In Support of Scio…Scios…Sos…In Support of the Angels Manager

[AngelsWin.com]

By Glen McKee, Senior Scioscia Waffler -  

 

In case you missed the reference, my title isn’t about the supposed difficulty of spelling Scioscia’s name.  It’s a tribute to the coolest fictional character of my youth, Arthur Fonzarelli:

 

 

Yeah, I know, in retrospect it’s weird that I thought Fonzie was cool, when his “office” was a diner bathroom and he always wore a leather jacket, even during the summer.  That’s beside the point. What I now share with the Fonz is difficulty in admitting I was (perhaps) wrong.  Fonzie was loathe to admit he was wron…wror…not right about anything, and I’m resistant to admitting I may have been wrong  about Mike Scioscia. 

 

For a few years now I’ve been, if not actively calling for him to be fired, saying I would be OK with him being let go to bring a new perspective to the team.  A few things have happened recently to make me rethink my position, and while I still wouldn’t mind seeing him go at the end of the season I also realize that might not make for a better team.

 

The first cause of the reexamination of my position was the Royals making the WS last season.  Prior to that Ned Yost was generally considered to be a terrible manager.  Worse than Scioscia, even, by some on the AngelsWin board.  Hard to imagine, but true.  Yost made terrible in-game decisions, didn’t seem to have a discernable philosophy, and appeared to be playing out the string until he was fired.  

 

And then his team went to the World Series.  Now he’s secure and respected in his job.  Amazing what winning will do.  It makes you realize that sometimes a manager is the cause of his success and other times he’s just riding a wave.

 

One of the most vociferous objections to Scioscia is how he sticks with veterans too long.  We thought we finally saw an end to that last year when Ibanez was given the boot in early May, although that may have been more the GM than the manager.  We’re seeing it now with Joyce.  Fans are reactionary, myself included.  This is a Scioscia failing we’ve witnessed way too often and have a hard time turning the page on it.

 

Then I was listening to MLB Network this afternoon, and they were talking about a particular manager and how it’s well-known that this manager sticks with veterans too long, sometimes to the determent of the team.  It was one of those few moments when I found myself agreeing with Jim Bowden (something about a broken clock twice a day).  However, the manager he was talking about was Bruce Bochy, he of the gimpy eye and several World Series championships.  Casey Stern agreed with Bowden, making it official: Bruce Bochy loves veterans too much.

I thought this was a Scioscia-only failing and was a bit surprised to learn that not only Angels fans feel this way about their skipper.  I’m more of an Angels fan than a baseball fan; I don’t mind watching other games but they don’t have much appeal to me.  I know a lot about this team but not much about any other; the AngelsWin has made me even more insular.  Jim Bowden made me realize that my managerial complaint was not unique, and that led to me wondering if Scioscia is really that bad of a skipper.  

 

Sure, he’s frustrating.  He bats a guy with one HR in the cleanup spot.  He sticks with veterans too long.  He makes questionable substitutions and non-substitutions.  Sometimes, though, it pays off.  In the first game against Colorado he opted not to pinch-run for Pujols in the bottom of the eighth, and Pujols stole second and went on to score the winning run.  It was startling.  That could have been luck, but if I blame Scioscia when things go wrong I have to give him credit when things go right.  So much of baseball is just about luck, and about players performing to their averages.  Managing doesn’t do much for either of those.  Luck does favor the prepared, but it also favors fools way too often.  Players perform both above and below their averages.  

 

Having said all that – it sure does seem like this team under Scioscia often starts out cold, with the bulk of the offense looking incredibly inept.  Is that a management flaw, or is it just a fluke?  Maybe six of one, a half-dozen of the other.  

 

If you questioned the fans of every team, they would point out the perceived flaws of their managers, as well as the players and the GM.  Would they be correct?  To some extent yes, but to a large extent it seems like they would be no different than us lamenting Scioscia.

 

I’m not saying I’m in love with Scioscia.  That would be an abusive relationship and I’m too old for that crap.  I’m not even in like with him.  I’m like the old couple that has been married for 20 years or so and knows what each other is going to do and even while it annoys the hell out of them they put up with it.  I know what Scioscia brings to the relationship and he’s gonna continue to piss me off more than occasionally, but he’s my manager and I’m sticking with him.  

 

Until the trophy wife comes along.  When that happens I’m dropping Scioscia like a used rubber.  ‘Til then..

[Angel Oracle]

Hey!!!!

Whoa!!!!

Edited May 14, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[Adam]

1. The picture of Sosh in this post is perfect. He's got that "I ate Aybar's brownie" look on his face.

 

2. Good content, concluded with a great analogy. 

[Dick B Back]

The trophy wife signed with the Cubbies. Fun article!

[Glen]

"Senior Scioscia Waffler" sounds pretty kinky.

[nando714]

The Big Catorce!

[OregonLAA]

Good stuff! I like Scioscia as much as sometimes I want to scream in his face. I totally expected him to have Calhoun bunt last night

[RallyMo]

HOF manager

[Hollyw00d]

Dont hassle the HOF

[AngelsFanSince86]

Yeah there is also the fact he has the best win % of any manager with 10+ years and the Angels have only had a sub-.500 record 3 times in 15 years.  Pretty solid.

 

Edit: Active* manager

Edited May 15, 2015 by AngelsFanSince86

[stormngt]

Eh.....anyone of us could do better

Yeah there is also the fact he has the best win % of any manager with 10+ years and the Angels have only had a sub-.500 record 3 times in 15 years. Pretty solid.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Frustration with the manager is pretty much universal across baseball. During the Atlanta Braves' string of division titles, Bobby Cox used to drive me nuts. The reason? Wait for it - hanging with veterans too long. As Yogi Berra once said, it's deja vu all over again.

[shellback]

didn't we just learn from Mr. Jeff Fletcher that all fans think thier manager sticks with vets too long?

i guess we can now add writers to that list.

 

sciosia sticks with underperforming veterans too long.

[Spirit]

"Senior Scioscia Waffler" sounds pretty kinky.

 

 

You're welcome.

[Chuck]

Fun read, Glen! nicely done. 

[Glen]

1. The picture of Sosh in this post is perfect. He's got that "I ate Aybar's brownie" look on his face.

 

2. Good content, concluded with a great analogy. 

 

 

Thanks, man.  Most of the stuff I write I don't edit, but I actually took a second look at this before submitting and made a few corrections.  Nice to see that paying off a bit.

[Angel Oracle]

When this year concludes, Sosh will have managed here twice as many full seasons (16) as the 2nd most tenured Halos skipper, Bill Rigney (8 full seasons plus the first month in 1969).

[Spirit]

I've never really been a Sosh hater.  While I get upset with some of the moves he makes (or doesn't make) from time to time, overall I really think he's the right guy to be at the helm of this team.  

 

For an organization that (quite honestly) lacks a lot of tradition, I think it's kind of cool to have a manager who has served so long.  And done so quite successfully, I might add.  He will obviously never come close to Connie Mack's 50 years with the A's, but if he stays 10 more years he will surpass Bobby Cox for 3rd on the all time list of managers with single team.  

[DropOfAnaheim]

Removing our 2nd best hitter from the 04 ALDS (Guillen), his role in Jered being sent down to AAA in 2006 after going 9-0 (we lost the division by only a handful of games),  batting Reggie Willits 4th in the 2007 ALDS, The  ALDS 2008 squeeze play, Pulling Lackey in the 2009 ALCS (we won that game by miracle), his hatred for Naps, his comments about Trout not being ready in 2012, etc, etc, etc, etc.

 

 

I still root for the guy, but I am certain there will be a defining moment ala Pete Carroll in the playoffs. This straw will finally break the camels back. Or it will result in another 10 year extension. 

Edited May 15, 2015 by DropOfAnaheim

[Spirit]

S**t canning José Guillén in 2004 was one of my favorite moments in his career.   Loved it!

[Blarg]

Removing our 2nd best hitter from the 04 ALDS (Guillen), his role in Jered being sent down to AAA in 2006 after going 9-0 (we lost the division by only a handful of games),  batting Reggie Willits 4th in the 2007 ALDS, The  ALDS 2008 squeeze play, Pulling Lackey in the 2009 ALCS (we won that game by miracle), his hatred for Naps, his comments about Trout not being ready in 2012, etc, etc, etc, etc.

 

 

I still root for the guy, but I am certain there will be a defining moment ala Pete Carroll in the playoffs. This straw will finally break the camels back. Or it will result in another 10 year extension. 

 

Amazing how many things you can get wrong in one post.

 

Guillen had a physical altercation with Scioscia in the clubhouse and was released by the GM, Stoneman.

 

Weaver was sent down because Colon had been recalled from his DL stint and it required releasing Weaver's brother in order to make a roster spot for Jared. That is the GM's responsibility.

 

Willits replaced Garret Anderson after the second inning when Anderson's pink eye blinded him and he could no longer play. The Angels lost 9-1 so that move didn't affect the outcome one bit.

 

The Squeeze play was Aybars fault for pulling the bat back and leaving Willits out to dry. Complicating it is the umpires blowing the call when Youkilis dropped the ball after the tag.

 

The 2009 game 1 of the  ALCS Lackey had lost control of his fastball, curveball and mind at that point. The Angels lost 4-1.

Game 5 he had given up 3 runs and had just given up a double and back to back walks at 104 pitches when Scioscia pulled him. 

 

Napoli was an ass and Trout wasn't ready in the start of 2012 because he had missed all of Spring Training due to illness.

[Angel Oracle]

Not to mention that Guillen never did much after leaving the Halos.

That was his one really good MLB season, and he proceeded to jump the shark late in the season. Which was followed by the Halos going 7-2 without him to close the season, and make up a 3 game deficit that existed with 9 games to play.

[Homebrewer]

I'm not allowed to comment on Scioscia.

Carry on.

[red321]

Amazing how many things you can get wrong in one post.

 

Guillen had a physical altercation with Scioscia in the clubhouse and was released by the GM, Stoneman.

 

Weaver was sent down because Colon had been recalled from his DL stint and it required releasing Weaver's brother in order to make a roster spot for Jared. That is the GM's responsibility.

 

Willits replaced Garret Anderson after the second inning when Anderson's pink eye blinded him and he could no longer play. The Angels lost 9-1 so that move didn't affect the outcome one bit.

 

The Squeeze play was Aybars fault for pulling the bat back and leaving Willits out to dry. Complicating it is the umpires blowing the call when Youkilis dropped the ball after the tag.

 

The 2009 game 1 of the  ALCS Lackey had lost control of his fastball, curveball and mind at that point. The Angels lost 4-1.

Game 5 he had given up 3 runs and had just given up a double and back to back walks at 104 pitches when Scioscia pulled him. 

 

Napoli was an ass and Trout wasn't ready in the start of 2012 because he had missed all of Spring Training due to illness.

 

Facts are scary things...stop using them please.

[OregonLAA]

Even if all those instances were truly Scioscia's fault, he has many more "right choices" than wrong ones. The biggest one that comes to mind was everyone wanting Chone Figgins benched the year he started off really slow. Then Scioscia benched him for a few games and gave him back his starting spot. Figgins ended up competing for the batting title that year.

Now that I think of it, I miss Figgins. Sucked in the playoffs but dude was awesome