkins was struggling. That was great to see...

 

Was he? I didn't catch that and was saying, "it's the playoffs, get someone up...no reason why K-rod can't go 2".

 

In the playoffs we may even see some long-term benefit from some of the stuff that RR did during the year, like bunting too much. That has maybe developed greater comfort and skill in bunting, which may be useful when playing only against top pitchers in the playoffs...also he hopefully now knows, never give Yuni a bunt sign.

 

As an aside, after seeing Yuni's one miserable attempt at bunting, I wondered if he had intentionally "missed" the sign a couple other times when baserunner(s) seemed to maybe have been expecting a bunt with him at bat.

[markedman5]

Not to bring up a negative subject....but did you see the masterpiece that Larussa painted last night?

 

Used his whole pen to give his team a chance to win a game that had to be won.

 

I don't like the guy either but considering the injuries that they had he should be in the running for MOY for getting them to the playoffs.

[1992casey]

Yeah, like him or not, Tony's definitely a Manager of the Year candidate based on championship season results.

 

His habit of burning the bullpen would get me nervous if I were a Cards fan. But it worked last night.

[fondybrewfan]

However if the Philles had somehow tied it the Cards would have been screwed in extra innings. They basically had no one left. I will be very interested to see how the rest of that series goes. I think the Phils still eventually win but the Cards are going to make it tough on them. The Cards are so hot right now; I wouldn't be very confident in beating them 4 out of 7 right now in the NLCS even with homefield advantage.

[sargennm]

Not to bring up a negative subject....but did you see the masterpiece that Larussa painted last night?

 

Used his whole pen to give his team a chance to win a game that had to be won.

 

I don't like the guy either but considering the injuries that they had he should be in the running for MOY for getting them to the playoffs.

Funny you say that. In STL fans and media killed him all year for his Johnny Wholestaff act. This is probably the first time it worked our for him. Good luck the rest of the way with that approach. I think they got pretty lucky in that game.

[Ennder]

Usually Manager of the Year goes to the team who has the most overachieving players on it. Seems like almost every year it is some surprise team that falls apart the next year and half the time the manager is fired within 3 or 4 years.

[Glennron]

Back to the Kotsay IBB, why not bring in a lefty to pitch to Kotsay? Get a K, or at least force RR to burn another PH. Then you can IBB Hart, and now you're back to LHP vs Plush- so once again you either have the favorable match-up or force RR to burn another PH. Just waiting for RR to have that "gut feeling" to start McGehee any day now...hopefully he sticks to his head not his gut.

Throughout his career, righties are hitting .219/.271/.268 off Ziegler, and lefties .324/.423/.476/.899. Not saying I agree with the call to IBB Kotsay but I at least understand the logic. However, after Hart roped one and you had Morgan coming up, I have no idea why you'd keep him in.

[endaround]

Back to the Kotsay IBB, why not bring in a lefty to pitch to Kotsay? Get a K, or at least force RR to burn another PH. Then you can IBB Hart, and now you're back to LHP vs Plush- so once again you either have the favorable match-up or force RR to burn another PH. Just waiting for RR to have that "gut feeling" to start McGehee any day now...hopefully he sticks to his head not his gut.

They only have one lefty reliever, Paterson and so wanted to save him for Fielder. Loading the bases via walk is always bad idea, since it forces the pitcher to throw strikes and hitters have a huge advantage. Kotsay isn't that good of a hitter. Not wanting Ziegler to face him makes sense, not brining in another pitcher there doesn't.

Also why you didn't have the wheel play on with Lucroy and the obvious squeeze, or at least order a pitch out (with Yuni on 1B even) I don't get.

[markedman5]

"They only have one lefty reliever, Paterson and so wanted to save him for Fielder"

 

If Fielder bats in that inning the game is already over.

 

I understand they didn't want to burn their lefty in the 6th but the game dictated it. IMO

 

I suppose he could have been worried about bringing in the lefty and then having RR go to Casey but if your Gibson aren't you ok with that matchup with the way CM has been swinging it?

[brwrsfan]

Not to bring up a negative subject....but did you see the masterpiece that Larussa painted last night?

 

Used his whole pen to give his team a chance to win a game that had to be won.

 

I don't like the guy either but considering the injuries that they had he should be in the running for MOY for getting them to the playoffs.

It worked last night, but as others had mentioned, had Philly managed to tie it, the Cardinals only had ONE guy left in the pen. It was a long man, but still. He looks great because it happened to work but if they had failed, he would have looked like a donkey.

 

 

[Baldkin]

Not to bring up a negative subject....but did you see the masterpiece that Larussa painted last night?

 

Used his whole pen to give his team a chance to win a game that had to be won.

 

I don't like the guy either but considering the injuries that they had he should be in the running for MOY for getting them to the playoffs.

It worked last night, but as others had mentioned, had Philly managed to tie it, the Cardinals only had ONE guy left in the pen. It was a long man, but still. He looks great because it happened to work but if they had failed, he would have looked like a donkey.

If they don't come back, after their starter gave up 4 runs, they are down 0-2 and the series is all but over. There are times to manage for 1 game, and that was definitely one of them.

[jjfanec]

Not to bring up a negative subject....but did you see the masterpiece that Larussa painted last night?

How about the his management so far tonight? He intentionally walks Carlos Ruiz to put 2 on and pinch-hitter Ben Fransisco hits a 3-run shot. Why walk Ruiz? Hamel's spot was up next but he had thrown 117 pitches. Ruiz is probably Philly's worst hitter

[Team Canada]

I think it was Neyer who put up a post saying that while the latter half of the game was brilliantly managed by TLR, he put himself in that position in the first place by starting Carpenter on 3 days rest when a perfectly rested Garcia was available.