Manager’s effect on free agency

[Pancake Bear]

I’ve seen it speculated that grabbing Maddon went a long way to bringing Lester into the fold for the Cubs.

In April, the Athletic ran a survey with players that put Maddon by far in the lead for manager that guys would like to play for. (Curiously, he also ranked high on managers that players didn’t want to play for). He seems to have been extremely popular among Cubs players in the main.

If Maddon does, as is expected, sign with the Angels, does that make a difference for bringing free agents to Anaheim? Both Scioscia and Ausmus were on (and only on) the “Don’t want to play for” manager list by the players. 

Thoughts? Does this make much of a difference? I’d especially be curious hearing @Jeff Fletcher ‘s take on this. Do fans make took much of stuff like this, or is it a genuine difference maker?

[DMVol]

The difference maker is usually $$$....

[Pancake Bear]

8 minutes ago, DMVol said:

The difference maker is usually $$$....

Gee, that’s a useful post. 

Obviously that’s the vast majority of it. 

You may (or may not) have noticed that my question was not: “Is the manager more of a factor than money”.

[Claude]

Cole would pitch in Japan for $300M

[angelsnationtalk]

No doubt the term “money talks bullshit walks” is true. 
Although I do think whoever the coach is can help, but only to a point. Maddon lets the players be themselves with a relaxed clubhouse environment and players might be drawn to that. 

[Fish Oil]

No doubt money is the primary motivator, but these guys are professional athletes who burn with a competitive fire. They want to win. Bringing in Madden will definitely add to he Angels becoming an attractive destination. Lot's of good things happening here and players see that.

 

[DMVol]

15 minutes ago, Sean-Regan said:

Gee, that’s a useful post. 

Obviously that’s the vast majority of it. 

You may (or may not) have noticed that my question was not: “Is the manager more of a factor than money”.

Just not sure Scott Boras ever worries about winning, coaching, fit or anything else....”More of a factor than money”? No....A factor if the money is equal? Yes....But the money usually isn’t equal and the highest bidder almost always wins....

[Lou]

manager isn't very important

[tdawg87]

Well now that we might have Scioscia Jr. as GM I'd say the effect is huge.

[Pancake Bear]

11 minutes ago, DMVol said:

Just not sure Scott Boras ever worries about winning, coaching, fit or anything else....”More of a factor than money”? No....A factor if the money is equal? Yes....But the money usually isn’t equal and the highest bidder almost always wins....

Wasn’t referring specifically to Cole, just in general. 

[kevinb]

I’m sure it matters to some point just like if you are interviewing for a job do you get along with your boss. But at the end of the day if the Angels offer the most money and or he wants to play in Anaheim most than he will sign here and it wouldn’t much matter if we had a manager or not. 

[Pancake Bear]

1 minute ago, Kevinb said:

I’m sure it matters to some point just like if you are interviewing for a job do you get along with your boss. But at the end of the day if the Angels offer the most money and or he wants to play in Anaheim most than he will sign here and it wouldn’t much matter if we had a manager or not. 

Obviously they’re not signing Maddon to attract Cole. My question was just whether that’s ever a difference maker, especially if the money is close. Free agents seem to generally be less interested in playing for the Angels. I wondered if having a net positive manager rather than a negative (Scioscia and Ausmus, per players survey) would help at all with that.

[Lou]

Where are the players survey that show Scioscia was a negative? 

[tdawg87]

Just now, Lou said:

Where are the players survey that show Scioscia was a negative? 

Trevor Bell said something negative about him once. His Grandfather was Bozo the Clown. 

You don't need more than that.

[Taylor]

I'd say the effect is between zero and threeve.

[Stradling]

I don’t think Maddon hurts.  I also am not positive the high bid wins every time anymore considering the money for those top guys is generational money.  Also it should be noted that we also don’t really know what the high bid is for a player only the bid he accepts which generally speaking is assumed to be the highest bid.  

[Pancake Bear]

7 minutes ago, Lou said:

Where are the players survey that show Scioscia was a negative? 

7. Which manager (aside from your own) would you most want to play for?

Top result: Joe Maddon, Cubs (21.7%)

Runners-up: Bruce Bochy (15.2%), Terry Francona (9.4%), Alex Cora (6.5%), A.J. Hinch (5%), Bud Black (5%), Dave Roberts (4.3%)

Also receiving multiple votes: Kevin Cash, Ron Gardenhire, Andy Green, Bob Melvin, Bobby Cox, Tony LaRussa Jim Leyland, Torey Lovullo, Mike Shildt, Buck Showalter, Brian Snitker

 

8. Which manager (aside from your own) would you least want to play for?

Top result: Gabe Kapler, Phillies (18.3%)

Runners-up: Joe Maddon (16.1%), Buck Showalter (7.5%), Mike Scioscia (6.5%)

Also receiving multiple votes: Andy Green, Don Mattingly, Dave Roberts, Brad Ausmus, Jeff Banister, Bruce Bochy, Aaron Boone, Mickey Callaway, Kevin Cash, Terry Francona, Joe Girardi, Clint Hurdle, Mike Matheny

[tdawg87]

12 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I don’t think Maddon hurts.

Everybody hurts.

Sometimes.

[angelsnationtalk]

58 minutes ago, Lou said:

manager isn't very important

Shoulda let Ausmus stay then

[kevinb]

56 minutes ago, Sean-Regan said:

Obviously they’re not signing Maddon to attract Cole. My question was just whether that’s ever a difference maker, especially if the money is close. Free agents seem to generally be less interested in playing for the Angels. I wondered if having a net positive manager rather than a negative (Scioscia and Ausmus, per players survey) would help at all with that.

If a difference it maybe makes a 1% difference. I think money, location, chance at winning all play greater roles, I think even team mates matter more than the manager. I think baseball manager might be the least important coaching job in all of sports. 

[John Taylor]

1 hour ago, Sean-Regan said:

I’ve seen it speculated that grabbing Maddon went a long way to bringing Lester into the fold for the Cubs.

In April, the Athletic ran a survey with players that put Maddon by far in the lead for manager that guys would like to play for. (Curiously, he also ranked high on managers that players didn’t want to play for). He seems to have been extremely popular among Cubs players in the main.

If Maddon does, as is expected, sign with the Angels, does that make a difference for bringing free agents to Anaheim? Both Scioscia and Ausmus were on (and only on) the “Don’t want to play for” manager list by the players. 

Thoughts? Does this make much of a difference? I’d especially be curious hearing @Jeff Fletcher ‘s take on this. Do fans make took much of stuff like this, or is it a genuine difference maker?

I was actually wondering this earlier today. I was curious if signing Joe Maddon would be any kind of factor for certain FA. Honestly our best recruiter has been and still will be Mike Trout.

[Pancake Bear]

18 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

If a difference it maybe makes a 1% difference. I think money, location, chance at winning all play greater roles, I think even team mates matter more than the manager. I think baseball manager might be the least important coaching job in all of sports. 

I wonder if having a disliked manager is more likely to deter FA than a popular manager is to draw them?

[kevinb]

5 minutes ago, Sean-Regan said:

I wonder if having a disliked manager is more likely to deter FA than a popular manager is to draw them?

I don't know. You don't tend to hear a lot of stories in sports other than in football that such a player liked this manager so much that he chose to go there. I can't think of any off the top of my head other than Bill B in New England. 

[Pancake Bear]

2 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

I don't know. You don't tend to hear a lot of stories in sports other than in football that such a player liked this manager so much that he chose to go there. I can't think of any off the top of my head other than Bill B in New England. 

Zobrist to the Cubs?

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, Fish Oil said:

No doubt money is the primary motivator, but these guys are professional athletes who burn with a competitive fire. They want to win. Bringing in Madden will definitely add to he Angels becoming an attractive destination. Lot's of good things happening here and players see that.

 

I see you're the last hold out on getting his name wrong.