Thoughts on the managerial search
I just finished reading Goatriders and they listed some interesting facts and thoughts about the managerial search and whatnot, so I've been inspired to do the same. So here's my rundown of the managerial candidates, and maybe another thought or two.
Lou Piniella Seems to be the leading candidate, for some reason. He's been marginally successful in a lot of places but from what I can tell he seems to be a manager in the similar style of Dusty Baker. He's a little older, and he doesn't really like to play young guys, and he bunts a lot. One interesting thing to see would be whether he used 8 double switches per game like Dusty used to. But on the plus side, he is an inspired manager. He seems to care. I for one would enjoy seeing him run out there and hurl a base in the general direction of an umpire. The last 3 (at least) managers the Cubs have had haven't really cared about much, so I would appreciate the passion. And he would instill rules, so there's a plus, and maybe he could run Jacque Jones out of town or something. But I'm not positive everyone would enjoy the rules (Aramis).
Joe Girardi The hometown favorite, of course Girardi is going to be a candidate. My personal feelings on the situation are that Girardi wants to come manage the Cubs, so he'll wait to find out. However, I'm not positive that I like his managerial style. Basically everyone on the Marlins team was a top-tier prospect. So really it's questionable as to whether or not Girardi is a good teacher. Also, he's not really a big OBP guy either. In addition to that, he makes sometimes confusing defensive substitutions at the end of the game which may or may not come back to bite him in the ass. But he's a young guy, he seems to enjoy discipline, and I think that would bode well for the Cubs.
Bob Brenly One rumor has Brenly being the top candidate for the job. Not sure how I feel about this one. He did win a World Series in Arizona, but he also had the two top pitchers in baseball. I enjoyed when he would call out Dusty for making a stupid coaching decision in games though. However, when Arizona went to a rebuilding stage, Brenly showed he couldn't really do much. I'm not really sure if basically management sold him out and he was a lame duck. Things I appreciate are that he believes in building up teams using the farm system. I think he could probably be a pretty good teacher if given the chance. Rumors have him as the leading candidate for the Giants job also, and Arizona may make him some sort of offer perhaps. I would say this was Brenly's last year in the announcing booth if he should choose so.
Davey Johnson I always thought this guy sucked as a manager. Of course, I didn't really start getting into baseball until about '96, and I think that was one of the years the Orioles were in the playoffs under him. Just from reading about him, he's a disciple of Earl Weaver. Earl Weaver was a feisty coach, so I'm definitely cool with that. Johnson's teams have been big on OBP, and he believes in patient power hitters, a phrase that I'm not sure I've ever heard on the North Side. Also, he doesn't bunt a lot, but he uses the speed that he has. Also, he seems to be able to get players to buy into his system. Basically I really haven't heard anything I haven't liked about him, so I think if he was brought in, which is a super long shot, I would be fine with it.
Finally, just a couple pros about John McDonough being CEO. First, rumor has it payroll could be increased somewhere between 10-20 million. That would be awesome, as it would allow the Cubs to bring in a big free agent, and we all know they'll generate a profit no matter what the payroll is. Second, McDonough is friends with Steve Stone, so he would be willing to listen to advice, and may even be able to get Stoney back in the broadcasting booth. That would be awesome. So I'll be extremely cautiously optimistic until I find out what the Cubs plan to do for next year, and then I'll probably be really disappointed, cry for a few days, and then try to convince myself that it won't be so bad.
Lou Piniella Seems to be the leading candidate, for some reason. He's been marginally successful in a lot of places but from what I can tell he seems to be a manager in the similar style of Dusty Baker. He's a little older, and he doesn't really like to play young guys, and he bunts a lot. One interesting thing to see would be whether he used 8 double switches per game like Dusty used to. But on the plus side, he is an inspired manager. He seems to care. I for one would enjoy seeing him run out there and hurl a base in the general direction of an umpire. The last 3 (at least) managers the Cubs have had haven't really cared about much, so I would appreciate the passion. And he would instill rules, so there's a plus, and maybe he could run Jacque Jones out of town or something. But I'm not positive everyone would enjoy the rules (Aramis).
Joe Girardi The hometown favorite, of course Girardi is going to be a candidate. My personal feelings on the situation are that Girardi wants to come manage the Cubs, so he'll wait to find out. However, I'm not positive that I like his managerial style. Basically everyone on the Marlins team was a top-tier prospect. So really it's questionable as to whether or not Girardi is a good teacher. Also, he's not really a big OBP guy either. In addition to that, he makes sometimes confusing defensive substitutions at the end of the game which may or may not come back to bite him in the ass. But he's a young guy, he seems to enjoy discipline, and I think that would bode well for the Cubs.
Bob Brenly One rumor has Brenly being the top candidate for the job. Not sure how I feel about this one. He did win a World Series in Arizona, but he also had the two top pitchers in baseball. I enjoyed when he would call out Dusty for making a stupid coaching decision in games though. However, when Arizona went to a rebuilding stage, Brenly showed he couldn't really do much. I'm not really sure if basically management sold him out and he was a lame duck. Things I appreciate are that he believes in building up teams using the farm system. I think he could probably be a pretty good teacher if given the chance. Rumors have him as the leading candidate for the Giants job also, and Arizona may make him some sort of offer perhaps. I would say this was Brenly's last year in the announcing booth if he should choose so.
Davey Johnson I always thought this guy sucked as a manager. Of course, I didn't really start getting into baseball until about '96, and I think that was one of the years the Orioles were in the playoffs under him. Just from reading about him, he's a disciple of Earl Weaver. Earl Weaver was a feisty coach, so I'm definitely cool with that. Johnson's teams have been big on OBP, and he believes in patient power hitters, a phrase that I'm not sure I've ever heard on the North Side. Also, he doesn't bunt a lot, but he uses the speed that he has. Also, he seems to be able to get players to buy into his system. Basically I really haven't heard anything I haven't liked about him, so I think if he was brought in, which is a super long shot, I would be fine with it.
Finally, just a couple pros about John McDonough being CEO. First, rumor has it payroll could be increased somewhere between 10-20 million. That would be awesome, as it would allow the Cubs to bring in a big free agent, and we all know they'll generate a profit no matter what the payroll is. Second, McDonough is friends with Steve Stone, so he would be willing to listen to advice, and may even be able to get Stoney back in the broadcasting booth. That would be awesome. So I'll be extremely cautiously optimistic until I find out what the Cubs plan to do for next year, and then I'll probably be really disappointed, cry for a few days, and then try to convince myself that it won't be so bad.
posted by Jtrouble at 10:08 AM
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