2011-05-28 Giants (Sanchez) at Brewers (Wolf) - [Brewers win, 3-2, Lucroy walk-off squeeze]

[rluzinski]

You know how it is, if you don't touch it, it's not an error.

"Kotsay only played because of injuries. Part of being liked in the clubhouse and having players want to play for you is rewarding guys for doing what you want them to do. Gomez did what RR wanted him to do in Spring Training, and he was rewarded by batting in the 2 spot. When the results didn't follow, and his approach changed, he was moved down in the order/was benched. Kotsay played over Morgan during the first couple of weeks because Kotsay was with the club all Spring and Morgan joined the team a day or to before the season. It makes sense that Kotsay would get playing time over Morgan early in order to develop a good team atmosphere. It's not like the discrepancy between them was so great as to make much of a difference for a couple of games anyway. Now that Morgan has paid his dues and his healthy, I don't think you'll see Kotsay in center again."

I'd rather RR just play the best players and so would a lot of other people.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

What happened on Gomez's inside-the-park-HR? Gameday says it went through the hole at second base. Huh?

He hit in hard the opposite way down the first base line. It got up against the wall and Ross misplayed it...jumped over his glove and rolled to wall. Gomez flew easily around the bases and ended with a somewhat unnecessary head first slide. Very exciting.

[Funketown]

Just saw the highlight. I'm so clumsy I could probably go 20 seasons without making a single error.

[theavrock]

Like Gomez hitting 2nd or Kotsay starting as much as he has or Loe being trotted out there all the dang time until his arm falls off in August?

I get what you're saying. People should wait for more info, but what in Ron's track record has shown that his decisions have reason.

 

If he was making the right call more often we would probably cut him more slack.

 

Kotsay only played because of injuries. Part of being liked in the clubhouse and having players want to play for you is rewarding guys for doing what you want them to do. Gomez did what RR wanted him to do in Spring Training, and he was rewarded by batting in the 2 spot. When the results didn't follow, and his approach changed, he was moved down in the order/was benched. Kotsay played over Morgan during the first couple of weeks because Kotsay was with the club all Spring and Morgan joined the team a day or to before the season. It makes sense that Kotsay would get playing time over Morgan early in order to develop a good team atmosphere. It's not like the discrepancy between them was so great as to make much of a difference for a couple of games anyway. Now that Morgan has paid his dues and his healthy, I don't think you'll see Kotsay in center again.

If you are ok with the moves RRR has made and call them logical good on ya. Difference of opinions I guess.

[MVP2110]

I'd rather RR just play the best players and so would a lot of other people.

I would to, but when Morgan was out who else should have started in center? Boggs and his sub .200 avg? Kotsay isn't great but he is an ok bench player that can start when you need him to. Preferably Kotsay would just be a pinch hitter and never play the field but when Hart was down and Morgan was down he was our next best outfielder IMHO

[Baldkin]

I'd rather RR just play the best players and so would a lot of other people.

I would to, but when Morgan was out who else should have started in center? Boggs and his sub .200 avg?

Yes, Defense matters too. Kotsay runs slower than.... well... maybe anyone on the team, other than McGehee. I don't know why Boggs wasn't a viable option in CF.

[Oxy]

If you are ok with the moves RRR has made and call them logical good on ya. Difference of opinions I guess.

I don't think he's been perfect. I don't think I would've played Kotsay in center, but with how bad Gomez was looking at the plate, I don't think it was a big deal. I end up looking like an apologist on this site because I often try to reign in the extremism that tends to rule these parts.

[theavrock]

I'd rather RR just play the best players and so would a lot of other people.

I would to, but when Morgan was out who else should have started in center? Boggs and his sub .200 avg? Kotsay isn't great but he is an ok bench player that can start when you need him to. Preferably Kotsay would just be a pinch hitter and never play the field but when Hart was down and Morgan was down he was our next best outfielder IMHO

Yes

[Oxy]

That was a very strategic AB by Nieves, swinging at strike 3 on a likely WP/PB. He thought it might be the best chance at him getting on base.

[MVP2110]

I'd rather RR just play the best players and so would a lot of other people.

I would to, but when Morgan was out who else should have started in center? Boggs and his sub .200 avg?

Yes, Defense matters too. Kotsay runs slower than.... well... maybe anyone on the team, other than McGehee. I don't know why Boggs wasn't a viable option in CF.

Boggs is a corner outfielder. Just cause he has more speed than Kotsay doesn't mean he can play center better. Id say their D is a push as Kotsay makes all the routine plays. Kotsay's bat is what gave him the edge.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

McCalvy mentioned the scorer called it a homer because he couldn't see what happened. They had a replay on MLB, but only showed it once.

 

By the way, anyone complaining about Brian and Bill should listen to this snoozefest from the Bay Area guys. Yawwwwwnnnnnn....

[theavrock]

Boggs is a corner outfielder. Just cause he has more speed than Kotsay doesn't mean he can play center better. Id say their D is a push as Kotsay makes all the routine plays. Kotsay's bat is what gave him the edge.

Actually Boggs has played more CF in the minors than any other position.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=boggs-001bra

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Wolf = 3 innings, 31 pitches...he's cruising, but so was Marcum through 5 last night.

 

Need some runs.

[justwinbb]

This lineup thing makes me want too puke. Im getting the feeling that RR isnt any better than Macha. Macha would have won last year with the starting pitching we have now.

[azcheesehead]

Just reading through the IGT and it seems like the sky is falling. I'm with you Oxy. RRR has not been perfect, but he also isn't nearly as bad as some of you make him out to be. Coming from a high school baseball coach, some on here seem like "that dad" that is always yelling about something. Most of his moves this year have been totally fine. He is pretty sound with his lineup, he uses the bullpen well (yes including Loe) and they have won what 13 of 17???

[ilovebeer]

wow on the roster would u have play insted?

[derflotr]

You don't see too many pitchers stand right on home plate like Wolf. Sanchez didn't like it, haha.

[MVP2110]

Boggs is a corner outfielder. Just cause he has more speed than Kotsay doesn't mean he can play center better. Id say their D is a push as Kotsay makes all the routine plays. Kotsay's bat is what gave him the edge.

Actually Boggs has played more CF in the minors than any other position.

If that's true than I'll admit I was wrong in that regard. I've really only ever seen him play the corners. I still say Kotsay's bat was superior to Boggs' bat and I think people over estimate how much of an impact it actually had on games.

[theavrock]

If that's true than I'll admit I was wrong in that regard. I've really only ever seen him play the corners. I still say Kotsay's bat was superior to Boggs' bat and I think people over estimate how much of an impact it actually had on games.

In those games it didn't impact them much.

Decisions should be based on the highest probability of success in all situations. Just because it didn't have much impact doesn't mean that was the move that he should have made.

Lets say RRR bats Wolf in a key late game situation with Hart on the bench and Wolf hits a home run to win the game. Move worked but I would still call RRR an idiot for doing. I understand this is an extreme example but the principle of it is what I am getting at.

 

[MVP2110]

As for today's actual game. Wolf is throwing a gem so far, so hopefully he keeps it up. Our lineup has been lackluster so hopefully it turns around.

[Baldkin]

Kotsay has a .640 OPS. Boggs' is .746.

Boggs has hit better so far this year, and he's been amazingly unlucky (.111 babip).

 

He also predicts to hit better than Kotsay the rest of the season.

[Ennder]

justwinbb]This lineup thing makes me want too puke. Im getting the feeling that RR isnt any better than Macha. Macha would have won last year with the starting pitching we have now.

What lineup should he have vs a LHP with Hart out? Seems like the only change that would make any sense is Betancourt 2nd instead of Gomez but that doesn't seem like a huge improvement. Kotsay isn't an improvement vs a LHP, Wilson likely lisn't, Counsell certainly isn't. If we have a problem with today's lineup it is a flawed roster.

[MVP2110]

If that's true than I'll admit I was wrong in that regard. I've really only ever seen him play the corners. I still say Kotsay's bat was superior to Boggs' bat and I think people over estimate how much of an impact it actually had on games.

In those games it didn't impact them much.

Decisions should be based on the highest probability of success in all situations. Just because it didn't have much impact doesn't mean that was the move that he should have made.

Lets say RRR bats Wolf in a key late game situation with Hart on the bench and Wolf hits a home run to win the game. Move worked but I would still call RRR an idiot for doing. I understand this is an extreme example but the principle of it is what I am getting at.

 

I get what you are saying but what I meant when I said impact was that either way the decision wasn't going to change the game much. Granted, he may or may not have made the right decision but it hardly makes him an idiot for that and all these people already don't like him cause of a few small decisions even though the team itself is in the race despite having all those beginning of the year injuries I think is more of a testament to RRR. The players could have folded or simply just not believed they would win but RRR they seem to come out much more motivated and excited to play and THEY believe they will win.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

justwinbb]This lineup thing makes me want too puke. Im getting the feeling that RR isnt any better than Macha. Macha would have won last year with the starting pitching we have now.

While there are certainly valid criticisms of RR (I have many myself that are in the RR thread), if Hart can't play today and Lucroy needs a day off per week, this is probably the optimal lineup for the day.

Duane Kuiper from Racine and grew up on a farm, talking about it briefly on broadcast. Showing his Dad in the stands.

[theavrock]

MVP2110 wrote:

I get what you are saying but what I meant when I said impact was that either way the decision wasn't going to change the game much. Granted, he may or may not have made the right decision but it hardly makes him an idiot for that and all these people already don't like him cause of a few small decisions even though the team itself is in the race despite having all those beginning of the year injuries I think is more of a testament to RRR. The players could have folded or simply just not believed they would win but RRR they seem to come out much more motivated and excited to play and THEY believe they will win.

In that game correct it didn't and wouldn't make much of an impact, but over the course of a 162 game season it can make an impact. If you play that same situation out 162 times and make the right call more often than not that could be a difference of a win or two and vice versa.

Someone more tuned in to the stats community could probably help me out with the impact of a manager, but the point is that these decisions add up over the course of an entire season.

The more often the manager makes the right moves to maximize the teams personnel will help and the more often he makes the opposite decisions will more negatively impact the team.