MLB 2019

[Flynnie]

I remember my father saying in 2011, "Ahhh... I have my Red Sox back."

[San Bernardhinault]

The Padres have dismissed their manager, Andy Green, and have finally won a game.

It's a bit of a shame. I always liked him.

The team have still been consistently crap through his tenure even with decent investment in the last couple of years, and particularly fell away this year after an OK start - and this was the first OK start for the team in a decade, so losing that feels worse than most teams would. I can understand why he's being replaced. But he's not the kind of manager that you're happy has failed.

[Patrick Thistle]

San Bernardhinault I liked him and he was young. I was disappointed back when Bruce Bochy left. I never really understood that. If it was just money then that was sad. He nurtured some decent talent and they were a (sort of) winning side for a while.

[ursus arctos]

There are noises that Bochy might be coming back, but I'm not sure that anyone really has an idea.

The combination of the young talent on the roster (and in the minors), the lifestyle and the relative lack of media pressure makes it an attractive job. They won't lack candidates.

[danielmak]

I'd expect Madden to end up in San Diego. Seems like the kind of guy they will want as they hope to make the next step.

I have posted this before, but will repeat given the likely end of his time with the Cubs. I think he's a very good motivator and knows how to put each day in perspective, but I honestly think the Cubs won the WS in spite of his moves. Hendricks was lights out and Madden was gung ho on getting Lester into the game, which basically forced Chapman in too early.

I don't think the Cubs' window has closed but the sense that this was a dynasty in the making has not played out. Of course, the season records these past two years will be forgotten in history when people only keep track of titles, but they've done well. Just not well enough. I also think Theo and Jed have made some bad purchases and trades since the WS. They get clobbered for Torres but they needed a closer and the WS victory was worth parting with him. There's no guarantee Torres will win a WS with the Yankees but the Cubs have a title.

[Ginger Yellow]

Hendricks was lights out and Madden was gung ho on getting Lester into the game, which basically forced Chapman in too early.

True that. I was furious when he pulled Hendricks. Not least because the ball which led to the preceding walk was called wrong.

[Flynnie]

Bochy going back to San Diego is a funny one. He's not a kid anymore and he seems tired, but there's a lot of young talent on that squad and he's the most successful manager in Padres history and IIRC the only person besides Tony Gwynn to be present for both their NL pennants (he was a backup catcher in 1984). Edit: I forgot about the coaching staff. Tim Flanney and Greg Booker were also on the '84 squad. Still, it's a small club.

It'd be like Bill Belichick finally retiring from the Patriots, but taking over the New York Giants. Maybe he doesn't do it in the end...but you know he's thinking about it.

[ursus arctos]

Bochy is also an army brat (born in France, no less), so likely would find that aspect of San Diego culture familiar.

He is also likely to be willing to work for less than Maddon.

[Flynnie]

He still lives in Poway in the offseason.

[ursus arctos]

Which is a very powerful demonstration of the fact that his mind works very differently than mine

[San Bernardhinault]

Poway's not that bad.

[Patrick Thistle]

Bochy going back to San Diego is a funny one. He's not a kid anymore and he seems tired, but there's a lot of young talent on that squad and he's the most successful manager in Padres history and IIRC the only person besides Tony Gwynn to be present for both their NL pennants (he was a backup catcher in 1984). Edit: I forgot about the coaching staff. Tim Flanney and Greg Booker were also on the '84 squad. Still, it's a small club.

It'd be like Bill Belichick finally retiring from the Patriots, but taking over the New York Giants. Maybe he doesn't do it in the end...but you know he's thinking about it.

I posted this before the hack. In Bochy's final two season as Padres manager he took them to the divisional title. As a player or manager he has been involved in all five Padres post-season appearances. I know it's a bit of magical thinking at work.... but I'd love to see him back.

[danielmak]

I understand why some teams that have made the playoffs are keeping with their expected starters today. Those teams want to keep the pitchers fresh, but I have no idea why teams that are out of it and playing teams that are out of it (which is almost every game today) are using regular starters. For example, I have no idea why the Mets started Syndogaard. They should be using someone from the 40-man roster today.

[Incandenza]

Poway's not that bad.

[extreme Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton voice] "Poway! El Cajon! Vista! I want to hear from you!"

[danielmak]

[extreme Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton voice] "Poway! El Cajon! Vista! I want to hear from you!"

Haha. I used to listen to Jim Rome when he was on 690 (and then in Tampa when he was syndicated). I think he was on before "smacksaw" but I couldn't stay with Hamilton because it was 95% NFL and I could care less about gridiron football. In fact, I gave up on all sports talk radio since the most popular sports NFL and NBA both are of no interest to me. Sports radio/TV is one area where extreme specialization totally works for me. Since MLB Network formed, I have probably watch about 30 minutes total of ESPN Sports Center.

[Incandenza]

Angels have fired Brad Ausmus. Maddon reportedly interested in the job and would be an obvious choice.

[Hot Pepsi]

I would have thought Maddon might go to the Phillies, but they haven’t fired their manager. Yet.

[danielmak]

Maddon is going to have his choices. It's odd that a guy who did nothing but challenge and win a WS is out, but I also can see why the Cubs are also ready for a change. I'd assume that Maddon will go to the Angels or Padres but he's a Pennsylvania guy so maybe Pirates or Phillies (if Phillies decide to fire). Realistically, I can't see him going to the Pirates, who are down. I have to think Showalter will get a shot with one of these jobs. I know he was blasted for that wild card game against Toronto but I like him as a manger.

[danielmak]

Not a fan of the Nats for no real reason other than their club house drama over the years has had me thinking they are a bunch of primadonnas and I can't say that I am a fan of teams moving to new cities in the current marketplace. So I'm good with this Brewers lead. Either the Nats are going to chip their way back into this or Scherzer will be gone soon.

[ursus arctos]

[danielmak]

Baseball playoffs continue to be the most exciting games in US sports. I'm not a big believer anymore in wins and losses attached to pitchers but Hader lost that one. He was a mess from the start and I could tell that the Nats were either going to come from behind or push it to extra innings.

[danielmak]

Wire to wire for Tampa in this game. Morton rarely had an easy inning but he made the pitches when he needed to and got a lot of double play help. What sucks is that their reward will probably be getting swept by Houston.

There is a lot of talk among baseball pundits about baseball now being a front office game and that managers are less important in terms of strategy. But I think that really devalues what managers do. This seemed to be an exceptional year for some manager of the year candidates: Rays, As, Cardinals, Braves, and even the Yankees (Yankees won with a lot of cast-offs). Roberts won't be in the final mix in the NL, which is fine, but he has kept that team humming for multiple years now while other WS participants have dealt with hangovers. In the AL I'd go with Cash. Lowest payroll in baseball and here they are in the playoffs.

[Hot Pepsi]

I’m happy about the Rays. My nephew is 16, so he wasn’t really old enough to understand their World Series run at the time.

[danielmak]

I don't know why Taylor was sent, but even more than that I have no idea why Roberts didn't challenge the play at the plate. There was absolutely no plate made available for Taylor and this was in no way a situation where the ball's path pulled the catcher into the lane. Taylor should have lowered the shoulder and took out the catcher.

[ursus arctos]

Verlander is turning into baseball's Tom Brady