Baseball

Last edited Sat Oct 21, 2023, 01:52 AM - Edit history (1)

Update: word is that Gabe interviewed with the Red Sox, perhaps for a front office job. He played there.
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Besides pitchers not knowing when they would start, if they did start, fielders never seemed to be in the same position two games in a row. Players have routines, because a lot of what they do is reflexive, and not computed on the spot. In short, creatures of habit.

Probably Farhan's call, like the absence of a fearsome hitter in the lineup, a miss at trade time.

Gabe is very personable and liked by the players (so they say) but there was some grousing when pitchers got pulled. For the times he defied math and left pitchers in, he showed real growth from a "spreadsheet" guy, and "let's play the law in of averages" guy to someone who judged strengths and weaknesses on the spot and used the rule of "this is what I see". Bochy was and is the king of that, and since statistics are unreliable in a short series, he cleaned house in playoffs.

Interviewees should ask, and should be told what grand strategy will be set from Farhan, who is on the last year of his contract. Oops! Platooning, playing hockey line change might stay or go. It sure worked badly this season. Again, with two or three decent hitters. No masher, so maybe that was optimal.

But, I think the killer was the team's flat as a pancake performance at the end of the season. The announcers were saying it out loud. No life in the lineup. And that almost always means bye bye to the manager, because players then have to cheerlead, and there was no "giant" among them, despite some who gave great effort.

Only outside interviewee to date is Stephen Vogt, an aspiring manager. Others besides Bob Melvin, who is under contract, are busy winning. TBD.

Gabe could land anywhere but SF and Philly.

Good luck to him. But managing is a job with a limited shelf life.