Scioscia doesn't rely on his best players

[DoubleOffTheWall]

That's part of the reason this franchise continues to lose big games over and over.

 

And that's one of the key differences between him and say, Bruce Bochy, as Grantland described, when recounting why the latter is such a good manager.

 

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/bruce-bochy-best-manager-san-francisco-giants-baseball/

 

Scioscia always reverts to his "give a guy a second chance" routine to try and restore a middle-of-the-road player's confidence, even if he has to use that player in a big situation, that could cost the whole team. He relies on veterans rather than on who is actually the best player during that season. There's a few recent examples like: 

 

Going to Salas today when Heaney was pitching fine. Heaney has clearly been one of the best players on the team since he was called up. 

 

Going to Salas in the 9th versus Houston when you had better relievers sitting on the bench?

 

Going to Salas last year in the ALDS? And then Jepsen? Why not use Rasmus, who had been a much better pitcher in the last few months going into the postseason? We all know Rasmus wasn't going to start a game with Wilson booked for game 3 and Santiago his likely back up. 

 

Replacing Lackey in the "This is mine" game in the 2009 ALDS, when his relievers came in and just coughed up the lead. 

Mysteriously sitting hot players the day after they ball out. 

 

Funny, he never did these things in 2002 and when the playoffs started, really shortened his list to Percival, Donnelly and Krod over and over again, because those were his best players. We didn't see much of Weber and Shields by the time the playoffs came around. 

 

The Giants have had a fair degree of turnover over the last few years in which they won their rings, but the big moments belong to a select few like Posey, Bumgarner, Cain, Casilla, Affeldt, Romo, Petit, and before them Wilson. 

 

 

 

[JoJo26]

Bingo!

 

Bengie Molina played 6 of 7 days - with Jose filling in.

GA, Ersty, Kingfish always in the OF

IF - always the same.

 

NOW?

 

It's a revolving door...players can't get in a groove because of the need to "rest" or "Lefty-righty match up" or...whatever...

 

Scioscia would pick up his chips and leave a Blackjack table when the dealer has been busting 3 hands in a row...

[Blarg]

What best players is he not relying on? You have Trout, Pujols, and Calhoun on the offense and everyone else (Freese on the DL) is not even league average.

 

The bullpen is just as limited with Street, Smith and Ramos and after that it is completely hit or miss if the guy can string three outs together.

 

It is not as though the team is just slammed with talent and Scioscia is playing Pipp over Gehrig. He is rotating three past their prime outfielders trying to put better than an OPS+ of 64 (Joyce) on the field.

 

You can probably point to an individual game and say, Ah Ha! he should have put Lefty McGroove in during the 8th instead whoever didn't get it done that day but when you have to string day after day after day of pitching substitutions in to cover for guys not getting out of the 5th you run out of options quick unless you want to Donnie Moore a guy and that is run him out there every day until he has no shoulder or elbow tendons.

 

162 games, not the one you just witnessed is what the 25 man roster covers, That means some guys will be playing that you don't like but it is about the entire series before, during and the series after that needs to be managed. And that means all 25 get some time on the field.

[Corona]

I know the offense is a little shallow but today's line up was one of the most pathetic things I've seen from the Angels in recent years, against the hottest pitcher in baseball none the less. I guess it looks much worse without freese, but benching Calhoun bothered me, then bringing in salas(this wasn't sosh at least).

Edited August 2, 2015 by Corona

[fan_since79]

We had our outfield set for the year, then Hamilton had to go and mess everything up.

 

Now we have four or five left fielders who would be pretty decent bench players on most teams.

[Blarg]

Bingo!

 

Bengie Molina played 6 of 7 days - with Jose filling in.

GA, Ersty, Kingfish always in the OF

IF - always the same.

 

NOW?

 

It's a revolving door...players can't get in a groove because of the need to "rest" or "Lefty-righty match up" or...whatever...

 

Scioscia would pick up his chips and leave a Blackjack table when the dealer has been busting 3 hands in a row...

 

There are only 8 catchers in baseball that have played over 84 games this season. One is Zunino with a sterling .561 ops.

 

In total there has been 85 guys that have donned the gear and squatted. That is nearly three per team have rotated in and out of the position.

 

The Angels did have the good fortune of Bengie Molina behind the dish for so many years. The most amount of games he played in was 133 back when he was 25. Most of the time it was about 115 games.

 

You misremembered.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I'm not the biggest Scioscia fan on the planet, but one thing that this year's team has not been is consistent. Guys who they heavily relied on going in either coked up and got traded (Hamilton), forgot how to hit (Joyce, and to a lesser degree Iannetta) or completely went off the cliff (Weaver). There have also been injuries that have sidelined players for long periods of time.

 

I find Scioscia's handling of the bullpen questionable at times, but as far as the daily lineup, he is just trying to find a combination that works for a while. When only Trout and Pujols are hitting, and the latter has lately shown signs of cooling off considerably, I'm not sure what else that he can do.

[Angel Oracle]

This is a team effort, from mismanaging the farm to totally mismanaging Latin America to mismanaging MLB acquisitions to Starry-Eyed Arte.

At least we aren't signing over-the-hill FORMER superstars to big contracts anymore.

Baby steps

Won't be a true contender until the end of the 2010's. Too much of a mess to clean up.

The manual for this org in the 2010's:

"Don't Let This Happen to You."

[mrwicked]

And that article was written last October, before the 3rd ring.

Bochy is the man - he is beloved around here.

[Hollyw00d]

His name is lefty grove

[DoubleOffTheWall]

I remember bochy constantly going to romo and petit last postseason, not F'n around with his lesser pitchers (lincecum) in big moments. Scioscia was pitchin salas instead of rasmus in key moments, and we all know if wilson was healthy this year he would pitch weaver and wilson in games 1 and 2 of the playoffs.

[ten ocho recon scout]

As far as bullpen management, which ive read on other threads, what do you guys really expect? The pen right now is like the offense. One stud, two good guys..and meh.

And consider this is probably the sexond best bullpen weve had the last 5 years or so (last years being the best).

Im not saying this to defend him, but the pen is weak (again), and over the last few days the starters and offense havent been helping them. Its kind of like blaming him for having joyce and cron and freese in the lineup...there really arent better options to go with

[tomsred]

As far as bullpen management, which ive read on other threads, what do you guys really expect? The pen right now is like the offense. One stud, two good guys..and meh.

And consider this is probably the sexond best bullpen weve had the last 5 years or so (last years being the best).

Im not saying this to defend him, but the pen is weak (again), and over the last few days the starters and offense havent been helping them. Its kind of like blaming him for having joyce and cron and freese in the lineup...there really arent better options to go with

 

Good post!

 

Bullpens are pretty streaky these days.  It's kind of hard to find consistency over a full season, much less multiple seasons.  Just when you think you have someone for each of the roles something goes haywire, or an injury upsets things.  I don't think you can acquire or divest pitchers quick enough to keep things on an even keel these days.

[UndertheHalo]

Did we ever get any reason for why Calhoun was benched earlier today ?

[CaliAngel]

Did we ever get any reason for why Calhoun was benched earlier today ?

 

I believe it was "he just needed some rest."

[arch stanton]

Reading the main board during a losing streak is like sitting around in sandpaper boxer shorts reading a Sylvia Plath novel with Merle Haggard playing in the background.

[fan_since79]

Did we ever get any reason for why Calhoun was benched earlier today ?

 

He's a lefty going against a left-handed pitcher. That's a no-no in Scioscia's "Managing by Feel" book.

[bloodbrother]

Then Sosh decides to play DeJesus over Calhoun...a crappier left-handed bat. Good stuff

Edited August 2, 2015 by bloodbrother

[Stradling]

He probably should have played Calhoun but giving a lefty the day off against a dominant lefty isn't some rare thing that only Scioscia does, it's somewhat normal practice.

[Lou]

Calhoun wouldn't have made one bit of difference in yesterday's game

[Lou]

Reading the main board during a losing streak is like sitting around in sandpaper boxer shorts reading a Sylvia Plath novel with Merle Haggard playing in the background.

I find it extremely amusing

[Stradling]

To me it's bitching just to bitch without any actual redeeming qualities. During all of this losing the only thing I agree with the failos on is Salas shouldn't be brought in when there are other better options. All this nonsense about the team didn't go out and improve the team, well the same guys that are bitching about that would be bitching about acquisition cost, then bitching the trade was even made if that player leaves for free agency. Or if the player does poorly here then in three years regains form for another team then they will bitch that we didn't keep the guy. The only constant is bitching and that I bitch about all the bitching.

[Guest]

As far as bullpen management, which ive read on other threads, what do you guys really expect? The pen right now is like the offense. One stud, two good guys..and meh.

And consider this is probably the sexond best bullpen weve had the last 5 years or so (last years being the best).

Im not saying this to defend him, but the pen is weak (again), and over the last few days the starters and offense havent been helping them. Its kind of like blaming him for having joyce and cron and freese in the lineup...there really arent better options to go with

 

Don't take out your starting pitcher who has been pitching fairly well and only thrown 72 pitches when you have a horrible bullpen.