Like I said I'm no apologist for the guy. I don't think he's done a nearly good enough job this year. The thing is, the rule changes have made it easier rather than harder to manage a baseball game. There's still moves to be made in a game but compared to years ago I feel the in-game job has really been dumbed-down. I feel it's taken some areas where he & his team had an edge & castrated those edges. But even more than in-game decisions, and believe me I've had many bones to pick with him this year, I think a lot of his failures come from the teams' mindset, the day-to-day preparedness. What they do on a given day to win, that day. They had their heads in the toilet for a full week after the trade deadline, and it's seemed to set a tone. That's the players' fault, but I think it's his as well.
Your biology teacher sounds like a smart guy?. But regarding in-game decisions I think in many ways the game has devolved rather than evolved.