LAA

Of all the mysteries this is the biggest for me. If I were MS I would demand to have a guy that I could develop and transcend all my years of baseball knowledge and experience.

How many of you bet $100 on LAD winning NL at 16:1 and WS at 42:1 last month?

I know that I have played in and managed more games in the majors than anyone else currently SO WHAT does that have to do with understanding how to win? Is it my fault we are losing, have zero confidence, have essentially zero grit? At some point these guys have got to perform up to their capabilities. Even Michael Nelson Trout has his spells. I feel for good old Jimmy Leyland over there never won jack...I just want to lmfao at the poor sap. He makes me look like a genius with this overpaid bunch of no hopers. When do I get to sleep in again?

the catcher can't really tell them anything they can't observe from the dugout.

Are you suggesting the catcher doesn't get a better feel for the pitchers than someone in the dugout? I find that a very unlikely scenario. Carlton Fisk might also disagree with you.

I disagree that it should be up to the pitcher to tell the manager when he's done. That's not to say that pitch counts should be hard and fast. As I said upstream, they should be a guide not a set limit. When to pull a pitcher should be based on that individual pitcher's limitations, his strength in that game, how he's throwing, whether his mechanics are starting to fall apart, control, etc. Then on top of that, pitchers need to be managed to last an entire season not blow them out in the first couple of months. I don't think asking a pitcher if he is done will get you an honest answer 9 times out of 10. These guys are competitors and they want to stay in and compete even when they are coming apart and tired.  Watch the tells, reduced speed, poor mechanics, loss of control, and know the pitcher's normal fatigue point and number of pitches thrown in recent outings.

Well then if you can't trust the pitcher then ask for the catchers input. If the catcher is competitive with winning in mind then he will give his honest opinion.

Last year no longer means anything. This is entirely a what are you doing for me today job. He has been hitting much better in the #2 spot in the batting order so leave him there and address other problems by finding a better fit for leadoff.

Eric Naughty Notti, teams that score first in the MLB win 70% of the time. With Michael Nelson Trout at lead off you have a guy who is going to be in scoring position at least 30% of the time with nobody out based on his stolen base % and last years OBP. Then you place someone in the 2 hole who can get MNT over to 3rd with one out so AP can drive him in with a ground out/sac fly. 1-0 LAA. Now you have an LAA pitcher staked to a minimum 1-0 lead in the first, which is a step in the right direction in generating confidence.

Side note: MNT legs are his biggest asset....keep him fit as a fiddle and stretched like a mofo. Let the leagues know he is a gazelle with stolen base prowess. And that he is going to create havoc on the bases. GET HIM ROLLING!

Start with a different manager who is willing to kick some butt. No more turning pages or tipping caps. That's garbage. That kind of talk is for losers.

 

Let the overpriced and much too comfortable players know who's running the show and exactly what's expected of them. Maximum accountability. If they don't produce, they get benched or sent down. Simple as that. Bring up some kids in their place who want to play baseball. Who cares how much the veterans are making? Bench them! Or if possible, trade them.

 

This brand of baseball that we're seeing is pathetic and totally unacceptable. Radical changes are needed at this point.

Bottom line is we need a complete overhaul of the entire coaching staff.

There's something OCD about this current obsession with pitch counts. Langston talked about it one night, and said they never thought about it back in the day. 

 

When did we start hearing about 100-pitch limits?

I've been pounding this for a while now. MS caught 15 complete games of Oreo Herschiser in 1988. And I think he caught at least another 20 CGs from the rest of the staff that year. Don't any of you see the point?

MS pulling JW in that situation proves, MS didn't think JW could do it. When you tell a player he can't do it he will think you lack confidence in him. The other players on the team will see MS lack of confidence in JW. JW will drive home thinking wtf is MS doing pulling my ass when I wanted to man up. This team is lifeless because of MS show of NO confidence. Now its rather obvious that the team has zero confidence. And you aren't watching the LAA if you see it any other way. I am so sick of all you apologetics that support this guy. Boo his ass at the park and ride him out of town. These players are our boys. He has messed with them enough. Why do you think guys are flourishing as soon as they depart? The birds were let out of the cage.

Take a wild guess

Starts with an "n" and ends in "ope"

Nope?

Thought so. This guy caught so many complete games over his career its amazing that he handles the staff this way. He should've visited the mound and asked JW if he was experiencing any fatigue. If the answer was yes, yank him. If the answer was no, then he game plans how to get the next batters out with pitch/catch. This way he leaves all the oweness on JW and takes the second guessing out of the post game sessions. The guy was cruising, had a 2 run lead to work with and it was his game to win. This is the main takeaway from tonight's loss again. MS is not managing intelligently, professionally and not in a way that breeds or gives any glimmer of hope of confidence. 100% guarantee that is why ZG bailed...after all MS did the same to him on that late inning disaster last year we can all remember.

I didn't get to watch the game but was listening to Terry/Mark on 405 S tonight. I want to know if MS held a discussion with JW on the mound before he yanked him...

Right on guys, you keep on believing that the reason the Angels are losing is because the manager wants it that way. Ignore the total lack of common sense that would take.

Listen Jack, we want to know why a manager who probably has more experience and qualifications than anyone in the MLs isn't managing like a professional. What other conclusions can be made? That he completely forgot how? It can't be ruled out that he is trying to get fired. Evidence is certainly mounting to support this thesis. Sorry you are another one of the absolute apologetics. Makes me sick.

What makes me the ultimate authority is that I have common sense. I can't answer your questions as to why he made his decisions tonight or why he didn't pinch run for Morales 9 months ago, and neither can you. What I can tell you with no uncertainty is he didn't do those things because he is trying to lose. It doesn't pass the smell test.

So you aren't Sherlock Holmes....that much we now are certain. You sound like a wife who swears her cheating husband couldn't possibly be cheating on her...

Well it certainly isn't because he is trying to lose or purpose. Like I said I would not have pulled Williams there, but to go straight to he is trying to lose on purpose is perhaps the stupidest opinion there is. It is even more stupid than the opinion that players that make a lot of money don't care about winning.

What makes you the ultimate authority? And can you please answer my original question as to why MS did what he did? How many absolutely buffoon moves do you need to witness from an absolute baseball genius mind in MS. Is there anyone with more experience left in the MLs with more qualification than MS? No. Is it a mid life crisis? Probably not. We all want to know why speedy peedy wasn't pinch running for Kendrys...

If you had any credibility here it was just lost with this opinion.

He is not the only one with this opinion. So Stradling why would you take the ball from Jerome when it is his game to win on low pitch count without consoling him on a mound visit and then leave Kohn in to walk 3 guys in a row?

Keppinger hadn't walked all season in 136 ABs.

Did MS consult with Jerome or just march out and take the ball?

What a joke. The entire organization has become apologetic and zero accountability. If you want to watch good old fashioned hardball, it sure isn't going to happen with MS as the manager.

MS doesn't intentionally walk Alexei Ramirez last night in an obvious situation. For a man with so much player/manager experience this is beyond mind baffling. He has majorly contributed to a massive loss of player/team confidence because of his laissez faire approach and buffoon decisions. Can him asap. I wonder if Posada would be worth a damn...

If this board had mods they would be young, hot and sexy.

He is making a mockery of the game.

IMO, MS lost the teams respect last year when he yanked Zack Greinke late in a key game. He went to the mound and decided himself to pull him. He instead should've consulted with ZG and allowed the ace to make the decision. After all MS caught 15 complete games of Oreo Herschisers 35 starts in 88, so he has looked confidence in the eyes many of times. I am sure the Angels organization and players wondered what MS was trying to prove, especially considering ZG was a rental. MS might not be the sole reason the Angels are under performing, but I certainly know he is reason #1 why they don't appear a confident bunch. Perhaps that explains also why players are excelling once they depart.

Paid attendance 38k+. Wow.

Unreal the Os haven't lost a game since 08/11 when leading after 7 innings.

Didn't this team kinda loses its mojo as soon as Rex Hudler left the organization? At least listening to Steve Physioc broadcast Royals baseball is entertaining.

In 1988, MS won the world series with the LA Dodgers. His coach was a HOF in Tommy Lasorda. MS won 2 WS as an active catcher with the Dodgers. In 1988, Orel Herschiser started 35 games and had 15 CGs and 8 shutouts. I'm certain MS caught the majority of those. MS has a career 34% throwing out runners trying to steal. He also caught over 11,000 innings.

Does this sound like he is highly qualified to manage?

So I can only conclude that something is highly suspicious as to why his decisions are so poor. And getting fired is something that seems to be very close to the truth to me.