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To me, Mattingly represents all that is wrong with managing. He's a cookie-cutter, "I have my 7th, 8th and 9th inning guys and that's how I'm going to play it, no matter what..." Until Cabrera's HR, Steckenrider had been terrific of late. And the type of terrific that included a low-pitch, highly productive 8th, where he had a good lather going, was clearly on top of his game and would have had no problem coming out for the 9th to finish the game. Conley has had several of these as well. Instead, we go to KB, who has been dreadful since the break... just... because... he's our guy? Then, once inserted, it takes about two fastballs to see that KB has no idea where the pitch is going and has to revert to a rolling breaking ball for strikes (remember a time when KB's slider was an absolute hammer? The type of pitch that led him to leading the free world in K's per 9? Me neither, it's been too long). Yet, he's left hanging out there to squander the lead. You know... because he's the guy. Seems like once upon a time, Brad Zeigler was "the guy" too.
The lack of managing goes beyond the handling of the staff. We take the most toothless line-up in the league, and go station to station, rarely putting the game in motion, rarely move a guy over...
The closest line-up I can think of to us is in Tampa. Like us, they are a low-budget, mostly talent-devoid crew... but Cash is an absolute innovator. Great example of a manager getting his team to overachieve. When was the last time you thought that about Don?
The lack of managing goes beyond the handling of the staff. We take the most toothless line-up in the league, and go station to station, rarely putting the game in motion, rarely move a guy over...
The closest line-up I can think of to us is in Tampa. Like us, they are a low-budget, mostly talent-devoid crew... but Cash is an absolute innovator. Great example of a manager getting his team to overachieve. When was the last time you thought that about Don?
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