Managing with Farrell

Torey Lovullo was introduced as the new manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks today. That officially puts an end to his tenure as bench coach for the Red Sox under John Farrell. This news seems to have lots of people aghast, or upset, or both. Many people thought that Lovullo was the next Red Sox manager in waiting. After the Sox gave him a huge contract last season to bench coach, many people assumed it was because he would become manager when (not if) Farrell was fired. Obviously, not only was Farrell not fired, he was given a vote of confidence from Dave Dombrowski almost immediately following the season. He is coming back. It seems clear that Lovullo was being kept not as a safety net in case the Sox no longer wanted Farrell to manage, but in case Farrell’s health no longer allowed him to manage. Once that seemed to not be an issue, Lovullo was allowed to move on.

Which, of course, drives people who think Farrell is a bad manager nuts. They pick apart his in-game managing. They point to all the games that they claim Farrell cost them. They get all prickly when they hear Dombrowski say that in-game managing might not be the most important part of the job. “See! Even he thinks Farrell is a bad manager…he’s just touchy-feely so the players like him!” But, of course, that’s not the case at all. And I would have thought that this most recent playoffs would have proven it.

First, let’s explore the need for an in-game manager, and its importance. Think of all the decisions a manager needs to make. How many of them involve strategy within the game? Batting line-ups? No. Pitching rotations? No. Stealing a base? Yes. Bunting? Yes. But, those decisions are just a small fraction of what a manager has to do. Being good at that, or not, is not what you need to make a team successful. Just ask Bobby Valentine. I’m pretty sure he was considered one of the best in-game managers around. But, his team went no-where. People (incorrectly) shudder when they hear his name. All the correct decisions he made when it came to using a bullpen suddenly aren’t that important. He blew all the other stuff.

Obviously Farrell is pretty good at all the other stuff. But, can he do the in-game managing at all? Is he costing them game after game? 

The biggest complaint I hear about Farrell is his bullpen use. He doesn’t know how to use his closers. He keeps bringing them in at the wrong times. He doesn’t know how to use the rest of his pen. He’ll bring a guy in too early. Or too late. He falls in love with a guy, and overworks him while letting another option rot from underuse. But, then we saw these playoffs. Buck Showalter was roundly criticized for using his closer exactly the way everyone thinks a closer should be used. He didn’t bring him into a tie game on the road, and saved him for a save situation. Just like everyone keeps insisting that Farrell needs to learn how to do. The fact that Showalter is getting crushed is further proof that the decisions aren’t important…the results are.

Did you see the World Series? Managed by two of the great in-game managers, Joe Maddon and Terry Francona. I seem to remember Francona being faulted for not going to his pen earlier in game seven. He should have pulled the starter sooner, but waited a batter too long, and it cost him. Of course, Maddon got the opposite complaint. He pulled a starter that was moving right along too soon. He paid the price, and it almost cost him the series.

What about that problem with falling in love with guys? Did either of them fall in love with guys? I’d say they did. Did they both fall in love with a guy? Yup. Did they fall in love with them to the point that they overused them? Yup. Did that decision cost them? Yup. The fact that Maddon went to Chapman in a blowout because he didn’t trust anyone else almost cost him the World Series. Should have cost him the World Series. While Francona had less choice when it came to overusing Miller, he did end up allowing runs the Indians sure needed to stay off the board. So, maybe Farrell isn’t the only manager who loses trust in some of his players every once in a while.

Maybe it’s just that we see Farrell manage more. Maybe it’s because we’re so vested in all of his decisions. Maybe it’s because we only remember the bad decisions. Because I just saw three of the best managers in the game (Showalter, Francona, and Maddon) make the exact mistakes that people complain about Farrell making. And then some. I saw Joe Maddon call for a bunt with two strikes and a runner on third. I saw Francona call for a bunt to move along a runner already in scoring position. Those were just the mistakes in a single postseason. Imagine if we watched those three managers all year. Maybe once we had to live with those decisions every game, we’d think they were just as bad. Maybe we’d give them nicknames like Fran-coma. Maybe that’s just how managers are thought about. Maybe Farrell’s really just as good as those other three. We just pick on him more. Or, maybe results matter more than decisions.

Either way, perhaps people who have been relentlessly calling for the dismissal of Farrell haven’t been fair. It certainly looks like we just notice his flaws more than the managers in the other dugouts. After watching this postseason, I didn’t see anything that made me say “Farrell couldn’t have done that.” 

However, I saw plenty of cases where I thought, “That’s just what Farrell would have done.”

The Stage Has Been Set

With the Cubs beating the Dodgers in the NLCS, it was all over except the waiting. It meant the Indians and Cubs would be waiting to face each other in Game 1 of the World Series Tuesday night.

As with any match-up of this magnitude, there’s really only one question on anyone’s mind. Who do I want to win the Series?

This year, that decision is trickier than some. There’s no clear cut winner. If the Red Sox are playing, that’s an obvious one. If the Yankees are playing, just as obvious. Sometime my rationale is stupid. I would probably cheer against the Giants because I don’t want them to have more championships this century than the Red Sox do. I’d probably cheer against the Rays because the Devil Rays were so annoying, and for the Phillies because I’ve always felt a kinship with their fans. I would have cheered for the Dodgers because Adrian Gonzalez was cheated out of his 2013 ring with the Sox. Or the Blue Jays because so many Blue Jays fans seem to be fans of this blog.

But, for this match-up, things are a bit murky. Both teams are littered with ex-Red Sox. Both teams have gone a long time since winning their last World Series championship. Neither team is a particular rival of the Sox. I would have expected that I’d be rooting for the Cubs, as sort of a “long championship drought” kinship. And, a few years ago, that probably would have been the case. But, not this year.

I’m rooting for the Indians.

The first reason why is Joe Maddon. While it has slowed a bit since his move to the Cubs, but I’m already annoyed by the treatment Maddon gets from the media. His “genius Joe” routine is beyond annoying. The fact that he makes his team dress up in ridiculous costumes is maddening. For a guy who hasn’t won anything, he’s treated like god’s gift to managing. Imagine if he actually had a ring on his finger to go along with it? I shudder to think. From there, a couple other minor reasons. Jon Lester made a decision to not sign with the Sox. He could have chosen them, but he didn’t. Likewise, Theo made the decision to abandon the team to fit his desires. I figure they deserve to go winless more than other players.

Like the ones on the Indians, for instance. Mike Napoli was ditched by the team. Same with Coco Crisp. It seems to me that Tito Francona was tricked (by Theo) into leaving the Sox before he might have wanted to. I don’t been bad cheering for them. They’re still “one of us.” There’s also the marginal reason to root for the AL team. Keeping it in the League. Or, rooting for the team that beat the Red Sox. It’s slightly easier to swallow if the Sox are swept out of the playoffs by the eventual World Champions. 

Now, I admit, I’m not thrilled about hoping for Cleveland to win another championship this year. I’m not comfortable with them becoming a sports powerhouse to rival Boston’s glory days. But, then I look at the Browns, and don’t worry about that too much. I’m also not all that eager to open the “What if the Sox had traded for Miller instead of Cleveland?” line of questioning. But, those are minor issues in comparison. When it comes down to it, I can’t cheer for Joe Maddon.

Let’s go Indians!

Francona-The Red Sox Years, by Terry Francona and Dan Shaughnessy

Terry Francona managed the Red Sox for 8 years, winning two World Series titles along the way. Let me say that again. Winning two World Series titles along the way. You could argue that he’s the best manager in Red Sox history, and have a mighty strong case. As such, he had to deal with a lot through his tenure in Boston. The personalities of the players. The personalities of the owners. The old ballpark. The young general manager. All of it had to be massaged into a winner. How could anyone do it? How did Francona do it?

I wanted to like this book a lot. I was excited about reading it. I don’t know whether that, or the hype surrounding the book affected my opinion of it. But, I didn’t really enjoy it. I think the book was written too soon after Francona’s departure for what it is. I think I expected it to be different than it ended up being. I wanted to read it and go, “Aha! That’s why Manny had to be traded. Aha! That’s why September happened.” I didn’t. I don’t know if it was Francona’s intention to do that, or not. If it was, he didn’t do it very well. If it wasn’t, he should have written this book five years from now.

The presence of Shaughnessy on the cover bothered me from the start. I wished that Francona had used a national writer instead of a local guy to distance himself from the Boston media. When Joe Torre wrote The Yankee Years, he used Tom Verducci. It added a bit of authenticity to the book that Shaughnessy doesn’t bring. I got the feeling that this was a 350-page column trying to reinforce Shaughnessy’s agenda. The fact that the book is written in the third person doesn’t help that image. Quotes from Francona are treated the same as quotes from Theo, or John Henry. While I have to assume that Francona had authority over what went into the book, the format doesn’t reinforce that.

Maybe it was my prejudice that got to me. I went into the book thinking Manny shouldn’t have been traded. I don’t see a problem using PR to help sell the brand. I don’t think the best way to build a winner is through the farm system. Maybe it’s me. Because, there really was a lot of great information in the book. The behind the scenes stories were fascinating. But, the many good points were overshadowed by long stretches of frustration and annoyance. That was too bad.

Rating: 2 stars.

Should We Send Flowers?

So, the reports seem to be pretty certain that Bobby Valentine will be the next manager of the Boston Red Sox. How do I feel? Eh. Why not?

I don’t know what would get me crazy or fired up about a manager selection. I think Terry Francona really showed that past history isn’t that important. Before coming to Boston, Francona never won more than 77 games. In eight years in Boston, he never won less than 86. Do I think he suddenly learned everything he needed to know between gigs? Nope. I think it’s all about the situation. As long as you get a guy with a good baseball mind, and give him the horses, he should do just fine. For goodness sakes, even Grady Little and Jimy Williams took the Red Sox to the ALCS. You have to think Valentine is a leap and bound over those two. So, I say let’s see what happens.

One thought I found interesting was the idea that this may help the Sox with Daisuke Matsuzaka. Valentine has spent a lot of time in Japan. He understands the players over there, and they seem to respect him If Dice comes back this season, can Valentine get more out of him than others could? Does that make offering Dice a new contract seem reasonable? He’s still young, and if Valentine could get him back to form…could be a nice option as a fifth starter. Does this make the Sox more attractive for potential players coming over from Japan? Is this an attempt by management to hold on to Japanese fans lingering around from Dice-K’s tenure? Who knows?

Frankly, the worst thing I’ve ever heard about hiring Valentine is that he has a big ego. He might clash with Larry Lucchino. Maybe. Although, that happened with the former GM, but not before there was a title or two. Is Valentine going to manage for the next 15 years? No. Even if everything were perfect, I’d only see him as a one-contract type guy. And, that’s fine.

It’ll be a fun contract.

TTM Success!

Once again, that beautiful sight arrived in my mailbox. Flipping through Friday’s mail, I saw that little envelope addressed in my own handwriting! Where did it come from? Who could it be? What will I find inside.

The first part of opening it was a little confusing. As a rule, I only send out cards to players that picture them with the team they’re currently on. I don’t know why. It just feel like they’re a member of that team now, and I should respect that. Sort of like when Derek Lowe wore a Sox jersey to the 2005 ring ceremony even though he was a member of the Dodgers. So, I was a little surprised when opening the back of the envelope revealed this card. The first thing I saw was the “Reds” team name. Who did I send a card to in Cincinnati? This is a pretty old card too. So, I pulled it out t reveal the one and only Terry Francona. Much like Kevin Youkilis did not too long ago, Francona decided to send along a card of his own. It’s a great card, and a great signature. I’m thrilled that Tito took the time to send it back to me.

It asks the same question that I brought up with Youkilis though. If I didn’t send this card, where did it come from? The one from Youk was a recent card, issued in the last year or two. Francona selected one from over 20 years ago. Has he been hanging onto a stack of 1988 Topps cards since then to send off to people? Did someone else, this year, send him 5 copies of that card to sign, but Francona sent one to me instead? How interesting.

However it happened, though, I’m glad it did. That’s two responses already this year and I couldn’t be happier. It makes me want to get together another batch to send off! So, thank you Terry Francona for adding this gem to my collection.

It looks just great.
　

Who’s the most disappointed?

There are two sides to every coin. Newton tells us that there’s always an opposite reaction. So, even after the Sox won two of three games in Philadelphia, some people aren’t going to be happy. Some people are worried about the reaction. Who lost the most? There are a couple contenders.

The Phillies, and their fans. When the best thing you can get out of a game is that “we didn’t get no-hit”, that’s a pretty bad day at the park. Your superstar shortstop goes back on the DL with a calf injury. Your ace gets smacked around by a team that is built around pitching and defense. Not a great weekend.

Daisuke Matsuzaka. Chances for no-hitters don’t come around very often. They’re mostly luck, and they’re held with pretty high esteem around baseball circles. To get that close. To have that many balls bounce your way. To be four outs away. To lose it on a bloop hit just out of Scutaro’s reach must be beyond annoying. He’ll have to take solace in the fact that one of the best-pitched games ever was Pedro’s Yankees game in 1999. Not only was that not a no-hitter, it wasn’t even a shutout.

The Boston Media. Can you write doomsday stories after the team wins a series on the road against the defending NL champions? Can you write stories about how maddening Dice-K is to watch after his masterpiece on Saturday? Can you watch Saturday’s game and not write that pitching and defense is a viable way to win a ballgame? Do they even remember how to write with cutting and pasting?

Terry Francona. Do you think he was the only person not on the Phillies hoping for a hit on Saturday? Can you see him projecting the pitches in his head, and wondering he has to keep Dice in for 160 if he’s working on a no-hitter at the time? What about the catchers? Saturday night certainly isn’t going to stop questions as to whether Tek needs to be behind the plate. Tito is forced by the schedule to get Tek into a game, and Dice throws the game of his career? Talk about your bad breaks. How does he possibly put Victor behind the plate for Matsuzaka’s next start? If he does, and Dice pitches poorly, then what? If you make Varitek Dice’s personal catcher, what about Beckett? Where does it end? What about Wakefield? Francona makes the call to send him to the pen. He comes out to fill in for Beckett a bit, and pitches 8 shutout innings to out-duel Roy Halladay? Really? Now what does he do?

Any one of these groups will have a hard time coming out of the weekend with a smile on their face. I’m sure there are even more.

I just can’t think of them.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Your Attention Please. Now Playing Right Field…

Javy Lopez?

In his time as manager, Terry Francona has done some pretty odd things with his defense. He’s brought a position player in to pitch a few times. He even had a game where for an inning, he brought and extra infielder in, sent him back, moved him over, and brought him in again. But, this was the first time he’s thrown a pitcher into the outfield. He even, actually, had a decent reason for it.

I’ve always wondered what it took for a position player to have to pitch. It’s always during a blowout. But, at what point is it worth risking an outfielder’s injury as opposed to wearing out another reliever. In last night’s game, Francona gave up on it pretty early on. Maybe a little too early, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. So, he had emptied his bench, and was just trying to get through the final innings. I can understand not wanting to use any of the primo members of the pen. You don’t want Papelbon mopping up when you may actually need him the next night. So, Francona was giving the 8th inning to Lopez. He needed to go as long as it took to get out of the inning. There would be no lefty-right match-ups. It was Lopez until he got three outs. It just didn’t work that way.

Lopez was shelled, and kept throwing pitches, pitches, and more pitches. Finally, Francona had no choice. Lopez had to come out. But, who to put in? Not wanting to waste anyone, he decided on back-up outfielder Jonathan Van Every. Van Every was a decent choice. He’s not a key member of the team. I hate to use the word expendable, but it would fit. There’s not an enormous concern of him pulling a Canseco, and losing time to an injury. He also had a little pitching experience, having pitched almost a decade ago at Itawamba JC. So, he was a logical emergency plan. It did lead to a problem. Who was going to take his place in right? Francona had already emptied the bench. The only player left was Varitek. He certainly wasn’t going to the outfield. You could try him at first, or third maybe and move a couple players around. Or, you could just send Lopez out there. That made as much sense as anything. Pitchers do shag flies in batting practice. And, Lopez had played some in the field in college. Why not? It was just for an inning.

So, that’s how it went. Van Every walked a couple guys, but his 80 mph fastballs also recorded the outs he needed. (Sort of makes you wonder about the whole pitching thing when a guy throwing nothing but 80 mph fastballs can still get outs) The only cause for concern was a run-scoring double he gave up…to right center. I bet Francona’s heart skipped more beats than usual when he saw Lopez running after the ball. Interestingly enough, the runner on base was Lopez’s. So, he had the unique chance to make a play to save one of his own inherited runners from scoring. Would have been great if he had done it with a full-out dive. Of course, he didn’t and his ERA ballooned up accordingly.

In the end, it was a wasted game for the Sox. They happen every once in a while. I’m not sure if they could have gotten two hits if Van Every was pitching for the Rays. But, the Sox are entitled to toss up a stinker every now and then.

At least they make them entertaining.