Shouldn't the best players play?

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  • dalnet22
    Banned
    • Jul 2004
    • 770

    #1

    Shouldn't the best players play?

    via Rotoworld:

    Phillies manager Charlie Manuel acknowledged that Domonic Brown could be sent back down to the minors when Shane Victorino is ready to return from the disabled list.

    Brown launched his first career home run and drove in four runs during Tuesday's loss to the Dodgers, but the skipper said he's not in favor of implementing an outfield rotation. "The only problem with that," said Manuel, "the people we signed, we pay them money and they're our regular players. That's like saying because a guy gets hurt he loses his job. I don't think that happens in baseball very much."

    --------------------------------------

    Now, I already disliked Manuel because of his All-Star embarrassment. And now, he's willing to risk his team's playoff chances in order to play the players who are getting paid the most?

    "That's like saying because a guy gets hurt he loses his job."

    No. It's like saying a player loses his job because someone else is performing at a higher level.

    The best players should be on the field. If you're getting paid, it's for past success, not for what you're doing right now. I don't care if you're making 20 million a year. If you're hitting worse than a rookie, you're sitting until you prove that you're better than him.

    Currently, Brown has a .637 OPS, which includes the home run last night. Manuel should demote him because Victorino has been playing better, not because it would upset one of the rich outfielders. These type of problems have prevailed in baseball, and it has cost many teams a chance at the World Series.
    Last edited by dalnet22; 08-11-2010, 09:29 AM.
  • Azamien
    MVP
    • Mar 2005
    • 1475

    #2
    Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

    All three regular OF (and Ben Francisco) have higher OPS than his .637, so I'm not sure where you're coming from here.

    .637 is pretty low for a corner outfielder.
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    • dalnet22
      Banned
      • Jul 2004
      • 770

      #3
      Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

      Originally posted by Azamien
      All three regular OF (and Ben Francisco) have higher OPS than his .637, so I'm not sure where you're coming from here.
      I'm coming from the stance that Manuel wants to demote Brown because he doesn't want to upset the rich outfielders rather than because Brown isn't playing well.

      Comment

      • Azamien
        MVP
        • Mar 2005
        • 1475

        #4
        Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

        Originally posted by dalnet22
        I'm coming from the stance that Manuel wants to demote Brown because he doesn't want to upset the rich outfielders rather than because Brown isn't playing well.
        What does the reason (given to the media) matter when it's the right move no matter how you slice it? You'd rather Manuel told the media, "The kid is playing like ****, so we're gonna send his *** out of here as soon as we can"?
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        • dalnet22
          Banned
          • Jul 2004
          • 770

          #5
          Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

          It's a general problem in baseball. Players are frequently in the lineup due to their hefty contract while a more productive, young player sits on the bench.

          Manuel's basically saying that if Brown was hitting well, he would sit the bench.

          Comment

          • SPTO
            binging
            • Feb 2003
            • 68046

            #6
            Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

            Well there's another aspect to this and it's quite simple. The longer you can keep a phenom in the minors the longer the team will have control of said player. Kyle Drabek should be up with the Jays right now but they want to keep him down for the entire year so they can control his rights longer.

            I've heard that Drabek is automatic to make the squad next spring though.
            Member of the Official OS Bills Backers Club

            "Baseball is the most important thing that doesn't matter at all" - Robert B. Parker

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            • rsox
              All Star
              • Feb 2003
              • 6309

              #7
              Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

              Money usually dictates who plays and who sits. in Brown's case it's not like he won't be called back up in a couple of weeks when the rosters expand.

              Brown will get his chance next year. Jayson Werth is going to seek a hefty contract and will probably not be back and would have probably been traded if not for the Victorino injury.

              Comment

              • philliesfan980
                MVP
                • Jul 2002
                • 1077

                #8
                Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

                I'm a huge Phillies fan, and a big supporter of their prospects, but I feel the best thing for Brown when Victorino comes back is to go back to LHV (AAA) and play every day until Sept 1.

                While he's going to be a great player, and is already a good player right now, he's not quite ready. He could use some fine tuning in his batting eye (only 1 walk so far), and needs a little bit of defensive work.

                As for your original point, I do agree that it's crap that a lot of managers have the "Well, these are the guys we pay, so we have to play them" mentality. As a guy who sat through a few seasons of Adam Eaton hell, I definitely think you should field the best 9 players at all times.

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                • imapotato
                  Banned
                  • Jun 2005
                  • 824

                  #9
                  Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

                  Two words

                  Guaranteed contracts

                  That is why Howard stayed in AAA while Thome wasted Philly Phans time

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                  • rsox
                    All Star
                    • Feb 2003
                    • 6309

                    #10
                    Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

                    Originally posted by imapotato
                    Two words

                    Guaranteed contracts

                    That is why Howard stayed in AAA while Thome wasted Philly Phans time
                    How did Thome waste time?. In his first 2 seasons in Philadelphia he hit 89 HR's and drove in 236 runs. While i'm sure Philly fans would have rather seen Howard (and are thankfull that the rumors about trading him to Oakland or Toronto never panned out) Thome wasn't a total bust.

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                    • Mr. Rad
                      Rookie
                      • Dec 2005
                      • 289

                      #11
                      Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

                      I wouldn't take a manager's explanation to the media of a situation like this at face value, necessarily.

                      However, players not losing jobs when they get injured is a popular stance throughout sports, and it's so that players aren't scared to let trainers and coaches know when they get banged up. Playing through injuries can lead to poor play and worsening the injury, so it is in a clubs best interest to encourage players to be honest.

                      No decision in MLB is just a baseball decision; if you want that go check out some amateur games. MLB is a business.

                      Brown has options so if he goes down he'll get some playing time and be back up in September unless I'm missing something.
                      RTTS: CL Antonio Ramos, drafted 1-4 by the Miami Marlins

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                      • philliesfan980
                        MVP
                        • Jul 2002
                        • 1077

                        #12
                        Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

                        A bit off topic, but the injury to Ross Gload probably keeps Brown around.

                        Comment

                        • dalnet22
                          Banned
                          • Jul 2004
                          • 770

                          #13
                          Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

                          Originally posted by philliesfan980
                          A bit off topic, but the injury to Ross Gload probably keeps Brown around.
                          Wouldn't it be better to send him to Triple A where he can play every day?

                          Comment

                          • imapotato
                            Banned
                            • Jun 2005
                            • 824

                            #14
                            Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

                            Originally posted by rsox
                            How did Thome waste time?. In his first 2 seasons in Philadelphia he hit 89 HR's and drove in 236 runs. While i'm sure Philly fans would have rather seen Howard (and are thankfull that the rumors about trading him to Oakland or Toronto never panned out) Thome wasn't a total bust.
                            Well he was a bust as you described...he blocked a better, younger talent.

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                            • rsox
                              All Star
                              • Feb 2003
                              • 6309

                              #15
                              Re: Shouldn't the best players play?

                              Originally posted by imapotato
                              Well he was a bust as you described...he blocked a better, younger talent.
                              But you have to admit the Phillies got two pretty good years of production.

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