By Kevin Kernan October 31, 2020
Old guys rule. So do guys who broke the rules.
In the never-ending lesson of Baseball is Life, that is what we learned this week with the managerial hires of Tony La Russa and A.J. Hinch.
As for La Russa, the last time a team made just such a move as the White Sox did, hiring a manager at least 72 years of age, they won the World Series.
That was the Marlins who hired Jack McKeon in May of 2003. He managed to turn around the 16-22 team and get his Marlins to the postseason, beat the Giants, stun the Cubs in the Steve Bartman NLCS and shock the Yankees in six games in the World Series, going against conventional wisdom and everyone else in Marlins hierarchy by electing to pitch ace Josh Beckett in Game 6 on short rest to finish off the Yankees.
That’s managing.
McKeon didn’t pull his ace like we saw Kevin Cash do this World Series in Game 6.
McKeon had the courage of his convictions even when the rest of the front office wanted to hold Beckett for a possible Game 7. That was some creative, go with your gut thinking and La Russa has one tough old guy act to follow.
But Tony La Russa is a Hall of Fame manager and will do things his way and will probably get some of his old coaches together in the act.
“He’ll get the band back together,’’ one trusted talent evaluator told BallNine this weekend.
“It’s like The Rolling Stones going on tour again.’’
Owner Jerry Reinsdorf made this move and you can just imagine the conversation.
“Tony, I’m not getting any younger. Get me back to the World Series.’’
This has been quite the last few days of managerial hires in the AL Central with the White Sox hiring La Russa and the Tigers signing up Hinch, who last managed the Cheatin’ Astros and was put in MLB jail for a year – suspended – after he was fired by Astros owner Jim Crane.
Hinch let it all happen, including the trash can banging, on his watch.
While his Astros were breaking the rules left and right, Hinch broke two monitors. That was it. But life goes on, mistakes are made and now we will see if Hinch will manage the team and not let the inmates run the asylum this time around the block.
Personally, I like A.J. Hinch. He gave thought-provoking answers to questions unless the questions were about stealing signs and cheating, those he tried to laugh off. Not a good look, A.J.
I also like La Russa. I like his crazy-man intensity. Maybe because I am only nine years behind La Russa, I like the fact he wants to mix it up with managers half his age.
3 comments:
What do we do with all these young shortstops Dr. Hackenbush?
Some other Mets website (I won't mention the name but it is common lately) is saying that Amed Rosario should be the likely player to be traded from the NY Mets shortstop position. I have always disagreed with this. Here again is why.
Okay. The Mets have an overabundance of good young shortstops as a given. You can set them into trading stone as such or try to be a little bit more open minded and admit that each one has pretty serious talent about them. It's so very true. These are three quality players with undeterminable upside at this early on point.
So what are the needs of these 2021 NY Mets really?
Starting Pitching - I have already given you my insight on this ad nauseum.
Catcher - I like James McCann and Tomas Nido for 2021. Both are good backstops, both are capable and both have the necessary talent to hold the position offensively as well. They are good. They are affordable solutions. I'd let JT Realmuto go to some other team for a five year $100.0 mill deal. One injury at age 30+ and this dream acquisition is over. Be wise here.
Third Base - In many Mets fans minds, this issue exists. I always liked JD Davis and I cite his 2019 stat page for this main reason. JD stays on third. Let him dig in there and get comfortable. No more moving him to LF. No need to.
Centerfield - Here's where young bloods Mauricio, Gimenez, and Rosario fit into a creative and wise overall equation. One plays starting shortstop. One backs up shortstop and maybe one other position to get at bats. The third one gets "groomed" for centerfield, comes in early off season for this special training. Maybe get him Mookie to work with him.
Mauricio is interesting, although very young. He switch hits well already and with some homerun power that will only grow. He is a work in progress, true, but his ceiling to me looks quite high already. You stay with him and let him become who will be at the MLB level.
Could Ronnie not be another Mookie Wilson type CF player?
I thin' so Lucy! He's quick. He hustles out there. And his talent level could mean that a switch to CF is do-able for him. It's worth a shot for certain.
My point here is simply do not underestimate these three homegrown players. For they all have "obvious talent and game" and could conceivably be All Stars one day soon, if handled correctly. It answers key questions here.
The very last thing a team should ever want is to be "haunted" by a special player that they foolishly let go or gave away on the cheap too soon.
I actually read this today on another website...
"Should Dominic Smith be traded for Clint Frazier?"
A: My goodness no already! Are you sipping something?
To me, there is no real correlation or comparison between Dominic Smith and Clint Frazier, the one time Yankee prospect.
Let the numbers cite as to why:
Clint Frazier
MiLB totals: 2343 AB/24 HR/82 RBI's/.258 BA/297 RBI
Dominic Smith
MiLB totals: 2377 AB/46 HR/.295 BA/358 RBI/.360 OBP
If that isn't enough, Dominic hit like .45 points higher and with more homeruns in the abbreviated 2020 season. There is no comparison with them I see.
Unrelated to Kevin's article, but Anonymous, Smith cannot be undervalued. He could be one of the top 10 hitters in the game today. In an article I did recently, if you projected Smith's 2019 and 2020 at bats up to Alonso's 805 career at bats, you'd have .300, 71 doubles, 47 HRs and 154 RBIs. Why would someone trade that??? I wouldn't.
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