Gimme a Name, Just One Name

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I get that the Phillies are punishing everyone except for Joe. Heads rolling all over

[Edgy MD]

Organizations turn into hot messes when Bryce Harper suits up for them.

[DocTee]

How about....Jose Oquendo?



Mets pedigree, perennial and well-respected Cardinals coach. Managed PR WBC team: no room for him to advance in St. Louis, apparently.



I'd kick the tires, at least.

[Edgy MD]

Longtime occupant of my short list.



Or my http://phpbb3.leaptoad.com/mets/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30792&hilit=oquendo#p78984medium-length list, at least.



I tend to think he suffers from Willie Randolph Syndrome. When a guy has got buzz for a few years, but doesn't get hired, he tends to fall off everybody's list, because folks broadly think that, if he had a bunch of interviews back in 20??, and didn't get hired, why should I waste my time? Thus, the buzz that is initially working for him ends up turning around and working against him.



Ultimately, didn't stop the Mets from hiring Willie, of course, but still, momentum is a thing.

[Frayed Knot]

Bob Alpacadaca wrote: Ron Washington, though he'll be busy for a little bit longer.

Reading the Endy Chavez chapter of the SO MANY WAYS TO LOSE book recently brought up the story where Ron Washington, as the manager of the Texas Rangers in Game 6, bottom 9th, 2011 WS vs StL,

declined to bring in Endy as a defensive replacement for Nelson Cruz with a two run lead even though Chavez was available having pinch-hit in the top half of the inning. I didn't remember that but I'm

sure we all remember the result: a two-out, two-run, game-tying triple over the head of, wait for it ... Nelson Cruz. A better RF likely catches that ball and the Rangers win their first ever WS in six games.

Endy almost certainly catches it easily.



Did Washington not make the move for the sentimental reason of wanting Cruz on the field when the game/series ended, aka: pull a John McNamara? Maybe.

The game was in StL so NL rules were being used. Endy PH'd in the 9-spot for the pitcher and was replaced by the next pitcher. If he were used to replace Cruz it would have move the new pitcher's spot

up three slots as Cruz was hitting 6th, but it's also the bottom of the 9th so if you don't want to remove Cruz or move the pitcher up you're doing so to protect a spot you don't want/expect to ever get to.



In either scenario, I don't suspect it's a move we'd be likely to forgive or forget if done by a NYM manager.

[Edgy MD]

This was 2011 Nelson Cruz, in the middle of his career, so he wasn't as bad as all that.



But he wasn't good.

[Centerfield]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Well, of course we first need to know who the POBO* is. I'm looking forward to watching that story develop. *An acronym that I think I first saw today, and I like it! President of Baseball Operations.

Ahem.



http://phpbb3.leaptoad.com/mets/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29886&hilit=i%27m+just+a+pobohttp://phpbb3.leaptoad.com/mets/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29886&hilit=i%27m+just+a+pobo

[Centerfield]

No one has said Carlos Beltran yet.



I'll go with that.

[Frayed Knot]

[media=youtube]UEEOZpdp9bo[/media]



Yeah, he [Cruz] was only 50 back then [actually 31 + 4 months]

Slow first step, then went into 'Cruz Control' in the middle of his back-track before his speed-up/lunge wound up TLTL



Cruz got one more AB in that game, flying out to lead off the 11th after the Rangers had scored twice in Top 10 (Josh Hamilton 2R HR) and then gave that lead back.

Freese then hit the first pitch of the bottom of the 11th for the GW HR





And even That game* (11 innings, 19 Runs, 28 Hits, 5 Errors, 12 Walks, 4:33) was shorter than several of the 9-inning post-season games this year.!



* 10 years ago tomorrow

[Edgy MD]

(a) Yikey. Mid career or not, that was not an inspired effort from Cruz.



( Endy could have gotten to that while changing his shirt.

[MFS62]

That was as badly played as Trot Nixon's misplay of Derek Jeter's pop fly "double" (how can a fly ball get over your head in RF at YS III?) that turned a Red Sox victory into a loss in 2003.



Later

[Edgy MD]

Well, 2003 would have been Yankee Stadium II.



[media=youtube]w-35ghwAw90[/media]

[Willets Point]

Me shouting at the youtube embed right now "OMG, Grady! Just pull Pedro!!!!"

[bmfc1]

It won't be Bob Melvin:

[Frayed Knot]

That's a Wow!

Melvin had been the longest tenured manager with one club; with the A's since being hired mid-season in 2011 and 18 ML seasons all together (SEA & ARZ also).

He's also 60 y/o old today.

Terry Francona in Cleveland now has the longest-running title.



You wonder if Beane (and/or Oakland ownership) just decided that Melvin had maxed out on what they wanted to pay a field manager?

Rizzo in DC is big on holding the line on mgr pay too and (IIRC) Melvin was headed to the Nats (2010?) but then bailed because the team

wouldn't paying what he was asking.

[bmfc1]

More than one name--just names that have crossed my mind as possibilities for Eppler to choose:

Ron Washington (Sandy knows him from OAK)

Brad Ausmus (Eppler hired and fired him in LA)

Mike Shildt (still available, MoY finalist)

Mike Scioscia (he doesn't bring back great memories for us but he's won a lot of games and was in The Simpsons).



Two of the four were managers in the Toyko Olympics.



Martino: https://sny.tv/articles/early-read-mets-managerial-possibilities-2021https://sny.tv/articles/early-read-mets-managerial-possibilities-2021

He also mentions Ausmus:

[bLOCKQUOTE]A league official familiar with Eppler's thinking linked Eppler with the following names: Brad Ausmus, who managed under Eppler in Los Angeles before owner Arte Moreno forced a Joe Maddon hire; Joe Espada, the Houston bench coach who worked with Eppler as a Yankees scout and coach; Eric Chavez, whom Eppler brought over from the Yankees to serve as a special assistant with the Angels.[/bLOCKQUOTE]

I don't want a former coach and/or a newbie. We had that with Manager Batting Out of Order and Manager Up/Downs. Give us someone that has done it many times before.

[Frayed Knot]

Pre-eliminating entire categories of candidates is a dumb idea.



I don't want Scioscia

[Edgy MD]

Scoscia and Eppy were widely reported to have clashed in a power struggle back in Anaheim, so I don't think he'll be bringing Sco in.



A one-year manager, Tyler Skaggs, Matt Harvey — that was a tough sunset to Eppler's reign in Anaheim.

[Frayed Knot]

My opinion of Scioscia is that he's so old school that Dusty Baker calls him at night to day, "Dude, you're like totally old school".

In the MLB Manager's yearbook he was voted the boy most likely to sacrifice bunt.

[bmfc1]

Frayed Knot wrote: Pre-eliminating entire categories of candidates is a dumb idea.

Nah. It's smart based on the last two failures. (I suggest not calling others' thoughts "dumb". "Overly or unnecessarily restrictive" might have been a better alternative.)

[Frayed Knot]

Well then let's not sign any more Japanese players because Kaz Matsui didn't work out.

And we should have steered clear of Lindor because the previous two infielders we snagged from Cleveland [baerga, Alomar] were disappointing.

And the last time we drafted a player from the state of Tennessee ...





If we pass on a potential hire -- player or manager, or executive -- based solely on some characteristic he has in common with some previous guy, one which may or may not

have anything to do with his ability to do a job, then we'll run the risk of maybe missing out on the next best thing ... and the miss will be the result of dumb reasoning.

btw, the previous four WS-winning managers, including two from our own division, were managing their first team.

[MFS62]

And the converse is hiring a manager because they have similar characteristics to a past successful one as in "Let's hire Ausmus because he's from Connecticut and so was Bobby Valentine."



BTW, I'd hire Brad, but not because of where he's from.



Later

[bmfc1]

I'd hire the smartest, most experienced guy possible and stand by my comment despite the condescending reply above. I'm sick of the Mets and Jets hiring novices. The Knicks hired Tibs and it definitely is a factor in their improvement. Every situation is different but I'm tired of watching managers who learn on the job.

[Edgy MD]

I'm more disappointed by what managers — first-timers and vets — don't learn on the job.

[Frayed Knot]

Hey I've got nothing against experienced managers, I just don't think it's smart to pre-reject first-timers, particularly when the reasoning is because different rookies who were hired by different people with

different outlooks guided by a different ownership didn't work out. We also didn't like experienced guys like Art Howe or Dallas Green but I'm not going to reject a re-tread based on the results from their tenures.



Just a random sampling:

- I've already stated that I don't want Scioscia

- Ron Washington's rep is based mostly on him being an extremely hard-working infield and base-running coach. But he also has a cocaine rap on his sheet (and not a 'youthful indiscretion' kind of thing but

one while he was in his '50s I believe) and some highly questionable (I'd call it negligent) managing with a WS on the line. And how well is that going to go over in a city and a fan base who often want the

manager fired mid-game when they don't like the order that relievers were brought in during a game in mid-June even if the result of that game is a win?

- I'd feel good about Bruce Bochy although I'd like to know why he quit and why he'd suddenly want back in if indeed he does. I assumed he left for age reasons and I'm pretty sure he hasn't gotten younger

since

- Showalter has a rep for being a short-term fixer and a long-term annoyance just like his mentor Billy Martin even though their demeanors couldn't possibly be any different. I'd certainly check in on him even

though he's been out of things for a while now.







I'm certainly of the opinion that the problem hasn't been inexperience so much as it has been the 'Pons not wanting to leave their comfort zone for the challenging or unfamiliar for fear of getting anyone too

independent or uncontrollable. So, in short, I hope they cast a wide net and keep an open mind rather than pre-limiting the field to a particular 'type' and maybe missing out on someone who colors even

slightly outside the lines.

[Fman99]

We need an old white guy! Speaking on their behalf

[Centerfield]

cal sharpie wrote: Buck Showalter

Cal with the win. What's his prize?

[Edgy MD]

A laurel, and hardy handshake.