It’s ridiculous. The MLB Playoffs are a crap shoot. We play 162 games but let’s everyone in to see if they can win 4 of 7. I’m not a fan of expanded playoffs, and I think what we already had discounted who was really the best team. Aside from hockey, there’s no sport that discounts being the best team more than baseball does…and we’re gonna lean even more into that.
From stupid analysis, always. I was one of the people that said he should never have been hired. But however stupid Dusty may be, it pales in comparison to the stupidity and poor quality of the criticisms. I'm glad you finally spelled out so clearly in your responses to me just how shoddy your analysis is.
if this is the case, I’m 100 percent ok with Dusty managing in the playoffs. Possibly extending him for next year. His idiotic lineup and in game decisions in the regular season are annoying as hell, but if I’m assured that he can basically go take naps in the postseason, then I’m good.
As has been mentioned, this is not a new thing, and shouldn't be a surprise. We've done this since Luhnow, and have made no secret of it. Most other teams do some version of the same.
"in game decisions" is true to some extent. In dummy terms he's basically got a chart of "if now do this" (the amount of data these guys have in the dugout now, especially for a series against a single team, is mindblowing) but there's leeway involved wrt the bullpen, ph, etc.... Just like with Hinch and Luhnow, but more structured.
So winning a WS makes you a good manager? Heard of lightning in a bottle? There are alot of managers that bad in their careers, but won a WS. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1131276-25-worst-managers-to-win-a-world-series-championship Although there are some good managers on this list, it shows winning a WS doesn't make you a good manager.
I think it depends on the talent that they have. Baker has had a ton and never won a WS. Now there's no question mediocre managers have won. I certainly am not arguing that but Baker simply has underperformed. I like him as a person, just not a manager Now I like Lovie Smith and there's probably a lot of people who disagree
Dusty's lineups sometimes scratch my head. However, the goal is to win and, so far, he has done that. The season is a grind and the playoffs are too. I think in the past, the players have been either tired and/or banged up and unable to finish the job. This year, the players look fresher and playing very well. Whatever he has done has worked - best record in AL and a first rd bye. Roster is deep, rested, and playing well. This team looks to be in position to win it all and Dusty's player management is a big reason why.
Jayson Werth: In 2016, I started slow. More slow than usual. I was getting older, and if you don’t produce, you don’t really get second chances as an older player. Dusty called me in his office. … What he told me was: “If you don’t turn it around quickly, the owners, the front office, everybody — they’re ready to let you go. I’m the only one fighting for you.” Now whether that was true or not … Clint Robinson: He loved to call all the bench players into his office if we were having a bad homestand and he’d tell us … “I’ll tell you what, I’ve been talking to the front office and they want to get rid of all y’all. And I’m not going to let them do it.” I’m sitting there looking at Chris Heisey, and Chris is biting his lower lip trying not to laugh. Werth: It was sometime in mid May. He was like: “I told them to give you until June 15th. Now, if you don’t have it going by June 15th, we’ve gotta make a change. That’s fair.” I was like, “Fine, that’s fair. You guys f—ing release me and I’ll go sign with the Mets and kick your ass.” I walked out of there pissed. Lo and behold, end of May, I start playing good. That conversation got me going. … Sammy Solis: He is superstitious as f—. Bronson Arroyo: He’d bring sage into the locker rooms before the team was there on the road, and he’d burn it in the locker rooms to get out all of the bad spirits. … Joe Blanton: I heard stories that if he had a dream the night before about a situation and in the game a similar situation would come up, he would make a change based on that. Shawn Kelley: Every now and then Dusty would go with someone off the wall (out of the bullpen), and you’d be like, “What the….? I’m not sure I follow this one.” But we would make the joke: “I guess he dreamed that s— up last night!” He’d be the first to tell you. He’d be like: “I had this dream last night…” Blanton: And it would work. … Arroyo: Supposedly he’d have two black bags, and I always saw these two black bags and I never thought much of it. Somebody said in one of the bags he had a gas mask, iodine pills because he was a bit of a prepper. Just in case nuclear war breaks out, he needed these things. As a big-league manager, you’re worried about your food from this mom-and-pop place in San Fran, you’ve got this bag in case war breaks out, you’re thinking about Joey Votto, you’re thinking about Hank Aaron’s mother. He’s just so eclectic, it’s hard to put him in a category with anyone else. … Kelley: So I go in there and he’s like, “Shut the door and sit down.” He goes, “You know we’ve got the Cubs in here. You know I hate them motherf—ers. I was laying in bed last night and thinking: How are we going to beat these motherf—ing Cubs?” I’m like, “Skip, we’re better, come on, we’ve got this.” I’m trying to pump him up. He’s like: “I think I figured it out. I think we’ve got to out-Irish these motherf—ers.” I said, “Wait, what?” Robinson: You never knew what to expect. Kelley: He goes, “We’ve got to out-Irish these motherf—ers.” I said: “Out-Irish them?” And he goes: “Yeah, there are some Irish motherf—ers in Chicago, and we’ve got to out-Irish them. Name like Shawn Kelley, I figured you’re the most Irish motherf—er on this team, so you’re going to eat that Shepard’s Pie out there and we’re going to beat these motherf—ers.” Werth: It was so fun playing for that dude. Kelley: With Dusty, it’s borderline crazy, but there’s a method to it. Michael Wuertz: Just a brilliant mind. Solis: I wasn’t on his team for very long, but he left such an impact on me. It was just so much damn fun. Kelley: If anyone asks me who my favorite manager is, it’s no hesitation. Dusty Baker. Joey Votto: I love Dusty Baker. That’s the word to use — I love him.
I may have some issues with Dusty as a manager, but the dude is ****ing awesome. I would kill (figuratively) to have drinks and talk baseball with that guy. @MadMax
He makes in game decisions made upon dreams from the night before. Literally, that’s in the article. He’s the dude that hits on 15 when the dealer shows a 6 bc he’s got a feeling. That dudes probably more fun to play with than the nerd who calculates every situation and just employs optimal decision making strategies. End of the day, as long as he doesn’t have decision making power in the playoffs it doesn’t matter I guess, because JL built such a good team that small fractions of wins compounded over the course of 162 games don’t matter, because we are so much better than the competition.
He does the same thing in Texans forum.. just a FO lackey because he’s a fan of the team that can’t handle the coach or FO being incompetent because that is bad for his team. Would rather turn a blind eye and put on some rose colored glasses so it’s easier to be a fan. He backed up Bill Obrien until you literally couldn’t do it anymore and even Cal fired him. He’ll do the same with Dusty until he’s gone. The fact that the Astros are winning just gives him ammo to support the coach. “BOB won his divisions too, so he’s a good coach”… it’s all the same, just move on, you won’t change his mind.
