Has Garner Earned it?

[LongTimeFan]

In your opinion, has Garner earned the right to coach this team next year?

He started off at .500 and he's now 16 games over.

[Glish21]

i just don't see how they could not bring him back after the turn around they've seen under him

[MadMax]

yes.

[shawn786]

No Doubter

[JPM0016]

Damn right he has

[leroy420]

If he wants it, it should be his.

[Groogrux]

I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong (probably because I've had 28 years of practice), and I have to admit once again that I was very wrong.

Bring him back.

[Creepy Crawl]

absolutely !

[DaDakota]

Originally posted by Rocketman95
I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong (probably because I've had 28 years of practice), and I have to admit once again that I was very wrong.

Bring him back.

I have 40 years of practice, but I liked him all along.

:)

DD

[bigballerj]

If you can take a group of underachievers and turn it around and possible make the postseason, the job is his (unless he doesn't want it)

[JBIIRockets]

As far as Garner "earning" next year, absolutely.

But if this team opts to go the rebuilding route, I dont think Garner would be the best fit because he's had chances to rebuild the Brewers and Tigers and he couldn't get it done. I'm not sold on him developing players.

Now if the Astros resign Beltran and keep their good pitchers and decide to go for the playoffs next year, then I am all for Garner. Garner is an effective coach with veteran-led teams.

[redgoose]

I'd give him a 2 year contract. Nothing more.

[Jebus]

I'd like it if whomever voted no would explain why..

[xiki]

Of course.

Now the question is what kind of team would he want, and what would he be handed for '05.

[Mack]

A few days ago I heard Milo Hamilton relay something he heard from Phil Garner. Apparently he noticed that the outfielders take an indirect route (semi-circles) to catch fly balls, and Garner said that was something he wanted to work on in spring training. That comment did not escape Alan Ashby unnoticed, and they talked about it a little. At the very least, it seems Garner is considering returning.

[Puedlfor]

Lets see if he can keep this intensity from Spring Training on first.

A one year deal, with an option for three more at the end of the year.

[meh]

I'd give him a one-year deal, at most.

Interim success hardly correlates to long-term success. Players might respond to a managerial change for half a season, but you never know long term wise. If for some reason we have a shot at a better candidates in the offseason, I wouldn't mind giving Garner the boot.

[rezdawg]

He turned this season into a fun one for me...Keep him.

[Another Brother]

He always sounds so upbeat and realistic, a far cry from Jimy or Larry.

I wanted Baylor but Garner has won me over.

[edc]

Originally posted by Another Brother
He always sounds so upbeat and realistic, a far cry from Jimy or Larry.

I wanted Baylor but Garner has won me over.

Upbeat, yes. Garner is an optimist.
IMHO, Dierker was just as much, if not more realistic.

Jimy? Well, he might as well have been Jeff Van Gundy.

[ROCKSS]

Yes

[JPM0016]

I'd like to hear from one of the 5 people who voted no as to why

[JPM0016]

Originally posted by JPM0016
I'd like to hear from one of the 5 people who voted no as to why

Can't type today. I'd like to hear from one of the 5 people who voted No.

[SwoLy-D]

Yes. If they don't make it to the playoffs, he turned the bats around and took the blindfold off the batters.

[MadMax]

Originally posted by SwoLy-D
Yes. If they don't make it to the playoffs, he turned the bats around and took the blindfold off the batters.

no offense to you swoly...but because i don't believe and can't understand the assertion that a coach turned the bats of seasoned veterans around in a 2 - 4 week span, i do not buy into the genuis of coaches on the major league level. the whole larussa is a genuis...dusty baker is the next buddha..and felipe alou is einstein's skinnier twin stuff is just beyond me.

[Buck Turgidson]

But Max, remember how Don Baylor fixed that "easily correctable flaw" in Hidalgo's swing just days after Richard joined the Mets?

That *is* what happened, right?

[MadMax]

Originally posted by Buck Turgidson
But Max, remember how Don Baylor fixed that "easily correctable flaw" in Hidalgo's swing just days after Richard joined the Mets?

That *is* what happened, right?

oh, yeah...i forgot about that. hidalgo is now a slam-dunk winner of the MVP award, i think.

coaching is so overrated in baseball. so overrated. it's truly a "game of inches." guys fall into slumps that are unexplainable...and guys go on tears that are unexplainable.

[redgoose]

I voted on keeping him.

But i just realized Tony LaRussa is a free agent. I think he could be an interesting fit here. The guy has strived everywhere he has been. He's done wonders with the Cardinals this year. Everyone and their mom had the Astros and Cubs light years ahead of the Cubs coming into the season.

[Uprising]

I want to see Scrappy in an Astros jersey next season.

[edc]

Originally posted by redgoose
But i just realized Tony LaRussa is a free agent.

LaRussa is not leaving Saint Louis. He has been offered an extension, and the only reason he didn't sign it is he wanted to set an example (ie: I'm not thinking about contracts, and neither should you!) for the players.

[DaDakota]

Max,

True coaching is overated, but the Astros had no vocal leader, someone who kept the team lose and got them excited.

Many teams have players like that, the Astros leaders are mostly low key.

Garner's enthusiasm had EVERYTHING to do with turning this season around.

That, and getting rid of David Weathers.

DD

[Uprising]

Yeah that is true, but things sure have changed since Scrappy took over. I mean, the team seems a lot more aggressive. We have so many stolen bases this half of the season since Garner took over. And the double steals! I almost crapped my pants when the first Beltran Bagwell double steal took place, and then again in the same freakin game.

This team has a heartbeat again, and is more fun to watch. I also love the attitude Garner has for the game. Garner jumps up and down for HRs, and throws his fist in the air, lets' out yells, and slaps high fives with the other coachs. He is more open with the media too, which helps since I love to hear what the manager has to say.

[meh]

Originally posted by MadMax
guys fall into slumps that are unexplainable...and guys go on tears that are unexplainable.

Those are probably explained by simple randomness. Flip a fair coin 600 times(good amount of at bats for a hitter in a season), and you'll see long stretches of heads and tails. And this is the equivalent of a .500 hitter, when even most great hitters tend to only suceed about 40%(using OBP rather than BA).

[MadMax]

Originally posted by DaDakota
Max,

True coaching is overated, but the Astros had no vocal leader, someone who kept the team lose and got them excited.

Many teams have players like that, the Astros leaders are mostly low key.

Garner's enthusiasm had EVERYTHING to do with turning this season around.

That, and getting rid of David Weathers.

DD

you'll be shocked to know i disagree with you. i'm not saying it wasn't a help..wasn't a factor. but i don't think you go on a 12 game winning streak, as a veteran professional, and start hitting lights out when you couldn't score runs at all previously, simply because your coach is enthusiastic.