Access Journalism

[dprep80]

Sorry if this has already been discussed/played-out, but does anyone think the reason no Angels media member criticizes Sosh is because they would otherwise lose their access to the Angels?   I'm sure this is an issue for all teams, however, it's bizarre that there is no institutional criticism of Scioscia anywhere.

[Inside Pitch]

15 minutes ago, dprep80 said:

Sorry if this has already been discussed/played-out, but does anyone think the reason no Angels media member criticizes Sosh is because they would otherwise lose their access to the Angels?   I'm sure this is an issue for all teams, however, it's bizarre that there is no institutional criticism of Scioscia anywhere.

May just be that what some people here see as excuses, people with greater access view as legitimate reasons.  Living outside of the Angels market, I hear more opinions on how it's amazing the team has not buckled over completely in light of their injuries than I do criticism of management or the front office. 

[dprep80]

2 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

May just be that what some people here see as excuses, people with greater access view as legitimate reasons.  Living outside of the Angels market, I hear more opinions on how it's amazing the team has not buckled over completely in light of their injuries than I do criticism of management or the front office. 

Managers are often made to be a scapegoat for problems.  That has never been the case with Sosh, despite doing essentially nothing noteworthy with the Angels since 2005.  Over a decade without any institutional criticism is truly remarkable.

[Jobu]

LA sports fans just don't care.

[failos]

Sosh is an institution at this point. He is the Angels in many ways.

[Inside Pitch]

7 minutes ago, dprep80 said:

Managers are often made to be a scapegoat for problems.  That has never been the case with Sosh, despite doing essentially nothing noteworthy with the Angels since 2005.  Over a decade without any institutional criticism is truly remarkable.

Except that there was some story about how MS was an antiquated despot per week during the Dipoto era.  Funny how that came to a grinding halt the minute he bolted.

I think a big reason why you don't see the typical sorts of grumbling is that while there have been some notable exceptions -- Appier, Guillen....   MS has always held a pretty good rapport with his players. 

The thing about living outside the Angels market is you have no option other than ordering MLBTv...  I try to give a listen to at least one of the out of town broadcasts per series -- you'd be surprised how much praise he gets from opposing team telecasts and managers.

 

 

[dprep80]

4 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Except that there was some story about how MS was an antiquated despot per week during the Dipoto era.  Funny how that came to a grinding halt the minute he bolted.

I think a big reason why you don't see the typical sorts of grumbling is that while there have been some notable exceptions -- Appier, Guillen....   MS has always held a pretty good rapport with his players. 

The thing about living outside the Angels market is you have no option other than ordering MLBTv...  I try to give a listen to at least one of the out of town broadcasts per series -- you'd be surprised how much praise he gets from opposing team telecasts and managers.

 

 

Not surprised at all given how low key he is.

That doesn’t negate that there are valid reasons to criticize him. 

[Inside Pitch]

1 minute ago, dprep80 said:

Not surprised at all given how low key he is.

That doesn’t negate that there are valid reasons to criticize him. 

Absolutely -- every manager does.    

[Second Base]

41 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Except that there was some story about how MS was an antiquated despot per week during the Dipoto era.  Funny how that came to a grinding halt the minute he bolted.

I think a big reason why you don't see the typical sorts of grumbling is that while there have been some notable exceptions -- Appier, Guillen....   MS has always held a pretty good rapport with his players. 

The thing about living outside the Angels market is you have no option other than ordering MLBTv...  I try to give a listen to at least one of the out of town broadcasts per series -- you'd be surprised how much praise he gets from opposing team telecasts and managers.

 

 

I notice that too. Scioscia is very respected among the 40-50-60 somethings throughout baseball.

Scioscia is a great clubhouse manager. Players know the culture, know the expectations. He's constant and fights for them. Scioscia is a patient guy.

He definitely isn't perfect, but I don't think he's the main cause for their injuries or struggles either.

Yeah he sucks at bullpen management. I mean really sucks at it, but that just means the GM of this team needs to recognize that and load that bullpen up with so many reliable/dynamic options that Scioscia can't screw it up.

That's one of the few things Dipoto did right, at least in 2014 he did.

I don't see any reason to put any of this on Scioscia and fire him over it. 

To put it bluntly, I just don't think managers have that big of an outcome on the game, and that's why guys like Aaron Boone and Alex Cora are mangers. It comes down to talent, and not so much decision making.

Since it doesn't hurt us one way or the other, I'd be more willing to extend Scioscia for another few years than fire him. 

[Torridd]

What can be said negatively about Scioscia? He's loyal to his vets? Players love playing for him. He protects his players. He's as knowledgeable about the game as anyone. It's like the old bible quote, " A prophet is not without honor except in his own home town." I know Scioscia isn't perfect, but I think the fans dislike him because he's been manager so long and they're dying for change.

[Torridd]

2 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

I notice that too. Scioscia is very respected among the 40-50-60 somethings throughout baseball.

Scioscia is a great clubhouse manager. Players know the culture, know the expectations. He's constant and fights for them. Scioscia is a patient guy.

He definitely isn't perfect, but I don't think he's the main cause for their injuries or struggles either.

Yeah he sucks at bullpen management. I mean really sucks at it, but that just means the GM of this team needs to recognize that and load that bullpen up with so many reliable/dynamic options that Scioscia can't screw it up.

That's one of the few things Dipoto did right, at least in 2014 he did.

I don't see any reason to put any of this on Scioscia and fire him over it. 

To put it bluntly, I just don't think managers have that big of an outcome on the game, and that's why guys like Aaron Boone and Alex Cora are mangers. It comes down to talent, and not so much decision making.

Since it doesn't hurt us one way or the other, I'd be more willing to extend Scioscia for another few years than fire him. 

I'm pro-Scioscia, but I don't know if extending him is best for the team. It would be a very difficult choice if I were Arte.

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, dprep80 said:

Sorry if this has already been discussed/played-out, but does anyone think the reason no Angels media member criticizes Sosh is because they would otherwise lose their access to the Angels?   I'm sure this is an issue for all teams, however, it's bizarre that there is no institutional criticism of Scioscia anywhere.

The reason he doesnt get the criticism you think he deserves is due to the fact that people who know more doesnt think he is doing a bad job!

[dprep80]

Just now, stormngt said:

The reason he doesnt get the criticism you think he deserves is due to the fact that people who know more doesnt think he is doing a bad job!

I meant any criticism. 

[T.G.]

Maybe those covering the Angels would rather not report "fake news."

[dprep80]

8 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

I notice that too. Scioscia is very respected among the 40-50-60 somethings throughout baseball.

Scioscia is a great clubhouse manager. Players know the culture, know the expectations. He's constant and fights for them. Scioscia is a patient guy.

He definitely isn't perfect, but I don't think he's the main cause for their injuries or struggles either.

Yeah he sucks at bullpen management. I mean really sucks at it, but that just means the GM of this team needs to recognize that and load that bullpen up with so many reliable/dynamic options that Scioscia can't screw it up.

That's one of the few things Dipoto did right, at least in 2014 he did.

I don't see any reason to put any of this on Scioscia and fire him over it. 

To put it bluntly, I just don't think managers have that big of an outcome on the game, and that's why guys like Aaron Boone and Alex Cora are mangers. It comes down to talent, and not so much decision making.

Since it doesn't hurt us one way or the other, I'd be more willing to extend Scioscia for another few years than fire him. 

If it doesn’t matter one way or another then why pay so much for it?

[Torridd]

3 minutes ago, dprep80 said:

I meant any criticism. 

I'm sure he's been criticized over the years. I remember a specific situation when we lost the first game in the 2002 playoffs against the Yanks. It was some bullpen snafu. I think the writers were saying he should have put in Percival early.

[dprep80]

3 minutes ago, Torridd said:

I'm sure he's been criticized over the years. I remember a specific situation when we lost the first game in the 2002 playoffs against the Yanks. It was some bullpen snafu. I think the writers were saying he should have put in Percival early.

It shouldn't be that hard to find, especially this year. When your bullpen ERA is in the middle of the pack and yet you're dead last in blown saves, that can and should lead to legitimate questions about in-game management. 

[Second Base]

10 minutes ago, dprep80 said:

If it doesn’t matter one way or another then why pay so much for it?

Because at the very least, you won't have issues in the clubhouse. Trout seems to enjoy playing for him and at this point, the Angels need to win baseball games and keep Trout happy IVF they want him to retire as an Angel.

[Angel Oracle]

18 minutes ago, Torridd said:

What can be said negatively about Scioscia? He's loyal to his vets? Players love playing for him. He protects his players. He's as knowledgeable about the game as anyone. It's like the old bible quote, " A prophet is not without honor except in his own home town." I know Scioscia isn't perfect, but I think the fans dislike him because he's been manager so long and they're dying for change.

As good with clubhouse maintaining as Scioscia is, isn't he a bit of a dinosaur with how the game itself is managed today?

Which is better?   Having too many mediocre players because they are good clubhouse guys?   Or having good players where maybe one or two are questionable (not Hackilton questionable) in the clubhouse?

[dprep80]

1 minute ago, Scotty@AW said:

Because at the very least, you won't have issues in the clubhouse. Trout seems to enjoy playing for him and at this point, the Angels need to win baseball games and keep Trout happy IVF they want him to retire as an Angel.

A good clubhouse means nothing if you aren't winning or even making the playoffs. Winning games = Happy Trout.  Does Scioscia give them the best chance to win?  

[T.G.]

7 minutes ago, dprep80 said:

It shouldn't be that hard to find, especially this year. When your bullpen ERA is in the middle of the pack and yet you're dead last in blown saves, that can and should lead to legitimate questions about in-game management. 

I guess, having ten starting pitchers go on the DL this year hasn't had any impact. And there's the rest of the DL list...

[Torridd]

3 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

As good with clubhouse maintaining as Scioscia is, isn't he a bit of a dinosaur with how the game itself is managed today?

Which is better?   Having too many mediocre players because they are good clubhouse guys?   Or having good players where maybe one or two are questionable (not Hackilton questionable) in the clubhouse?

How is he managing that's antiquated?

[dprep80]

2 minutes ago, True Grich said:

I guess, having ten starting pitchers go on the DL this year hasn't had any impact. And there's the rest of the DL list...

That is an excuse and is in no way a justification for poor lineup choices and in-game management.

[Angel Oracle]

1 minute ago, True Grich said:

I guess, having ten starting pitchers go on the DL this year hasn't had any impact. And there's the rest of the DL list...

Fact remains that the pen is middle of the road in ERA, but last in blown saves.    Part of that is lack of late innings guys, admittedly.    Eppler needs to resolve that between now and the off-season.  

[T.G.]

Yeah, ten starting pitchers going on the DL is an excuse.  Teams overcome that all the time.

Ok.  You got me.