I'm pretty lukewarm on the guy myself, but as long as the Astros are winning, I'm not going to complain too much about him. I just can't understand these people who do nothing but pick apart his every move, even though this team has been playing very well so far this season. So, my question is, how good does this team have to be before all the haters give this guy a break?
I haven't had too many problems with Jimy this year. But here's a manager who led us in two straight non-playoff years, after coming off the best stretch of the Astros organization under Dierker. And there's no evidence that Jimy's a wiz in the playoffs either, seeing as how the Sox never got anywhere with him in the playoffs. Unless they trade for Carlos Beltran.
IM proud of the team right now... even Ensbergs coming around... now come on timmy, show em what your made of.
Holy crap that's a terrible poll. The issue isn't whether the team wins or loses - it's how it achieves compared to expected/reasonable results. Last year, I think he did such a terrible job that he'd have to do a truly excellent one this year for me to forgive him. Besides, as the Sox are my 2nd favorite team... I've got a huge grudge against him for some of his screw-ups over there. The team was expected to contend for a world series. The beginning has been promising. We'll see how it works out. Personally, I despise Jimy Williams - and have since his Boston days. He made many good decisions while in Boston - he made more bad decisions. he manages by instinct. Ultimately, he's a dying breed. The concern about managing and GMing being reduced to statistics is false - statistics can't teach someone how to hit or manage a young pitcher with a hanging curve ball. However, the best managers are those that combine an intimate knowledge of the game with a healthy knowledge of statistics. Jimy is not that man, and as such, will never be a very good manager in an era when the better ones are familiar with all of it.
Yes, the issue is whether the team wins or loses. The more the team wins this year, the more ridiculous the bashing becomes. Now certainly there are those that have legitimate beefs from his previous seasons, both with the Astros and the Red Sox, but you said it yourself, you hold a grudge against this guy. That means that you're probably not looking at what he does with a completely unbiased view. In fact, I think you've proved the need for the last choice in the poll. Maybe I could have worded it better by saying "...not based on this season's results." That's probably a more precise way to put it. And I think it's a completely valid poll. The question is, what does he have to accomplish before the bashers lay off? Is that not a fair question? If the team is 20 games over .500 and 5+ games in first place at the All-Star Break and people are still complaining about little things like having Ensberg bunt in the 4th inning, then they need to step back and look at the bigger picture. And I'm not saying he's above criticism right now. Certainly 8 games over .500 at this early juncture doesn't get him a pass.
Should have asked the same question of Dierker. Dierk would have gotten the same or better results out of this team as Jimy. Starting pitching is always the key. DD
I think Williams is definitely on the hot seat. Barring major injury problems, this team must make the playoffs with a good record (92+ wins) for Williams to be back next year. In addition, if he manages 'bad' in the playoffs and they are once again ousted in the first series, he'll be out of a job. The front-line players are performing fine and hopefully Ensberg's offense is starting to come around (although his defense has sucked recently). Pinch hitting is still a weak point and Vizcaino has been awful and Paleiro disappointing. It irks me that Williams will put in a .120 hitting Vizcaino to pinch hit solely because a right hander is pitching. I'd rather see Lane get the chance. For the most part Williams decison making this year has worked even when it did not make sense (e.g. he used Vizcaino in a double switch to play 3rd when Lamb was available - lo and behold, an inning or two later Lamb was available to pinch hit and got the game winner). Now if they can just get Oswalt turned around (2-4 in games he pitches).
Holy crap! You really don't get it. Your poll is critically flawed. It has to be, logically. Please take a close look. It is entirely possible for a team to win a significant # of games and a manager to do a poor job. Please acknowledge this obvious truth. Any given team, looking purely at the personnel, can be expected to win a # of games within a certain range. Generally speaking, I do not believe that managers are all that important. However, a manager does affect where a team will finish, within that range. If the Astros win quite a few games, but fail to achieve what they *should*, based on personnel, then the manager has most likely failed (obvious exceptions include injuries and plain "that's baseball" games). You can argue all day long about whether or not Williams is responsible for *relative* underachievement. However, you cannot argue that simply winning games is ever sufficient for a manager. The obvious example, that utterly kills your poll, would be a team that started a hall of famer... in fact, the greatest player ever to play the game at every position... and only won 100 games despite having no injuries. 100 wins is marvelous. Yet a team with the greatest player at every position would b e a complete and utter underachiever for only winning that # of games. Your poll is flawed. Sorry.
the "truth" is not what he's addressing, haven. my bet is he probably thought williams was a good manager before this season ever started. his poll goes to the criticism that jimy takes...it's titled, "when does the jimy-hating stop?" Not an objective, "he's doing a great job managing this season"....but when will people realize that? or get off his decision-making? the poll isn't illogical...the criticism in the face of a 20-11 start is.
Max, I don't think Dierk wants to get back into managing, and as for not being offered a job, I am sure the brain surgery has scared some people off. Jimy is a decent manager, but I thought Dierk was every bit as good, especially with pitchers. DD
Williams is just fun to hate. He asks for it. He can't help it. He doesn't give a rats tuccous anyway.
i heard him say on the radio that he did. and that he was disappointed when he wasn't contacted by the Red Sox, among others.
If the Astros win quite a few games, but fail to achieve what they *should*, based on personnel, then the manager has most likely failed (obvious exceptions include injuries and plain "that's baseball" games). Well, you know the personnel, so what should this team achieve, barring injuries?
