Big League Chew presents: Find Us a Manager (Group B)

[Edgy MD]

You're still Sandy Alderson. Less than fully edified by the list of candidates provide by John Ricco, you place a call to Special Assistant to the General Manager J.P. Ricciardi. "Jape," you say,"I need a manager, an experienced manager, and my list so far is missing a certain sparkle. I doesn't light up the room, Jape! Get me, I dunno, 17 names. Seventeen. Can you do that for me, Jape?"

Not 10 minutes later, the fax machine starts buzzing, because you're Sandy, and you do things your own way and still see some value in faxes. And what do you know, but that efficiency expert Ricciardi has sent you the names of these 17 guys. Which four do you call in for an interview?

	Mgr	Age	Team(s)	Yrs	From	To	W	L	W-L%	Ties	G > .500	G	W Post	L Post	W-L% Post	Best Fin	Wrst Fin	Av Rk	Plyof App	WS won	Penn Won	ASG	Mets Connection
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/2/21414447_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Brad Ausmus	49	DET	4	2014	2017	313	331	.486	0	-18	644	0	3	.000	1	6	3.3	1	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/f/fc820bad_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Bo Porter	45	HOU	2	2013	2014	110	190	.367	0	-80	300	0	0		5	5	5.0	0	0	0	0	From Newark, NJ.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/1/18ed0c6b_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Davey Johnson	75	NYM, CIN, BAL, LAD, WAS	17	1984	2013	1372	1071	.562	2	301	2445	25	26	.490	1	5	1.9	6	1	1	1	Made last out of 1969 World Series for Baltimore; managed and instructed in Mets minor leagues, 1981-1983; managed Mets 1984-1990
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/e/e5e40609_manager.jpg[/fimg]	John McLaren	66	SEA, WSH	3	2007	2011	70	89	.440	0	-19	159	0	0		2	4	2.9	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/5/562ec88e_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Edwin Rodriguez	57	FLA	2	2010	2011	78	85	.479	0	-7	163	0	0		3	5	3.9	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/5/5ec76f54_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Phil Garner	68	MIL, DET, HOU	15	1992	2007	985	1054	.483	1	-69	2040	13	13	.500	2	7	3.8	2	0	1	1
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/0/0383da93_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Jerry Narron	62	TEX, CIN	5	2001	2007	291	341	.460	1	-50	633	0	0		3	6	4.2	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/0/0d5a228f_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Jeff Torborg	76	CLE, CWS, NYM, MON	11	1977	2003	634	718	.469	0	-84	1352	0	0		2	7	4.6	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/d/d6cb87c6_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Davey Lopes	72	MIL	3	2000	2002	144	195	.425	1	-51	340	0	0		3	6	3.6	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/4/4a419414_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Ray Miller	72	MIN, BAL	4	1985	1999	266	297	.472	0	-31	563	0	0		4	6	4.5	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/f/f36bcb3d_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Tim Johnson	68	TOR	1	1998	1998	88	74	.543	1	14	163	0	0		3	3	3.0	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/1/1c1da1fc_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Tom Runnells	62	MON	2	1991	1992	68	81	.456	0	-13	149	0	0		2	6	5.0	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/2/22bca597_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Mike Cubbage	67	NYM	1	1991	1991	3	4	.429	0	-1	7	0	0		5	5	5.0	0	0	0	0	Mets minor leaguer, 1982; Mets player, 1981; Mets third-base coach, 1990-1996; Mets minor league manager, 1983-1989; Mets interim manager, 1991.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/b/b136e498_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Moose Stubing	80	CAL	1	1988	1988	0	8	.000	0	-8	8	0	0		4	4	4.0	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/c/ccd38469_davis.jpg[/fimg]	John Felske	75	PHA	3	1985	1987	190	194	.495	0	-4	384	0	0		2	5	3.6	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/6/61b09409_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Maury Wills	85	SEA	2	1980	1981	26	56	.317	1	-30	83	0	0		6	7	6.7	0	0	0	0	Played minor league ball for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/b/b285c856_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Jim Marshall	86	CHC, OAK	4	1974	1979	229	326	.413	0	-97	555	0	0		4	7	5.7	0	0	0	0	Original 1962 Mets player.

[Guest d'Kong76]

That's some slim pickins. I thought Maury passed away several years ago. (oops,
wrong thread...)

[Edgy MD]

Still living and looks more or less healthy and spry in recent years.

You want to talk to a guy who'll make you scratch your head, talk to Maury.

The Wikipedia wrote: After retiring, Wills spent time as a baseball analyst at NBC from 1973 through 1977. He also managed in the Mexican Pacific League—a winter league—for four seasons, during which time he led the Naranjeros de Hermosillo to the 1970–71 season league championship. Wills let it be known he felt qualified to pilot a big-league club. In his book, How To Steal A Pennant, Wills claimed he could take any last-place club and make them champions within four years. The San Francisco Giants allegedly offered him a one-year deal, but Wills turned them down. Finally, in 1980, the Seattle Mariners fired Darrell Johnson and gave Wills the reins. Wills' tenure was an unmitigated disaster. Baseball writer Rob Neyer, in his Big Book of Baseball Blunders criticized Wills for "the variety and frequency of [his] mistakes" as manager, calling them "unparalleled." In a short interview appearing in the June 5, 2006 issue of Newsweek, Neyer said, "It wasn't just that Wills couldn't do the in-game stuff. Wills's inability to communicate with his players really sets him apart. He said he was going to make his second baseman, Julio Cruz, his permanent shortstop. Twenty-four hours later he was back at second base. As far as a guy who put in some real time (as a manager), I don't think there's been anyone close to Wills." According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Steve Rudman, Wills made a number of gaffes. He called for a relief pitcher although there was nobody warming up in the bullpen, held up another game for 10 minutes while looking for a pinch-hitter and even left a spring-training game in the sixth inning to fly to California. The most celebrated incident of Wills' tenure as manager occurred on April 25, 1981. He ordered the Mariners' grounds crew to make the batter's boxes one foot longer than regulation. The extra foot was in the direction of the mound. However, Oakland Athletics manager Billy Martin noticed something was amiss and asked plate umpire Bill Kunkel to investigate. Under questioning from Kunkel, the Mariners' head groundskeeper admitted Wills had ordered the change. Wills claimed he was trying to help his players stay in the box. However, Martin suspected that given the large number of breaking-ball pitchers on the A's staff, Wills wanted to give his players an advantage. The American League suspended Wills for two games and fined him $500. American League umpiring supervisor Dick Butler likened Wills' actions to setting the bases 88 feet apart instead of 90 feet. After leading Seattle to a 20-38 mark to end the 1980 season, new owner George Argyros fired Wills on May 6, 1981 with the M's deep in last place at 6-18. This gave him a career record of 26-56 for a winning percentage of .317, one of the worst ever for a non-interim manager. Years later, Wills admitted he probably should have gotten some seasoning as a minor-league manager prior to being hired in Seattle. However, the aforementioned Julio Cruz, himself an accomplished base stealer, credited Wills for teaching him how to steal second base against a left-handed pitcher.

[metirish]

I may not have thought about Jeff Torborg in I don't know how many years......

[Edgy MD]

Special thanks to whoever voted for bringing in Moose Stubing and giving him a half a chance to get off the schneid.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That was me. I'd have him in for an interview anyway

[Edgy MD]

I went for Johnson (natch), Cubbage (my loyalty knows no bounds), Garner (who doesn't need a guy named "Scrap Iron" keeping a group of young men on the same page?), and Lopes (bunting school!).

But I may toss Scraps aside for Moose.

OE: Hmmm ... I guess Torborg suggests my loyalty does have it's limits.

[ashie62]

None of the above.

[Guest Mets Willets Point]

OMG, Torborg!

[Edgy MD]

Ashie62 wrote: None of the above.

Nothing like the guy who doesn't want to play but wants everybody to hear how he doesn't want to play.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

How do you talk about loyalty, Edge, and pass over Davey F. Johnson? I won't.

Gimme Cubbage, Garner, and Big Green Brad Ausmus. Although this Torborg person sounds interesting...

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: How do you talk about loyalty, Edge, and pass over Davey F. Johnson? I won't.

I had him first.

[Lefty Specialist]

metirish wrote: I may not have thought about Jeff Torborg in I don't know how many years......

I had purged him from my memory.

[metirish]

Lefty Specialist wrote: metirish wrote: I may not have thought about Jeff Torborg in I don't know how many years...... I had purged him from my memory.

2003 since he managed in the MLB , I didn't know until now he has Parkinson's ( according to his Wiki)

[Edgy MD]

Weird tenure in Florida where he brought in his son, who had been wrestling professionally in a secondary circuit, to join the training staff.

[Edgy MD]

Edgy MD wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: How do you talk about loyalty, Edge, and pass over Davey F. Johnson? I won't. I had him first.

Maybe you thought I meant Tim Johnson, whose main claim to fame was getting caught using fake stories of Vietnam combat to rally his Blue Jays players.

I hate to see the downfall of bullshitters, but man.

[Lefty Specialist]

Man, it's gonna be a looooooooooong offseason.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy MD wrote: Edgy MD wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: How do you talk about loyalty, Edge, and pass over Davey F. Johnson? I won't. I had him first. Maybe you thought I meant Tim Johnson, whose main claim to fame was getting caught using fake stories of Vietnam combat to rally his Blue Jays players. I hate to see the downfall of bullshitters, but man.

Whoopsie.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Mustered up one vote for Ausmus.