2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

[cardinalbird5]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

How can you fire a guy that got you to the only World Series in Rangers history. Let alone two. The Rangers have never been more relevant then under Washington. Does that not hold any weight?

I don't watch Texas consistently to know the real answer, but he makes some questionable moves.

I am pretty sure you put an average joe with those Rangers teams from a few years back and he could take them to the WS too. Their lineup was stacked and Lee carried them.

[Ed26]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

yeah, but they reached the WS because of their players, not because of the great job done by Washington. Any manager could've taken the rangers back-to-back to the WS. They had a very potent team.

[snepp]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I think they've done their winning despite Washington.

[DamnYanks2]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I can understand that. I just felt like Washington had to get some credit. Hell, I never watch Ranger games, unless they are on tv, and even I was questioning him going to the bullpen so early.

I do the same thing with Girardi. We got a championship under him, but our team was stacked that year anyway. Girardi's use of the bullpen makes me scream. I can't even believe Joba was still an option.

[cardinalbird5]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I have always felt that you truly see how a good manager is when they have little to no talent or they are facing tons of adversity.

Girardi IMO is up there with Francona and Madden for manager of the year. I've never seen a team go through so many roller coasters than what I witnessed with the Yankees this year. Not only did he manage the media well, but he kept his team in playoff contention until the last week. It was remarkable they were even competing the first half.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I have always felt that you truly see how a good manager is when they have little to no talent or they are facing tons of adversity.

Girardi IMO is up there with Francona and Madden for manager of the year. I've never seen a team go through so many roller coasters than what I witnessed with the Yankees this year. Not only did he manage the media well, but he kept his team in playoff contention until the last week. It was remarkable they were even competing the first half.

That's all well and good, but I think all things considered, Francona should run away with that award and for good reason.

[DamnYanks2]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I have always felt that you truly see how a good manager is when they have little to no talent or they are facing tons of adversity.

Girardi IMO is up there with Francona and Madden for manager of the year. I've never seen a team go through so many roller coasters than what I witnessed with the Yankees this year. Not only did he manage the media well, but he kept his team in playoff contention until the last week. It was remarkable they were even competing the first half.

The only reason the Yankees made it as far as they did is because the piching held it down till the starters came back. They finally got a jolt in the lineup, and Soriano came in and was an unforeseen godsend.

Joe can't manage a bullpen at all. That's my biggest critique of his managing. The fact he was still trotting Joba out there in key situations made me want to throw a tantrum.

He has really cost us in the playoffs with his bullpen treatment.

[DamnYanks2]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

That's all well and good, but I think all things considered, Francona should run away with that award and for good reason.

Absolutely positively correct, I said it another thread Francona may go down as one of the best managers ever. I really like him.

[SPTO]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I think they've done their winning despite Washington.

As I said a while ago on here. Washington is the Dusty Baker of the AL. They're slightly different in their approach but they both make some moves that make you go WTF?!

[DrJones]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

That's all well and good, but I think all things considered, Francona should run away with that award and for good reason.

Dunno who "should" win. But Farrell will. Indians getting a WC is less of a surprise (to me, anyway) than the Red Sox having the best record in the AL.

[DrJones]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

As I said a while ago on here. Washington is the Dusty Baker of the AL. They're slightly different in their approach but they both make some moves that make you go WTF?!

That's how baseball go.

[DrJones]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I don't doubt the value of Ron Washington's and Dusty Baker's leadership, BTW. Managing personalities/egos, working individually with players, keeping the team confident/loose/disciplined, etc. I met Dusty once, and he's a very charismatic dude. I can certainly imagine players wanting to go through a wall for him.

But they stink at lineup construction and in-game tactics. I don't see why a savvy bench coach or pitching coach, for example, couldn't be delegated with making certain in-game calls, other than "that's not the way things are done".

[DamnYanks2]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I don't doubt the value of Ron Washington's and Dusty Baker's leadership, BTW. Managing personalities/egos, working individually with players, keeping the team confident/loose/disciplined, etc. I met Dusty once, and he's a very charismatic dude. I can certainly imagine players wanting to go through a wall for him.

But they stink at lineup construction and in-game tactics. I don't see why a savvy bench coach or pitching coach, for example, couldn't be delegated with making certain in-game calls, other than "that's not the way things are done".

I've always wondered how that affects the team too, there's no statistic for it. But I do know that the players love Washington and Baker. If the Rangers fire Washington, does that affect the chemistry of the team so much that it could hurt their overall play? Would some guys not be as motivated, especially if the new coach is not their favorite?

I don't know, I have no doubt those guys do good things for the morale of their ballclub, but they also don't have the greatest grasp on managing the game. So maybe it evens out in the long run.

[cardinalbird5]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

I don't really buy them bonding teams and building team chemistry in baseball. I mean they play 162 games with one another, not including spring training and postseason, for 6 months. I would think the players eventually start bonding on their own.

But is there a "bad" team that has good team chemistry? It seems to me that when teams win they have good "team chemistry", but when they are losing it is not there. I don't think you can have it both ways. Did the Giants all of a sudden start hating one another this year? Did they lose because of a lack of team chemistry? This is one big reason why people say they won the WS last year. I am thinking they had a down year for players like Sandoval and Cain not performing to par more than anything.

When teams are winning it is easy to say they get along and everyone is happy, so yeah of course they are labeled as having good team chemistry. But obviously there are teams out there that have no chance to make the postseason with the rosters they put out before the season even starts, but why can't a group of these players have good team chemistry? I think it is irrelevant for baseball.

Don't get me wrong...I am sure it does help playing for someone you like and trust, but I would think in game tactics affect your wins/losses moreso than being a nice guy.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: 2013 Tiebreaker/Play-In Games Thread

Dunno who "should" win. But Farrell will. Indians getting a WC is less of a surprise (to me, anyway) than the Red Sox having the best record in the AL.

Going from 94 losses to 92 wins...I dunno...seems to be more impressive, considering the Indians have half the payroll.

But I understand Farrell will win. I'm not going to deny that. Just saying Francona probably SHOULD win it.