The Terry Temperature

[Guest Edgy DC]

Frank Howard. Grrrrow!

[Vic Sage]

[u:1zpeudcw]Mets managers:[/u:1zpeudcw]
Loved = Gil, Davey, Bobby V
Liked = Casey, Yogi
Meh = Westrum, Frazier, Torre, Harrelson, Randolph
Disliked = Bamberger, Manuel
Hated = Torborg, Dallas, Howe

Incomplete = McMillan, Cubbage, F.Howard, Salty Parker, Terry Collins

[Frayed Knot]

Bunting -- I haven't found Terry's over-bunting tendencies to be anywhere close to those of Willie - who did so seemingly on auto-pilot, or of Jerry - who bunted in insane situations and seemed to get worse at it as time went on. A couple of disagreements but very minor on my radar so far.

Bullpen? -- I dunno. When the relievers get guys out the manager looks like a genius and when they don't (or when the left-in starter gives it up) he looks like a dope. Terry isn't trying to shoe-horn someone into specific roles the way Jerry did and then toss them aside for another attempt. Yeah, he's too by the book with the closer but that puts him in with the other 29 skippers currently drawing paychecks and most of the questions I've had about who was brought in and when falls more in the 'reasonable people can disagree' category than in 'WTF?!?!' territory. The Frankie stuff is driving fans nuts mainly because of of the vesting clause although that part really shouldn't concern him.

Management -- Jerry's light-hearted Q&A's sounded, at first anyway, like a breath of fresh air compared to Willie's dour "I'm a winner" insistence, and now Terry's bluntness comes as a welcome change from the 'everything's fine' metronome of his predecessors. We like that he got mad last night because we did, but is he truly better at people mgmt or is the style just fresher? ... probably too soon to tell.


In all, I'm somewhat north of 'Meh' but probably a bit below 'Like'. Let's go with a B- even though 1/3 of one season is too quick to cling too tightly to a specific grade on anyone.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Bunting -- I haven't found Terry's over-bunting tendencies to be anywhere close to those of Willie - who did so seemingly on auto-pilot, or of Jerry - who bunted in insane situations and seemed to get worse at it as time went on. A couple of disagreements but very minor on my radar so far. Bullpen? -- I dunno. When the relievers get guys out the manager looks like a genius and when they don't (or when the left-in starter gives it up) he looks like a dope. Terry isn't trying to shoe-horn someone into specific roles the way Jerry did and then toss them aside for another attempt. Yeah, he's too by the book with the closer but that puts him in with the other 29 skippers currently drawing paychecks and most of the questions I've had about who was brought in and when falls more in the 'reasonable people can disagree' category than in 'WTF?!?!' territory. The Frankie stuff is driving fans nuts mainly because of of the vesting clause although that part really shouldn't concern him. Management -- Jerry's light-hearted Q&A's sounded, at first anyway, like a breath of fresh air compared to Willie's dour "I'm a winner" insistence, and now Terry's bluntness comes as a welcome change from the 'everything's fine' metronome of his predecessors. We like that he got mad last night because we did, but is he truly better at people mgmt or is the style just fresher? ... probably too soon to tell. In all, I'm somewhat north of 'Meh' but probably a bit below 'Like'. Let's go with a B- even though 1/3 of one season is too quick to cling too tightly to a specific grade on anyone.

I think it's too early to tell. I think he's doing a lot of safe things with bunts and handedness but there have been signs as guys earn (or unearn) roles he's willing to do something differently. Pinch hitting Murphy against a lefty? Granted it might've had more to do with the short bench, but it worked. Learning who he can trust and he he can't in what situations and he'll have that to go off of in August and September instead of the book.

[Guest Edgy DC]

There was no righty there, was there? Seems to me Murphy was the clear choice.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: There was no righty there, was there? Seems to me Murphy was the clear choice.

Either Wayne or Howie said there was. Was Hairston used already? I was at work so the stuff before that is fuzzy.

Maybe not.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Hairston had an earlier PH appearance.

[Guest 86-Dreamer]

Terry Collins when asked if Reyes could use a day of rest:

"What the hell you want - eggs in your beer?"

Never heard that one before and not really sure what it means, but I like it.

[MFS62]

86-Dreamer wrote: Terry Collins when asked if Reyes could use a day of rest: "What the hell you want - eggs in your beer?" Never heard that one before and not really sure what it means, but I like it.

The adults in my family used that expression when I was a kid. I never really understood it either, but I think it means do you want more than just a good thing.
Oh, and they used the singular "egg".
Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The bullpen usage could still use some work. Some days, it's almost ideal (see Wednesday's rain game, minus the Frankie Fists appearance), and then... he's Jerrymandering (see Wednesday's Frankie Fists appearance).

[Fman99]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: The bullpen usage could still use some work. Some days, it's almost ideal (see Wednesday's rain game, minus the Frankie Fists appearance), and then... he's Jerrymandering (see Wednesday's Frankie Fists appearance).

He fucked up yesterday, like a retard doing algebra.

Why is Acosta lifted after eight pitches? And then, why send Carrasco to Buffalo for two months to stretch him out to start, only to bring him back and pitch him on consecutive days? And why is Frankie pitching with a four run lead at 1 AM?

[TransMonk]

Since starting 5-13, the Mets have gone 35-26 which gives them the 7th best record in baseball and the 4th best in the NL over that span.

Best NL Records since 04/20/11:

Philly 39-24, 0 GB
Atlanta 38-24, .5 GB
San Fran 36-26, 2.5 GB
NY Mets 35-26, 3 GB

CBS Sports lists the Mets as the 21st best team in their most recent Power Rankings (idiots), but they also say (with which I don't disagree):

"...there's a lot to like about this team, starting with the fact that they show up every night. They lose because they're untalented and undermanned, not because they're outwitted or out-effort-ed. Nobody likes a losing team, but this year's model is far easier to get behind than what the Mets trotted out during the last few seasons."

I think some of this has to reflect well on Terry.

[Ceetar]

The 35-26 pace would be good for about 93 wins over a full season, will get them to 87 if they continue it from here.

The Mets went on a 6-game tear after that start, and from _that_ point they have yet to win or lose more than 3 games in a row, but are playing to a .527 winning percentage.

[Vic Sage]

I'm sorry, but did the 5-13 start not actually happen? was that a different manager? he gets credit for the record SINCE then, but no blame for the start itself? I'm sorry, i'm getting dizzy. i think i need to sit.

Reyes is having an MVP season so the team is playing 500.
I don't think that gets Terry a ride down the canyon of heroes just yet.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Which, of course, nobody came close to suggesting.

I've been puzzled by bullpen selections too, but one thing he's not doing is over-using anybody --- not even his eighth-inning guy. Whether that translates into no late-season bullpen collapse remains to be seen. It does bring up the question of whether failure from fatigued overused good pitchers is a worse thing than failure from poorly performing bad pitchers being used when they optimally shoud be watching.

[TransMonk]

Vic Sage wrote: I'm sorry,

It doesn't sound like you are.

Vic Sage wrote: but did the 5-13 start not actually happen?

I think that was clearly referenced when I started my post with "Since starting 5-13,"

Vic Sage wrote: was that a different manager?

Nope, same one...haven't you been paying attention?

Vic Sage wrote: he gets credit for the record SINCE then, but no blame for the start itself?

I give him credit for helping to take an injury riddled team back to above .500 after that team started out 5-13.

Vic Sage wrote: I'm sorry, i'm getting dizzy. i think i need to sit.

Please do. I wouldn't want you to slip on your sarcasm.

Vic Sage wrote: Reyes is having an MVP season so the team is playing 500.

I think there's a bit more to it than just that.

Vic Sage wrote: I don't think that gets Terry a ride down the canyon of heroes just yet.

What Edgy said.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I think there's a difference between "this guy is better than we thought" and the canyon of heroes. And put me in the "better than we thought" category.

If you had asked me in March to guess the team's record after playing many of the games with a lineup that includes lots of Duda, Murphy, Turner and missing Ike and Wright, I would not have said .500.

[ashie62]

So far so good, as in if he were a newcomer to my gin mill he would be in the mix.