Torches and Pitchforks (spit from IGT 4/24)

[Guest AG/DC]

And he still put together a good season, and in September was pretty much the only bullpenner we had performing.

[Guest Triple Dee]

Yes he did, and I have the utmost belief he'll be just as productive this season, when he gets over his current trough.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I was wondering: what's Heilman's Confidence Rankings? And how confident is that ranking? Is the sample size big enough? I would take an educated guess that AH's Confidence Rankings are probably lower than his Heart Zone Rating, which is even lower than his Gutitude+.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I was wondering if perhaps, AH's low Confidence Ranking isn't being offset by Willie's superduperly high Heilman Confidence-Confidence Ranking, which measures Randolph's trust in whatever particular player is being measured. Although I'm not sure what to make of it, to be honest with you. Maybe Willie can send AH to pinch-hit and throw down a sac bunt one of these games. Maybe even with nobody on base so that it wouldn't matter if AH screwed that up. That should boost the kid's confidence.

[Theoldmole]

What you really look for in a manager is demonstrated lack of confidence in his players.

[Guest AG/DC]

Data isn't the plural of anecdote, but I suspect there's something about a Yankee series that suggests itself as a good time for a shakeup. Valentine's staff was gutted in the middle of a Yankee series. Chris Chambliss replaced Dave Engle on the dawn of a Yankee series. Heck maybe HoJo would've replaced Down at a Yankee game (he came during the All Star break) if there were any left.

I therefore have a suspicion the the upcoming four-game set with the Yanks could bring this Willie Watch to a head.

[nymr83]

i think the 7-1 win the other day and salvaging the doubleheader today were just enough to save willie again. i really get the feeling the mets keep winning just one game at the right time to prevent willie from getting the axe.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm afraid that if Willie gets whacked we'll still play poorly, so I'm sorta rooting for Willie to continue dangling, for the team to take him to the brink of joblessness again and again, only to win him one brief reprieve after another, until the season finally ends.

I mean, that's already the defining characteristic of the 2008 season: It's the Year Willie Barely Hung On. We may as well prepare for this kind of excitement to get us through the year because it's probably a better bet of continuing than a playoff chase at this point.

Go ambiguity!

[Guest AG/DC]

The talk of the booth --- who mosty avoided the Willie issue on Friday night --- was how Willie is suddenly seeming more relaxed than he's seemed his entire tenure. That the amazingly resilient human animal that he is has somehow accepted living under the Sword of Damocles as his natural condition, and is determined to enjoy whatever ride he's got left.